The Peterborough Hub May 2020

Peterborough’s newest business magazine – about business for business owners

THE HUB

May 2020

Peterborough

LIVING THROUGH LOCKDOWN How Peterborough’s business community is coming out the other side of coronavirus pandemic www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

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May 2020

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by Tracey Sweetland Peterborough Hub Editorial Director To say that the last couple of months have been strange is perhaps an understatement of epic proportion.

When we were excitedly putting together the first edition of The Peterborough Hub towards the end of February, there is no way we could have guessed what was heading our way.

But by the time it was printed in mid-March, coronavirus was making its presence felt and by the time it landed on many people’s desks at the end of the month, the country was in lockdown.

How long ago that seems already.

Since then we have had to get used to all sorts of changes to our daily lives – who could forget the shortage of toilet roll on the supermarket shelves in the early days of lockdown?

Although that particular problem has eased, thank goodness, the pandemic is still having a huge effect on our everyday lives as well as our working lives and our businesses.

Fortunately my family and I have not fallen victim to the virus, nor have I lost anyone to it, but I know many people have and it has been devastating. Of course, our thoughts are with all those people.

Instead, the virus has impacted me and many others in so many ways.

If someone had told me six months ago that all schools would be closed, we would only be allowed to leave the house for an hour each day to exercise and I’d be standing on my doorsetp clapping for the NHS every Thursday I would have thought they were bonkers.

Yet, here we are. After two months in lockdown, social distancing has started to become a way of life and we are all desperate for the day we can once more hug loved ones.

For businesses, the pandemic has meant many have had to close the doors of their workplaces - whether that’s a restaurant, shop, nursery, salon or office.

Many have had to rely on an unprecedented level of financial support from the Government, including the furlough scheme, Bounce Back Loans, mortgage holidays, self employed grants and Universal Credit.

SALES DIRECTOR Sarah Crown sarah@catapult-media.co.uk 01733 573366 | 07907 083710

Editor’s intro

3

Here’s hoping we can come out the other side of pandemic, stronger and better than before!

In the past two months we have got used to working from home and have kept in touch with colleagues and clients via online meetings and networking events.

But in true British Bulldog spirit, the Peterborough business community has pulled together to find a way to keep going and help each other.

And it is that spirit that the second “digital-only” edition of The Peterborough Hub is dedicated to.

Despite the uncertainty and fast-changing situation, we were determined to put together a magazine which reflected what was happening in our community.

We started Catapult Media (The Hub’s parent company) with a mission of bringing business people together and we are not going to let a pandemic stop us.

In fact, we have used the time during lockdown to secure new premises, recruit new staff and prepare to launch a new series of postcode-based community magazines.

I know we are not the only ones to keep on carrying on during lockdown and that’s why the second edition of The Peterborough Hub contains a wide range of articles supplied by those business people, reporting how Covid-19 has affected them and what they have been doing to survive and thrive during the pandemic.

IN FOCUS

PAGE 8

l Mayor and MP ‘proud’ of way communities have pulled together during lockdown.

PAGE 21 VIRTUAL GROWTH l Workspace sees renewed interest in virtual offices as businesses adapt to new normal.

GETTING HELP PAGE 28 l Is now a good time to look at outsourcing tasks to grow your business?

Hopefully by the time we publish our July edition of the Hub, things will have returned to something resembling “normal” - although I guess I’m not alone in wishing some aspects of our “new normal” will last past the lifting of lockdown.

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Tracey Sweetland tracey@catapult-media.co.uk 01775 888004 | 07595 036454

The Peterborough Hub is published by Catapult Media (Peterborough) Ltd, Allia Future Business Centre, London Road, Peterborough, PE2 8AN. www.catapult-media.co.uk

DISCLAIMER: The reader acknowledges that the opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of The Peterborough Hub team. All content and photos supplied by con-

tributors are published in good faith and on the understanding they are free from copyright or other restrictions. The Peterborough Hub accepts no liability for any loss or damage resulting from errors or non-publication of any advertising. We reserve the right to refuse publication of any advertisement or other content without explanation. To the maximum extent of the law, The Peterborough Hub accepts no liability for any loss or damage (either direct or indirect) suffered as a result of any advertisement, article or any content within the magazine.

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Covid-19 Special

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Event food vendor tries crowdfunding to survive lockdown Banjaraa owner Ajay Sabharwal, famous for his orange horsebox at local events has been forced to close his business during the lockdown.

Instead of being defeated by lockdown, he started looking at crowdfunding as a way to survive.

Along with many other event and outside catering businesses, it is heartbreaking to see all the hard work and determination put into their business to be forced to close overnight and many of their summer events cancelled.

Banjaraa, now in its second full year of business, was set to have the best year yet, fully booked throughout summer. Events included Burghley fine food markets, St Botolph’s on the green, Baston car show, Bourne festival, Langtoft music festival, Rockingham festival, Oundle food festival, Cambridge festival and private bookings for weddings and corporate events.

Ajay spent many hours researching the crowdfunding initiative and whether it could work for his business to get him through the lockdown and help towards keeping the company afloat.

Crowdfunder is creating a new way of working for companies with 100% free crowdfunding during the coronavirus crisis as a part of their #payitforward campaign.

Ajay’s solution is to offer great rewards

that people can use in the future, including fantastic offers on Banjaraa’s fat boy Indian wraps, by rewarding people with savings on the regular price.

Ajay has also come up with a reward which can be used during this lockdown period where he will teach you how to make the perfect masala.

There are some great options for prospective private and corporate clients too. Once this is all over, the corporates might want to thank their employees or customers.

This is where Banjaraa can step in – bringing their horsebox to the workplace and serving awesome wraps and rice boxes.

Ajay said: “2020 was set to be our biggest year yet. We were fully booked across multiple events throughout the summer and had begun to scout locations for our new permanent base, the Banjaraa deli.

“The rapid spread and subsequent lockdown due to this crisis have decimated our income stream, and it’s just been heartbreaking!

“We are not looking for charity, but assis-

tance to get us through this uncertain and difficult period. As soon as we are fully operational, we will share Banjaraa with you how we intend to pay forward the kindness we’ve received. This is going to be something extra from us and will involve food.”

So far, Banjaraa has had a great start with over 10 percent of the target already achieved on day one from his local fans and friends.

Maybe crowdfunding with giving rewards is one of the solutions for small businesses who cannot get help exactly when it is needed and who have slipped through the support available.

Whichever reward people choose will directly contribute to Banjaraa weathering this storm. If people can help in purchasing rewards, this will help Ajay sustain Banjaraa over this period.

There is no expiry date on the rewards Banjaraa will be paid forward.

Go to https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/banjaraa-needs-your-support to find out how to get involved.

Cathedral postpones dinosaur exhibition until 2021 T. rex: The Killer Question, the Natural History Museum’s touring exhibition due to be shown at Peterborough Cathedral in July and August 2020, has been postponed until summer 2021.

Cathedral in summer 2019.

The exhibition will now be at the Cathedral from Monday, July 19 to Monday, August 30 2021, coinciding with the school summer holidays, just as it would have done this year.

The Cathedral will contact those who had booked tickets. Bookings will automatically be transferred to the new dates or customers can request a refund.

Tickets for the exhibition went on sale at the end of February, and already over 1000 have been sold. The total number of visitors was expected to match the 35,000 people who came to see Luke Jerram’s Gaia artwork at the

The Cathedral is asking those who wish to cancel to consider donating their ticket money to help offset the significant fall in income the Catehdral has suffered as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The exhibition includes a 12-meter-long static model of a T. rex as well as a life-size T. rex skeleton and nine animatronic dinosaur models.

For more information about the exhibition, or to find out about sponsoring a dinosaur or becoming an exhibition volunteer, please email t.rex@peterborough-cathedral.org.uk or visit www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/trex.aspx.

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

Paul’s done a whole lot of hugging

Artsy Laser started in June 2018 at Peterborough Workspace, a shared workspace in Woodston but since then has grown and grown until Paul’s equipment was spilling out into corridors and communal spaces.

A BUSINESS which lost its main source of revenue due to the coronavirus lockdown has come up with a novel and heart-warming way to carry on and help bring people together.

Paul Hill set Artsy Laser up last June but the main thrust of his business has always been in custom framing of memorabilia such as football shirts.

Some of the country’s biggest football clubs were his main clients but when lockdown meant a temporary suspension of the football season, Paul was left wondering what he could do to keep his business ticking over.

Inspiration struck when he saw someone selling paper “hugs” and decided he could improve on the concept using his laser machine to create wooden tokens inscribed with a poem which people could send to friends and family to show they were thinking of them during lockdown.

And the idea was an almost instant hit with people desperate to let their nearest and dearest know they were thinking of them even though they couldn’t be together.

Paul said: “The success totally took me by

So in between creating all the hugs, Paul had to relocate all his equipment to the new premises at Unit 55, Second Drove, Fengate. surprise. I have never done so much ‘hugging’ in all my life.

“In the first four weeks we created around 2,700 orders and sent out around 4,000 individual hugs to people across the country and as far away as Australia and America. We took around 1,700 orders as a result of our ads on Facebook alone.”

“I think it’s fair to say we have been really busy.

I don’t think I have ever worked so hard and we have had lovely feedback from people who have sent and received the hugs, saying how much it meant to be able to send or receive something like this during what has been a really difficult time for so many who are forced to be apart.”

Paul has also created a range of frontline worker “hugs”, with 50p from each sale going to a NHS charity, and even got involved in a project to laser cut the acrylic front sections of face masks for frontline workers.

He is hoping the bigger premises and the client base he has grown during lockdown will help his business grow and go from strength to strength after lockdown has lifted.

He added: “Moving during lockdown was not easy and it took around two days just to get everything plugged in and back up and running.

“Now the laser is running about 11 hours a day just doing the hugs.

“It really is all hands to the pump and I’ve roped in my wife, son, niece and other family members to take it in turns to help out.

“I guess as long as lockdown lasts the hugs will continue to sell, but I’m really looking forward to the football resuming so we can get back to some kind of normal.”

You can find out more about Artsy Laser and order your own “hug” for just £3.75 by going to the website at www,artsylaser.co.uk

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Covid-19 Special A Peterborough-based fabric and haberdashery business is doing its bit to help frontline staff stay safe during the pandemic by providing the materials needed for protective clothing and equipment Plush Addict has stayed busy since being forced to close due to Covid-19 by supplying fabric and sewing notions to the sewing community who have put their skills to use in making PPE to supplement the national shortages.

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Fabric shop steps up to help supply materials for PPE

Husband and wife team Jon and Kellie Rose were forced to close their store to the public when the country went into lockdown and furlough their employees, leaving the website live for online orders.

However, they are now busier than ever and looking at ways to bring some staff back following government guidelines to keep up with demand.

Plush Addict started eight years ago as a bedroom business selling fabric and haberdashery.

Initially it began selling supplies to make cloth nappies and grew rapidly to now sell all kinds of fabrics through their Peterborough store and online shop.

Plush Addict is putting together and supplying scrub packs to the Cambridgeshire Scrub Hub and other local communities.

The kits include; suitable fabrics for scrubs cut into appropriate lengths, the threads and drawcords. Fabrics and notions are also being provided for creating headbands and laundry bags. The headbands are “ear savers” and help ease the tension from the masks, and the scrubs can go into the laundry bag taken home and put straight in the washing machine to wash safely.

‘For the Love of Scrubs’ is an army of home sewers who have come together to sew plain clothes worn by NHS and other front-liners who are coming into contact with the public.

Central hubs, such as Cambridgeshire Scrub Hub, have been set up in local areas across the country to coordinate people wanting to offer their help and also a place for medical professionals to put in requests if they are in short supply.

The group which was set up by a nurse now has more than 50,000 members on Facebook.

Jon and Kellie are also supporting ‘Helping with Headbands’ who are two local art/textile teachers on a mission making headbands for those on the frontline. The headbands are used to hook the mask elastic around the headband to help protect their ears.

Jon and Kellie said: ‘When we heard about the local hubs we wanted to get involved and do our bit to help.

“We have been making up the packs, donating

and offering materials at cost to several local groups to do our bit and support our key workers during these unprecedented times.

“You can also donate to the cause through Go Fund Me to help the group purchase more supplies.”

“This week we have another 500 metres coming in for the Cambridgeshire Scrub Hub to make scrubs for Magpas Air Ambulance, a GP surgery in March and individuals at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

If you would like to support in any way you can donate to the Cambridgeshire Scrub Hub and Helping Headbands to help raise more money for these groups of volunteers who are making a difference:

“We are now also offering discounted polycotton fabrics to the public so more people can have access and get involved.

l Cambridgeshire Scrub Hub fundraising page can be found at: www.gofundme.com/f/ cambridgeshirescrubhubmaking-scrubs-forthe-nhs

“You don’t need to be a professional seamstress. There is a need for scrubs, laundry bags, ear-saver headbands and also volunteer drivers.

l Helping with Headbands fundraising page is at: www.gofundme.com/f/helpingwithheadbands

Dear Customers, At this time Quick Self Storage remains OPEN as an essential resource to support the Business Community as advised by the Self Storage Association.

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Covid-19 Special

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Latest figures show that the number of people claiming job seekers allowance since the UK was put into lockdown on March 23 has more than doubled across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in just one month.

There’s no denying that Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on us all in so many ways – whether we have been ill ourselves, lost a loved one to the dreaded disease or in terms of our livelihoods and businesses.

But the disease and subsequent lockdown have in some ways also brought us closer together and it is that co-operation and mutual support which will help us get through the crisis.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics towards the end of May showed that claims for job seekers allowance across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire had risen by 58 percent in April, compared to the previous month.

Together, we can get through this...

This figure was below the national average of 65 percent, but some areas of Cambridgeshire have fared worse than others.

“I’ve seen incredible resilience from people and businesses across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and an unwavering commitment to come back stronger.

job posts to the Talent Portal team who will advertise jobs for free, identify people with the right skills and connect employers with potential candidates for interview.

Peterborough is doing considerably better than some areas with a 46 percent increase, while in East Cambridgeshire and South Cambridgeshire, the figure stands at a massive 86 percent increase.

“I urge people looking for new employment opportunities and businesses looking for staff to use our new, free recruitment service to help them get back to work.”

At the same time people across the area have found themselves out of work because of Covid-19 and are looking to enter new industries and take up new roles.

The Talent Portal was launched in response to a recognition that businesses across Cambrideshire and Peterborough have had to change the way they operate in response to Covid 19 and, as a result are looking for new staff with different expertise.

This includes those who have been made redundant, the self-employed who are not eligible for support or who can’t access funding, people who have been furloughed from their usual employment, university students returning home with no job and sixth form students who had summer jobs lined up which have now fallen through.

Mayor James Palmer is hopeful that the region will soon be in a position to bounce back as lockdown restrictions are eased.

And he is keen that a new CPCA Talent Portal launched by the Combined Authority of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is put to good use to get people back into work as quickly as possible.

He said: “There is no doubt that the nationwide lockdown has hit local businesses and communities hard and the surge in the number of people claiming jobseekers’ allowance across the region is further evidence of that.

“However, I believe together we can get through this.

For example, many farms are looking to recruit pickers from the UK to harvest crops because of the restrictions in movement due to the virus and supermarkets now need more delivery drivers as more people are shopping online.

Businesses in critical sectors, including health and care, also need more employees now to help keep the country running and look after those in hospitals and homes.

Businesses with staff vacancies can send

People looking for new roles can use the Talent Portal to browse opportunities, upload their CV, apply for positions and contact potential employers.

The Talent Portal is one of a number of measures the Combined Authority has put in place in response to the virus in a bid to help businesses and residents, including funding for business and online training.

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

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‘We’re winning the battle’ City MP Paul Bristow has issued a rallying cry to his constituents - “Peterborough is winning the battle against this horrible virus - let’s keep going together”.

‘

I’ve seen incredible resilience from people and businesses and an unwavering commitment to come back stronger.

’

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority mayor James Palmer.

Mr Bristow said he knew lockdown has been a difficult time for many, with concern for the future top of many people’s minds.

‘

Peterborough is winning the battle against this horrible virus - let’s keep going together.

’

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow.

But he reiterated the importance of following guidelines to stay safe and said it was a testament to those who have “done the right thing” that the number of new cases of Covid-19 continues to fall.

He added: “I am incredibly proud of our local response.

Every group has stepped up, from volunteers to businesses and, of course, our amazing NHS and care workers.

“Thank you for making us one city.”

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Covid-19 Special

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Adapting to a new ‘lockdown’ world of virtual networking Networking is an effective and enjoyable way for the business community to engage and connect - but the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown mean networking groups have had to adapt to a whole new way of doing things.

For many years business networking has been an important part of businesses’ efforts to build those all-important long-term relationships.

In addition, we can continue to have an event speaker and were delighted at our first virtual event in April to welcome John Bridge OBE DL, Chief Executive of the Cambridgeshire Chambers Of Commerce.

Most of us network naturally without even realising we are doing it. We are almost always happy to recommend someone who has done a great job for us whether it be in business or at home.

Prior to the restrictions placed upon us all by the current lockdown, business networking had been a great opportunity to meet up at a hotel or a pub, share breakfast or lunch, exchange business cards, ask lots of questions and shake lots of hands.

However, in March all this changed..!! At the time, The Business Network Peterborough was celebrating our 5th anniversary and we were hosting well attended, vibrant, proactive networking lunches at Orton Hall Hotel averaging 40+ senior business decision makers.

Our members are key decision makers and have always been loyal, dynamic, amazing business people who enjoy attending the monthly lunches.

Without the option to meet face-to-face we made an immediate decision to adapt and evolve our networking model, whilst retaining our USP ie bringing senior people together.

The answer was to enter the “Virtual World”.

For those of us of a certain vintage, the “Virtual World” conjured up images of Tron or perhaps

As the weeks have gone by since the start of the lockdown we have come to the conclusion that, because of social distancing, all business networking may be restricted to the virtual world for the foreseeable future. the elegant blue aliens from more recent blockbuster Avatar.

Until the middle of March this year Zoom was something we did with the large lens on our camera to capture a stunning image of a beautiful robin strutting its stuff elegantly at the end of our garden. But now it had taken on a whole new meaning…!!

We began by re-naming our lunches as “Virtual Networking Events” and made an early decision to charge a nominal amount to ensure commitment by those booking a place.

It’s likely that our venues may be the last ones to re-open and keeping two metres apart at events in reality may not be practical. We have therefore adapted further to enhance our membership package to take advantage of what technology offers.

We’ve introduced weekly Member DropIn Sessions, a Members LinkedIn Group, regular video 1-2-1 training meetings and the opportunity for members of our network in Peterborough to meet virtually with our members in Birmingham and other parts of the UK.

The Business Network prides itself on the proactive table planning we provide at our events. As much as possible, attendees are seated on tables with the right people that they are most interested to meet. This may be based on industry sector, geographical area, size of company etc.

After the initial trepidation about what the future holds for business networking we have embraced the opportunities that have opened up.

It helps to make the event as effective as possible for everyone attending. The small cost usually guarantees 95 percent attendance from the bookings taken and ensures that our pre-selected table planning works effectively.

If and when The Business Network Peterborough does return to Orton Hall for our lunch events we will continue to add value to our members via our newly discovered tools in the virtual world – exciting times ahead…!!

Zoom has allowed us to continue with our successful networking model as we now use the breakout rooms as “virtual tables”.

After bringing everyone together initially we can then send people off to their “tables” to meet in smaller groups and make short presentations about their businesses.

We feel excited and motivated that we can, in fact, now offer even more than ever before without the need to hop in the car.

The Business Network www.business-network-peterborough. co.uk simon@business-network.co.uk Phone: 07860 121773

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Covid-19 Special

12

May 2020

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Adrian Slack (CMIOSH, MIfireE, Cert Ed), of Clarian Health Safety Training and Consultancy has been involved in teaching life-saving skills for much of his career, including 30 years training firefighters and seven years as a voluntary medical first responder.

Nowadays, as well as running his business, Adrian also works alongside the East Anglian Air Ambulance, going out into the community as a first aid trainer to help fulfil the organisation’s ambition to train more people in CPR and other life-saving skills.

The Peterborough Hub asked Adrian for some basic first aid information and how to administer the basic life support skills he believes everyone should know.

For more information on courses visit. www.clariantraining.com.

What is CPR? Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation is a combination of chest compressions and ventilations, to allow oxygen to be passed to the brain, which buys time until a defibrillator (AED) arrives on scene.

When carrying out CPR your own safety is paramount. Use suitable PPE if you have any.

Remember these five important steps. l Danger (D) l Response (R) from the casualty. l Head tilt chin lift to open the Airway (A) l Check Breathing (B) for 10 seconds l Look for (C) Circulatory problems.

If they are not breathing normally then call 999 and start CPR until help arrives, safety is compromised or you become exhausted.

Basic CPR is 30 central chest compressions at around two per second, then two normal breaths in to the casualties airway (mouth) if safe to do so, allowing the chest to rise.

If you cannot breath in to the casualty, then simply do chest compressions only until help arrives, as it’s better than doing nothing.

If they have normal breathing, and CPR is NOT required, with no serious or catastrophic bleeds, or other serious injuries then simply place them on to their side, or in the recovery position if unconscious and breathing normally to maintain a clear airway.

What if someone is bleeding?

Blood loss has to be controlled quickly.

Basic treatments for any bleed is to sit or lay the casualty down, examine the type

Would you be prepared to save someone’s life?

With many of us currently working from home and maybe even finding more time to do those DIY jobs we had been putting off, it’s a sad fact of life that the risk of getting injured at home has also significantly increased.

When you consider that there may well be a delay in an ambulance reaching you because of the Covid-19 outbreak, it is clear to see the benefits of knowing some basic first aid. of bleed (arterial, venous, capillary) to identify the exact point of the bleed. If no foreign objects are in the injury, then apply pressure for 10 minutes.

A more serious open deep penetrating wound may need packing to control it.

Most first aid injuries of less serious nature can simply be controlled by using a sterile dressing from a first aid kit, and applying pressure on to the wound if needed. Always try to wear protective gloves and any other appropriate PPE when dealing with bleeds.

Due to COVID-19 we will only visit or run courses based on the government guidelines. Stay safe and well, and enjoy working from home if you can. We work with and support the NHS. Keep them safe.

Support the air ambulance Clarian H&S Training supports East Anglian Air Ambulance. If you are interested in supporting this life saving service there are lots of ways local businesses can help, either through donating or volunteering.

Debbie Howland, Volunteer Development Officer at EAAA, said: “We rely on the community to keep our two helicopters airborne and saving lives and simply couldn’t help people in their hour of need without that incredible support.

“We need to raise more than £13 million a year to develop and deliver our service”.

To find out more go to: www.eaaa. org.uk or email info@eaaa.org.uk

Clarian Health Safety Training & Consultancy 01733 204343 www.clariantraining.com

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

Planning is key to the redundancy process

Redundancy is sometimes a euphemism for a dismissal on performance or capability grounds but is strictly defined in law as where: There is a business closure, or a workplace closure, or there is a reduction (or anticipated reduction) in the need for employees due to decreased demand for product or services.

A Redundancy Plan will help manage each stage of the redundancy process including: avoiding compulsory redundancies by seeking voluntary redundancies; consulting staff; selecting staff for redundancy; giving staff notice; working out individual redundancy pay and supporting staff and planning for the future.

The plan should include the development of a redundancy policy and procedure that is consistent with individual employment contracts and employee handbook.

Agreement of a consultation process: This might be group consultation or individual consultation or both. A process to determine the criteria to be used to determine who is “at risk” of redundancy and who will be made redundant.

Consultation Process – is about seeking ways to mitigate compulsory redundancies: If there are likely to be 20 or more redundancies in a 90-Day Period, the employer must engage with the Trade Union or Staff Association.

If there is no recognized body to represent employees, employees should elect representatives (one per 50 employees).

There must be at least two meetings with individuals “at risk” of redundancy.

During the COVID-19 crisis, a lot of businesses have had to temporarily close and have used the Government Job Retention Scheme to furlough employees as an alternative to redundancy.

As restrictions start to be lifted, many businesses will be faced with difficult decisions to reduce costs, in line with reduced demand, including headcount costs and that inevitably means making redundancies.

Peter Lawrence, of Human Capital Department tells the Peterborough Hub more about the redundancy process.

Once decisions have been made individuals must be informed and the employer needs to give staff notice and work out and inform individuals of redundancy pay entitlement and communicate the appeals process.

Criteria for Selection: The consultation process should include determining the redundancy selection criteria.

Multiple criteria should be used as a basis for selecting those at risk of redundancy and to ensure that scoring is as objective as possible.

These could include standard of work, attendance and disciplinary records and skills and experience.

Once criteria have been agreed you will need to score each employee and include written evidence to support your score. You also need determine an appeals process in case individuals feel they have been unfairly selected. This will reduce likelihood of an employment tribunal claim being successful.

Decisions relating to those “at risk” of redundancy and redundancy decisions will need to be communicate sensitively.

Group and individual consultations should seek ways to mitigate compulsory

redundancies such as voluntary redundancies, reduced working week, pay cuts, secondments etc.

Outplacement: It is important to provide those facing redundancy with a level of support in order to reduce the damage to employer image and reputation.

Outplacement services should include: 1. Helping individuals to reflect on strengths and career to date 2. Creating a winning CV and LinkedIn Profile 3. Preparing a positive career plan 4. Help in applying for jobs using LinkedIn, job boards and networking 5. Coaching in interview and assessment centre techniques 6. Advice on managing job offers and how to land the right job..

Human Capital Department 07469 744363 / 01553 401 781 info@humancapitaldept.com www.humancapitaldept.com

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Covid-19 Special

14

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Harness the power of Google ads Dez Calton runs an agency called Optimyzd, which among other things, is a Google Premier Partner Agency. Optimyzd manages a multi-million pound ad budget on Google, Facebook, Instagram, Bing and more.

account. You will get to the penny reporting, the exact number of impressions and clicks your ads have had.

Here, Dez introduces, explains and goes over the basics and best practices for getting the best out of Google Ads for your business.

Set up conversion tracking on your website and you get information on exactly which keywords, ads and landing pages are working best, allowing you to focus on the positives and learn from any negatives.

Before getting into the how, it is important to find out the why. Why are Google Ads important for your business? Why should you invest precious ad revenue into Google Ads? Why take the time to learn about the platform? etc

You can also advertise on YouTube through your Google Ads account. YouTube is the second most popular website in the world, after Google. On average, over 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute and users are watching over a billion hours of video every day.

Now we know the why, now it’s time for the how.

Google Shopping offers retail and ecommerce businesses the opportunity to add their products directly into the search results on Google.

But slow down a little. Whilst it is incredibly easy to get started, it is also incredibly easy to spend your ad budget with little to show for it if you’re not careful.

1.

Google Is HUGE!

As obvious as it seems, Google is a big deal, bigger than you can probably imagine. Every day, on average there are 3.5 billion searches performed on Google, 3.5 billion, every day! The number is so large, it’s difficult to even comprehend it. That calculates to around 40,000 searches per second. You simply cannot afford to miss out on the potential.

In the UK, Google dominates the search market with almost 90 percent of searches performed on Google, with the remaining percentage shared between the likes of Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo etc.

2.

Google Is More Than Just Search

We’ve already seen that Google dominates search, but that’s only one part of Google Ads. The Google Display Network reaches around 90 percent of worldwide internet traffic and has far and away the largest display inventory in the world, more than two million websites.

3.

Google Is (Can be) Targeted

By following some simple rules, you can make sure your ad budgets are targeted to your specific target audience. By targeting specific keywords, demographics, locations, times of day etc, you can make sure that your ads are only seen by the right people.

It takes some knowledge of the Google Ads platform to be set up properly, but once you follow a few simple rules and spend some time optimising your campaigns, you can continually fine tune and laser target your ads.

4.

Google Is Transparent There is a wealth of data and information in your Google Ads

You can sign up for a free Google Ads account by going to ads.google.com, enter your contact and billing information and you’re ready to go.

As with any form of marketing, the most important first step is to set your goal. What are you looking to achieve from running ads on Google.

Be specific, the more specific you are about your goals, the better you can set up your campaigns for success.

Do you want to sell a certain product online, are you looking to get phone calls, do you want people to subscribe to a mailing list, visit your physical shop etc?

With a clearly defined goal, you then are in a much better position to succeed.

Optimyzd 0203 4881663 www.optimyzd.co.uk

Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough A business centre built on

SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION For 5 years, we’ve supported the local business community, forming partnerships and working together. We offer flexible working options, business advice and a dynamic, collaborative environment all focused on helping your business to succeed and grow.

We’ll be here when you’re ready to connect and move forward - just give us a

call or drop us an email, and we look forward to meeting you soon.

Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough United Football Stadium, London Road, Peterborough PE2 8AN 01733 666600 I hello@fbcpeterborough.co.uk I www.futurebusinesscentre.co.uk

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16

Covid-19 Special

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Seeing a different side to people during lockdown Thanks to coronavirus and lockdown, spring 2020 has turned out quite different from what Mosaic People’s managing director Laura Colton originally planned, but she has adapted quickly, helping other businesses get to grips with how they manage and lead people during lockdown and prepare to return to work as measures are lifted.

She spoke to The Peterborough Hub about how Covid-19 has changed her and others’ businesses.

Like many businesses, life at Mosaic People has been quite different lately to what we had originally planned for this spring!

gate-crash interviews (and as a happy aside, had a glimpse of how unflappable a candidate might be in a crisis!).

As we all started to lockdown back in March, virtually overnight (or so it seemed), the face-to-face training, coaching and workshop delivery in the diary all went on ice; in come cases indefinitely and in others, parked until the cloud of COVID-19 lifts sufficiently for us to get together again.

Psychometric profiling and the use of people science insights have been particularly helpful during this time without direct contact and I have been trialling some exciting new tools.

In its place the people consultancy side of Mosaic ramped up to get to grips with how we manage and lead our people and businesses remotely, helping customers understand and access the government furlough scheme in all of the various iterations of the guidance notes...and now as we head towards the end of May, I am finding myself working with clients planning towards safely returning some or all of their teams to their place of work, and for others to help them reshape and size their businesses for the world postlockdown.

For one of my clients, the need to recruit hasn’t diminished at all during lockdown.

We have just had to be creative and use technology to a far greater extent than before. As an added bonus, we have seen different sides to candidates that we perhaps might not otherwise have done pre-lockdown…we’ve seen how people deal with technical glitches, we’ve tested their presentation skills over Zoom, we’ve had them join their potential new colleagues for a virtual coffee and informal chat without time limits or the need to move them on as another candidate was waiting in the wings; and enjoyed the comedy caused when children and pets

want to help each other out – whether that has been through picking up shopping for an elderly neighbour, picking up the phone to friends and connections (I’ve had some lovely calls from people I have met in the last year who just picked up the phone to say hi and ask how I was doing – each time it has given me a lift and made me smile!) through to businesses offering their advice and services for free where they can just to give a little something back.

Somehow all of us being in the same or a similar boat has brought an added humanity and tolerance to how we work.

In the spirit of giving something back, local businesses Mosaic People and InspireIgnite teamed up during lockdown to launch a series of free, downloadable playbooks on a range of leadership topics that we are giving away every Wednesday for a period of six weeks.

I believe these will be of particular value to my clients going forwards to aid them in selecting candidates and future leaders who match their culture and measure up as behaviourally strong when it comes to things like embracing change, working remotely (as significant numbers of us are likely to continue to do) and being resilient.

If this sounds like something that may be of interest (it is affordable, no matter what size your business or how frequently/infrequently you recruit) subscribe to the Mosaic People newsletter for more info coming soon.

Something that needs no measurement and has stood out to me during lockdown, and likewise I’m sure to many others, is that people have genuinely seemed to care and

Based around Game Changer – a workplace management tool authored and designed as a collaboration between my good friend and leadership learning guru Shaun Beck of Inspire-Ignite and I, the playbooks are aimed at leaders and managers in businesses of all sizes to give you bite size hints, tips and self-reflection exercises to help you during lockdown and to prepare fresh and ready for a return to work.

To access the playbooks, connect with me on LinkedIn to access the series or drop me an email.

For a free consultation on any of Mosaic People’s products and services, get in touch via hello@ mosaicpeople.co.uk or go to www. mosaicpeople.co.uk

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

17

Rise to the challenge of cold calling in these strange times Generating leads over the phone is never easy, and during these unprecedented times, it’s an even bigger challenge.

Yet even now, by adopting the right attitude and positively approaching recipients, you can still successfully generate leads when you pick up the phone.

Here are Straightahead UK’s handy hints and tips about how to respectfully cold call.

1.

Be considerate.

There’s a chance that your prospect might be a little more sensitive than usual, so be considerate with your initial approach.

Establish where they’re at by acknowledging the strange trading times. Ask them how they have found it and how it has affected them, from a personal perspective, at first, and then in terms of their business.

If you avoid this obvious conversation it would not only be insensitive but also strange; you may get an unexpected reaction.

However, be mindful not to get too caught up in a negative talk. This can be extremely hard to get out of and difficult to manoeuvre to the purpose of your call.

Even worse, it can be deflating for both of you.

2.

Be empathetic.

Every prospect you speak to will be at varying ends of this current situation.

Some will be rushed off their feet with orders and may have little time to chat.

Others may have furloughed their whole team and, whilst they have plenty of time to talk, they may be unclear on what the future looks like for them and their business.

Listen to what they say and take the time to understand where they are coming from. It would be insensitive to try and push them down a route when they are unsure of their business’s future.

3.

Be upbeat Stay positive and happy. If you’re not feeling it, don’t make the call.

No one wants to speak to someone who sounds miserable and gloomy. This isn’t about laughing in the face of adversity, but being cheerful can often be uplifting for others, and it helps us to be in the right frame of mind for the call.

4.

Be prepared Write down some questions that will enable you to start the call.

Make sure they start with either ‘what, when, why, where, who or how’.

Open-ended questions like these ensure that the prospect will talk more than you do. This is really important and enables you to glean information about them and where they’re at, which will determine the next step in your plan. It will establish if what you have to offer is of use to them and whether you can help them.

5.

Be respectful Use your manners. Please and thank you go a long way with gatekeepers as well as decision-makers.

Respect is also about listening attentively.

You can usually tell when someone either isn’t listening, is distracted, or is saying the opposite to what they mean.

Someone’s tone of voice is a key indicator of how they really feel regardless of the words

they have used.

Engagement from your prospect is key to getting a positive outcome for you both, and this comes from listening.

6.

Be understanding In these bizarre times many people are working from home and, although still working and taking calls or video meetings, they may have children, barking dogs and doorbells to contend with whilst they talk to you. Relax and accept the change in our working conditions.

There will also be some prospects who are really having a terrible time. Consider whether calling them back at a later date would be best for them.

7.

Be helpful No matter the trading circumstances no one ever really wants to be sold to.

If you can help your prospect with some suggestions and solutions about where they find themselves throughout the call, they will be grateful. Building a relationship is the most important aspect of any lead generation, not selling.

If you can follow some of these guidelines, it will make your calls much easier.

8.

Be YOU People buy people and being yourself is extremely important.

StraightaheadUK Limited, 29 Eventus, Sunderland Road, Market Deeping, Peterborough, PE6 8FD Telephone: 01778 300071 Email: info@straightaheaduk.com

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Covid-19 Special

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Is your business on the right lines?

With changes in working practices because of Covid-19 - not to mention the end of some traditional phone services planned within the next five years - now is the time to rethink your business’s telecommunications.

Bret Whitcombe, of Market Deeping-based OfficeHost Cloud, tells us why VOIP is a good option to consider right now.

Since BT announced back in 2017 that it intended to switch off PSTN and ISDN services in 2025, the VoIP market has grown tremendously. VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol to give its proper name, uses an internet connection instead of traditional ISDN and PSTN lines.

With a VoIP service comes a vast array of new features, software integration, mobile applications, and a truly transparent service.

For homeworkers, sales teams out on the road, engineers, and other field-based employees, the flexibility and reliability of these systems is impressive to say the least.

and there is no major disruption to business premises as the major equipment is hosted centrally in secure datacentres.

I would anticipate some delays nearer to the deadline caused by last minute orders, and suppliers simply not being able to meet the demand. Businesses who have not made the move to VoIP could quickly be without telephone and internet service if left too late.

The second point I want to cover is sadly, COVID-19 related.

Aside from the practical benefits of VoIP there is a sizeable cost reduction in line rental and charges, with a 40 per cent saving on local calls and a massive 90 per cent saving on International calls.

I know that millions of people around the globe are fed up with hearing about it, businesses disrupted, home schooling and major inconvenience for everyone in some form or another.

Video conferencing services that used to be an expensive luxury and only in scope for large corporations have become much cheaper over the years and are now included in many VoIP systems.

But I have a question, how has everyone found the level of customer service from their supply chain? Hand on heart I have to say all the suppliers I work with have been exceptional, deliveries (mostly) on time and pretty much business as usual.

Employees are no longer restricted to the boardroom thanks to the introduction of video conferencing on mobile devices, providing team communication from almost anywhere in the world.

So, what does this mean for you and your business? PSTN and ISDN services will become End of Life in December 2025 and will be withdrawn at this time. Openreach will be busy improving the network and ensuring that fibre technology is accessible to everyone before December 2025, and from September 2023 sales of traditional line rental will cease.

We are still five years away and there is still plenty of time to migrate to a new service, but in all honesty, why wait? Hardware investment is minimal

However, one supplier seems to have struggled with the entire sales team working from home while customer service is not able to take any calls due to “technical restrictions” with their current communication infrastructure.

This got me to thinking, how many businesses

have been forced to furlough staff for the same reason? How many businesses are unable to trade because the technology they have is not up to scratch?

There is no reason in this current, and particularly weird situation we find ourselves in, why people cannot work from home.

We have all seen the poor guy on the news who is trying to do a live interview when his children burst into the room. That’s life. It is something that happens most days in my office, but I would rather have my children disturb my day than have no work at all.

We are not just talking about a telephone here; I mean everyone has a mobile phone these days. We are talking about full video conferencing, call recording, contact centres with the same management overview and control but with agents based at home. Clickto-dial and full CRM integration from home.

The possibilities are endless and many businesses at the end of the lockdown will no doubt be evaluating their processes and procedures for disaster recovery to ensure that they are protected from unexpected disruption in the future.

Officehost Cloud Solutions are happy to provide a free initial consultation and telecom survey,

Contact Bret at Officehost Cloud on 01778 328889 www. officehost. cloud

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

19

Writing a business press release A press release can be a great way of getting your business in the local paper without spending a penny.

Here are The Peterborough Hub’s editor’s top tips on writing a press release which stands the greatest chance of getting published.

1. Do your research

4. First thing’s first!

Read the publication(s) you plan to target with your press releases to get an idea of the length of their articles, their writing style and depth of detail, as well as the sort of stories they tend to include.

Your first paragraph needs to sum up the most important aspects of your story in just 15 to 20 words. To help you, consider how you would “introduce” your story if you were telling it to someone in the pub. Or imagine how a TV newsreader would introduce your story..

2. Is it news?

Make sure your press release is actually “newsworthy”. You have to ask yourself, would most people really care about your “news”?. Finding a human interest angle to your business is more likely to gain you a few column inches.

3. Answer the questions One of the first things journalists learn about writing a story is answering the five Ws – who, what, where, why and when. So, your press release must include details of who is involved, what has happened, where it happened, why it happened and when?

5. Go with the flow After the introduction, the rest of your “story” should flow. Make sure you include all the key facts. Where possible, include quotes from relevant people, which bring your story to life. Use full names and make sure they are spelled correctly. Use short punchy sentences that are easy to read and understand.

6. Size matters Base the length of your press release on the publication you are targeting – most likely a length of 300 to 400 words.

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7. Make it easy Use sub-headings and bullet points where appropriate to make your press release easier to read and understand.

8. Get the picture Include a good quality photo with your press release if appropriate – after all, a picture can speak a thousand words 9. Fill them in Use a “boilerplate” or Notes to Editor section at the end of your press release to include any other relevant information, such as the background of your business.

10. Any questions?

Make sure you include your contact details in case the journalists has questions or requires further information. A mobile phone number is always a good idea and an email address.

Catapult Media offers a press release writing service starting from just £50.

Call Tracey Sweetland on 07595 036454 or email tracey@catapultmedia.co.uk

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12

Covid-19 Special

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

While many people have seen their business slow down or even stop, familyrun landscaping firm Hollyoak has seen a steady increase in demand for their services as the seasons change, despite the Covid-19 lockdown.

Andrew Surman and his brother Paul, who started the business in 2006, have even had to take on more staff to meet their commitments – but admit there have been a number of challenges to keeping going and growing in the past few weeks.

Landscapers keep on going and growing through pandemic

“One day I thought I was going to have to use the teleporter to get around as it was the only vehicle available!”.

Rutland, Grantham, Sleaford, Horncastle, Skegness, King’s Lynn, Oakham, St Ives, Wisbech and everything in between.”

That was just one of the challenges, Andrew Surman has had to face to ensure all social distancing and safety protocols were introduced to keep his team at Hollyoak Landscapes safe since lockdown.

“We had a team of nine people before this, we have taken on one more and are looking to take on another to meet demand and because of the new way we are having to work to meet the health and safety demands of Covid-19.”

This has meant he has even had to go as far as to buy new vans and vehicles to ensure he can operate a strict one person per vehicle policy.

As well as operating one man to a van, Andrew and Paul have also had to introduce stricter cleaning protocols for all of their vehicles and equipment – to the point of having one member of staff on cleaning duties almost full time.

He said: “It has been a strange few months.

“We were really busy with the storms earlier in the year, working round the clock to mend broken fences and deal with fallen trees and other damage caused by the strong winds, and no sooner had we got through that than coronavirus struck.

“We found our services in high demand from customers where it is vital their sites were maintained, such as areas around fire escapes and where access is needed.

“We’ve been doing work for frontline services, supermarkets, schools, utility companies and food factories, as well as local councils.”

“We have been part of keeping the country going during this pandemic and I couldn’t be more proud of how our team has reacted.

“We are working 12-hour days covering about a 50-mile radius from where we are based in Weston Hills in south Lincolnshire. We cover areas including Peterborough,

Disinfectant foot rinses have also been introduced, staff start times have been staggered and briefings have been split up so fewer staff attend and can maintain a 2m distance from each other.

Andrew said: ““We are in the process of introducing equipment to monitor our people’s temperatures when they come in every day.

“We have been doing everything we can to stay safe, but it has taken a few weeks to find our feet with new ways of doing things.

“We are starting to get used to it a bit more now.

Obviously most of our work is outside, which is supposed to be safer anyway and all of our guys have adapted well and just knuckled down and got on with it.

“They have been brilliant. At the start of this all of them said they wanted to carry on working through it and that is what they have done.

“They have even gone above and beyond to help those people who are self isolating or shielding and have stepped in to help new clients whose usual landscaper has not been working.”

Hollyoak Landscapes undertakes projects of all sizes, either on an ongoing contract or one-off basis.

Call 01406 380717 or 07886 909276.

Email hollyoaklandscapes@hotmail.co.uk www.hollyoaklandscapes.co.uk

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

21

Interest in virtual offices is on the up Since the announcement of the lockdown, Workspace House, the serviced workspace facility operated by Peterborough Workspace Ltd, has stayed open to provide on-site services for many of its businesses that remain unable to work from home.

Social distancing and changes to access for visitors and couriers ensured the facility has been able to operate as safely as possible.

The Woodston facility has always offered more than just a place to work, providing informal business support for its tenants – using its network of experts, support organisations and its own experience to help them drive their businesses forward and succeed.

During the lockdown the team has continued to receive enquiries for serviced workspaces and offices but they have also experienced a noticeable increase in requests for their virtual office services; services that in light of the “new normal” and the eventual easing of the lockdown may appeal to many businesses that have been working from home.

“Virtual offices” is a broad term and the level of service and description vary from provider to provider.

At Workspace House they aim to provide everything from a basic, entry-level registered address to a full virtual office service that can change and grow to meet the needs of its clients – no different to their approach with their physical tenants.

There are many reasons that a business decides to choose a virtual/registered office instead of a physical office or premises.

For many businesses the simple truth is they don’t need a commercial space – the cost of owning or leasing an office, workshop, unit or something larger far outweighs the benefits.

Quite often, the nature of the business means they are perfectly suited to operating from home.

However, when it comes to displaying, publishing or promoting where your business

operates from – using your home address may not be best and it is here that the virtual office may provide the solution.

From a personal perspective, if you operate your business from home, you may not want to publicise your home address.

You may also feel your home address does not project the image you want for your business.

Or, quite simply, you might want to avoid the increase in mail – solicited and unsolicited – that comes from running a business and avoid any possible issue from unannounced visitors that think your address is a shop/office that takes walk-in enquiries.

Professionally, there are other issues. If you’re a limited company you need to publish your registered address and it will be required for Companies House.

Also, if you operate an e-commerce business (sole-trader or limited) there is the legal, though rarely pursued, requirement to publish a geographical address. All of these points, and more, can be covered by a simple virtual office/registered address.

At its most basic level, a virtual office service is the ability for a company – be it limited, sole-trader or partnership – to use an address like Workspace House address as their registered address whilst not occupying the premises itself.

This enables the business to promote their address on their website, stationery and on online directories and sites such as Bing and Google My Business.

In the case of Workspace, this basic service is available on a rolling monthly basis and enables the company to visit the facility and collect their mail. Also a virtual office at Workspace House unlocks other benefits such as discounted meeting room hire.

At the other end of the scale is the allencompassing virtual office service. As well as the registered address, a comprehensive virtual office service usually involves mail forwarding, a call answering service, email handling, diary and appointment setting, and a whole host of admin and back-office duties that, working with a virtual assistant, can be tailored to the individual business and its needs.

Workspace has gradually increased its range of virtual services – from initially offering just a registered address service to now include mail forwarding and full virtual assistance services – to complement its existing services and fully expects to see the demand for these grow.

As Workspace General Manager James O’Rawe said, “Many businesses have recently been forced to change their processes and work from home.

“Most will return to their offices and workplaces as soon as possible. Some, however, have come to realise that perhaps the overheads of running a physical premises is not needed and they are looking to pivot to a virtual office service with a much lower cost point.

“This is exactly the kind of service we offer at Workspace and is an obvious extension to the existing office, workspace and meeting room services we continue to provide”.

Whether you’re looking for virtual office services, meeting room hire or a fully serviced office/ workspace to grow your business, contact James on 01733 390707, visit the Peterborough Workspace website – peterboroughworkspace. co.uk or email James at james@ peterboroughworkspace.co.uk.

Enterprise Class Hosted Telephony Made Simple With the latest “Stay Alert” message from the Prime Minister, now is a good time to look at shifting to the cloud for your business telecoms needs.

Keep your staff safe while still boosting their productivity and keeping your business running.

A new system can be live in as little as 48 hours with all handsets programmed offsite and shipped to an address of your choice.

We’ll even ship direct to the homes of your employees, leaving them to plug in the phone and work as though they are in the office.

Call us on 01778 328889 or email hello@officehost.cloud

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Covid-19 Special

Cut sickness by cleaning up the air indoors

There has been much in the news about the air quality of the UK and England in particular and now more than ever we want to stay as healthy as possible.

The air we breathe undoubtedly impacts our health and the Puritii Air Purification System can help you maintain clean air in your office, business space or home.

Most people spend about 90 per cent of their time indoors where the air is likely to be two to five times more contaminated than outside.

The World Health Organisation stated that “Indoor air pollution is one of the greatest threats to human life”.

Negative effects of indoor air pollution include: irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and cold and viral symptoms – not a pleasant list!

These can clearly be very costly to your business year on year due to reduced productivity and sickness levels.

The long term affects of indoor air pollution can be: • Respiratory disease • Asthma • Heart disease • Liver damage Cleaner air could help…

• decrease allergies and asthma symptoms • maintain cleaner lungs • help the digestive system • improve mood due to better production of serotonin •lead to a longer life span as the respiratory system is less likely to be compromised

The Puritii Air Purification System: • Is portable, high-capacity, quick and effective • Removes all three pollutant categories with up to 99.99% efficiency • Removes particulates down to .3 microns including pollen, dust and dust mite residue and pet dander. This helps people that suffer with respiratory issues and hayfever.

• Removes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from smoke, odours, exhausts, fumes and chemicals • Removes airborne bacteria, mould, fungi and viruses • Uses an efficient DC motor (very little impact on your electricity bill!)

• Has a lifetime warranty plus seven years’ worth of filters

This article was provided by Puritii Ambassador Leanne Brown.

If you are interested in a healthier environment in your home or office contact Leanne on 07960897802 or email leanneemin@hotmail.co.uk for more details or to arrange a demonstration.

With a new payment plan available to spread the cost of this technology it is now more possible than ever to breathe more easily!

Facebook page: Shine Bright with Leanne

What my clients say... “ I was involved in a recent trial with this unit, it was amazing, it made a usually stuffy room feel a lot more fresh and seemed to keep me more awake and focused during the meeting” Donna Young – Locks and Shades “ My daughter suffers from asthma and in the winter her breathing is noticeably laboured, after using this system her airways sounded clear, no coughing

during the night or raspy sounds in the morning. My self, honestly, I noticed a difference to the cleanliness of the air within hours! The only way to describe it is as if you were stood on a hill inhaling the cool fresh air, it felt lighter and really opened my airways.”

Anonymous Homeowner “I purchased the puritii air unit for my salon as it helps protect our staff and

customers from airborne viruses and bacteria, which I thought that was paramount in these troubling times.

Within a week of the unit being in the salon some of the employees that had previously suffered with headaches when working noticed they had disappeared and the air seemed cleaner.

A worthwhile investment, thank you Leanne. “ Jo Bevilacqua, owner of Serenity Loves

23

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Covid-19 Special

25

Peters’ Cleaners has been dry cleaning clothes and household items for the residents of Peterborough and the surrounding area for over 57 years.

It remains Peterborough and Stamford’s most trusted dry cleaner with regular customers travelling from Cambridge, Birmingham, London and Derby.

The company has grown significantly since Vicky Whiter took over in June 2016, injecting funds and energy into the business. Since then, the business has won no less than five awards including Best Independent Retailer, Best Dry Cleaner in Cambridgeshire and two awards for outstanding customer service.

2018 and 2019 were exciting years for Peters’ Cleaners. Sales increased, investments were made in new equipment and the country’s first 24/7 automated drop-off and pick-up for dry cleaning was launched at Peterborough’s leading shopping destination, Serpentine Green.

Plans and preparations were being put in place for further expansion when the Covid-19 pandemic arrived. The business landscape abruptly changed and the company had to quickly adapt.

Vicky said: “Dry cleaners are classified as an essential industry so while all other dry cleaners in the area closed their doors, we were determined not to let our customers down. We remained open and found it rewarding to be able to help people whose washing machines had broken and others too ill to do their own laundry.”

The shops are offering a full range of services of dry cleaning, laundry and repairs/alterations but have reduced opening hours. The automated unit at Serpentine Green remains open 24/7 and continues to be popular. Customers can sign up online to receive a membership card that enables them to activate the drop-off door and deposit a bag of cleaning.

Peters’ Cleaners collects all items and cleans and presses them to their high standards. When the items are ready for return, customers are notified by email and use their card to activate the pick-up door to collect their items.

The unit at Serpentine Green is ideal for customers that do not want human contact and can be used at any time of the day or night, seven days a week. It is conveniently located next to the Barber’s Pod, away from the entrance queues.

However, keeping the shops open has been challenging for the business. There has naturally been a fall in demand for traditional dry cleaning. With so many

Dry cleaners push ahead with plans for expansion When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, high-street traders everywhere were hit with enormous challenges. Dry cleaners were one of the designated essential industries, but with many people on furlough or working from home, and with social events and holidays cancelled, how would a dry cleaning business survive?

Local, award-winning company, Peters’ Cleaners, explains how the business has adapted and its expansion ambitions are undaunted despite the lockdown.

people furloughed or working from home, weddings postponed and parties and holidays cancelled, the demand for dry cleaning has fallen dramatically. Aided by Government grants, Peters’ Cleaners has responded by furloughing staff and working on reduced opening hours.

“Our primary concern was to ensure the safety of all staff and customers,” said Vicky. “We stopped taking cash and did all transactions via our computerised till system, which means customers and staff can remain two metres apart at all times. We also have a system in our factory that ensures workers are isolated from each other.”

Vicky strongly believes that communication is key at this time when things are moving so quickly.

Specifically, she believes that it is important for customers to know when Peters’ Cleaners is open, what services are offered and what the business is doing to ensure customers and staff stay safe.

Peters’ Cleaners is keeping everyone updated through regular updates on its website www. peterscleaners.co.uk, and through daily updates on its social media pages on Facebook,Twitter

and Instagram.

Whilst Peters’ Cleaners was able to react quickly and adapt to the new challenging trading environment, this doesn’t mean that Vicky’s ambition for the future of the business has diminished.

A second 24/7 unit is nearly ready to launch at Peterborough Station.

“The equipment is manufactured in Italy and due to the coronavirus pandemic we are unable to ship it to the UK at the moment,” said Vicky. However, Italy is open again and we are in touch with them daily as we are keen to get the unit operational and in place at the station in time for when commuters start returning to work.”

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If there’s one thing I cannot emphasise enough, it’s the importance of cash flow in your business. It’s the single most valuable piece of advice I give to my clients; understanding how good money management helps your business to survive and grow.

As a finance broker working with SMEs for more than 30 years, I have seen it time and again; the amount of cash flow in the business will always determine success or failure.

Cash flow in a crisis The impact of the Covid-19 crisis has had many businesses firefighting over the past few months. No-one envisioned the devastating impact the crisis would have on our economy: pipelines have dried up overnight, customers have stopped calling, and as a result, there is no cash left in the business. Many have had to close their doors for good. So, what can you do to keep the business going?

Many businesses have accessed government funding packages, payment holidays and furloughing staff. However, these options will only be successful if you are fully aware of your current financial situation and most importantly, what your future may look like. You need a plan. Plan, predict and prosper.

With the prospect of lifting lockdown, business owners can now turn their attention to rebuilding their futures.

Despite the current crisis or any business climate for that matter, my top tip ALWAYS starts with the two most important documents you need to succeed.

1. The Business Plan 2. A Cash Flow Forecast Get it Right First Time When a lender looks at a potential borrower, they will consider several criteria before making an offer of finance. The more prepared you are, the better chance your application will be approved.

The Business Plan First and foremost, your business plan is a roadmap to get you from A-B. It should be a working document which you regularly refer to and can adapt and change as your business develops.

Secondly, it’s a detailed document that tells potential lenders and investors precisely who your customers are, how you are going to make money and the potential growth of the enterprise. It will help them decide if it’s a viable idea and if they are likely to see a return on their investment.

The Cash Flow Forecast This is the most important document you’ll

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

Gaining clarity and confidence during coronavirus pandemic Henry Audley-Charles is the Owner and Founder of SME funding UK Ltd. Henry’s knowledge and experience of providing financial solutions have led to him becoming a trusted advisor to the businesses he works with.

Find out more at www.smefunding.uk need to keep your business afloat.

Without available money in the company, you’re going to struggle to implement your business plan and grow, not to mention pay bills, wages, suppliers and tax.

The forecast will help you to keep track of what’s coming in, when it’s due plus predicted income and monthly balance.

Lenders will use this document to see how and when you will be making repayments.

If there are weaknesses in your business, be honest and show your contingency plans to mitigate the risks. Your foresight will demonstrate that you are aware of potential pitfalls but can pivot if necessary.

Why work with a finance broker?

An ethical finance broker is more than just a go-between in the lending cycle. Working in tandem with the business owner, they can offer valuable advice in preparing all your documentation.

Including the business plan and cash flow forecast, your broker will help you to gather everything you need and present it to potential lenders in a favourable light.

They will put forward several options for borrowing and help you to choose the most suitable solution for your needs right now.

They can also provide valuable insight into the lender’s motives and establish an agreement in principle before you have to make any commitment.

The benefits of working with a broker always result in a cost-saving due to the fact they will help you find the best deal in the market with the most relevant repayment structure for your needs despite their fee. Plus, the fact the chances of your application being approved is considerably higher if you’re working with an experienced professional.

27

28

Covid-19 Special There is a sense of unity to those of us working in construction, knowing that the country is looking to us to keep the wheels of our economy turning.

Equating to an approximate 6-7 percent of the GDP, the Government has been openly showing their support to the construction Industry: 1. The famous “Letter to the construction Industry” was issued on March 31 from MP, Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, acknowledging the critical contribution that the UK sector is making to support the UK economy, stating that construction sites could remain open but Site Operating Procedures (SOP) that have been developed should be adhered to.

2. It was announced on April 29 that testing is now available for all those in the construction industry, showing symptoms of Covid-19.

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Construction industry looking forward as sites start to reopen As we start another new month in lockdown, major construction firms are making big announcements about reopening their sites and the industry is starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.

The experts at Arbicon have put together this overview of the current situation in the construction industry and what construction companies should be looking to do to avoid or resolve construction disputes that may arise from Covid-19.

3. The Government is contacting those eligible for Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), which will mean direct cash grants of 80 per cent of their profits, up to £2,500 per month, for those eligible, in a bid to protect businesses and individuals.

Sites that have remained open, working with social distancing measures in place, have seen a reduction in productivity and encountered difficulties securing materials after supply chains were affected by Covid-19.

Although the Site Operational Procedures (SOP) published by the Construction Leadership Council are widely seen as a fair and reasonable approach to working, contractors are having to find a balance between safety against productivity.

Delays caused by the pandemic will fall under the umbrella of a neutral event under most contracts, which will award additional time to contractors, but not

May 2020

lifted, including: • Assessment of delays and formation of Extension of Time documents • Valuation of the effect of reduced productivity and supply chain problems the additional costs. A contractor also has an obligation under the contract to mitigate the delays caused and will by definition have to bear some of the cost to do so.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has also stated that many projects are having to be refinanced due to the uncertainty of the current situation and contracts are being renegotiated to take into account the new rules that are being imposed on building sites.

We are continuing to provide current advice and reassurance to our clients, whether they are employers, contractors or subcontractors, on what their rights are and what action can be taken both now and once restrictions have been

• Valuation of the additional costs incurred whilst trying to reduce the effect of delay • Renegotiation of contracts with a view to collaboration and risk-sharing in the future, especially with the likelihood of a second wave of the virus likely to cause an additional disruption to construction projects.

• Tidy up existing contracts valuing accounts, Extensions of Time and Variations, in preparation for presentation to potential funders for refinancing of projects stalled by the virus.

• Contractual advice on potential risks for current and future projects which have been suspended or are operating under strict social distancing measures.

If you are being affected by Covid-19 or believe you may be and would like any advice or support to avoid or resolve a dispute, please contact our team of experts.

Arbicon ADR Ltd Chartered Quantity Surveyors, Construction Claims Consultants, Expert Witnesses and Adjuicators.

Peterborough offices: 37 Commerce Road, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6LR. Call 01733 233737. www.arbicon.co.uk

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

Outsourcing to grow your business As the reality of coronavirus continues to imprint itself into our lives and into our businesses, working remotely is swiftly becoming a new normal in all manner of sectors.

The Peterborough Hub talks to Peterborough’s Passionate PA Laurey Bucklandkes about the rise of the freelancer and how outsourcing some of your business tasks could help you to grow – even in these strange and unprecedented times.

The business landscape has changed.

New habits are becoming engrained in our society and the pandemic has forced us to embrace remote working and flexible working hours. It’s become the new normal for so many SMEs, corporates and ambitious businesses.

But freelancers have been changing the way businesses operate for years.

Freelancers can provide solutions to nearly every hurdle business owners face, whether providing an entire service on a long-term basis, filling in a skillsgap shortage for an interim period or completing one-off projects.

Freelancers are professionals, offering on-demand skills and experience that can add a serious edge to most businesses.

While government loans may prevent businesses from going bust during these strange times, those loans will need to be paid back.

As a result, now more than ever, businesses need to look at long-term stability and accelerating growth in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Hiring a freelancer can help overcome challenges without the need to employ.

They offer the flexibility businesses need in uncertain times, and the long-term loyalty often lacking in employees.

The Passionate PA offers exactly that; a relationship-led partnership that helps ambitious business leaders and entrepreneurs drive change, build momentum and generate results. Often a sounding board to their clients, The Passionate PA finds solutions, challenges clients to think differently and ensures the highest quality service in all aspects of business delivery.

streamlining business processes and administration, to driving growth through effective marketing strategies. Passionate PA are masters of implementation and it’s on your business to do list, they’ll help tackle it.

Finding the right freelancer can take time so be sure to ask trusted business networks for recommendations or read reviews and testimonials. It might be necessary to work with a freelancer on a trial basis at first, just to ensure you work well together. However, once you know and trust a freelancer who delivers a service in line with your brand and ethos, it’s a relationship that can last for years.

Laurey Buckland is The Passionate PA for Peterborough, Stamford and Huntingdon and said: “Freelance services will be intrinsic to business growth as we all emerge from our lockdown bubbles. It’s a really viable option for those business owners who want to develop at pace but cannot afford to employ the level of skill needed on a full-time basis.”

While effective communication and business management is vital when working with any freelancer, The Passionate PA brings a second business brain to companies.

David Anderson, Director of Anderson IT Management, has worked with Laurey since July 2019. He said: “Laurey has brought a skill set and ability to understand the future of my business that is invaluable.

They can assist with anything from

“As a freelancer, Laurey has assimilated my

business ethos which is reflected in the work we do together from marketing, refining in-house processes and administration.

“The Passionate PA really is an unrivalled resource if you want to grow and prosper, but what I have truly valued over the last few months is the consistency, continuity and reliability Laurey brings to my business and the efficient approach she has to delivering what I need.”

Founded by Dorset businesswoman Sarah Howells in 2007, and franchised in 2016 by Director, Kate Chastey, The Passionate PA has worked for leading brands such as Virgin Media and the Institute of Directors. It now supports a wide range of professional services companies as well as agencies in the recruitment, digital marketing, financial services, IT and creative industries to name but a few.

To find out more about how a freelance PA can help you recover quickly, visit www. thepassionatepa.co.uk or email laurey@thepassionatepa.co.uk

29

The Peterborough Hub is a bi-monthly business magazine distributed to 5,000 decision makers in businesses based in the PE1 to PE7 postcode areas.

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May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

Flexibility is key to the success of self storage firm When Quick Self Storage opened in November 2019, store manager Drew Dempsey was expecting a gentle but steady increase of customers.

The arrival of coronavirus, and the subsequent lockdown, has had a huge impact on this young business. But Drew has embraced change and developed a much closer relationship with the local community as a result.

Quick Self Storage John Wesley Road, Peterborough, PE4 6ZJ 01733 834183 www,quickselfstorage.co.uk peterborough@quickselfstorage.co.uk

The number of self-storage companies in the UK is on the rise. We may see them as a US concept, but we’ve actually had self-storage businesses here since the 1980s. Today there are an estimated 1,500 locations around the country.

Businesses are certainly enjoying the benefits of having flexible self-storage space available.

While a proportion is taken by international and UK wide companies, local and dot com businesses are seeing advantages as well.

The latest report from SSA UK shows that an average of 43 percent of space is taken by business customers.

It was entirely expected that Quick Self Storage would soon see an uptake on the 134 units available.

By offering a variety of different sizes, business and domestic customers can each select just the amount of space they need.

“A 25ft sq unit is roughly the size of a single room,” Drew explains. “It’s just right for a sole trader to keep stock, particularly those working from home who don’t want boxes cluttering up their hallways.

We have a number of online traders who retail from home yet keep stock here. We accept deliveries for them, so they can stop by daily to pack parcels and take them off to the courier.”

With business rates rising on inner city properties, it’s no wonder that many retailers keep additional and seasonal stock in storage units, giving them more shop floor to display to customers.

The flexibility of contracts means they can take the unit for just the short time they

need it.

Accountants, law firms and industries where paper files must be kept for long periods of time use their units as archiving space, keeping that extra room in the office for people, not paperwork.

It’s not just brick and mortar businesses who benefit. Tradesmen prefer units as a dampfree option for tools and materials and far more secure than a van. Landlords find their units a handy place to store furniture, and home crafters can keep their products safe until they sell.

And then, along came Covid-19. Enquiries slowed down from business customers, and almost completely from personal storage customers.

Drew and his team, however, have not been daunted.

“Just like every other business, we had to look at the way we work, change habits and consider different ways to do things. The local business community in Peterborough very quickly adapted to a more online approach. Networking groups have taken their meetings on to video calls and Facebook groups, and there is a very strong sense of working together.

Social distancing is impacting everyone, but

we have to look for positives to come out of it. We’ve had to be far more proactive than we would have been, joined more networking events and been more involved on social media. As a result, we’ve met a lot more local businesses, and we feel very much more involved in the local community.”

Taking a fresh, more digital approach, is not too unusual a step for Quick Self Storage, who is the only storage company in the UK to have keyless security options.

With a simple app, customers can open their storage unit via their phone, meaning no lost keys and access for any employee they choose. Every unit also has movement sensors and intruder alarms, in addition to standard CCTV. Drew says, “The residents of Peterborough have been amazing. There has been a tremendous sense of working together, both in business and in the community. We’re proud to be a part of that in every way we can.

“Quick Self Storage is acting as a collection point for a local charity, Peterborough4You, who are taking donations of gifts, and sewing scrubs for carers and residents of care homes.

If you have anything you can donate, we’ve got distancing measures in place so you can drop it off safely.”

31

32

Covid-19 Special

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Proud to be part of the pioneering Utility Warehouse I’m Sushma Bragg and I’m partnered with a fantastic company called UW (Utility Warehouse) which most people haven’t heard of.

What I love most about working with this company is that I get to build a business whilst helping people save money on things they are already spending out on and making a real difference to help them reduce their household expenditure. The free LED light bulbs for life and cash back on the shopping reduces their monthly bills even further.

During my time with the company one thing that has impressed me so much about this company is how they have been so practical together with their adaptability in these uncertain times.

Many are in the unfortunate circumstances of not being able to work from home in the lockdown, some have been furloughed, some have lost their income all together.

I am not alone in thinking that we are living in very extraordinary times the likes of which we have never seen before.

Utility Warehouse (owned by Telecoms Plus) is a British company which was started in 1996 at the back of a pub. It now resides in an impressive building on Edgware Road in Colindale in London.

UW offers great savings on gas, electricity, phone, broadband, mobiles, boiler cover and home insurance. All your services on one simple bill.

The company has very quickly adapted to these strange times.

Even before the lockdown, the biggest company event of the year, Express Day, which should have been on March 14 was cancelled – a decision made by the company to safeguard all. And within hours, they arranged to broadcast a virtual Express Day. They recognised the need and urgency to adapt their infrastructure to enable us, as partners of the company, to carry out our appointments remotely.

Within days of the start of the lockdown,

actually by March 31 to be exact, a system was put in place where we could continue to offer our customers the opportunity to save on their utility bills especially as more and more people were looking to tighten their belts.

The company employs approximately 1,500 staff to man the head office. With the lockdown, most of the staff have been relocated to working from home. The company bought 1,500 laptops to enable this. They are continuing to offer excellent customer service.

The company responded rapidly to the new “social distancing” regulations introduced by the government by, in their own words “turning lemons into lemonade”.

They created a shared screen tool that enables us, as partners, to guide our customers through a sign up appointment online, for which they can be in total control if they wish, whilst the partner talks them through each step of the process.

Although the company have always prided themselves for their “face to face” interaction, as the current situation demands, they now have the right technology at the right time to continue to support their partners to help their customers save money.

And it doesn’t end there, the UW Foundation, just recently set up at Express Day, supports the charity Plastics Oceans.

However, whilst the Covid 19 crisis is ongoing, the Foundation is supporting the NHS frontline causes and has raised over £16,000 in one month.

UW is a really socially responsible company, very aware of the environment and people’s welfare.

All in all, UW has definitely been a pioneer of adaptability in these uncertain times.

It is a company which I, as an Authorised Partner, am very proud to be associated with.

If you would like more information on how you can save money, or earn some extra income, contact Sushma Bragg – UW Authorised Partner 07877 265725 sush@sushmabragg.com www.sushmabragg.com

May 2020

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

Covid-19 Special

Jill’s working hard until she can welcome clients back to salon against services or products and can be virtual or delivered direct to the client’s door.

Just 6 months after opening, Little Bird Hair Design, like many other businesses, temporarily closed their doors.

All the salon’s clients had been moved to a hypothetical start date in June but as it now seems this too is unlikely, Jill is awaiting announcements from the Government and will reassess and rebook accordingly.

Even before the Government’s announcement that the country was to go into lockdown, owner Jill made the heartwrenching decision to put down her scissors and stay home.

In truth, the decision was quite easy to make.

The safety of her clients and her family is paramount, so although it was upsetting, it really had to be done.

“Once it was clear that we were dealing with a global pandemic, I knew closing the salon was the right thing to do,” said Jill.

“A few clients had already cancelled due to shielding or because they had symptoms and that made me decide it was time.”

There is a waiting list and those booked in before lockdown began, will of course be given priority.

The salon is expecting to be very busy once it reopens and Jill will be extending opening hours to account for this. brand visible.

“Hairdressing is a very visual industry,” said Jill.

“I’m continuing to share client transformations, products and information on our Instagram and Facebook platforms.”

Amid all this, there has been some good news.

Little Bird Hair Design has been announced as a finalist in The Peterborough Small Business Awards in the category of New Business.

Jill was very shocked and surprised on receiving the email containing confirmation that the salon is through to the final.

During the short time it has been trading, the business has been going from strength to strength.

“It’s a huge honour to be named alongside all of the other fantastic local small businesses, “ she said.

Little Bird’s client base has been built from scratch and already has a steady stream of clients coming through the door.

The final takes place in October, with lots of preparation and meetings to take place beforehand.

Jill has recently attended several training courses to expand her knowledge, viewing ongoing education a top priority.

As well as offering hairdressing and barbering services such as cutting, colour, styling, perming and grooming, she now offers luxury Balmain hair extensions alongside their hair care and styling products.

She has also partnered with leading colour house L’Oréal who recently celebrated more than 100 years in the industry.

Jill has been busy maintaining contact with her clients and has focused on online marketing via social media, to keep the

Until concrete dates are given, Jill has been continuing with training via a huge range of video tutorials and online education, being provided by the hairdressing industry worldwide.

She is making sure the salon will be fully ready for reopening.

She is taking guidance with regards to Health and Safety and PPE requirements from industry experts from The Fellowship for British Hairdressing and The National Hair and Barber Council.

Both organisations are following strict Government guidelines to ensure staff and clients safety.

“It’s going to be a challenging time, but together I know we’ll get through it and our clients will once again be enjoying happy, healthy hair!”, Jill said.

Jill is excited to take part in the whole process and, of course, it gives her and partner Paul the excuse to buy a new dress and suit for the awards ceremony!

Most importantly, she received messages of congratulations and support from her two adult sons.

She said: “Knowing I am making them proud and inspiring them is the most amazing feeling, what more could any mum ask?”

Although the usual salon services are currently unavailable, all products that can be purchased in salon, can be bought by contacting Jill through her social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.

Gift vouchers are also available to redeem

Little Bird Hair Design 07927227888 littlebirdhairdesign@outlook.com

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Covid-19 Special

www.thepeterboroughhub.co.uk

May 2020

Charity takes new ‘normal’ in its stride Action for Asperger’s (AfA) charity was founded in 2008 by Elaine Nicholson from the sofa of her sitting room in Oundle.

leaving their homes, but with video, I could get through their doors and help them.

Elaine, herself a qualified counsellor, developed an autism-cognisant model of counselling for individuals who were neuro-diverse, i.e. diagnosed or undiagnosed as being autistic.

On the other hand, you could have an autistic person living 3,000 miles away, and video allowed me to reach them and help them. I was a pioneer of this type of communication and it suited autistic minds perfectly.

AfA is now UK-wide and its aims are to counsel and support those individuals aged three years and upwards that have autism/autism spectrum and also to counsel those that are in a close relationship with an autistic individual, such as a parent, sibling or partner.

Twelve years on and 5,000 clients later, it is evident that Nicholson’s vision has been a success.

One in a hundred people is said to have autism in this country. Autism/autism spectrum condition is defined as a pervasive developmental condition that affects a person’s communication and interaction.

It’s not that autistic people cannot communicate or interact with others, they can, but the quality of their communication and interaction is often poor and they can experience anxiety that is off the scale when forced to communicate/interact.

In addition to impairment in communication and interaction, the autistic individual is literally enslaved to their own ritualistic, repetitive, routine and repetitive behaviours – behaviours that are inherent to the autistic condition – so, if supper is always served at 6pm and mother gets waylaid and serves their meal at 6.10pm, their world can collapse due to the sudden change of routine.

Additionally, autistic individuals suffer ill sensory affects; many cannot tolerate loud sounds, or even low (repetitive) sounds like a ticking clock, bright sunlight, crowds, and hugs (just a few sensory experiences to mention).

So, here is my explanation of what autism/ autism spectrum is – a cradle through to grave experience – yet, and this is the sting, in over 80 percent of people with autism it cannot be seen.

That’s right…someone with autism can look

just like you and I, yet under the surface that is skin their autistic condition is turning in a kaleidoscopic manner every waking hour of their lives.

An autistic young person may wake in the morning and contemplate, “is today going to be good for me?” and they then set about their day in hope of this goodness happening, then, lo behold, a toddler in Tesco’s screams, and the sensory effects of hearing the child’s screams send them into a meltdown from which they will need two days to recover from.

When you have autism, it is like walking a tightrope over a pool of crocodiles! Living in a world where 98-99 percent of people think very differently to you can be isolating and often harmful. Discrimination towards atypical thinkers occurs daily all around the world and is probably one of the last bastions of discrimination.

In 2008, I contemplated that autistic minds and the psychological experiences of their loved ones were being sorely and severely neglected and I did something about that.

One of the very first things that I did was to set up online counselling for lives that were adversely affected by Asperger’s syndrome (autism spectrum/autism).

My reasons for reaching out via video were that I knew that an autistic teenager could live 500 yards up the road, yet his/her autism meant that they were fearful about

AfA has come a long way since 2008, and we are operational from four sites in the UK: Corby and Wollaston in Northamptonshire, Glasgow in Scotland and Llandudno Junction in North Wales.

However, since Covid-19 hit we are confined to remote working, but, luckily, we are used to this system of working, of its weaknesses and strengths and so on AfA counsellors have long since been used to virtual (video) counselling, in fact it could be said that AfA as an organisation is one of the early pioneers of this method of therapeutic assistance.

Unlike 95 percent of counsellors “out there” who now find themselves having to adjust quickly from one-on-one consultations to video consultations, at AfA we are taking this in our stride.

Although AfA specialises in autism, during COVID-19 we are opening up our online doors to anyone, regardless of neurological type i.e. you don’t have to have autism to be seen by a counsellor from AfA. We desperately want to help the global effort to stave off the coronavirus adverse psychological affects that many will likely suffer. After eight weeks of lockdown, I am seeing many of my friends falling further into depression and its heart breaking to witness.

All of AfA’s counsellors have been generically trained in counselling; only later did they specialise in autism.

We can help everyone and anyone therefore to learn how to cope with what is to come.

I encourage anyone who is suffering psychologically now or in the future to get in touch. We do have to charge a small charitable fee for our service due to lack of governmental and lottery funding, but we can assure a soothing, empathetic and healing experience from the commencement of your counselling experience. Please don’t suffer in silence – we can help you.

Elaine Nicholson MBE Tel 01536266681 nfo@actionforasprgers.org www.actionforaspergers.org

CALL TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTE

HR Support to Businesses: Redundancy & Outplacement Contact Peter Lawrence for a confidential discussion: 07469 744363 / peter.lawrence@humancapitaldept.com

www.humancapitaldept.com  Cutting

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littlebirdhairdesign@outlook.com

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