North East Times Magazine - September 2014 by North East Times Magazine

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SEPTEMBER

2014

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Leading legal advisors to GPs and Dentists

CONTENTS

September 2014 BUSINESS NEWS –

SAVE THE DATE –

Business events – mark them on your calendar.

NORTH EAST VIEW POINTS –

Thoughts from the region’s business community.

ON THE MOVE –

New executive appointments.

10 QUESTIONS FOR... –

Jonathan Dunkley, Major Family Law

COVER STORY – 32 Sintons

THE LONG GAME –

Richard Freeman-Wallace, Hay & Kilner

STATE OF THE ART –

BUSINESS LUNCH –

Fratelli, Ponteland

MOTORS –

110

CREDITS

Directors: Mike Grahamslaw, Mick O’Hare Commercial director: Martin Stout Editor: Alison Cowie Editorial: Jessica Laing, James Kreczak, Ella Braidwood Senior designer: John Haxon Design: Saba Ahmad Feature photography: Chris Owens

Front cover: Amanda Maskery, Hilary Parker, Barry Speker OBE DL and Laura Peace by Chris Owens. Office: Quayside - i4, Albion Row, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1LL. | t: (0191) 265 7050 www.northeasttimes.co.uk | @NETimesmagazine Find us on issuu

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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. © 2014 Published by North East Times Ltd.

BUSINESS NEWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Workplace pensions becoming ‘social norm’

aving into a workplace pension is becoming more of a social norm, new research has shown. A survey of working age adults has found that almost three quarters of the population are aware of automatic enrolment, the flagship government policy which just last week marked the milestone of seeing four million people brought into workplace pension schemes. The poll, conducted by Ipsos MORI on

behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), also found that 78 per cent of people believe employers being compelled by law to automatically enrol their workers is a good thing. By 2018, all UK employers will be obliged to offer a workplace pension scheme and automatically enrol qualifying staff. Almost half of people polled agreed that saving into a workplace pension is ‘the normal thing to do’.

Cost of divorce reaches £44K for couples T

he nation’s couples are spending more than £44,000 on average when they divorce or separate, totalling £5.7 billion per year, a new study from life insurer Aviva has revealled.

The figures show a 57 per cent increase since Aviva last carried out the survey in 2006 when the cost of divorce was around £28,000. While the data suggests legal fees for divorce have actually fallen over the

period – from £1,818 to £1,280 - with many opting for cheaper online services, additional costs such as moving house and child maintenance payments mean the overall price of separation has soared.

Inflation slows to 1.6 per cent T

he UK Consumer Price Index slowed to 1.6 per cent in July 2014, down from 1.9 per cent in June, according to the Office for National Statistics. Commenting on the figures, Towry's Andrew Wilson said that the,

“unexpectedly weak inflation figures are due to both the current strength of sterling and tough times on the High Street. “While house prices continue to rise and have hit a record average of

£265,000, the pace of house price increases is decreasing, which is good news. The fall in inflation will give Mark Carney and the Bank of England more breathing space in terms of pushing up interest rates, and will soften sterling.”

North East wins!

he region has claimed victory in a competition to win £1 million worth of advertising across Heathrow Airport, with over 19,000 votes or ‘likes’ for the region in the Facebook competition. NECC chief executive, James Ramsbotham, said: “Securing £1m of free marketing at one of the world’s largest airports can provide a significant boost to the North East visitor economy and provide us with the opportunity to showcase the North East and all its many attractions to people from across the globe.”

Leading lawyer joins Sintons

hil Davison has become a partner at Sintons law firm, moving from Browell Smith and Co where he was head of Litigation. Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Legal 500, Phil becomes the fourth key new hire in only a few months at Sintons, which now has 30 partners and over 250 members of staff. Phil said: I am very pleased to have joined Sintons and delighted to be part of its highly-acclaimed personal injury team.”

Funding boost

he North East Chamber of Commerce has announced its first ever expo showcasing regional business. The event is being sponsored by MAKE it Sunderland and Sunderland City Council, and will be held at Rainton Meadows, Houghton-le-Spring Arena on September 11, 9am-4pm.

Businessman joins museum trust

Northstar – most active

yne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) has appointed entrepreneur and North East business consultant Ammar Mirza CBE to the board of the TWAM Development Trust. In his new role as a trustee, Ammar will play a key role in shaping and supporting fundraising initiatives.

ccountants from Tait Walker ‘s three North East offices have tackled the 140-mile Coast 2 Coast cycle, in aid of a number of North East charities including Percy Hedley, Bright Red, Tiny Lives, WATBus and Teesside-based organisation, Daisy Chain. Tait Walker managing partner Andrew Moorby said: “The Coast 2 Coast was a huge achievement for all of the staff involved. The participants and their colleagues showed fantastic support, especially throughout the training period.”

NECC showcase

Saltburn community group has secured vital cash that will enable it to continue staging summer concerts in the town. Friends of Saltburn (FoS) successfully applied for a £1000 grant from a community benefit fund launched last year by EDF Energy Renewables, which owns and operates the Teesside offshore wind farm off the coast of Redcar.

Firm’s charity challenge

recently published report by CB Insights, the venture capital database, shows that North East-based Northstar Ventures, which has a portfolio of over 100 technology companies, is one of the top ten UK VCs that been the most active in the last five years.

Casino boss returns

igel Hartland has returned to the North East to head up one of the region’s leading casino and entertainment venues. The new general manager of Aspers Casino Newcastle has previously worked in Scotland and the North East, opening bingo venues in Dundee, Edinburgh, Middlesbrough and South Shields.

Senior move at Newcastle firm

allsend-based CMR UK, which manufactures instrumentation systems for high performance diesel engines, has promoted Maureen Jamieson to finance director. She will be responsible for financial planning and human resources.

DIARY

DURHAM COUNTY CRICKET CLAY SHOOT DAY

FOCUS DINNER WITH JEREMY MIDDLETON

Sept

Café 21, Newcastle Tel: (0191) 500 7780 Web: www.entrepreneursforum.net Price: £75+VAT per person Business owners are urged to attend this Entrepreneurs’ Forum dinner, hosted by one of the North East’s highest profile entrepreneurs, Jeremy Middleton CBE. The founder of private investment company, Middleton Enterprises Ltd, will be discussing a wide range of topics over dinner, from rebalancing the region’s economy to job creation and leveraging funding.

Save the date Charity balls, business dinners and seminars.

NORTH EAST ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARDS Sept

NECC MEMBER SHOWCASE

Sept

115

Rainton Meadows Arena, Houghton-leSpring Tel: 0300 303 6322 Web: www.necc.co.uk Email: events@necc.co.uk Price: Exhibit spaces from £50-£150+VAT

Sept

12 5

Rockliffe Hall, County Durham Tel: 01325 729999 Web: www.rockliffehall.com/whats-on Email: enquiries@rockliffehall.com Price: £24.50 per person Founder and director of global luxury organic brand, NEOM, Nicola Elliot, will be hosting this special ‘ladies evening’, which will follow a similar format to the hotel’s renowned ladies lunches. Includes a talk from Nicola about her range of home fragrance and body care products, a two-course evening meal, exclusive offers, and drinks in the bar.

Elton Moor Farm, Stockton on Tees Tel: (0191) 397 2818 Email: nick.matthews@durhamccc.co.uk Price: £650 +VAT per team Businesses are invited to the inaugural Durham County Cricket Clay Shoot day for an actionpacked day of competitions and games. The day will involve four teams partaking in six drives, including duck and pigeon clay shooting, with 100 clays per team. 20 teams will compete for first place. Includes refreshments on arrival, an all-day bar, a Cartridge box raffle and a two-course dinner at Elton Moor Farm to finish.

19 5 Hilton Hotel, Gateshead Tel: (0191) 500 7780 Web: www.entrepreneursforum.net Price: £75+VAT per person

MEDIEVAL BANQUET

Sept

19 5

Blackfrairs Restaurant, Newcastle Tel: (0191) 261 5945 Web: www.blackfriarsrestaurant.co.uk Price: £39 per person

NECC’s first ever Member Showcase, which is open to both members and non-members, aims to focus solely on networking and bringing together businesses and members from across the region. Includes two seminars, two ‘Stand up and be Counted’ and NECC Exchange Taster events and exhibitions.

NEOM LIGHTS

Sept

Celebrate the Autumn Equinox at this enchanting medieval banquet, featuring live entertainment and a feast of authentic dishes and beverages, served by monks and town wenches. Guests who arrive in medieval costume will be rewarded with a free drink.

Celebrating the success of the region’s finest business minds, this annual black tie dinner, complete with a glittering awards ceremony, will see the Forum crown 2014’s Emerging Talent, Entrepreneur of the Year and Lifetime Achievement winners. Includes refreshments and a chance to network with likeminded individuals.

Email jessica.laing@accentmagazines.co.uk with your events

OPEN EVENT WITH MARK WILLIAMS

Sept

23 5

Teeside University, Darlington Tel: (0191) 500 7780 Web: www.entrepreneursforum.net Price: Free (members), £25+VAT (members’ guests) Designed to reach just about everyone, from business owners to young professionals, this helpful and insightful open event will be hosted by one of the world’s top LinkedIn experts, Mark Williams, who will be helping guests understand how connecting via LinkedIn can help them and their colleagues become more productive and successful.

OPINION

JAMES MCEWEN ASSOCIATE BHP LAW In Henry VI, Part II, Dick the Butcher famously exhorts, “let’s kill all the lawyers”. This suggestion usually strikes a chord with the audience, many of whom will have been frustrated by the perceived iniquities of the law. With the referendum on Scottish independence due to take place in September, maybe it’s time to encourage the Union by no longer making it lawful to kill Scotsmen within the ancient city walls of York (with a bow and arrow). Similarly, it is probably unnecessary for the citizens of Chester to have the ability to hang Welshmen found on their streets after sunset. Still, if the “yes” campaign succeeds, then maybe there are regions in Scotland that would embrace the ability to be drunk in possession of a cow (currently punishable by up to 51 weeks imprisonment under the Licensing Act of 1872). Just to be on the safe side, however, let’s introduce a new law, criminalizing the incitement of violence towards lawyers by national poets.

LEE BETCHLEY

North East view points Local business men and women share their thoughts …

Laws concerning Adverse Possession would be at the top of my list. While one can appreciate there is a housing crisis, it still seems unjust that effective trespassers can claim rights of occupation under adverse possession legislation. It’s not just residential properties that are affected, increasingly there are instances where commercial owners who have allowed informal occupation for a number of years encounter problems when trying to formalise such arrangements with occupiers. This in itself can then have a knock-on effect on potential development land, putting off developers and having further detrimental impact on the housing market.

As an employment lawyer, I feel obliged to focus on changes to current employment law. There are so many employment laws which ought to be amended, changed or implemented that it is difficult to pick one or even two. However, in my view, repealing TUPE in its entirety for businesses employing less than 20 employees would be a positive change for employers, and perhaps making tattoo discrimination unlawful given the prevalence of tattoos and the discriminatory view of tattoos which can be taken by some employers.

LUCY ELLIOTT CORPORATE FINANCE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR TAIT WALKER

GWEN JONES COMMERCIAL SOLICITOR GORDON BROWN LAW FIRM

SOLICITOR CLARKE MAIRS LLP

What law would you like to see changed?

DONNA HUNWICK

In the ever-changing world of social media, amendments are needed to modernise current legislation, which surprisingly was almost all passed before social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter were launched.There are countless online crimes ranging from online trolling and cyber bulling to the issue of false information which can quickly go viral. Social media is a fantastic tool which enables freedom of speech by providing a global audience but it should always be used appropriately.

CHRIS MADDOCK PARTNER MUCKLE LLP The law that I would like to see changed is in relation to the provision of employee information during retendering processes. The current obligations are too narrow for the extent and the timescale for providing information. Making these obligations clearer would help smaller organisations to tender with more certainty and allow greater competition by locally based organisations, for contracts which are often awarded to large organisations that can otherwise absorb the uncertainty that the current law produces.

SOLICITOR SINTONS LLP The regulations prohibiting family holidays in term time. These introduced penalties for parents who take children out of school in term time and criminal sanctions for parents who fail to pay. The Government’s view is that term time absence seriously harms children's progress and attainment. In overcrowded classrooms where children regularly compete against their peers for their teachers’ attention, there are a whole host of issues to be addressed by those responsible for the education of our children. Issuing criminal records to hard working, tax-paying parents is not the answer.

JOANNE MAJOR TAX MANAGER BOND DICKINSON

KATIE BUCKLEY

The law I would like to see amended is the increase to the nil-rate band for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. The IHT nil-rate band has been frozen at £325,000 since 2009 and is not going to be reviewed until 2018. This combined with the huge rise in property prices in parts of the UK means that more and more ‘ordinary’ families are now finding themselves faced with an IHT dilemma.

PRINCIPLE MAJOR FAMILY LAW Until 2010, if a husband or wife felt that their spouse wasn’t being honest about identifying their assets on divorce, they could resort to “self help” tactics. This meant that they could snoop around the house looking for paperwork that their spouse had “forgotten” to hand over. But this was changed by the Court of Appeal and it is now unlawful for a spouse to look at documents that they haven’t been given authority to look at. This is referred to as a “cheat’s charter”, allowing dishonest people to hide assets during divorce.

INTERVIEW

Jonathan Dunkley After an illustrious 27 years at a leading Newcastle city centre law firm, Jonathan has joined Major Family Law as a consultant solicitor, advising on all aspects of family law.

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?

Making partner at the age of only 26 was an invaluable opportunity. It was not only recognition of my professional ability as a lawyer, but a chance to become involved with the running and marketing of a business and to contribute to policy decisions about the delivery of services to clients.

I had previously spent the bulk of my career in as a partner in a prestigious city centre practice. While this was a very rewarding position, nevertheless, the focus of the practice was commercial. Major Family Law is a niche practice, exclusively dedicated to family law work with an excellent reputation at both local and national levels. It has a young and dynamic team with a fresh and innovative approach, all of which makes being part of the team a very exciting and invigorating prospect.

About a month after I qualified in 1979 I was instructed by a farmer’s wife who was in a custody battle with her husband over their three young children. The circumstances of the case were harrowing. It went all to a contested court hearing that lasted for three days. I conducted the case myself and won. If my client had lost her children, it would have broken her. I knew how high the stakes were and how important it was to fight for the right outcome. Winning confirmed to me that family law was where I wanted to be.

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had a long and successful career doing something I love and which I passionately believe in. For that reason, I can’t say that there have been any significant lowlights. On the other hand, it’s not always possible to achieve the exact outcome that a client so desires, and it is difficult to deal with a client’s disappointment in the knowledge that these can be life-changing decisions with ramifications for those involved way beyond the time of my involvement.

Every case is different and often complex and challenging. I feel privileged when clients turn to me to help and guide them through difficult and turbulent times in their lives. Being given that responsibility makes me passionate about helping every client and securing the best possible outcome every time.

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?

What does the future hold for Major Family Law?

What do you do to relax?

Providing the best possible advice and support in a cost effective and practical way is always a challenge. Disputes are costly. Disputes within a family context usually mean that available finances are even more restricted. We have a duty as family lawyers to give our clients the best possible representation while at the same time always seeking to avoid unnecessary confrontation or incurring unnecessary costs. Sometimes, just persuading someone to seek legal advice sooner rather than later is a challenge in itself.

People who fight tirelessly for a cause they firmly believe in – often for little or no personal reward –truly inspire me. Clive Stafford Smith, the founder of Reprieve, has spent 25 years working on behalf of defendants facing the death penalty in the US; and Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties), is a talented and effective proponent of human rights and an extremely accomplished woman.

‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ It’s actually a quote by Martin Luther King, but it’s a potent message.

In five short years, Major Family Law has grown in stature and reputation and firmly established itself as a leading niche practice within the North East and the legal profession generally. Described by the Legal 500 as a pre-eminent practice, the practice never rests on its laurels and is constantly seeking new ways to deliver the service clients want and need in the best possible way. Keeping abreast of changes to the law and procedural rules, embracing technology and the changing ways in which people communicate all make for exciting times for me to have joined such a modern and progressive practice.

Family life in and around my home in Hexham is wonderfully relaxing. I have a large and sloping lawn that requires mowing every other weekend. On average, it takes 42 minutes, 59 seconds on my ancient Westwood Tractor, which coincidentally is the exact playing time of Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd!

www.majorfamilylaw.co.uk

APPOINTMENTS

On the Move Your monthly guide to appointments and promotions.

SIMON ROBINSON

JODIE BALMER

THORBEN DITTES

Durham-based firm, Swinburne Maddison LLP, has appointed Simon Robinson – a wellknown face within the region’s commercial property sector–- as a partner. Formerly head of BHP Law’s commercial and agricultural property team, Simon brings extensive experience, gained from his earlier career working in major firms in the London and Leeds, to his new position.

PR and communications agency, Trumpet Communications Ltd, has appointed Jodie Balmer as PR and marketing consultant. In her new role, Jodie will be responsible for supporting existing clients and securing new business in both Yorkshire and the North East. Jodie’s appointment means that the agency can now add healthcare, music and digital to its growing list of specialist industries.

Sage Gateshead has appointed Thorben Dittes as director of Royal Northern Sinfonia and Classical Music Programme. In his new leadership role, created to continue building the profile of Royal Northern Sinfonia in the UK and internationally, Thorben will work closely with the orchestra’s music director designate, as well as a host of visiting artists and ensembles.

RYAN ERRINGTON

DAVID GRAY

HARRY HOWARTH

North East-based marketing company, Horizonworks, has appointed Ryan Errington as a designer. In his new role, Ryan, who spent three years as a graphic designer for a leading North East creative and design agency, where he worked on a number of graphic, web design and print projects, will assist the company’s creative manager.

The Newcastle office of commercial and property consultancy, Lambert Smith Hampton, has appointed David Gray as a senior surveyor. David, who brings six years’ experience working in various sectors and locations, including health care related properties and retail markets, to his new role, will specialise in lease advisory matters and valuations across all sectors.

South Shields-based pork butchers, Dicksons, has appointed Harry Howarth as factory general manager. Harry, who has worked in the food manufacturing industry for more than 30 years, will be based at Dicksons’ head office in South Shields and will be responsible for the day-today running of Dicksons’ production facility and will implement a series of systems and procedures to increase production.

BUSINESS

Financial rewards... Are you still using them to motivate people? Asks Rod Findlay, consultant at Your Sport Consulting.

any companies seek to motivate employees with financial rewards. The logic is simple. Most people would welcome more income. Therefore, if we offer employees an opportunity to earn more, they will adopt desired behaviours to do so. Using this logic, the Local Government Association (LGA) recently proposed allowing councils to offer a council tax discount to those who donate time to help run local services. The LGA proposed a £50 million start-up fund to help half a million current volunteers and to encourage new volunteers. Unfortunately, that is not how people work. Not only has it been shown that financial incentives do nothing to motivate volunteers, there is evidence that they actually reduce volunteering. The general intrinsic motivation of volunteering may be undermined by monetary payments.

EXPERT VIEW Rod Findlay Consultant Your Sport Consulting Email: rodfindlay@yoursportconsulting.com Twitter: @rodfindlay

Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows about human motivation and what business does – or at least how business applies it. He demonstrates that while the oldfashioned carrot-and-stick approach worked successfully in the 20th century, it's precisely the wrong way to motivate people for today's challenges.

Drive Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose The same effect can be seen even in employees. In a study conducted in India, people offered medium-sized incentives did not perform any better than those offered a small incentive. And surprisingly those who received the largest incentive performed worse than the other two groups in nearly every measure. Higher financial incentives led to worse performance. In another study, the London School of Economics also found that, “financial incentives … can result in a negative impact on overall performance.” At around the same time that the LGA announced its proposals, I was reading Drive by Daniel H Pink. Drive is a book I would recommend to anyone looking at what drives individuals.

In Drive, Pink suggests the three elements of true motivation. These are Autonomy: the desire to direct our own lives, Mastery: the urge to get better and better at something that matters, and Purpose: the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves. You will notice that financial rewards are not mentioned. Money is a limited motivator. Obviously if people aren’t paid enough, they will leave. However, once you get to a fair level, people want autonomy more than marginal raises. Autonomy is different from independence and means acting with choice. In a study conducted at Cornell University, businesses

that offered autonomy grew at four times the rate of control-oriented firms and had onethird the turnover of staff. Mastery is the desire to get better at something that matters but there needs to be engagement for this to happen. Control leads to compliance, whereas autonomy leads to engagement. According to research conducted by Gallup, more than 50 per cent of employees are not engaged at work, with 20 percent actively disengaged. These are worrying statistics and if they applied to your business you would not expect that 50 per cent to be motivated or to achieve excellence. Purpose is our yearning to contribute and to be part of something greater than ourselves. This does not need to be about saving the planet and could simply be about providing a great service. Many studies have shown that when people are reminded of the purpose of their work, performance soars. Businesses should focus on “why” the job is important because you cannot expect excellence if your staff do not know why they are doing particular tasks in the first place.

Applying this to your business As interesting as Drive is, its worth can only be realised if you seek to apply it to your own situations. Have you considered how motivated your staff are and if there is huge turnover? Have you reviewed how you seek to motivate or reward staff and adopted modern understandings of motivation. When I was in private practice I saw many lawyers just hit targets to trigger bonuses but I now wonder how many would have exceeded them had they been motivated in different ways. Does the same apply to your company?

BUSINESS

Choosing the right

recruitment partner Bryony Gibson, managing director of Bryony Gibson Consulting, discusses what you should expect from a recruitment partner and how to get the most out of them.

ecruitment is back on the agenda of a growing number of North East businesses and that can only be positive for people in the region and our local economy. In recent years many employers had moved recruitment roles in-house, but a demand to increase staffing levels, coupled with a shortage of top talent, has meant that they are again putting their faith in the specialist expertise recruiters. If ‘people are a company’s greatest asset’, then this leads me to question why it seems that not everyone believes choosing the right recruitment partner is one of the most important decisions they will make. I often ask myself what people expect when it comes to a recruitment partner and, as with all new business relationships, at the top of your list should be: professionalism; high quality service and level of care; honesty and transparency; and a positive, ethical manner. Not to mention being excellent at what they do. Of course I know recruitment isn’t always perceived this way, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for less. What you should in fact be looking for is a consultancy who will support, advise and help you to find the right people for both your vacancy and organisation, while at the same time being honest and managing expectations. Someone who: Demonstrates expert knowledge of your industry and the local market; has experience in your field, working successfully with similar businesses; Understands your organisational needs and culture; regularly communicates with candidates before, during and after the recruitment process; shows flexibility in their approach to partnering with you; can save you valuable time and resource; offers value for

EXPERT VIEW Bryony Gibson Managing director Bryony Gibson Consulting Tel: (0191) 375 9983. Web: www.bryonygibson.com Twitter: @bryonygibson

importantly, if their reputation is positive. A recommendation or referral is always a strong message.

Read the small print Make sure you read the Terms of Business at the beginning of your relationship as this is what will set the parameters of your partnership and clarify the costs.

Meet your consultant money; will find you the best talent. To make sure you get the most out of your recruitment partner, you should:

Use a specialist not a generalist They will offer expert knowledge in your industry and the local market. As an authority in their field they will also know the best candidates, giving you an immediate advantage.

With large organisations the person recruiting on your behalf may not be the one you originally met, so it’s important to establish who they are and that they have the right skills and experience to deliver the service you envisaged.

Set the timescales Work with your recruiter to establish a realistic timeline that gives you both a defined deadline and plan of action to work towards.

Be selective with whom you work Commit to the process If you engage with too many partners you will reverse the aim of saving time, as it will result in a duplication of work for you. On occasion this can also encourage some recruiters to put forward candidates without speaking to them first, creating a CV race; a bad practice in recruitment which more often than not leads to time being wasted all round.

Do your due diligence Credentials are important, so try to find out how long they have been recruiting, whether they work with your competitors and most

Recruitment is a critical process and if you can make yourself available to support it, it will speed things up and, with top talent in short supply, increase your chances of securing the right recruit.

Offer candidate feedback Providing feed back not only helps recruiters communicate with candidates and keep them engaged throughout the recruitment process, but it also provides a positive experience for those that aren’t successful.

BUSINESS

Access to finance A recent survey by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum shows increased optimism among local business owners – but sourcing funding remains a challenge for some. he last summer holiday flights may have landed as people return to work, but it seems the North East entrepreneurial economy is accelerating towards take off. For the first time in a long time, expectation and experience have formed a happy alliance as the natural optimism of entrepreneurs is matched by the reality of business performance. It’s not just a feeling either. Banks and investors report a marked improvement in activity this year. The most recent Business Tracker Survey completed by members and associates of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum highlighted rising sales, profits, employee numbers and remuneration year on year. Comparing the first quarter of the year with the same period in 2013, 71 per cent of respondents said they were more confident than three months previously, while 64 per cent had more confidence in the wider economy. Nevertheless, certain barriers to growth remain, according to members. Access to funding is one area of persistent challenge for around 8 per cent of respondents. Jeremy Middleton, the founder of private investment company Middleton Enterprises Ltd, which owns minority stakes in a number of SMEs, says: "Access to finance isn't a problem for all companies but it is for some of the fastest growing companies – and these are some of the businesses who could and should be providing the jobs growth we need." Entrepreneurial businesses by their nature tend to need to grow fast, grasping the chances as they arise. Access to finance is key to agility, allowing them to capitalise quickly on opportunities and create the jobs and innovation upon which the regional economy is relying for growth. For some the issue is working capital to fund growth, for others it's capital to invest in plant and equipment to increase their ability to meet new orders and enter new markets. Simon Lenney, head of business and private banking in the North East for Yorkshire Bank, says: “There is more confidence in the market

place which is driven a lot by increasing activity in order books. Businesses are willing to concentrate more around expansion and we are seeing a lot more asset acquisition of capital equipment and premises which, for us, is real evidence of those ‘green shoots’.” He concedes, however, that the growth so far is sector specific. Where manufacturing and energy are burgeoning, professional services and businesses driven by fee income are more about potential than completion. And there remains a degree of discomfort within the flourishing manufacturing sector too – inevitably around the issue of skills. This was also highlighted in the Forum’s Business Tracker Survey with 25 per cent of respondents citing finding good people as a major barrier to growth. “Skills and knowledge is the biggest concern. It’s not all about funding. If a business has a good enough plan and is in a good enough state it will get the funding it requires,” says Simon. “But if you’re planning ahead as a business and you know you need to invest in a particular piece of kit, if you don’t have or can’t find the people to operate it then how can you make that investment?” While energy costs are an additional challenge, the prospect of rising interest rates are, according to Simon, a red herring. “The price of money is stable and even an increase of 3 per cent over three to four years shouldn’t in itself be something that puts a business into difficulties.” As ever, the sources of funding for growth reflect the scale and complexity of the business. For the faster growing businesses venture capital is the answer although, as Jeremy admits, equity investment for SMEs is in short supply in the UK since most VCs focus on larger companies. But he is adamant that the North East has some of the best provision in the UK because of the JEREMIE funds, (public/private VC funds for micro to medium sized enterprises). As a board member of the North East Local

Enterprise Partnership and the lead on access to finance and social enterprise, as well as chair of the Investment Panel, Jeremy says: "One of the LEP's top priorities is to secure a bigger and better round of JEREMIE funds when the existing funds run out at the end of this year. "There are a few hurdles to cross but I am confident we will succeed and make sure that VC funding for SMEs in the North East is amongst the best in the UK. "I'm sure that is one of the ways to make sure we develop more of the mid-sized businesses we need, the type of companies that have been such a powerhouse for the German economy for example." The greatest challenge is perhaps for small businesses, typically self-funded by their ownermanager or with help from family. They must be able to show at least some positive track record before being considered by banks. Here the advice is to seek the guidance of high quality advisers, and for those professionals to recognise the benefit in supporting these future SMEs by helping them become attractive to funders, VCs and banks. Although the percentage that see access to funding as a barrier to growth has not made any marked shift in a year, Simon is convinced a similar survey five years ago would have put the figure a lot higher: “The banks generally are coming back having addressed their internal issues and there is now a much better blend of funding.” The Entrepreneurs’ Forum has a number of finance-related events coming up this autumn including Uncovering IPO with Utilitywise, Kromek and Applied Graphene Materials, on Thursday, September 11, 6pm-9pm, at Ward Hadaway, Newcastle, and a dinner with Justin Urquhart Stewart, of Seven Investment Management, on Tuesday, November 11, from 6.30pm-9.30pm at Jesmond Dene House Hotel, Newcastle. For more information, visit www.entrepreneursforum.net

Patchwork People How the winners of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum’s If We Can You Can Challenge, Gilll Walker and Mari Newman, have secured finance for their business. ntrepreneurs know that opportunities in business can come from anywhere at any time – and that includes funding. But there can’t be many more modish sources of finding angel investment than from a conversation on Twitter. Gill Walker, co-founder of Patchwork People and its award-winning, high street enterprise Labelled, explains how she did it: “I was following a conversation about social enterprises not being business minded so I sent a cheeky message saying ‘check us out’.” It led to angel investment of £25,000, which was matched by the Big Venture Challenge, which seeks to identify the 30 most ambitious social enterprises in the country and runs an annual challenge that Labelled won last year. The investment and grant means the Labelled brand is set to grow across Britain, giving potentially thousands of young people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable groups the chance to train, learn skills and gain qualifications in a safe, supported, customer-facing enterprise run by the young people themselves.

The original setting, in Darlington, is a shop selling fashion, accessories and toiletries. The first replications, which will be opened under licence rather than as franchises, will be a fashion outlet and community café, a shop for mother and baby goods and a bike recycling enterprise. The YMCA in Newcastle is to be a pilot. It’s a major development within just three years of Patchwork People being established by Gill and her co-director Marj Newman. They began providing customer-facing opportunities for unemployed volunteers aged 16-25 on stalls at fairs and festivals. Publicity, especially around Gill winning the Entrepreneurs’ Forum’s If We Can You Can Challenge, led to the offer of a lease on the Darlington shop and approaches to support people with learning disabilities. “We’ve supported 14 young people since then. We promised to move them on to a positive future and every one has gone into full-time mainstream education or full-time employment,” explains Gill. Financially, the enterprise has gone from strength to strength reversing its first year of 70

per cent grant funding and generating revenue of £23,000 to 30 per cent grant funding and 70 per cent trading income in years two and three. Last year’s turnover was £60,000 for a shop that opens just three days a week. “We have worked really, really hard to minimise the grants and become a sustainable business,” says Gill. The numbers stack up in terms of value too with a social benefit worth £2.59 for every £1 invested, not to mention the value to the young people and their families. A father who was carer to one of the volunteers has been able to go back to work, for instance, because of the opportunity given to his daughter. Gill says: “It was never about opening one shop in Darlington. It was always about the opportunity and doing things differently. Labelled is purely a vehicle to give young people the experience and opportunity, and we can demonstrate progress and positive outcomes.” Marj adds: “There is a need in every town and city up and down the country; the issues are the same and we believe Labelled will help address them.”

BUSINESS

Work smarter, not harder ... says Mike Jobson, Oxford Innovation’s Business Northumberland High Growth Programme manager. re you in control of your work or is it controlling you? As a business coach, I know it is a common problem for business leaders most of whom are absolutely flat out all day, every day. Apart from the fact that this level of performance is probably unsustainable, it is not a very effective way of working. So what can be done to become a proactive leader rather than one who is constantly under pressure to react to circumstances? Or is this behaviour so ingrained that it is difficult to get the nose off the grindstone and appreciate the bigger picture? Here are some effective techniques that could be adopted to make your role more rewarding:

Know your goals Having clearly defined life and business goals is really essential to good time management and to a happy, successful life. Have you allowed yourself the space to think through your personal and business objectives?

Get staff on board? Management is about achieving results through others, so how organised are the people you work with? Does everyone have agreed roles and responsibilities and know what they are expected to achieve – their key performance indicators?

Categorise tasks Tasks can be grouped in four categories: urgent

and important, not urgent but important, urgent but not important and neither urgent nor important Are you able to categorise tasks accordingly and perhaps delegate to one of your team? We can spend up to half our working day going through our email inbox, making us frustrated and unproductive. A study has found that one-in-three workers suffer from email stress. Making a decision the first time you open an email is key for effective time management. To manage this element of your work you can adopt the ‘four Ds’ of decision-making:

Plan your day

down your day into discrete blocks of time? Do you understand how you are spending your time each day by compiling a time log of what you’ve done and how long it has taken? Interruptions can be frustrating so, have you agreed with your team, times when you are not available, even though you are in the office? A good tip is to imagine you are filling a bucket with rocks, sand and water. Start with a bucket, some big rocks enough to fill it, some small stones, some sand and water. Put the big rocks in the bucket. Put the small stones in around the big rocks. Put the sand in and give it a shake. Put the water in. Now it's full. The point is: unless you put the big rocks in first, you won't get them in at all. In other words: Plan time-slots for your big issues before anything else, or the inevitable sand and water issues will fill up your days and you won't fit the big issues in (a big issue doesn't necessarily have to be a work task – it could be an important personal commitment). Self-development is essential if we are to grow as leaders and managers. As such we are all highly visible to our teams and rest assured they will look to you for model behaviour in everything you do.

Making a list of all important and perhaps urgent tasks is also a key tool in being more effective. Do you take time at the start of the day outlining what needs to be achieved? Having decided what needs doing, do you then plan when the work will be done, breaking

To find out more about the Business Northumberland High Growth Programme and how Oxford Innovation can potentially support your business, call (01670) 528403, email northumberland@oxin.co.uk or visit www.businessnorthumberland.co.uk.

• Delete: half of the emails you get can probably be deleted immediately. • Do: if the email is urgent or can be completed quickly. • Delegate: if the email can be better dealt with by someone else. • Defer: set aside time at a later date to spend on emails that require longer action. Also, switch off any sounds on your PC that let you know a new e-mail has arrived!

BUSINESS

Jobs in finance Specialist professionals from Solutions Recruitment look at the changing face of recruitment in the financial sector.

John Barron

James Colwill

Carl Maw

olutions Recruitment, established in 1984 and headquartered in Newcastle, is an independent North East recruitment agency. Covering multidiscipline recruitment across a range of sectors means it’s expert consultants are well placed to uncover market trends and opportunities. The Finance and Accountancy team consists of divisional director, John Barron and consultants Carl Maw and James Colwill, who between them have over 20 years of experience specialising within the accounts and finance market. John says: “The accountancy practice profession has seen some significant changes over the past eights years I have been specialising in the field, many of them, in my opinion are very much so for the better. “I have noticed that many more firms are freshening up their image and approach to the market, coming away from the stigma of being the ‘stuffy old boys club’ of accountants. “This, I believe, has been one of the big positives from the UK’s recent recession. Speaking to partners of firms throughout the region, they say they have had to focus on exactly what their clients want, not just their standard needs of statutory accounts, audit and tax affairs. Therefore, we have seen many firms glam up and modernise their offices and lots have revamped their image and branding. “This year has been the busiest yet in recruitment for accountancy firms, from

trainees to partners. Additionally, partners throughout the region are keen to recruit technically strong accountants as always, but are also putting an emphasis on their ability to befriend clients and build robust relationships. “Over the coming years, where historically the North East accountancy firms have had an aging partner profile, we will see more and more ‘next generation’ practitioners coming to the forefront and with this, a really exciting future for the professional practice market.” Carl Maw joined Solutions two years ago after working for a large national agency looks after senior industry placements. He comments: “Recruiting qualified accountants within the North East can be varied and challenging at times based on the generic makeup of the area. “Over the past five years the North East has seen a positive swing from the once dominant hold of heavy industry to a more balanced range of SMEs, shared service centres and global businesses taking up long term residence. “This coupled with long term investment from the universities makes the North East recruitment market a thriving and ever changing one. I look after the recruitment of qualified accountants and senior finance professionals covering qualifications including ACA, ACCA, CIMA and CIPFA. The range of job positions I manage varies from those seeking a first move out of accountancy practice to

finance director and everything in-between! “I have been very fortunate to have built strong and lasting relationships with clients and candidates over the years, but in this era of social media I really believe it is important to embrace this resource. “By becoming an active blogger on sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook I have found I can extend my network across the length and breadth of the UK ensuring a national service is achieved.” James Colwill is the most recent addition to the team, and James solely focuses on the industrial side of junior accountancy, working across SME’s to large national and multinational organisations. He comments: “Currently the industrial sector seems to be gaining more confidence with a greater demand for permanent positions, hopefully demonstrating a recovering economy. Many businesses are showing more confidence in expanding, therefore increasing the need for all areas of accountancy staff. “I deal with both temporary and permanent positions, ranging from fully qualified at technician level (MAAT), to part qualified accountants (ACA, ACCA, CIMA).”

Solutions Recruitment services many other industries such as IT, Sales & Marketing, Engineering, Industrial, Construction etc. For all the latest news, including details of the new Middlesbrough office and vacancies, please visit www.solrecruit.co.uk

MEDIA Heidi Mottram, president of the Institute of Water and chief executive of Northumbrian Water Group.

Bob Evans, senior vice president and chief communications officer of Oracle.

Make headlines – achieve your goals Samantha Davidson, managing director of full service strategic marketing company Horizonworks, reveals how public relations can raise profile, increase engagement and produce real results. ou may be launching a new product, expanding into fresh markets, taking on the world with a ground-breaking service, or hosting an industry-leading showcase event. Your organisation could be a start-up, an industrial powerhouse or a major membership group. But whatever the nature and scale of your business or project, public relations should be a key component of your marketing mix. Why? Because achieving positive coverage in the trade press builds credibility, industry profile and crucially, reaches decision makers in your sector. Because making regional headlines generates interest and goodwill towards your company on its doorstep. Because featuring in national consumer outlets, including newspapers, magazines, television, radio and online can help you get your message across to a mass market, boosting sales and enhancing brand loyalty – and put your company in front of potential backers and advocates. And that’s before we even get to the power of social media to inform opinion, spark conversations and boost engagement. Just one recent example of our work demonstrates how employing a combination of PR tactics can make a very real difference, supporting an organisation in meeting objectives and delivering its messages to a defined target audience. Earlier in 2014, Horizonworks was appointed by the Institute of Water (IoW) – the only professional body that exclusively supports the careers of anyone working in the UK water industry – to promote its Annual Conference and Exhibition. The conference is a major event in the water industry’s calendar: chaired by Heidi Mottram,

chief executive of Northumbrian Water Group and president of the Institute of Water, 2014’s programme featured high profile figures from organisations such as Yorkshire Water, Ofwat and Oracle. Our objective was to increase delegate numbers at the event, held in June in At-Bristol Science Centre, and increase interest in the conference and the institute among the utilities sector press and water industry professionals. In addition, we were tasked with managing the media and photography at the event, and promoting the Institute of Water’s National Innovation Awards, which recognise outstanding innovations within the water industry. We worked with the institute to develop key messages around the conference, which were then embedded into all of our PR activities. Horizonworks then implemented a trade pressfocused PR campaign, engaged with leading titles and websites in the utilities sector, promoted the conference via social media platforms, worked with stakeholders (such as water companies) to spread the IoW’s message through their internal communications channels, and at the conference itself, acted as its on-site press office, liaising with journalists and speakers, and managing photography. Our campaign for the IoW saw us generate pre and post-event coverage in prominent utilities sector publications and websites in the UK and abroad, reaching nearly 210,000 readers, and engage directly with thousands of social media users, both directly and through utilities providers and consumer organisations. Conference publicity was further boosted by our work with internal communications teams, while respected utilities journalists covered the event.

Most importantly, the conference saw the highest turnout in its 69-year history, with 230 people in attendance – an outcome which points to the effectiveness, and importance of PR activity. Moving to a very different industry, Horizonworks delivered a national PR campaign for the Desto Cup, a packaging solution designed and manufactured by leading packaging solutions company IPS. We helped IPS reach key trade press titles, securing coverage in a wide range of media outlets including The Grocer, Packaging Europe and Food & Beverage International. IPS recorded a significant increase in the number of sales enquiries following the campaign, which in turn generated new customers - including some of the UK’s leading brands and retailers. Horizonworks is also skilled at delivering consumer-focused PR campaigns: our work for long-established motor dealership Vic Young, based in South Shields, has included promoting the firm’s community initiatives, apprenticeship programmes and innovative vehicle conversions division, Northern Truck Bodies, in both the regional and national press. Obviously, the organisations highlighted above are three very different entities. But what they have in common is a willingness to use PR to get results – whether that’s boosting awareness, increasing sales, or getting ‘bums on seats’. So if your company is not using PR effectively, maybe it’s time you told your story... and made the headlines work for your business. For more information on Horizonworks visit www.horizonworks.co.uk, tel: 08450 759955 or email: hello@horizonworks.co.uk.

Securiclad case study: How Horizonworks has helped this specialist manufacturer ...

Mike McColl, managing director of Securiclad.

ecuriclad works with high profile organisations across the UK and abroad. It manufactures an innovative, highly specialist, market-leading product. But for this North Tyneside-based firm, which produces high security modular panel systems designed to withstand attack from criminals, and safeguard equipment or hazardous materials, client confidentiality is often paramount. This means that in many cases, the company’s success stories – of which there are many – can’t be revealed: Securiclad’s systems are often used in sensitive facilities, such as server rooms within Government infrastructure, where the least said about their exact location (and what material is used to protect them), the better. Generating publicity in the ‘traditional’ way, therefore, can be a real challenge. Appointed to deliver a PR and marketing campaign for the North Tyneside-based firm, Horizonworks has overcome this problem by engaging with the trade press and drawing on the vast expertise of Securiclad’s senior personnel in the physical security field. By highlighting their knowledge and ability to offer guidance to readers, Horizonworks has helped to secure profile-raising articles for Securiclad in a wide variety of trade publications, from Facilities Management World to Data Centre News and Professional Security. Horizonworks has also secured product features in the specialist specification and security press, highlighting the panel system’s benefits to both contractors and end users. The result of this strategy? Securiclad’s Claire Sales explains: “Horizonworks has challenged us to look at marketing from a fresh perspective and I believe that the material and advice that has been generated will open new doors for us. The editorial opportunities we have been presented with and publications we have featured in since working with Horizonworks have really put us in the spotlight.”

LEGAL & FINANCIAL NEWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Top marks for BHP Law The North East firm is awarded WIQS accrediation.

HP Law has been recognised with a quality mark for the advice it provides clients in wills, estates and inheritance. The Law Society’s Will and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS) is a formal acknowledgement of best practice and confirms that BHP Law offers service and expertise clients can trust. The firm, which has offices in Darlington, Durham, Stockton and Newcastle, had to demonstrate that it complies with wills and inheritance protocol as judged by the Law Society.

Helen Biglin, partner in Wills, Trusts and Probate at BHP Law (pictured), said: “Making a will and planning for the future after your death is a personal and sometimes emotional experience and it’s vital that clients can share that with a professional in whom they have complete confidence and trust. “WIQS accreditation helps clients to make a confident and informed choice and assures them that we conform to best practice in our wills, probate and estate administration advice.”

Solicitor becomes associate

ordon Brown has appointed Andrea Hanna as associate solicitor of the

firm. Following ten years’ experience in conveyancing, Andrea has risen through the ranks at Gordon Brown Law Firm, which has offices in Newcastle and Chester le Street. She first joined Gordon Brown in 2008 to concentrate on conveyancing after training in criminal defence, property and probate. Andrea’s role involves managing a team of five solicitors and legal executives, maintaining relationships with referrers and assisting with the development of the conveyancing department.

Credit to Tait Walker

ccountancy firm Tait Walker’s R&D tax reliefs specialists have successfully reclaimed over £11m of cash back in tax rebates for North East businesses since 2011. Led by tax partner Alastair Wilson, Tait Walker’s specialist team has successfully submitted more than 200 claims over the past two years, with a 100 per cent success rate, helping North East companies identify over £55 million of qualifying R&D expenditure, in respect of which tax relief could be obtained. The largest single claim generated a tax repayment of over £0.5m and a total of over £1.5m secured for a single group.

Lawyer joins TT Law

commercial litigator, who acted on the Bloody Sunday and Harold Shipman inquiries, has joined the team at Newcastle-based TT Law. Kevin Turnbull, cited in Chambers Guides as ‘widely regarded as exceptional’, spent seven years at Eversheds before joining a Newcastle law firm as an associate. Turnbull joins his former colleague Neville Takiar, who established TT Law in 2013. The firm’s current clients include national hotel and leisure groups, care homes, a leading digital agency and a number of high net worth individuals.

COVER STORY

SINTONS:

Leading legal advisors to GPs and Dentists Sintons has an unrivalled reputation in the North of England for its expertise in acting for GPs and dentists and understanding the issues most important to them.

Left to right: Danielle Dale, Hilary Parker, Sarah Parish, Laura Peace, Rebecca Stapely, Metab Hussain, Amanda Maskery, Luke Phelan and Catherine McNulty.

intons acts for more health professionals than any other law firm in the region, and its healthcare team enjoys a national reputation for the work it does. In the past three years, Sintons has overseen more than £60 million of dental practice sales and acquisitions across the UK, and has completed over £100m of new medical centre developments. Led by highly respected Hilary Parker – the longest serving non-executive director of an NHS Hospital Trust in the UK – the team also is proud to include nationally-known medico-legal specialist Barry Speker OBE DL and Amanda Maskery, one of the country’s leading dental lawyers, chair of the Association of Specialist Providers to Dentists (ASPD) and secretary of the National Association of Specialist Solicitors Advising Doctors. So how can Sintons help you?

Ensuring personal legal matters are in good order is important for GPs, as for anyone. An up to date will is essential and Powers of Attorney covering financial and health matters are increasingly worthwhile. Many GPs who are nearing the end of their careers need to think carefully about the timing and form of their exit strategy from the practice, and options for retirement or semi-retirement, all of which require careful planning.

DENTISTS Sintons’ dental team is regarded as a national leader in its field, and has decades of specialist experience in the sector. It is led by Amanda Maskery, hailed by Legal 500 as a ‘top dental sector specialist’, and also Chair of ASPD – the first woman ever to hold the position. The firm works extensively with dentists across the North East and nationally, and advises individual dentists, partnerships and corporates. Sintons actively supports dentists from the very start of their careers, and it works with the top-rated dental school at Newcastle University to help equip its students with the commercial and legal knowledge they need for their future in the profession. The firm’s expertise and many years of experience mean it has an intricate understanding of issues affecting dentists, particularly surrounding the new dental contract. Sintons specialises in buying and selling dental practices, and has completed more than 200 transactions in the past three years across the UK. Sintons also supports dentists with the transfer of NHS contracts, CQC inspections, all aspects of incorporation of dental practices and with partnership agreements. It works closely with specialist dental accountants, banks and surveyors to ensure deals go smoothly and you achieve the best possible outcome in a timely manner, whether buying or selling. A high proportion of Sintons’ clients have been with the firm for many years, establishing close relationships. Sintons can advise on a full range of matters, from the running of your practice to planning for retirement and family matters.

GPs Sintons provides expert advice to GPs, from individuals to large practices. The breadth of the firm enables it to advise on the whole range of issues that may affect General Practice. Its specialist GP team, led by Hilary Parker, works with GP practices across the North and beyond on commercial, real estate, regulatory and employment issues. Sintons can help GPs understand and navigate the issues around partnership agreements, NHS regulation, property leases, PMS and GMS contracts, CQC registration, offering the tailored fixed-price Assero employment law package to help your practice with what can often be complex HR and employment matters. The firm is also a specialist in new surgery developments and has recently overseen those at Chapel Park in Newcastle and Queen’s Road in Consett. With NHS Property Services now managing all property matters, expert legal advice is proving vital for those GP practices occupying leasehold premises formerly owned by the PCT, and who are now subject to formal leases being required. Sintons advises many entrepreneurial GPs who are keen to take advantage of the opportunities created by the new commissioning regime, helping them form special purpose vehicles to tender for ‘Any Qualified Provider’ opportunities.

For more information www.sintons.co.uk

Royal College of GPs Accredited Training

accredited by the Royal College of GPs, which is seen as a badge of distinction and guarantee of quality. Sintons will be holding a series of sessions for GP practices across the North East, on dates to be confirmed. To register an Amanda

Maskery

visit

Sintons’ Healthcare Team, in conjunction with Rutherford Wilkinson and Trinity Barristers Chambers, are holding a free North East Dental Seminar, to address topics including how to plan ahead to best manage risks to your practice, as well as managing your personal finances. • Thursday, October 9 • Newcastle Marriott Hotel, Metrocentre • 6pm-9pm To confirm your attendance, email peter.jennings@sintons.co.uk

firms in the UK to have its training courses

contact

Sintons

North East Dental Seminar

Sintons has become one of the few law

interest,

amanda.maskery@sintons.co.uk

LAW & FINANCE

Retirement planning Have you done enough? Asks Ian Lowes, managing director of Jesmond-based Lowes Financial Management.

ealthier lifestyles and better health care mean that on average we can expect to live far longer lives that any of our ancestors. Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the average life expectancy for a man in the UK is currently 78.9 years; while for a woman it is currently 82.7 years. If you are in good health and have parents who have lived long lives then the likelihood is that you could reach these average ages. From a financial position this means that whereas in the 1960s the average pension pot might have to last five years or so after retirement at 65, these days if we’re lucky the money in our retirement pots might have to last 20 or 30 years. So clearly, if we are to enjoy a financially secure retirement then we need to build up a retirement pot of sufficient size to ensure our money doesn’t run out in our later years. It also means that when we reach retirement our money has to work harder and be properly managed. Retirement planning should be undertaken at the point we start saving. No one knows how long they will live and, therefore, over just how many years their savings will need to stretch. We can make educated guesses about how much income we’ll need and so how much we need to save for retirement based on a series of questions and assumptions. These include the average life expectancy which will indicate for how long we may need an income, what inflation will be and how that will erode our purchasing power over the years, how

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

much our retirement pot might earn as we are accumulating our retirement fund and what our portfolio might earn when we are using it for income in retirement (plus whether or not what we save will be supplemented by a State pension). During our working careers, choosing the right products in which to save, knowing how much to save and making maximum use of tax benefits are crucial to building up our savings pots. At retirement, proper management of our money to secure a regular income and making our savings last for as long as is needed becomes the priority. Current pension rules mean most people have to buy an annuity – which is an insurance product that pays you out a regular income for life based on the size of your pension pot but often ceases when the owner of the policy dies – or if their assets are large enough a drawdown

product, which keeps their money invested and allows a maximum percentage to be taken in income. However, in the 2014 Budget speech, the Chancellor of the Exchequer put forward proposals to change the rules from 2015, giving people more freedom and choice as to how to manage their money, so they don’t have to buy an annuity or drawdown product and they have the ability to access their pension savings at retirement as they wish. This is going to change the way in which many people manage their money. It is anticipated that fewer people will buy an annuity and more people will chose to continue to invest their money in order to provide an income. This is particularly relevant as annuity rates, remain at historically low levels and the alternative of investing in a portfolio, if properly managed could produce a better outcome for many individuals. Making the right decisions at retirement is crucial. For many people that will be the certainty of income from an annuity. For those with larger savings pots, an invested portfolio may be the better option – or a combination of both may be the way forward. We anticipate we’ll see new products enter the market offering this hybrid approach. If you are in any doubt about your retirement decisions, take independent financial advice so all of your retirement options can be understood, and you can make the right choices for your circumstances.

LAW & FINANCE

Your business is our business Joanne Major, successful businesswoman and founder at Major Family Law looks at the complexities of business interests and divorce.

EXPERT VIEW Joanne Major Principle Major Family Law Tel: (01661 82 45 82) Web: www.majorfamilylaw.co.uk Twitter: @majorfamilylaw

inances are always a significant concern for couples who separate. Where previously one couple had one set of household expenses to meet out of their income, post separation there are likely to be two, along with some uncertainty as to the division of marital assets. So what happens when one party’s income is generated by a business that is classed also as an asset? And what if both parties have an interest and/or position within the business? The way that the courts deal with the existence of the business can depend on many factors. In the recent Supreme Court decision in the matter of Prest and Petrodel, the husband was a rich businessman and all of the assets of the family were held in a corporate structure. Although the court observed the protection of the veil of incorporation, it found that the company held the assets on trust for the husband. The court therefore ordered the husband to pay the wife a substantial capital sum based on those assets.

This is a landmark case that every business owner needs to be advised of when going through a marriage breakdown. When divorcing parties both own shares in a business or are partners, matters can be even more complex. Particularly so, if the company needs to survive and succeed to produce an income to maintain the family’s lifestyle. This is common where the company or partnership can’t be sold to extract the value and neither does it have liquidity to ‘pay out’ one party their share. These types of cases need to be handled by a shrewd and experienced lawyer to ensure that all variables are accounted for. Increasingly in these cases, the family court has started to be transparent about the parties’ finances, asset positions and the process of the case. This means that business owners need to think carefully about dealing with their financial matters in the court arena as this can become a very public affair. Within the last six months, Khoo Kay Peng,

the Laura Ashley tycoon and Chris Hohn, hedge fund manager, have both been told that the details of their marital breakdown and financial matters will be made public. This is unusual but it could become the norm, with the possibility that in the future the press will be given limited court documents in addition to being at court when hearings are ongoing. In order to avoid the public gaze, parties going through a divorce who want to protect their financial affairs from the public gaze, have access to various non-court dispute resolution processes. At Major Family Law, we are able to discuss the pros and cons of these options including the possibility that arbitration could be an appropriate solution. Family arbitration ensures that if the parties need to appoint a private decision maker, their financial matters will be confidential. Family arbitration is a new process; it provides a binding solution without the need to have a potentially public hearing.

PROFILE

Cavu’s newest stars Recent recruits at the corporate advisory boutique speak to North East Times. avu Corporate Finance, the North East-based corporate advisory boutique set up by well-known dealmaker Shawn Bone, has expanded its team with the arrival of two corporate finance specialists, Thomas Brunsnes and Rob Jones. Cavu focuses on providing advice on disposals, acquisitions, debt and equity finance raising, as well as providing strategic advice to retained clients. It also supports smaller high growth businesses that have great potential, to access the early stage equity markets. Shawn Bone, one of the North East’s leading dealmakers with over 20 years’ experience of providing advice to shareholders and businesses, set up Cavu in September 2013. As an independent advisory boutique, Cavu has a strong focus on providing strategic corporate finance advice to private companies, shareholders, management teams and private equity investors. Thomas Brunsnes joined Cavu in October 2013, having worked with Shawn prior to that. “I was attracted to the opportunity of being involved in building a new corporate finance advisory firm from the beginning. We work with a lot of entrepreneurs – and I have always admired their ability to build something from virtually nothing,” he explains. Thomas came to Newcastle from the Midlands after training with BDO in Birmingham. “I was given a great opportunity when I joined BDO. Rather than going through the regular training program, spending three years

working on statutory audits, I was recruited on a training contract straight into their M&A department. “I was among the first in the UK to take this training path, and it allowed me to start my career working with some of the eminent corporate finance advisors in the Midlands. “This unusual training path allowed me to build experience on all sides of a transaction – ranging from lead advisory to financial and commercial due diligence. I believe this early breadth of experience has served me well as it allows me to see the requirement of a project from a number of different angles...shareholder, buyer, investor and the bank.” Diversity has been a key word for Thomas so far. He has studied in Norway, Sweden and Turkey and has degrees in engineering and social sciences. “I believe in getting as much varied experiences as possible, he explains. “It just makes life more interesting. I think that was also what attracted me to working in corporate finance in the first place – the opportunity to work in different sectors for an intense period of time. It’s hard to get bored when you don’t know whether you’ll be working with software or with civil engineering clients when you come to the office in the morning.” Meanwhile Rob Jones, who moved to the North East in 1990 from Nottingham, joined Cavu in June this year to bring the team up to five members, having previously worked at the business services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and the venture capital fund manager FW Capital.

“I qualified at PwC Newcastle in the Corporate Tax department, before transferring into the Corporate Finance team,” Rob says. “The M&A market was pretty flat back in 2009 but I still got to work on some really interesting assignments, working with companies ranging from small ownermanaged businesses to large corporates.” “I joined FW Capital after PwC, and it was a great experience to look at things from an investor’s perspective – I learnt a lot in the three years I was there and I will be looking to put this experience to good use at Cavu.” Since joining Cavu Rob has been working with clients on a variety of assignments, including sale mandates, development capital raising and acquisition searches and support for corporates and private equity backed companies. “For me the most interesting aspect of the work is dealing with owner-managed businesses. I’ve always enjoyed getting to understand a business, getting to know its owners and their plans and objectives, and ultimately helping them to achieve those plans,” Rob explains. If you’re in business and considering acquisitions, disposals or funding ambitious growth plans through debt, development capital or private equity, the team at Cavu would be delighted to hear from you to discuss your plans. For more information on Cavu Corporate Finance visit www.cavucf.com or call (0191) 255 7772.

LAW & FINANCE

Give a little – get a lot Putting something back into the community is at the heart of North East accountancy firm Rowlands – as associate director John White explains ... owlands is a firm believer that businesses should put something back into the communities in which they are based. We have offices in Hexham, Ponteland, Sunderland, Yarm, Crook and Birtley and all our employees are committed to this ethos – each team uses their professional skills to help raise funds in some way or another. As a company, we decided the best way we could help local charities was to organise one main event each year involving staff from across the group, supplementing this with one-off support for other organisations and individuals which approach us. Why? Well, it matters to us that we do things that will touch the lives of the people we are surrounded by.

220km running relay. The Round Rowlands Running Challenge will raise money for the Percy Hedley Foundation’s Splash Appeal (funds will go towards a hydrotherapy pool for disabled children) and Dementia Care. There is also a dancing event currently being organised by John Grimshaw, the IT manager at our Birtley office. The Get Your Skates On disco will be held at Digital nightclub in Newcastle and is a one-off repeat of the regular themed evenings that used to be held at Northumbria University. A third of the cash raised on the night will go to the aforementioned charities.

Wheely good fun

One of the initiatives we like to support every year really strikes a chord with us and that’s Mission Christmas. Last year, we donated gifts worth more than £1000 to Metro Radio’s Cash for Kids appeal, which provides presents for children across the North East who would otherwise be waking up on Christmas morning with nothing to open. As a business, Rowlands is also committed to supporting one-off charity events, whether that’s by providing our expertise to organisations or by helping with much needed cash. For example, this year we sponsored the first ever Ladies Sevens Rugby Tournament held in Bishop Auckland in July. We had already been working

Our first major event was last year’s Round Rowlands Charity Bike Ride, through which we raised over £10,000 for the Henry Dancer Days and Daisy Chain Project charities, both of which support local children and families. I was one of the six members of staff that got on our bikes and covered almost 200 miles in just two days. The event was so successful that this year we are using pretty much the same Round Rowlands route – from Birtley to Sunderland, Yarm, Crook, Durham, Hexham and Ponteland before heading back to Birtley – to organise a

All wrapped up

with the club to encourage more women and girls to take up the sport. Plus, we provided the accounting expertise for the (K)night to Remember event at Sage Gateshead, which was organised to raise cash for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. Sport is a key part of the charity work we do. One of our partners Peter Gray took part in the Great North Run last year and raised £2000 for the University of North Tees Hospital, which treated one of our partners Harvey Madden when he was diagnosed with acute leukaemia.

Giving is good Things like Harvey’s illness highlight the important role charities and organisations such as our local hospitals play in our lives. At Rowlands, we believe it is vital to support groups that are doing good locally, both to help raise cash to ensure they can continue to provide their essential services, but also as a key part of our staff development. We know our people enjoy the challenges they take part in for charity and this is hugely important for employee morale. I’d urge any business that doesn’t have its own charity or corporate social responsibility programme in place to seriously consider doing so – it’s well worth the effort. For more information visit www.rowlandsaccountants.co.uk

LAW & FINANCE

Re-think retirement

planning? Brewin Dolphin’s Jo Jackson looks at recent changes to pension legislation.

EXPERT VIEW Jo Jackson Head of Financial Planning Brewin Dolphin Tel: (0191) 230 7155 Email joanne.jackson@brewin.co.uk Web: www.brewin.co.uk

n my role as head of Financial Planning at Newcastle wealth management firm, Brewin Dolphin, I find that flexibility is certainly the overriding theme when discussing the recent changes to pension legislation. But what does this mean for you and the options you will have when you need to draw on your pension? Will it encourage you to invest more in pensions as a long term savings vehicle? Pensions now, more than ever, provide for a very tax efficient form of savings. Where else can you get tax relief on contributions, tax free investment returns and a 25 per cent lump sum out tax free? For a higher rate tax payer this means a £1000 contribution will actually cost you £600 – a 66 per cent investment return! Almost three quarters of under 45’s with pensions have no idea what their pot is worth and what it could provide for them at retirement. Between 1960 and 2010 the average lifespan has increased by around ten years for a man and eight years for a woman and one in three children born this year will reach their 100th birthday. With life expectancy rising our money has to work harder for longer so any help we can get

with regards to boosting our savings is welcome. The main change that you will see from April 2015 is that you will be able to access any or all of your defined contribution pension fund as cash, with 25 per cent still available tax free. The need for you to purchase an annuity will be gone and any restrictions on the level of income you can draw each year will also disappear. This means that taking advice is more important than ever if you want to make sure that your fund provides an income for as long as you require it. You may also want to consider the tax implications of taking large drawdowns as you may end up adding to the extra £4 billion in income tax HMRC expects to receive by 2020. The rate of tax you will pay could range from 20-45 per cent and this will depend on what your level of income is, including the amount taken from the pension. This flexibility may not be available to those who have a Defined Benefit scheme but should be available to any Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) ‘pots’. If this flexibility is not offered you may be able to transfer out (as long as it is a funded scheme)

up to the normal retirement age, however, it is important that financial advice is taken as for most people they may be best sticking with what they have got. Although it will no longer be compulsory to take an annuity at retirement, the security these plans offer will mean that they still provide the right solution for some people. The Government have announced that, in line with its commitment to deliver a more flexible pension regime, they will remove some of the current restrictions around annuities to allow for the development of more flexible products. Retirement is no longer just about your pension fund, you need to look across all of your assets and see how they can work for you in the most tax efficient way. At Brewin Dolphin, we take an integrated approach to protecting and growing your wealth that combines our skills and experience in both discretionary fund management and financial planning. We recognise that every client has different goals for their finances and we use this information to develop a sound strategy for managing your financial affairs and safeguarding your long-term wealth.

LAW & FINANCE

Help to turn things around Muckle’s Andrew Cawkwell on the alternative to insolvency.

f your company faces an uphill battle to stay afloat, it’s sometimes hard to know if you should continue trying to revive it or close it. Many business people think at a certain point that insolvency is unavoidable. But while it sometimes appears to be the only path to take, there could be other options available, such as restructuring. At Muckle LLP, we are specialists in the pre-insolvency approach, so even if your business is teetering on the brink, we may be able to provide solutions. For instance, when traditional lending sources have dried up, we can talk to our network of investors to persuade them that you are worth investing in. Together, we can structure the right support team to achieve your goals. A family firm recently sought my expertise to try and avoid the need for insolvency. It had the backing of a local venture capitalist, but the deal depended on the transfer of

EXPERT VIEW Andrew Cawkwell Partner and Certified Turnaround Professional Muckle LLP Email: Andrew.Cawkwell@muckle-llp.com Twitter: @CompanyRescue

assets from the company that had a build-up of creditors. While it was originally agreed to transfer the assets and look after the creditors, complications arose after a fall-out out between family members with shares in the business. The firm was placed into administration to unlock the assets and value in order to allow the management team to restructure. Armed with investment cash and a clean balance sheet, the management team can now drive the firm forward. In this way, we can establish a clear vision for the future of your business and livelihood, but timing is key to turning things around. The sooner you act, the greater the chances your business has to flourish. So come and talk to us. We’re independent, act in the best interest of our clients and can protect you against any conflicts of interest.

LAW & FINANCE

Supporting employee financial well-being Barclay’s Graeme McCormick reveals why it’s time to put the financial well-being of employees on the corporate agenda.

pproaches to reward and engagement in the workplace are changing beyond all recognition. Companies are moving from offering fixed perks to providing flexible benefits. Defined benefit pension schemes have evolved to the defined contribution model, and we’ve seen a shift in attitude for both employers and employees within their financial roles. As the workforce becomes increasingly mobile and career paths more varied, employees are recognising the need to take greater responsibility for their own financial decisions. But there is also an important part to play for employers in empowering their staff with the right capability and capacity to manage important aspects of their personal finances. While much work has been done in relation to the physical well-being of employees in the last decade, research reveals that employers are still overlooking the importance of financial well-being in their engagement strategies. Barclay’s recent report Financial Well-being: The Last Taboo in the Workplace defines financial well-being as ‘being and feeling financially healthy and secure, today and for the future’. The findings show that employees worrying about their finances can have a significant impact on the productivity of the business and, alarmingly, more than one in ten employees fall into the ‘financially slipping’ category – those who have little or no savings and regularly spend more than they earn. With one in five employees losing sleep because they’re so worried about finances, this is

EXPERT VIEW Graeme McCormick Employee benefits consultant Barclays Corporate & Employer Solutions Web: www.barclays.com/wealth

having a significant impact on their productivity, performance, and overall work. Understanding what would help and improve employees’ financial well-being should be a priority for employers. Being financially secure is not solely about one’s salary – poor financial well-being affects people in all income brackets – but more about the size of a savings buffer and the ability to regularly put money aside. Organisations must therefore be mindful that levels of financial well-being will vary greatly across employees, depending on their life stage and attitudes to money management. For Maturists (born pre-1945), saving before buying is the order of the day whereas Baby Boomers (born 1945 – 1960), who have greater life expectancy and have tried to save during their working lives, are now worried that their savings will be consumed by care in later life. Meanwhile, Generation X (born 1961 – 1980) looks forward to a long retirement but is unsure whether their pensions will be adequate, and Generation Y (born 1981 – 1995), leaving university with tens of thousand pounds of debt, shows a more relaxed attitude to money and

debt. Generation Z (born after 1995), by contrast, has been brought up in a world of invisible spending, where items are often bought electronically and paid for later, and are generally more liberal with their finances. Companies need to recognise that now is the time to tackle the taboo and bring financial wellbeing onto the agenda. Employees are looking for guidance and support to help secure their financial future within their existing means; but this doesn’t have to be complex or costly for the employer. At Barclays Corporate & Employer Solutions, we work with organisations of all sizes to identify employees’ needs before building a business case, developing the strategy and then selecting the appropriate solutions to meet those needs. Some actions employers can take are likely to have universal appeal and will benefit most employees. For example, better explanation of current benefits, education on pensions and retirement, implementation of savings schemes and access to information and services will all help develop general financial competence. However, the needs of a multi-generational workforce are varied and evidence shows that employees respond better to solutions tailored towards their own situation. It is important, therefore, that employers understand this and tailor solutions accordingly. Not only does a greater regard for financial well-being allow staff to take closer control of their money management, but it also enables organisations to recruit, engage and retain the key talent required to give their business an advantage that translates to the bottom line.

Barclays offers wealth and investment management products and services to its clients through Barclays Bank PLC and its subsidiary companies. Barclays Bank PLC is registered in England and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Registered No. 1026167. Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP.

INTERVIEW

In the bossâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chair

Charles Nicholson Head of Newcastle Office, Sanlam Private Investments

Briefly, what has been your career to date? I initially began my investment career doing internships 20 years ago at various fund management groups before moving back up to Newcastle to develop the investment business of Iain Nicholson Investment Management as investment director. We merged with Sanlam Private Investments in August 2012 and I am now head of the Newcastle office.

What attracted you to your role? I love the markets and all of their complexities. It is intriguing to understand how they work and you never stop learning. I also enjoy discussing the stock market with clients.

key. With regard to investments, I think it is crucial to be detached from the emotion and noise of the markets and to stick to your principles.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been your highlight in the role? My favourite part of my role is working with clients, nurturing a relationship and developing trust. Client contact is great and over the years clients become friends and friends become clients.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been your biggest challenge?

There have been significant changes within the wealth management industry, Markets, systems and regulation have all become a lot more complicated and require careful navigation and detailed knowledge.

What makes Sanlam different? Sanlam places a great emphasis on the client and allows us in Newcastle to develop our local business but with the resource of a strong well-run global business.

What are the short and long-term plans for Sanlam?

What skills and attributes do you need to do your job?

In 2007/08, at the beginning of the financial crisis, it was essential to position the portfolios to ensure that they were not overexposed to volatile areas of the market.

In Newcastle we want to continue providing clients with a strong, local and very personalised service. Business will continue to develop well if we continue to do a good job for clients.

The most important aspect of my job is looking after the client and their investments in a sensible and considerate manner. Trust is

How has wealth management changed since you began in the industry?

For more information on Sanlam visit www.spi.sanlam.co.uk

EVENT

Lionra summer drinks The network organisation holds its seasonal event.

he Lionra network held a summer drinks event on Thursday July 17 at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle. Lionra is a non-profit organisation that sets out to build on the well-established trading relationships that exist between the North East and Ireland. The network raises funds for charities throughout the year with events including the annual Shamrock Ball. During the summer drinks event two cheques were presented to The Percy Hedley Foundation and the PSP Association, both for £4000, which was raised at this year’s Shamrock Ball. Next year’s Shamrock Ball is being held on March 14, 2015, at the Hilton Gateshead. For further information or tickets please contact info@lionra.co.uk

LAW & FINANCE

Sooner or later? Rebecca Harbron Gray, solicitor for the Elderly, TEP and head of Wealth Management at Gordon Brown Law Firm LLP, looks at the future of probate.

EXPERT VIEW Rebecca Harbron Gray Head of Wealth Management a Gordon Brown Law Firm LLP Web: www.gblf.co.uk

am thankful that probate continues to be one of the reserved activities under the Legal Services Act 2007, Section 12 Schedule 2, but for how long will this remain? Will it be removed sooner or later? In my practicing career I’m sure I’ll see a change to the present structure. A large percentage of my department’s function is orientated to probate activities. However, it would be naive of me not to consider and plan that one day the reservation of probate may be removed. As a profession, I would expect we will vehemently oppose it for obvious reasons associated with the risks to client monies, how it could contribute to a rise of fraudulent activity and overall for greater consumer protection these functions should remain reserved. The Law Society will assist us in that plight and have already done so with the implementation of the Wills Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS) to differentiate us

from ‘the competition’. The WIQS has been created to set us aside and above the other competing institutions. But if this quality can be attained by other institutions, isn’t there an argument this should be an industry standard; and if so providing it is attained and monitored that other organisations could join? Of course we have to admit that we will oppose it also for commercial reasons. Services being offered at a potentially lower base cost and the resultant effect being a loss of a market share presently dedicated to us would be detrimental. After all, it’s difficult to compete with organisations not bound by the same rules. If this work was unreserved more unregulated personnel could complete the task in an entirely unregulated environment. But if there was an industry-standard in place and we were all subject to the same rules, would we mind it being removed as a ‘reserved activity’?

This would enable us to at least compete on similar grounds and ensure a service level to the client and it remains regulated. So long as the organisations were subject to the same costs and regulations I’d approve of this. Currently we can be thankful that there is a requirement for us to be involved and therefore a point in the process where the application is verified and therefore affords the consumer some protection. Without our involvement risks to consumers become higher and their protection diminishes. With the loss of protection comes a loss of faith in the profession and legal services whether they are being offered by us or not. The perception lags behind reality, we are as a whole more proactive and more efficient than ever and we are able to pass cost savings on to clients. When the decision is made I hope I’m there to ensure an Industry service level is set as the difficulties we all face will become evident.

LAW & FINANCE

What would the Scots do for us? Asks Vinay Bedi, executive director of UBS Wealth Management. K, I am probably adopting a small degree of John Cleese-like flippancy here, now is probably not the right time to be asking such a question … not least because our friends over the ‘wall’ have just held a hugely successful Commonwealth Games and even cheered the English team into the stadium at the opening ceremony! However, the September 18 Scottish Referendum is almost upon us and despite our UBS views that independence will be rejected, there remains the possibility that the ‘yes’ campaign could run their total vote to over 40 per cent. So, let's say for a minute that Yes vote manages to breach 50 per cent – what would this mean for the North East? The obvious upside is the potential for Scottish based businesses to choose to relocate. Surely our region must be a strong favourite to secure a number of these very attractive headquarters. We are talking here about financial, energy and utility sectors which are currently most exposed to Scotland and which ‘may’ be taxed at higher levels by an independent Scottish

government. Current UK corporate tax levels are some of the lowest in the developed world and are a major factor in many significant companies choosing to relocate into the UK (even Boots is threatening to return to its homeland). Could an independent Scottish government afford to continue these generous tax rates for

companies – there is talk that many businesses will be incentivised to stay in Scotland but from a North East point of view it is a potentially interesting concept. Incidentally, you might also wish to ask whether Trident would remain based in an independent Scotland and whether this would be of interest to the region's major docks. However, if the Scottish Referendum does indeed end up as just a very close, but ultimately ‘no’ vote, then it is likely that there will be a push for broader devolved powers for an Edinburgh Parliament. This could still lead to changes in business and personal tax regimes and the North East may still see some positive fallout from this. As the summer holidays draw to a close and the issue of Scottish independence becomes dominant in our news headlines once again, it may well be something that we should apply a little thought to and be ready to respond for the good of our region. For more information call (0191) 211 1000, email: vinay.bedi@ubs.com or visit www.ubs.com/uk

The price and value of investments and income derived from them can go down as well as up. You may not get back the amount you originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Authorised and regulated by Financial Market Supervisory Authority in Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, UBS AG is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and is subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from us on request.

LAW & FINANCE

What to look for in a good financial adviser By David Smith, financial planning director at Tilney Bestinvest.

good financial adviser is like gold dust. Like your most influential teacher at school they will inspire you to achieve greater things and enjoy a better future. A poor adviser will sell you a product you don't really need and have no interest in your future. Yet both advisers will be FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) registered, both have at least a Level 4 qualification (it is now the minimum standard to trade), and both will sound plausible. So how do you select the right adviser for you?

Qualifications You want an adviser who takes professional knowledge and development seriously. Look for an adviser who is a Chartered Financial Planner or a Certified Financial Planner – or ideally both. These are Level 6 qualifications – equivalent to a university degree.

Approach A good adviser will take you on a journey, ask

EXPERT VIEW David Smith Financial planning director Tilney Bestinvest. Tel: (0191) 269 9970 Email: david.smith@tilneybestinvest.co.uk

challenging questions and map out a plan to achieve your goals. If you do not have any clear objectives how will you know where to head and what's important to you? The importance of cashflow modelling – an adviser will gather information on your existing financial position. Better advisers will use cashflow modelling to assist in creating the plan. This takes your existing financial position and projects forward for the rest of your life. The model provides a chart of your whole financial position and, based on the assumptions, can help determine if you are

likely to have sufficient assets for your desired lifestyle. As you can be pretty certain events won’t turn out exactly as set out in the plan, your adviser will review and update it regularly.

Relationship Your financial planner will become an important professional person in your life so you need to get on. It is helpful to ask an adviser about existing clients or any particular areas of expertise. You don’t want your adviser to practice on you!

Good Value A good adviser is a professional person and will charge a fee for services. Fees should be open, transparent and fair and you should feel you are getting good value for money. But given that a good adviser could make a difference of many thousands of pounds to your financial position over time, I suggest you base your decision primarily on qualifications, approach, and relationship.

The value of your investment can go down as well as up and you can get back less than you originally invested. Issued by Bestinvest (Brokers) Ltd. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 6 Chesterfield Gardens, Mayfair, W1J 5BQ.

LAW & FINANCE

UNW’s hat-trick The business advisers and chartered accountants celebrate a week of deals. eal experts at UNW brought three deals – one acquisition and two fundraisings – over the line in the same week. UNW experts in corporate finance, audit, tax and from the Newcastle firm's dental business unit, worked on the trio of transactions to buy a roofing company and raise funds for both a fastexpanding national dental chain and a long established energy services business. The St. James' Boulevard-based business advisers and chartered accountants assisted Tyneside heating, insulation and renewable energy business KNW to secure £400,000 of development capital to enable it to move into new markets. This latest boost is the third round of funding which UNW has helped the 34-yearold business obtain, building on a long standing relationship between the firm and the investors and directors of KNW. UNW senior corporate finance manager Mark Simpson says: “KNW was an existing UNW client that recognised our expertise in different areas to help them raise this latest

Left to right: Simon Richards, Neville Bearpark, Alan Suggett and Mark Simpson.

round of finance.” Meanwhile, UNW also assisted ambitious County Durham-based national dental franchising group Dentist Direct to secure substantial external investment. UNW's specialist dental business unit

helped it get the go ahead for, ‘a potentially unlimited credit line’ from Yorkshire Bank to fund future acquisitions. At the same time, UNW's corporate finance team worked with NEL Fund Managers to bring in a £400,000 cash injection from the Finance for Business North East Growth Fund. UNW dental business unit partner Alan Suggett says: “For this finance package we were able to draft in our corporate finance team to secure some good, strong working capital via NEL to run alongside a potentially unlimited credit line from Yorkshire Bank to fund future acquisitions, which is particularly exciting.” While the two fund raisings were underway, UNW tax partner Simon Richards was advising North East entrepreneur David Tilley, the founder of former roofing company D W Tilley, on the acquisition of the longest established roofing and cladding contractor in the North East. The Citygate company assisted Tilley, who came out of retirement to do the deal, to buy £3.3m turnover Birtley-based Mitrepoint, which trades as Roofclad Systems.

LAW & FINANCE

Inheritance tax and your home Peter Rutherford of Universal Tax Strategies guides home owners through the complex issue of Inheritance tax.

EXPERT VIEW Peter Rutherford Partner Universal Tax Strategies LLP Tel: (0191) 374 0333 Email: peter.rutherford@utsllp.co.uk

nheritance tax (IHT) is a tax on assets transferred on the death of an individual. It can also be due on transfers of value during your lifetime but that need not concern us here. There is an allowance that an individual can give away or leave before IHT is due of £325,000. A husband and wife can combine the two allowances so that it means £650,000 can be left to the family before IHT is due. Any surplus on death is taxed at 40 per cent. If you have a large estate and two or three kids then you could see HMRC being the largest single inheritor. IHT planning is a complex area but a lot can be done, quite legally, to reduce the tax take. The one area of difficulty is the family home which is often the single most valuable asset. Let us consider the options: Firstly you could give it away but where are you going to live? If you stay in the home you will have to pay a market rent otherwise HMRC will decide that you have not made a gift at all and will tax its value on death. If you do gift it to your children and pay rent then it will be out of your estate for IHT purposes provided that you survive seven years. However, we have two other taxes to consider

now. Firstly the rental income your children receive will be subject to income tax and when they sell the property any gain is subject to Capital Gains Tax. Should they die before sale it is part of their estate for IHT purposes. So we potentially solve one problem but create others. I would describe that as something of a Pyrrhic victory. The worst case scenario (which is surprisingly common) is where the home is gifted but no rent is paid and the value remains in the donor’s estate for IHT purposes. However, the legal ownership has passed to the children who sell the property at some future date and they are then taxed on the gains. Given the relative difficulty of gifting property and retaining an interest in it (most obviously through continued occupation) an increasing number of people are considering equity release and IHT planning with the 'released' funds. Typically, the method of equity release chosen is a lifetime mortgage with interest rolled-up This will constitute a debt on the property which reduces the taxable value of the property on death which, in turn, means IHT is reduced on death (provided, of course, the

money borrowed is not retained in the estate). There will usually be a provision that the total outstanding debt cannot cause 'negative equity' to arise. The funds released can then be used in estate planning depending on the requirements of the potential donor for control over, and access to, the funds. As stated at the beginning of the article, there is much that can be done here. If IHT is still an issue for house owners who do not wish to complicate their lives, then we should not ignore the power of providing for the liability through life assurance (joint lives last survivor for married couples) in trust for those who will suffer because of the payment of the IHT. The life assurance will pay out quickly to the beneficiaries of the trust (usually the children) ensuring they have funds to pay the IHT liability. They receive the funds tax free as the trust ensures the money is not part of the deceased’s estate. Simply put, the objective is to put the right money in the right hands at the right time. As ever the moral of this article is to seek properly qualified advice if you have concerns about your, or a family member’s IHT position.

LAW & FINANCE

Trouble at home Ward Hadaway Family Law expert Sarah Crilly looks at how the state of the housing market is affecting relationships and divorce settlements. inancial issues are often a factor in divorce and relationship breakdown. The pressure on couples due to mounting energy costs and increases in petrol and food bills with less and less credit being available and salaries not increasing at the same rate causes increased tensions in relationships which may already be fragile. Family lawyers are seeing an increase in new instructions for divorce. Separating finances for divorcing couples can be extremely difficult, especially when the main asset tends to be the family home. With property sales now increasing and values climbing, there is potentially more money in the

matrimonial pot for division between parties. However, getting offers on properties sometimes can be difficult in this ever changing climate, especially when one party wants to get out of a marriage and obtain a quick divorce. This can tempt some separating couples to reduce prices beyond even the natural reductions often applied when attempting to achieve a speedy house sale. There can be resistance by one spouse to sell the property for less than its true value, particularly if they are going to be keeping all of the sale proceeds as part of a financial agreement. This can cause the other spouse to employ other types of pressure to force a sale, such as

withholding mortgage payments or purchasing a property at a gross undervalue through a third party. Buying and selling houses can be stressful and difficult enough on its own and when you add the pressure and emotional strain of going through a divorce it can make a tricky situation even harder. Sellers are vulnerable, especially if they are selling under the pressure of a divorce and may be at risk of being outmanoeuvred by a combination of tactics by the other spouse and by the current climate in the property sector. The key message in these situations is to get expert advice before making any rash decisions about selling your property.

LAW & FINANCE

Relationship banking By putting the clients first, Handelsbanken has become one of the top ten strongest banks in the world.

t Handelsbanken, you only ever deal with people you know by name and decisions are made locally at the branch ensuring customers receive the best possible service. Founded in Sweden in 1871, Handelsbanken has over 800 branches worldwide. This figure now includes some 180 branches in the UK with nine in the North East of England. The office in Newcastle Grey Street opened 12 years ago, originally being one of seven offices in the country. Since then, further branches have opened in Stockton, Darlington, Sunderland, Durham and Morpeth and more recently a second branch on Saville Row in Newcastle, Hexham and Middlesbrough branches have opened for business. Unlike some other banks, operations are decentralised and therefore customers benefit from extremely short decision lines. The branches operate as a local business and managers have the power to make decisions at a local level, enabling them to offer customers a highly bespoke banking service. This also comes with the benefit of being part of a very stable, highly cost effective bank with good liquidity, a high credit rating and a well-balanced amount of equity. Bloomberg has recently rated Handelsbanken as one of the top ten strongest banks in the world. The banking services are designed for customers who need a bespoke offering with easy access to their manager. Putting the needs of the customer ahead of all else lies at the very heart of everything Handelsbanken do. Each proposal is assessed on its own merits and the Bank tailor their current accounts, mortgages and loans to customers’ individual requirements, truly putting the customer first. This is summed up by this quote from CEO Par Boman: “Our advice must always be what is

best for the customer not what is most profitable for the bank at that time”. Handelsbanken was recently rated top for customer satisfaction for the fifth year running, in an independent survey* of British banks’ personal and business customers. Loyalty levels emerged still higher, which reflects the bank’s focus on building long-term customer relationships for mutual benefit, free from product campaigns, sales targets or short term bonus incentives. * Customer satisfaction survey conducted independently by EPSI, October 2013.

Handelsbanken services … Individual banking

What customers say … Brian Trench, CEO of A-Belco Group “Such a huge benefit, to have a bank team that know both of us, understand our lives and support us thoroughly. The work of the team is totally efficient and unobtrusive, providing an instant and approachable response to all of our needs. Always thinking ahead, helping us plan and deliver different responses to the varied demands of our busy lives, conversations are always beneficial and provide a great sense of security and knowledge. A great combination of genuine relationships backed by the strength of a super efficient and reliable banking group.”

Mr and Mrs Oxenham, Durham

• Day to day banking facilities (cards/overdrafts) • Mortgages • Savings/ISA’s/term deposits • Investment property funding • Currency–based facilities • Partnership capital funding • Trust facilities • Pension lending • Internet banking • Wealth and investment planning Corporate banking • Day-to-day banking facilities. (Cards / Overdrafts) • Commercial loan facilities • Currency–based facilities • Trade finance • Asset finance • Cash management • Corporate internet banking • Invoice finance • Deposit accounts

“Handelsbanken provided us with a truly personalised service, sensitively delivered by caring advisers who listened and understood our objectives. We are delighted to be in such safe hands and happy to recommend their services to others.”

Paul Callaghan, CBE, DL “The decision to change banks in 2011 was not an easy one. I needed a bank that I could talk to. A bank that understood not only my finances but also the way I liked to manage them, a bank that could respond quickly and efficiently when I needed something doing. So in 2011 I chose Handelsbanken – and I made the right choice.”

Andy Stewart, Director Induction Pipe Bending Ltd “Since becoming disenchanted with our existing high street bank, our change to Handelsbanken has proved refreshing in terms

of both our business and our personal accounts. From the initial transfer which proved simple and painless, we have enjoyed a genuine relationship with people who know us and who we can trust to help with anything from day to day queries through to provision of loans and mortgage facilities etc. We would have no hesitation in recommending Handelsbanken to anyone.”

Adam Serfontein, MD Hanro Limited “The entire team has taken the time to understand our strategy and our business and, as a result, they have become trusted advisors. The Handelsbanken culture is a very valuable asset to our business.”

Naren Deen, partner Samuel Phillips Law Firm “Handelsbanken recently assisted me with the purchase of a complex rural property. They were

able to look past the complexity and see that it was a sound proposal. A very friendly, professional and knowledgeable team.”

George Collins “I have been with Handelsbanken for over two years now and the bank and my bank manager are a pleasure to deal with. I am treated at all times with respect, humour and consideration, nothing is too much of a problem to deal with at a local level which is truly refreshing. I genuinely feel that I am valued as a customer by the bank and that there is a huge desire within the bank to create and sustain a solid working relationship between us that I can and do trust and rely upon. I fully expect to remain with them for as long as they will have me, given the above, why on earth should I move?”

Charles Beaumont, director, Treesplease Ltd “When Trees Please needed a substantial loan

towards the cost of fixed equipment required to support a trebling of production, our bank of 46 years standing was impossibly inflexible. Within two weeks of walking unannounced into Handelsbanken in Hexham we had agreed Heads of Terms that suited both sides. Just good old fashioned banking from people who try to understand their customers’ needs. Talking to Handelsbanken is like taking a good lungful of fresh Northumbrian air!” To speak to your local Handelsbanken branch about your banking needs, call: Newcastle Grey Street: (0191) 261 9888, Newcastle Saville Row: (0191) 230 2310, Morpeth: (01670) 513770, Sunderland: (0191) 548 0230, Hexham: (01434) 600066, Durham: (0191) 384 4200, Darlington: (01325) 358505, Stockton: (01642) 614402, Middlesbrough: (01642) 242393.

Handelsbanken Branch Managers from left to right: Tom Ramshaw (Newcastle Grey Street), Rory Gibson (Durham), David Wilson (Hexham), David Elliot (Morpeth), Mike Brunskill (Newcastle Saville Row)and Granville Kelly (Sunderland).

INTERVIEW

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

Richard Freeman-Wallace Partner and commercial property, agricultural and rural specialist, Hay & Kilner.

PRESENT

FUTURE

ast forward 35 years as commercial property lawyer and what a difference to the availability of information and speed of communication in the legal profession. When I started, there was no internet, no smart phones or fax machines. The fastest method of communication was either a landline telephone, a telegram or telex. Research was undertaken either in the firm’s library or the local Law Society library. I can remember being reprimanded by my principal for not dealing with a letter quickly enough as I had not replied to it within a fortnight. I was clearly overworked and should have passed the matter to someone else. One is lucky these days to have 14 hours to provide a considered, measured and sage response. Some things, however, have not changed. Clients, then as now, rightly expect high quality service for the hard earned money that they pay us. Our clients at Hay & Kilner look to us as more than just processors of documents but as friends and trusted advisors. Relationships are just as important now as ever. It is humbling to realise that I have worked closely with some clients for over 25 years.

t is a truism that technology has revolutionised all of our lives, whether at work or home. That revolution will continue to intensify. The services which lawyers provide will not change, but the manner in which we deliver those services will. They say that people buy professional services from individuals, not organisations. The relationships that lawyers have with their clients will become ever more important. Video conferencing has been around for a number of years but now seems oddly out of fashion. Skype is making good headway, first outside work but now increasingly at the office. Lasting relationships are built face to face. Being able to see the person you are talking to over distance will make a big difference.

PAST entered the legal profession as an articled clerk (what trainees were called, then) on St Andrews Day, 1977 and qualified as a solicitor on St David’s Day, 1982. My first employer was a conventional high street firm based in Bristol. Myself and the other six trainees had the run of the attic floor of the office building and were very much left to our own devices – no time sheets in those days. The firm specialised in criminal law, so periodically trainees would be called to attend local police stations to take statements from clients or to attend identification parades. Within a few months I had graduated to attending the local prisons and to briefing barristers to represent clients in the Crown Court. For a 21-year-old, the work was a real ‘eye opener’. It was a congenial and relaxed work atmosphere, although the hours were just as long as they are today.

LAW & FINANCE

Dawn’s view Rowlands Accountants’ partner and working mum Dawn Walton looks at some of the key issues facing SMEs with regards to taxation and offers advice to the next generation of chartered accountants.

Before joining Rowlands Accountants in 2007, you worked for a sole practitioner. How has that benefited you at Rowlands? I began my training with a small sole practitioner and there were no such things as an accounts or tax department, I just had to do it all, from bookkeeping and VAT Returns to full accounts. I was also client facing straight away. It was a brilliant grounding that has enabled me to advise clients in all aspects of their businesses and to be confident in my abilities.

You specialise in the area of taxation. What are the common pitfalls and how can SMEs avoid falling into these? Taxation is an area that is forever changing and so we advise clients to review their affairs frequently. For example, not qualifying for Entrepreneur’s Relief could cost a client 18 per cent Capital Gains Tax, therefore we always look at this closely. A common area where gaining Entrepreneur’s Relief can be tricky is with partnerships, depending on whether assets are held in or outside of the partnership. Also, ownership of assets in relation to Agricultural and Business Property Relief can be problematic if the specifics aren’t right.

Through acting for a large number of farming clients, we are completely up to speed on all the relevant legislation and we keep a permanent file in respect of these issues to ensure we can support claims as and when they become necessary.

You have a particular interest in trusts and inheritance tax – when should people seek advice on these? I think trusts are one of the most underrated tax planning tools. Not only for the really wealthy, they can be used by anyone at any stage of their life. Trusts help with tax planning, but are also the best vehicle for asset protection, for example they can prevent an 18 year old from wasting their inheritance, or protect a family’s wealth from the impact of divorce. In terms of inheritance tax planning, the majority of planning relies upon making gifts of assets seven years prior to death so it is never too early to think about this. Individuals must remember though that once gifts have been made, they cannot’ be taken back.

As a mum to a lively toddler, what are your tips for achieving a better work-life balance? Being a working mum is not easy. I’m very lucky

that I have great support, not just at home but also within Rowlands, where the ethos is that family comes first. Flexible working hours have always been made available to me and so I’m able to drop my daughter off and collect her from nursery. I always feel some guilt but when not at work I make the most of every spare moment and my daughter is happy and healthy which is what counts. I’m extremely proud of the fact that the majority of my career progression has taken place since I became a mum.

As a student you were awarded the Institute of Chartered Accountants Carter prize for outstanding achievement. What advice would you give to those training to become a Chartered Accountant today? I took a different route to most, choosing to study and work simultaneously. Studying can seem like forever but in reality it is only a few years of your life and can make or break your future. My best advice is to put the work in from day one. I paid for all my own tuition, so I had that added incentive to gain first time passes! For more information visit www.rowlandsaccoutants.co.uk

LAW & FINANCE

Selling your business Greg Bolton, head of corporate finance at RMT on how to make your company appealing to buyers.

EXPERT VIEW Greg Bolton Head of Corporate Finance RMT Tel: (0191) 256 9500 Web: www.r-m-t.co.uk

eorge Osborne's recent visit to the North East was designed by the Government's communications supremos to be a watershed moment in the UK's recent economic history. Timed to coincide with the latest GDP figures, which showed that our economy had grown by 0.8 per cent during the second quarter of 2014 and that it had finally battled its way above its pre-recession peak, the Chancellor's tour of Virgin Money's Gosforth HQ provided a clear line in the sand from which an election campaign could be launched. While always taking what any politician says with a pinch of salt, the economic atmosphere in our region is tangibly better than it was 12 months ago â&#x20AC;&#x201C; everyone might not yet be feeling the impact of this in their pockets, but the pessimism that has haunted us since 2008 seems finally to be dissipating.

One of the impacts of this for my industry is something of a loosening of the purse strings from the traditional providers of capital for business acquisitions. An understandable reluctance to get their fingers burned in difficult times, coupled with business owners holding onto assets that they might otherwise have sold due to a feeling that they won't get maximum value for them, has held back the North East's merger and acquisition market in recent years. However, the trend now appears to be changing due to easier access to capital and a greater number of opportunities in the market place. If you're one of these company owners who's now looking to realise the benefits of building up a business through the difficult last few years, what should your priorities be for securing the sale you're looking for? Showing that you've successfully achieved

solid sales and profits in the past is clearly important, but it's equally important to be able to show that you've got the structures in place to carry this on in the future. Potential buyers are going to be interested in three main areas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your client list, your brand/reputation and your infrastructure, all of which will combine towards creating sustainable value in your business. As part of this, ensure that you're investing appropriately in staff recruitment and training, as their expertise and commitment will be central in setting the business up for further success in the future. Getting robust, independent advice on your plans will help you get everything in place as efficiently as possible. The climate for securing a business sale is better now than it has been for several years, but having everything properly in place is the best way for company owners to get the outcomes they're looking for.

LAW & FINANCE

Ten facts about Durham Catherine Milbanke from Leathers LLP refects on ten interesting facts about Durham. urham School celebrates its 600year anniversary this year, making it one of the oldest schools in Britain. Durham City Rugby Football Club, the second oldest club in the county, was founded in 1872 with navy and gold playing colours and has the Sanctuary Knocker of Durham Cathedral as the club’s crest. Elvet is taken from an Old English word Aelfet ee meaning ‘Swan Island’. Old Elvet, a city centre road leading from Elvet Bridge, was once the site of the City’s horse fair. In the 19th century public executions by hanging took place on Old Elvet. Some drew audiences of around 15,000. One house rented out its first floor balcony, which still exists today, to spectators. There is a life-size statue of the famous musician the ‘Polish Count’, Josef Boruwlaski, in Durham Town Hall. The Count settled in Durham and lived there for 47 years until his death in 1837 aged 97.

The Count is reported to have been around 3 feet and 3 inches tall. In Notes from a Small Island, Bill Bryson wrote ‘I unhesitatingly gave Durham my vote for the best cathedral on planet Earth’. Durham Regatta has been held on the River Wear in Durham since 1834. It is the second oldest regatta in Britain and is often

referred to as 'the Henley of the North'. The Miners’ Gala is held on the second Saturday in July each year; a parade of brass bands and banners of former colliery villages turn out in force to remember their coalmining heritage. The 130th Durham Miners’ Gala was held on July 12, 2014. There are more than 14,000 university students based in the City of Durham of whom nearly 90 per cent are from outside the region. As around 65,000 people live in Durham in total, this gives huge fluctuations in population numbers between term times and the holiday periods. For instance in July and August the city centre is particularly quiet. Leathers LLP re-opened in Durham in June 2014 at 26A Old Elvet, where we can be contacted. Leathers LLP is located at 26A Old Elvet. Contact Catherine on c.milbanke@leathersllp.co.uk.

LAW & FINANCE

Establishing a family foundation By Samantha Pritchard, associate in the charities team at the Newcastle office of law firm Bond Dickinson.

ith the future funding capability of the Northern Rock Foundation still uncertain, charities in the North East may face the loss of a valuable, significant North East focussed donor. Family giving could help fill this gap, and those in other regions, and for many of our clients the establishment of a family foundation means turning philanthropic aspirations into reality. A family foundation is a charity which is funded solely or primarily through an individual, a family or a family business. The reason for deciding to establish a family foundation varies from family to family.

Triggers can include: • A desire to leave a legacy for the future which can start having an impact immediately. • A desire to meet a need in society which does not appear to have been identified by others. • To pass on the importance of altruism and philanthropy to younger generations in the family. • To use the family foundation as a tool to teach younger generations how to deal with money responsibly (recognising that they may be likely to inherit significant private wealth). • To benefit from tax reliefs on donations to the foundation during their lifetimes and upon their death. • Or even to intentionally limit the inheritance that younger generations will receive. Establishing a family foundation and identifying how it should be funded and by whom should form part of a family’s long-term wealth management plan. Of course donations by the family to the

EXPERT VIEW Samantha Pritchard Associate Bond Dickinson Tel: (0191) 230 8391 Email: samantha.pritchard@bonddickinson.com Web: www.bonddickinson.com

family foundation are tax efficient for both family members and family businesses. Funding options are numerous and include regular giving, a ‘one-off’ initial lump sum or subsequent ‘top up’, leaving a legacy or donating profits or shares from the family business. For long-term, sustainable giving, an endowment whose careful investment funds annual giving is the most usual option. The UK offers an attractive setting for a family foundation with flexible governance arrangements, transparent and accountable practices and a freedom to support those charitable causes most important to the family. The structure of a family foundation can be such that its individual trustees are protected from personal liability, and governance arrangements can provide as much or as little control to the initial founder as he or she desires (subject to complying with the law),

along with flexible arrangements to involve younger members of the family in a consultative role if required. The usual approach is for a family foundation to be established with the objective of furthering such exclusively charitable purposes as the trustees, in their discretion, decide. This gives freedom to react quickly to charitable need in a changing social and economic climate. Nevertheless, from a good governance perspective, trustees should establish a grantmaking policy setting out issues such as how recipients of funding will be identified and what the funding priorities are for the next three years (for example) to ensure focussed and effective giving that achieves social impact. The family foundation can reflect the unique interests of the family, whether they are local, national or international in focus, and represents an opportunity to match private giving with public need. For many successful individuals, a desire to make a social impact with their wealth and expertise is highly important as a way of giving back. To do so effectively and efficiently in today’s landscape of regulation, complex tax reliefs and media scrutiny, it is vital to receive high quality, knowledgeable advice from practitioners who specialise not only in managing wealth but also in the intricacies of charitable giving. Choosing a family office capable of meeting all those needs and helping you with the stewardship of your family wealth is key for those who wish to have structure and form to their giving. To discuss the possibility of creating your own family foundation please get in touch.

LAW & FINANCE

Low volatility Andrew Alexander from Three Counties looks at how this may affect the markets.

EXPERT VIEW Andrew Alexander Head of Investments Three Counties Tel: (0191) 230 3034 Twitter: @3countiesFA Web: www.three-counties.co.uk

ne very noticeable, yet broadly unrecognised points about current investment markets is the unusually low volatility. This is concerning; not because of the lack of investment opportunities or a backdrop of falling economic sentiment, but because low volatility is seen as a signal for a market correction. As the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chairman, William C Dudley put it recently, "Volatility in markets right now is very low. I am nervous that people are taking too much comfort in this low volatility period, and a consequence of that, taking bigger risks." So why is this so? Some have indicated that this is a direct result of the interventionist policy pursued by global central banks after the financial crisis in 2008. Gillian Tett of the Financial Times expressed the views of many when she wrote that, "markets have been so distorted by heavy government interference since 2008 that investors are frozen."

However, due to the extended equity market recovery post 2008, it may be that investors have become complacent; expecting higher returns than the historical average. Volatility has fallen as stocks have risen; volatility has fallen in the bond market as bonds have rallied. Consequently a call for higher volatility is a call for a stocks and bonds to sell off. Low volatility proceeded the global financial crisis. There is low volatility now; therefore another crisis is lurking around the corner. Yet low volatility did not cause the global financial crisis. The lax regulatory framework and enforcement, excessive leverage and what was traditionally understood as off-balance sheet exposure, now called "shadow banking" played in important role in more narratives of the crisis. To varying extents, policy makers have tried to address some of these issues through boosting capital requirements and other regulatory issues. Some who do not like these measures call it "financial repression", but it is really meant

to address the excess laxity of the previous period. So what is our view? Where others see a benign investment environment, Three Counties Investment Committee see opportunity. We continually review the global macroeconomic environment on your behalf, committed to ensuring that no matter what the conditions are, we can plot a course to enable you to meet your carefully laid out financial plans. We see opportunity within every market environment and this is still the case through careful analysis, in depth research and continuous communication with our chosen investment managers. We firmly believe that in these market conditions can create fantastic opportunities for high quality active managers. With the markets moving in a sideways, range-bound frame, the outperformance from the best fund managers can be significant and we have noted a number of these, both within the UK and overseas, throughout our inhouse investment portfolios during 2014.

LAW & FINANCE Left to right: Adam Serfontein, Lisa Corfield and Alok Loomba.

Two new additions Marie Curie North East welcomes two prominent professionals to its board.

wo well-known figures in the Newcastle business community have been appointed to help shape the future of the city’s Marie Curie Hospice. Adam Serfontein, managing director of The Hanro Group, and Alok Loomba, partner at law firm Sintons, have become the latest members of the Marie Curie Newcastle Hospice development board. Adam, who heads one of the North East’s largest commercial property investment and development companies, and Alok, a leading real estate lawyer with specialism in fields including investment, development, leisure, care and pharmacies, will now work with the other members of the development board with their fundraising activities for the hospice. The board has raised around £500,000 in

the past four years to help maintain and develop the Newcastle Hospice, which offers specialist care for people with terminal illnesses as well as support for their families. Among its other members are two of Alok’s fellow Partners at Sintons, Tim Gray and Katharine Lowthian. Adam says: “The Marie Curie Hospice is a place which has brought such comfort and support to so many people at a time they need it most, and I am delighted to be able to work with Alok and the existing team to contribute to its ongoing success. The development board do an outstanding job and the cause is second to none.” Alok adds: “I am honoured to be invited to join the development board. The Newcastle Marie Curie Hospice is an incredible place offering much needed care to patients and

families and I will do all I can to help raise vital funds to help support its work.” Lisa Corfield, fundraising manager North East for Marie Curie, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Adam and Alok to the Newcastle Hospice development board. Along with our existing board members, Adam and Alok will play a key role play in engaging local support. “It is our intention that the Marie Curie Hospice Newcastle should be fully funded by the community that it serves. The Marie Curie Hospice, Newcastle, costs £3.7 million to run per year, which equals £9964 per day. Approximately 43 per cent of this will come from the NHS, leaving £2.1m to be raised locally each year to ensure we continue to care for as many patients as possible in the North East.”

LAW & FINANCE Laura Peace and Darren Spurling

Terry de Havilland comes to Newcastle The celebrated shoe designer has arrived on Tyneside, with the help of Sintons.

celebrity-favourite designer whose shoes are worn by X Factor judge Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Hollywood megastar Angelina Jolie has opened his first shop outside of London in the North East. Terry de Havilland - who has created iconic footwear for the stars since the 1970s, and also counts supermodel Kate Moss and Oscarwinning actress Jennifer Lawrence among his customers – is adding to his flagship base just off London’s famous Carnaby Street. The designer, whose wife Liz hails from Newcastle, has now chosen Jesmond’s Clayton Road as only his second UK outlet. More stores are planned as the brand continues to grow globally. The Terry de Havilland design studio will remain in London, but his online sales and

commercial office will now be based in Newcastle. The store is now open and an official launch is planned for the end of the month. The store stocks his main line collection as well as some special offers and samples exclusive to the North East. The first phase of the expansion of the Terry de Havilland brand has been overseen by Newcastle law firm Sintons. Darren Spurling, managing director of Terry de Havilland, is overseeing the creation of the Jesmond store. He says: “Newcastle is a very vibrant city and one which has a growing reputation as both a social and shopping destination. We are delighted to bring the Terry de Havilland brand here. With our online and commercial operations now operating out of Newcastle,

the city will play a key role in the further expansion of Terry de Havilland. We already have plans in place to open further standalone stores in our key markets, which we hope to bring to fruition in the near future.” Laura Peace, partner in the Real Estate department at Sintons, oversaw the acquisition of the Clayton Road site. She says: “Terry de Havilland is a brand which enjoys a global reputation and whose iconic shoes are worn by some of the most famous women and biggest style icons in the world. It is a huge coup for Newcastle that Terry has chosen the city as the home of his second store, and we are delighted to have helped to make that happen.” For more information visit www.sintons.co.uk

LAW & FINANCE

Avoid mistakes when

recruiting Sarah Furness, employment law specialist at Hay & Kilner, looks at the top ten recruitment errors, ahead of an informative seminar.

Ignoring policies

Not checking references

Your equal opportunities and recruitment policies are there for a reason. Job applicants can pursue discrimination claims and compensation awards are unlimited. It is therefore important to familiarise yourself with and follow your policies. The duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates is particularly important.

However impressive or persuasive a candidate is when they are interviewed, you should never overlook references. Job offers should be made conditional upon receipt of these.

Failure to provide feedback This makes it more likely that an applicant will pursue a discrimination claim on the basis that they didn’t get the job because of their age, sex, race etc.

Looking for a superhero Most job advertisements (and job descriptions) ask for very specific qualifications, experience and qualities. Keep your criteria relevant and necessary. Don’t put off good candidates by being too prescriptive. Consider breaking down requirements as to what is necessary v what is desirable.

Failing to advertise

Disregarding your paper trail

EXPERT VIEW Sarah Furness Employment law specialist Hay & Kilner Web: www.hay-kilner.co.uk

Sticking to what you know in terms of where to advertise will prevent you from reaching a wide variety of candidates. If you advertise online only for example, it is less likely that older candidates or candidates with limited resources will apply.

Discriminating Discrimination legislation is very complicated and job adverts and interview questions have led to litigation in recent times. It’s not just the obvious “no’s” that you need to be aware of such as asking women if they “are planning on having children!” Less obvious examples of discrimination have included advertising for “mature” candidates or a “younger entrepreneurial” candidate (both constituted age discrimination). If you advertise for a “fulltime” employee, consider whether you can justify this on business grounds as there is a sex discrimination risk when considering the number of female employees who have child care commitments. All employees involved in recruitment should participate in equal opportunities training.

Full notes should be kept of the shortlisting process, interviews and discussions afterwards. Keep the notes plus documents such as the application forms, job adverts and job descriptions as these will be essential when defending any tribunal claim. Documents should ideally be destroyed after six months in order to comply with data protection legislation.

Not managing the employee from an early stage Asking about a candidates health pre job offer Interview questions about a person’s health or attendance record are prohibited as are health questionnaires attached to application forms. There are some circumstances when such questions can be asked but these are limited.

Failure to have a rigid application process All applicants should be asked the same questions, which are testing and relevant to the job. Consider whether practical or written tests will be useful (keeping in mind your duty to make reasonable adjustments). Ideally have two people involved in the assessment process to make decisions as objective as possible.

It is essential to provide employees with a full induction and training. Expectations should be set from the outset of their employment. If the employee doesn’t meet those expectations, act quickly and make sure you use the probationary period properly by conducting regular reviews and extending it if necessary. The ‘do’s and don’ts’ of recruitment will be covered in a forthcoming seminar, which will be delivered by the employment team at Hay & Kilner in the form of a role play. The seminar will take place on Thursday November 20, 2014 at the Centre for Life in Newcastle. To reserve your free place at this seminar or to enquire about equal opportunities training, please contact Helen Ward on (0191) 232 8345 or email: Helen.Ward@hay-kilner.co.uk

BUSINESS

Lee Durham and Richard Lane.

Performing at a higher level Lee Durham, partner at the Newcastle-based sales consultancy, training and outsourcing services firm, durhamlane, outlines their proprietary methodology to win sales and boost team working skills. ales can be an inexact science when it comes to contributing to business and as an engine of economic expansion and business development. and as an engine of economic expansion and business development. There are too many variables involved in the whole sales process, which can impact upon the ability to secure a deal – and ultimately the capacity to add extra revenue to the bottom line. But, unsurprisingly, it’s usually the quality (or lack of quality) of sales people and sales teams which can be the defining factor in whether or not a customer decides to place its business with you. So, while not everyone has the innate skills and talent to be a first class sales person, there are come simple but effective steps, which can be taken to help improve the dynamics of the sales function. These have been captured and refined durhamlane’s proven sales methodology, Selling at a Higher Level, which many of our clients such as Anglia Ruskin University, accessplanit and online assessment company The Test Factory, have embedded into the way they work in order to unlock the potential of their sales and non-sales people and equip them with the skills and confidence that make a measurable difference to commercial

performance. The five-step path to success starts by understanding durhamlane’s first sales mantra: Business fit, business value, developing longterm relationships. To be successful in sales and business, people need to understand how they fit in with the customer and identify the added value they can offer before making an approach. It may sound simple, but too often this basic tenet is overlooked in the headlong pursuit to secure sales volume rather than quality. While keeping the wheel of new customer generation turning is vital, developing longterm relationships with current customers is also paramount. It may seem like common sense but nurturing your customers will be far more satisfying and is proven to be eight to 10 times more cost effective than securing quick wins which may look good when it comes to achieving targets but offer little, if any real long term value. After all, it is usually easier to sell to someone again once they have already experienced buying from you. When it comes to preparing your sales proposal think it through very carefully. Identify and understand the important stakeholders in the decision-making process, before presenting a recommendation that has genuine value and

offers a compelling message as to why the customer should buy your product or service over that of a competitor’s proposition. Make sure the value of your offering, and the expected returns, are presented clearly and the benefits to the customer are unequivocal and unambiguous. Too often, people forget to ‘ask’ for the business, so again make sure you close your pitch politely but positively, outlining the next steps, contractual arrangements and how you will move forward to develop a joint vision of success with the customer. And once all this in place, identify measurement criteria and start planning for success as you target opportunities for growth through other value added projects. durhamlane is a sales performance specialist which helps companies become more commercial by improving the performance of their people and by managing outsourced sales campaigns on their behalf – creating new business opportunities. It delivers a measurable difference through consultancy, training and coaching sales and non-sales people and delivering outsourced sales and business development services that increase the footprint and success of clients. For more information on durhamlane call (0191) 481 3800 or visit www.durhamlane.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY NEWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Celebrating the best and brightest Dynamites 14 awards to celebrate North East IT talent.

he region’s burgeoning IT and technology sector is to be rewarded at a new event celebrating great North East success stories. Sponsored by BT, Dynamites 14 – the North East’s IT and Technology Awards – has launched with the intention of rewarding the very best from the wealth of tech talent based in the region. Nominations are now open online for a host of awards which aim to shine a spotlight on the North East growing reputation as a place to create, nurture and grow IT excellence. The awards night will take place on October 15 at Newcastle Civic Centre’s banqueting hall. Simon Roberson, BT’s regional partnership director for the North East, said: “These awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success of the region’s IT sector and to encourage more IT successes

BBC’s Rory Cellan-Jones talked at a Dynamo 14 event earlier this year.

in the future. Technology will have a huge role to play in the prosperity of the North East in the years ahead and nobody is

doing more than BT to ensure that the region is able to take full advantage of the latest exciting developments.”

Property developer embraces the cloud P

roperty developer Clouston Group has moved its management systems into the cloud, thanks to Synergi IT. The company, developing the £200m flagship Stephenson Quarter adjacent to Newcastle Central Station, is aiming to

build a more flexible business that will encourage greater collaborative working and it has seen immediate benefits from the shift from a traditional IT infrastructure. Alan Schofield, finance director at

Clouston Group, said: “It has been a big win for the business. There have been capital cost savings, ongoing maintenance savings and a support mechanism that we feel better suits us as a business.

CCTV to protect 900-year-old manuscript

outh Shields Museum and Art Gallery has invested in a state-of-the-art CCTV system in order to secure a sought-after manuscript for its latest exhibition. Sunderland-based security specialists,

Hadrian Technology, installed the new cameras in advance of the museum’s The Boldon Book exhibition, which runs until November 2, 2014. Arts Council England, which arranged

the loan of the ancient manuscript from The British Library stipulated that security had to be enhanced in order to display the artefact – which is the earliest surviving copy of the 12th century Boldon Book.

TECHNOLOGY

Is your data safe? Asks George Galloway, commercial director at ITPS.

he volume of the world’s data is said to be doubling every month, thanks to the increasing take up of big data and cloud computing services. Managing and storing increasing amounts of data is driving the market for purpose-built data centres where critical systems and data is stored in a safe and secure environment, offering an assured recovery environment. Banks and financial institutions were among the first to switch to data centre models, seeking the benefits of secure, uninterrupted connectivity. That core principle has gradually become a basic need for every organisation delivering the ‘always on’ availability that customers expect. Data centres are the new digital fortresses, complete with superfast communications backed up by 24/7 staffing and high level security, onsite energy substations and backup generators, fire detection and failsafe environmental systems. These and other features are designed to create a ring of steel around mission-critical data and systems, which combined with robust backup solutions has resulted in the IT holy trinity of assured recovery. The European data centre services market is set to grow by 16 per cent over the next four years, and as London starts to run short of data centre space and companies look outside the capital for a more flexible, cost effective deals, ITPS is meeting a surge in demand for hosting, backup, recovery and cloud services by investing £2 million in creating the North East’s

EXPERT VIEW George Galloway Commercial director ITPS Web: www.itps.co.uk

biggest data centre and combined business recovery space. The move will create 25 new jobs and cement our position as the biggest independently-owned IT specialist in the region. A former IBM business continuity and recovery centre, our new Cisco-powered 33,000sq ft premises in Chester-le-Street has capacity for 400 server racks, and include 500 fully equipped workspace recovery seats to allow clients to quickly relocate their businesses in the face of disaster or interruption to service. This is the culmination of a three-year search for new premises with a very specific set of prerequisites, based on a combination of market intelligence and understanding what clients want from a data centre partner, such as project and build areas, and dedicated workspace that clients can use whenever they need them. In the early days of data centre services, the trend was to opt for a London-based model, but

in recent years we have invested in a cluster of geographically-spread data centres to meet demand from clients who prefer the security of having their information spread between several UK-based and controlled sites. London data centres are starting to suffer from space and power constraints as well as concerns over the risk of flooding and terrorist attacks. There are also an increasing number of industries whose regulations prescribe that backup data must be held at a minimum distance from core systems. This all adds up to big opportunities for data centres outside the capital, and we have made a £1m+ investment in a high speed, new generation optical fibre connectivity ring – the fastest in the North East – surrounding all our data centres. This allows us to service clients in the UK and further afield whether they are looking for a simple co-location service, a fully mirrored system or real-time data replication. The biggest benefit of using a data centre is that clients can count on assured recovery should their business face interruption from a virus, a simple error or a total disaster. Without data a business has no baseline on which to base its recovery. Data centre services have become increasingly flexible and very affordable over the last few years so I will leave you with a question. Ask yourself, how much is your data worth to you, and how long would your business last without it?

TECHNOLOGY

The onsite vs cloud debate Andrew Robson, CEO of Perfect Image, looks at why people are increasingly using cloud computing to power the IT infrastructure behind their business.

EXPERT VIEW Andrew Robson CEO Perfect Image Tel: (0191) 238 0111 Web: www.perfect-image.co.uk

hen speaking with clients both old and new many customers ask us the same question: ‘Is cloud computing the right solution for

me?’ At Perfect Image, we take a consultative approach to all of our briefs and never sell one-size-fits all solutions, so the answer we give often depends on each client’s own setup and objectives for the future. When people started using PCs in their offices, the first generation of PC infrastructure usually involved physical servers sitting in your own premises, in your own office, and working from there. Of course, over the last few years, people have started to move their servers out of the office and into data centres, looking to see improvements on service levels and availability over hosting and servicing their own IT infrastructures. More recently, we’ve seen a third generation of infrastructure provision starting to emerge; a new approach has come along, and that’s using a cloud-based IT solution ideal for businesses looking to get a true payas-you-go, cost effective and scalable infrastructure.

Each of these three approaches has their own advantages and disadvantages. If your servers are on premise, you’ve got the (sometimes perceived) benefits of not having to rely on a third party and having your data and applications in your own offices. You may be in an industry with particular governance requirements around the data you hold, and an on-premise solution is an easy way to meet these, but you will have lots of hidden costs to worry about in providing the space. Things like the power, the air conditioning and the security you need to protect those physical servers and your ability to provide business continuity in the event of a disaster. Once you move your systems out to a data centre, you benefit from all the advantages that location gives you to improve physical security and connectivity. In addition, you should usually get greater availability and resilience as a result and remove all those previously hidden costs. But true cloud takes this all a step further. As well as all the benefits a data centre brings, you can avoid any capital spend up front and get much greater flexibility, paying just for what you use at the end of each month.

Generally, you’ll get lower costs and much greater scale from your provider, too. People have often worried about security and governance when using a true cloudbased solution, but really all that stuff has been dealt with now. Cloud computing has come so far, even The Pentagon is going to start using true cloud services, and is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) for many of its solutions. In practice, not all of these solutions fit all circumstances and a lot of people are mixing and matching, taking a hybrid approach to their IT infrastructure, and that can often be the best value and get you the best of all worlds. Every organisation needs to make the right choice for their own circumstances, helping to meet their business needs, but more and more people are starting to move to a true cloud-based infrastructure or considering it for some elements of what they do, and we can only see that trend accelerating in the future. To view a short video blog about the pros and cons of onsite vs cloud, visit: http://bit.ly/OnsiteVCloud.

TECHNOLOGY

State of the art James Kreczak looks at what's new in the world of technology and gadgets.

APPLE 21.5INCH IMAC he new 21.5 inch iMac offers a striking ultrathin design, brilliant displays Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 2.7GHz, and OS X, the world's most advanced operating system, designed with ease of

use in mind. Features include stunning HD graphics, 8GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive supporting high-performance peripherals. Options include a 1TB hard drive, a 1TB Fusion Drive, and up to 256GB flash memory for optimal storage

capacity. With prices starting at ÂŁ899, the new iMac is the perfect entry-level Mac desktop that creates a harmonious balance of work and play. www.apple.com/uk

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 MINI he Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini is a new lightweight design featuring a 4.5 inch HD Super AMOLED Screen screen and a perforated pattern skin creating a modern and sleek look, along with a premium soft touch grip. It offers a powerful Quad Core 1.4GHz processor and 1.5GM RAM for seamless multitasking and faster web page loading. The high-resolution 8MP camera delivers crisp and clear photos and video, and is connectable with the latest Samsung wearable devices.

www.samsung.com/uk

TECHNOPIC MOTION RANGE nline digital photo retailer Technopic has launched a new range of high resolution digital photo frames with advanced multi-use features offering users a high-quality LED screen giving an ultra clear photo display, premium sound quality, and video play in MPEG, Dvix and AVI formats. Each frame is available in ten, 12 and 15 inch versions, and comes equipped with 4GB of additional memory in a portable USB flash drive.

www.technopic.co.uk

PENTAX K-3 PRESTIGE EDITION ollowing the success of its flagship PENTAX K-3, first lanched in November 2013, RICOH IMAGE UK has launched a limited edition version with only 2000 available worldwide. The Prestige Edition has a camera body and battery grip finished in a high-grade gunmetal gray coating to match the black and silver interchangeable K-mount lenses. The flagship model has been awarded TIPA Best Digital SLR Expert and this is paid homage to on the Prestige Edition's specially designed faux leather camera strap. RRP ÂŁ1099

www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk

MEDIA NEWS

Horizonworks provides the solution The full-service strategic marketing company is appointed to deliver a national campaign.

orizonworks has partnered with business software specialist, Solutions for Accounting, to provide a full marketing service. The company will support Solutions for Accounting’s marketing and sales teams in the delivery of creative campaigns, sales initiatives and production of marketing materials to raise its profile and generate enquiries. The partnership occurred after Solutions for Accounting, which works with small business and SMEs throughout the UK, recently opened a new operations centre in Newcastle to compliment its offices in Nottingham and Cheshire. Commenting on the new partnership, Samantha Davidson, managing director of Horizonworks (pictured here, right, with Solutions for Accounting’s Lorraine McGill) said: “I’m delighted to be supporting the growth of Solutions for Accounting. Ranking within Sage’s top 10 preferred business partners, the company is a leader and innovator in its market and we believe we can make a big impact to the firm’s growth.”

Ramarketing lands hat-trick

ewcastle-based ramarketing has secured three new pharmaceutical and chemistry clients from across the UK. The marketing and PR business has landed work with Teesside-based global chemistry specialist Fine Industries, Nottingham-based Reach Separations and Innovative Physical Organic Solutions (IPOS) at the University of Huddersfield. Ramarketing will provide the firms with a range of marketing services including social media, web development and search engine optimisation.

Northumbria graduate joins HFPR

FPR, based in Gosforth has recruited Northumbria University graduate Kimberley Waugh to join its expanding team. The 25-year-old from North Shields has joined the PR agency as the new account manager. The graduate, with a degree in Advertising and Media, will assist the senior team with strategic and targeted PR for the company’s clients.

Round Table Solutions secures new partnership

orthumberland-based public relations firm Round Table Solutions has been appointed by specialist training provider North East Training Solutions (NETS) Ltd. The initial focus of Round Table Solutions’ work will be on raising the profile of NETS – which provides apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training to 16-24 year olds – through media relations, marketing and targeted stakeholder engagement in the North East business community.

MEDIA

Who’s your

thought leader? Sarah Hall, managing director of Sarah Hall Consulting Ltd, the PR and marketing consultancy, looks at how taking inspiration from others can help you and your business grow.

recently graduated from a Google-run digital marketing course called Squared and one of the big benefits was access to industry luminaries who shared their experiences and predictions for what the future holds. The coursework put me in the habit of regularly reading thought provoking content from a range of people, with digital analyst and futurist Brian Solis proving a particular favourite. If you haven’t checked out his blog, you should do at www.briansolis.com. It made me wonder who other people turn to for inspiration and to keep their thinking fresh so I turned to some leading lights to discover their thought leaders. Here’s what they had to say:

“Thought leadership has become something of a hashtag trend but it's often misunderstood. Saying you're one doesn't make it true. “For me an effective thought leader is someone who can not only present their own original stimulating ideas but also have the vision and humility to see and share excellence in others. “Someone I would regard as a true thought leader is Guy Kawasaki. He’s an entrepreneur with an eye for the use of technology in communication. With a very direct and engaging delivery, Motorola and Apple on his CV plus a wide variety of successful investment projects, he not only talks the talk, he's shown he can deliver and back winners.”

Sarah Pinch Director of Pinch Point Communications and President Elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

“One author I return to again and again is Hillary Rodham Clinton. “She offers great insight into how governments, organisations and individuals learn (or not) from success and mistakes. She’s exceptionally frank and honest, and I’ve found inspiration to toughen up my not very thick skin. “I’m really looking forward to reading her new book, Hard Choices.”

David Laud Partner in i2i Business Solutions LLP and a Growth Accelerator Coach

Angela Carrington

Ross Wigham Head of Communications at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

"When it comes to inspiration I'm a firm believer that you have to try and take it from everywhere and anywhere. I try to keep an eye on things away from my own particular sector to help try and think differently - that could be an old book, a film or even good comedy. Twitter is an obvious home for thought leadership and there are so many good blogs out there. “However the key, un-missable one for me is something you listen to rather than read: From our own correspondent. Each podcast is a beautifully crafted life lesson that brings the world to my little corner of the North East. I never fail to learn something or be moved by it."

Owner of The Bigger Picture Agency Limited

“I haven't yet come across an inspirational thought leader within my industry and (perhaps controversially) I find a lot of photography 'thinkers' to be incredibly introspective. I prefer to gain my inspiration from the entrepreneurial community, looking at their lives as well as their results/successes. “It may be a little predictable but I am genuinely inspired by Richard Branson. I regularly read his blog and find his honesty refreshing and insightful. His candid, 'matter-of-fact' advice really helps to put things into perspective for even a smaller business.”

Ross couldn’t have put it better - there is inspiration all around if you look. Make the time to search, because when you discover the right people and the right content, it’s amazing what insights you can gain. Each one can help make you and your business much bigger and better, not to mention fit for the future. For more PR and marketing related news and articles, please visit http://blog.sarahhallconsulting.co.uk Contact Sarah on 07702 162704, email sarah@sarahhallconsulting.co.uk, Twitter @hallmeister or visit www.sarahhallconsulting.co.uk

MEDIA

Ask Silver Bullet … The agency’s newest recruit, account manager Richard Hopper, answers your marketing queries ... How do I work out my marketing budget? There is no one-size-fits-all formula to determine how much you should be spending on your marketing activity. Your marketing budget is very much dependent on your business, the sector you’re in, the time of year, and any influencing trends which are subject to change all the time. There are a number of ways that different businesses work out their marketing budgets, whether it’s based on a percentage of revenues or net sales – which means marketing activity is directly influenced by how well the business is performing; everything you can afford at the time – a popular method for small and new businesses; more than the competition – great in terms of remaining competitive but difficult to monitor; or spending nothing at all and marketing for free – unfortunately whether you like it or not, time is money, so there’s really no such thing as free marketing. It might also be that your marketing is goal or task orientated or perhaps you have a specific number of new customers in mind that you’d like to engage with. These are all factors that can help you to determine a budget however there are some things every business should consider when

they’re deciding on a budget. First things first, you need to organise your business’ financial information, you must be clear about your revenues and your outgoings, try not to set budgets for marketing based on estimates and instead make sure your marketing budget comes out of your reliable revenues. Once you have a total sum of how much you can spend, research where it’s best placed. A marketing agency can be an invaluable asset at this point, they’re experts in marketing activity, current trends and they have established media contacts. What’s more, working with an agency will free up your time and time saved by outsourcing professional services such as marketing, means you can focus entirely on the day-to-day of your business. However if that’s not the route you want to take you should research your exiting customer base, who are they, how do they consume media, where are they, what are their spending habits? If you have this information about your target demographic, you can deduce the best ways of getting information to them. If they’re 35-50 year-olds who live in the countryside, the media best suited to reach them is likely to differ significantly to 18-30 year old city based professionals. The best tip I can give is to be realistic,

whatever budget and plan you decide on, trial it and the associated activities for a good period of time, I suggest at least three months to give whatever activity you’ve undertaken to yield results. Success isn’t instant, unless you spend enormous sums of cash on high impact marketing such as excessive broadcast and outdoor media, it’ll take a little time to see a return on your investment. Look at this as a good thing; gradual, organic marketing directed at the right demographic will be better for your business in the long run as it’s sustainable and easier to measure, be patient and you’ll reap the rewards. On the other side of the coin, the first budget and plan you come up with might not work as well as you’d hoped. Make sure you assess the results you see – or lack thereof – and make changes to your budget and plan accordingly. By keeping the budget in mind when you make decisions, you will prevent overspending on marketing and you will have the opportunity to explore different strategies to find the best solutions for your business goals. Email your questions anonymously to Silver Bullet at hello@silverbulletmarketing.co.uk or Tweet (not so anonymously) @SilverBulletPR and use the hash tag #AskSB

MEDIA

Crisis management Jackie Marston on what to do when things go wrong.

EXPERT VIEW Jackie Marston Managing director JAM Marketing Tel: 0845 900 2127 Web: www.jam-marketing.co.uk

ust the sound of the two words â&#x20AC;&#x201C; crisis management â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is enough to put the wind up any business owner, however a crisis handled well can often lead to good press coverage as opposed to negative. Unfortunately, even though I spent three years training to do crisis management, there is no set agenda to dealing with them, as each case tends to be unique, so preparation is often difficult. That said, I always tell our clients to have a strategy in place, should any incident occur that could put the business in a negative light, then you at least have a point of call, should you need it. Recently I dealt with a client who had a member of staff that was sentenced to three years imprisonment, charged with rape. The owner of the company was very aware that this wouldn't reflect well on them as a

business, especially as the company need to go into people's homes. He was also aware that he had not followed up on his references, as it came to light that if he had, then he would've known that he had been sacked from two previous posts for sexual harassment. The company could look very bad at this point, so it was up to us at JAM to ensure that the company took a positive stance and issued statements to the press ensuring that good practice reforms were being taken by an external company to ensure that no further mistakes in their hiring process would happen. The company kept a dignified silence while proceedings were brought up in court and only when the verdict was given did they issue a statement confirming their loyalty and ethics to their client base.

It appeared that the company didn't suffer any bad effects from the publicity that the case brought, however it was important from a business point of view to ensure that their customers were still happy to work with them as a service provider and still had faith and trust in them. Admittedly, although it is impossible for any business owner to be 100 per cent sure that all of their employees are of good character, obviously a few human resources checks made at the start of this guyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career would've unearthed that he was already on the sex offenders list and should in fact never have come into contact with people on a oneto-one basis in people's homes. If you are in need of any crisis management in your business, fell free to talk to one of the JAM team, I guarantee you will have a sympathetic ear.

MEDIA

Blogger awards hotting up Nominations are pouring in for the inaugural event, organised by OPR. omentum for the region’s first ever awards to recognise North East bloggers has taken flight with several hundred nominations made in just two months. The North East Blogger Awards will take place on Wednesday, October 22 in an evening that celebrates the region’s best blogs across 11 different categories including, food, sports, beauty, lifestyle, parenting, business, style, travel, student, best newcomer and will culminate in a special judges’ award for the North East Blogger of the Year. The awards have been launched by creative communications agency OPR and are still taking nominations until Friday, September 19 at www.nebloggerawards.co.uk. The social media hashtag is #nebloggerawards. To help businesses learn how best to communicate with bloggers, OPR has created its top five blogger outreach tips:

Prepare a proper pitch

Don’t send press releases unless they are for background detail. Be specific about why you have selected them, what you see being the mutual benefit and what types of content you’d ideally like them to produce.

Make it challenging Staff at OPR think the best work we have done is when there is some sort of challenge, whether it’s to make a post about a product more interesting and appealing or challenging them to go head to head with other bloggers to win a prize!

If you can afford to pay … do

Ask for stats Do your research Always do an editor the justice of reading their publication before sending a press release. You should also read and appreciate a blogger’s content before getting in touch.

All good bloggers should be happy to tell you about the traffic to their site and their social follower numbers. It’s all part of determining if they are the right blogger for your brand campaign.

A lot of bloggers will do it for free or in exchange for the product if they believe in it, but a post can take a whole day to put together – by the time they have collected an ‘expert’s’ advice, took photos, edited the photos, and writing and editing the content, not to mention the social media posts afterwards to promote the blog.

STYLE

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

New Look, £49.99

Wallis, £95

Next, £60

Zara £49.99

ith summer coming to an end, there’s no time like the present to begin thinking about tweaking your wardrobe for autumn/winter. If you’re not ready to embrace the scarves, gloves and knitwear just yet, do not fear: September is a great time to dabble in this year’s crop of transitional trends – many of which celebrate the hit colours of summer wear, while offering the warmth (did someone mention a coat?) and the texture (think light fur and leather) of winter clothing. The ‘modernist’ trend is a great one to try for work, as it unites minimal, office-appropriate separates with bright, block colour to create a new way to wear print in during the colder months. Punctuate your outfit by clashing camel and taupe-like shades with striking primary colours, such as red and cobalt blue, and autumnal hues, such as pumpkin orange. For added texture, meanwhile, why not introduce a touch of leather (forecast to be one of autumn/winter’s top fabrics) in the form of a skirt or a pair of boots?

Jasper Conran, £39

MODEL ATTIRE M&S Collection Coat, £85 M&S Collection Jumper, £16 Autograph Trousers, £45 Boots, £85 All from Marks & Spencer’s SS14 Collection

very.co.uk, £79

WORKSPACE & CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Work starts at Northumbrian Hills Phase one begins on a multi-million holiday resort.

uilding work has begun on a £15 million holiday resort development in Northumberland which, when complete, will create more than 60 jobs in the region. The first phase of Northumbrian Hills is the build of 50 four-star cottages set within Burgham Park Golf Club near Felton. Planning was recently approved and following a vigorous tender process, Brims Construction sealed the deal to build the first stage worth £1.5m. The roads to the site are now in place and Brims Construction has laid the foundations to build the first eight cottages that have been bought for £235,000 each. The three bedroom, two-storey cottages measure 107 sq metres, and come with a balcony as standard. Developer William Kiely said: “The interest in the resort has been phenomenal. People from all over the UK seem to want their own piece of Northumberland. As well as holidaying here, the cottages offer great rental opportunity, which is very appealing

Developer William Kiely and Steve Mudd, site manager for Brims Construction.

to many and is undoubtedly great for the region. “It is fantastic to finally see the

foundations being laid, we have been waiting several years to get to this point so it really is a massive achievement.”

Naylors secures major office letting A

city agent has been instrumental in the letting of 46,000 sq ft at Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee to clothing manufacturer, AMA Group. Bill Naylor of Naylors Chartered Surveyors acted on behalf of a

syndicate of owners in the letting of one of the last big spaces available in this part of the former East Durham Enterprise Zone. The building, which is known as Whitehouse Point Three, offers state of the art office accommodation in a

landscaped business park environment. Overall, Whitehouse Business Park comprises six large office buildings and five factories, with in excess of 500,000 sq ft of floorspace whose occupiers include Durham Police, the NHS, East Durham Homes and Bristol Laboratories.

Apprentice joins GFW

xpanding North East letting company, GFW Letting, has welcomed its first property apprentice to its Newcastle office, in a bid to support the next generation of property professionals. Adam Bishop (18) joins GFW Letting as

a trainee Property Assistant working alongside the busy property management team. He has responsibility for a wide range of day-to-day property tasks, varying from property viewings to administrative duties, all delivering excellent customer service.

Speaking about his new role, Adam said: “I’m really happy to have joined the GFW Letting team. There’s a lot of variety in the work I’m doing and I get to work both in and out of the office and have the chance to meet lots of new people – something I really like.”

PROPERTY

Good project management ... It’s the key to success in property, says Neil Hart, director at Bradley Hall. ffective project management is vital in the fast-moving world of property. Whether it’s a new-build scheme, a property refurbishment or relocation, efficient planning, a quick turnaround and a healthy return on investment are essential. Specialist project managers, such as Silverstone Building Consultancy, are regularly called upon for specialist advice on risk, due diligence, fit-out design, building maintenance and costs. But effective project management is needed throughout the property supply chain, whether you’re a chartered surveyor, developer, lawyer or landlord. In many cases, several parties will be working together on a particular deal so good communication is vital. From the point of view of a chartered surveyor, there are several reasons why good project management is so important. Carrying out property valuations is just one small part of the job. Those who are working on the project must have a solid understanding and knowledge of the local market so that a suitable property can be sourced to meet the client’s requirements. In addition, if a property comes onto the market there is an immediate need to promote it widely to facilitate a quick

sale or lease. There is nothing worse than seeing swathes of empty properties on the market – a scene that was quite common in the years following the financial crash of 2008. A chartered surveyor can bring other qualities to the table to ensure that a project is managed correctly. A solid understanding of property valuations is necessary to negotiate a good rental deal or property sale/purchase price, often working

with the project manager to ensure that any scheme is viable taking into account build, refurbishment or fit-out costs. A good surveyor will be able to anticipate and identify opportunities and threats posed by various parties (and work with these parties to reduce risk for the client). Finally – and this may seem an obvious point – an in-depth understanding of the client’s needs is essential regardless of the size or scope of the project. Good project managers can obtain best value for a client by knowing which suppliers, contractors and consultants are best placed to carry out a particular piece of work. They can also achieve best value by following the basic principles of project management: to get the job done on time, within budget and with the minimum disruption to a client. The world of property is a complex and competitive one. Good project management can bring lucrative rewards. Get it wrong, however, and you risk losing that all-important client for good. For further information, visit www.bradleyhall.co.uk or call (0191) 232 8080.

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

Bravo! Theatre Royal adds £4.1 million to the local economy.

ast year Newcastle Theatre Royal made a gross economic contribution to the region of £4.1 million, as revealed in the company’s Annual Report. Newcastle Theatre Royal’s Annual Report for 2013/14 details record-breaking figures and against the general economic background, shows a continuing success story. Between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014, the theatre welcomed 42 visiting theatre, opera, ballet and dance companies, offered 48 productions and presented 409 performances to 337,447 people. The average audience capacity was 69 per cent per performance, which is about 10 per cent above the national average. Chief Executive Philip Bernays said: “2013/14 was a great success, we maintained our high levels of attendance and, as a testament to the strength of the staff team and their teamwork, renewed our Investor in People accreditation with flying colours. My thanks go out to our dedicated staff, our committed Board of Trustees, our sponsors, supporters, audiences and partners, particularly Newcastle City Council, who despite difficult times remain a bedrock.”

Rockliffe Hall spa named in UK’s top five

ockliffe Hall Spa, County Durham, has been named one of the UK’s top five luxurious spas, by The Good Spa Guide. The spa, which has already been awarded five of the Guide’s ‘luxury bubbles’, is the only spa in the North East to have gained a top five position in the category. Following an extensive review, the spa was praised for its ‘combination of luxury, good facilities and great treatments, with a carefully designed spa journey and high standards of cleanliness’.

Slaley passes the test

laley Hall, Hexham, has been approved as a Qwest Quality Venue – the UK’s main rating body for wedding venues. On the path to achieving the award – and becoming the only hotel in the Hexham area to do so – the luxury venue completed a two-hour assessment and background evaluation. Claire Gilbey, from Qwest, said: “At the heart of Slaley Hall is a team of dedicated staff. The comfort and happiness of their guests is priority.”

Seeing green

yne and Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) has won a Green Apple Award in a national campaign to find Britain’s greenest companies, councils and communities. More than 500 nominations were received in the Green Apple Awards for environmental best practice and TWAM will be presented with the award – its third win in association with the project - for the Make Carbon History initiative at a ceremony in November at House of Parliament, London.

LEISURE & HOSPITALITY

ABC of Rockliffe Hall There’s an alphabet of reasons to visit the five-star resort this autumn ... Archery

Jenga

Scavenger Hunt

Try your hand at one of the oldest arts within Rockliffe Hall’s grounds – especially good for an outdoor themed team building day.

Great fun and just one of the many oversized outdoor games you can play on the lawn.

There are 375 acres of grounds to explore, on a scavenger hunt or treasure trail – great for kids and adults alike.

Beamish Museum

In the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, the Krypton Factor Assault Course features 20 gruelling obstacles to test mental and physical aptitude.

Tee off

The world famous museum is just 40 minutes from Rockliffe Hall.

Croquet

Laser Clay

Take to Rockliffe Hall’s very own croquet lawn! And there’s a relaxing terrace for spectators too.

Shooting links back to Rockliffe Hall’s former owner Lord Southampton, who bought the estate to use as a shooting base in 1918, and is the ideal place to have a go!

Rockliffe Hall’s sommelier team create the perfect tasting environment for you to discover the world of wine.

Driving Range Whether a beginner or more advanced, try your hand at golf in Rockliffe Hall’s academy.

Explore The local area which boasts so much to see and do – whether it’s Durham’s dramatic Cathedral or Newcastle by night.

Fishing A professional fishing gillie can introduce you to the world of fly fishing at a private fishing lake and then bring your fish back and let Chef do the rest!

Go Karting

Krypton Factor

Motor Racing Croft International Race Circuit is 10 minutes away, offering everything from driving experiences with the latest supercars to auto test and high speed passenger rides.

Nordic Walking A great, fun activity for all ages and fitness levels.

Go off road with Yorkshire Outdoors in beautiful Yorkshire countryside, a picturesque 40-minute drive from Rockliffe Hall.

Hydrotherapy

With Paul Swiftm this is a rare opportunity to learn stunts in a safe and legal environment, only 10 minutes from Rockliffe Hall.

Learn to skate like the stars at Billingham Forum, just 30 minutes away, with qualified ice professionals including Andrei Lipanov from Dancing on Ice.

Visit You don’t need to go far to enjoy the charms of small towns like Yarm, Richmond and Leyburn – all less than 30 minutes away.

White water rafting Tees Barrage offers rafting, kayaking or power boating along the River Tees – 20 minutes from Rockliffe Hall, perfect for those seeking an exhilarating experience.

Aerial Xtreme offers a ‘High Ropes AdventureCourse’ with speedy zips, mid-air jumps and gravity-defying climbing walls.

Yoga

Precision Driving

Ice Skating

Understand Wine

Xtreme

Off Road Driving

Teesside Karting is just 30 minutes away.

Rest those muscles and ease your tension in Rockliffe Hall’s hydrotherapy pool.

On one of Europe’s best golf courses.

Quad Biking Exhilarating and great fun in some of Yorkshire’s prettiest countryside

Relax It’s what Rockliffe does best!

Slightly more relaxing and a perfect way to start-or end- a busy day.

Zoo Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo is just an hour away and is one of the UK’s most famous animal kingdoms with over 140 species of reptiles, mammals and birds. For more information on Rockliffe Hall visit www.rockliffehall.com

LEISURE & HOSPITALITY

An event to remember General manager Alex Marshall explains how, thanks to a recent makeover, The Waterline Bar and Kitchen, on Newcastle’s Quayside, is the perfect space to host your event.

f you are looking for somewhere a little different for an event for between six and 60 people, then we can really offer something that will stay in people’s minds for a long time for all the right reasons. Our location is superb, with stunning views. The event spaces now ooze cool with new décor that makes the beauty of the historical building stand out. By day it’s light and trendy; by night it’s warm and atmospheric. We have launched a new everyday menu for the bar, which specialises in delicious and unique pizza and burgers. Our burgers are especially made for us at Homer Hill Farm in Durham. We also offer lighter lunch options and of course our famous weekend breakfast. However, for events, our kitchen is ready and waiting to create a bespoke experience. We can work with you to your requests or make suggestions on the perfect food and drink offering for your event.

Many large companies along the Quayside including NEPIA and Bond Dickinson are using us for events and meetings, finding the atmosphere and location very conducive to business matters. Recently a number of

companies have also booked launch events and office parties with us. We are also already getting enquiries about Christmas events! Private events are something we are very geared up for, whether it be for a birthday or family celebration. The venue lends itself perfectly to weddings – and if you want a larger event we are now offering exclusive venue hire. Champagne is all important for any celebration and our Perrier Jouet range along with our wine list is outstanding, with a choice of red, white, rose and sparkling from around the world. Our cocktail list is also very impressive, all created behind our bar by Mark, our resident cocktail genius – he is always coming up with new concoctions every week or can do a special one to request for an event. For more information on holding your event at The Waterline call (0191) 222 1892 or email: info@thewaterlinebar.co.uk

LEISURE & HOSPITALITY

Business lunch

Fratelli Alison Cowie heads to Ponteland for some Italian cooking. ocated in the heart of Ponteland village, Fratelli Ristorante has the perfect spot for attracting an affluent crowd and its close proximity to Darras Hall Estate means I’m in no doubt it has played host to a few Newcastle United players in its time. Inside, the Italian eatery (located above the Sainsburys supermarket) has a decadent feel to it with sumptuous fabrics, mirrored surfaces and leather booth seating throughout. With its sizable bar area (and cocktail menu), the place feels more like a nightclub than a restaurant, and I am reliably informed that there is a lively atmosphere till late most weekends. During the day, there is a lunchtime menu (two courses for £9.50 of £13 for three) or you

can pick from the main menu that comprises a large selection of classic Italian fare with all the favourites (garlic mushrooms, four-cheese pizza, spaghetti bolognese ) making an appearance. There is also a range of meat and fish dishes, specialty pizza and pastas and daily specials for those feeling a bit more adventurous – although expect to pay more for these. While my dining companions stuck to the soft drinks, I began my Fratelli experience with a glass of Prosecco and very nice it was too. Maybe it was the club-like atmosphere but I could have easily sunk a couple more, but, remembering what time it was, I stuck to the one glass! Our meals offered good portions with good

presentation throughout. The top quality belly pork, sampled by both my colleagues (one with black pudding for his starter and the other with peppercorn sauce, green beans and sautéed potatoes for his main), was a particular highlight, as was the beautifully cooked seabass and the decadent lobster linguine (one of the daily specials). Rounding off our three-course meals with deserts and coffees, we could have easily stayed at Fratellis till the early hours. But alas, we had to venture into the daylight and back to the office for an afternoon of work. Fratelli, Bell Villas, Ponteland. Tel (01661) 872195, web: www.fratelliponteland.co.uk

Tomato salad with buffalo mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper calamari with garlic mayonnaise

Warm belly pork and black pudding

£6.25

£6.95

£6.50

Seabass fillets, sautéed potatoes, buttered spinach, roasted cherry tomato sauce and rocket pesto

Roasted belly pork served with peppercorn sauce, green beans and sautéed potatoes

Lobster lingunie with tomatoes, garlic, white wine sauce and basil

£16.50

£14.50

£17.50

Tiramisu

Layered sponge cake filled with cream and crème patissiere

Lemon cheesecake

£5.50

ADVERTISER’S ANNOUCEMENT

I’ll be back ... Michael Knowles visits Café Bangla. y fiancé, Kate, and I love eating out (maybe a bit more then we should) and we try to visit new, exciting restaurants to keep our date nights interesting (after 10 years, you can become a creature of habit). We checked out Tripadvisor to see what it recommended and up popped Café Bangla in East Boldon … a bit far out for what we usually like, but the reviews were so good we felt like we had been missing out by not going. We checked out their website and noticed they didn’t serve alcohol. You can take your own with no corkage, but we used this as an excuse to skip the traditional Cobra, take the car and try one of their mocktails. We arrived around 7:45pm and the restaurant was packed accept for three tables. The staff welcomed us straight away and ushered us to a table right in the corner. I love nothing more than opening a menu at a new restaurant to be confronted with a whole host of dishes I have never seen or heard of before; it makes me feel like I’m experiencing something entirely new.

We asked for guidance from one of the waiters, (Immy, I believe) who was great. He asked us what our palette was like and our usual favourites then talked us through the menu and the dishes he thought would suit. To start we shared the Boti Kebab and a classic onion Bhaji. The Boti kebab was a

delicious, spicy lamb dish with peppers, which not only looked a work-of-art, but tasted fantastic. We were a little disappointed when tour onion Bhaji came out rather flat and not the usual cricket balls we’re used to. However, they were crispy and tasty, with none of the greasy stodge – what more can you ask for? For our main courses, I opted for the Naga chicken (for Vindaloo lovers, apparently). It blew my head off from the first bite, but that’s just the way I like it so I couldn’t have been more pleased. Kate went for the Hariali – a speciality dish created by owner Ali Hussain, which was a vibrant green colour, and had a mild taste to it. Kate couldn’t eat it all so I polished off her leftovers, mopping up the sauce with one of the delicious garlic nanns (cooling my mouth off after my own curry!) We’ll definitely be returning to Café Bangla, and I just hope they expand their delivery area to my postcode soon, as I’ll not even have to move from the sofa to get my hands on one of their curries – bonus!

LEISURE & HOSPITALITY The Beach House

From pitch to promenade How Sunderand AFC’s approach to hospitality is helping promote the city as a whole. hen it comes to supporting the city of Sunderland, few organisations do it bigger or better than Sunderland AFC. The Barclays Premier League side has adopted a multi-pronged approach to building its business and boost the reputation of Sunderland as a whole. In an effort to utilise the expertise gained from large-scale events and ongoing matchday hospitality services, Sunderland AFC recently branched out with the launch of a specialist subsidiary. 1879 Events Management, appropriately named after the year the club was originally founded, now manages all catering and events at the Stadium of Light, including the annual graduation ceremonies for the University of Sunderland and the wide range of private parties and other business functions. It has also been awarded the contract to deliver the same services at the National Glass Centre, as well as managing the venue’s in house Brasserie, where it offers a wide range of homemade dishes for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Gary Hutchinson, commercial director for Sunderland AFC and 1879 Events Management, says: “Since launching in 2012, 1879 Events Management has proven a valuable partner for SAFC, delivering high quality catering and event management services not just at our own Stadium but at the National Glass Centre too.” The most recent addition to 1879 Event Management’s ever-increasing portfolio is adding yet another string to the football club’s bow and expanding its reach beyond the city

centre. The new Beach House bistro, which opened at Roker seafront earlier this summer, has been designed to make fine dining even more accessible, with a relaxed style and informal menu catering for families, tourists and residents alike. The venue’s varied food offering, which is available to eat in or takeaway, ranges from breakfast rolls and burgers, to freshly prepared sandwiches, cakes and desserts, all made using as much locally sourced and seasonal produce as possible. Gary adds: “The Beach House is an exciting addition to the 1879 Events Management portfolio and complements the existing services being offered at both the National Glass Centre and the Stadium of Light. “We’re excited about the huge potential in this new venture, as well as the impact it may have on contributing to the redevelopment of Roker seafront and look forward to maximising the available opportunities within the coming weeks and months. The Beach House, now opens from 10am until 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am until 6pm weekends, is also available for private parties and functions, with room to cater for up to 60 guests. This offers a more intimate alternative to the facilities being offered at the Stadium of Light and National Glass Centre, which currently cater for up to 1000 and 300 guests respectively. As part of its ongoing services at all three venues, the team at 1879 Events Management are currently looking ahead to Christmas and are

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planning a packed programme of events for the Stadium of Light, National Glass Centre and Beach House, complete with fine food and live entertainment. This will be in addition to any private parties and functions hosted at the venues during the festive period. “Christmas was an extremely busy time for 1879 Events Management last year and we had to arrange a number of additional events in order to keep up with demand,” says Gary. “This year we’re expecting an even bigger turn out across the three sites and are advising people to book early to avoid disappointment.” In addition to its internal events, 1879 Events Management also acts as a one-stop shop for event organisers, providing a wide range of services across the North East. Gary concludes: “With our vast experience, 1879 Events Management is able to cater for all manner of private and business functions, assisting in every aspect from booking entertainers to providing security and managing ticketing. For more information about 1879 Events Management visit www.1879events.com or follow @1879Events on Twitter. Full details of the conference and events options available at the Stadium of Light and National Glass Centre can also be found at www.stadiumoflight.com or www.nationalglasscentre.com. Find out more about the new Beach House bistro at www.facebook.com/thebeachhousesunderland

EDUCATION

News from Dame Allan’s Schools The independant school celebrates outstanding A level results …

Summer of success Amy Grounsell and Amy Shaw’s summer of success has culminated in seven A*A grades at A level, following on from them receiving the honour of the prestigious Diana Award. The two Amys, who are students at Dame Allan’s Schools’ Sixth Form, combined their roles as head Girl and charity prefect with their successful studies. Amy, 18, from Gosforth has earned A* grades in Art and History, with A grades in English and Maths and will go on to study Architecture at Queens’ College Cambridge in 2015. Meanwhile Amy Shaw, 18, from Jesmond has achieved all A grades in English, French and History and will study English Literature at Leeds University. They are part of a group of 18 students who have achieved the outstanding results of all A*A grades in their A levels this year. During their final year at Dame Allan’s the two Amys raised over £3500 for charity to earn the Diana Award for being a Diana Champion Fundraiser. The Diana Award is a legacy to Princess Diana’s belief that young people have the power to change the world for the better. Since 1999, the Diana Award has recognised over 42,000 young people who have made a

positive difference to the lives of others and their communities. The Diana Award believes that young people should be: ‘encouraged for their contributions to society, empowered to reach their full potential and they should be engaged in social action as early in life as possible.’ Amy and Amy ran a year-long, school-wide fundraising programme of events including a spectacular fashion show at The Falcons’ Ground for Marie Curie and a whole Schools’ sponsored walk at the end of the summer term to raise money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. They will receive their awards at a special Award Ceremony in Leeds in December. Amy Grounsell said: "I was thrilled and surprised with the results. It's been an amazing year – it was hard work and we are now both looking forward to going off to university."

Over the moon David Plummer and Daniel Robson, both 18, returned from Space School to learn that their dreams of a career in space sciences are about to lift off. The Dame Allan’s Sixth Form students spent part of their summer holidays at Senior Space School run by Leicester University, where their days were a mixture of mind-stretching lectures,

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visits to the National Space Centre, observing planets plus building and launching a rocket. This is the second year that the David and Daniel have attended the Space School, together with David’s twin brother, Michael. David’s A levels in Chemistry, Maths, Physics and General Studies have secured him a place at Leicester University to study Aerospace, while Daniel will be also be going to Leicester where he will study Physics and Space Science after earning A levels in Physics, Maths, Chemistry and Further Maths. Michael Plummer, however, will be keeping his feet firmly on the ground when he studies Environmental Science and Outdoor Education at Stirling University. Principle Dr John Hind says: “This has been a remarkable year for Amy Grounsell and Amy Shaw who fully deserve their success and honours. David Plummer and Daniel Robson have also shown a real enthusiasm and talent for the sciences and I wish them every success in their future studies. “Indeed, I am proud of all the students this year, who have worked so hard to achieve these excellent results, and I am grateful to the dedicated members of staff who have encouraged and supported them over the past two years.” For more information on Dame Allan Schools, visit www.dameallans.co.uk

EVENT

Boys of Brass launch The Jazz and swing band perform at CafĂŠ No. 95 in Gosforth. ead singer and actor Daymon Britton performed at CafĂŠ No. 95 in Gosforth with his new six-piece brass band, formed with trumpet player Steven Symonds. The audience of Sanderson Young Estate Agents had a great night listening to Boys of Brass band who have also recently played at Barluga, and who have been greatly appreciated by a number of local clubs and restaurants for their first class swing and jazz sounds. In July, the band flew out to the sunny island of Corfu to play at Sanderson Young managing director Duncan Young's 50th birthday party in Kerasia, which proved to be a great night.

To book Boys of Brass, contact Steven Symonds on 07921 225052 or email info@boysofbrass.com

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MOTORS

Benfield’s new director The motor group has put a new marketing director in the driving seat. enfield has announced the appointment of Heike O’Leary as group marketing director. Heike is joining Benfield at a time when consumer confidence is high in the motor industry and she brings a wealth of blue chip marketing experience to the privately owned business. Previously brand marketing director for adidas and strategic projects manager for Callaway Golf, Heike has also worked for a London-based marketing agency on a strategic level with clients such as Debenhams, Nissan, Ford, Bally, Karstadt and Citibank.

She has extensive knowledge of brand marketing, which will help drive awareness of the Benfield brand and 34 strong portfolio of dealerships throughout the North East, Teesside, Yorkshire, Cumbria and South West Scotland. Mark Squires, chief executive of Benfield Motor Group, said: “This is an exciting appointment for us and demonstrates our strategic intent to grow and develop our brand and marketing across the regions we serve. “We are investing heavily in our consumer led strategies to improve our customer service and improve the overall consumer experience

for our customers. “Heike will bring invaluable and undoubted in-house and agency brand marketing expertise to Benfield and we are delighted she is joining us at this time in our development.” Speaking about her appointment, Heike said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Benfield who are a very well respected and well run family business. “I am very much looking forward developing the Benfield brand and marketing strategies further and working with a very strong team of people and some fantastic worldwide renowned car brands.”

Top sales accolade for Skoda man iam Cusack, from Benfield Skoda on Railway Street Newcastle, has been voted Sales Manager of the Year in the National Motor Trader Awards held in London. Winning the top UK prize, Liam beat off strong competition from around the country and is a worthy winner of this prestigious industry award. Liam, who has been with Benfield Motors over 15 years, received his award from Dealerweb and is delighted with his coveted title. He said: “It was a great honour just to be nominated by my general manager, Dave Roberts, but to actually go on and win the top award was the icing on the cake.

“I knew I was in with a chance but you never really think you are going to win so its just sinking in at the moment … needless to say the award is taking pride of place on my desk.” General manager, Dave Roberts, added: “We are all thoroughly delighted for Liam and he is such a worthy winner of this prestigious National Industry Award. “His hard work and dedication has resulted in an extraordinary successful 2013 for Benfield Skoda. Under his leadership new unit sales enjoyed phenomenal growth and exceeded budget by over 200 units driving up incremental margin and profitability. “As a result the business increased Skoda’s local market share well ahead of national average.”

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MOTORS Left to right: Nas Khan (Jennings Motor Group), John Mason, (Mitsubishi Motors UK) and Norman Shepherd (Jennings Mitsubishi)

Jennings takes on Mitsubishi The Motor Group announces a new franchise in Teesside. ennings, the independent and privatelyowned multi-franchise group, which boasts more than a century of history in the North East, has joined forces with Japanese car brand Mitsubishi Motors to open a new franchise in Teesside. Based at the group’s supersite on Cargo Fleet Lane in Middlesbrough, the new Jennings Mitsubishi franchise will house the full range of high quality Mitsubishi models, which will be on display and available to test drive. Jennings Motor Group’s managing director, Nas Khan, says: “We are delighted to have joined forces with such a long established, successful and well respected manufacturer and to be bringing the Mitsubishi brand, which offers a wide range of high quality products, to the people of Teesside.” The opening of the latest Mitsubishi franchise is part of an on-going investment and expansion programme, which has been implemented over the past decade and resulted in the business becoming a multi-franchise group. In addition to the group’s existing Ford branch network, SEAT, Mazda and Kia franchises have also been introduced to the business. Nas continues: “The introduction of the Mitsubishi product range to Jennings Motor Group further demonstrates our commitment to the North East. “It is also boosting the region’s economy with the creation of a number of new jobs and opportunities.”

Lance Bradley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, adds: “We are delighted to be welcoming Jennings to the Mitsubishi family. “The fact they have been in the North East for more than 100 years speaks volumes about their tremendous reputation. “They fit perfectly with Mitsubishi’s customer service values and we wish them every success as the Mitsubishi brand goes from strength to strength.” Customers visiting Jennings Mitsubishi can take advantage of the entire Mitsubishi range, including the i-MiEV, Mirage, ASX, Outlander, Outlander PHEV, Shogun and L200. The award-winning Outlander PHEV, which is proving a popular model with business users, emits 44g/km C02 which means zero road tax and only 5 per cent BIK (Benefit-in-Kind) for company car drivers, compared to the expected 30 per cent-plus for equivalent diesel SUVs. Awarded Diesel Car’s ‘Best Alternative Fuel Vehicle’ for 2014, the Outlander PHEV model with its advance plug-in hybrid technology, is a practical choice for both retail and business customers seeking quality and affordability with prices for the GX3 version of the diesel Outlander 2.2 DI-D Auto, starting at £28,249 (post plug-in car grant). The cost of the equivalent GX3h version of the PHEV, which comes with an automatic gearbox, remote controlled keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, cruise control, dual-zone climate control,

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automatic headlights and wipers, electric windows, 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear privacy glass, USB port, iPod compatibility and Bluetooth connection is the same price. Customers can also take advantage of higher specified GX4h and GX4hs models which are available at Jennings Mitsubishi. The Outlander PHEV can be driven over a sizeable distance, at speeds over 70mph, using just its electric motors and is capable of travelling over the UK average person’s daily commute of 32.5 miles, without using any fuel at all. Jennings Motor Group is one of the North East’s longest established companies, having been founded in 1903 and in 1917 became one of the UK’s first Ford dealers, the same time when Mitsubishi Motors was founded and went into production with the Model A. The company currently employs a total of 480 staff across branches located at Middlesbrough, Stockton, Gateshead, South Shields and Washington. A combination of customer and staff loyalty has played a pivotal role in the company’s continuing success and achievements. This year alone will see 31 members of staff celebrating a combined loyalty of 675 years’ service with the company. For more information about the range of products and services available at Jennings Mitsubishi, call into the Cargo Fleet Lane dealership or visit www.jenningsmotorgroup.co.uk

MOTORS

Behind the wheel by Jessica Laing.

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ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE S ROADSTER et to be Aston Martin’s most exhilarating, fastest-accelerating roadster yet, the hotly anticipated V12 Vantage S arrives in markets around the world later this year. The perfect ride for sports car enthusiasts and need-for-speed drivers, the open-top roadster is powered by the latest Aston Martin AM28 6.0litre V12 engine (featuring state-of-the-art Bosch engine management and an expertly tuned sports exhaust), which allows it to sprint from rest to 60mph in just 3.9 seconds. Available in three modes: ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Track’. Following in the tracks of its hugely popular sibling, the V12 Vantage S Coupe, which launched back in 2013, racecar technology runs through the roadster’s DNA. Its new Sportshift 7-speed transmission, for example, which is used in many of Aston Martin’s race-winning competition cars and replaces its predecessor’s six-speed manual

F.Y.I. Engine: AM28 6.0-litre V12 Power: 565bhp Torque: 620Nm at 5,750rpm Top speed: 201mph Acceleration: 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds Fuel consumption: 25.5.mpg CO2 emissions: 343g/km

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gearbox, provides motorsport-style paddle shift changes for optimum performance delivery. Furthermore, its ‘Sport’ mode, activated via a button on the model’s centre console, can be activated to alter everything from gearshift speed and timing to throttle response and exhaust note. Other new features include near-identical brakes to the brand’s Vanquish model and a lightweight exhaust system, derived from the brand’s most expensive production model, the One-77 hypercar. Aesthetically, the roadster has been styled to reflect its position as the flagship convertible in the Vantage family: take a look and you’ll discover a newly-designed grille (inspired by Vantage race cars), carbon fibre vanes, new and luxurious seat and door trim styling and the option of lightweight, ten-spoke alloy wheels. Prices and official UK launch date to be confirmed.

EVENT

ABC birthday The networking organisation celebrates at Lloyd BMW.

sian Business Connexions (ABC) celebrated five years of connecting, supporting and promoting the Asian and wider communities at a special event hosted at Lloyd BMW. Prominent business and community leaders came together to show their support for the social enterprise business network, while also viewing the incredible BMW i8. For further information contact info@abconnexions.org or visit www.abconnexions.org The next ABCurry Club will take place on Thursday September 25 at The Beacon.

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MOTORS

Style and sophistication Bob Arora test drives the Aston Martin N430 he car I have had the real pleasure in driving this month is the stunning Aston Martin Vantage N430. When anyone mentions Aston Martin, the first thing everyone thinks of is James Bond; and if an Aston is good enough for 007 then who am I to disagree? Although any Bond nuts will know, Ian Flemming originally wanted 007 to drive a Bentley, the film producers tried their best to convince the top brass at Bentley to give them a few cars … and they made the worst decision in history by saying no. And Bentley’s loss was finally Astons gain and the DB5 became one of the most famous cars on the big screen. As the car is out of reach of most people, it's either a lottery winner’s choice of transport or a very successful individual. The first thing you will notice driving the car is how respectful other drivers are of you and the stunning car. Most Ferrari or Lamborghini drivers will never witness such respect on the road. The original Vantage was launched back in 2005 and its design hasn't changed very much at all. The Vantage has its fair share of competitors with the revised 911, R8 and the new Jaguar F Type. Aston launched the N400 in 2009 then the N420 and both cars build on a rich racing history. The N series are extremely exciting and really compelling to drive. The N430 is another amazing car which has drawn heavily on Astons racing heritage. The Vantage has enjoyed a great deal of success in the World Endurance Championship. Aston has fitted a 4.7lt V8 engine which produces 430 bhp, the cars top speed is 190mph and it gets to 62mph in a rapid 4.8secs. Starting the car you put the key into the middle hold down and you hear the most magnificent growl; you

will find yourself driving in lower gears just to hear its beautiful soundtrack. The cars peak power is above 5000rpm but below 3500rpm the car feels really flat and it needs to be worked to make swift progress. You can choose from either a six speed manual gearbox or a seven sipped auto gearbox. Most drivers will choose the manual box but I must confess I wasn't a fan at all, the clutch was very heavy and it was nigh on impossible to make smooth gear changes. Instead of using electric steering, Aston has decided to use a traditional set up which gives the driver plenty of feedback. To help reduce weight the designers have used Carbon-Fibre and Kevlar in the seats and the alloy wheels are forged in a unique graphite finish to save an additional 20kg over the standard Vantage. They have also used Carbon-Fibre in the prop shaft and the Aluminium chassis gives the car a real feeling of stiffness. This car is definitely set up for the race track but I must admit to finding the ride very choppy around town.

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The N430 has been given the optional ClubSport Graphics pack. It is inspired by the GT4 cars that have had tremendous success recently, some striking colours have been used for the grille surround, mirror caps, rear diffuser blade and the coupe also features a sweep of the roofline in the matching racing colours. The car also features a black grill and black tail pipes which help give the car a real sporting look. When you step inside you will notice the interior is a real cocoon of Alcantara, leather and carbon fibre. The car just oozes quality from the stunning glass and metal key to the carpets and the Alcantara trimmed wheel and gear knob just add to the real opulence to this sporty car. The Vantage is starting to show its age inside with an array of buttons and the indicator storks look really cheap along with the Sat Nav which just a glorified, but harder to use, Tom Tom! Another blast from the past is the retro looking handbrake, which is beside the driver’s seat, and I am surprised Aston hasn’t ditched this in favour of an electric handbrake. The boot space is definitely not the cars strong point and I am sure keen golfers will struggle to get their clubs in the car. This car would definitely not be suitable for a dash to Europe as it simply doesn't have enough boot space for a suitcase. Despite the few issues I have pointed out I would still prefer an Aston over its Italian rivals, Ferrari and Lamborghini, as it's a quality brand that just makes you feel proud to be British. The N430 is actually £15,000 cheaper than the Vantage S so priced at £90,000 this car is positively a bargain! For more information visit www.astonmartin.com

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WELL-BEING

Shin splints Will St Leger looks at the condition of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS). TSS, or shin splints as its more commonly known, is a condition that effects a large portion of the population especially those engaged in regular long distance road running. Its onset typically comes from repeated impact on solid surfaces which, in turn leads to repetitive stress on the lower leg, more specifically the tibia or shin bone located on the medial part of the lower leg. As with a lot of other common injuries the sight of the pain isn’t always the cause of the pain, meaning, the problem may have started somewhere else. Bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles and fascia all have to be considered when assessing a body for biomechanical irregularities which lead to an injury of this kind. In the case of shin splints you may feel a tremendous aching sensation through the lower leg, yet unless there is actually a stress fracture or hairline fracture to the tibia the likelihood is that it may be coming from a biomechanical imbalance in one or both of the ankles or feet. This is usually characterised by a collapsed or partially collapsed arch in the foot or both feet. One of the first things I will look at with a client complaining of shin splits (and you can

check this for yourself) is the wear on their shoes. Wearing on the medial or inside part of the shoe shows an excess of ankle pronation resulting in uneven distribution of weight through the lower leg, this can also be seen through the individuals unilateral leg balance. Someone with a tendency to flatten their foot in order to make more contact with the floor (poor biomechanics learned over time) will generally have a hard time standing on one leg on command! Get the same person to hop on one leg and it really brings the point home. So now that you know that you may be overloading your lower leg due to biomechanical imbalances in the ankle and foot, what can you do about it? Rest and ice? That would be a yes to both in terms of easing the pain and tackling inflammation but neither of these are going to actually solve the problem. Once the inflammation has subsided and you decide to run again trust me, the pain will soon follow as you haven’t corrected the imbalances or tightness that exist from biomechanical irregularities in the lower limbs. Not to put too fine a point on it but you can imagine that these lower limb irregularities tend

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not to stay isolated. So, here is the scenario, if you have stress on your right ankle your left knee could potentially take more stress over a prolonged period of time which may eventually lead to your right hip becoming inflamed or functionally challenged, next, as the hips are now under uneven stress your pelvis becomes misaligned, next stop lumbar spine and your lower back wont thank you. Your body is a global machine built to work in unison without any excess tensions on any singular part or extremity until, imbalances are created through everyday living (sitting at a computer/school desk, leaning to one side while driving/watching telly, bent double gardening, playing sport etc). Now as everyday living can not and should not be avoided it’s up to you to make sure you seek professional help when it comes to assessing and correcting these irregularities and imbalances. Pain where ever it is shouldn’t be experienced by the body as a normal every day occurrence, pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong, so don’t ignore it! For more information call Be-Fit on (0191) 213 5300.

WELL-BEING

Boost your metabolism Tony Douglass of Bodyguards Fitness Service Ltd looks at ways to help your body burn more energy. etabolism is a frequent word used in the topic of weight loss and weight gain. Many people talk about their struggles with their body and express that their metabolism is not working well. There are scientific ways to increase the rate of metabolic change, and thus enable the body to burn more energy. Eating certain foods can improve the metabolic health of the thyroid, while specific fitness regimes and lifestyle choices can prove equally as effective at boosting metabolic rate and health.

M Exercise

Exercising does boost your metabolism. Cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise is an important part of boosting your metabolism. It increases heart rate, blood circulation, body temperature, and oxygen intake/carbon dioxide exchange which uses energy. However one of the best ways to increase metabolic rate via exercise is to build muscle. Muscle building is an efficient way to boost metabolism because a kilo of muscle burns more energy than a kilo of fat. Once you start building muscle through specific strength training, your body will start burning more energy.

Lifestyle Your lifestyle is the basic day-to-day habits and routines which can influence the speed of your metabolism. Balancing work, family, hobbies, and other commitments often means that our lifestyle isn’t so much of a choice, as a necessity. The little things that you change in your regular, day-to-day lifestyle can have the most profound influence on the speed of your metabolism, and the achievement of your short and long-term weight loss goals. Sleep: Getting enough sleep actually improves metabolism. Relax: It’s important to remember that stress negatively influences metabolism, as there is a link between how much stress you experience and your ability to break down cells and lose weight.

Diet Metabolism-friendly foods are foods that promote thyroid health. A high plant-based diet supports thyroid health. Eat more frequently throughout the day. People who eat throughout the day don’t tend

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to experience severe hunger pangs, because they don’t reach that stage. In addition to this you are constantly keeping your metabolism in motion, feeding it with appropriate nutrition for health and function (thyroid). Be specific: Different people will require different amounts of protein, carbohydrate and fat on a daily basis. Take the time to find yours and the results will follow. At Bodyguards Fitness Services Ltd, our trainers have levels of knowledge and experience that are second to none. This gives our clients all the tools necessary for them to achieve their health and fitness goals. Your Trainer will develop your bespoke training plan and will guide you through your entire programme of health and fitness development, which includes your training inside and outside of the gym, your diet, your lifestyle and all support services to ensure that you are in full health. We aim to make you feel like yourself again, only better! For more information email Tony on info@bodyguardsapt.com or call (0191) 239 9000.

WELL-BEING

All smiles Dr Ken Harris of Riveredge Cosmetic Dentistry gains the latest in a long-time of accreditations. North East dentist is now one of the most qualified cosmetic dentists in the country, after receiving his latest accreditation. Dr Ken Harris of Riveredge Cosmetic Dentistry, who has surgeries in Sunderland and Jesmond, recently received his MSc in Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry from the University of Manchester – passing with a distinction. Ken has long being regarded by his peers and patients as an expert, and this latest of a long line of qualifications gained by the internationally-renowned dentist provides further proof he is a leader in his field. As well as this new qualification, he is one of only two Fellows of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (BACD), which involves him teaching other dentists around the UK. He is also a full member of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (BAAD, and regularly teaches USA dentists at the world renowned Kois Center programme

across in Seattle. At Riveredge, which also offers state-of-theart general dentistry, Ken not only deals with a wide range of patients but is also often called on by other dentists to look after complex patients on their behalf.

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He says: “I am delighted to have achieved this latest qualification which I’ve been working towards for the last two years. “Sometimes people find it hard to believe that here in the North East we can offer world class dentistry but at Riveredge we’re not just at the cutting edge of cosmetic dentistry but of general dentistry as well.” Over the years Dr Harris has become recognised globally for his skills and now teaches dentists throughout Europe and worldwide. He regularly travels across to North America and Canada, delivering lectures on aesthetic dentistry to practitioners in New York, Vancouver, San Francisco, Orange County, Fresno and San Diego in his role as the Clinical Director for California Center for Advanced Dental Studies. For further information or to contact the practice visit www.riveredge.co.uk or call (0191) 567 1020.

EVENT

Veterans at Ease Matfen Hall teams up with the military personnel charity for a special event.

he luxury Northumberland hotel, Matfen Hall, joined forces with Veterans at Ease, a charity that aims to combat the effects of modern day post-traumatic stress, to host an event last month to commemorate the fallen and discuss the mental health challenges veterans, serving military personnel and their families who still deal with today.

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H E A LT H

Beat joint pain A former PE teacher, who was physically fit and active until osteoarthritis in both knee joints left her unable to walk more than 200 metres, turned to Spire Washington Hospital. Here is Pamela’s story … rthritis had totally ruined my life – I went from being an athletic, energetic person to someone who could barely walk down the road,” says Pamela from Wolsingham. A series of procedures over nine years failed to resolve the problem and despite pain relief from her GP, Pamela had reached the stage of being unable to sleep through the night without being woken by the discomfort. She opted for surgery at Spire Washington Hospital and underwent a bilateral knee replacement. The procedure, carried out by consultant Shaun O’Brien, is rarely done on both knees at once but being otherwise healthy and committed to the necessary aftercare and rehabilitation, Pamela was an appropriate candidate. Once she had decided on the treatment, she was able to have the operation within days. Pamela, whose condition had left her legs significantly out of alignment, spent four days in hospital after the operation. Once at home, she was able to walk with crutches and used an exercise bike to help rehabilitate her legs. The follow up scans showed excellent results and Pamela was kept fully informed from the initial diagnosis to her progress during the recovery and rehabilitation phase. She says: “The surgery has transformed my

“A

life, by far surpassing my expectations – I was back at work within three months and now I can do everything I enjoy, including walking in the hills. “I was so worn down from the pain that I didn’t think I’d have a life again. I couldn’t have been more wrong and I’m eternally grateful to Mr O’Brien and for the excellent care I received from the Spire Washington Hospital team.” Opting for private medical treatment provides patients both with speedy treatment and a range of choices that are not available on the NHS. Rather than waiting months to see a consultant for an initial diagnosis, patients are seen quickly and have control over when their operation will take place, as well as which consultant they would like to carry out the surgery. In the majority of cases, patients at Spire Washington Hospital opt for private medical insurance (PMI) to pay for their treatment. In some cases, companies provide this as part of their employment contracts, so it is worth checking to find out if this applies to you. If you are not covered via work, there are a number of options for obtaining PMI. It is not always necessary to disclose existing conditions to the insurer, an issue that has put people off in the past. Another major stumbling block is the commonly held – and generally erroneous –

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belief that the cost of PMI is beyond most people’s budgets. Using an insurance broker is a useful method to find tailor-made packages, whether you are seeking individual PMI or a policy to cover your family. Due to increased competition in the market, prices have tumbled in the last five years making PMI much more accessible and affordable than it used to be. Specialist PMI broker, Helen Routledge from Ponteland Healthcare Solutions Ltd,explains: "Once PMI is in place it gives real peace of mind and a good broker will offer an annual review to ensure you always have the best deal. As I always say, people insure their cars but a car is something you can replace. It's not the same with the human body, which is infinitely more precious." For those who don’t have PMI in place, Spire Washington Hospital also offers a pay-asyou-go option. In these instances, once initial consultations and tests have been carried out, a fixed price is agreed for the remainder of the treatment, giving you full control over your costs at all times. Some patients may also be eligible for the 0 per cent finance option available through Spire’s specialist medical loan company. For more information, please visit www.spirewashington.com or call (0191) 415 1272.