Northern Insight - October 2016 by Northern Insight

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INSIGHT OCTOBER 2016

A New Era for Mtrec business property media technology education motors arts leisure issue 16

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NORTHERN INSIGHT

foreword Welcome to the October edition of Northern Insight In a record 140 page issue we bring you much to enjoy and enthuse. Our cover stars are MTREC, long standing supporters of the magazine, who are entering a fantastic new era and are a true North East success story. We also showcase some of the regions finest schools within a fantastic education special. Amidst our extensive social event coverage, look out for our feature on the Variety Club Tribute Dinner celebrating the 50 year career of John Gibson, a true giant of the local media industry.

All of this and the usual entertaining mix of news and views makes issue 16 one to remember. Thank you all for your continued support. Till next month...

Michael Grahamslaw, Publisher

contents OCTOBER ‘16 Business News 8-9 Cover Story 16-17 MTrec Recruitment

Recent Appointments 22 Entrepreneurs Interview 34-35 Ben Staerck - Furniture Clinic & Handbag Clinic

Business Lunch 42-43 Rosa 12 - Low Fell

Media News 77 Technology News 86 Education Special 90-102 Arts News 106-107

124

Travel 110-111 Leisure News 114-115

credits Managing Director - Michael Grahamslaw Design & Web - Louise O’Rourke, Ruairi McGuinness Lead Photography - Crest Photography Additional Photography - Gordon Taylor Editorial Contributors - Ken Spearen, Jack Grahamslaw, Clarke Kennedy, John Gibson, Alastair Stewart, Gordon Taylor, Alex Nelson, Holly Grahamslaw www.northern-insight.co.uk

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All photos are copyright MJG Publishing Ltd and are taken solely for use in Northern Insight. If you wish to purchase a photograph please contact Michael Grahamslaw on mjgrahamslaw@outlook.com Photo charges £50 for a single image, £295 for full buy out of a photo shoot. Advertising charges: There is a £25 charge for every set of amendments, following the first initial set of amendments, which are free of charge, for adverts designed by Northern Insight (MJG Publishing Ltd). Cancellations: If an advert is cancelled by the booker within a 7 day period prior to our print deadline, the advert will be charged in full, plus VAT. Editorial Editorial contributions should include a stamped addressed envelope. No responsibility is accepted for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission, or while in the Managing Directors or Printers hands. Editorial must be received by the 15th of the month or no responsibility is accepted for errors.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Collingwood Legal ranked ‘Top Tier’ by The Legal 500

The boutique employment law specialist, established in 2010, has swiftly become the region’s go-to employment expert.

The guide says: “Collingwood Legal is led by Paul McGowan. Clients value his expertise in whistleblowing cases and TUPE matters. Other key figures include Paul Johnstone, whose ‘knowledge, friendly nature and practicality puts clients at ease’ and the ‘outstanding’ Sarah Fitzpatrick, who stands out for her ‘excellent guidance and advice’.”

Mr McGowan, Collingwood Legal’s Principal Solicitor and Managing Partner, said: “I set up Collingwood Legal six years ago with the aim of offering the best client service so to be classed as Top Tier based on the feedback from our clients is fantastic.”

The 2016 Legal 500 entry singles out Collingwood Legal’s partners, Paul McGowan, Paul Johnstone and Sarah Fitzpatrick as ‘leading individuals’ and ‘highly recommended employment lawyers’.

The Legal 500 is published annually based upon independent research gathered from interviewing clients and business contacts of law firms across the UK.

Collingwood Legal has grown quickly in the six years since it was established and works with clients across the North East and nationally on employment and personnel management issues.

Newcastle law firm Collingwood Legal has been recognised as a Top Tier employment law firm in the 2016 legal services guide, The Legal 500.

Expected turnover doubled by Sunderland Company Sunderland based training provider, JB Skills Training, has announced that it has smashed the £1million barrier in their second year of trading. However, the latest figures show this to be a shy estimation of the truth! In fact, at the end of the company’s financial year, the team hit close to £2 million turnover in its second year of trading. Dave Macmillan, Managing Director, is now forecasting a turnover of more than £4m for the forthcoming year. To celebrate the figures and the subsequent growth of team, the company has taken new offices in Sunderland’s Software Centre. The firm is also currently investing in a new IT system, a new website and apprenticeship training for many of their own team. JB Skills works with individuals and organisations of all sizes across the region, a number of other UK cities and further afield in Europe.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Renown celebrates 30 years As a thriving business spanning 7 companies and 3 sites, a North East engineering firm celebrates 30 years in the industry. Renown Group started its journey back in 1986. The current owners took over the business in 2005, which heralded a new phase of growth for the business. The firm expanded to a 37,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Cramlington. Shortly after, there was also an addition of two more companies and two more sites: Renown Oil and Gas, based in Washington and PJ Engineering Products, based in

South Shields. For their 30-year anniversary, Renown Group are celebrating their longest-serving employees, some of whom have been with the company for 27 years, as well as the apprentices and graduates who have moved throughout the company in various roles. The Group is continuously looking for ways to invest in people, skills, training and capabilities so that they can look forward to another 30 successful years.

Launch of new homes at Smith’s Dock Joint venture partners Places for People and Urban Splash are preparing for the launch of Smith’s Dock, an exciting new residential proposition in North Shields. North East agent Sanderson Young has been appointed to handle sales of the first ever homes at the scheme, a unique modular housing concept which offers customers a choice of layouts within either two or three storey properties of up to 1,500 sq ft. Speaking of Sanderson Young’s appointment, Urban Splash’s Residential Director, Guy Ackernley, said: “We’re thrilled to find a partner who knows the local area inside out and understands what house buyers in the community are looking for.”

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Ryanair launches new Newcastle-Madrid route Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, has extended its Newcastle summer 2017 schedule with a new route to Madrid starting in March, in addition to 3 new routes to Faro, Girona and Palma. 5 new summer services to Gdansk, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Warsaw and Wroclaw and more flights to Alicante, Dublin and Malaga have also been announced. This will deliver over 750,000 customers p.a. and support 560 jobs at Newcastle Airport. Ryanair’s Newcastle summer 2017 schedule will see more frequencies to sun destinations for summer family holidays, lower fares as Ryanair passes on lower fuel costs and an even better customer experience, as it rolls out year 3 of its “Always Getting Better” customer experience programme.

Planning consent from North Tyneside Council was received last year for the first 80 houses, the first 34 of which will sit in an area of the development known as the Plateau. Ultimately, the scheme will result in a total of 815 new homes and a number of public realm spaces along the waterfront.

Newcastle Airport’s Aviation Development Manager, Leon McQuaid, said: “We are delighted to see Ryanair continue to expand their ‘summer17’ offering from Newcastle with these exciting flights to Madrid. With twice weekly flights conveniently timed, we expect this service to be extremely popular with both business and leisure travellers throughout the region.”

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BUSINESS INSIGHT

Durhamlane embarks on acquisition trail to boost growth with coaching business deal

durhamlane, the growing North East sales consultancy, has acquired an established coaching business, which marks the start of an acquisition programme for the business as it accelerates its growth.

The Newcastle-based business has acquired Thinkfreer, a company established for more than 15 years, which specialises in leadership development across multiple sectors, including digital and technology, health, manufacturing and engineering.

Together with Richard Lane and Lee Durham, Alison has designed a programme to help business leaders successfully navigate their teams through digital transformation, which means to capitalise on all the opportunities that digital innovation present in terms of quality of delivery and operational agility.

Alison Freer, who founded Thinkfreer in 2000, will join durhamlane as Director of Consulting, Learning and Digital Transformation. Alison’s role will see her take a lead on guiding clients as they adapt to commercial leadership in the digital age.

Alison continued: “durhamlane works with ambitious businesses in fast-paced industry sectors including digital, software, high tech, engineering and biotech. These are industries which are experiencing and capitalising on disruption. Business leaders who are operating in those environments need to learn and adapt very quickly and anticipate rapidly emerging opportunities and changes.”

Since it was founded in 2011, durhamlane has grown organically, but now the international sales outsourcing, training and recruitment company is actively looking to build its operations through acquisition.

“With more than 25 years of experience working with all types of organisations, I can honestly say, that durhamlane is the most energetic, talented and professional team of commercially-minded business people I’ve come across. I’m hugely excited about what we have to offer the business community together, through the durhamlane brand and network.”

Lee Durham, co-founder of durhamlane, said: “durhamlane has grown rapidly in the last five years, reaching into national and international markets with our unique blend of commercial-focused consultancy, training, outsourcing and recruitment services.

durhamlane is a sales performance business offering not only consultancy, training and high impact sales coaching but also outsourced sales solutions and sales recruitment services. No matter the lifecycle of a business, durhamlane has services to offer for business improvement. durhamlane has clients across many sectors including IT, software and technology, digital, pharmaceutical, engineering and professional services. It has developed a proven sales methodology, selling tools and blueprints that result in measurable sales success. A process called Selling at a Higher Level.

“We are delighted to reach a position in the life of the company when we are able to acquire fantastic organisations like Thinkfreer, expanding our knowledge base and service offer into new markets across the world.” Alison said: “I’m delighted to be bringing Thinkfreer’s leadership development legacy to complement durhamlane’s centre of excellence in sales and commercial performance.”

If you would like to learn more about our leadership development programme, visit www.durhamlane.co.uk or get in touch for a no obligation chat: 0191 481 10

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Cavu Corporate Finance leads £25m growth capital investment in Fairstone by synova capital Shawn Bone

In one transaction Fairstone Group has secured a £25m equity investment into the business setting the company on a firm path to accelerate its growth plans over the next few years and further establish Newcastle and the North East as a highly attractive region for one of the UK’s key industries, financial services.

Based in Boldon, Fairstone is a highly scalable and technology leveraged businesses. Founded in Newcastle in 2008 Fairstone has grown to encompass over 260 IFAs throughout the UK offering tailored financial advice to in excess of 25,000 private clients with £5.8 billion of assets under advice. The Company is also one of the largest Chartered Financial Planning firms in the UK .The investment will allow the company to accelerate its successful Downstream Buy Out acquisition model beyond its current forecasts. Prior to the transaction, Cavu had worked closely with Fairstone for more than two years, recognising the significant potential in the company and the requirement for high quality and innovative corporate finance advice to achieve the company’s and shareholders’ objectives. Cavu introduced Fairstone to a number of private equity firms including Synova Capital who ultimately committed an initial £25m of investment to Fairstone. The transaction is the

largest investment ever made by Synova, and was also the maiden investment from their newest £250m fund. The transaction was highly complex. The company has a unique acquisition model that needed careful presentation to the market, a diverse shareholding structure including a number of overseas shareholders requiring a high level of shareholder communication as the deal progressed and a number of technical matters driven by the regulated market place in which Fairstone operates including approval from the FCA for the transaction to go ahead. Nothwithstanding the deal challenges there was significant interest from the private equity community driven by the opportunity to consolidate a fragmented sector, a high calibre and highly innovative management team and a unique business model in which Downstream Buy Out target firms join the Fairstone platform before being acquired enabling buyer and sellers to work www.cavucf.com 11

together for a period before a full acquisition takes place. Commenting on Cavu, Lee Hartley and CEO of Fairstone said "“Cavu led the deal for us from start to finish, sourcing suitable investors and structuring the deal to meet our deal objectives and we would have no hesitation recommending them to any other business looking to raise private equity or development capital. They were excellent and spent time understanding our business and how best to present the opportunity to private equity investors to deliver the optimum deal" The Cavu Corporate Finance team was led by Shawn Bone. Commenting on the deal " Synova’s investment will enable the continued acceleration of Fairstone’s consolidation strategy to create the leading independent IFA platform in the UK. Fairstone has real differentiation and attracted significant interest from private equity investors and we look forward to working with Lee and his team on an ongoing basis."

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Lynn Gate, Founder and Managing Director of The Office Co, is marking 10 years in business.

The space for growth Founder and Managing Director of Gateshead-based managed and serviced office accommodation provider, The Office Co., Lynn Gate reflects on 10 years since she opened for business and considers a bright future.

Boom and then bust before the long haul out of the worst economic recession in living memory: the last decade has certainly been challenging and unpredictable to say the least for the North East. Changing trends and tastes, a lack of political clarity from government about the future destiny of the region, low levels of investment, unprecedented economic pressures and the seemingly endless in/ out saga of the UK’s relationship with Europe have all conspired to have a strong impact – addingup over the years to play a part in a beguiling drama that has shaped and continues to do so, the commercial fortunes of the office space sector. But throughout all the vagaries, two factors have remained consistent and core to the success of The Office Co. a quality product and a genuine understanding of the needs of clients, who range from sole traders and start-ups to well established small businesses. Indeed, it’s been the ability to adapt and move with the times, offering flexible packages around an open-door policy, that’s differentiated Lynn and her team from others in a competitive sector where too often commercial landlords want to

lock in tenants to long term and restrictive lease agreements. Today, she retains long standing clients such as independent financial advisers Global Expatriates, building services engineers Isles Consulting, and lighting design specialists Enlighten Design, who have been with her since she first opened the doors of Metropolitan House and have benefitted from what Lynn describes as a ‘rare caring and sharing’ approach to doing business. At the core of the company’s durability has been a recognition that one size does not fit all and that the way to prosperity for clients is to provide commercial space built around flexible, all-inclusive rents and the core values of a community driven business environment. This homespun approach works, providing an inspiring and creative hub in the heart of Gateshead where new business, hard work and ambition flourishes. It’s an approach that will continue to light the way for Lynn as she looks to the future with unstinting enthusiasm and an unrelenting passion for her business and the people she works with and helps. New deals have been secured with UK property

specialists Homes or Houses, IT network firm SL Data, shipping company Schulte & Bruns UK Ltd, and commercial property cleaners, Let’s Clean North East Ltd, who are relocating to Metropolitan House to take advantage of flexible leases that accommodate expansion. This is further demonstrable success for The Office Co. which continues to achieve occupancy levels that are among the highest in the North East (85% – 90%) in the face of post-Brexit business uncertainty; and reflects an ambitious strategy to attract more SMEs over the next three years to double the size of the current operation. Welcoming the new tenants, Lynn said that understanding and supporting the needs of the SME sector after 10 years in business remains the key ingredient, and she will continue to target sector growth on the back of on-going investment to deliver the quality services and accommodation that clients need to achieve their own success. As she looks ahead, and her own on-going commitment to supporting like-minded business owners and managers who reflect her own core values and want to create genuine growth, the future does indeed look bright for The Office Co.

Contact: Lynn Gate, The Office Co., Metropolitan House, Longrigg Road, NE16 3AS. Tel. 0191 495 6161. www.theofficeco.co.uk 12

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Advice on choosing the right mobile device management system for schools is available from Calibre

Back to school safe and secure Graeme Walker, Senior IT Technician for Calibre Secured Networks Ltd, provides guidance for North East schools to improve the management of mobile devices.

The last few years has seen an explosion in the number of devices in use by pupils, teachers and education administrators, and today it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t own a smartphone or a tablet of some kind. Their popularity has also led to growing numbers of devices connecting to school networks, in turn raising a whole host of issues around content management and pupils’ safety and wellbeing. Indeed, new guidance on keeping children safe from classroom bullying, drugs, abuse and radicalisation that came into force in September will have a profound impact on IT provision for both private and state schools; outlining actions for management and leadership teams to consider in relation to their understanding and knowledge of safeguarding in schools. Spanning a mix of policies, the guidance includes IT systems, focusing the attention on leadership needing to ensure that all staff know the systems within the school that support safeguarding and that these are explained to them as a part of the induction. So what’s the best approach to take when choosing a system for managing devices in school? There are

no hard and fast rules but a starting point is to look at what you what to achieve - lay out some simple objectives. Make sure that you are clear about usage and parameters such as who will be permitted to access the network and how many will there be? What’s the budget? What devices and operating systems will be used? Identify a list of the features you require for all those who will use the system (your IT partner will be able to assist you here) and then evaluate the potential of the available options - cloud-based systems such as those from Lightspeed and Meraki are popular and offer the flexibility to manage hundreds of devices as well as handling any future upgrade programmes. Consider limiting the variety of the devices and operating systems that will connect to the network, and look at systems that offer extended services and added value features. Think too about the wider picture when it comes to IT management - and the role that mobile device management technology plays within your school should become clearer. However, you must remember that technology is not, and should never be a substitute for effective teachers who inspire young people. This goes to More at www.calibre-secured.net 13

the heart of the matter and underpins much of the work Calibre provides for schools such as St Aidan’s Catholic Academy in Sunderland, where technology and experience are combining to deliver real change. At the school, Calibre’s groundbreaking solutions utilise the power of cloud-based technology that enable staff and students to utilise devices that are safe, secure and robust for use both on and off the school’s premises. Central to all this will be improved and safer access to mobile smart phone and tablet-based IT services and online study aids while teaching staff will be able to better manage and control access to content to ensure it is educational and safe to use. Glenn Sanderson, head of Key Stage 4 at St Aidan’s Catholic Academy, said: “Our investment will continue to ensure staff and students benefit from having the latest IT tools and resources to hand to learn quicker, smarter and safer.” Calibre solutions enable schools to maximise their return on investment through the deployment of technology to meet their business challenges.

Northumberland and Durham Lord’s Taverners, the youth cricket and disability sports charity, held its yearly charity golf day on September 21st. The teams played in a shotgun start on the Filly Course at Close House. Circa £4,500 was raised, which will enable the charity to give disadvantaged and disabled young people in the region the opportunity to participate more widely in sport. Regional Chairman Jamie Graham commented: “The day was a huge success, raising a significant amount of money for the region. We are very fortunate that we were able to host our annual event at such a prestigious North East venue.” For more information on the charity and future events please contact Jamie Graham at jamiegraham@surgo.co.uk

COVER STORY

MTrec Recruitment from local sme to global staffing business MTrec Recruitment, celebrating its 10 years in business this year, is a true North East success story. The business was founded in 2006 by David Musgrave and North East Business Entrepreneur Rob Armstrong and has grown rapidly to become the region’s leading provider of temporary and permanent recruitment services to the local industrial manufacturing and engineering sectors, as well as establishing a highly successful care recruitment agency in 2015.

Trust Tech a platform to grow and expand their presence throughout the UK and Europe.

The success of the business has been stellar within its peer group, as in early 2016 MTrec was placed in the Recruiter Fast 50, which is a league table of the top 50 fastest-growing privately owned UK recruitment companies, according to a revenue compound annual growth rate over the three most recent annual reporting periods. This business award, combined with achieving Investors in People silver accreditation for the second time in 3 years and servicing an ever expanding customer base with record breaking numbers of temporary workers ensured MTrec solidified its premiership status in 2016 in the UK recruitment sector.

Rob is particularly proud of MTrec, from his initial seed investment and business support, he has overseen the growth and expansion of MTrec, from being a North East SME to now operating on the global stage. He reflects with obvious affection for the business “what we have achieved is a true land mark for the North East business community. We have built a great business over the past 10 years and the acquisition by our new owners Trust Tech is a fantastic step forward for everyone involved. I also believe this transaction demonstrates that post referendum there is great business confidence out there, which is also being echoed by most of our customers”

Since MTrec’s inception both David and Rob had the ambition to build and grow a highly successful recruitment business, with Rob’s extensive business experience and contacts in a variety of sectors and David’s expertise in the recruitment industry their achievements became widely recognised in the regional, national and international business arena. Their level of business success began to attract the investment interests, in late 2015, of a number of national and multinational staffing businesses who viewed MTrec as a highly attractive proposition to grow and expand their own geographical and sector portfolios. Following an in-depth process of meeting potential investors MTrec caught the eye of Trust Tech, a Japanese owned and listed global staffing business, and following many in-depth meetings which included the CEO of Trust Tech visiting Newcastle, and being suitably impressed by David and Rob’s passion for the industry Trust Tech announced their immediate plans to acquire MTrec and completed the purchase in August 2016. The acquisition will provide

Rob will be continue to support the new MTrec on a consultancy basis for the next two years, as he has an earn out plan with the new business, so his involvement will still be integral to MTrec’s continued success, “even though I will no longer be a Director of the business it will still remain very close to my heart and I will do everything I can to continue to support David, as the Managing Director of the business, and the team and see them become even more successful” As Rob will testify anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and the right team in place, from what started as two people working in a small office 10 years ago to the dream and vision becoming a reality of joining a global staffing business, the future for MTrec has never been brighter.

www.mtrec.co.uk

COVER STORY

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Wilson Gray opens new yorkshire office after successful first year A North East building services firm is celebrating a successful first year by expanding into Yorkshire.

Wilson Gray Consulting has opened a new office in Leeds with a view to extending the work that it already does for clients in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, as well as looking to win new business both in these places and further south. Headquartered at Newcastle Airport, Wilson Gray Consulting is a mechanical and electrical building services practice which offers a range of traditional design and low carbon technology solutions for new build developments and refurbishments in both the private and public sectors. It was set up by Adrian Gray and Peter Wilson, who have over 40 years' experience in the building services industry between them, and who had previously worked together both as consultants with different firms on the same projects and as colleagues with the same employer. Wilson Gray Consulting has grown quickly to employ a team of seven inside its first year, and has plans to add more new faces in the near future. Its client base ranges from local authorities,

hospitals, developers and sheltered housing providers to names such as Newcastle Airport, Aldi and Sandman Hotels.

that we're very hands on and accessible, and we think that gives them greater confidence that their project is being given the best care possible.

Gosforth-based RMT Accountants & Business Advisors supported the Wilson Gray team in setting up the business and is continuing to provide financial and technology advice on its development.

"Around half of the work we've secured in our first year has come from Yorkshire, and it made sense to establish a presence there, so that we're in the best possible position to compete for work right along the M62 corridor, into the Midlands and beyond.

Adrian Gray, Director at Wilson Gray Consulting, says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Peter and I had known each other for some time, and our respective areas of particular experience dovetail very well, so when the opportunity came to set up for ourselves, it made sense for us to do so.

"Both Peter and I knew of RMT's reputation before we set the company up, and their continuing support around our finances and use of technology means we're free to focus on delivering the projects that our clients want."

"Our first year has gone extremely well, both within and outside the North East, and to have built a highly skilled team of seven in such a short time gives us an excellent platform on which to keep building in a controlled way.

Michael McGee, Client Services Manager at RMT Accountants & Business Advisors, adds: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wilson Gray Consulting has made a highly impressive start in its first year, and it's good to see the management team's proactive, entrepreneurial approach reaping rewards already.

"Our success has very much been built on the personal involvement of our senior team with the projects that we're undertaking - clients know

"There's a lot more potential in the business to be realised, and we're pleased to be supporting their drive towards doing just that."

www.rmt.co.uk 18

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Walk for Prostate Cancer A number of North East professionals set out on a challenging 80 mile walk over 4 days in support of Prostate Cancer UK. Following the Northumberland coastline as closely as possible, the route took in some of the most beautiful scenery in the UK. The team and Prostate Cancer UK would like to thank all the individual sponsors for their amazing support, and would also like to thank Corporate and Commercial Business Solutions, Morton Solicitors and NCS Support Solutions for being Corporate Sponsors of the walk, resulting in a fantastic ÂŁ6,000 raised. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Peter-Cromarty

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BUSINESS INSIGHT

pointments.....Appointments.....Appointments.....Appointme

Rycroft Glenton expands team with five new recruits Ryecroft Glenton, one of the North East’s largest independent firms of chartered accountants and business advisers, has expanded its training programme and recruited a new tax expert. The Newcastle-based advisor has added four trainees, Natasha Robson, Will Spafford, Tony Anderson and Adam Tindale, to its accounting department and recruited Kieran Taylor, an experienced tax adviser, to join its tax department. Chris Robson, Managing Partner at Ryecroft Glenton, said: “Kieran is a great addition; he is an experienced professional who has worked for well-regarded accountancy practices. He will slot seamlessly into the team and hit the ground running. We take great pride in our training programme, which has provided us with a large number of our existing team and I’m delighted that our success has enabled us to welcome four new members to the accounts team.”

Scott Logic advance client portfolio Bespoke software development consultancy Scott Logic has appointed a new Head of Business Development to the growing enterprise. Jon Tucker joins the firm to lead the business development teams across all four of its city centre locations and drive further expansion of the business. He has a career spanning more than 20 years in the IT industry in business development and leadership roles, most recently as Business Development Director at Capita IT Services, where he managed a £50m portfolio across the full IT stack. Jon will be primarily based at the firm’s London office, where considerable growth is expected through the development of more on-site consultancy and advisory services. Scott Logic’s General Manager, Nigel Wilson, added: “Jon’s appointment brings a huge amount of valuable experience to the company. He is the perfect person to lead our business development into its next exciting chapter of growth.”

RDA strengthens workforce with new administrator A leading catering design and installation firm is all smiles following the appointment of an experienced office administrator to its team. South Tyneside-based Restaurant Design Associates (RDA) is welcoming Olivia Rose Gatens to the company. Olivia, who lives in Washington, will be responsible for managing the office environment, meeting and greeting visitors and carrying out PA duties for the directors. Prior to joining RDA, Olivia worked as a dental nurse and receptionist for eight years. She has built extensive experience in a range of administrative tasks. Olivia said: “I recently completed a qualification in Business Administration as for a while now I have been eager to pursue a career within administration. I have been very impressed with previous projects RDA has been a part of. They have an impressive list of clients and I was particularly drawn to the forward thinking, welcoming team they have.”

Berni rides into new position at JB Skills training Berni O’Leary has taken up the post of Operation Director at JB Skills training, the company that specialises in apprenticeships, learner loans, individual functional skills and bespoke company training for organisations of all sizes. Bringing with her 17 years experience in the field, Berni has worked her way up the training career ladder having held positions in business administration, quality monitoring, quality compliance and operations. Her expertise is steeped in the North East and Yorkshire across a range of industries including health, IT, manufacturing, creative & digital, construction, engineering and ex offender training. In her role, Berni will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the business, which now employs 33 people. Managing Director, Dave Macmillan, said: “Berni’s experience, contacts and attitude are like a breath of fresh air. I am confident that it will be a joy to work with her in the coming months and years.”

North East Sales Manager builds on career with leading housebuilder Miller Homes North East has strengthened its team with the appointment of a new Sales Manager as the housebuilder looks to grow its presence in the region. Phil Dougan, 30 from Sunderland, joins the business at as it works to increase its portfolio of active developments and add to its current 10 locations, which include sites in Gateshead, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Houghton-le-Spring and Teesside. Bringing five years of industry experience to his new role, Phil will support regional Sales Manager Andrew Somerville, as well as manage the firm’s talented team of sales advisers. This will ensure buyers receive the best possible customer experience. Commenting on his appointment, Phil said: “I am really pleased to have joined the Miller Homes team. I’m ready to rise to the challenge to make Miller Homes the first choice for buyers searching for a new home in the North East.” 22

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Children’s heart charity turns to UNW for financial management peace of mind

Chris Gray, CEO of CHUF (left) with Hazel Smith (centre) and Anne Hallowell (right) of UNW

Helping children born with life-threatening heart conditions to achieve their dreams is the mission of the Children’s Heart Unit Fund.

Better known as CHUF, the Newcastle-based charity was set up to provide lifelong support to babies and children from all over the UK who are treated by world-leading specialists at the Freeman Hospital. The unit is one of just two in Britain with the ability to carry out transplants and bridge to transplant operations with very young children. It’s a centre of excellence that treats children and teenagers from Europe too. Named as the North East Charity Awards charity of the year in 2015, CHUF raises funds for children treated at the Children’s Heart Unit and their families. The money, which is used to support patients throughout their lives, is generated through generous donations from individual and corporate supporters and also events such as balls, golf days and sponsored walks. CHUF’s work is supported by patrons Alan Shearer, Ant and Dec and Sage Group founder Graham Wylie.

progress we have without UNW, who provided exactly the right support at exactly the right time. “From revolutionising our payroll to helping find the right skills and experience for the Board, I have absolute confidence in their guidance and know we will be working together for a long time to come.” UNW helps CHUF with bookkeeping, management accounts, automatic enrolment, payroll, marketing and strategic recruitment. A key benefit of the arrangement is that Xero, the cloud accounting software used by UNW, enables its trustees to be involved in the finance. The charity is able to tap into and benefit from all areas of UNW’s service offering and the differing expertise found within the firm through the relationship. UNW’s accounting services partner, Hazel Smith, said: “We provide a full finance function that looks after everything for CHUF, delivering a service they

UNW works with CHUF to support its back office function, from bookkeeping to payroll, keeping the engine of the charity ticking and leaving its staff to get on with their vital daily work. CHUF’s Chief Executive Officer Chris Gray said: “The UNW team is very generous with its time, knowledge and connections. We work with almost every department and each contact is very easy to work with, supportive and understanding. “CHUF has come a long way in two years. It has been an unbelievable journey for us and those around us. We couldn’t have made the significant www.unw.co.uk 23

need and can rely upon. “Once a week we process payments for authorisation. We undertake all accounting transactions, the monthly management accounts and payroll, and we helped CHUF to put together a budget for the first time this year. “Our versatility is that we can deliver the whole finance package. Clients outsourcing to us in this way are able to utilize all of the team, for the correct areas, whether that be bookkeeping, management accounts, payroll and / or strategy. “Here at UNW we understand that clients may require different levels of support throughout their business cycle and we are able offer a flexible approach. “Our relationship with CHUF and the way in which we work with them is a fantastic example of this in action.”

By Golden Ticket Only On Tuesday 20 September, the Business Support team at KPMG Newcastle hosted a sparkling ‘Willy Wonka’ themed evening at their Quayside office. The Business Support team and KPMG partners welcomed their clients’ secretaries for a Prosecco reception, followed by a delicious meal, which was a great opportunity for relaxed networking. The evening was complete with games, photo booth, entertainment, and some fabulous raffle prizes. Everyone enjoyed a truly memorable night with a Willy Wonka twist!

INTERVIEW

In Conversation With

Michael Shimwell FIA, Director, KPMG

What were your career ambitions growing up? As a young boy I wanted to be a fighter pilot! Later a scientist or engineer. A career in business wasn’t under consideration until after I’d left university! Can you briefly outline your career path for the readers? After leaving university I was offered a role as an actuarial trainee, but instead took up an offer to work in the business to business sales function of a life insurance company, soon specialising in pensions. Hindsight shows this to have been a very positive time of development, giving me a broader skillset than an immediate move in to actuarial. After 7 years, uncomfortable with what became the pensions mis-selling scandal, I took a career break and travelled sub Saharan Africa for a year. On my return to the UK I initially taught maths, before being tempted back into the world of pensions by a second chance to train as an actuary – not many people get second chances like that! My experience meant that I was quickly engaged with clients and managing projects in the wider reward space with organisations including investment banks and pharmaceutical businesses, whilst completing my actuarial studies alongside. In 2001, we made a family decision to leave London and return home to the north. I also moved to my first ‘big 4’ employer, enjoying the board level relationships this made possible and the ability to really help clients in a much more effective way than with my previous actuarial employer.

Finally, we are getting ready to share our work on a wider workplace savings approach with clients in the North East, that will allow them to ensure that their employee reward approach maximises the benefit for both the business and the employee and reflects the best practice in a rapidly changing area of business management.

I was recruited by KPMG in 2008 to help grow the north east pensions business and subsequently promoted to Director. I now lead KPMG’s pensions business in Newcastle and Teesside and feel privileged to work with both a great KPMG team and with such a range of interesting clients.

I led the pensions advice on the largest transaction to have completed in the UK dairy industry. There were a number of thorny pensions issues to be resolved, needing a set of challenging negotiations to be carried out in advance of completion. I was incredibly proud when we succeeded in obtaining the outcome we required and the deal was able to complete.

Summarise your greatest business achievements to date?

Describe a typical day in the life?

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?

Most days start at 5.30, when the dog needs walking – one promise that children can be relied to not keep! After a walk and coffee, I check and deal with any emails that have arrived overnight. The rest of the day is less predictable, but is divided between meeting and speaking with clients, reviewing or directing work arising from clients various challenges or ensuring that the team is up to speed and progressing the various projects we are working on at any time. I also have a national role in the business, so on most days I also provide support to colleagues from around the country as they wrestle with the challenges that their clients are facing and I set aside some time each day to catch up on business, economics and pensions news.

Nobody is perfect. Be honestly yourself. Recognise and focus on your strengths. Make sure that you don’t let your weaknesses get in the way. Who are your heroes both in and out of business? I’m not big on heroes. However, I think that the unsung people through the ages who have suffered as a result of holding fast to truth and kindness, rather than going along with ‘the evil that men do’ are real heroes. In politics, Wilberforce, whose death was in part due to the efforts he expended to make slavery illegal, and amongst my colleagues and clients there are many I see ‘doing the right thing’ at difficult times – all acts of heroism.

Can you tell us what you’re currently working on?

What motivates you?

As you would imagine we are currently working on a number of projects, but a couple stand out as interesting:

I’m motivated by understanding situations and using that to solve problems. Pensions and the interaction with business decision making is ever more complex and provides a rich seam of challenges to keep me motivated and learning.

One client’s pension scheme deficit has increased following the recent market changes to the extent that it is not able to make its usual dividend payments. We are working in a KPMG multi-disciplinary team to remove the dividend blockage, allowing equitable treatment of shareholders and the pension scheme and helping secure the long term future of the business.

When not in the swivel chair, how do you like to relax? I’ve run, at different levels, for as long as I can remember. More recently I’ve added cycling, but my greatest relaxation is still to be out running on the fells.

Another client has three large defined pension schemes and we are near the end of a complex project to bring these together and introduce an asset backed funding arrangement that will give the Company a known and stable long term cash funding cost, together with significantly reduced operational costs, and give the pension scheme enhanced security.

How would you like to be remembered? I suspect that I won’t be! But if I’m remembered as a good husband and father and as someone who made things better, even in a small way, I’ll be happy.

www.kpmg.co.uk 25

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Peter Rutherford, Commercial Director, Three Counties Group

Paper, Paper Everywhere Claude and Clementine are sitting in their lounge sipping Earl Grey tea with lemon (of course) when the postman screams to a halt at the top of their drive and forces several large, thick envelopes through their letter box. They crash to the floor. The postie slams his van door shut, revs his engine and sets off like Lewis Hamilton at the start of a F1 race. Rather appropriately, his radio is playing Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” Claude turns to his wife and enquired, “Did you hear something, darling?” At that point the cleaner, Mrs. Cannybody, shuffles in with the delivery. “Where do you want this lot?” she asks. She is holding several A4 sized envelopes each about half an inch thick. Clementine turns toward her. “Put them on the desk there next to yesterday’s delivery.” Mrs. Cannybody raises her eyes to the heavens as that pile is already about a foot in depth. She does as she is asked and shuffles out of the room.

“So, darling, we will have this again in six months?” asks Clementine in the hope she is wrong. “Oh darling,” chuckles Claude, “we have several more of these to come yet and then we will get them all again in six months.” Clementine sighs. “Darling, how many ISAs do we have?” “Between us, darling? I would say about 40,” muses Claude. “Darling, do you have time to look through what they send you as you are so busy with your golf, shooting, bridge club, organising the gardener et al?” Clementine has a furrowed brow. “Oh no,” laughs Claude. “I just bin them all. The values are out of date by the time they reach us anyway. And I never read the market commentaries they send.”

“Darling, why are we getting so many large letters?” Clementine seems concerned as the pile has been growing over the last few days.

This aggravates Clementine so she uses his Sunday name. “Claude Balls, this is ridiculous! It must cost a fortune to send this much information out. Also you are telling me you don’t know how much they are worth and you don’t know how well they are doing compared with each other never mind all the other options out there.”

“Darling, it is because of the ISA reporting season,” replies Claude. “All the providers have to report to their investors twice a year.”

Claude stammers “Sorry, darling, I will start on them now and cancel my round with Binky Hughes this afternoon.”

“Don’t bother. I will organise that nice Lady from Three Counties to come round and we can see what she can do for us.” Clementine was very firm in this. “You go and play this afternoon as I don’t want you sighing and moaning at your desk whilst I listen to “The Archers”.” The Lady from Three Counties* duly called at the appointed time. She explained that the ISAs could be held all in one place with a consolidated report being issued twice a year. She also explained how they could also utilise the portfolios run by Three Counties and how the system only invested in funds run by managers who could show consistent above average performance. Claude and Clementine were relieved to have the paperwork dramatically reduced and did decide to invest in appropriate portfolios. They were able to go online every day, if they wished, and could see exactly how much their portfolios were worth. Both could relax as, with all their investments in one place, it would be easier for the family as and when one or both of them died. The Lady from Three Counties came to see them regularly to discuss their needs and objectives and discussed things like Inheritance Tax planning, something that Claude had been talking about sorting out but just never had the time!

Peter Rutherford is Commercial Director at Three Counties Group. Telephone 0191 230 3034. Email peter.rutherford@threecountiesgroup.co.uk Three Counties Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority *A man from Three Counties is also available for consultation. 26

BUSINESS INSIGHT

An opportunity to reform the uk tax system?

While it’s easy enough to understand that the idea of abandoning George Osborne’s proposed 17 per cent UK corporation tax rate might be important in demonstrating that the UK is not indulging in harmful tax competition while simultaneously negotiating the terms of its departure from Europe, there is much else to commend a simpler system. Of course, many suggestions for simplification have been made over the years by the Office for Tax Simplification and others. Some have found their way onto the Statute Book while others remain no more than ideas for future consideration or to be quietly ignored. It seems to me that the Chancellor of the Exchequer might usefully turn his mind to the following possibilities. Firstly, he could look at the balance between the taxation of income and short-term gains on the one hand, and the taxation of longer-term gains on the other. With income tax rates and capital gains tax rates for individuals having been so different for so long, it’s easy to forget that the tax system consciously discriminates in favour of long-term returns. However, topics such as the taxation of UK property returns – both rent and capital growth – have produced a discussion in which the distinction between income returns and capital

Stuart McKinnon

To adapt an American aphorism, the UK deserves a tax system which looks as though it was designed to be that way. Recent statements by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, suggest a willingness to overturn some of the piecemeal changes put forward by his predecessor and to take a broader view of the UK fiscal system.

gains is blurred. Now would be an excellent time for the Chancellor to start a structured debate on how the tax system ought to deal with income and with long- and short-term gains. And what about the interaction between income tax and national insurance contributions on earned income? While the different rates and allowances mask the exceptionally high effective rate levied on earned income, now may be the time to contemplate different tax rates for different types of income and gains. The integration of income tax and national insurance contributions would be a necessary part of this. Recent debates about fairness in the UK tax system have tended to centre on tax rates. However, looking at UK tax rates, the current regime is definitely a blunt instrument. It’s hard to address the nuances required of a progressive tax system when the structure of income tax rates bands is so unrefined. Leaving aside dividend taxation, tax rates are a very unsubtle 20, 40 and 45 per cent. While easy-number headline rates may be politically desirable a system with 10 rate bands running from, for example, 20 per cent to 45 per cent might achieve far greater social good without

the cliff-edge effects of the current system. The unsatisfactory nature of the current income tax rate-band structure is made clear in a recent report on UK Poverty, Causes, Costs and Solutions from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which demonstrates that a two-person/one-earner household, with two children, can be on the verge of paying 40 per cent income tax and still be defined as being in poverty. If anybody in the Treasury doubts that the starting point for the 40 per cent higher rate of income tax is out of touch with real life, this proves the case. Then of course there’s Brexit. I have already noted that UK corporation tax rates are unlikely to decline to the 17 per cent level proposed by George Osborne. But freedom from European regulation means that the UK tax system will no longer be constrained by State Aid rules. So, in the all-important area of stimulating small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK, the Chancellor now has the opportunity to consider relaxing some of the recent restrictions applied to tax-favoured investments such as venture capital trusts and the enterprise investment scheme.

We are entering a brave new world. Now is the time for brave thinking and decisions.

For more information on corporate tax or other taxation issues, please contact Stuart McKinnon on 0191 255 7000 or email stuart.mckinnon@rsmuk.com or your usual RSM contact. 27

Team Leathers tackle Great North Run Taking part in any charity event is fantastic, but perhaps none is quite as fantastic as the North East’s very own Great North Run. Over 50,000 runners, tackling the iconic 13.1 mile route from Newcastle to South Shields, raising millions for great causes around the world. This year, members of Team Leathers took part in aid of the locally founded Secure Base and The RNIB, raising money for the RNIB Talking Books service with the aim of contributing valuable funds to the production of one or more new talking books for children. It was a brilliant day as always, but things didn’t quite go as planned...

It’s always a pleasure to take part in the Great North Run, even the most cold hearted amongst us cannot help being swept up in the infectious atmosphere generated by the both the runners and thousands of spectators throughout the course! The music is pumping, the sun is shining, a Mr Motivator impersonator gets you warmed up with some quite vigorous stretching, and when Mark Knopfler’s Local Hero plays to signal the start, you get butterflies in your stomach and you set off... However, the butterflies for Team Leathers were for slightly different reasons this year. Whilst the guys were all veterans of Great North Runs gone by, their relatively young ages (29ish…) hadn’t protected them from various injuries in the buildup. There was Ryan’s back injury, which he says came from ‘doing too much work sitting at his desk’. This then developed into sciatica, which caused him severe discomfort even when walking; even after physio, there was a genuine fear that he wouldn’t be able to run. Then there was Barry’s

achilles tendonitis, which had restricted him to no running in the 5 weeks leading up to the race, and a maximum training distance of only 6.5 miles...it wasn’t looking good.

doesn’t matter if you’re Mo Farah, it is seriously hard! We are immensely grateful to all the amazing volunteers, organisers and spectators that made it all worthwhile.

But, as the guys are both double-hard, they both made it to the start line and managed to run/ hobble around the full course. The times were considerably slower than their personal bests, but they made it and were both overwhelmed at just how much the crowd can get you through.

So...onto the next challenge. Despite spending the week following the run walking like John Wayne, Team Leathers are deep in training for their next charity escapade on 15 October 2016 – Rough Runner (15 obstacles over 10km...easy right?). We will again be teaming up with a local charity and aim to raise money for St Oswald’s Hospice, the North East based children’s hospice.

However, both Ryan’s and Barry’s days were tame in comparison to another member of the team, who after running the course in under 2 hours, collapsed at the finish line through sheer exhaustion. A big thank you though to the medical volunteers and the Red Cross who were straight on the scene with a wheelchair and expert assistance. And sorry to Mark for the vomit!

For further information on the charity or if you would like to make a donation, please visit out donations page: www.justgiving.com/ leathersllproughrunner.

Every single person who completed the course and raised money for charity should be immensely proud of themselves. As Team Leathers know only too well, running a half marathon is tough, it

For advice and assistance with your accountancy, tax and business needs, or for career opportunities, contact Barry James (b.james@leathersllp.co.uk) or Ryan Harrison (r.harrison@leathersllp.co.uk) or call 0191 2246760.

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Square One Law advises on first Atom Bank commercial lending

(L to R) Michael Shuker, Square One Law, Laura McNabb and Stephen Pratt, Atom Bank, Mark Lazenby, Square One Law

Atom Bank, the Durham head-quartered, digital-only bank, has successfully completed its first commercial loan within the North East region, using Square One Law as its legal advisers. Atom Bank who officially launched in April this year has only taken a matter of weeks from launch to complete its first commercial advance. The bank has provided a commercial loan to Rivergreen Management Pension Fund to fund the acquisition of the long leasehold of an industrial unit in Hartlepool. As a result of the loan, the pension fund has increased its presence at the Rivergreen Business Park in Queens Meadow, Hartlepool, extending its ownership to three industrial units. Stephen Pratt from Atom Bank, said: “This transaction is a significant step in Atom Bank signalling it is open for business and will provide

innovative and streamlined funding solutions to the market. “We’ve worked with Square One Law across our business from the start. They understand our proposition and can deliver in terms of us achieving quick turnaround times for our customer base, which will promote new benchmarks for the industry.” Square One Law partners, Mark Lazenby and Michael Shuker provided legal advice, security documentation and due diligence required for the loan. The firm’s relationship between Atom and Square One Law has developed since the bank’s inception, www.squareonelaw.co.uk 29

with the firm also assisting on the purchase of the business of Grasp (UK) Ltd, to enhance its customer experience innovation through the use of specialist technology pioneered in the video game industry. Mark Lazenby, head of banking and finance at Square One Law, said: “This is a milestone for Atom and demonstrates its intent to support business and enterprise through its fresh and technologybased approach to banking.” Michael Shuker, property partner at Square One Law, said: “We understood the importance of the time scales and managed to complete the transaction in only five weeks by working together in a seamless way for the benefit of the borrower.”

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Self-employed? Arranging a mortgage should not be a full time job Following on from my first article last month regarding Brexit and the effect it has had on the mortgage market, I thought this month we should look at another hot topic and particular favourite of mine - the self-employed.

Many lenders, for some reason, view the self-employed with caution, something I find mystifying given that fate is in our own hands to a greater extent than most PAYE employees.

I ncome of Limited Company Shareholders - whilst most lenders allow salary + dividends, a few consider salary + share of net profit. This can make a huge difference to the borrowing level available.

Whether you are a fixed contract worker, sole trading barrister, partner in a dental or GP practice, member of an LLP or a limited company shareholder, your income will be scrutinised and the level of mortgage available varies wildly between differing banks.

ost recent years accounts - for a growing M business, a lender which bases its mortgage decision on the most recent years income rather than an average of the past two or three years will be an advantage. ontractors - a growing number of people C now work on a contracted basis rather than being a permanent employee. Specialist lenders, often not available on the High Street, have huge experience in this sector.

I am often approached by clients who think they are unable to get a mortgage or have been told that their dream home is out of reach, in most cases a solution can be found. For example, lenders approach the selfemployed in different ways:N umber of years trading - some lenders will consider an application with just a single year of accounts.

Local, face-to-face, independent mortgage advice can smooth the process so my final message is do not despair if your first port of call says no...we are ready to take your call and offer assistance!

Paul Hardingham is Director of Innovate Mortgages and Loans paul@innovateml.co.uk www.innovateml.co.uk 0191 2233514 Your home is at risk if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loan secured on it.

Brexit fallout continues - What it could mean for accountants With the Brexit vote well and truly marked in the leave box despite a petition calling for a revote, the tremors from the earthquake that was the Brexit vote are already being felt. There is a new Prime Minister in Theresa May, and the opposition is seemingly in disarray. But it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just politics where the effects may rumble on. In a previous article we looked at how the vote may affect some areas of Britain. However the world of accountancy may also feel the shockwaves. Changes wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be immediate though, as accountancyage.com points out that the more than 23,000 EU laws currently governing accountancy and taxation means that no snap change is expected to be made by the EU. Once Britain does leave the union, which is expected to be by around 2019, it will be able to make changes to its own laws on the two disciplines, without any ramifications from the European courts. It is difficult to see too many radical changes though. Yes there may be one or two minor changes, maybe even a few larger surprises, but wholesale, sweeping changes are highly, highly unlikely considering the support the UK has shown to international standards. Unlike accountancy, taxation laws are more likely to see changes that will be noticed in everyday life. In essence, by leaving the EU, the nation will regain sovereignty, meaning it will no longer be bound by EU laws regarding taxation, essentially giving the country free reign to completely redraft its tax system. This may include VAT, import and export duty and more. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly a time where it seems the only thing certain is uncertainty, and where money is concerned, that can be a worrying prospect. At KP Simpson, we understand this, and can offer friendly, impartial advice on a range of accountancy issues from our expert staff. To find out more call 0191 420 0550 or visit www.kpsimpson.co.uk 30

BUSINESS INSIGHT Stephen Sumner

How to make sure you get your inheritance tax threshold increased to £1m Up until recently most married couples could leave assets up to a value of £650,000 to their children without having any liability to inheritance tax. Anything left to their children in excess of this amount triggered a tax of 40% on the value of the inherited estate which exceeded this value. This meant that anyone with assets (including their home) of say £1m would find that their children would have a tax bill of £140,000. The good news is that thankfully the government recognises that the increased value of people’s homes over the years has led many people to be caught up in this tax. Consequently, they’ve announced some significant changes to the rules with the intention of potentially increasing the tax threshold before this tax is due, therefore reducing the amount to be paid. These changes mean that the limit for assets that are taxable is to gradually change to allow an additional maximum £175,000 per individual to offset against the value of the family home for inheritance tax purposes. This effectively means that a married couple living in a house worth more than £350,000 will eventually have a limit of £1m before any tax is due when they both die. However, the value of the property would need to be over £350,000 for a married couple to each receive the increased maximum allowance of £175,000. If say the property was worth £200,000 the maximum allowance is £200,000 and therefore the overall limit to inheritance tax is £850,000. These changes are only effective from April 2017 and are to be gradually phased in so that the limit is initially increased by £100,000, and then increased by £25,000 in each subsequent tax year up until April 2020 when the limit will be at £175,000 per person. But a word of warning here, there are conditions that must be met to qualify for this allowance. For example, only one property owned can qualify for the allowance and the property must be passed to children (adopted or natural) or linear descendants on death. I must also add that for those of you who have concerns over your family having a significant tax bill to pay when both parents die, don’t despair as there are several simple, tried and tested options which I have recommended over many years and are available to reduce or eliminate this tax. To find out how Explore Wealth Management can help you, contact Stephen and his team on 0191 285 1555 or visit: www.explorewealth.co.uk

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BUSINESS INSIGHT

Financing Business Growth When planning to start or grow a business it is vital to have the right source of funding.

Traditionally an entrepreneur’s first, and often last, port of call would be been their bank manager, but today bank loans are just one of an increasing number of funding solutions.

Access to finance is one part of the Scaleup Gap for which Government and private sector solutions have been both numerous and conspicuous, with everything from state-backed capital to online crowd-funding platforms providing investment in ways that did not exist just a decade ago. Angel investment is a great way to raise funds in the early stages of a business. Angel investors are typically individuals investing their own money, who get involved at the earlier stages of a business. The relationship between an angel investor and the businesses they invest in vary will from investor to investor and business to business. Some may operate at arm’s length, others may be more hands on and take the role of a mentor or even ask to be made a director. The North East Angel Fund, part of the Finance for Business North East Programme, also provides Angel Investment. Venture Capital (VC) is serious business, and VC funds are looking to invest in serious companies. This can be a good match for businesses with a track record of success looking to scale up. Typically making investments in excess of £1m, and applying rigorous assessments to any potential investment;

meaning VC funding is not suitable for early stage start-ups. Government backed schemes, like Finance for Business North East, provide investment from a number of funds, to qualifying companies. These funds are administered by fund management companies, who often invest from a number of public and private sources. A large proportion of these funds, which are supported by the North East and Tees Valley LEPs, were made available with capital from the European Regional Development Fund and the European Investment Bank, so changes to how government-backed finance works can be expected in the coming years.

Kickstarter, the American platform that brought crowd funding to public prominence, has raised $1.9bn from 9.4m backers for more than 257,000 projects. Crowd Cube, a UK-based alternative, gives small investors the ability to back early stage and growth businesses alongside investment professionals. Following a similar model to crowd funding, Funding Circle is a peer to peer lending service founded in the UK and now expanding overseas to let businesses raise money from a multitude of backers; although projects are not listed publicly. The award-winning platform has tens of thousands of private lenders in the UK, and has received a £40m investment from the Government-backed British Business Bank.

Similarly, Venturefest North East, a publiclysupported event on 8th November, puts entrepreneurs in direct contact with angel investors, venture capitalists and representatives of other funding sources.

When considering different sources of finance it is important to remember that each has its pros and cons, and that they may match the needs of businesses at different stages. It is especially important to consider the involvement an investor would want in a business they back, and whether anyone becoming heavily involved fits with the company’s values and culture.

Crowd funding is perhaps the most exciting development in business finance for some time. While the term does not exclusively refer to business finance, there are a number of options for businesses under this umbrella.

Advice from experienced entrepreneurs can make the difference when it comes finding the right investment, and this can be found through the Entrepreneurs’ Forum’s mentoring programme and events like our round table discussions.

The Entrepreneurs’ Forum supports aspirational North East business owners in all sectors, helping to grow their networks, improve leadership skills, share experience, create new opportunities and scale-up their business. For more information, call 0191 500 7780 or visit www.entrepreneursforum.net 32

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Landscape specialists partner industry leader for university project A South East university campus will have one of the UK’s most high profile landscape architects developing its new outdoor spaces. Landscape architects OOBE, who operate from offices in London and Newcastle upon Tyne, has won a three-year commission from Cranfield University in Bedfordshire and have incorporated Dr Nigel Dunnett onto its project team. Dr Dunnett is one of the world’s leading voices on innovative approaches to planting design, Nigel was a key contributor to the horticultural transformation at the London 2012 Olympic Park. His work revolves around the integration of ecology and horticulture to achieve low-input, dynamic, diverse, designed landscapes – tuned to nature. He will be collaborating with the OOBE team on the Cranfield University project, which will see the development of a campus-wide Landscape Strategy as part of the University’s Masterplan. Several large developments across the campus are already nearing completion. The postgraduate University is a world-renowned leader in technology and management. OOBE were shortlisted for the commission alongside 20 other landscape architecture practices, and won through during final interviews. The inclusion of Dr Dunnett on the project marks the start of a new era for the organisation, which was established just six years ago. Director at Oobe, Oliver Smith, said: “Cranfield University is a world-leader in its field and we’re thrilled to be handed the commission to redevelop its outdoor spaces around its main Campus in Bedfordshire. “Our innovative approach, complemented by the outstanding input from Dr Nigel Dunnett, proves that our collaboration with the very best in the industry is one that will serve us well as we seek to grow in the UK and further afield. “We’re proud to be at the forefront of delivering ambitious, inclusive and eye catching landscape proposals for the university which has conducted a lot of

research into water management. For this reason, innovative use of SuDS is a given as the masterplan develops. Dr Dunnett said: “I was genuinely excited to be invited to work with the team at OOBE on this project. They’re a young and incredibly stimulating and energetic team that have a passionate desire to create bold landscapes that improve the lives of their users. It’s a pleasure to work with them.” Tracy Flynn, from Cranfield University, said: “We were struck by OOBE’s ambitious plans for the university. The development of the Masterplan is well underway, reflecting our bold plans for the future of the campus. “The redevelopment is crucial to provide an attractive and sustainable enhanced working environment for staff, students and visitors to enjoy.” OOBE was established in 2010 by Smith and fellow Director Mike Goodall from their headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne. They quickly opened a London operation office and, having built a team of 12 across the two sites, have since gone on to win a range of awards. It has completed projects across the globe, including high profile redevelopments in South Africa, China, the UAE and Australia. In the UK, it has worked on striking regeneration projects at Littlehaven in South Shields, Edenbrook Leisure Centre in Hampshire and the Tower Works regeneration scheme in Leeds City Centre.

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INTERVIEW

Ben Staerck is a member of the Entrepreneursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forum, a unique group of like-minded people who come together through peer-to-peer mentoring and a series of inspirational events to share best practice, create valuable connections and grow their business. For more information, visit www.entrepreneursforum.net 34

INTERVIEW

Ben Staerck Funiture Clinic & Handbag Clinic Launching a website to promote his father’s small business put Ben Staerck on the path to entrepreneurial success. From the early days trading from the family’s garage, his companies Furniture Clinic and Handbag Clinic now trade globally and have ambitious plans for expansion.

How did you get into business? It first started when I was at school, my dad has a business making a wood cleaning product, which he sold at trade shows and exhibitions. I made a website to sell his products online, which his existing customers used to re-order the products. I noticed no new customers were buying via the website, so I taught myself about Search Engine Optimisation and improved the site to drive traffic to it. Sales picked up and the business grew, then in 2005 we added more products to the range. What was your first business premises? At the risk of sounding clichéd, for the first year we traded from the garage. We leased a small unit on the Team Valley, when we outgrew that we leased the unit next door, and eventually the unit next door to that. In 2010 we’d outgrown those premises and bought the factory in Burnopfield, where we’re still based today. How has your business grown? After we increased our range of products customers started asking us to do repairs for them, so we started going to homes and business premises to do repairs on furniture and even classic cars. The business has grown year on year, with our rate of growth for the last three years being 30%. Visiting people’s homes as Furniture Clinic gave us the idea for Handbag Clinic. When our team was repairing their furniture, some customers asked if we could repair their handbags while we were there. In August 2013 we decided to spin this out into a separate business. We did it as mail order at first; people would send their handbags in the post and we would post them back after they were repaired. In the first month we doubled the number of bags we were repairing. This was going really well, but we noticed room for improvement in the number of inquiries we converted into sales. Almost 100% of inquiries that came in person to our head office became sales, but for people not visiting us it was much lower. We identified that we had the most inquiries from South West London and decided to open a shop there, where customers could call in and have our processes explained first-hand. I walked around Chelsea and Kensington for three days before I found the right premises for us. In February 2015

our first shop, on the King’s Road in Chelsea, opened. We now have a second London branch in Islington, one in Newcastle, one in Leeds and one in Qatar. The Newcastle store has been open for almost a year. The expansion to Qatar is a franchise; the staff from our partners over there came to the North East to train for three months in the run-up to the store opening. How did the recession affect your business? In one sense it’s hard to say, we started just before the recession and grew every year during it. It’s possible that we would have grown faster if there wasn’t a recession, but on the other hand it’s likely that we benefitted from the reduction in disposable incomes, meaning more people would chose to spend hundreds of pounds on us repairing their furniture rather than spends thousands on buying new. How have the markets changed since you started? For the Furniture Clinic we’ve seen demand increase year on year for our products, both in terms of the products we sell directly to customers and the ones we supply to other businesses. For the Handbag Clinic there wasn’t really a market before we created it. We’re now in a position where competitors have entered the market and are roughly where we were three years ago. What would you say your USP is? For the Handbag Clinic I would say it’s our stores. They drive sales by building customer confidence in a way that online-only and mail order retailers just can’t compete with. It has also taken relatively little time to build relationships with top stores like Harrods and Harvey Nichols, as well as high-end designers directly. How do you handle internal motivation and staff rewards? We’ve just completed the first month of a new bonus scheme for the team in our head office. Employees can get a £100 bonus if they meet a monthly target, and if every member of their team meets their target they all get a half day at the end of the month. Because of the nature of our work, we have a constant flow of products going out and handbags 35

coming in for repair, it can seem like your work is never done. By bringing in a target we have given everyone something tangible to work towards. The last Friday afternoon off is a team bonus to encourage people to work together and help each other, so far it is working really well. The results speak for themselves, we’ve seen a 30% increase in productivity. How does your motivation now compare with that when you started the firm? I’m as motivated now as I was then, I suppose the difference is I am now able to prioritise ideas I have, so I know when to act. When I started out I’d try to do every good idea I had, now I’m much more selective. With experience comes the knowledge that you should concentrate on a few things and do them well. How did your business structure come about? The Furniture Clinic has grown organically every year. We make our products and sell them to businesses, both for them to use and to sell, and we sell them online. This isn’t just in the UK, we sell internationally. Our branch in the USA has just started to turn a profit, so we’ve invested in new business development personnel for it. The Handbag Clinic does basic repairs in-store, but the vast majority of the work is done at our head office. The exception is Qatar, where the cost and complexity of international shipping makes it more economical to do the repairs in store. Have you benefitted from mentoring? I haven’t had a formal mentor, but through the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and its events I’ve met a wide range of people who have given me some really good advice. Any future plans you’d like to talk about? We’ve got ambitious plans, though in general the plan is organic growth. I’d like to have a branch of Handbag Clinic in every major European City. We’ve got plans to open in Manhattan in 2017, which is very exciting. For Furniture Clinic global expansion is on the cards too, we already have a market in Hong Kong and could see growth in mainland China soon.

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Bryony Gibson

Should i stay or should i go? Bryony Gibson, Managing Director of Bryony Gibson Consulting, shares her thoughts on what you need to consider before changing jobs.

The end of summer is a time when many people start to feel a career itch. There are lots of reasons that can trigger the search for a new job, but when the usual factors are combined with summer holidays being over and exam results out, it’s easy to see why it can feel like the perfect moment to make a move. Whatever the catalyst, when working out what’s best, the most important thing to do is to make sure you know and understand what truly motivates you.

Things to consider People can grow out of even the best jobs over time. Sometimes you need a change or a new challenge to reinvigorate yourself, but before you begin searching make sure you take time to think about your current role, your employer and your future prospects.

If you’re thinking long-term, consider the experience you’re gaining, the networks you’re exposed to and the kudos you get from working where you do. This should all help you understand what to do next.

Is the grass always greener?

Does your company’s ambition match your own? Do you get on with your colleagues? What does your boss think of you? What do you think of your boss? There’s a lot to be said for being appreciated and trusted in the work place. If you feel empowered and have autonomy you need to make sure that will remain if you decide to move.

Of course the short answer to this is no, but if you’re not happy you do need to make a change of some kind - life’s too short to live with regret.

It’s important to be honest. Start by asking yourself a few questions along the line of: What are you good at? What are you passionate about? What do you like about your current job? What is important to you?

Your work-life balance is a key ingredient. Do you have flexibility at work? Are you supported when you need it? How long is your commute? What is your work-life balance like? These are all things that affect your level of job satisfaction.

It could simply be that you’re stuck in a rut and it’s not as bad as it seems once you adopt a more positive approach, but whatever you decide be confident and don’t be put off by fear of change.

You need to work out what matters to you most in the longer-term; and if you’re lucky enough to match this with your strengths, then it should become a lot easier to figure out which direction leads to your goals.

While it isn’t all about money, it pays to be aware of how competitive your total package is in respect to your peers. Think about holiday entitlement, pension payments, bonuses and important HR policies like maternity cover and sickness.

We spend half our waking life at work, so getting satisfaction should be the priority. If you aren’t happy then maybe it really is time to weigh up your options.

Contact Bryony for help finding the right tax & accountancy role or recruits on (0191) 375 9983. Alternatively, visit www.bryonygibson.com, connect on LinkedIn or follow @bryonygibson. 38

The decision to stick or twist comes down to knowing what you want and understanding what your employer can offer; so don’t forget to speak to them and give them a chance to change things.

Once you’ve considered all the pros and cons you’ll probably know in your heart what to do next. If you do go for it, make sure you’re moving for the right reasons and commit whole-heartedly, because the rewards from finding a job you love can be life changing.

B U S I N E S S

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BUSINESS INSIGHT

Business-like approach reaps rewards for young entrepreneurs A range of specialist opportunities at Gateshead College are not only preparing students with the skills for employment, but also transforming the delivery of exclusive entrepreneurial support to help get their businesses off the ground.

Gateshead College is known for its business-like approach to help organisations from across the region to prosper. And it’s this commercial nouse that is helping many of its students to turn their interests and talents into their own small business ventures. At just 20 years, beauty blogger Katie Meehan recently turned her hobby and online skills into a digital start-up after gaining valuable insight and support on a business course at Gateshead College. She will apply the expert skills and knowledge that has made her own blog a resounding success to support small and medium businesses to establish and run their own social media channels. Her blog – which recently celebrated 1 million hits - http://katiemeehan.co.uk/ was set up by Katie in 2014 and focuses on beauty and make up as well as her love of photography. She says: “I’m so glad I chose to study business at Gateshead College. The course gave me the knowledge and skills I need to understand how a business operates, which is really useful as I started my own blogging business while I was still studying. “The staff were so supportive and encouraged me to get out there and network. I couldn’t have done

it without their inspiration. My website’s had more than 1 million visits, which is incredible. I’m really excited about my future.” Judith Doyle, principal and chief executive at Gateshead College, says: “Katie is a shining example of how combining your interests with the right course can put you on track to starting your own business or landing a dream job. I’m delighted she’s doing so well and I’m very proud of what she has achieved at a young age. Katie’s certainly going to go far, she’s a natural entrepreneur.” Business-minded students have the chance to kick start their ventures at Gateshead College’s own successful gift store, handPICKED, in Europe’s biggest shopping and leisure venue, intu Metrocentre, in Gateshead. It’s Northern Stars enterprise society also gives students access to established business mentors who provide help during the initial ideas stages, planning and launch, and continued support for maintaining the business. Most recently, Gateshead College has helped launch three student businesses, including catering student and talented chocolatier Ollie Meyer’s House of M, a new business developing a range www.gateshead.ac.uk 40

of bespoke made-to-order chocolate treats for individuals and businesses. Creative duo Adam Coates and Amanda Norman have also received an entrepreneurial boost by the college, after standing out to judges during a special design and branding project. Their products have now been chosen to go on sale within handPICKED. Adam’s printed t-shirts and Amanda’s printed mugs and keyrings are already proving popular among customers. Judith adds: “Our entrepreneurial programmes and opportunities, including handPICKED, give our students the chance to practice their entrepreneurial skills, develop ideas and test and market their products so that they can develop their business skills and create successful start-ups. “Adam and Amanda are already on track to develop successful businesses thanks to the advice and encouragement they have received at college and through handPICKED, and Ollie has taken the education and skills he gained during his course to the next level by starting his own business independently. They are all excellent examples of what can be achieved with a good idea, the right support network and professional guidance.”

BUSINESS LUNCH

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant Following on from his review of The Bank last month, Northern Insight’s Jack Grahamslaw turns his attentions to Rosa 12, another eatery on a burgeoning culinary strip.

on swimming home, I opted for the Pan-fried fillet of Sea Bass which was presented expertly on a bed of mushroom risotto whilst my companion tucked into a Pizza Tandoori, which not often found on Italian restaurant menus, featured a tantalising blend of spicy tandoori chicken, jalapenos, peppers & onions. The menus at Rosa 12 are vast and other eye catching options included; French trimmed chicken in a creamy mushroom and tarragon sauce, Petite 5oz Fillet steak, Asparagus & pea risotto and a classic greek salad with olives and a few slabs of feta. Our mains were then cleared by our obliging waiter who warm, friendly and enthusiastic throughout our visit, demonstrated that the desire to bring back that old Italian “buzz” is evidently instilled in the workforce.

There’s definitely shades of The Sopranos in having a business lunch at an Italian restaurant and therefore Rosa 12, located in the heart of Low Fell High Street, must not be overlooked as a potential venue. The team’s mission is to “bring back the buzz of old Italia” and, when I rocked up recently with an old work colleague, I noticed that this Raison d’être certainly seemed to be a real hit with much of the Low Fell faithful. Inside there’s a neat fusion of the old and the new as they’ve created a lovely open plan dining area complete with leatherbound chairs and mocha horizontal shutters. Splashes of block red and white emulsion combine with spot lighting to create a modern interior whilst the monochrome wall imagery and waxed chianti bottles provide a quaint throwback to Little Italy. Rosa 12 ticks all the boxes in terms of style and panache then and our imaginations were certainly captured on arrival.

Despite looking rather diminutive from the outside, Rosa 12 is actually anything but and boasts 3 levels of floor space, each possessing their own unique charms. Fortunately, after a most agreeable luncheon, we got the chance to have a quick explore and discovered that the ground floor is actually a popular spot for coffee and a cake whilst the basement is a fully-renovated cocktail bar tailor-made for live music and private functions. Defined by low ceilings and lower lighting the “Lugano Cellar Bar” offers a trendy, rustic ambience. With all this to offer then, Rosa 12 struck me as a surprisingly multifaceted venue with enormous character.

A bottle of white? A bottle of red? Perhaps a bottle of rose instead? We soon decided accordingly and not long after our chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (no blue nun here) was uncorked, our starters arrived. These came in the form of Giant Garlic King Prawns; 4 plump king prawns doused in a garlic and white wine sauce accompanied by some leafy greens and a mini-turret of white rice and Prawn Cocktail; a martini glass brimming with prawns, crisp lettuce, cucumber and tomato all coated in a gloopy marie rose sauce, just the way my colleague likes it. A pleasant pairing of retro starters which unquestionably awakened the palette.

After eating-out at The Bank last month, it’s once more been highly refreshing to try another out-of-town venue, and whilst I wouldn’t go quite as far as proclaiming it a true renaissance period for Low-Fell, both meals were hugely enjoyable and left me wanting more. I’d meet you anytime you want, at this Italian restaurant.

These positive early impressions were portentous of what was lying in wait, as whilst observing a buoyant lunchtime trade, we were interrupted by the arrival of our mains. Clearly planning

www.rosa12.com

BUSINESS LUNCH

BUSINESS INSIGHT

A local approach – helping the North East prosper Graham Lowes is Area Director for Newcastle and Northumberland, SME Banking at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, with a patch that covers a large part of the North East – from Newcastle Gateshead to the borders at Berwick upon Tweed.

As a man who hails from the North East and has lived extensively in Northumberland, Graham is well versed in the attitudes which dominate his particular region and the commercial operations within its borders. His responsibility lies with the acquisition and maintenance of SME business in this part of the world with turnover up to £25m. He oversees a team of ten banking professionals with unrivalled expertise over a wide range of industries, professions and specialist sectors. “Our forte is to create and maintain a face to face relationship with our clients, who very quickly realise we are there for them whenever they are in need of quality financial advice and support. This reputation for close client involvement is fundamental to our banking practice and we feel it is a real differentiator within the industry,” advises Graham, “There is nothing more that gives a client confidence than knowing that they can approach us with a request for funds and that we will be able to make a decision very quickly or even instantly, depending on the amount required.” As an employee of Lloyds Bank for twenty-eight years, Graham has risen through the ranks to achieve the position he now occupies. Joining the company directly from school, he has responsibility

for Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and Northumberland and can instantly sanction requests for funds up to £1,000,000 in certain circumstances. It’s all about the bank having the confidence to support a client’s ambition. It gives them confidence in the financial institution they are dealing with. The bank puts its emphasis on local banking for local communities. As part of this, Graham understands the nuances and particular outlooks of the local population and is able to call upon a vast array of people with relevant knowledge and skills within the SME marketplace to meet the needs of businesses in the North East. The team is spread across the North East, with each team member having a very good understanding of that particular area. Using local people with local knowledge allows Lloyds bank and Graham to meet clients face to face, so that they can understand their needs and support their ambitions to grow. The added advantage of Graham’s team is its particular commercial specialisms in the retail, tourism, food and drink, service based operations and Professional Services sectors. His team also has access to Industry specialists across the healthcare, education, agriculture, property and manufacturing sectors as well as a wealth of experience advising www.lloydsbank.com 44

the region’s well established Asian and Jewish business communities, giving North East SME’s the full spectrum of support required to achieve their individual growth ambitions. “It’s no good just providing a financial service to a client. You have to understand the business, know what makes them and the area tick and give tangible advice to help their business develop and grow. That’s why we aim for strong client relationships which are second to none in our profession,” Graham goes on, “We want to build our business and the only way to do that effectively is ensure our SME clients and potential clients receive exemplary and timely service.” Graham is 45 years old, married to Alison with two sons, Joshua and Benjamin 15 and 13 respectively, both at school in Alnwick. He enjoys Golf and follows most sports but with a couple of sporty sons, spare time is taken up with the boys! Graham concludes: “It makes me particularly proud to lead the SME team for Lloyds Bank in Newcastle and Northumberland - my home county. It’s rewarding to see the region’s businesses prosper with our help and support and the positive impact their successes have on our communities”.

Curry Club a Sell out The sell-out ABCurry Club was hosted at the Beacon on Thursday 22nd of September in partnership with If We Can You Can Challenge. The event was supported by Lee Frater from Microsoft and Simon Hanson from the FSB who both highlighted the importance of small enterprises on the economy, and encouraged people to participate in the Challenge. As usual the fabulous fayre of authentic Punjabi food was prepared by Solomons. The next ABCurry Club takes place on 27th October at Fenham Barracks email info@abconnexions.org

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Judgement Day Ammar Mirza pic: Peter Walton 2014

Courage, conviction and comradery three words that reflect the past few weeks where I have been asked to judge two distinctly different competitions, but both of which left me inspired and thankful.

In a world that is beset with trial and tribulation, where all we hear about is how hard done by or how poor we are, the savage cuts, the loss of critical services, and our North East region that is constantly and consistently featured at the bottom of all enterprise and education league tables. Yet conversely all I see is how passionate, proud and productive young people and businesses have become. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get me wrong we have some significant challenges to contend with and some compelling research that highlights this. But all too often we seem to focus on the negatives rather than promoting the positives. The first event I was asked to judge was the Yorkshire Asian Business Association annual awards in Leeds. I was astounded at the calibre of entrants and all of which made me think how much of an impact the Asian community has made on our country, not just socially but economically. All of these successful businesses employing hundreds of local people across the North of England. I must admit it was a hard job choosing between the entrants and for me all of them are worthy winners. The second and even more impressive event was when I had been asked to judge the Northumbria Army Cadet Force entrants who were taking part

in the Operation Reflect World War One research project. These were members of the Army Cadet Force aged between 12-17 years old, who had been researching the impact of World War One on our local area. Groups of cadets from across the North East presented to members of the Armed forces and me throughout the day. To say I was embarrassed at not being aware of the turmoil, trial and tribulation of our past generations who fought for this country, and the loss and sacrifices they made, would be an understatement. Nearly 60,000 of our men died on the first day at the battle of the Somme. Every single household in Tynemouth was affected by a loss. Members from across the Common Wealth including Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims fought side-by-side with the British Army.

some incredible personal and professional skills. All of the Cadets develop the necessary skills employers look for through their training and I would encourage every employer to consider supporting them. I have been fortunate enough to visit Summer Camp and experience first-hand the incredible opportunities available to all and from every community. The next ABCurry Club is kindly being hosted at Fenham Barracks Newcastle on the 27th October. Why not come along and judge for yourself how great our young generation can become through the Army Cadet Force?

Putting my embarrassment to one side, I was absolutely delighted, proud and privileged by the level of depth and understanding the Cadets had on the subject. Nigh-on all of them had been given the opportunity to visit France and the various monuments and graves, to learn more. Some had even traced back family members that had fearlessly fought one hundred years ago in 1916. Each of the presenting groups showed courage and conviction in their presentations and demonstrated

Ammar Mirza CBE is passionate about the North East, Founder and Chair of Asian Business Connexions (ABC) alongside holding various public, private and third sector positions across the North East. Email ammar@ammarm.com 46

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BUSINESS INSIGHT

Evaluating business travel risks In today’s ever evolving business market the need to manoeuvre business operations globally is now a must for organisations wishing to develop and grow into new and exciting emerging markets. Corporate travel is a critical aspect of business expansion, however it can generate cause for concern for both organisations and their travellers. The potential to become a victim of global threats is increasing! from encountering a medical emergency, being stranded following a natural disaster or even being caught up in a hostile act of terrorism.

Here are some general travel awareness tips to think about... Plan and Research your destination No matter if it’s your first or tenth overseas visit, conducting some much needed and relevant situational profiling of your destination will not only save critical business time but may save your life! Cultural & business etiquette may also gain you and your organisation bonus points, the slightest incorrect hand movement or mispronounced greeting could cause unnecessary embarrassment or even worse, cause offense. Analysing the current political situation and environmental conditions will ensure that you and your employees will not be caught up in a situation that may cause harm or inconvenience.

Leave valuables at home It’s the morning before you depart for the airport, now is the time to establish what is actually needed for your trip! Consider leaving items such as watches, jewellery and other expensive items at home. There have been many global instances where business travellers have been subjected to targeted acts of robbery or thefts either directly or indirectly (including theft from hotel rooms). Analysing what is actually required for your trip, not only mitigates the potential threats but also reduces the risk of loss or theft.

Luggage Security Theft from insecure luggage accounts for 61% of crimes against business travellers. Ensuring that your belongings are safe means securing it in any way possible, this deters opportunists from stealing or tampering with your luggage. Always have an approved lock on every compartment of your luggage. Theft from baggage handling services is not uncommon

throughout the world, having a lock not only deters but allows you to confirm that your belongings have not been tampered with.

IT Security In 2015 approximately £115m of business data was lost or stolen which included sensitive and confidential corporate information. With the increased availability of IT equipment and ease of access to cloud storage platforms, business travellers must start to protect their systems even in the basic forms. As a traveller your business and personal information is your prized asset, therefore it’s worth securing your IT systems… onsider the type of bag you carry your C equipment in! You may believe that a high end branded carry case might place you amongst high rolling entrepreneurs, however a laptop backpack is easier to secure and has less appeal for the opportunist thief. onsider a laptop security lock for when you leave C you equipment within your apartment or hotel room. Do not trust that your accommodation is a safe and secure environment. L astly evaluate whether you actually need to take your IT equipment with you, whilst out socially. We are amazed at the number of individuals who take their laptop to the beach and then go for a swim leaving their device covered by their beach towel.

Reduce your profile Conducting a little local research before departing on your business trip goes a long way, ask friends and colleagues about their experiences and establish an environmental picture. www.athenarisk.com 48

General giveaways of a corporate traveller: Wearing expensive watches and jewellery in the hotel bar Wearing expensive formal attire when socialising out of the business setting S etting up a full mobile business desk in either the bar or reception ultiple airline and hotel loyalty cards hanging M from laptop bag

General Situational Awareness We believe that awareness is a choice and the correct choice is to choose to pay attention. The idea of personal security and awareness is not necessarily to transform you into Jason Bourne, but to enable your inner sixth sense. So picture yourself walking along a well-known busy street and you notice that it’s unusually quiet “absence of the normal, presence of the abnormal” What do you do? There is no right or wrong answer here as every situation is different, however you must immediately consider your options and evaluate your contingency plan, which may include: ead straight to a public place (hotel, bar, H restaurant) ake your emergency contacts aware (SMS, M Voice call or even activate a security travel application) Once you make a decision stick to it and do not deviate from your gut instinct. Today’s business executive is completely market industry smart, in closing contracts, manoeuvring projects and operations, however in order to be successful business travellers they must ensure that they are travel smart too.

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Stop the turnover... Joanne Howe

Hello, and welcome to this month’s column. This time around, I’d like to discuss staff turnover and retention. One of the things that points to a company perhaps having issues behind the scenes - and in particular the HR department - is a high staff turnover. Turnover of staff is nothing new, with hrmorning.com reporting in May this year that 31% of new starters leave their job within six months. There are any number of reasons for the relatively high number of staff changes – the same website naming, among the culprits inadequate, or complete lack of training leaving staff feeling thrown in at the deep end, as well as the job not matching the criteria of the job advert. Of those 31% of early leavers, a massive 76% said they wanted on the job training, to allow for real world experience, and 73% said they wanted a review of company policies to let them see just what was expected from them, with clear guidelines and effective training leading the way in terms of what a new starter would expect. So what to do about this problem, which seems to blight all kinds of industries, from retail to restaurants? Well listen of course. As with anything regarding HR, it is a two way street. Yes, you want staff to be at their best to perform, but at the same time, their opinion matters. The numbers don’t lie, so it may be wise to examine your training methods. Is the introduction period too short before throwing staff into the job head first? Perhaps it’s too long, boring staff. Either way, it would be a good idea for you yourself as a manager to get involved – over a third of people said they would rather be given the training by a manager. As always, if you need help or advice on any aspect of your company’s HR get in touch with us at Howe Consultancy. With over 25 years’ experience in the industry, you will be in more than safe hands. To find out more call us on 07921 256981 or drop us an email at info@howeconsultancy.co.uk

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INTERVIEW

Your Eye on the Region

Toby Hedworth Q.C. Head of Trinity Barristers’ Chambers, Newcastle & Middlesbrough

Otherwise, all of Terry Laybourne’s brilliant restaurants, particularly the Broad Chare and Saltwater Fish.

Did you grow up in the North East or did you decide to relocate here in later life? I was born in Tynemouth and until I went to university lived in Whitley Bay. From the age of 8 to 16 I went to school at Tynemouth which involved getting the electric train from Monkseaton to Tynemouth twice a day (coming home for lunch). Having finished the academic side of training, I returned to qualify and practise. I have never regretted doing so.

Where do you like to unwind in the North East? One of the huge advantages of living on Tyneside is that in about half an hour you can be in deserted countryside deep in Northumberland or on a spectacular beach. There’s also St James’ Park, but there hasn’t been a lot of unwinding there in recent times!

What do you think it means to be a businessperson in the North East of England?

Are people really friendlier?

You have a better chance of making a start but you have to work harder to create and sustain a business that can withstand difficult times. There can also be a perception that London, Birmingham, Leeds or Manchester are places to look to: this is a perception that is slowly being corrected. There are just as able, and usually considerably cheaper, specialists in the legal world here in the North East. Testament to this, Trinity Chambers has again been recognised by the leading legal directory, the Legal 500 2016, as a Tier 1 Set, supporting quotes include: ‘easy to deal with and always high quality’, ‘always go the extra mile’ and ‘first class’.

Yes, in my experience. We’re a more open and accepting people. What do you think is the best view in the North East? There are so many. The curve of Grey Street, Bamburgh Castle illuminated in the winter, Durham Cathedral and Castle from the train, the Tyne bridges from Walker Road and, a personal favourite, watching the sun come up over the Farnes from Bamburgh beach. Do you think living and working in the North East offers the same opportunities as elsewhere in the UK?

What is your favourite aspect of life in the North East?

I think that we have to shout louder to be heard and would benefit from political leadership that is not shackled to the past. We have to have greater confidence and belief in ourselves: when we do, I believe we can outperform anybody.

That you belong. Even incomers quickly become a part of the fabric of our society. Do you have a favourite hotspot for a business meeting?

Have you had any experience of working elsewhere and how did it compare?

We are very fortunate in having superb accommodation in The Custom House with a variety of meeting rooms which clients also have the opportunity to use.

I have worked in London from time to time but am not a fan of the travel and lack of friendliness there. I work a lot in Northern Ireland, Belfast has many similarities with the North East: the destruction of industry, social deprivation but a vibrant, positive city with friendly, welcoming people.

Where do you like to eat in the region? Well inevitably I have to plump for my daughter Anna’s Cookhouse in the Ouseburn, which has just been named in the Good Food Guide 2017.

For further information visit www.trinitychambers.co.uk, tel: 0191 232 1927 50

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Nick Smith, Partner and Head of Employment at Mincoffs Solicitors

Which contract of employment is best for my business? Sports Direct have been severely criticised this year following an investigation by the Guardian newspaper and a subsequent BBC investigation and then an appearance by the owner of Sports Direct, Mike Ashley, in June before the Business, Innovation and Skills select committee regarding the working conditions at its Shirebrook warehouse.

In response, on 6 September 2016 Sports Direct announced that it will now offer its directly employed casual retail staff a guaranteed 12 hours per week instead of zero hours contracts. However, not all of the staff at the Shirebrook warehouse will be eligible to receive the guaranteed 12 working hours per week. This guarantee will be limited to the company’s 18,250 casual workers who work at its stores nationwide. This guarantee of hours will not apply to the 4059 warehouse agency workers - with only 400 of the Company’s warehouse employees employed on permanent contracts of employment. So what issues should an employer take on board when considering the use of zero hours’ contracts and agency workers? Zero hours contracts are designed for use when an employer wants to engage a worker on “as required” basis. There is no actual guarantee of work despite the expectation that the individual will be expected to be available for work when this is offered. Some employers provide that an individual worker may be allowed to refuse work on a set number of occasions in a defined period of time. Furthermore, a zero hours contract can also be labelled as a bank contract because the individual worker forms part of a bank of workers who may be called upon to work as required.

The main issue that arises with zero hours contracts is whether (despite any contractual terms stating to the contrary) the individuals are, in fact, employees. From an employer’s perspective, it is therefore important to ensure that the terms of the contract reflects the fact that this is for an individual casual worker; and then to also ensure this is followed up in practice in respect of the actual working relationship in order to minimise the chances of this being interpreted as an employment relationship. Furthermore, since 11 January 2016 employers have been prohibited from using exclusivity clauses in such contracts and employees now have the right to claim unfair dismissal; and workers and employees also have the right to bring a detriment claim if they are dismissed or subjected to a detriment for breaching such an exclusivity clause in a zero hours contract. By contrast agency workers are individuals who sign up with an “employment business” to work for one or more of their clients. Commonly, they are engaged to undertake certain pieces of work or for a specific period of time. However, agency workers can also sometimes be engaged to work on an open ended basis. Genuine agency workers have certain specific statutory rights; and these include: The right to receive the same pay and other “basic working conditions” as equivalent permanent

employees after a 12 week qualifying period. Access to collective facilities and to information about employment vacancies from the first day of their assignment. P otential protection against discrimination by the “employment business” and, in certain instances, by the end user client. E ntitlement to receive the National Minimum Wage. I f an agency worker is an “employed earner” for National Insurance purposes, they will be entitled to receive statutory sick, maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental pay from the “employment business”. I f the agency workers are indeed employed by the “employment business” then they will be entitled to take statutory maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave. P rotection under the Working Time Regulations 1998 and in relation to Whistleblowing. Interestingly, since Brexit one of the areas of law identified by many commentators as being possibly subject to wholescale change and/or possible repeal are the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 which provided these aforementioned specific statutory rights and has caused widespread consternation amongst certain businesses/sectors.

For further information about these issues or any other employment law matters, please contact Nick Smith, Head of Employment, Mincoffs Solicitors on 0191 212 7739 or nsmith@mincoffs.co.uk 52

Moving forward together. Our experts will keep you on the right path.

Our leading employment team provide practical advice on all areas of employment law, including redundancies and restructures, employment tribunal disputes and contracts of employment. To find out more, visit: www.mincoffs.co.uk T: 0191 281 6151 E: info@mincoffs.co.uk

Mincoffs Late Summer Drinks Mincoffs Solicitors hosted a late summer drinks event on 15th September at the Pitcher and Piano on Newcastle Quayside. Attended by clients, contacts and friends of the firm, guests enjoyed canapes and drinks in the late summer sunshine and a wonderful evening was had by all.

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Parental Alienation Cassandra Spenceley, Associate in the Family law team at Ward Hadaway, looks at challenging issues often faced by parents in a family breakdown.

For those who find themselves involved in proceedings before the Family court concerning the welfare of their children, the experience can be daunting and involve complex and controversial issues. The Family court has to decide disputed issues about a child's future by determining what is in their best interests. The welfare of the child concerned is the Court's paramount consideration. It is generally regarded to be in a child's best interests to have a meaningful relationship with both of their parents and both sides of their extended family. An issue that remains controversial but is sometimes referred to in private law proceedings before the Family court is 'parental alienation'. This has been previously referred to as 'implacable hostility'. Cases do come before the Family court where a child or young person simply refuses to have any form of relationship with a parent. Invariably this seems to be with the parent they do not live with and can be against a background of having had an apparently positive relationship with that parent, prior to parental separation.

consideration and is affected by (amongst other factors) their age and understanding. The issue of 'parental alienation' however may be raised in proceedings where it is thought that one parent's views of the other parent are unreasonably negative and do not sit happily alongside the evidence available to the Court as to the child's experiences of that parent. This requires a child-centred approach, with a firm focus on trying to understand the experiences which a child or young person may have been exposed to and how (if at all) that may be affecting their wishes about having a relationship with one of their parents. Where a child is caught between warring parents and indeed where there is evidence that a child is being 'alienated' by one parent against the other, the impact on a child or young person's emotional welfare cannot be overstated. It can prove almost impossible to address a child or young person's wishes and feelings, especially where those feelings have become entrenched, but also where there is concern that the expressed wishes and feelings are being unduly influenced. The Family court does hold a number of tools which it can employ to try and tackle such issues.

There always needs to be a very careful analysis of all the issues in the case and a careful examination of the child or young person's wishes and feelings.

As a starting point, the Court will try and educate both parents as to the importance of the child or young person having positive and meaningful relationships with both parents.

The weight to be attached to those expressed wishes and feelings is also a separate matter for

The Court may give permission for an expert Child and Family Psychologist to become involved in

the proceedings, which can include not only an assessment of the child but also an assessment of the parent(s) psychological functioning. Child Arrangements orders can be made during the course of proceedings, placing an onus on invariably the resident parent to make the child or young person available for contact with invariably the non-resident parent. The Court can also decide to seek the involvement of the child or young person's local Children Services, premised usually on the basis that the child's emotional welfare is of significant concern arising out of their situation. The involvement of the Local Authority ought not to be underestimated and parents on the cusp of such involvement would be well placed to careful review the position they are adopting to see if the issue is capable of resolution by other means â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as attempting mediation. The Court ultimately can also sanction a change of residence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in essence deciding that a child or young person will move to live with the other parent, where it is considered that the child or young person would be able to benefit from a relationship with both parents in the event of such a move. In summary, whilst the term 'parental alienation' remains controversial, there are steps that the Family court can take to ensure that a child or young person has the benefit of a meaningful relationship with both of their parents, provided this is in their best interests.

For more information on the issues raised by this article please contact cassandra.spenceley@wardhadaway.com or call 0191 204 4326 56

CLR Law is a niche law firm specialising in employment law and HR.We provide no nonsense practical advice to a range of clients across the public, private and charitable sectors.

Contact us today. Gateshead International Business Centre,| Mulgrave Terrace, Gateshead |NE8 1AN t:0191 603 0061 e:hello@clrlaw.co.uk.

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Family Matters “We deliver a highly professional yet personal legal service, employing the depth of expertise and experience that being a part of a top 100 full service law firm brings.” Jonathan Flower Partner and head oF Family and matrimonial

Call Jonathan on 0191 204 4376 for a free and confidential conversation. www.wardhadaway.com Newcastle | Leeds | Manchester

”

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Sports Direct - a modern day victorian workhouse?

It has been a tough few months for Mike Ashley and Sports Direct. Following a report from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills earlier this summer describing employment practices in the company as being like a “Victorian workhouse” the company has publically committed to making changes to working practices and working conditions but many in the media remain critical and continue to point out shortcomings.

In addition to looking to improve the plc company’s image in the city and in the media, Sports Direct are also reported to have settled back pay claims for a failure to pay the National Minimum Wage for its employees reportedly at a cost of £1million.

worker would not receive more hours in the future.

Rather than focussing on Sports Direct’s public relations issues, in this article I focus on the potential employment law breaches identified by the parliamentary report which form a useful reminder of some key employment rights for employers.

Sports Direct have now also reportedly offered a guaranteed minimum working week of 12 hours per week for all directly employed shop workers providing some greater job security in the future, albeit criticism remains that a similar policy has not yet been introduced for the mainly agency employed warehouse staff.

Unsurprisingly, the recent working practices report prepared for the Sports Direct Board has recommended that the “6 strikes policy” should be discarded as soon as possible.

National Minimum Wage

Sexual harassment and Health and Safety

Wages for Sports Direct workers fell short of the national minimum wage. Workers were required to wait in lengthy queues at the end of their shifts in order to be searched for stolen goods before leaving the premises. This waiting time was unpaid and was estimated to have led to a 20p per hour shortfall in the NMW.

The parliamentary report also made further criticism of sexual harassment and health and safety breaches including reporting that there were 110 ambulance calls to the Shirebrook warehouse in just over 3 years including one allegation that a worker gave birth in the toilets allegedly for fear of repercussions if she took time off.

It is an easy trap for employers to fall into. Whilst Sports Direct were caught out with employee waiting time, think to yourself; do you pay your employees for the time that they spend travelling to client appointments?

It has been reported that Sports Direct will now implement a confidential reporting system for victims of sexual harassment and a full time nurse will be employed at the warehouse to help with health and wellbeing issues.

Sports Direct have now reportedly agreed to back pay workers approximately £1m in compensation to make up this shortfall.

Conclusion

The “6 strikes and you’re out” rule

The recent spotlight on Sports Direct in the news for their treatment of employees has been fascinating to watch and has been helpful to emphasise the message to all employers that compliance with the law is not only good for compliance and employee morale purposes, it is also important for a company’s reputation. Employers should have clear workplace policies in place and ideally provide appropriate training to ensure that all workers are aware of the standards expected.

An excessively harsh policy was enforced which saw agency workers being given ‘strikes’ for reasons such as “excessive chatting”, “reported absences” and “long toilet breaks”. If a worker received six strikes they were apparently automatically dismissed. As most of the workers were effectively on zero hours’ contracts they had no means of challenging allegations via disciplinary and these strikes were likely to go unchallenged in any event due to fear that the

If you would like advice on an employment law issue, please contact paul.mcgowan@collingwoodlegal.com or call on 0191 282 2880 for a no obligation chat. 58

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Muckle partner recognised at National Awards A Partner at Muckle LLP has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award which recognises the country’s best business turnaround professionals.

firm for businesses, Muckle, for 5 years, secured his place on the shortlist thanks to a number of significant turnaround projects he has overseen in recent years.

Andrew Cawkwell, Partner in the Banking and Restructuring team at Muckle, is one of only four specialists nationwide to be in the running for the ‘Turnaround Practitioner of the Year’ accolade at the TRI (Turnaround, Restructuring & Insolvency) Awards.

Most notably, his involvement in the rescue of Darlington Football Club. The club had suffered three administrations during a ten-year period and the fans were determined to secure the future of the club by bringing it into their hands.

Now in its ninth year, the independently judged TRI Awards celebrate the achievements of experts undertaking outstanding work in corporate rescue, those making critical investments in struggling businesses and those in the field of turnaround and restructuring. Andrew, who is a Solicitor and Certified Turnaround Professional, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for the Turnaround Practitioner of the Year award. It is extremely rewarding to be able to help businesses during times of difficulty. Often this advice is provided behind the scenes for confidentiality reasons. It is therefore fantastic to be recognised for contribution to this space”. Andrew Cawkwell

“I have worked with lots of different companies over the years and there is nothing better than watching them thrive following our guidance and support”. Andrew, who has been with leading North East law

Andrew led a fan based consortium who purchased the business from the administrators in May 2012 and devised the unique structure for community ownership involving a restriction of 15% of equity on shareholders and a Community Interest Company (CIC). He was both committed professionally and personally, even serving as a director of the CIC. Andrew has continued to support the club’s Board of Directors through a series of additional fundraising rounds and has played a key role in breathing life back into the much-loved football club. As well as successes on the pitch, the club has since taken steps to return to playing in its home town, attracted additional highly skilled directors to the board and have secured a significant new sponsorship deal with Virgin Trains. The TRI Award winners will be announced at a ceremony at Hilton Park Lane Hotel in London on Wednesday 19 October.

Andrew Cawkwell, Partner and Certified Turnaround Professional, Banking and Restructuring Team, Muckle LLP e: Andrew.Cawkwell@muckle-llp.com @CompanyRescue

Sandman Signature and Shark Club Gastro Bar celebrate fifth birthday A North East hotel and gastro bar, which was the first of its brand to open in the UK, has celebrated its fifth anniversary. When Sandman Signature Hotel opened at Newcastle’s Gallowgate in 2011 – at the site of the former Newcastle Brewery - it was a pioneering move for the leading Canadian hospitality group. But the decision to choose Tyneside paid off and the four-star hotel’s owners have once again crossed the Atlantic to raise a toast to the venue at a glittering anniversary party. They were joined by guests from across the region for the party on Thursday 8 September – exactly five years after the 170-bedroom hotel and Shark Club opened its doors for the first time.

GBLF Core Services celebrate 1st birthday On Thursday 8th September, Gordon Brown Law Firm’s Core services celebrated its first birthday at Tiger Hornsby in Newcastle with Core clients and friends of GBLF. Core offers bespoke legal advice for SMEs, to help companies take their next steps with confidence. Guests enjoyed drinks and nibbles, as well as the chance to network. GBLF’s Head of Core, Gwen Jones, also gave a speech on Core’s successes in its first year, and plans for the future.

Meet...

He gets his adrenaline rush from jetting off to the French Alps to shred the slopes and enjoy the breathtaking views. Favourite trick - Japan Air. James is one of our solicitors specialising in Property Litigation, Disputes, Enfranchisement and Professional Negligence. Speak to James to see how he can help you, call 0191 389 5187 or email james.godden@gblf.co.uk

Real People. Really great lawyers.

INTERVIEW

This Sporting Life

An interview with

Neil Cameron Neil Cameron is a former athlete who now runs North East based social enterprise Sport Works. At 34 years old, he has already had a long and distinguished career in the sports industry having competed as a professional athlete in the long jump. He later became an elite performance manager for England Athletics at Gateshead International Stadium. Neil now focusses his efforts on engaging young people through sport with Sport Works, offering qualifications in sport for youths of all abilities from their head office in Newcastle and nationwide with his franchise network.

Can you briefly outline to readers what your current role entails? I launched Sport Works in 2009 to improve health and education outcomes for young people through sport. We offer qualifications to those who find it difficult to engage in a traditional classroom environment and work closely with local schools to support their physical education teaching needs. Most recently we’ve been delivering Government backed traineeships in sport to help bridge the gap between education and employment and are currently in the process of developing our own apprenticeship programme. What has been your biggest achievement so far? Even though I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of sporting greats during my time as an athlete, seeing year on year financial growth in the midst of a recession whilst knowing our work makes a positive impact is definitely the ongoing highlight. What’s the best part of your job? I’m very fortunate in that sport is fantastically engaging. The best part of my day is definitely

seeing so many disadvantaged and disabled young people prosper thanks to the power of sport and the work that we do. At the moment we engage with around 2,000 young people each year and this figure keeps increasing. Seeing the positive changes that we make in young people who need that extra encouragement is very rewarding. And the most challenging part of your job? It’s sometimes difficult to get through to young people when they first attend our sessions, especially if they’ve had setbacks or haven’t had much support in the past. You never know what they’ve experienced or where they’re coming from and that can make it challenging to engage them. After spending some time getting to know them and figuring out how to relate to them, you can see the positive impact our work is having which makes it all worthwhile. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given? To not let the highs and lows of running a business interfere with your personal happiness. Keeping a clear divide between professional and personal life is the key to longevity.

What opportunities does the North East provide? We have really good opportunities to inspire people through sport in the North East. There are the three major football clubs, the Newcastle Falcons rugby and Newcastle Eagles basketball teams. Not to mention the recent success North East Olympians like Amy Tinkler, Jack Laugher and Aimee Wilmott, among others, experienced in Rio. Seeing the success of local athletes and the teams behind them is a great motivation for young people in the region to get involved in sport. What does the future hold? We have a clear vision that we have always stood by, to improve health, education and employment skills by harnessing the power of sport. We’re aiming to launch our own apprenticeship programme in the near future, offering a route into employment for young people who might not otherwise get the support they need. We know our work makes a big impact in local communities and will be increasing our national footprint as we expand the franchise network throughout the country. Exciting times lie ahead!

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH

Southfield House Farm, Spring Lane, Sedgefield

Price Guide: ÂŁ1.1 Million Southfield House Farm, set back from Spring Lane, is a fabulous farmhouse dating back to the 18th Century, extensively refurbished by the current owners with high quality interior design and finishes as well as built-in audio sound systems and lovely oak wood flooring. This lovely period property is typical of its era with period fireplaces and beamed ceilings and has extensive accommodation which includes two traditional reception rooms as well as a stunning family sitting/dining room leading from the well-appointed kitchen, a snooker/games room, a study, five double bedrooms and four bathrooms/shower rooms. The private grounds extend to circa 2 acres with open lawns, attractive borders, a small paddock, two detached barns with loose boxes, tack room and storage, and a small field; there is also a separate independent grazing field of 15.25 acres at ÂŁ1500 per annum.

Contact rare! From Sanderson Young on 0191 2233500 ashleigh.sundin@sandersonyoung.co.uk www.sandersonyoung.co.uk 66

STANNINGTON PARK I OFF GREEN LANE I STANNINGTON I NE61 6AT

New phase now open... ...be the first to see

‘ THE VILLAGE’

The Village is the latest phase to be released at this established development of new homes set in a stunning woodland setting. The Village brings new availability to this much sought-after development boasting an impressive range of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes from £189,995.

5 bedroom homes also available from £564,995.

Available

Click: www.bellway.co.uk Call: 01670 789 572 Visit: Monday 12.00pm - 8.00pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 11.00am - 5.30pm, Thursday 11.00am - 8.00pm, Friday - Sunday 11.00am - 5.30pm.

Pictures shown for illustration purposes only and may include optional upgrades at additional cost. Prices correct at time of going to press.

164653 C NE Stannington Pk wc19.9 Collec Mag 273x180.indd 1

23/09/2016 14:55

Bridge House Cadehill Road, Stocksfield

Bridge House is a magnificent, detached, family home in a beautiful private setting. The formal gardens are stunning with open lawns, walkways, sunken terrace, summer house and two separate stone buildings providing garaging and stabling.

Price Guide ÂŁ1.25 Million

Ashleigh Sundin ashleigh.sundin@sandersonyoung.co.uk rare! Office: 0191 223 3500 www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

From Sanderson Young

South Grange Lane Head, Ryton

A fabulous, stone-built, detached villa dating back to the 17th Century, extensively renovated to an extremely high standard. This impressive family home has beautiful period and bespoke design features, a leisure wing and stunning gardens.

Price Guide ÂŁ999,999

Ashleigh Sundin ashleigh.sundin@sandersonyoung.co.uk rare! Office: 0191 223 3500

From Sanderson Young

www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

Lumley Way Great Park, Gosforth

A magnificent detached house located in a quiet location with fabulous, south facing, open views to the nature reserve. This impressive family home has accommodation extending to circa 4075 sq ft and is finished to a high specification.

Price Guide ÂŁ795,000

Ashleigh Sundin ashleigh.sundin@sandersonyoung.co.uk rare! Office: 0191 223 3500 www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

From Sanderson Young

Adeline Gardens Gosforth

A fabulous, three storey, semi-detached family home, deceptively larger than it appears and greatly improved and re-modelled by the current owners. The gardens are stunning with magnificent lawns, beautiful terraces, pathways and borders.

Price Guide ÂŁ750,000

Ashleigh Sundin ashleigh.sundin@sandersonyoung.co.uk rare! Office: 0191 223 3500 From Sanderson Young

www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

PROPERTY INSIGHT

Streets Ahead,

design

& build your neighbourhood home

Grand Designs on TV certainly has inspired most of us to go house-crazy, knock walls down, and replace with clear glass where bricks once were, make our gardens blend seamlessly as part of the interior design scheme, a “HomeMade” home to fit our personal lifestyle needs – that programme certainly has a lot to answer for.

Until recently if you wanted a new home you either bought a new-build home off the developers plans, offering one of five or more styles, or if you had a larger budget, and time (and patience) to become a self-made builder, you designed and built your own grand design referred fondly in the industry as 'self-build'. In 2011, the Government's Housing Strategy for England introduced the term 'custom build housing', but perhaps little has been done to bring this to our region’s buyers attention. What exactly does the term 'custom build' mean? On The Self Build Portal they define self-build as a scheme where a client directly organises the design and construction of their new home. This covers quite a wide range of projects. The most obvious example is a traditional 'DIY self-build' home, where the self-builder selects the design they want and then does much of the actual construction work themselves. But self-build also includes projects where the self-builder arranges for an architect/ contractor to build their home for them; and those

projects that are delivered by kit home companies (where the self-builder still has to find the plot, arrange for the slab to be installed and then has to organise the kit home company to build the property for them). Many community-led projects are defined as self builds too – as the members of the community often do all the organising and often quite a bit of the construction work. Some people have summarised self-build homes as those where people roll their sleeves up and get their hands dirty by organising or doing the physical work themselves. Custom build homes tend to be those where you work with a specialist developer, like Carillion Igloo at HomeMade. Chris Brown Executive Chairman of Carillion Igloo says: “HomeMade at Heartlands in Cornwall is a UK first – we’re giving purchasers the opportunity to design and build their new home from the ground up in a pioneering Custom Build community which has sustainability at its heart. Chris Brown continues: “Custom Build is already well established in countries such as the

Netherlands and has arisen from the need both to hit government housing targets, but also there is a one size fits all approach and HomeMade allow purchasers to pick every little detail from the exterior look of their property to the internal layout and from the quality of fixtures and fittings”. A pioneering new breed of custom build developer has emerged over the last two years, and these organisations are inspiring us to the next generation of homes – they handle everything from securing or providing land in the first place, through to managing the construction work and they can also refer suitable finance products for you. This is more of a 'hands-off' approach. Some people are concerned that by going to a custom build developer you'll get less of a say in the design and layout of the home you want. But this really is not the case; a good custom build developer like Carillion Igloo and their HomeMade homes, will be able to offer a bespoke home and tailor the internal layout to perfectly match your requirements.

For more information on locations where custom made homes are on offer across our region please contact The Property People at URBAN BASE on 0845 6431186. 70

URBAN Base We didn’t invent exceptional property service. We just deliver it! Contact us to arrange a FREE property consultation today - Sales, Rental & Urban Interiors www.urban-base.com NEWCASTLE 65 Quayside Newcastle City NE1 3DE

DURHAM 61 Saddler St Durham City DH1 3NU

MARKETING SUITE Number Fourteen Maling Street NE6 1LP

SALES & RENTALS • LAND & NEW HOMES SPECIALISTS • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • FINANCIAL SERVICES • INTERIOR DESIGN

PROPERTY INSIGHT

George Bond

It’s all about the attention to detail with interiors and noticing something new every time; whether it be detail found in cabinet work or intricate embroidery on fabric. Designing interiors is like creating a work of art...

In this particular project we combined traditional design and American décor with a touch of modern. In order to do this the internal layout of the property was completely re-designed resulting in a complete reconfiguration that saw a number of walls and rooms removed. This enabled us to dictate the flow and positioning of rooms whilst keeping the interior decoration in mind. With the ground floor, we decided to create a free flowing hallway which would be made up of three areas; the entrance area, seating/library area and conservatory. When entering the house; first impressions are jaw dropping as you look down the hallway and out onto the garden. The elegant staircase with hints of polished brass situated in the entrance area is quite a talking point, accompanied Tel : 0191 281 7799

”

Ray Watkin

“

An Award Winning Interior by George Bond Interior Design

by a flower design taken from the staircase which is hand carved into the stair carpet that runs the right side of the stair case. Lighting is key in any interior and that was certainly the case for this hallway; by using recessed target and low level lighting connected to a RAKO lighting system, we were able to program each light source individually creating the best overall lighting effect possible. The panelling which runs throughout the hallway, inspired by traditional English style panelling, was hand painted using six different shades of white giving depth. The stunning American cherry wood flooring gets richer and more detailed as time goes on; a forever changing aspect. This interior won the five star award for best interior design via the International Property Awards. email: ray@georgebond.tv 72

www.georgebond.tv

twitter @GeorgeBond_

PROPERTY INSIGHT

Enjoy a taste of exclusivity at popular durham housing development For buyers looking to become a part of one of the most exclusive addresses in Durham, Mount Oswald on South Road provides the perfect opportunity. David Wilson Homes North East has recently announced the launch of 105 new homes on The Drive at Mount Oswald, priced from £244,995 to £524,995, alongside the beautiful range of homes available on phase one of the luxury development. The new phase of homes at The Drive, is perfect for growing families, offering a range of three and four bedroom detached and semi-detached properties. The first of the new homes available to buy is the Fairway, a three-bedroom semi detached home with a single garage. Also available is the Bradgate, a four-bedroom detached family home. The Avondale is another four-bedroom home on the development, well suited to growing families. Whilst homes on phase one include the Tunstall, a four-bedroom detached home with a double detached garage, as well as the Evesham, an impressive five-bedroom home with a stunning entrance hall. Each of the new homes at Mount Oswald is available to buy using David Wilson Homes’ innovative Part Exchange scheme. This means that buyers can avoid any estate agent fees and aren’t part of a chain, making the moving in process much faster and alleviating much of the stress that often comes with moving home. Steven Ball, Sales Manager at Mount Oswald, commented: “Location is, of course, one of the main factors that buyers look at when purchasing a new home. Mount Oswald offers a fantastic setting for growing families, in one of the most exclusive addresses in Durham – just two miles from the city centre. We saw huge demand for the first phase of homes at Mount Oswald and we’re already seeing this happen again with the release of the second phase, so we would advise potential buyers to act fast to become a part of this exciting development. Savvy buyers can also make the most of our Part Exchange scheme, meaning that they can easily be in their new home before winter.” Mount Oswald sits two miles from Durham’s vibrant city centre, as well as offering easy access to Newcastle and Teesside. Even with it’s close proximity to the city, the development will also offer homeowners a taste of country living, with stunning views of the Durham countryside surrounding the properties. To find out more about Mount Oswald or to book an appointment, please visit: www.dwh.co.uk/mountoswald

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PROPERTY INSIGHT

Looking for new business premises? Bradley Hall is here to help

Finding a commercial property can be challenging, with many unsure where to start. Richard Rafique, Director at Bradley Hall chartered surveyors and estate agents discusses how you could benefit from expert help when it comes to acquiring a property for your business.

There are a range of reasons why you may find yourself looking for a commercial property, whether you want to relocate an already established business, start a new venture, expand into larger premises or downsize. You could be looking to either buy or lease an office, warehouse, retail unit or land. Whatever your requirements, an expert property acquisition service could help you find the ideal space whilst also ensuring you make an informed and beneficial investment. The process of finding and acquiring a commercial property can be time consuming, stressful and costly. Time is usually of the essence where business is concerned, so at Bradley Hall we have a dedicated team to ensure that all of our property services are time and cost effective. Our team of Surveyors are experts in their field, and are always up to date with important legislation, market activity and matters which could affect your purchase. Having an expert working on your behalf will ensure each step is completed efficiently and professionally.

In Bradley Hall’s 27 years of providing property services to commercial clients we have been very successful in acquiring properties on favourable terms and values on behalf of numerous clients, including large corporate operators, funds and individuals who are investing. We also dispose of existing premises in the most cost effective manner on behalf of clients. With our extensive databases of available properties, intimate market knowledge and close network with local agents, we are able to source the most suitable opportunities for our clients, often on an ‘off market’ basis. We are able to present exclusive opportunities which are appropriate for each client’s budget and requirements. During the acquisitions service, we work closely with clients to define the parameters of their exact requirements whilst sourcing all suitable accommodation, undertaking inspections and preparing a detailed report with specific recommendations. Going so far as to project managing the entire process, we oversee viewing arrangements and undertake full negotiations. We

secure the most advantageous terms, which can result in considerable savings for clients across the length of their tenancy, or save on their purchase. Throughout my time at Bradley Hall, I have been a highly proactive agent, working closely with clients to acquire and dispose of premises in accordance with their objectives and requirements. In all projects we liaise closely with solicitors and other professional parties, we present a swift and smooth conclusion to the legal process and also go as far as coordinating fit-outs if required, ensuring the space is suitable for occupation. Our team of expert valuers is also headed by Richard and provide valuation advice for various major financial institutions and pension schemes. One of our most recent investment acquisition projects saw the £2.4m purchase of a South Tyneside shopping centre by a North East business consortium, which is now set to be redeveloped and occupied by a range of national and local businesses. No matter the size of your business or investment, we can help you every step of the way.

For more information on Bradley Hall please visit call the Grey Street office on 0191 232 8080 www.bradleyhall.co.uk 74

STANNINGTON PARK I OFF GREEN LANE I STANNINGTON I NE61 6AT

More of everything inside.

This prestigious development offers a traditional village setting with 4 & 5 bedroom homes boasting a high level of specification.

NEW SHOWHOMES COMING SOON

Inside : †

• Roca sanitaryware • Steam oven • Warming drawer • Wine cooler cabinet • Appliances including a coffee maker and an additional freezer in the utility • Allowance towards ‘Hammonds’ wardrobes • Bi-fold doors on selected plots • Motorised double garage doors

Everything and more outside.

Outside: • Excellent gastro pub/ boutique hotel on your doorstep • Beautiful landscaped boulevards • Desirable location for access to local schools • Acres of open space including a communal recreation area • Excellently situated for access to the A1 • Miles of walks starting right from your doorstep • A short distance from the award winning Northumberland Coast • Stunning rural landscapes • Set in the heart of Northumberland

All this from only

£449,995 Part Exchange available*

Click: www.bellway.co.uk Call: 01670 789 572 Visit: Monday 12.00pm - 5.30pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 11.00am - 5.30pm, Thursday 11.00am - 8.00pm, Friday - Sunday 11.00am - 5.30pm.

Prices correct at time of going to press. Images are for illustrative purposes only and may include optional upgrades at additional cost. *Bellway reserve the right to refuse a Part Exchange, terms & conditions can be found at www.bellway.co.uk/special-offers/part-exchange. †Specification varies between plots and is subject to change and availability.

PROPERTY INSIGHT

Lucky You Duncan Young of Sanderson Young finds lessons to be learnt from Olympic preparation. The fabulous Rio Olympics remind us that dedication, natural talent, great coaching, relentless training, self-belief and a total focus on winning are what creates a gold medalist. Luck comes last on the list, for Olympians can’t rely on luck. Instead they have to depend on things they have control over. A 16th century proverb says, ‘Diligence is the mother of good luck’. And it is diligence that wins gold medals. If selling houses were an Olympic sport who would you wish to represent you? An inexperienced, poorly trained, badly equipped person whose ethos is cutting costs and, in the main, relying on luck? Or would you prefer a professional armed to the teeth with an impressive array of features, benefits, experience and training, all designed to help you get the most from your sale? Sadly there are lots of competitors entering the race for your business and offering cheap fees for a cheap service. DUNCAN G YOUNG

Did the highly successful GB cycling team cut costs? No it did not. It did not put top riders on their parents’ old bikes and then hope that everyone else in the race would get a puncture. Instead it invested in technology. It invested in training. It invested in people. It invested in success. No stone was left unturned in preparing to come first. Winning a gold medal can be a life-changer for the recipient. But it can never be left to luck. Too much is at stake. Winning at selling your property can be a life-changer too as your home is so much a part of your life. It provides shelter, it helps sustain your family and it helps you to build security and wealth. It helps you win in life. So when you are deciding who will represent you in selling your home check out the competitors, weigh up their past successes, their experience, their desire to win and their complete disregard for luck - because the best make their own luck and that will be lucky for you.

Managing Director Sanderson Young T: 0191 2233500 E: duncan.young@sandersonyoung.co.uk

Chapter Homes at Eden Field Chapter Homes is a new housing developer based in Durham and has just opened its doors to the public at its flagship development site located at Woodham Way in Newton Aycliffe. What a fantastic couple of months this has been for Chapter Homes, with our first housing development of 125 homes officially opened in August. That launch weekend we saw around 250 potential buyers come to see for themselves the quality and range of choice available as they took the opportunity to look at our elegantly decorated show homes. On the morning of the launch weekend, there is always a little apprehension, we are a new company, we have created a space where we want people to call their home and most importantly we want people to see us as being a little bit different to the mainstream housebuilders. We wanted our flagship scheme to be special and to be one which we are continually proud of, Woodham Way at Newton Aycliffe seemed like the perfect choice for such an ambitious development. This combined with a range of exceptionally designed homes and prices to attract both first time buyers and those aspiring to larger family homes, we hoped that this would really get people talking. Buyers noticed that there were large grassy areas and a tree lined boulevard planned, giving a fantastic openness to the development. I was personally blown away by the level of interest we had and continue to have, to know that people see what we have to offer and want to live on the development gives me and all of the Chapter Homes team a great deal of pride. With reservations now being taken, Eden Field is proving to be extremely popular and many new purchasers are looking forward to spending Christmas in their new homes. Our Show homes are open from Thursday until Monday 10am until 5pm, please pop in and see Sophie our Chapter Homes Sales Manager who I know will be delighted to show you around. URBAN BASE are sales agent for Chapter Homes, Tel:0330 3530056 76

MEDIA NEWS

Vicki Stone Marketing appointed by Northumbria police Vicki Stone Marketing has recently been appointed to work with Northumbria Police to launch a new recruitment campaign to support their 2016 officer recruitment drive. In August 2016, Vicki Stone Marketing launched Be the Difference, an integrated advertising campaign promoting the benefits of joining Northumbria Police. The campaign features real operational officers showing a wide variety of roles including firearms, dog handlers and 24/7 officers on the beat. The campaign utilised out of home media including Tyne & Wear Metro escalator posters, Metro carriage cards, bus backs and rears. The campaign was reinforced with a radio campaign on Heart FM and Capital FM.

NE Digital experts rebrand with London expansion A team of Newcastle-based digital and surveying experts has expanded to open its first London operations under a newly formed umbrella group. Digital Surveys, along with sister companies Digital VR and Digital Architecture have rebranded under Luminous Group, a pioneering 3D technology solutions provider, with operations now in the capital. Luminous Group, which now has 15 staff members across the two offices, lists Google and Land Rover among its client list that it provides 3D digital solutions to. While maintaining its headquarters in the Toffee Factory in Newcastle’s Ouseburn, its new London operations are located on Winsley Street, in the heart of the capital’s West End. Humphrey Hardwicke has been installed as Creative Director in Luminous’ London site. He will head up all new VR projects for the group.

Roundhouse brands noodle bar for 21 Hospitality Group Creative communications company The Roundhouse is behind the branding of Tyneside’s newest Asian kitchen KO SAI. Located in the newly redesigned Fenwick Food Hall, KO SAI offers some of the most popular street themed dishes taking inspiration from South East Asia. The Roundhouse worked closely with partner and restaurateur Terry Laybourne to create both name and identity. Nick Pugh, Creative Director at The Roundhouse, said: “This was a very exciting opportunity for us, not only to extend a long relationship with the 21 Hospitality Group but also to create something fresh set in the context of a radically redesigned Fenwick Food Hall.” The Roundhouse, celebrating 21 years this year, specialises in branding, digital and film.

round TABLE

Unwritten transforms Seven Stories into a Harry Potter haven Branding agency Unwritten is helping Harry Potter fans immerse themselves in the world of wizards and spells at Seven Stories by recreating one of the books’ most iconic locations. As part of major refurbishments at Seven Stories, the national centre for children’s books, Unwritten has created life-size versions of Jim Kay’s stunning full-colour illustrations for Diagon Alley from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Coinciding with the recent launch of J.K. Rowling’s play and script, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the seventh floor attic has been transformed into the wizardry shopping area. The team at Unwritten have also created graphics to guide visitors around the building as well as trails to use in the school holidays, including a Harry Potter Dragon Egg Hunt.

PR and marketing solutions for business. • Media relations • Stakeholder management • Community affairs • Employee engagement • Profile and reputation • Crisis communications

www.roundts.co.uk call 01670 338 390/391 | email: joanne@roundts.co.uk

MEDIA INSIGHT Sarah Hall

Driving organisational success: public relations as a management discipline Last year I launched #FuturePRoof, a crowdsourced book and community with the bold ambition of asserting the value of public relations.

The aim was to kick start the biggest conversation ever about the future of public relations and underline its role as a management discipline driving business growth. The initiative has been a huge success, so much so that a second book, #FuturePRoof: Edition Two, has followed hot on its heels. As before, the book is a best practice guide for anyone in the communications business, but this time it draws together over 40 practitioners at the top of their game from around the world in a series of 39 essays. The first #FuturePRoof guide secured over 2,500 sales and downloads. Within a week, #FuturePRoof: Edition Two has already been ranked among the top ten books on Kindle variously in management, sales and marketing and public relations. Helping public relations professionals make sense of change A key strength of #FuturePRoof: Edition Two is that it helps public relations practitioners make sense of the changing world around them, while providing an eye to the horizon. Topics include audience insight, influencer relations, tools and technology, as well as agile strategy and business models. Examples of the contribution of practice to public affairs, marketing, investment and crisis, are all cited. Challenges such as planning and measurement are tackled. Staff engagement and employer advocacy – and the tools you can use to achieve this – is a key theme.

Other chapters focus on emerging technologies like livestreaming, augmented and virtual reality and artificial intelligence and how these can be used by public relations practitioners today to organisational benefit. The opportunity is there for PR; we just need to take it Many of the themes are consistent with Dr Jon White’s book How to Understand and Manage Public Relations published in 1991. Twenty-five years on, public relations is experiencing something of a resurgence in confidence thanks to technology and new forms of media. Thinkers and doers are working together to create projects such as #FuturePRoof, building on work of previous generations. Professionals recognize that if public relations is to be taken seriously as a management discipline, they need to close their competency gaps in order to provide strategic advice at management level.

What’s more, the industry is waking up to the fact that if the public relations team is guiding organisational strategy, it makes common sense for other disciplines to answer to the PR function within the corporate hierarchy. This is a fundamental change, although one that has yet to gather pace. Ultimately the industry has a lot to offer, and is a great place to be. According to the PRCA PR Census published this summer, the sector is worth £12.9 billion and growing by about ten percent each year. Everyone working in the business ought to think about where the industry is heading next and upskill accordingly in order to capitalize on the opportunities continuing to come our way. Both editions of #FuturePRoof are available in hard copy via www.futureproofingcomms.co.uk. #FuturePRoof: Edition Two is available on Kindle via tinyurl.com/j8ocm4z.

To be part of the conversation follow @weareproofed and join the #FuturePRoof community on Facebook

A birthday celebrated intensely!

Thanks to everyone who has helped us celebrate our tenth birthday and raise £15,000 for three North East charities. Here’s a snapshot of some of the things we’ve done this year so far!

Creative Digital Marketing wearetheworks.com #TheWorks10

MEDIA INSIGHT Christian Cerisola

Bake Off defeat highlights BBC’s need for change The Great British Bake off is moving from BBC to Channel 4. You’d think aliens had just eaten all our children.

The grief and outrage that our midweek comfort blanket will be swiped from collective laps and shifted three channels along has dominated the news. The BBC couldn’t compete financially with the Channel 4 package and the show’s producers have run off into the sunset on a horse worth about £10m more than the BBC could afford. There’s a sense of crazy irony that the detractors of the BBC, those competing media outlets that insist its funding is cut and our licence payers pound be spent more carefully, are now the very same so upset that the BBC has let this one go. The Great British Bake off has become a national treasure in a way only us Brits could. It’s a show about sturdy bottoms and perky peaks, of charming country scenes and tea ‘n’ scones. It’s so delightfully British that we couldn’t help but fall in love with it. But now the BBC, a national institution in itself, isn’t in a place to be able to hang onto such treasures. Along with the likes of the British Open Golf, which it also had to let go this year, it just can’t compete. As wonderful and as big a supporter I am of the

BBC, it surely has to review its operations in order to survive. What the BBC offers for its nominal annual licence is vast. Compared to an average of what people might happily pay monthly for Sky or other providers like BT or Virgin, the value proposition is with the BBC. But with others, you get to pick and chose what you want. Keen on the sport? Pay a premium. Want all the films? That’s extra. BBC’s remit is enormously wide, but even its most ardent fans cant possibly consume it all. As good a value as it is, its akin to going into a restaurant and being asked to pay for the full menu. “Waiter, I only had the fish.” “Yes, but everything else was available to you, sir.” Last month the BBC closed a loophole that had been exploited by many for some time. Now you need a licence to view content on the BBC iPlayer. It’s

a paltry acknowledgement from the Corporation, policed in ways that still aren’t entirely clear, that viewing habits and methods of consumption have changed dramatically. But more needs to be done. Match of the Day presenter Gary Linker has often argued that were football fans to willingly pay £30 or £40 per month to the BBC like it does to Sky for all the amazing coverage, then it too could produces 24/7 sports coverage across multi channels. So the BBC – and us, the licence payer – must accept that the way we now consume our media, is very different to when there were no more than a couple of other channels to compete with. Through social, through online media and through digital TV we can bespoke our preferences. We chose to consume, follow and read exactly what we want when we want without the need for any wastage.

The BBC, despite the impressive enormity of its outputs, needs to change how it operates before its left with nothing to offer us but

soggy bottoms.

Christian Cerisola is Director at Newcastle PR agency Glue PR. www.gluepr.co.uk 80

MEDIA INSIGHT

Countdown to Christmas

You may like to do your shopping on Christmas Eve, but leaving your Christmas marketing campaigns to the last minute could leave you disappointed. Here, Mediaworks shows you how to make Christmas the most wonderful time of the year for your business.

Summer has only just ended yet we’re already turning our attention to Christmas 2016. While it’s too early for tinsel, preparing for your festive campaigns now is essential if you want to reap the benefits later.

identify areas for improvement. Make sure page titles are fully optimised around target keywords to boost rankings and write meta descriptions to improve click-through rates from the search engine results pages.

Last year, UK retailers took £24 billion in the eight weeks between 1st November 2015 and 1st January 2016. With 27% of retail sales now taking place online - a figure that’s expected to grow by 11% this year - here’s how to perfect your digital strategy and claim your share of the sales:

Creating copy to help support the user journey is also important. Before they make a purchase, users may look for more information about a product to ensure they’re making the right choice. Creating informational content, such as how-tos and reviews, will increase the level of trust between you and your customers and help answer any queries they may have that are preventing them from making a purchase.

Identify targets Perfect planning produces perfect results, so you’ll need to thoroughly consider what your campaign will be targeting this year.

Perfect paid search Paid search is especially important over Christmas as it helps to direct users with clear purchase intent to your site. As 1 in 4 UK consumers start their Christmas shopping before Halloween, you’ll need to prepare early to enjoy success.

Focusing on your bestsellers is a tried and tested approach - if Christmas jumpers sold well for you last year, you’ll likely be able to build on the success this year. Select a few carefully chosen target products or categories and focus your attention on maximising their return. After all, with the right attention and dedication, less can be more.

75% of online shoppers start their search on one device before switching to another. Making sure your campaigns are optimised for desktop, mobile and tablet users will help you maximise conversions and win customers.

Review your content

Google’s local inventory ads are set to make a big impact this year too. The ads show users the stock that is available in local stores. A huge 64% of in-store sales are influenced by digital, so this type of ad could be crucial in securing sales from on-the-go Christmas shoppers in your local area.

Everyone wants an iPad for Christmas. You sell iPads - but so do thousands of other retailers. How can you make your site stand out? By reviewing your existing content on your chosen target pages, you can

Need help perfecting your Christmas digital marketing plan? Contact Mediaworks at info@mediaworks.co.uk or call 0191 404 0100. 82

MEDIA INSIGHT

Read all about it - pr, marketing and the press

Marketing, so says the Oxford English dictionary is “the action of business promoting and selling products and services, including market research or advertising.” While our friends from the publishing house seemingly have the definition down to a tee, what they fail to see is the relationships that can make the difference between marketing being a booming success or a damp squib. One of these is the relationship between journalists and marketing. This is where PR comes in.

relationship between PR and the press is vital.

Although many mistake PR and marketing for one and the same, there are subtle differences. In an article for website The Muse, Alex Honeysett says – “marketing handles advertising, PR handles press.”

In an interview with a member of the JAM team, award winning Travel Writer and Freelancer Mark Nicholls revealed the number of releases he receives is often in three digits and that he has developed an eye for sifting out the good from the bad.

While a marketing company and copywriter can write a ton of top quality press and news releases, ultimately it is up to the journalists to decide what goes to print and what does not. This is why the

On that point though, it is vital that all news releases are well written and not simply blatant advertising material. Journalists regularly receive multiple press releases a day and in an industry where time and deadlines are as tight as they have ever been, many are simply glossed over.

“When I see press releases, I can tell which are useful and which are fluffed up adverts in seconds.

www.jam-marketing.co.uk 83

As a journalist I don’t have time to sift through hundreds of duds. Solidly written, newsworthy stories stand out from a lot of the glorified adverts I and other journalists receive daily. There are some key words in there. If I see exciting in the introduction, I know it will be anything but.” Yes, deep down news releases are promoting a company and journalists know this. But they will not publish, or in many cases, as Nicholls said, even look at things which are in your face advertising – which is why they should be written as news. After all, they are going into print as news articles. Press releases are just one aspect of PR that we specialise in at JAM Marketing though and If you need any help with any aspect of your marketing get in touch with us on 0845 900 2127 or drop us an email on info@jam-marketing.co.uk and see what we can do for your business -who knows, you might even get in the papers.

Until next time

MEDIA INSIGHT

Evolution not revolution - JDDK rebrands Award-winning architectural practice Jane Darbyshire and David Kendall (JDDK) Ltd have rebranded to JDDK Architects with the launch of a new website on September 7.

JDDK Director, Nicky Watson, explained the rationale behind the rebrand, ““For almost 30 years the practice’s reputation has been built on quality of design and service, with a passion and keen eye for the craftsmanship of construction. Those aspects of the practice remain as important to us and our clients as ever. However, times change and the range of work we undertake and the buildings that we design today were not being represented by the old brand. Whilst we all felt deeply attached to the existing brand, we also knew it was no longer a true reflection of the practice in 2016 and beyond.”

In discussions with their marketing agency, Silver Bullet Marketing, JDDK commissioned Papyrus Research for professional market research who interviewed all the JDDK personnel and a selection of their clients and contacts to discover how both groups felt about the practice’s service and brand. The results were discussed and analysed in great detail and were vital in developing a forward looking business strategy for JDDK. The analysis also highlighted the importance in reviewing how the practice projected who they were and what we do and was incredibly useful in contributing to a detailed brief for Silver Bullet who went on to create the new brand for the practice.

“For a while we had also been aware that our website needed updating (it had been designed back in 2008) and in fact the discussions began back in 2015 when, together with our marketing agency, Silver Bullet Marketing, we began talking about a new website design. We knew that the website needed to better represent who we are and the work we do today, as well as be responsive to different forms of viewing devices. However rather than jump straight into the design of a new brand and new website we decided to inform the process by first reviewing how we perceive ourselves, how we communicate and work with our clients and partners, what they see as our strengths and weaknesses and what are their priorities for an excellent service.”

Nicky Watson continued, “Earlier this year, the agency presented their design work to us which included not only the new logo but also how this would transfer to our new, fully responsive web site, the new look newsletter and all our presentation material. We were delighted - the new brand met our design brief brilliantly and most importantly because we had undertaken the market research at the outset it was evidence-based design, just as much of our work is.” “Many of us at JDDK have been here for all or much of our professional careers and have been “brought up” with the diamond logo that our new graphic design replaces, so the decision to change was not taken lightly. The new design, whilst still being a monogram, is fresh and contemporary and does a www.jddk.co.uk 84

great job of representing our current work and our personality as a practice – the process has been one of evolution rather than revolution which feels just right to us” John Dias of Silver Bullet Marketing, added, “From a marketing view, this was almost a text book case of why and how to re-brand – the initial doubts leading to robust market research which formulated a fairly precise brief to ourselves of what was required. The resulting designs were presented and amended and the end result is a brand reflecting the practice’s heritage, present and future work.” Soo Darcy of Papyrus Research, commented, “The entire team at JDDK and all clients who contributed to the research were a pleasure to work with. We met with the team at the outset of the project to ensure we fully understood their aims for the research and for the practice, and addressed any questions or concerns. From this we developed a ‘360 degree’ methodology, listening to the views of staff, clients and other partners. Their candid feedback gave us a lot to work with in terms of informing JDDK’s ongoing strategy and providing the building blocks on which to create a brief for Silver Bullet Marketing’s design team. It is a real delight for any researcher to see a firm engage so readily with the research process and use the results to benefit the practice for years to come – JDDK has done just that.”

MEDIA INSIGHT

Ask Silver Bullet Mark Brooks

“

I’ve read with interest your answers to some complex questions ranging from Re-branding to Public Relations, but mine’s fairly simple - I want to increase pupil numbers at our school - how do I attract them with a limited budget?

Whether we’re talking about a state school or a private school here, in essence, the challenge and possible solutions are the same. The private sector has long realised that they have to market their services in a fiercely competitive market but with the changes in the education system, including the growth of Academies and Free Schools, both of which receive public finance but are independent of Local Authority control, state schools now realise too they are in a competitive market place where their funding depends on pupil numbers. It’s all about influencing the decision makers so the first question to answer is who exactly are these – the pupil, the parents, the wider family and friends or the peer group? In the majority of cases, it’s a mix. Whilst we have in the past written about the need for content consistency in marketing messages, it’s important to realise here that the emphasis on the messages to different groups needs to change – parents may give priority to location, safety, exam results etc, but pupils and their peers may have different preferences including facilities and how the school is viewed by their peers. In addition, the various groups are susceptible to different media. Schools are only now coming to terms with the power and potential dangers of social media – pupils and parents have realised these for much longer. Whilst traditional advertising in printed media may reach parents and extended families, it’s unlikely to have a large

”

younger audience who will be more influenced by social media and broadcast channels.

how you can help them and they will reciprocate as brand ambassadors.

Of course, there are some marketing tools that span all target groups with PR, direct mail and outdoor media coming particular to mind. Positive messages about school pupils, staff and facilities, whether these be exam, sports or community success, are incredibly powerful influencers, so my first advice would be for a pro-active PR campaign to publicise the school through traditional and digital media. However, this would also include a Crisis Management strategy ready for any negative publicity which could damage the school’s reputation – hopefully, it will never be required, but best be prepared…

The much derided direct mail is another tool I’d certainly consider and don’t just aim it at parents – remember, mail is a novelty to many of the younger generation as they never receive any – invest in design and creative content to make it distinctive, original and attention grabbing.

Part of the PR would be Events and Community Involvement. Looking back to school days of yesteryear, you realise how pathetic the Open Days/Evenings really were – bored teachers with tired displays - now I’d be looking to really make them something special to show off the school’s facilities and abilities, be these climbing walls, football matches, fashion shows, gymnastic displays, dance and drama etc – anything that differentiates your school from others. Involving and interacting with the local community and then publicising this results in another set of positive influencers while also giving pupils a taste of real life. You need your local community more than they need you so take the time to get to know

Outdoor media is seen by all groups – public transport advertising, banners across school gates, posters in shop windows etc are cost-effective ways to get your message across with a consistent content that reflects messages on your other marketing channels. You also need to carefully consider the timing of your campaigns to coincide with the ‘Choice’ periods in which parents choose schools for their children at different stages of their education, including 6th form provision. Your Open Events will be already timed for these periods so make sure your marketing investment backs them up. But, possibly of more importance than anything else is your own marketing collateral – your website, your prospectus, your newsletters and anything else that the school puts out into the public domain. Do they really reflect the values of your brand or are they tired and produced at the last minute by staff who have other jobs to do – if it’s the latter, then maybe think about sourcing some external assistance.

Do you need to some assistance with your marketing? Do you need to review your strategy or do you have another marketing question we can help with? Talk to us. Email your questions anonymously to us today hello@silverbulletmarketing.co.uk or Tweet us (not so anonymously) @SilverBulletPR and use the hash tag #AskSB 85

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

New appointment supports growth for expanding technology firm Fast growing North East business technology company Synergi has strengthened its team with the appointment of an experienced IT professional. Mike Brett joins as Support Team Leader, bringing more than 12 years’ experience and expertise in Microsoft technologies to the role, after having worked in senior positions for other companies

including local engineering firm, British Engines. He will lead and develop Gateshead-based Synergi’s support team as well as take on day-today responsibility for the delivery of IT support services to customers migrating to new cloudbased Microsoft Office 365, SharePoint and Nintex technologies. Mike will also be given operational duties, leading

his team and overseeing its development and growth alongside implementing service standards. Peter Joynson, Managing Director of Synergi, said: “It’ll be great to have Mike on-board at this time of growth and success for the firm. He will ensure our customers have the best possible ongoing care experience and help maximise their investment in modern technology.”

Business and IT consultancy increase profit A business and IT consultancy experiences six-fold increase in profit and is looking for the brightest and best to share in its success. Durham-based Waterstons has received exceptional growth in the last year, recruiting a further 25 staff over the same period. The business, which has been trading for 22 years, now employs 105 staff across two locations, its head office in Belmont Business Park, Durham, and an office near St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Waterston’s Chief Executive, Susan Bell, said: “We are always looking out for excellent people and now that the business is enjoying growth at a rate of 13 per cent, enabling it to reach a turnover this year of £7.2m, recruitment has become even more of a priority.” The company is holding a recruitment open evening event on Wednesday 5 October from 4pm until 7pm. No registration is required, simply turn up on the day at Waterstons, Belmont Business Park, Durham, DH1 1TW.

Kykloud appointed to deliver IT Solution North Shields based Kykloud has been chosen to deliver the IT solution for the most comprehensive data collection exercise planned by the Education Funding Agency, one of the largest ever undertaken in the UK public sector. The property asset management software, designed and built in the region, will be used to support the delivery of the Education Funding Agency’s planned Condition Data Collection (CDC) Programme which aims to visit around 22,000 schools in England over the next three years.

Kykloud’s SaaS (Software as a Service) product will be used by teams of surveyors to collect independent centrally managed condition data about the statefunded school estate in England, in order to obtain detailed data to target condition funding for schools in Parliament. Kykloud is a cloud-based and fully accessible building surveying and asset management application that has been used across many sectors and projects. The company has become one of the fastest growing property technology businesses in the region.

Ready to reduce costs and achieve more from your IT spend?

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TECHNOLOGY INSIGHT

Kykloud Looking to Grow its Team One of the region’s most successful Software as a Service (SaaS) businesses is looking to grow its workforce. Kykloud the property asset management software business used on some of the most famous iconic landmarks in the world is looking to boost its north east software team to meet the demands of ongoing client growth and realise its ambitious growth plans.

The North Shields based business has doubled its turnover year on year and now boasts clients all over the globe who utilise its market leading software to better manage their property portfolios. The SaaS business which was set up in 2011 by chartered surveyor Ed Bartlett and former head of technology at 4Projects Nick Graham to provide property owners with access to a mobile application to improve the way in which data is collected from and used to manage large scale property portfolios, is now used by asset managers, owner occupiers and surveyors alike across a wide range of sectors worldwide. The application which has been designed and built here in the region has recently been chosen by the Department of Education to deliver the IT solution for the most comprehensive condition data collection exercise planned by the Education

Funding Agency – the largest project of its kind in Europe and one of the largest ever undertaken in the UK public sector. Kykloud will be used to support the delivery of the Education Funding Agency’s planned Condition Data Collection (CDC) Programme which aims to visit around 22,000 schools in England over the next three years, prioritising an estimated £50bn of repair and maintenance expenditure. On the back of such high profile large project wins and its ambitious growth plans to develop its business in strategic locations around the globe, Kykloud is now looking to build upon its 25 strong team and is actively looking for talented software engineers keen to join a leading SaaS business. Nick Graham, Co-Founder and CTO at Kykloud said: “Kykloud is now a hugely respected industry player and is used by some of the largest surveying and

asset management companies around the world to manage high profile property portfolios. The product is versatile and hugely scalable which is why it has received so much industry interest and is how it can be used to better manage portfolios as varied as The Natural History Museum to The Shard. However to maintain our competitor advantage and ensure that the product continues to lead the industry we need to build upon the strength of our talented team and bring in additional technical resource.” Nick who has been a key part of a growing technology business in the past added: “I know from experience that joining a growing tech firm at this stage in its development with such trajectory growth provides an amazing opportunity for ambitious software professionals and we are delighted to be able to serve up such opportunities here in the North East.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the opportunities available should contact careers@kykloud.com 88

TECHNOLOGY INSIGHT

Top Five Managed Services Myths Debunked

Recent years have seen a gradual shift towards the uptake of managed IT services models where a partner looks after some or all of the client’s IT requirements, as the cost, efficiency and security advantages have become more sharply defined, helping organisations maximise their IT investment.

In our capacity as a leading provider of ICT managed services, who have invested millions in high speed communications links, hardware, software and infrastructure, we come across the same reservations time after time from clients unsure about the options, and how the models work. The simple answer is that your managed services model can work in any way you want it to, whether you have an in-house IT team or not. Here are just a few of the managed services myths debunked.

You will almost certainly find that the efficiencies will far outweigh the costs. Your prices will be fixed and predictable, as you are only paying for what you need. Extra financial benefits come in the shape of freeing up in-house staff from mundane but essential tasks such as backups, recovery and storage, leaving them free to focus on projects that add real financial value to your business. There is also a huge value of having an extensive number of support professionals across a number of disciplines at ITPS that you are able to call upon as and when required.

We will lose control. This is definitely not the case. With a managed services model you choose which elements of your IT will be managed in-house, and which areas would fall outside of the contract. For instance you could opt for ITPS to manage systems admin and security while your in-house team look after support, or we might provide a managed helpdesk working in partnership with your in-house team, or our team could work alongside your IT manager to implement the strategy that he or she creates. ITPS very much believes in a partnership approach with shared ownership.

We could be pushed in a direction we don’t want to go. Quite the reverse. While we don’t encourage our clients to jump on the bandwagon of every new and untested technology, we become your IT conscience by monitoring performance, offering insight and bringing new ideas to the table to boost performance and ROI, while you retain the choice about future directions. Our team works across a 500-strong client base and many of the principles behind the solutions and projects we have implemented for them can easily be applied cross-sector, so you benefit from our experience.

It’s an expensive way to manage our IT function.

It will be disruptive to change models. It doesn’t www.itps.co.uk 89

need to be. Your managed services partner should work with you to create a migration plan involving little or no disruption. Fair enough, you may need to do some staff training, or implement some new processes, but the gain will far outweigh the pain. We already have enough in-house expertise. Maintaining a workforce with high levels of expertise and the right range and depth of expertise across all disciplines and in the face of constant technology developments is expensive. As a managed services partner our clients have access to a pool of senior level technical experts across a broad range of specialisms, so they never have to worry about keeping pace with emerging technologies that could benefit their business. Managed services can be the ideal approach for organisations looking to remove the headaches involved in IT management, while maintaining a flexible and resilient infrastructure that can adapt alongside the needs of the business. If we have whetted your appetite for a new and more efficient approach to managing your IT, contact us now for a chat about how we can help. Paul Anderson, Operations Director, ITPS

E D U C AT I O N I N S I G H T

The future looks bright for Newcastle School for Boys Newcastle School for Boys, Newcastle’s newest independent school, celebrated its tenth anniversary year with its best ever GCSE results, this summer. position now with an established Senior School and Sixth Form. The School has seen its position strengthen in recent years due to a continuous improvement in results at both GCSE and A Level. Mr David Tickner, Headmaster, said of the results: “We are really delighted with the boys’ results. The boys have made the most of their potential with the year group becoming our most successful at GCSE.” “These results haven’t come without a lot of hard work from our staff and the boys supported by their parents so everybody should feel very proud. This year group are a real asset to the School with the majority heavily involved in the wider life of the school. The year group is made up of some very talented boys, not only academically but also in sport, music and art. It was great to see so many of the boys back again at the start of the academic year to start their sixth form studies with us.” The majority of the boys now go onto study at the School’s sixth form in a wide range of A level subjects, with thoughts already turning to their future prospects beyond the School. Founded in 2009, the Sixth Form has seen continuous growth with its alumni going onto great achievement. Boys at the School achieved a 100% pass rate with 59% of those GCSEs awarded top A* and A grades in the summer’s public exams. These results place the School significantly above the national average figure of around 23%. The success was shared across the year group with a third of all grades awarded A* and over 60% of pupils achieving A* grades. This comes at a time when GCSEs are becoming increasingly more challenging. The results are a cause for extra celebration for the School which, last year celebrated its tenth anniversary year. The School has seen significant expansion since its formation following the merger of two prep schools in 2005, to its

“It’s great to see our Sixth Form going from strength to strength at a time when we are planning some exciting new developments and hoping to expand our sixth form provision.” Mr Tickner said. “Boys in our Sixth Form enjoy being taught by teachers who are passionate about their subjects. That really makes a difference to their learning and really shows in their results. Whilst we are growing, we are, and will remain, a relatively small Sixth Form, allowing the boys individual attention and support from their teachers and tutors. This means that our boys get the most from their learning, and also in their wider personal development so they really do leave us very well prepared for the next stages of their lives.”

Newcastle School for Boys will host their Junior School Open Day on Saturday 1st October and Senior School Open Day on Saturday 8th October, 10.00am to 12.00pm. For more information, please visit www.newcastleschool.co.uk

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Tel: 0191 255 9300

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INTERVIEW

Michael Grahamslaw (ex pupil) and Gordon Taylor meet

Paul Quinn Headteacher, Longbenton High School

A school can be judged on many things; attitudes of pupils and staff alike, the pastoral aspect of the ethics of all concerned but the building structure plays an equally important role in helping to create atmosphere and a comfortable, welcoming environment for all concerned to work and study in. The newly constructed Longbenton High School has an environment any educational establishment would be envious of.

From what was frankly an old fashioned and dilapidated 1950’s establishment, the phoenix which has risen is nothing short of astounding. Paul Quinn, Headteacher of the school, has worked his way through every level of teaching to finally have ultimate responsibility for the future of the school. “The old building was really tired but what really matters is what happens inside a school, so when we built the new facility we were conscious to avoid instances where fantastic looking schools have been built but the culture within them isn’t right.” Previously the buildings occupied a scattered complex, but since the school opened to students on September 7th this year everyone is enjoying being under one roof and the change has been phenomenal. There is now a collegiate feel between staff who, in the days prior to the new facility would not see their fellow teachers for days. It is beneficial to pupils also, who no longer have to spend up to ten minutes getting between classrooms. Working closely with the developers and the government funding agency, the EFA, was instrumental in achieving a smooth transition from the old site to the new. During the construction, the existing school continued to function around the building process, with pupils seeing the progress on a daily basis until completion. The central location of the building was the perfect and most accessible place to locate the new construction. Other areas could have been utilised

within the original complex but placement at the end of Hailsham Avenue was always the choice for the site. Paul is highly enthusiastic about the reaction of the pupils and staff alike: “Everyone loves the new location, pupils are buzzing about their environment and are now used to it. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive; they respect the building, respect staff and each other and staff love the facilities, particularly the new things to aid their teaching. It couldn’t have gone better in all respects.” To compliment the new environment, much investment has gone into new Clever Touch screen technology, which are akin to large wall mounted ipads, state of the art facilities for science and www.longbenton.org.uk 92

technology and an overall upgrading of resources to enhance the excellent teaching provided. The school has gone through a step change. The building is important but the transformation of everything to do with the teaching, pastoral activities and such like has altered the culture of the school for the better. It’s a completely different way of working which is massively beneficial. There is fundamental change in the attitude of students, and that can only be positive in the learning process. A new building is important but it’s what that new facility has done to boost aspirations which will ultimately benefit students, staff and community. Expectations have gone through the roof, making the future extremely bright for Longbenton High School.

Everyone should have the chance of a great future. Come and see what our new school can offer. If you'd like to arrange a visit contact...

E D U C AT I O N I N S I G H T

Sacred Heart Catholic High School & Sixth Form Once again the students at Sacred Heart have excelled and produced the school’s best ever A level results. The overall figures are amazing with 1 in 3 grades A*/A, and 2 out of 3 grades A* - B. The average grade achieved was a B with 88.8% A* - C. This is a phenomenal achievement for both students and staff alike.

Top A-Level Results for the Class of 2016 These wonderful results mean that once again our students are now on their way to the best universities and apprenticeships. We are rightly proud of all our students, however as always there are some notable achievements. Joanna Ward and Orla Miller both achieved A*, A*, A*, Joanna is now on her way to Cambridge to read Music and Orla will study Modern Languages at Bristol University. Katie Forsyth was awarded A*, A, A, A and secured her place at Oxford to read German and Arabic. Danielle Gilbert secured A*, A, A and a place at Durham University to study Law, as well as being an incredible swimmer for our region. Also studying Law at Durham will be Caryn Pitkethly who achieved A*, A, A. Amy Baird our Head girl for 2015-2016 and also an outstanding sports woman, has gained a place at Loughborough University to study Sports Science. Lessica Magnaye and Dhanya Stephen have secured places to study Medicine. In an increasingly competitive field for nursing and teaching, Cailin Sample is leaving us to study

midwifery at Northumbria and Jane Doolin will be studying Early Year and Primary Education. Finally, Amy Hawkins successfully competed with many young people in our region to secure a prestigious apprenticeship at Ernst and Young. Headmistress, Mrs Bath said, “At Sacred Heart we want our students to have the very best opportunities for their future lives and these excellent examination results will open doors to the careers and the futures our students aspire to. We are all immensely proud of their successes this year. There is no doubt that this is down to a lot of hard work and great teaching. I would personally like to congratulate all of our girls and wish them every best for their future careers.” GCSE 2016 Once again the GCSE results for Sacred Heart students were excellent. The average grade was a B and 1 in 3 grades were A*/A. This year the new Progress 8 measure is being used by schools to

www.sacredheart-high.org 94

compare how well their students make progress when compared to students in the average schools. At Sacred Heart, students made almost half a grade better progress in every GCSE they studied which is a tremendous achievement. Finally, 78% of our students gained at least a C grade in both English and Maths Six Sacred Heart Girls are Rio Olympians! There has been great excitement across our Sacred Heart network of schools as six young women who attended Sacred Heart Schools in the USA, Canada and Mexico participated in this year’s Rio Olympics with two winning medals including Katy Ledecky who won four gold medals and a silver in swimming for the USA. Speaking on the USA TV network EWTN, Sister Suzanne Cooke reflected that it is the very nature of Sacred Heart Schools that has led to such wonderful success at Rio. Girls in Sacred Heart schools are fully encouraged to develop their gifts and talents and use these to fulfil their potential in whatever field this might be.

E D U C AT I O N I N S I G H T

Sacred Heart Catholic High School & Sixth Form...Continued Platinum: The highest 'Arts' accolade awarded to Sacred Heart Catholic High School We are very proud to have been awarded the Platinum Artsmark Award, and as the first secondary school in the North East to be awarded platinum status, Sacred Heart Catholic High School has been recognised as a regional leading light for all our work in the 'Arts'. Artsmark proves our commitment to high quality arts and cultural education and as the Arts Council England’s flagship programme, it is the national tool that enables schools and organisations to evaluate, strengthen and celebrate their arts and cultural provision. Artsmark is endorsed by Ofsted, the Department for Education, Department for Culture as well as Media and Sport. This award is testament to our amazing students and staff who go above and beyond in so many areas of our school: our teachers who unlock the potential of their students, developing their character and talent while our girls benefit from high quality arts and cultural provision. Our platinum status rewards the fact that we deliver excellence and constantly plan new and exciting ways to increase our Arts offer, in a current climate where some ‘Arts’ subjects are being squeezed out of the curriculum in other schools. Throughout our Artsmark journey we have continued to develop our already strong relationships with a range of companies like Northern Stage, Theatre Royal Newcastle and the Royal Shakespeare Company. We are proud of our association with these professionals.

F RO M T H E H E A D M I S T R E S S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S S T U DY

F RO M T H E H E A D M I S T R E S S ’ S S T U DY

Michael Grahamslaw meets

Catherine Jawaheer Headmistress of Westfield School, Newcastle

deal with and manage the inevitable stress of exams and achieving the results they aspire to through pastoral care. One of the great benefits of sending your daughter to Westfield is that music, creative arts and sport are in abundance, irrespective of the constraints the national curriculum may put on state schools. These are all fantastic ways of alleviating teenage stress, in addition to the support and guidance our school counsellor provides.

What was your background prior to joining Westfield School? The majority of my career over the last 27 years has been in education, teaching or managing in a variety of state and independent schools. I have also spent a number of memorable years working in the education department at Lincoln Park Zoo and the Historical Society in Chicago, USA. This was a fantastic experience as it really complemented my skills and interest as a historian and as an educator.

What plans do you have for Westfield School?

I also hold a number of ‘extra-curricular’ roles, including sitting on the Girls’ Schools Association Education Committee and as an ISI inspector.

Since joining Westfield School we have already invested in a number of improvements to both the Junior House and the Senior House, and this work is ongoing. Our proposals for a new gymnasium have been talked about widely, and we remain as committed to this project as ever. As a self-funding school, set in a Conservation Area, we are mindful of the challenges a project such as this presents and are working with stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome is achieved without compromising on the quality of education and experience we provide for our students.

Why did you choose Westfield School? I had been Deputy Head and Head at two other independent girls’ schools previously and I was attracted to Westfield due to the similar size and ethos. The North East in itself is a big attraction, having lived here for six years previously. Westfield is a great community with the warm family atmosphere, it means that I know each pupil and parent by name... well almost! The holistic approach to educating girls, combining tradition and innovation, opening their minds through extra-curricular activities and getting them to their desired destination – academic success – was very appealing.

Our strategic plan this year is threefold; we have just launched the Westfield Scholarship, and are looking at additional opportunities to further support students in education; we have extended our catchment area to cover parts of Northumberland and North Tyneside where parents and students may be experiencing some instability and uncertainty about their education choices, and are providing bus services to bring students to school; and we are working on a number of projects to widen our reach into the community to ensure our girls are able to access the very best in terms of influences and networks as they make their transition from student to employee.

What do you consider to be the most important aspect of education? Academic excellence and intellectual and personal growth are at the very heart of what we do and we are proud to have been ranked top five in the Independent Schools Council league tables for the 2016 A-level results. Our GSCEs are excellent, and our SATs results are exceeding national rates for English, Maths, and Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling.

Where will you be in twenty years’ time?

However, we are more than aware that students’ development is not confined to the classroom - the experience we provide girls is so much more. Being educated at Westfield means a personalized and individual curriculum, including academic and sports, with additional opportunities to take part in regional, national and international excursions and work with a range of charitable and business organisations to help them become independent and rounded individuals prepared for the world beyond Westfield.

Education is very much a work-in-progress, as it’s about how our girls grow academically and personally to become the independent, capable and confident employees and employers in the world beyond school, college and university. I also have a personal workin-progress; my husband and I have a project to build a children’s hospital in Mauritius. Together, we will be taking our health and education knowledge, skills and experience to help those who are otherwise less fortunate.

It’s also crucial to ensure that students are supported and able to

www.westfield.newcastle.sch.uk 97

E D U C AT I O N I N S I G H T

The buzz of being back at school summer holiday, but they’re ready to get back to it. In those few days before term, the building’s busy as teachers prepare classrooms and support staff finish off the repairs and get all those lists and timetables printed out. Within days, though, you might imagine that we’d never been away! Getting back up to speed is hard! As the first full week ends, teachers and pupils alike look a little shell-shocked. But in truth batteries have been recharged over the summer and there’s a huge reservoir of energy on which we’ll draw for many weeks to come: we’ll need it! September is a time of new things: new intake at various ages; new sports or activities to try; new subjects to tackle; clean new books to read or to write in; new friends to make; old friendships to be reignited and strengthened.

You can always tell the school year’s started in September: it’s that moment when the weather turns glorious and gives us some of the English summer that failed to arrive in July and August! No sour grapes, though. In every school in the land, I think, there’s a freshness and excitement about the new school year. Boys and girls come to school eagerly, though perhaps with some trepidation, in their smart new uniforms, all

slightly oversized to allow for growth. The school itself smells of paint, repair, improvement and new equipment and books. Above all, there’s a buzz of anticipation. It comes from the staff too. People enjoy their long www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk

The enthusiasm of the young is infectious: all of us, teachers, receptionists, administrators and support staff are caught up in that explosion of new-year energy. After all, school is all about the kids: they are the reason we do the jobs we chose.

Have a great school year! redhouseschool.co.uk

I would like to invite you to experience Red House. Red House is an exceptional school offering a truly unique and bespoke education. I am delighted to be leading this school in such a beautiful setting and would love for you to come and see us in action. At Red House we are very proud of our: • Small class sizes • Unique family atmosphere • Extensive co-curricular activities • More focus on learning, less focus on testing • Bespoke and tailored education

• Academic Excellence • Flexible wrap around care • Open 50 weeks of the year with Holiday Club • Extensive bus service • Competitive fees

The best way to appreciate life at this fantastic school is to experience it first hand. I would welcome the opportunity to meet you to discuss Red House and its exciting future. Please do get in touch if you would like more information or to arrange a visit. With best wishes, Headmaster

US DURHAM B W O S ER V IC E N LE B A A V A IL INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 3-1 6 The Old Vicarage & 36 The Green | Norton | Stockton-on-Tees | TS20 1 DX T: 0 1 6 42 55 8 11 9 | E: claire.bellerby@redhouseschool.co.uk

EXCITING

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Unrivalled facilities. Exceptional education. Join us at our open events to find out more. Junior School Saturday 5th November Senior School Saturday 12th November Sixth Form Wednesday 16th November

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newcastlehigh.gdst.net Admissions 0191 2016511

ma keting: it’s as much about education as it is about communication We develop and deliver bespoke strategies through communications, business development and stakeholder engagement to improve clients’ performance. If you want to educate your audiences about your business, get in touch to discuss the results you’d like to see.

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Centre of Excellence for Dyslexia

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MOTORS INSIGHT

The Snow Dogs are here! The Great North Snowdogs are finally on the loose! Let out of their kennels to take up their positions across the Tyne and Wear and Brighton and Hove areas.

Snowdogs By The Sea in Brighton, featuring Smart Vibes which is sponsored by Lookers

Rover Codex which can be found at Northumberland Park, North Shields.

Rosa Canina, which can be found in Newcastle City Centre and is sponsored by The Botanist eatery

Fans of Raymond Briggs’ ‘The Snowman and The Snowdog’ have been wagging their tongues in anticipation for the start of the Snowdog trails, and now, at long last, the fictional four legged creations are in place and ready for you to seek them out. Both Great North Snowdogs and Snowdogs By The Sea have been launched by public art initiative Wild In Art, which, over recent months, has been tasking local artists to come up with their own interpretation of the magnificent mutt for public display. And, now that the dogs have taken pride of place on their plinths, it’s time for you to track them all down. And to give you a head start the organisers have come up with a mobile app that lets you track down the entire pack, ticking them off as you go. You can find it on the ‘Yapp’ Store I’m told. Not only do the paw-fect pooches look amazing, they’re also helping to raise vital funds for St Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle and Martlets Hospice in Brighton, with local businesses and organisations doing their bit by sponsoring each of the dogs. The trails run until 29th November in Tyne and Wear and 27th November in Brighton and Hove. After this, the sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for the hospices.

Hounds Tooth, which is sponsored by department store Fenwick

One of the most eye-catching creations is ‘Tails of the North East’, which is the work of artist David Maguire and is sponsored by nationwide motor retailer Lookers. Standing proud at Newcastle Civic Centre, the multi-coloured mongrel uses a mosaic pattern to depict some of the North East’s most striking scenes, including the Angel of the North, Tynemouth Priory, Penshaw Monument and, of course, The Great North Run. Heike O’ Leary, marketing director at Lookers, said: “We’re very proud to be supporting such a creative and inspiring project and are more than happy with our choice of Snowdog, which is both eye-catching and says so much about the fantastic attractions we have here in the North East. I recommend everyone to get out there and find as many Snowdogs as they can.” ‘Tails of the North East’ is a perfect example of the creativity that the project has inspired in the artists taking part, with other notable Snowdogs including the Paddington Bear inspired ‘Pawdington’ at the Customs House, South Shields; the very fruity ‘Snowberry’ at Newcastle Quayside; the glittertastic ‘Disco Dog’ at The Sage Gateshead and Duke Street in Brighton; the far-out ‘Spocky Dog’ in Washington Galleries; the very cool Mod Dog

Lookers sponsored Tails of The North East at Newcastle Civic Centre

at Brighton’s Churchill Square and the beach ready Horatio – the Bathing Beauty at East Street, Brighton. The project has also gained the support of one of the UK’s foremost DJ’s, Brighton resident Fat Boy Slim, who has contributed directly by teaming up with local artist Ryan Callanan to create Boomer, the boom box dog (no doubt complete with subwoofers). There are a total of 61 Snowdogs in Tyne and Wear and 44 in Brighton, so there’s plenty to get out there and see. It’s a project that has certainly given the Raymond Briggs character a new ‘leash of life’ and has already caught the imagination of the public who have downloaded the app in their droves as well as uploaded their ‘Snowfies’ to the Great North Snowdogs Facebook page. #GreatNorthSnowdogs. You should also keep an eye out for packs of smaller Snowdogs that have been designed by some very talented school children in both areas. So, what are you waiting for? Art, dogs, 2 fantastic charities. What’s not to love? Oh, one more thing, please don’t sit on the Snowdogs. I know it’s very tempting for ‘snowfie’ purposes, but I’m told it can prove hazardous to their health.

(PS I make no apawlogies for the pawful puns used in this article). www.lookers.co.uk 103

MOTORS INSIGHT

Award-winning SUV Ateca model takes centre stage at Jennings

The new Ateca is on display and available to test drive at Jennings SEAT in Middlesbrough.

The anticipated wait is finally over for customers of Jennings SEAT, part of the multi-award winning Jennings Motor Group, who are wanting to get their hands on SEAT’s first SUV – the new Ateca.

dual-zone climate control, cruise control, electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors and rear parking sensors.

To mark the arrival of the latest model at Jennings SEAT last month, customers were invited to the Middlesbrough-based dealership to see and test drive the Spanish manufacturer’s very first SUV model.

A range of technology is also available, including SEAT’s Full Link (three-inone connectivity solution for smartphones and tablets), in addition to an upgraded infotainment in the form of Media System Plus with eight-inch colour touchscreen, USB/Aux-in-port, SD card slot, eight speakers, voice control and Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free system.

Officially unveiled at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, the new Ateca is set to make SEAT a strong competitor within the SUV segment. Craig Johnson, franchise manager at Jennings SEAT in Middlesbrough said: “The launch of the very first SUV model marks the start of a new era for SEAT. We are delighted to be able to offer the new Ateca, which has already won Best Crossover title on its first appearance in the Auto Express New Car Awards, to our customers.

Craig added: “We were extremely encouraged by the volume of enquiries the new Ateca was generating ahead of the model arriving at the dealership. Since its launch, the level of interest has continued to grow with customers booking test drives and wanting to experience and explore the model for themselves.”

“The latest model offers powerful fuel efficient engines and the latest SEAT technology, as well as boasting a sharp-looking exterior and spacious interior profile.

For added peace of mind motoring, the new Ateca has obtained a 5-star Euro NCAP score using the new, more severe 2016 test regime which demands vehicles must pass an increased number of tests. Advanced accident prevention systems have been fitted to all versions as standard and have proven to be highly effective. In addition, this safety programme also evaluates the lane keeping, Lane Assist system, which is also available on the new Ateca.

Priced from £17,990, the new Ateca comes with a choice of five model derivatives, including the Ateca S, SE, SE Technology, First Edition and the rangetopping Xcellence. Engines range from a 1.0 TSI 115 PS and 1.4 ECOTSi, to a powerful 2.0-litre 190 PS.

Other models in the SEAT range and available to test drive at Jennings SEAT’s Middlesbrough-based dealership, includes the Mii, Ibiza, Ibiza ST, Ibiza CUPRA, Toledo, Leon SC, Leon ST, Leon X-PERIENCE, Leon CUPRA and the Alhambra.

The entry level S has all the essential kit for a growing family or young-atheart couple. Stylish exterior lines are complemented by 16-inch ‘Design’ alloy wheels and LED daytime running lights. The interior includes air conditioning, Media System Touch five-inch touchscreen with USB and SD connectivity, leather steering wheel and gearstick, in addition to split-folding rear seats with reclining function.

The dealership is also Motability accredited, which allows customers who are eligible for a brand new motor through the Motability programme, to take advantage of a three-year leasing contract. Customers who purchase a new or quality used car at Jennings SEAT, can also take advantage of a range of aftersales facilities, including service, MOT, an accident repair centre and parts.

The SE level offers an array of comfort, convenience and style features, including

For more information about the range of products and services at Jennings SEAT, call into the Cargo Fleet Lane dealership, contact 01642 204040, or visit www.jenningsmotorgroup.co.uk 104

Introducing the New Ford Edge 4WD

New Ford Edge 2.0 Duratorq TDCi Zetec 4WD (180 PS) • 19” alloy wheels • DAB radio/CD player • Dual-zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control (DEATC) • Ford SYNC3® with voice control and colour touchscreen • Rear view parking camera • Quickclear windscreen • Traffic Sign Recognition • Lane Keeping Aid • 3 years Manufacturers Warranty†

ONLY £28,995 SAVE £1000 RRP £29,995

Order yours now at Jennings Ford! STOCKTON, Yarm Road. Call: 01642 632 200 MIDDLESBROUGH, Cargo Fleet Lane. Call: 01642 240 055 GATESHEAD, Eslington Park, Dunston. Call: 0191 460 7464 OPEN HOURS: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10.30am-4pm.

www.JenningsMotorGroup.co.uk

The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the New Ford Edge are Urban 44.1 (6.4), Extra Urban 52.3 (5.4), Combined 48.7 (5.8). CO2 (g/km) 149. Standard EU test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results.

This offer supersedes any previously advertised offers/discounts. Subject to availability. Retail customers only. Model year restrictions may apply. †1 year Manufacturers Warranty and no fee customer option of 2 years extended warranty. Car not necessarily as illustrated. Offer ends 31st October 2016. E&OE.

ARTS NEWS

A dramatic season of opera at Newcastle Theatre Royal! production of Suor Angelica to offer a glimpse of hope and redemption.

Opera North comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal this Autumn with an intensely powerful triple bill. It will feature a revival of Strauss’s comic masterpiece Der Rosenkavalier and a new production of Britten’s rarely performed masterpiece, Billy Budd, before heading into darker territory with two of Puccini’s compelling one-act operas, Il tabarro and Suor Angelica.

Equally thought-provoking is Britten’s Billy Budd. A tale of distrust and betrayal set on a naval ship, Britten’s haunting opera provides an insight into innocence versus evil and the corrosive nature of power. Opera North has also announced forthcoming productions of Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella and The Snow Maiden at Newcastle Theatre Royal in March 2017.

Der Rosenkavalier pits the intensity and eagerness of romantic young love against the wisdom of age and experience. Similar themes can be found in Puccini’s Il tabarro and Suor Angelica. Il tabarro tracks the rapid disintegration of marriage into violence and despair, leaving it to Michael Barker-Caven’s new

Der Rosenkavalier will appear at Newcastle Theatre Royal on Wed 2 and Sat 5 Nov 2016, Billy Budd for one performance only on Thu 3 Nov and the Il tabarro/ Suor Angelica double bill will be shown on Fri 4 Nov.

The Bootlegs are Back! The Bootleg Beatles are delighted to announce their December 2016 tour of the UK as they, along with their renowned string and brass ensemble, will visit fifteen cities. Since their inception in 1980, the band have performed hundreds of gigs across the globe, earning themselves an amazing reputation along the way. The late George Martin himself described the Bootleg Beatles experience as “a terrific show”, while the Mail On Sunday hailed their “mind-boggling accuracy”. Formed from the original cast of London’s West End hit show Beatlemania, The Bootleg Beatles have become an institution in their own right with their note-perfect recreation of hits from every era of the world’s most famous songbook. Every tiny detail is meticulously covered from costumes to authentic period instruments. The band will come to Newcastle City Hall on Saturday 10th December 2016.

Box Office: (0191) 454 1234

Mill Dam South Shields NE33 1ES www.customshouse.co.uk

“Let your event take centre stage” Weddings, Conferences & Events 106

ARTS NEWS

What’s on this October? The Season Ticket October 1 Northern Stage T: (0191) 230 5151 www.northernstage.co.uk Mary Poppins October 1 – October 29 Newcastle Theatre Royal T: (0844) 8112 121 www.theatreroyal.co.uk Simon Weston CBE “My Life, My Story” October 2 Whitley Bay Playhouse T: (0844) 248 1588 www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk One Man, Two Guvnors October 4 – 8 The People’s Theatre T: (0191) 265 5020 www.peoplestheatre.co.uk Sunny Afternoon October 4-8 Sunderland Empire T: (0191) 566 1040 www.peoplestheatre.co.uk

Theatregoers set to benefit from new technology app Ordertorium, a new technology app, was rolled out at Sunderland Empire on Tuesday 26th September 2016, giving customers the opportunity to enjoy a cold beverage, ice cream or snack without leaving their seat.

theatre, giving patrons the option to pre-book and pay for a range of drinks and snacks either from home or from the comfort of your seat in the auditorium. A member of staff will then deliver direct to the seat pre-show and during the interval.

The app, which successfully runs at Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) West End theatres, has now launched at Sunderland Empire just in time for the autumn season.

To take advantage of free seat delivery with no queues and best value on a range of drinks and snacks, you can download the app for free by searching ATG on the Apple App Store or via Android App on Google play.

The app can be downloaded ahead of arrival to the

Record of the month -

The Beatles ‘Live at the Hollywood Bowl’

Recorded over three shows in 1964 and ’65 at the height of Beatlemania, this live album is yet another reminder of just how good The Beatles really were. 17 tracks in length, the record coincides with the release of The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years, Academy Award-winner Ron Howard’s authorized documentary feature film about the band’s early career and life on the road. Live at Hollywood Bowl perfectly captures the humour, raucous energy and musical dexterity that characterised their live shows and the subsequent pandemonium that ensued in the crowd because of it. The excitement provoked by the band has been preserved yet thankfully a lot of the shrieking has been tuned down meaning the band can be listened to clearly and at volume. Music producing maestro Giles Martin, who has very much picked up where his late father George left off, has expertly remastered the tracks at Abbey Road Studios and the recordings demonstrate the connection between band and audience. A true testament to their live act prowess and a must for any Beatles fan. The Fab Four fly again!!

Rolling Back The Years October 5-6 The Custom’s House T: (0191) 454 1234 www.customshouse.co.uk Footloose: The Musical October 11-15 Sunderland Empire T: (0191) 566 1040 www.peoplestheatre.co.uk The ELO Experience October 19 Newcastle City Hall T: (0191) 277 8030 www.newcastlecityhall.org The Four Tops & The Temptations October 20 Sage Gateshead T: (0191) 443 4661 www.sagegateshead.com ABC October 22 Newcastle City Hall T: (0191) 277 8030 www.newcastlecityhall.org Nickelback October 25 Metroradio Arena T: (0844) 493 6666 www.metroradioarena.co.uk Bad Company October 27 Metroradio Arena T: (0844) 493 6666 www.metroradioarena.co.uk Rebecca Ferguson October 27 Sage Gateshead T: (0191) 443 4661 www.sagegateshead.com Jake Bugg October 29 Newcastle City Hall T: (0191) 277 8030 www.newcastlecityhall.org

“More than just a theatre” Box Office: (0191) 454 1234

Mill Dam South Shields NE33 1ES www.customshouse.co.uk

THEATRE CINEMA RESTAURANT EVENTS GALLERY 107

ARTS INSIGHT

Feng Shui your office with artwork

Feng Shui is more than 3,500 years old and originates from Chinese Astronomy. One of the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics it brings together the ‘invisible forces’ that bind the universe together: Fire, Water, Earth, Metal, and Wood, otherwise known as ‘qi’.

It was typically used for spiritually significant buildings, such as tombs and spiritual buildings, and in the 1960s it was suppressed in mainland China during the Cultural Revolution. However, today it gains in popularity in the modern world – with a split between those who follow it and those who don’t. I come from a family who are very down to earth, so I naturally struggled to believe in this ‘nonsense’. I don’t know whether it works as such, but having Feng Shui’d my own office recently I do know that it looks fabulous and it feels right. If you haven’t tried it yourself, try it with just one room. It will cost you very little as you will no doubt already have the five elements somewhere in your house, and just stand back and admire your work! From an art point of view, we can help with any of the elements, or a mixture of the elements. It all depends on the purpose of the painting and the element you are trying to have as a focus.

For instance, if you are a dentist you will probably want the relaxing element of water or earth as your focal point, rather than fire! If you are in a sales team where you need your staff to be full of energy and focus, it would work the other way around. A large focal piece of artwork or series of artworks throughout your office, with the appropriate colours can help to make you, your staff, and your clients feel how you would like them to feel - and the team at Commission an Artist can help you all the way. The Feng Shui colours are: Fire: red, orange, purple, pink, yellow. Use Fire to provide energy and help you to achieve recognition in your industry. Water: blue and black. Water is for abundance, calmness, purity, and freshness.

Having done it myself, I do actually feel as the old masters would have us believe. It has harmonized my environment and I feel very positive about my work. Whether that has come from the Feng Shui or other aspects in my life I’m not so sure – the jury is still out. However, the room looks very professional, yet with my own personal touches and I love my new office! Helen Johnson, Commission an Artist. Commission an Artist are professional and experienced project managers, so to get them involved visit www.commissionanartist.co.uk www.twitter.com/uk_artists www.facebook.com/commissionanartist

Wood and Earth: brown, green, beige, light yellow. Wood symbolises growth, vitality, health, wealth and prosperity. Metal: white and grey. Use Metal to provide efficiency, clarity, and focus in your office.

For more information please contact us by - Tel: 0800 298 7673 Email: info@commissionanartist.co.uk www.commissionanartist.co.uk 108

TRAVEL INSIGHT

Machu Picchu, the civilised way! by Travel Writer, Ken Spearen Visiting Machu Picchu in Peru has, for some reason, become a very trendy thing to do. Many consider it to be the reserve of young gap-year students or back-packers who are prepared to rough it getting to this remote place. But it really doesn’t have to be that way as my wife and I recently proved. We are of an age where our creature comforts are very important to us so when a cruise-and-stay travel opportunity presented itself that incorporated both Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls and a cruise-and-stay around South America including Rio pre-Olympics, it was a no brainer for us. by impenetrable rainforest, it remained undiscovered by the Spanish and totally forgotten by the locals for centuries. It wasn't until 1911 that Hiram Bingham, an American historian, came across it quite by accident as he was actually looking for another historic site of Vilcabamba. Some days, you just get lucky!

In acknowledgement of the Inca Trail’s popularity, Taylor Made Holidays put together a package of South America that encompassed all the top tourist elements - but in comfort. Our inclusive package included a fully escorted highlights tour of South America for an 11-night land tour including flights, B&B accommodation, transfers and some meals; a visit to the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu via the Vistadome train; a 14-night cruise on the luxurious Crown Princess with ports of call at many places we’ve never visited before including Valparaiso, Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn, The Falklands, Montevideo and Buenos Aires; a chance to stand next to the inspirational Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio; a drive through Flamenco Park to Sugar Loaf Mountain and a cable car ride to its summit, and a train ride through the jungle to visit the world heritage site of the humbling Iguazu Falls.

The following day, we boarded magnificent 5P Crown Princess Valparaiso for the second phase of adventure. I hope to expand on experience in a later edition.

the in our my

After a most agreeable cruise, we finally disembarked in Buenos Aires for a visit to the astonishing Iguazu Falls. Located on the border between Brazil and Argentina, they are the largest waterfalls system in the world. This modern day Wonder of the World has 270 separate falls that span more than 1.5 miles. The most famous waterfall is The Devil’s Throat, a U-shaped waterfall being 269 feet high, 500 feet wide and 2,000 feet in length. The thunderous roar of the water is quite unnerving as it brings the sheer power of Mother Nature into clear perspective.

There is far too much to cover all subjects in depth so I will concentrate on some of the more outstanding events. Our South American adventure started when we flew out of London Heathrow via Newcastle International Airport to Jorge Chévez International Airport in Lima for a 3-night stay at the spacious Casa Andina Select Hotel. After resting up following a rather gruelling 16hour overnight flight, we visited the Pisac ruins and roamed around the many souvenir markets of the area before flying on to Cusco, a world heritage site in the Peruvian Andes, for a 3-night stay at the very colonial-looking Cusco Plaza Hotel. The following day, we took the Vistadome train to Aguas Callientes from where we picked up a shuttle bus to Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas itself. It was a magnificent sight but it seemed to me to be an awful lot of trouble to get somewhere that today’s Boho set claims to be their “spiritual home”. Really? Although interesting, it left me feeling slightly underwhelmed but then I’m not a spiritual person and prefer to deal with facts rather than fanciful notions. Perhaps it’s just the journey and the romantic notion of the destination that drives them on. Whatever, it’s a case of Chacun à son goût, as they say down The Bigg Market! Majestically perched on top of a mountain and surrounded

On our last couple of days, we flew down to Rio (as you do) and after taking two cable car rides, we actually stood beside the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue which, at just over twice the size of the Angel of the North, was smaller than I had imagined. Surrounded on all sides by the insanitary favelas of the poor, it is a place of stark contrasts which I’m sure became very apparent to a worldwide audience during the Rio Olympics. We certainly take an awful lot for granted in the UK. Overall, this great experience cost, depending on your cabin grade of course, less than £190 per person, per day for the 25-night package. It was arranged through Tailor Made Holidays, an arm of cruise.co.uk but if you really want to push the boat out (every pun intended), the Regent Seven Seas Mariner offers a 6-star version of this trip from Miami to Lima (incorporating the West Indies) for around £8k a person. The price includes return UK business class flights, chauffeur to and from airports, a balcony suite, free Spa facilities and some treatments, free shore excursions, free drinks and free mini bar plus free gratuities. Bargain!

GENERAL INFO: Prices in Peru (-5 hours GMT) were reasonable with a 2-course meal costing around £10 a head, a pint of local beer was £1 and bottled water 25p. Tip: For use on the first part of the land-based journey, use up your maximum hand luggage allowance to pack light, shower proof, casual clothes plus trainers and minimal toiletries in a separate bag. It negates the daily need to keep dipping into your main cases packed with more formal gear for the cruise.

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TRAVEL INSIGHT

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TRAVEL INSIGHT

With Lizzie, booking your dream holiday is personal

Recently, yet another travel company collapsed turning dream holidays very quickly into living nightmares. Here, one of the North East’s top travel experts, Lizzie Adamson Brown tells you how to protect your holiday investment and get the very best quality holidays for you and your family.

Tell us about your travel business. I'm delighted to be part of the fabulous, multiaward winning Travel Counsellors family. I absolutely love what I do, it’s my passion. We are completely independent and I don’t have sales targets which means that it’s all about taking care of the customer and making sure that I find them the perfect holiday. I’ve more than 16 years’ experience in the travel industry, which has given me the opportunity to explore the world and make the best possible recommendations to my customers. I’ve a proven track record of providing outstanding customer service; putting the customer’s needs first and giving them a tailor-made 'one to one concierge service' and as an added bonus, I don't charge for my services. What sort of holidays do you do?

it’s convenient for them. I also have all of the computerised systems that you would find on the High Street but without the high overheads. What are the current trends in holidaymaking in the North East? The largest growth area in travel is cruising and there's a cruise out there for everyone. You don’t even need to fly as many ships are now starting their cruises in the UK and of course the Port Of Tyne is getting more ship visits than ever before. I’ve recently achieved my Cruise Master, the highest accreditation with the Cruise Lines International Association, an independent cruise body, meaning I am now one of the highest qualified cruise specialists in the North East. Were you involved in the Low Cost Holiday collapse?

Our unique approach to travel is much more than just helping our customers from A to B – it’s about fulfilling dreams and creating special memories. From accommodation and flights to attractions and car hire, weddings and honeymoons to cruises and adventure, we provide a one stop shop for personalised travel. I like to think “If you can imagine it, I can book it".

Not directly as Travel Counsellors only work with reputable holiday suppliers. However, I did help a number of those affected by offering free advice in order to help them out of their holiday nightmare. On that note though, it is important to know that any holiday booked through ourselves is protected to the hilt. I am extremely passionate about the level of financial protection I offer to my customers.

Do you have an office we can visit?

In 2004, Travel Counsellors introduced a Trust which, alongside the Government’s ATOL scheme, provides a unique financial guarantee that covers absolutely everything that my customers book

No, I work from home which gives me lots of flexibility to help my customers. A lot of my work takes place at evenings and weekends when

through me, including hotels, low cost airlines, scheduled flights and car rental. This means that my customers can rest assured that their money is always safe, no ifs - no buts. We know you love helping your clients book cruise holidays but what part of your job gives you the greatest thrill? I love helping people chose their wedding venues and exotic destinations. I’ve planned over 500 destination weddings, including my own in St Lucia in 2012. If anyone is thinking about a fantastic destination wedding or dream honeymoon, you can be assure you are in safe hands. How would you sum up your relationship with your customers? My clients are all VIP’s but they are more than that too, they are my friends and I look after my friends if they have a problem on holiday no matter what time of the day or night. It's this commitment to relationships, retention and referrals that keeps our customers coming back to us again and again, year after year.

You can contact Lizzie on: 0191 432 6570 by email at: lizzie.adamson-brown@travelcounsellors.com or on her website: www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/lizzie.adamson-brown 112

TRAVEL INSIGHT

Out & About - Poole, Dorset Stationmaster Alex Nelson has been suggesting places to go by train each month and for October, he takes a look around Poole.

For several years we had a booking clerk at Chester-le-Street by the name of David Poole and I took him once to his ancestral town for an event at Bournemouth University, which despite the name is mostly located in adjoining Poole. As I recall, we returned by car through the night – not as good as the railway. By train from the north east, it is possible to go direct via Birmingham to Southampton Central or Bournemouth, and take another train into Poole. Alternatively, it is often faster and cheaper to travel via London, into King’s Cross and out of Waterloo with South West Trains into Poole. I travelled again to Poole in September and travelled via London, arriving in Poole mid-afternoon with a First Class Advance ticket from Clapham Junction (with Annual Gold Card discount) following a visit to Southern Railway which has been hit by troubles recently. Poole station only has two platforms and not much cover and has been subject to development plans for years, but it is central and has a level crossing nearby which bisects the High Street which is quite unusual. I can only think of one other town, Paignton in Devon, which has a similar arrangement. Poole is the headquarters of the RNLI, the Lifeboats charity, and they have a well-equipped training facility with a 60 room hotel attached. This is for

training lifeboat crews throughout the country, but, if not all rooms are required, the general public can book in to the Training College and enjoy what is now the #1 hotel in Poole on TripAdvisor. The bedrooms all have a view of the harbour and a proper study area as well as a bedroom, and for reasonable rates too. And what other hotel invites you to board a lifeboat simulator and head off into the waves from Dover Harbour to see a ship on fire in the busy shipping lanes? I was holding on tight until I realised there was no need… The photograph shows some of the RNLI training dinghies and on the right is the new Shannon Class lifeboat constructed in Poole for Amble in Northumberland. It is being prepared for its voyage to its new home, and is due to arrive in Amble on October 12th. Nowadays the RNLI builds its own lifeboats since the few boatbuilders that survive are mostly building pleasure craft. A modern lifeboat is more akin to a warship than a pleasure craft and finding no suitable boatbuilders for its modern designs, the RNLI has taken to building them itself.

for Boys. Boys from different social backgrounds participated from 1 to 8 August 1907 in activities around camping, observation, woodcraft, chivalry, lifesaving and patriotism. Recognised as the world’s first Scout camp, the event is regarded as the real origin of the worldwide Scout movement. As a result, the local scout troops are the oldest established in the country. Poole also boasts one of the most expensive housing areas in the UK. Sandbanks was developed from holiday bungalows which were demolished and replaced with mansions for millionaires. There are many pubs and restaurants in the Old Town area, mostly with a nautical theme. Certainly one of the more interesting towns on the south coast.

Poole is a busy port town with ships sailing to France and to the Channel Islands, as well as pleasure boats sailing to local islands, one of which is Brownsea Island. Lieutenant-General Robert Baden-Powell, a war hero from the Boer War, wanted to test his ideas for the book Scouting

Alex Nelson, Chester-le-Track trades at Chester-le-Street station (0191 387 1387) and Eaglescliffe (01642 200140). To contact Alex, phone/text 07860 953981 any reasonable time. www.nationalrail.com. For National Rail Enquiries call 24hr 08457 484950 114

Have a sneaky peak at our 12 days of Christmas! Sunday 20th November Christmas Market Free entry 11am-4pm

A host of exhibitors selling all kinds of festive crafts. Christmas shopping starts here!

Friday 2nd December Ladies *All Inclusive Night £35 pp

Buffet, *unlimited drinks, disco and waiters in the buff!!

Friday 9th December Disco Party Night £22.50 pp 3 course festive meal, party games and disco

Saturday 10th December Bollywood Curry Night £20 pp Curry, pint, disco and a little Bollywood dancing!

Sunday 11th December Family Fun Panto £20 per adult • £10 per child

Lunch and Santa visit, Reindeer trail, buffet lunch, Santa and the Panto Aladdin

Wednesday 14th December Sing along Lunch with Bingo £10 pp

Friday 16th December Disco Party Night £22.50 pp

3 course festive meal, party games and disco

Thursday 22nd December * All Inclusive Ladies Night £35 pp

Buffet, *unlimited drinks, disco and waiters in the buff!!

Sunday 25th December Christmas Day Lunch £43.50 per adult • £22.95 per child Make it special for all the family, Welcome drink, 4 course lunch and visit from Santa

Monday 26th December Boxing Day Family Fun Panto £20 per adult • £10 per child

Lunch and Santa visit, Reindeer trail, buffet lunch, Santa and the Panto Aladdin

Saturday 31st December New Year’s Eve Family Party £39.25 per adult • £25 per child

Sumptuous buffet, children’s entertainment and disco

Festive lunch, bingo and a sing song

Thursday 15th December Festive Afternoon Tea £10 pp

Indulgent afternoon tea, and a trip back in time with our very own tribute to Doris Day

Like us on FaceBook Holiday Inn Washington * Terms and Conditions apply

Washington

Emerson Road, Washington, NE37 1LB Contact: 0191 418 9482 E:events@hiwashingtonhotel.co.uk www.hiwashingtonhotel.co.uk

LEISURE NEWS

Leading catering firm provides quay ingredients for inn launch

second time in six years and marked the 60th anniversary of The Tall Ships Races.

A North East catering company sailed ahead to complete a major hospitality design and installation project ahead of a top maritime event.

The Crosbys team created a comprehensive bar and kitchen design and attended bi-weekly progress meetings on site for six months. The installation was carried out over a four-week period.

Crosbys Catering Equipment, based in Brough Park Way, Newcastle, was appointed by the Inn Collection Group to design and install a kitchen and bar and to provide all light equipment, cutlery, crockery and chemical and janitorial supplies for the Commissioners Quay Inn at Blyth in Northumberland ahead of its grand opening.

As the Inn offers a varied menu including steaks, burgers, pizza and fish and chips, Crosbys sourced a vast amount of specialist equipment, from dedicated pizza ovens and combination ovens to a large charbroiler for cooking steaks.

The Inn, situated on Blyth’s redeveloped quayside, is located in a prime spot to view The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta, which was held last month for only the

Following the installation, Crosbys carried out on site training for the kitchen equipment with the newly appointed teams of chefs and bar staff.

Hotel says “Willkommen” to two new recruits Two Austrian schoolgirls have joined the team at a top North East hotel to gain first- hand experience of the hospitality industry. For 10 years, Matfen Hall Hotel, Northumberland, has offered work placements to pupils at HBLW School in Saalfelden. Claudia Leitinge and Laura Winter are the latest in a string of pupils to take part in a three-month placement at the award-winning hotel. The girls are currently studying hospitality, media, computers and languages and hope

their placements at Matfen Hall will help towards their final exams next year. Since they arrived they have worked in the hotel’s Conservatory and Library Restaurant, serving customers, laying tables and learning the skills of silver service. They have also helped out at a variety of events, such as weddings and birthday parties. Matfen Hall offers three internships each year to UK and international applicants who are keen to learn more about the industry.

26 Goldspink Lane | Sandyford | NE2 1NR, UK | t: 0191 232 5888 116

LEISURE NEWS

Sales team make new signings The award-winning sales team at one of the UK’s most famous football grounds is starting the season with a raft of new signings. Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events, which manages catering and events at Newcastle’s St James’ Park, has boosted its team with four new recruits. Danielle Cummings, who has worked extensively

in sales and hospitality, will be tasked with driving new business to the stadium and increasing its event bookings. She will be assisted on a part time basis by student Victoria Courtier, who will combine her job at the stadium with her degree at Newcastle University. Luke Cuthbertson takes the role of Sales Coordinator while Rachael Carmichael, a qualified

wedding planner, will be on hand to advise and steer couples through each stage of their nuptials at the stadium. Samantha Doyle, Sales and Marketing Manager for Sodexo at St James’ Park, said: “Rachael, Luke, Victoria and Danielle each bring different skills and experiences to the team and will be invaluable in helping us build the business.”

New suite for Seaham Hall Seaham Hall’s delightful 20-suite hotel is now expanding to become 21 perfectly-formed suites. The development promises to be a wonderful reminder and celebration of the Hall’s fascinating history. Lord and Lady Byron married in one of the beautiful rooms, overlooking Seaham Hall’s grounds and the nearby coast, in 1815. Their daughter, Ada Lovelace, has provided the inspiration for the newest suite. Ada was known in her time as a revolutionary and influential mathematician and writer. She was called the Enchantress of Numbers by her fellow scientific collaborators. To celebrate Ada’s links with Seaham Hall, the new suite’s artwork references her achievements and showcases her famous portrait. The decor is soft, feminine and elegant. The grand split-level suite features a daring glazed bathroom and mirrored boudoir. There’s an elevated sleeping mezzanine overlooking a generous lounge with a bathing deck. Georgian windows overlook the Seaham Estate and the sea beyond. Ada Lovelace Day 2016 will occur on Tuesday 11th October.

Amazing finds unearthed on Hadrian’s Wall More than 350 Roman shoes are among a number of exciting discoveries which have been unearthed along Hadrian’s Wall. At Vindolanda, near Bardon Mill in Northumberland, archaeologists and volunteers have been digging to uncover the history of the Wall. The shoes include small children’s shoes, ladies’ shoes and large army marching boots. The footwear is all either well-worn or has been recycled for parts. It is believed to be the result of a deliberate dumping of leather shoes in around AD212.

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Other recent discoveries at Vindolanda include a bronze bust of the god Apollo, wooden barrel staves, spoons, and a considerable amount of bone, pottery and iron. Many recent finds feature in the Hadrian’s Wall on Tyneside exhibition at Segedunum Roman Fort in Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, which runs until Sunday 30 October and showcases the latest evidence of the Roman frontier in urban Tyneside. The new exhibition features the recently discovered Roman bath house at Segedunum and a further 50m of Hadrian’s Wall.

INTERVIEW

Meet the GM

Peter Llewellyn Crathorne Hall Hotel

Tell us about your career so far? My career has covered 30 years of hotel experience in high end hotels within the UK and the Caribbean of which 15 years has been as General Manager. I have had the wonderful opportunity of working in Claridges, London and the iconic County House Hotel Chewton Glen, located in the New Forest, Hampshire. I’ve also been involved in new build hotel developments creating brand new hotels and putting together a team that would bring life to the business. We imagine working in hotels can be really varied. Does everyday really offer something different? Yes, every day is truly different due to the many events that happen in a hotel, all of which have varied requirements. We may operate the same style of event many times over the year but it’s important that we recognise each one is special to the individuals involved to make sure we give them the best possible experience. The same goes for our guests too, with each being unique as some arrive on business, to relax or for a wedding. What are you currently working on? After our £4.5m refurbishment last year we are continuing to make progress with our planned programme of decoration work. We’re spending over £80,000 on renovating the Nancy Tennant Lounge area and Gentleman’s toilets. The lounge will be transformed with a brand new interior design, and should be the perfect spot to enjoy afternoon tea or evening drinks. What do you think are Crathorne Hall’s unique selling points? Crathorne Hall is a wonderful building that was built back in 1906 as a country home. The hotel has such character and a great atmosphere along with 15 acres of lovely grounds to enjoy overlooking

the Leven Valley. Many guests come to celebrate occasions but those here for a business or leisure break often enjoy being away from the branded functional hotels with corridors of bedrooms where you are just a number and not a name. With more hotels constantly emerging, how do you adapt to the changing trends within the hotel industry? Over the past 3 years within our region there has been new hotels emerging, but as long as you are fully aware of your competitor set and what is on offer you can adapt as required. One key element is to stick true to your roots in terms of what your USP’s are and remember why guests come and enjoy the service we provide. I take it plans are very much in place for the upcoming festive season? Plenty of Christmas parties are already lined up, we are fully booked for Christmas Day lunch and the hotel rooms are all filled! Leading up to Christmas we also have “An Afternoon Tea with the Snow Princesses” on 4th December, our annual “Santa Sunday” Lunch on 11th December and we’ll also www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/crathornehall 118

be serving festive afternoon tea with mulled wine throughout December. As General Manager, what do you think is your greatest achievement to date? Having been with Crathorne Hall for nearly three years prior, my greatest achievement was involved in an “incident” a couple of years ago which saw the hotel close then reopen within 8 weeks. This certainly took a lot of planning to be in a position to not only open again as an operational hotel but also to be able to see us through the redevelopment process which brought a full recovery within one year. What does the future hold for Crathorne Hall? The future is looking very bright for the hotel with plenty going on as a business and we’re lucky to have an experienced team who keep the whole operation going. It’s in our interest to always put money back into the house to give our guests the best of experiences and we’re very fortunate to have many loyal guests who continue to return. It’s always a pleasure to welcome them back!

BANK ON A GOOD TIME

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Boasting a trendy offering of burgers, cocktails, steaks & sharing platters, The Bank brings a semblance of style to a bustling high street. Come and enjoy some tucker and a tipple in our warm and convivial surroundings.

Open 7 days a week New menu now available, to make a reservation call (0191) 487 9038 â&#x20AC;˘ 7 Course Christmas Banquet now available for just ÂŁ69.95pp

{ www.thebanklowfell.co.uk

LEISURE INSIGHT

Long Live Linden Celebrating the 24th anniversary of his 21st birthday, Mike Grahamslaw returns to Linden Hall Hotel in Longhorsley, a destination of many happy times and just a couple of golf course implosions!

With my birthday falling on a Thursday this year, my wife Lisa and I decided to pack a bag, leave the kids and escape for a night in the sticks. And, as we thought to ourselves whilst cruising up the A1, what better place for a mid-week getaway? Nestled amongst 450 acres of private greenery, Linden Hall is a beautiful 19th century manor house radiating stately allure and today plays home to a host of business travellers, spa day revellers, country pub dwellers and advertisingsellers! Quite the clientele eh? They also have an 18-hole championship golf course, an old stomping ground of mine, which I would whole-heartedly recommend to any unacquainted with its charms. Having negotiated a birthday “cheeky nine”, I was certainly itching to get back out there and was therefore relieved when we were checked in most efficiently by reception. Our rooms themselves, updated from our previous visit, were cosy, comfortable and well-appointed with the neutral shades of chocolate and cream ushering in feelings of warmth and sanctuary. All your usual mod cons were also present and correct, as our capacious double room came fully equipped with hairdryer, digital freeview TV and wifi access. I left Lisa to

soak up some of this luxury and headed out to the course. Well, who can begrudge a man on his birthday! Linden boasts an 18-hole parkland course, set amidst the idyllic Northumberland woodland and complete with undulating greens and perilous water hazards, poses a real test for golfers of all abilities. Each hole is littered with its own quirks and signatures but I think it’s the secluded feel of the course –thanks to the tree-lined fairways- that really sets it apart. It’s certainly a place where one can withdraw from the pressures of modern life – or do I just like it because no one can see me hacking round?! Alas, the course hasn’t changed and neither had my golf, yet deeply contented I reunited with Lisa for a quick livener in the Linden Tree pub ahead of our evening meal. Wood-panelled and welcoming, The Linden Tree is a triple threat of clubhouse, bar and restaurant all in one and has the atmosphere of a snug country pub in itself. The perfect place then to enjoy a well-earnt pinteroonie before taking dinner in the 2AA rosette Dobson Restaurant. Despite the more obviously formal setting, the

Dobson still retains all of the friendliness of The Linden Tree with the restaurant staff being a true credit to the hotel. Priced at a reasonable £40pp, the 7 course gourmet tasting menu offers a culinary adventure through great British cuisine and was lapped up by myself and Lisa. We indulged in; leek & potato veloute, terrine of corn fed chicken, parma ham wrapped monkfish on a bed of pea & lemon risotto, pan roasted loin of lamb, crispy belly of pork, tonka bean panna cotta and a twice baked cheese soufflé. It certainly came as little surprise to us that to create such a gastro tour de force, the kitchen draw upon only the freshest of locally sourced ingredients. Reflecting over coffees and vowing never to eat again, we noted that even selfconfessed foodies like us were exposed to flavours previously unexperienced. With our digestive juices really flowing, we retired to our room and collapsed into bed for a restful nights sleep. Linden Hall was definitely the correct choice for some birthday festivities. Being part of the Macdonald stable of luxury hotels there’s just a certain elegance that pervades the whole place. A real classy establishment, which both Lisa and I agree remains a firm favourite.

Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club, Longhorsely, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 8XF. www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk/LindenHall 120

M AC DO N A L D L I N D E N H A L L GO L F & CO U NTRY C LU B

FESTIVE DINING Leave the prep and washing up to us this year while you catch up with friends and family and really enjoy the festive season.

FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA

£18.95 PER PERSON

CHRISTMAS DAY FAMILY LUNCH

£62.95 £25.00 PER ADULT

PER CHILD

www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk/LindenHall Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club, Longhorsley, nr Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 8XF

BOOK ON 0344 879 9084 OR EMAIL SPECIALEVENTS.LINDENHALL@MACDONALD-HOTELS.CO.UK

LEISURE INSIGHT

Putting the Fizz into Fizz! Have you ever wondered how the sparkle gets put into sparkling wine? How did those little bubbles of carbon dioxide gas get there? Well, there are 3 main methods.

The first and crudest is to simply inject the still wine with bottled CO2 – it works, but the sparkle is short lived and not very effective. The second method goes under a variety of names – Tank Method, Charmat Method, Cuve Close – here the still wine is put into pressure tanks. Yeast and sugar is introduced into the base wine and the tank is sealed. The yeast reacts with the sugar to produce, amongst other things, CO2 gas which, as the tank is sealed, cannot escape and is forced into the wine. After a short ageing period the wine is filtered and bottled under pressure to retain the fizz. This method can be very effective and relatively inexpensive to carry out. The best known wine that is nearly always made in this way is Prosecco. The third method is the most complicated, producing the finest results - the Traditional Method (Méthode Traditionelle). It is the only method allowed in the production of Champagne and is used for most other top quality sparkling wines. The Traditional Method means that the wine has been bottle fermented – that is the wine goes through the second fermentation (to produce the bubbles) in the bottle that it will be sold in. The base wine is blended and bottled along with a small

amount of yeast and unfermented grape juice or sugar (this is known as the liqueur de tirage). The bottles are then sealed with a crown cap and left in cool cellars where, like in the Tank Method, the yeast and sugar react to produce a small amount of additional alcohol (usually less than 1%) and the CO2 gas that, because the bottles are sealed cannot escape and is forced into solution in the wine. After this second fermentation is complete the bottles are left for anything between a few months to several years depending on the wine to rest sur lie – on the lees – the dead yeast cells of the second fermentation – and it is this ageing sur lie that adds great complexity and depth to the final wine. The problem is that whilst there is fizz in the wine there are also the lees – if they are left the wine will be cloudy. The next two processes to clarify the wine are known as remuage and disgorgement. The bottles are put into large, wooden, easel-shaped racks known as pupitre; initially horizontal over many weeks the bottles are slowly tipped and twisted by exact amounts until they are pointing vertically down. This remuage (riddling) process, by slowly twisting and tipping the bottle by exact amounts, moves the sediments down until they

are in the neck of the bottle. Traditionally this was done by hand with a good remueur making up to 40,000 twists and turns a day! Today this process has been almost completely replaced by an automatic mechanical system (gyropalette) that works 24 hours a day. Once the lees are in the neck they need to be removed (the disgorgement) and this is done by putting the neck into a bath of super chilled brine (-30°C) that freezes the sediments into a neat little ice cube. This can then be removed by putting the bottle upright, taking off the crown cap and allowing the pressure in the wine to eject the ice pellet and the sediments. The small amount of lost wine is replaced and a sweetening wine (liqueur d’expédition or dosage) sometimes added to adjust the style of the end wine. The champagne cork and wire cage are then applied and after a vigorous shake to incorporate the dosage the bottles are left for an additional ageing period before being made ready for sale. So when you next open a bottle of Champagne or Méthode Traditionelle spare a thought for the years of effort that have gone into producing it!

Further information about the aforementioned wine can be found at www.richardgrangerwines.co.uk or instore at Richard Granger Fine Wine Merchants, West Jesmond Station, Lyndhurst Avenue, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 3HH

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Winter Spectacular MISTLETOE BALL Saturday 26 November 2016 at Marriott Gosforth Park

Our major fundraising event Hosted by Anna Foster from BBC Radio Newcastle

Entertainment and auction with the hilarious comedian, BBC radio presenter and recently seen as one half of The Mimic Men on Britain’s Got Talent, Alfie Joey

Raffle

Five course meal Champagne reception Silent auction Live auction Wonderful prizes Dress code : black tie and fabulous

Table of 10 - £1,300 Limited number of VIP tables - £1,800 To reserve a table or for more information contact Maria Hallett T: 0191 238 1302 E: m.hallett@percyhedley.org.uk @percyhedley #mistletoeball

/PercyHedleyFoundation

www.percyhedley.org.uk Charity Number 515943

Wedding belles to look top Dror A touch of international flair came to Gateshead Quays this September thanks to Kathryn Trueman Bridalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inbal Dror trunk show. The Israeli designer had her signature couture dresses showcased in a catwalk across the Millennium Bridge as stunned onlookers got a sneak peek at the range - including one worn by Beyonce at the Grammy awards - which is to be shown off in Kathryn Truemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Morpeth boutique. Guests were treated to a dessert tower, champagne reception, live entertainment and a further catwalk by the models.

Start the evening off with a Broad Way cocktail Followed by a 3 course meal and the following entertainment • Show Girls • Costumed Artists • Songs from the shows • • Recreation of Sister Act • Photo Booth • Fun Casino • • Table Magician • Choice of two discos until the small hours Glass of bubbly to welcome in the new year.

Tickets £72.00 Per Person •

Bookings Contact Events events@caledonian-hotel-newcastle.com or Telephone events on Tel: 0191 2817881 64-68 Osborne Road, Jesmond, Newcastle, NE2 2AT

LEISURE INSIGHT

The Fighter and The Writer After enjoying Adrianos in Gosforth last month our intrepid pair continue their tour of the regions culinary hotspots. For October they check out The Merchants Tavern at St.Peters Basin.

pudding, bananas and ice cream for £3.95. Perhaps the delicious Guiness bread had done for Gibbo.

On a grand day 25 years ago the stunningly beautiful Princess Diana lit up St Peter’s Basin with her dazzling smile. It was 1991 and Diana drew the crowds for the official opening of its marina. Much has changed since that memorable day including the Fog on the Tyne pub which is now under new management and called The Merchants Tavern. Its sitting area outside affords one of the most glorious views in Newcastle overlooking as it does bobbing yachts and private dwellings. However this is a restaurant-bar of throbbing vitality, of high ceilings, brick walls, and special atmosphere. At weekends it’s all topped off by live music entertainment. Shortly approaching its first anniversary, the Merchants Tavern prides itself on serving fresh locally sourced fish from the North Shields market and so on our visit - appropriately on a Fish Friday - it would have been foolish not to order from their wide fish choice.

For Glenn’s starter he ordered fish soup with chervil and chilli at £3.45p while Gibbo went for Monkfish Scampi with lemon and mayonnaise at £2.95. A lavish portion making it not only a culinary delight but a bargain too. However beforehand both our stalwarts tried warm Guinness bread with roast chicken butter, an unexpected joy which was difficult to reject even at the risk of filling too early. On to the mains and that meant a whole roast lemon sole with tartar source for McCrory (£9.95) and North Sea halibut, mussel broth, broccoli, and black radish mash for Gibbo (£14.95). Pub prices but top quality. While the Writer watched his waistline (someone has to) the Fighter dived in with a knock out sticky toffee

The owner Ursula Stuart has an extra special special...a celebration of finest shellfish from the Isle of Skye to the North East coastline at £59 for two including a bottle of prosecco. It consists of Amble lobster, Lindisfarne oysters, Singapore style Shields crab, Skye razor clams, mussels, langoustines, garlic, lemon, and parsley topped off by hand dived scallops. If that doesn’t whet the appetite of fish lovers then we don’t know what would. “The Merchants Tavern offers a fabulous setting, a warm atmosphere heightened by music to create a super night out,” said Glenn. John added: “It may be tucked away from the Quayside explosion but it is definitely worth discovering. Such is its attention to detail that it is attracting not only locals but visitors from much farther afield.” A stamp of Royal approval!

If you would like Glenn and Gibbo to review your venue, please contact Mike on mjgrahamslaw@outlook.com to co-ordinate. 126

www.adrianos.co.uk

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Horton Grange Country House Hotel provides the perfect venue For your festive celebrations. Christmas Day Lunch

Christmas Party Nights

Spend this very special occasion with all the family at Horton Grange with sumptuous food and festive surroundings - £97.50 per person, £47.50 children under the age of 10.

Join in the festive spirit at Horton Grange with delicious food and fabulous entertainment from our resident disco letting you dance the night away with friends, family or colleagues!

New Year’s Eve Welcome in the New Year at Horton Grange with fabulous food and be entertained by our resident disco, finishing with a magnificent fireworks display at midnight - £84.50 per person.

Jason Isaacs Party Nights Enjoy a wonderful 3 course meal with Prosecco and Canapés on arrival with the fabulous Jason Isaacs on Thursday 1st, 8th, 15th & 22nd December - £43.50 per person.

Wednesday 7th & 14th December, priced at £28.50 per person. Friday & Saturdays, 2nd|3rd|9th|10th|16th|17th|23rd|24th December, priced at £34.50 per person.

Boxing Day Lunch Spend Boxing Day at Horton Grange with friends & family whilst enjoying a delicious 3-course meal £39.50 per person, £19.50 children under the age of 10. We are open every day for Festive Lunch & Festive Afternoon Tea

Please see our website for full details of Christmas & New Year events. Horton Grange Country House Hotel, Berwick Hill Road, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne NE13 6BU T: (01661) 860686 E: info@hortongrange.co.uk W: www.hortongrange.co.uk Facebook: Horton Grange Country House Hotel Twitter: @HortonGrange

LEISURE INSIGHT

Juniper’s at the Cavalier

by Jackie

Marston

Junipers at the Cavalier in Silksworth, Sunderland has been on our radar for a while, as we kept seeing tasty Facebook posts of the food served there. Not having a huge appetite was the one thing that put me off a bit, because I am one of those people who, if a large plate of food is placed in front of me, I become over-faced and then don’t eat any of it. Lucky for me, I explained this to Paul, the Manager as soon as we arrived and he said he was happy to do smaller portions for me, which I was grateful for. The place itself was very busy with families and groups of friends, the atmosphere buzzing with many people sitting outside in the beer garden watching their children play whilst having a drink and a bite to eat. We sat in the conservatory with a view of the beer garden, which as it was a lovely warm night was great. Menus in hand we chose starters. I went for the king prawns, which were served with rice and salad. I asked them to leave off the rice as I thought it would be too filling. There was five deliciously plump prawns, perfectly seasoned and the salad was lightly dressed so as not to overpower the main event. Hubby chose the soft boiled scotch egg, which looked delicious and was cooked to perfection. Crunchy meat on the outside with perfect runny yoke in the middle. Bright orange in colour, the yolk was, clearly good stock. For main course we decided to share the Chateau Briand for two, which when it came was amazing. We’d asked for it rare and rare it was. Four large, thick pieces of perfect fillet steak, seasoned perfectly and served with onion rings the size of saucers, coleslaw, fries, salad, tomatoes, mushrooms, béarnaise and peppercorn sauces. It melted in the mouth and even though there was a lot of food left over, we felt very satisfied. As hubby is a celiac – he asked what desserts were available and was pleased to say that there was a selection of gluten-free options on offer. As we were a little full at this time, Paul offered us to take them home, which was perfect as we were off to friends’ house afterwards. It’s rare to get a light gluten-free dessert, but the chocolate cake was lovely hubby said, which Paul told us was

made by the owners mum. Well done David’s mum, the cake was delicious! We washed the lovely food down with a bottle of Pinot Grigio, which was light, fresh and zingy, and a good price too. As we left we thanked our host Paul, who is a credit to the place, and we’ll certainly be back. Homely, friendly, nice wine, cracking atmosphere and lovely food. What more can you ask for?

The Cavalier at Silksworth - 01915 287 637

HALF TERM = HALF PRICE!

BRING IT ON. YOU GOT GAME? PLAY FOR REAL. T: 0191 482 2222 WWW.BATTLEZONELASER.CO.UK BZL_2016_NEW STYLE A5.indd 4

15/07/2016 15:51

H E A LT H I N S I G H T

Becoming Honour Health

Dr Onkar Dhanoya is clinical lead at the award-winning Osborne Dental Group, which provides dental treatments and facial aesthetics at three practices across the North East.

This month, Dr Dhanoya is celebrating 30 years since he became principal dentist of Stanley Dental. He sits on the board of the Faculty of General Dental Practice and holds a fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons (London). We spoke to Dr Dhanoya about his exciting plans for the business, which are due to be launched in the coming weeks.

Tell us a little about your career I graduated as a dental surgeon from Newcastle Dental School at Newcastle University in 1985 and took over Stanley Dental in 1986 – so I have been looking after the dental health and wellbeing of patients for 30 years now. Time has flown! I’m proud to have grown the Osborne Dental Group into the award-winning group of practices it is today (Stanley Dental, Osborne Dental and Ponteland Dental). We have treated generations of families throughout the North East and it’s very rewarding for us to have become a renowned, trusted name in the local community.

Why are you choosing to rebrand? In the past 30 years, we have learnt so much about how we can help patients to improve their health. We now know that there are bilateral links between dental disease and conditions such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, stroke and Alzheimer’s. Because of this, we believe that dental health should not be separated from general health, and this belief underpins the way we look after our patients. That’s why we’ve decided to rebrand as Honour Health. We believe the name better represents the services we provide and the ideology we follow. Our new strapline will be ‘Smile more. Live life’ – which sums up how we want our patients to feel when they join us.

What are your plans for the business? Patients will soon see changes to our website, our signage and our literature, but they can rest assured that it will be business as usual when they visit the practice, and they’ll be treated by the same talented team. Our comprehensive Dental Health Assessment is at

the very heart of the care we’ll provide. If you join us as a patient, we’ll tailor a special health report for you after your assessment, which outlines how we can work with you to improve not just your dental health, but your general health and wellbeing. We’ll continue to provide a range of treatments including dental implants, orthodontics, teeth whitening, veneers, dentures and crowns, and we’re introducing the Honour Health Club to offer exclusive benefits to our members, including worldwide insurance and up to 20% off private treatments. We’ll also be expanding the range of skin treatments we offer, under our banner of ‘Honour Health Skin’. We have been providing non-surgical treatments for over a decade now - as we understand that how you feel about your appearance can affect your wellbeing. We’ll continue to offer skin rejuvenation treatments, laser hair removal, muscle relaxants and fillers, and we’ll be introducing bespoke skin peels, facials and brow treatments. We’re very excited about becoming Honour Health and embarking on this new chapter in our history. Watch this space!

For further information about the Osborne Dental Group (soon to become Honour Health), please call 0191 281 3913 or visit www.osbornedental.com 130

LEISURE INSIGHT

You’re a-ok with Week2Week rather than a B&B The bed and breakfast is as much a part of the great British getaway as the inevitable rain and getting lost on the way. B&B’s however aren’t exclusively for those looking to get away from it all for a weekend and are also gaining popularity with business travellers. Corporate visitors are starting to favour the bed and breakfast partly for the breakfast part of the stay, but certain features like free Wi-Fi also appeal, as cited in a guide on how to attract business travellers on online blog chefforfeng. They aren’t without their faults however and are far from perfect as that same blog also lists a long list of reasons why bed and breakfasts aren’t fully catching on with business visitors. Despite their obvious charm, the lack of amenities that often come with hotels, or serviced apartments such as an iron, desk space and printers/copiers all hold back bed and breakfasts. But what about the breakfast? That food prepared every morning, without having to go shopping which gets you ready to face another busy day of business. While hotels may offer a breakfast but no free WiFi, Week2Week serviced apartments have your back. We offer a grocery and breakfast option in each of our fully serviced apartments, each in a prime location throughout the North East – allowing you to be at the heart of it all – from culture to innovation. Our shopping service is available to all guests ready for their check-in with us. It means not only are we your hotel alternative, we’re also your B&B alternative. It all means that with a Week2Week apartment you can have the comfort of a hotel, the privacy of your very own home and now, the lived in feel of a bed and breakfast – including free Wi-Fi. To find out more give us a call on 0191 281 3129 or browse our range of apartments and availability for yourself.

H E A LT H I N S I G H T

Hospital’s £1 Million MRI investment to speed patient diagnoses Not-for-profit healthcare organisation Nuffield Health is investing more than £1 million in a new state-of-the-art MRI scanner at its Newcastle Hospital, benefitting local patients with fast and accurate diagnoses for a range of medical conditions.

and radio frequency waves to generate images of the body which are used by medical staff to understand and diagnose specific health issues.

The ultra-advanced Siemens Magnetom Aera MRI will provide improved image quality for the diagnosis of conditions such as neurological disorders, cancer, sports injuries, and musculoskeletal problems. It will also offer a more open and comfortable experience for patients especially beneficial for those suffering from claustrophobia.

Dr Richard Cooper, Consultant Radiologist said: “The new MRI scanner and refurbishment of our MRI and diagnostic suite represents a major investment for Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital and will make a huge difference to our patients. Our team here have already been offering a fantastic service but the additional features and increased speed and quality of the images produced will mean our patients can enjoy even greater care and treatment in future.”

Approximately 25 patients from across the North East undergo MRI scans at the Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital on Clayton Road, every day, meaning up to 6,500 people a year will benefit. The new scanner is expected to take approximately 12 weeks to build, with the hospital’s entire MRI unit and diagnostic suite undergoing a complete refurbishment at the same time. The first stage will involve constructing a copper Faraday cage which will house the new scanner and ensure the magnetic field emitted is securely contained.

Nuffield Health is a leading not-for-profit UK healthcare organisation and the Newcastle Hospital provides a number of services to the local area. Areas of specialty at the hospital include cosmetic surgery, male and female health and weight loss surgery. The hospital has consultants across a wide range of specialties who are experts in their field. Patients can choose their preferred consultant who will guide them through their treatment and also throughout the recovery period.

Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital’s MRI unit manager Gabrielle Peacock said: “Our old scanner was still in excellent working order but it was 10 years old and there have been many advances in technology during that time. The new scanner will allow us to diagnose a wider variety of conditions and with greater speed and accuracy which is essential as it means a treatment plan can then be drawn up and delivered more quickly.”

Patients visiting Nuffield Health in Newcastle have rapid access to diagnostic investigations including ultrasound, MRI and CT for immediate assessment and diagnosis. The hospital also benefits from three operating theatres, 39 patient bedrooms all equipped with TV, Wi-Fi and en-suite facilities and a comfortable day-case unit for patients receiving minor treatments.

MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanning uses a very strong magnetic field

www.nuffieldhealth.com Tel: 0191 2125215/ 0191 2125274 132

Gusto Restaurant & Bar The Quayside Newcastle NE1 3DX 0191 260 2291 Newcastle@GustoRestaurants.uk.com www.GustoRestaurants.uk.com

John Gibson 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner The Hilton Hotel, Gateshead recently played host to Variety Northern Regions Celebration Dinner to commemorate the life and work of John Gibson, the voice of the Toon, for 50 years. Guests enjoyed a 3 course dinner, superb entertainment by Cole Page and interviews with Glenn McCrory, Supermac, Sir John Hall, Bob Moncur and other great local heroes.

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es’ d i Gu and” a Sp cotl 15 d 0 oo In S & 2 G e pa 14 Th est S 3, 20 “B 201

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The Perfect Christmas Present

The Gift Voucher Overnight stays from £135pp, including dinner, breakfast and lunch. www.stobocastle.co.uk Tel: 01721 725300 reservations@stobocastle.co.uk Stobo Castle Health Spa, Stobo, Peeblesshire, EH45 8NY

Making business a pleasure is easy at Seaham Hall, whether you’re looking for team building, corporate entertaining or a meeting room we can tailor your event to you... From just £38.00 per person Day Delegate Package. It’s the perfect excuse to escape the office with your team!

It’s all in the detail...

Seaham Hall, Lord Byron’s Walk, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7AG Call: 0191 516 1400 Email: events@seaham-hall.com

H E A LT H I N S I G H T

Aspire to Good Health

Spire Washington Hospital offers comprehensive private hospital services to patients from the North East of England, including Sunderland, Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Northumberland.

Shelagh Alderson, Hospital Director at Spire Washington Hospital, joined the hospital in 1993 originally as a Chartered Physiotherapist. Since then she has progressed through the ranks as Paramedical Services Manager and Head of Clinical Services, before taking on her current role in 2013. She speaks about how the services offered at the hospital have evolved over the years. “At Spire Washington Hospital you can access our first class services at a time to suit you. We now have over 190 consultants, covering a wide range of specialties from diagnostic imaging such as X-Ray, MRI, Ultrasound and CT to major procedures including spinal and orthopaedic surgery as well as bariatric surgery, gynaecology, ENT and general surgical procedures. “A common misconception with independent healthcare providers is that you’re only able to access the services if you’re covered with private health insurance. At Spire Washington Hospital, you can access our services in a number of ways,

including using your private medical insurance, paying for your own treatment or attending the hospital via the NHS. “Our hospital is situated in a quiet residential area with extensive grounds and free car parking, making it a relaxing haven and friendly atmosphere for patients and visitors alike. We’re within easy reach of the A1 (m) and welcome patients from across our region and further afield. “We currently have 36 patient beds, and due to growing referrals we have just begun our phased redevelopment. This involves full refurbishment of all of our bedrooms to bring them in-line with luxury hotel standards. “Our team of highly trained and experienced consultants, nurses and wider hospital team will ensure you receive first class care throughout your stay, from the initial booking process with our Customer Service Advisors, to your consultation, right through to surgery and any aftercare. “In terms of the hospital’s evolution, times have www.spirehealthcare.com 136

changed significantly – looking back, healthcare was very different to how it is now. Relationships with the doctors were more formal and the care was a lot more prescriptive. The focus was on the patient fitting around the service rather than our approach now, where every patient receives a plan of individualised treatment options at a time to suit them. Our focus however is on delivering excellent patient care. “What is clear is that over the years the strict organisational hierarchies and hospital infrastructures have changed. Patients are rightly given more privacy and dignity. As technology has improved, the skills of surgeons and anaesthetists have become more complex, enhancing surgical abilities and resulting in quicker recovery times. “Here at Spire Washington Hospital we pride ourselves on the level of customer service we offer. Our staff and consultants go out of their way for patients to make their journey with us smooth from beginning to end and this shows in our patient feedback.”

Gift Vouchers Available 7 Kenton Shopping Centre, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne t: 0191 213 5300 e: info@be-fit.co.uk www.be-fit.co.uk

LEISURE INSIGHT

Reputations & Inspirations ‘By Any Means Necessary’ Alto Luz Photography

When Stephen Sayers released ‘Tried & Tested’ nearly twelve months ago it landed amidst critical acclaim. Now he is preparing to take crime fiction by storm with a second book, a masterpiece in the mould of Martina Cole.

Dark, disturbing and dynamic, ‘By Any Means Necessary’ is a combination of Stephen’s criminalistic fortitudes in mind, and Teesside crime author, David McCaffrey’s, literary nous. No doubt people will be pleasantly surprised by the fact that Stephen has, rather impressively, been able to craft something of this calibre from the world within his mind. The surprise will be even greater if you have read his initial offering, “The Sayers: Tried & Tested at the highest level.” For David, this project was very much a surprise when it came about. He was responsible for meeting the deadlines and overcoming the mental blocks, yet this is Stephen’s vision and Stephen’s story. He merely brought a sense of calm to the storm lurking amongst the pages. Stephen on the other hand released the demons from his mind and created a heroine from the depths of despair and destitution showing that, in the main characters, siblings Karen and elder brother Tommy, even the darkest of times can be overcome. It is however the sacrificial nature of this fictional tour de force that could well ensure outstanding success.

Tommy embodies the natural characteristics of a male lead often sacrificing himself for his younger sibling “by any means necessary.” Whilst Karen Myers demonstrates that not every hero has to be of a male persuasion, something central to Stephen’s thinking at the time of writing as he observes how the attitudes to women have changed since the 20th century. Karen exemplifies the strength and courage that the book posseses. For instance, having been abused in her early years, Karen drives on to become the dominant heroine and in turn shows that certain roles can be reversed. The character herself is inspired by real life people Stephen drew upon in order to bring in a sense of reality. Some of that reality within affected David when putting the story together; one’s mind works in mysterious and differing ways. In fact, it was David’s own wife, Kelly, that saw the change in him. Overcoming that, and the colloquialisms surrounding the Geordie language when David and Stephen first met, were the challenges in which the Teesside author had to overcome before being eventually vindicated in the completion of a successful project.

From the mind of bestselling author Stephen Sayers comes a new breed of crime thriller – ‘By Any Means Necessary.’ On sale November 15 you can pre-order now from www.thesayers.bigcartel.com; published by Mojo Risin’ Publishing in association with Stephen Sayers and David McCaffrey. 138