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PVL UK LIMITED
Employer of the Year 2022
❛❛ Winning was a massive endorsement of how the business is seen by our peers and has energised #TeamPVL to push forward to even greater heights! ❜❜
CELEBRATING 35 YEARS OF THE SUCCESSES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND RESILIENCE OF THE REGION’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY
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SEPTEMBER 20TH
❛❛ Sussex is an incredible hub for business, entrepreneurship and community spirit and we couldn’t be happier to be representing and leading that with our efforts ❜❜
BIRD & BLEND Company of the Year 2022
14 Phone hacking
The newspapers are in the dock for alleged phone hacking. Platinum looks at the history of this heinous act of skullduggery
NEWS
10 Local and international news
A round of the important business stories in Sussex and around the world
2 Sussex Business Awards
Entries are invited for this prestigious event, now in its 35th year
8 Platinum Club
Now in its 15th year, the South East’s premier networking social event is in full swing
64 Surrey Business Awards
Get your entries in for Surrey’s premier business awards
68 Central South Business Awards
Tickets now on sale for this superlative event, now in its second year
FINANCE
20 Kreston Reeves
Breaking lending covenants: how should a business respond?
58 EMC
Why profits matter in business valuations
61 Haines Watts
How can a mentor benefit you and your business?
44 Help To Grow:Management
Platinum Business Magazine has an exclusive offer for anyone who wishes to take part in the University of Brighton’s 12-week mini-MBA programme to help you grow your business
43 2to3days
Do you want more women to apply for your job vacancies?
48 Education & Skills Partnership
Is your team ready to deliver that project?
50 MDHUB
The results of the ‘50 Leaders’ survey across Sussex and Surrey
54 Venner Shipley
A changed landscape for patent holders across Europe
56 Let’s Do Business
The Recovery Loan Scheme has been extended once again.
76 Surrey Research Park
The award-winning tenant at SRP advancing the technology for electric vehicles
81 Cleankill
Cheap pest control is a false economy, and may make things worse
LEGAL
22 DMH Stallard
Cloud gaming: does it need a free and competitive market?
24-39 Celebrate Crawley
West Sussex’s largest town has been undergoing something of a positive transformation, in terms of business, retail and quality of life. Platinum looks at what is happening to the old ‘Crow’s Clearing’
66 Loch Associates
Your responsibilities for neurodiversity in the workplace
72 Mayo Wynne Baxter
New CMA guidance regarding sharp practices within online selling
84 Anger Management
Maarten Hoffmann fears that the UK is falling to the level of the Third World INNOVATION
62 Sussex Innovation
What are we going to do about workplace AI?
70 Hurstpierpoint College
The importance and advantages of an Extended Project Qualification CHARITY
79 Chestnut Tree House
Make your mark in 2024
82 London Andrology
Two surgeons discuss the falling rate of male fertility within the western world TRAVEL
86 Sailing the ocean blue
Tess de Klerk suggests we charter a boat this summer
88 Aston Martin DB11
Maarten Hoffmann feels out of sorts pushing this Aston
Welcome to the June issue of the UK’s largest circulation business magazine.
We have been rather consumed of late with the second year of the Dynamic Awards which took place at the Grand Brighton on May 25th. The response was truly outstanding and we now have 16 super-charged women looking for more room on the fireplace for their trophy. All the winners are revealed in Dynamic Magazine which is included in this issue. Stand by for the announcement of the all-new Dynamic Conference, coming your way in 2024.
We look at the world of phone hacking and how, potentially, we are all at risk. We also present a Focus on Crawley and the remarkable changes taking place that will ensure the town becomes a true powerhouse.
We meet up with the Chairman of accountancy firm MHA and discuss its new move to Gatwick, and MDHUB presents a fascinating new business leaders survey. Venner Shipley discusses a changed landscape for patents across Europe, and we look at the extended Recovery Loan Scheme.
In Motoring, Maarten gets hot and bothered with an Aston Martin, and in Travel, Tess takes a looks at the luxury of boat charter in the Med.
It’s all here, all you need to do is grab a coffee and enjoy the read.
The Platinum Team
PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Lesley Alcock lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EVENTS DIRECTOR: Fiona Graves fiona@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EVENTS MANAGER: Zaneta Bealing zaneta@platinummediagroup.co.uk
TRAVEL EDITOR: Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk
PLATINUM MOTORING EDITOR: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk
DYNAMIC MOTORING EDITOR: Fiona Shafer fionas@platinummediagroup.co.uk
HEAD OF DESIGN: Michelle Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk
SUB EDITOR: Alan Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk
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The Platinum Club has been the region’s leading peerto-peer business networking event for CEOs, Managing Directors and Partners of many of the leading companies across the South East for over 15 years.
Limited memberships are available and to apply, please contact info@platinummediagroup.com
in Business
❛❛ The networking highlight of my month and never
4
7
10
1 Maarten Hoffmann CEO, Platinum Media Group, Mardi Roberts Director, Ridgeview Wine Estate, David Sheppard Chairman, D-RisQ 2 Juliet Turnbull MD, 2to3 Days 3 Juliet Turnbull MD, 2to3 Days, Stefan Buss Storm 12, Kevin Boyd Director, Financial Coaching 4 Claire Krost CEO, Waking up to Autism laughing at something said by Craig Staddon CEO, Plumpton Racecourse 5 Rob Clare CEO, Innovation Capital, and Chairman Sussex Chamber of Commerce 6 Sophia Spencer MD, Callisto, Harriett Type Serendipity2, Senda Kavindele Partner, KPMG 7 Donna Holland CEO, Rockinghorse Maarten Hoffmann CEO, Platinum Media Group, Senda Kavindele Partner, KPMG 8 James Grantham Managing Partner, Galloways 9 Rupert Kirby Let’s Do Business chatting to Adrian Alexander Partner, FRP Advisory❛❛ We see the Platinum Club as an important and integral part of our brand awareness strategy, through interactions with well-connected businesspeople and other influencers ❜❜
MATTIOLI WOODS WEALTH MANAGEMENT
❛❛
❛❛ I make sure I never miss an event and thoroughly enjoy it ❜❜
MERCEDES-BENZ
The Platinum Club is a really well organised networking group, with the hosts helping facilitate to ensure we always make useful, new contacts at each event ❜❜
The government has approved the use of longer lorries on British roads, saying it will make businesses more efficient and cut emissions. The industry welcomed the move, saying it would mean more goods could be transported by fewer vehicles. One campaign group warned the larger tail swing – meaning their rear end covers a bigger area when turning – could put pedestrians and cyclists at risk.
Ministers said the lorries, which have been trialled since 2011, are safe. There are already around 3,000 such lorries in use. They are 18.55m long, which is about 2.05m longer than the standard size. However, from May 31st, any business in England, Scotland and Wales will be permitted to use them.
The governor of the Bank of England has told Sky News he expects inflation to fall ‘rapidly” in just weeks - but warned two-thirds of the pain from interest rate rises is yet to come. Andrew Bailey made the comments after interest rates were increased for a record-breaking 12th successive time, lifting the cost of borrowing to 4.5% earlier in May. The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee also predicted there would be no recession this year, upgrading its economic growth forecasts by more than in any of its previous reports.
Business confidence reached its highest level since May last year as bosses become more optimistic about the wider economy, a new survey has found.
Confidence reached 33% on the monthly index in April, up from 32% in March, the latest sentiment index by Lloyds Bank showed. The majority of businesses expect to increase their prices in the coming year, and 47% state they are looking to recruit, marking the fifth consecutive month that anticipated staffing levels have increased.
LinkedIn has become the latest in a long line of tech companies to announce job cuts. The networking app said it will cut 716 roles as it phases out its app in China. Ryan Roslansky, CEO of the company said the decision to close the app was due to ‘fierce competition and a challenging macro economic climate.’ Microsoft, LinkedIn’s partner company, has announced plans to pay off 10,000 jobs, close to 5% of its global workforce.
The Brand Finance UK 250 has revealed the top UK companies brand value:
1. Shell £40.1 bn
2. EY £21.4 bn
3. pwc £21.2 bn
4. HSBC £16.5 bn
5. Vodafone £14.0 bn
6. BP £13.9 bn
7. KPMG £12.3 bn
8. Tesco £11.8 bn
9. Barclays £10.3 bn
10. Sky £8.6 bn
Piers Morgan says he is not aware of phone hacking taking place while he was editor of the Daily Mirror. A High Court case against its owners, Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), brought by Prince Harry and several other high-profile figures, began on in May.
Lawyers argue that executives at the publisher knew about widespread phone hacking, but failed to act. Speaking before the trial, Mr Morgan said: “I’ve never hacked a phone. I’ve never told anybody to hack a phone.”
The long-awaited case involves allegations that the publisher of the Mirror illegally gathered information about the Duke of Sussex and a number of other celebrities to generate stories.
In written arguments put before the court, the barrister representing Prince Harry said it was “inconceivable” that Mr Morgan and other editors did not know about MGN journalists instructing private investigators to obtain information. Morgan has always denied any knowledge of phone hacking or illegal activity at the Daily Mirror when he was editor.
❛❛ Democracy is like a tram for us. You get off once you’ve arrived at the stop you want ❜❜
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
❛❛ I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life ❜❜
Russell Kashket, master tailor making ceremonial uniforms for the coronation
❛❛ I think it’s wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly ❜❜
Steven Wright
Using official data from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), a study found the most unsafe areas to work in, based on non-fatal injuries per 100,000 employees recorded since 2021/22.
Nationally, there was an increase of 21% in non-fatal injuries reported to the HSE in the last year; this national trend is to be expected as a result of workplaces reopening fully after being closed due to the pandemic. South East England tops the list as one of the safest regions to work in the UK. With only 201 accidents per 100,000 employees compared to East Midlands with a humongous 269 - it’s clear why the South East is one of the safest regions to work in.
KPMG UK has announced the appointment of a new office senior partner for its Gatwick office, with new office premises in the heart of Crawley, as the firm adopts more flexible working patterns.
Senda Kavindele (above) has been appointed office senior partner for the firm’s South-East operations headquartered in Crawley and took the post in March. She is the first woman to be appointed to office senior partner in the region which covers the Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and is the longest serving professional services practice in the region, having opened its first office in Brighton over three decades ago.
She will join the current senior management team of Tim Rush, Julie Wheeldon, Oliver Gale, Kathryn Mallett and Mark Cowland. On the back of the firm’s double-digit growth for the second consecutive year and continued client excellence, both Mark and Kathryn have been promoted to partners.
Mark, who has been with the local practice since 2003 will head up the tax department for the office and continue working with privately owned, listed, overseas parented and private equity-backed businesses in the region, and Kathryn leads the firm’s practice in relation to social housing where she is a tax specialist.
The iconic hotel could be set for refurbishment as a new company takes over. Israeli hotel group Fattal Hotel Group has taken over the Grand Brighton, after securing a £43.7 million loan from specialist property lenders Leumi UK. With more than 250 hotels spread across 20 different countries, the Fattal Hotel Group is one of the biggest of its kind in Israel, and also operates several successful in-house brands, such as NYX, Leonardo Hotels and Jury’s Inn.
The company also owns a range of other iconic UK hotels, including the Midland Manchester Hotel and the Dilly Hotel in London’s Piccadilly. Guy Vardi and Yaniv Amzaleg at Fattal Hotel Group said the five-star Brighton hotel is the perfect fit for the company’s existing portfolio, with its easy access to local landmarks like West Pier, the Lanes and Brighton Palace Pier.
THE
❛❛ Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway ❜❜
Warren Buffett
Brighton-based Wired Sussex has appointed CEO Iain McKenna to lead the non-profit membership organisation as it supports media, digital and technology businesses in the region.
Iain joins Wired Sussex with extensive leadership experience, having worked in management roles for media businesses including Bauer Media, Heart FM, Original 106 FM and as Global Radio’s regional managing director for the south.
Plans for the organisation include leading an era of increased collaboration, as Wired Sussex continues to act as the voice for Brighton, Hove and Sussex’s growing media, digital and tech economy, on a regional and national level.
Iain said: “Wired Sussex has the potential to provide a real boost to the economy in our region, as we develop an exciting business ecosystem, develop talent, skills and promote innovation.
“The Sussex region is considered in the top ten areas for tech in the UK, despite its relative size. We are already punching above our weight, but there is so much more we can do as we boost our investment infrastructure and raise our profile nationally.”
Leading Sussex-based estate and lettings agency, Mishon Mackay, has acquired a new company.
Formed in 1987, through a collaboration between Alex Mackay and the late Glenn Mishon, Mishon Mackay is embarking on the latest stage of its growth by acquiring Kemp Town-based estate and lettings agency, Justin Lloyd.
Alex Mackay said: “I am really proud of my team who have worked really hard to bring this acquisition to completion. It is exciting for us to take over this well-managed business and I am looking forward to working with the team members we are taking on and watching Mishon Mackay continue to grow.”
Sally Hubbard, Director at Justin Lloyd, said: “I am delighted that we have found new owners who not only have such an excellent long-term reputation but also a company who share the Justin Lloyd values of giving great personal service. I have no doubt that both clients and staff will be in the best possible hands with Mishon Mackay.”
A new partnership that allows smaller businesses to benefit from IP Fabric’s network visibility and assurance platform, formerly only available to enterprises, has been launched. Thanks to a unique new arrangement, Sussex based ITHQ is now able to offer IP Fabric to organisations with a minimum of 10 devices instead of 500.
With compliance and cost efficiencies more critical than ever, automated network assurance enables good governance whilst delivering significant time and cost savings in network management.
IP Fabric’s many business benefits include contextualised
notification of network configuration anomalies or outages, easy compliance verification, support and maintenance coverage, security and networking best-practices and lightning-fast fault resolution. Historically, businesses have required more than 500 network devices to make an investment in IP Fabric affordable and worthwhile. Through ITHQ’s unique arrangement with IP Fabric, businesses with 10 or more network devices now have access to this amazing technology.
❛❛ It is unfortunate we can’t buy many business executives for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth ❜❜
Malcolm Forbes
❛❛ We owe a lot to Thomas Edison - if it wasn’t for him, we’d be watching television by candlelight ❜❜
Milton Berle
As the trial of claims for phone hacking and related unlawful information gathering against Prince Harry and over 100 other claimants (collectively known in court as ‘The Claimant Group’) against Mirror Group Newspapers continues, Platinum looks at the gathering of information by illegal means involving a web of corruption, blackmail and coercion.
By Alan Wares
In 1999, the Metropolitan Police were looking the unsolved 1987 murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan in a pub car park in Sydenham, south London. Morgan ran Southern Investigations with his business partner Jonathan Rees. Although acquitted in 2009 of Morgan’s murder, it was found that Rees was one of the key players in obtaining information illegally on behalf of the News of the World newspaper.
The lack of successful prosecution of Rees was put down to many acts of what reports referred to as ‘institutional corruption’ within the Metropolitan Police. The senior investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Sid Fillery, later replaced Morgan at Southern Investigations upon his retirement from the force. He had already been unofficially ‘working’ with them while a police officer, but failed to inform his superiors.
Rees himself was imprisoned for seven years on a separate count of perverting the course of justice when he sought to plant cocaine on a man involved in a child custody case. Upon his release, he worked on a freelance basis for the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror as well as the News of the World.
After the collapse of the Morgan murder trial at the Old Bailey, in March 2011 it was revealed that Rees had earned £150,000 a year from the News of the World for supplying illegally obtained information about people in the public eye.
He had a network of contacts with corrupt police officers, who obtained confidential records for him. He claimed that his extensive contacts provided him with confidential information from banks and government organisations and he was routinely able to obtain confidential data from bank accounts, telephone records, car registration details and computers. He was also alleged to have commissioned burglaries on behalf of journalists.
❛❛ Phone hacking, being a form of surveillance, is illegal in many countries ❜❜
Phone hacking is the practice of exploring a mobile device often using computer exploits to analyse everything from the lowest memory and CPU levels up to the highest file system and process levels. Modern open source tooling has become fairly sophisticated as to be able to “hook” into individual functions within any running App on an unlocked device and allow deep inspection and modification of its functions.
Phone hacking is a large branch of computer security that includes studying various situations exactly how attackers use security exploits to gain some level of access to a mobile device in a variety of situations and presumed access levels.
The term came to prominence during the News International phone hacking scandal, in which it was alleged (and in some cases proved in court) that the British tabloid newspaper the News of the World had been involved in the interception of voicemail
The News International phone hacking scandal was a controversy involving the now-defunct News of the World and other British newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch. Employees and freelancers of the newspaper were accused of engaging in phone hacking, police bribery, and exercising improper influence in the pursuit of stories.
It was the Daniel Morgan murder that exposed the story of collusion and corruption, and investigations conducted from 2005 to 2007 appeared to show that the vast network of the paper’s phone hacking activities.
In July 2011 it was revealed that the phones of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, relatives of deceased British soldiers, and victims of the July 7th
messages of the British Royal Family, other public figures, and a murdered schoolgirl named Milly Dowler.
Phone hacking, being a form of surveillance, is illegal in many countries unless it is carried out as lawful interception by a government agency, such as the police or security services. In the News International phone hacking scandal, private investigator Glenn Mulcaire was found to have violated the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. He was sentenced to six months in prison in January 2007.
2005 London bombings had also been hacked.
The resulting public outcry against News Corporation and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, led to several high-profile resignations, while advertiser boycotts led to the closure of the News of the World on July 10th 2011, after 168 years of publication.
The then-prime minister, David Cameron, announced on July 6th 2011 that a public inquiry, later known as the Leveson Inquiry, would look into phone hacking and police bribery by the News of the World and consider the wider culture and ethics of the British newspaper industry. A number of arrests and convictions followed, most notably of the former News of the World managing editor Andy Coulson.
❛❛ It was the Daniel Morgan murder that exposed the story of collusion and corruption ❜❜Rupert Murdoch
There were supposed to be two inquiries led by Lord Justice Sir Brian Leveson –the first looked into ‘the culture, practices and ethics of the British press’. This took place at The Royal Courts of Justice from November 2011 to June 2012.
Leveson heard testimony from those on the receiving end of phone hacking including actors Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan; author JK Rowling; smear campaign victim Christopher Jeffries; families of murder victims and many other. It also heard from journalists, broadcasters, editors and media proprietors, with varying degrees of either compliance or irritation; depending on which way they felt the justice system should interfere with the freedom of the press.
Leveson’s report was published as a 2,000-page document in November 2012, mainly focusing on how the Press Complaints Commission was insufficient as a watchdog for the press, and needed updating, with a proper code of conduct to allow individuals a proper right of
redress. Membership would be voluntary, but incentivised.
The second part of the Leveson Inquiry
– ‘the extent of unlawful or improper conduct within News International, other media organisations or other organisations’ never materialised. It had to be delayed while other ongoing police investigations into corruption and collusion were completed. In late
May this year, Leveson made another public call, in his first interview on the matter, for the second inquiry to convene.
Critics believed the decision to indefinitely delay the second part of the inquiry was the cold hand of News International owner Rupert Murdoch exerting his undue influence over the government of the time. The government, for their part, dismissed that notion, stating that the second inquiry would be ‘too costly’ and ‘not find anything’.
As it transpired, the cost of the first Leveson Inquiry was £5.4m – the kind of money many of those in the spotlight would find down the back of their sofa.
In April 2011, Grant published an article in the New Statesman titled “The Bugger, Bugged” about a conversation with Paul McMullan, a former journalist and paparazzo for News of the World.
In unguarded comments which were secretly taped by Grant, McMullan alleged that editors at the Daily Mail and News of the World, particularly Andy Coulson, had ordered journalists to engage in illegal phone tapping and had done so with the full knowledge of
senior British politicians. McMullan, torn into as ‘morally bankrupt’ by Steve Coogan live on Newsnight in 2011, also said that every British Prime Minister from Margaret Thatcher onwards had cultivated a close relationship with Rupert Murdoch and his senior executives.
When asked by Grant whether prime minster David Cameron had encouraged the Metropolitan Police to “drag their feet” on investigating illegal phone tapping by Murdoch’s journalists, McMullan agreed this had happened, and stated that police themselves had taken bribes from tabloid journalists: “20% of the Met has taken backhanders
from tabloid hacks. So why would they want to open up that can of worms? And what’s wrong with that, anyway? It doesn’t hurt anyone particularly.” Grant’s article attracted considerable interest, due to both the revelatory content of the taped conversation, and the novelty of his turning the tables on a tabloid journalist.
While the allegations regarding the News of the World continued to receive coverage in the broadsheets and similar media, it was only with the revelation that the voicemail of murdered Milly Dowler had been hacked, and evidence for her murder enquiry had been deleted, that the
❛❛ The cost of the first Leveson Inquiry was £5.4m – the kind of money many of those in the spotlight would find down the back of their sofa ❜❜JK R owling Steve Coogan Lord Justice Leveson
In light of the allegations of the News of the World phone hacking into the mobile phone voice mail of murder victim Milly Dowler, on July 5th 2011 in partnership with Brian Cathcart and other concerned individuals, Media Standards Trust (MST) formed the ‘Hacked Off’ campaign. This MST is a think tank which had been formed in 2006 to carry out research on issues in the media sector, while advocating for press freedom as well as industry quality, transparency and accountability.
The campaign is supported by a number of journalists, broadcasters, politicians of all parties, writers and victims of phone hacking. Hacked Off produces its own publication ‘Free & Fearless’.
Hugh Grant is often the public face of Hacked Off, appearing on programmes like Question Time and Newsnight in order to give a voice to those on the receiving end of illegal press intrusion.
In 2012, in order to head off further misguided and unfounded criticism that ‘Hacked Off’ was merely a ‘secretive pressure group... of wealthy and powerful individuals and celebrities... which has successfully campaigned for state control of the media,’ the group disassociated itself from the MST.
As for those who indulged In phonehacking and other illegal forms of data and information gathering, many were cross-examined by Leveson.
Their demeanour is one of smug contempt, mostly for the self-entitled considerations they have about believing that they have circumvented the law, and this being untouchable. At the same time, when they get caught, there is often one of three reactions; the first being that they knew the law and the authorities, working at a glacial pace, are merely an occupational hazard.
Second is the smirk across their faces knowing that the authorities took so long to investigate, collate and prosecute. The third common reversion-to-type is to play the victim. With no concept of self-awareness, they will convince any who they believe cares that they are the patsy in a sting. Pitiful, isn’t it?
Irrespective the interest in the Leveson Inquiry at the time, including some hysteria by certain newspaper proprietors about the judiciary closing down the freedom of the press, it appears in 2023, little has been done to improve the behaviour of some aspects of the Fourth Estate. If nothing else, the fact that over 100 complainants are suing Mirror Group is testament to that.
coverage turned from media interest to widespread public (and eventually political) outrage.
In 2012, Grant settled a case he had brought with the News of the World. He subsequently became something of a spokesman against Murdoch’s News Corporation.
In 2018, Mirror Group Newspapers apologised for its actions towards Grant and other public figures, calling the affair “morally wrong”. This came after Grant accepted
a six-figure sum to settle a High Court action. He donated the payout to Hacked Off.
Now, Grant has brought another action against the Sun newspaper. He told the court that they had use ‘burglaries to order,’ and ‘breaking and entering’ to obtain private information through ‘bugging, landline tapping and phone hacking.” For its part, The Sun’s legal team is saying that the case has no merit as it was ‘brought too late’.
As Alan Rusbridger, then editor of The Guardian wrote at the time, “The press must accept that the breach of trust engendered by a series of Editors’ Code breaches and a discredited PCC needs tackling immediately and resolutely.”
Still we wait.
❛❛ It appears in 2023, little has been done to improve the behaviour of some aspects of the Fourth Estate ❜❜
Corporate lenders are beginning to report the early signs of stress on lending covenants as businesses feel the financial pressure of recent interest rate rises. But what should a business do if it is at risk of breaking lending covenants, asks John Walsham,
Business Development Consultant of Kreston Reeves.
With interest rates set to be high for some time to come, the cost of borrowing for UK businesses is rising. Lenders are scrutinising borrowing, looking for the early signs of borrower stress, particularly in loan and cash flow covenants.
Banks are left facing a difficult decision when a borrower breaks its lending covenants. They cannot simply ignore it, nor are they likely to panic, demanding a review of the business’s performance. A positive, working relationship with your banking partner will most likely determine next steps.
Banks look to a wide range of sophisticated early warning signs when stress testing a borrower’s ability to meet repayments. These typically include:
n Poor or inaccurate management information supplied by the client. There may be concerns that this is deliberately vague to avoid scrutiny.
n Late management information, including covenant tests. Borrowers may be deliberately trying to avoid the bank seeing the current liquidity issues.
n Late audited accounts, poor bookkeeping and avoiding publishing bad results. This includes where accounting periods are suddenly extended on Companies House.
n Delaying payment to suppliers.
n Adopting HMRC’s time to pay arrangements. This can be a good thing in the right circumstances but may mask more signifi cant issues.
n Missed loan repayments. This may be a seasonal issue but equally a clear warning sign.
n Regularly exceeding overdraft facilities, possibly through overtrading or just loss making.
n Debt on the bank account that never swings into credit.
n Increased credit score enquiries, as suppliers become more cautious.
n Declining credit score, as poor results see suppliers wanting payment in advance.
n CCJs, as suppliers seek repayment via official channels.
❛❛ Banks are left facing a difficult decision when a borrower breaks its lending covenants. They cannot simply ignore it… ❜❜
It is here that a business will discover whether its bank is the ‘trusted adviser’ it claims to be. Banks will show empathy where a positive and knowledgeable relationship exists and may suggest remedies to address any challenges. This might include:
n capital repayment holidays;
n loan term extensions, for example, with CBILs extended from fi ve to ten years; or
n using the new ‘series 3’ recovery loan scheme.
If the lender cannot see a way to support the business, there are plenty of active lenders keen to work with businesses with a good track record. However, care should be taken as many lenders are suggesting fi xed rates to help them make the debt service cover work. And whilst a fi xed rate might be the right answer, a business should always be offered a fixed rate and a variable rate option so an informed decision can be made.
New borrowers also need to consider the affordability of borrowing. It is not uncommon for lenders to be offering a variable lending rate using a default base rate of 7% plus margin, meaning total borrowing costs in excess of 11%.
Seeking advice early is often critical to achieving the most positive outcome for a business, particularly if there are concerns about what’s coming around the corner in these uncertain times.
If worried about breaching covenants, then a restructuring professional may
be able to help consider strategies that are available to ensure that the business is as effi cient and cost-effective as it can be. Lenders will often take comfort from a business seeking professional advice and may be more willing to work with them to see out a diffi cult period, particularly when supported by a clearly structured roadmap out of the current difficulties.
The advice that a business will need will vary greatly and, depending on the situation, can be as light touch as required, particularly where cash may be a real concern.
The Competition & Markets Authority strongly believed it does. Jonathan Compton, Partner, Dispute Resolution at DMH Stallard discusses its recent findings
The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) is the primary UK consumer protection and market competition regulator. The CMA has recently blocked a planned takeover of Activision. Top of its list of concerns was the CMA duty to promote free market competition in the UK cloud gaming market. Microsoft and Activision are very angry.
“The UK is clearly closed for business,” said a spokesman for Microsoft and Activision. With respect, both corporations are wrong.
THE DEAL
It’s a big deal. Microsoft was planning to pay $68.7bn for Activision.
CMA’S
The CMA announced its investigation in September 2022, published its interim report in February this year, and blocked the deal in May.
The UK cloud gaming market is growing. By 2026, forecasters are suggesting UK sales of £1bn. Global gaming is forecasted to reach £11bn by that time. Microsoft accounts for 60-70% of global cloud gaming. Activision owns Call of Duty, Overwatch and Warcraft. Microsoft owns Xbox, and Azure together with Xbox Cloud. So, the deal would combine Activision’s games with Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure.
Microsoft made proposals to deal with the concerns of the CMA at the interim report stage. These included making games available on various platforms for a 10-year period. Microsoft further proposed having Activision games available on Game Pass and argued that this outweighed any damage to competition by the merger.
❛❛ Global gaming is forecasted to reach £11bn by 2026. Microsoft accounts for 60-70% of global Cloud gaming ❜❜
The CMA looked very carefully at the Microsoft arguments. Then it dismissed them.
n First, the CMA found that cloud gaming is fast growing in the UK.
n Second, that cloud gaming allowed consumers to play without buying expensive consoles.
n Third, that cloud gaming allowed consumers greater choice in when and where they played.
n Fourth, that Microsoft dominates cloud gaming.
n Fifth, that this deal would strengthen the position of Microsoft in the cloud gaming sector further.
n Sixth, that the proposals of Microsoft, though real and substantial, were not sufficient to meet their concerns.
n And finally, that cloud gaming needs a free and competitive market.
The reaction of both Activision and Microsoft has been one of fury. “The CMA’s report contradicts the ambitions of the UK to become an attractive country to build technology businesses,” a spokesperson for Activision said and continued, “The report’s conclusions are a disservice to UK citizens, who face increasingly dire economic prospects. We will reassess our growth plans for the UK. Global innovators large and small will take note that – despite all its rhetoric –the UK is clearly closed for business.”
Jonathan is a Dispute Resolution and Litigation partner at DMH Stallard, based in our Surrey office. He is qualified both as a barrister and a solicitor, with his experience as an advocate strongly underpinning his commercial litigation work.
Crawley’s history can be traced as far back as the Stone Age. Crawley’s name is derived from the Anglo Saxon ‘crawe leah’ meaning a ‘crow infested clearing’. The spelling changed during the Middle Ages.
The current spelling of Crawley appeared around 1316. The town itself is a mixture of three parishes, including Ifield, Crawley village and part of Worth. Worth Church is Crawley’s oldest building originating from Saxon times. The first mention of Crawley comes from 1203, when a licence to hold a weekly market was granted.
My, how things have changed. Crawley is now a large thriving town and the largest inland town in Sussex. Although the county seat of East Sussex is Lewes and Chichester for West Sussex, Crawley dwarfs them both in terms of economic viability and the major companies that choose to reside there. One of the largest employers in the
region is Gatwick Airport with 2,500 local staff, Thales, the defence contractor, that employ over 2,300 people from the area, along with Virgin Holidays (1100), Swiss chocolate giant Nestle (800), TUI Travel (800), Tesco (1,000), Royal Mail (600) and Crawley Borough Council (650)
Crawley’s economy ranks among the most prosperous in England.The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was worth an estimated £5.4 billion in 2020, according to figures published by the ONS. The transport & storage industry is the largest in Crawley based on the number of jobs, accounting for 25.2% of roles in the area. Crawley had a mean average salary for fulltime employees of £45,025 in 2022. Crawley’s unemployment rate is 3.1% as of 2021 which is 2% lower than the national average. During the boom of the 1980s the town boasted the lowest level of unemployment in the UK
The former ‘crow infested clearing’ is now one the most successful towns in the region, boasting many of the most successful firms in the country and now boasting two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).
Manor Royal BID was launched in 2013 with the aim of attracting high value business to the area and as a ‘collective’, supporting those business in being successful in pleasing surroundings. The Crawley BID was launched in 2019 with the aim of making the town safer
and more vibrant, connecting businesses and promoting and showcasing the area.
The town is also highly attractive for London commuters as it is only 28 miles away and quite a few famous faces hail from the town such as: Gareth Southgate, Daley Thompson, Alan Minter, Ms. Dynamite, Romesh Ranganathan, The Cure and Sir Charles
Court, the 21st Premier of Australia.
Crawley is growing rapidly and with its superb range of high street and shopping centre outlets, some excellent schools and colleges and a broad range of businesses, it is a vibrant and forward looking town that is going from strength to strength and was recently voted the fourth best area to move to in the entire UK.
❛❛
The former ‘crow-infested clearing’ is now one the most successful towns in the region, boasting many of the most successful firms in the country ❜❜Pride - in every sense of the word - now encapsulates Crawley The new Crawley Town Hall - opened in March 2023 The town’s two railways stations – Crawley and Three Bridges – cater for 3.75m passengers every year en route betweeen Brighton and London
The Manor Royal Business Improvement District is one of 300 in the UK, and is the country’s largest industrial BID. Platinum sat down with the BID Executive Director, Steve Sawyer who helped in establishing the BID in 2013 and still runs it today, to find out more.
Maarten Hoffmann: Can you give us a brief overview of the BID?
Steve Sawyer: The Manor Royal BID is one of over 330 Business Improvement Districts operating in the UK and is the UK’s largest industrial BID. It’s no surprise given that Manor Royal is one of the UK’s largest business parks. Business Improvement Districts, or BIDs, are created, run and funded by businesses to support and improve the business areas they are set up to represent. The types of thing a BID does is dependent on what the businesses that fund and run it want to see delivered, which is set out in a fi ve-year Business Plan they vote for.
I helped to set up the Manor Royal BID in 2013 and have run it ever since, successfully taking the it through three ballots (votes). I also serve on the British BIDs National Advisory Board, the
country’s main industry body for UK BIDs, I chair the Industrial BIDs Group and teach on the British BIDs Certifi cate in BID Management course. I guess you could say I know quite a bit about BIDs, but especially the Manor Royal BID.
MH: How do companies on the estate benefi t from the BID?
Steve: While not every company pays the BID Levy, because the smallest companies are exempt, every company on Manor Royal benefi ts. We provide a wide range of services, and deliver area-wide improvements to the area that everyone benefi ts from. From additional security, maintenance, area wide CCTV and ANPR, transport discounts, free jobs boards, free team building and volunteering, subsidised training, dedicated bespoke events, infrastructure improvements, careers fairs, our own magazine, website and property and
business directories, and lots more besides. As long as you have a property or work for a company in the BID area, you can tap into what we do to improve the area. In fact, we encourage it.
MH: Is the Manor Royal full or do you have room for newcomers?
Steve: The demand for space for development and property is good. It’s a very changed place, since before the Manor Royal BID started, it was about
“Crawley College is proud to have worked in partnership with the Manor Royal BID for over eight years. We are now preparing phase 15 of our training programme. Courses have been chosen by Manor Royal Businesses for Manor Royal Businesses and have included Mental Health, First Aid, Leadership and Digital Training are focused on meeting the local skills needs.”
40% empty. But there is still space for newcomers. In fact, during the pandemic we saw developers take a strong interest in those buildings that did become available and they have been quick to act to bring forward new buildings. From large warehouses to smaller workshops and offices, if you are looking for property in a fantastically located and well supported business park next door to an international airport and the motorway network then Manor Royal should be on your list. We’re here to help if people are looking.
MH: How is the BID funded?
Steve: A business located in any BID area pays an annual BID Levy, usually calculated as a percentage of the rateable value of the property they occupy. That’s how all UK BIDs work. By agreement, businesses in Manor Royal pay a low levy rate compared to other BIDs nationally. We know that because we’ve looked at it and can prove it. However, the BID Levy itself is not enough to pay for everything the businesses want to see delivered in our Business Plan. Accordingly, we work very hard to attract additional funding from elsewhere – and it’s something we’re very good at. For every pound contributed by any business over the next five years, we have secured another pound from somewhere else to invest in the area, and everyone should be better off for that.
MH: Is the estate as large as it will get or is there an opportunity to expand?
Steve: At the moment Manor Royal is as large as it can get, which is pretty big. At over 540 acres (or more than 330 football pitches), Manor Royal provides over nine million square feet of commercial floorspace for over 700 businesses who provide employment for about 30,000 people. That’s a very significant and
MH: You have an exciting programme entitled Re-energise, can you tell us more about that?
“Elekta is proud to be a member of the Manor Royal Business District. We have a vibrant and green business district with Sustainability at the heart of everything it does. We look forward to continuing to be part of the Manor Royal Business community for many years to come.”
important contribution to the economy. It’s not too bad considering it was originally built to accommodate about 8,000 workers in the 1950s. However, its future expansion is limited by the London-Brighton railway line, residential areas, and land safeguarded for a future additional runway to the north. I think there is an argument for reviewing the land protected for a second runway –which it has been for literally decades –to assess whether some of it might be released to allow Manor Royal and the local economy to grow, expand and diversify. There’s appetite for growth if the land could be made available.
Steve: ReEnergise Manor Royal is about becoming more sustainable and reducing our carbon footprint, initially by working collaboratively through our own, not-for-profi t Local Energy Company – owned by the businesses themselves – to generate our own energy from renewable sources, utilising the huge potential represented by millions of square feet of under-used roofs to install solar panels. The great thing about this is we will be able to provide free panels and installations, and manage them, while the businesses benefi t from cleaner, greener and cheaper energy. It’s not the only project we are excited about but it’s a pretty good one. We’ve got loads of other great stuff we are doing. I encourage people to check out our website if they want to fund out more – www.manorroyal.org
The Manor Royal BID is an outstanding success and run by an Executive Director who has a clear focus and passion for the region, with Manor Royal greatly assisting Crawley grow in size; a substantial economic benefi t to the entire region.
www.manorroyal.org
Crawley has a Business Improvement District (BID) and, from a standing start, it has developed an exciting range of events and initiatives for the town to attract more people into the town centre. Wendy
Bell is the BID Manager
Crawley Town Centre BID was established by businesses to tackle four main priorities within the town centre – improving safety; enlivening the town; connecting the businesses together; and showcasing Crawley.
The overarching aim is to increase footfall into the town centre, creating a thriving centre where people want to be.
The BID has created many highly original events such as Creepy Crawley Month, which was a huge success, and in October 2022, the town saw footfall increase to higher levels than in 2019 pre-pandemic days.
❛❛ Crawley is gaining a reputation as the ‘place to be’ ❜❜
The BID Ambassadors are extremely popular in the town with businesses and residents; they have recovered cover £60,000 worth of stolen merchandise. Acting as a deterrent has had a very positive impact on the town.
Make Music Day in 2022 was a collaboration of over 120 countries to bring places alive with music, and countless positive comments have been received such as “It made Crawley feel like a mini Glastonbury.”
Looking forward, the town will see a ‘Crawlifornia’, a three-month long programme of family friendly events and activities, such as bringing Broadway to Broadway, a fabulous pop up beach complete with deckchairs, beach hut and buckets and spades, a surf simulator, street acts, music and family workshops.
That event runs straight into ‘Creepy Crawley 2 – The Return’! With everything creepier and crawlier than last year, bringing back the very popular Ghost Tours, Raijin Stom, Any Witch
Way, a pop up pumpkin patch and of course CC, our giant eight-metre spider!
All of this is not cheap. Therefore, we are funded by 470 businesses in the town centre who pay an annual levy of 1.5% of the rateable value of their properties, and our aim is to return that many times over in increased footfall.
We are committed to reducing carbon within the town centre and the BID is currently looking at inventive ways to help improve the air quality in the town.
Crawley is gaining a reputation as the ‘place to be’, families are returning to the town centre and there is a general feeling of pride and enjoyment within Crawley.
Wendy Bell, BID Manager, Crawley Town Centre BID www.crawleytowncentrebid.co.uk❛❛ The overarching aim is to increase footfall into the town centre, creating a thriving centre where people want to be ❜❜By Paul Rolfe, Associate Principal, Employers & Stakeholders Director, Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology
Businesses across the region will receive a vital boost, thanks to the launch of the new Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology (SSIoT).
The Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology (SSIoT) officially launches in September in existing buildings, enabling businesses to get the skills and talent they need to thrive, while supporting individuals to either launch or develop their careers. Our focus is to address higher level skills needs in:
n Engineering and manufacturing
n Digital technologies
n Construction, planning and the built environment
n Sustainable technologies and practices
The hub of the Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology will be based in Crawley with specialist satellite locations developed at NESCOT college in Epsom, the University of Sussex and University of Brighton. The hub, a state-of-the-art building, will house industry leading resources including a ‘learning factory.’ This new £14m building will begin development in Spring 2023 and will open its doors in Autumn 2024.
At the heart of our Institute of Technology is a commitment to innovation and collaboration. We are built on a network of leading industry partners and academic institutions, with a focus on developing practical, real-world training and development to address the challenges faced by businesses. Students will have access to the latest technologies and cutting-edge research, as well as opportunities to work on real-world projects and collaborate with industry professionals.
One of our key strengths is our focus on practical, hands-on learning. We understand that the best way to prepare students for the ‘real world’ is to give them real-world experience. That’s why we are investing heavily in state-ofthe-art facilities, including labs, workshops and industry-leading resources to ensure that learners can learn by doing. Whether it’s designing and building a robot, developing a new app or product, our students will have access to everything they need to turn their ideas into reality.
❛❛ One of our standout features is our strong links with industry ❜❜
We recognise that every student is unique, with their own interests, strengths, and learning styles. That’s why we offer a range of flexible learning options, including apprenticeships, parttime and full-time courses, online and blended learning as well as customised training programs. This means that students can tailor their learning experience to suit their individual needs and goals, whether they’re looking to upskill, pursue a new career, or simply explore their passions.
One of the key challenges facing businesses across our region is tackling the current skills gaps - which is stagnating productivity and hindering growth - while also preparing for future skills needs. We recognise the criticality of developing and retaining local talent to reduce the need to recruit out of the region which is why all our programmes and courses have been designed by employers, for employers in collaboration with the region’s leading academic institutions.
Significant investment is being made to provide the latest, industry standard equipment and resources as well as the development of state-of-the-art training facilities.
One of our standout features is our strong links with industry. The institute is a collaboration with some of the world’s leading companies, including Gatwick Airport, Roche, Natwest and Wates Group construction, to name just a few. These partnerships provide students with unparalleled opportunities to gain industry experience, network with professionals, and learn about the latest developments in their field. We also work closely with local businesses and organisations to ensure that the programmes are relevant and responsive to the needs of the local economy.
Gary Wilkinson, Regional Managing Director at the Wates Group, says, “We welcome the opportunity to support and work alongside the Institute of Technology in helping students and employers to develop the future skills needed to succeed in constantly
advancing markets, including construction and building maintenance.”
Gerard Harkin, Head of Innovation (UK & Ireland) for Roche, adds, “By improving access to STEM subjects, we hope to help grow the next generation of innovators, and that’s why we are proud to be an industry partner with the IoT”.
The Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology will be an exciting and innovative place to learn and study. With our focus on courses to address our current and future skills needs, practical learning, personalised education, industry partnerships, and entrepreneurialism, we offer a unique and engaging learning experience. Whether you’re a business looking to recruit or upskill staff, are a school leaver or graduate, or a professional seeking to broaden your horizons - the SSIoT is the place to be.
At Elekta, we have a united purpose that motivates us as a company and as individuals – hope for everyone dealing with cancer. It drives us towards our vision – a world where everyone has access to the best cancer care, and we plan to get there through our mission –to improve patient lives by working together with our customers and partners.
Elekta is working to drive adoption across the globe with our ACCESS 2025 strategy, which aims to make radiotherapy accessible to 300 million more people in underserved markets by 2025.
For over half a century, we’ve been collaborating proactively with clinicians and our partners to develop solutions that meet evolving patient needs, no matter where they are in the world. Our global team of 4,000 employees combine passion, science and innovation to profoundly change cancer care, improve patient care and bring hope to everyone dealing with cancer.
Last year, it was 50 years since Elekta was founded. While our expansion did not begin in earnest until the early 1980s, our focus has remained unchanged: to make a meaningful impact on health care providers and their patients globally by delivering the best and safest clinical solutions. Listening to our customers and really understanding their needs has enabled us to push the boundaries of cancer care.
We have pioneered technologies within our extensive product portfolio from neurosurgery with the Leksell Gamma Knife, brachytherapy for
specific internal tumours to advanced radiotherapy techniques with our suite of linear accelerators, and the advancement of adaptive radiotherapy using the pioneering MR linac, Elekta Unity.
In January 2022, we inaugurated the Elekta Foundation; its mission to initiate and support projects and programmes in partnership with governments and healthcare providers to improve access to cancer care in underserved regions and communities. The foundation focuses on three areas:
n expand education to close knowledge gaps in radiotherapy
n increase awareness and prevention in cervical cancer
n strengthen cancer care infrastructure through new tools and models.
Linear accelerators, or ‘linacs’, are the cornerstone of radiotherapy departments, treating a wide range of cancers and allowing patients to receive their care as an outpatient. Elekta’s linac solutions have been built in Manor Royal for 50 years and are designed to help clinicians raise the quality of care by tailoring treatments to each patient while still improving productivity so that more patients can receive treatment. November 2022 saw the 6,000 Linac machine built in Crawley – a magnificent achievement.
We look forward to the next 50 years of Elekta in Manor Royal.
❛❛ Our global team of 4,000 employees combine passion, science and innovation to profoundly change cancer care ❜❜
As a leading innovator of precision radiation therapy solutions, Elekta, based in Manor Royal, is committed to ensuring that every patient has access to the best cancer care possible
At People’s Partnership we’re proud to have built straightforward, accessible and trusted products that help people build financial foundations for life for more than 80 years.
We like to do things a bit differently. People’s Partnership doesn’t have shareholders, which allows us to reinvest our profits into our services and members.
Our flagship product, The People’s Pension, puts simplicity at its core. The People’s Pension is trusted by more than 100,000 employers in the UK, with more than 6 million members trusting us to invest £20 billion of their savings.
We’ve always been the people’s partner and always will be. peoplespartnership.co.uk
In April 2023, London Gatwick unveiled its new brand identity and refreshed vision, reflecting its strong ongoing recovery from the pandemic
The new brand also provides a platform for the airport’s next phase of growth which will support significant economic opportunities for the region.
Acknowledging the airport’s proud history, the new, modernised brand is designed to reaffirm and showcase London Gatwick’s position as a major international gateway. It also recognises
the airport as part of the broader VINCI Airports network.
The vision – To be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey –focuses on delivering a personalised experience to meet passengers’ individual needs. Underpinning the vision is a strengthened focus and investment on simplifying the journey
through the airport by focusing on ease, efficiency and experience. This will allow passengers more time to shop, have a drink, or finish some last-minute work calls or emails.
Accompanying the new brand and vision is an exciting multi-millionpound development programme. This significant programme of investment includes the expansion and refurbishment of departure lounges to create more modern, appealing spaces for passengers, while at the same time considering the airport’s sustainability goals.
❛❛ The vision focuses on delivering a personalised experience to meet passengers’ individual needs ❜❜
It will also focus on accelerating automation in cutting-edge improvements across check-in and boarding, as well as enhanced airfield technology. A multi-million-pound upgrade of Gatwick Airport railway station is also on-track for completion later this year.
Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer, London Gatwick says, “This is a perfect time for us to launch our new brand and refreshed vision, as we head into our second year of recovery from the global pandemic and look to embark on a very promising chapter of growth.
“We are taking a multi-dimensional approach, combining investment in airport development, along with a new visual identity, to rejuvenate the image of London Gatwick. We expect this will translate to more people choosing to fly from the airport, with even more exciting destinations for passengers.
“Our previous brand served us well for over 10 years, but it’s now the right time to modernise and update our airport. As we look ahead to future growth, our refreshed brand celebrates the past and brings us into the future.”
The new branding can already be seen across many of Gatwick’s digital and social channels, as well as key focal points within the airport. Over the coming months passengers, airport partners and colleagues will see it come to life across the airport.
Also in April, Lufthansa launched flights to Frankfurt, Germany, linking two of the world’s biggest financial hubs.
The German flag carrier now operates twice daily between London Gatwick and Germany’s financial capital, home of the European Central Bank.
Frankfurt is one of the largest global hubs of passenger and cargo traffic. It is currently the fifth busiest European airport and seventh busiest in the world for international passengers.
The new route therefore also offers fantastic onward connectivity for passengers, including to other key financial hubs such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai, among many other
destinations across North and South America, Africa and Asia.
Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer, London Gatwick says, “We are delighted to welcome Lufthansa back to London Gatwick, providing passengers across London and the south-east with a vital connection to Frankfurt.
“The city is not only a hugely important financial hub, but offers excellent onward connectivity and opportunities. It’s also a great place for tourists too, with fantastic museums and architecture.”
Heinrich Lange, Senior Director Sales
Northern Europe, Lufthansa Group Airlines says, “Lufthansa is happy to operate to London Gatwick, to connect this major airport with our hub in Frankfurt. We come closer to our customers in the south of London and will ease the access to our global network.”
www.gatwickairport.com
❛❛ Accompanying the new brand and vision is an exciting multi-million-pound development programme ❜❜
London Gatwick is supporting a number of community events across Crawley and the wider region this summer, including as headline sponsor for this year’s Crawley Pride event, taking place on August 19th in Goffs Park.
Gatwick sponsored last year’s Crawley Pride event - with a group of airport employees leading the parade alongside
Gatwick has recently launched an employee network, Gatwick Pride, who will lead airport’s involvement in this year’s Crawley Pride. The network is dedicated to representing and advocating for its LBGTQ+ colleagues and supporting the business’ diversity aims.
a local dance group – and has now increased its involvement to become the headline sponsor for 2023.
Around 2,300 people attended last year’s Pride, an important event for Crawley and one that supports Gatwick’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.
The airport also sponsored recent events, including Run Gatwick and the Mid-Sussex Marathon Weekend, supported Crawley’s STEM in the Park – an event aimed at inspiring young people to consider science, technology, engineering and maths subjects and the varied careers available within STEM in a fun and engaging way - and has made a donation to support the Horsham Children’s Parade, taking place in July.
www.gatwickairport.com
❛❛ Gatwick… has now increased its involvement to become the headline sponsor for 2023 ❜❜
The major accountancy firm MHA MacIntyre Hudson, which can trace its lineage back to 1880, is very well known. Now we have the announcement that not only has it shortened its name to MHA but it is opening a brand new office in Gatwick that will cover the South East, alongside its Kent office and the London HQ.
MHA is the UK independent member firm of Baker Tilly International, which is the ninth largest accounting network globally.
We thought it only right that we sat down with the Group Chairman, Rakesh Shaunak; head of the Gatwick office, David Boosey; and Mark LumsdonTaylor, who will be supporting both Kent and Gatwick offices, to learn firsthand of their exciting plans.
Maarten Hoffmann: Why have you decided to open a Gatwick office?
Rakesh: We recognised the huge market in the Gatwick Diamond area with significant companies based there, and it was obvious that we should launch in the region. Many accountancy firms are struggling with staff and, therefore, to fully service their clients.
We are in an excellent position to capitalise on that as, with the Baker Tilly Group behind us, we do not have the same turnover of staff.
David: I am quite new to the firm and l am hugely impressed by the culture of the company; how the partners work together collaboratively with one goalthe satisfaction of the client. With 19
❛❛ The level of service our clients experience is superior ❜❜
offices, and access to professionals in 145 territories, we have the depth of knowledge and a vast range of expertise that can be brought to bear. We have experts across every field, working around the globe. If l have a planned meeting with a firm that has offices in Scandinavia, for example, l am able to call on an in-house Scandinavian expert to accompany me. That makes all the difference.
MH: Your growth rate is excellent, what do you expect the Gatwick office to be turning over?
Rakesh: We expect the Gatwick office to be turning over around £5 million in fees and, with around 100 staff, in quite a short time. There will also be five partners in that office. We are open to mergers with smaller firms – as and when, and we are open to all conversations. The group grew by 25% last year,
which is excellent considering the state of the economy last year, and we plan to continue growing either at that rate, or an increased rate.
MH: What makes MHA different to other similar sized firms?
Mark: I trained with the firm and there is an overwhelming culture of ‘can-do’. Whatever it takes to service our clients is intrinsic in everyone you speak to, and that is the differential. The scale and size of what the firm has become has been achieved through organic growth and acquisitions. The level of service our clients experience is superior – that is the word used by many of the said clients. Ethics and integrity are two words that come up time and again, and we are enormously proud that such words are attached to our company.
Rakesh: The culture is so important to us – and any successful firm – and that comes through loud and clear to the clients. Take flexible working, we have been encouraging that for over seven years, and it actually transpires that our team really enjoys coming into the office exactly because we accept that flexibility.
MH: Regarding the new Gatwick office and your target clients, where’s your sweet spot?
David: MHA offers a wide range of services and work with lots of different types of clients to help them achieve their business goals. For me, as an audit partner, my ideal clients typically have a turnover of £10 million and up, but it’s not quite as clear as that. Take start-up fintech firms for example, who might have a turnover of a couple of million but actually require a lot of audit work to ensure everything is right before they scale and may have FCA or debt audit requirements. We also recognise the
incredible potential of such start-up firms that can become unicorns, and we love to grow with companies starting out.
Rakesh: And of course it’s not just audit work, as many of these firms can be cash strapped in their early days and require work on share schemes, taxation and the like, and we can assist with all of that. Then there’s the SMEs who require our channel 2 services such as accounts, taxation etc and when they realise the power we can bring to bear on their behalf, that can be a gamechanger for such companies. We are primed to be a full service firm.
Mark: And with so many experts across our network, we are able to speak their language and fully understand their business and sector – not just today but into the future assisting with their growth plans.
In my time with MHA at their London headquarters, l was certainly convinced of the special culture prevalent in the office, and l have no doubt that will transfer to the new Gatwick office.
As noted in the News section of this issue, the UK’s top ten companies have been revealed, and it is not surprising that four of the ten are accountancy firms. I certainly would not bet against seeing MHA climbing the list of top companies in the UK.
❛❛ We recognised the huge market in the Gatwick Diamond area with significant companies based there ❜❜
Juliet Turnbull, founder and CEO of 2to3days, suggests improved methods to attract more female workers to apply to work for your business
Step one is to write job adverts that are actually going to attract and energise the women you’re after. Far too many job adverts are littered with errors that repel the women that companies want to hire. They are boring to read, badly written and far too detailed.
Don’t take my word for it. The following eight tips that I share below have come directly from the experienced female talent that makes up the amazing community at 2to3days. They want things to change.
n Bring the culture of your company to life
Describe your company’s values and ethos. The candidate will select your company based on:
• Will I be welcome and respected here?
• Will I feel included and be able to reach my full potential here?
n Describe how they can work flexibly
Don’t just say that you’re open to flexible working. Describe what that means for the role, and state that you will happily discuss flexible working at first interview.
n Keep bullet points to a minimum
A job advert is not a list! It’s a massive turn-off to female applications when all they see is a long list of bullet points. Research has proven that men will apply for a job when they can only do 60% of what’s required when women will only apply when she can do closer to 100%! So keep bullet points to maximum of 3 to 5 in each section.
n Ask for transferable skills
Far too many job adverts forget to even mention the value of transferable skills. Nowadays, so many highly skilled women have had a rich and varied career and have much to offer a company that brings diversity of thought, creativity, contacts and experience.
n Remove jargon, acronyms and bias
Unless you are ‘in the know,’ you ‘don’t know’ and therefore feel excluded. We live in a world of acronyms and lazy jargon so unless there is a very good reason to keep it in, take it out!
n Invite returners to apply
Don’t underestimate the value of a career returner. They’re full of life experience, emotional maturity and wisdom and ready to reignite their careers.
n You need to include the salary
It’s a key metric for assessing suitability of a role to one’s experience. If you can’t include a salary, then put in a salary range – or you will automatically reduce the number of applicants.
n What benefits do you offer?
Spell them out. Make them inclusive to all and not just of benefit to some. Be sure to differentiate between the ‘standard benefits’ that are typical for most companies from the ‘extras’ that are personal to your company.
Juliet Turnbull, Founder & CEO 2to3days W: 2to3days.com E: juliet@2to3days.com❛❛ Far too many job adverts are littered with errors that repel the women that companies want to hire ❜❜
PROGRAMME DETAILS
This mini MBA-style programme is designed for business owners and senior leaders of small and mediumsized businesses, Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course that helps your business reach its full potential for growth, resilience and succession planning.
Benefits:
n In-depth training
n Invaluable 1:1 business mentoring
n Bespoke Growth Action Plan
n Low cost, high impact
n Peer-to-peer networking
n Time away from your business to work on your business
This course, accredited by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, is being delivered by the
University of Brighton. Working in collaboration with industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs, the course covers strategies for growth and innovation, digital adoption, leading high-performance teams, financial management and responsible business practices. With the support of an experienced mentor, you will also create a bespoke growth plan for your business.
To facilitate busy work schedules, the course is a mix of both online and in person workshops.
1 S trategy and Innovation
2 Digital Adoption
3 Internationalisation and winning new markets
You will be supported by an experienced business mentor who will support you in producing a growth plan, and taught by experienced academics and practitioners from the School of Business and Law.
The Help to Grow: Management is delivered by leading business schools across the UK who have been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS).
Help to Grow is a 12-week course designed to be undertaken alongside full-time work. The time commitment is 50 hours over 12 weeks. Learning alongside other business owners, you have the opportunity to learn from your peers and network.
Using a combination of online and face-to-face sessions alongside case study workshops, you will have the opportunity to apply the concepts being taught to real-life situations faced by business leaders.By the end of the course, you will have a tailored Growth Action Plan to help you lead and grow your business.
4 V ision, mission, and values
5 Developing a marketing strategy
6 Building a brand
7 Organisational design
8 Employee management and leading change
9 High performance workplace
10 Effi cient operations
11 Finance and financial management
12 Implementing growth plans
YOUR GROWTH PLAN
n Develop your leadership and management skills, enhancing employee wellbeing and engagement
n Identify what drives productivity and growth in your
The University of Brighton is offering all businesses a series of workshops to help you power your business forward into the future, and beyond
The University of Brighton has a long history of working with small to medium-sized businesses, and a strong track record of delivering business growth programmes.
The school of Business and Law is home to the Centre for Change, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (CENTRIM), which works with partners in industry, academia and government producing groundbreaking
concepts to explain, harness and improve innovation, entrepreneurship and change management.
The 2021 Knowledge Exchange Framework results place the University of Brighton in the top 10% for universities for public and community engagement, and in the top 20% for skills, enterprise, and entrepreneurship.
market, and understand what this means for you
n Learn how to advance responsible business practices, including more inclusive and greener practices
n Understand how to innovate your business model, including adopting and investing in new and digital technologies
n Identify key domestic and export markets for your business and develop strategies for segmentation, positioning and targeting
n Generate strategies to improve operational effi ciency, allowing you to save time and money
Brighton: September 25th 2023
Gatwick/Crawley: September 22nd 2023
To be eligible for Help to Grow, the following criteria must be met:
Your business must
n Be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) based in the UK
n Employ between 5 and 249 people
n Have been operational for at least one year
n Not be a charity
You must
n Be a chief executive, owner/founder, senior manager or decision maker
n Have at least one person reporting to you
n Commit to completing all sessions
90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government, and your cost would therefore be a total of £750. While courses at Brighton are sold out, this amazing offer also applies to those who wish to enrol at Crawley.
Anyone who applies using the PLATINUM100 code will receive 50% discount off the cost of the course at Crawley, courtesy of Platinum Business Magazine, and their course will cost £375.
We asked a recent graduate of the Help to Grow programme at the University of Brighton what he thought of the course
The best thing about inclusive and curious programmes like this is always the breadth and variety of businesses taking part. I love how the Help To Grow Worthing cohort, that we have joined, has everyone from cryptocurrency consultants to fire safety specialists, advanced health equipment manufacturers to watersports businesses.
By working with an eclectic group – who you get to know really well over time – you get to test assumptions and learn loads about how other businesses are run, and the challenges/opportunities they face. Spending time with a small group for several weeks helps to deepen and extend the learning and connections.
We have leaders from our team taking part, and it is an interesting one as we are usually the ones providing training, mentoring and support with business strategy. So it is particularly helpful for us to be on the other side, and testing how we practice what we preach.
always possible is expanding the support available for growing businesses that want to better define, measure and communicate their social
impact. This is often new territory for the private sector, so this programme is helping us to ensure our approach and product design is scalable.
To Grow workbook in our whole team meeting last recently, re-looking at what our clients think and say about us. And what working with us says about them!
Having business school level input is great, looking at models of business growth and whether they fit all sectors and all types of business. I have enjoyed having the chance to ask questions and challenge assumptions.
We have certainly been using the tools and resources to frame internal thinking about positioning and perception. We used some of the Help
Whilst there is a commitment of time and bandwidth, the value is tangible and will help you with strategic and operational planning that you should already be doing. There is nothing obscure or wasteful here and l would fully recommend this course to anyone.
Support like this, backed by the Small Business Charter and a credible university business school, does not come along very often. Especially not with such a heavy subsidy. Dive in!
alwayspossible.co.uk
❛❛ It is particularly helpful for us to be on the other side, and testing how we practice what we preach. ❜❜
If you’re not familiar with everything involved in delivering a major (or minor) project, you may need a little help. You might think that anyone can dive into a project, but the truth is that this essential business function can be tricky if you don’t have the knowledge and skills to simplify the project process. But fear not, this knowledge and understanding can be easily learned. In fact, there are whole courses and certifications offered for people who wish to specialise in the field.
Projects are ‘instruments of change,’ they take you from one state to another state. Sometimes the changes are desired and aspirational, but sometimes they are forced upon you due to circumstances. Either way, change requires management, and structured changes can be effectively managed –by projects.
There are many project management systems you can follow; but at The Education and Skills Partnership, we highly recommend P3.express – a practical, minimalist project management system. One of the most affordable and efficient ways to upskill your team is through a short course which you can complete in just a few days. Once you become a certified P3.express Practitioner, you can quickly implement this process and get your projects on track.
Firstly, let’s consider the reason you need to manage your projects – rather than let them run freely. Project management is important because it helps to get all members of the team on the same page and working towards the same goal. You can set objectives of what needs to be delivered, by when, and if applicable, for how much. A project management system can apply to internal projects like implementation of new staff services, but also to external projects such as launching new products or delivering services to clients.
So often time and money are wasted focusing on the wrong things or missing something important because the team is not following a comprehensive project process. Following a simple method from project initiation, through monthly initiation, daily and weekly management and all the way to project completion and post-project management, really focuses you and your team on working on the right things.
You might also want to use simple project management tools to support your project process and allow you to hit all the essential functions of managing a project from planning, scheduling, and time management to resource and budget management and allocation. It will facilitate communication and collaboration with your team and clients, and can store all relevant documents in one place. Whatever tool you end up using it should be simple to use, intuitive, and make your job as project manager easier.
❛❛ Projects are ‘instruments of change,’ they take you from one state to another state ❜❜
With the right skills and knowledge, project management can be easy and fun. We promise!
If you’re looking for an innovative and easy-to-use process to follow, then look no further than P3.express. It is an intuitive and clear framework for project management that takes you through each cycle of a project. Its simple approach is easy to learn and use, perfect for project management novices but sophisticated enough that even experts are impressed.
P3.express is a minimalist project management framework developed in Europe, receiving the support of the European Union in 2020, just four years after its founding. Now, specialists all around the world help develop the framework. The certification for P3. express is relatively new, and already it is the chosen project management process of choice for many companies.
While managing a project can seem complicated and a bit of a minefield, P3.express simplifies the process and allows the project manager to steer their team successfully through the programme. It’s a simple, focused way to help tackle your business’ projects.
To make activities simpler and more regular, P3.express employs a system with monthly, weekly, and daily cycles, each focused on specific management activities. Additionally, there is a project initiation activity group run at the beginning, and a project closure group at the end. After your project is finished, there is also a post-project management group to analyse the results and gather lessons learned. You’ll be confident in your project every step of the way if you use this system effectively.
❛❛ P3.express is a 3–5-day course that takes challenging projects and puts them into clear simple steps, enabling me and my clients to keep an eye on all tasks. It’s also very easy to grasp and takes into account every team member’s output and deadline along the way. Overall, the course was very enjoyable, and very effective. P3.express meets the outputs and requirements I was looking for myself and my clients. Highly recommended ❜❜
Great project management is so much more than ticking boxes and moving things along. It helps you deliver on time and within budget and project scope. It builds team culture and is a great way to connect and communicate with clients and other stakeholders. It allows you to create a vision for a successful project, get all members on board with what’s needed to stay on track for success.
Learn how to stay in control of your project progress and make project planning, resource management, and reporting faster and easier. With more and more people accidentally or unintentionally becoming project managers, effective project management is now easily accessible, so if you are in need of a practical and affordable solution to help launch or manage your projects, consider becoming a certified P3.express Practitioner.
While of course there are many ways to learn about P3.express, including the official manual and an interactive eLearning course to learn more about P3.express, you can also learn through instructor-led classes.
ESP is the first provider in the UK to gain centre accreditation to train P3. express users, and to support the attainment of the P3.express Practitioner qualification. We are proud to offer this training and qualification to employers and individual professionals in the UK and beyond, supporting them in delivering effective project management in an everchanging world.
Search the P3.express course dates available for your team to take part in.
Training is available online for individuals, and for groups on company premises too. Contact us today and find out more about this easy-to-use project management system, and our group discounts.
Email enquiries@esp-ac.uk or call 01233 632 111
As part of the Invest 4 Business Hot House Programme in partnership with the University of Chichester, MDHUB was contracted to deliver an intensive three-month programme of leadership and management support to 50 leaders in Sussex and Surrey
The bespoke programme ran between January – March 2023 and comprised seven peer cohorts; 126 one-to-one coaching sessions; 24 three-hour leadership and management sessions on business themes chosen by the business leaders.
These themes included: effective decision making, understanding leadership styles, business exit, accessing finance, developing a clear vision and strategy and building high performing teams.
The ‘50 Leaders’ were surveyed before and after the programme of intensive support and the results are here.
50 leaders from businesses in Sussex and Surrey
Total of seven cohorts
600 hours total support
24 three-hour leadership and management sessions
126 one-to-one coaching sessions
To what extent on a rating of 0-10 would you recommend the 50 Leaders Programme to a colleague or a friend?
Average Score: 8.5 / 10
NPS Score: 41+
How did your turnover compare between Dec 2021–Dec 2022 to the previous year?
Up Up
Same Same
Down Down
What has been your strategic response to the current economic and political landscape?
I am likely to close my business 54% 28% 16% 2% 0%
I need to make some significant changes
How does your forward pipeline look today compared to this time last year?
51% 23% 7% 12% 7%
58% 25% 3% 8% 6%
Considering selling my business within the next 2-5 years
Has Brexit impacted your business? (Before only)
more Slightly more
Roughly
9% 17% 26% 19% n Before programme n After programme 65% 64% Visionary Coaching Democratic Easy going Transformational Bureaucratic Authoritarian Transactional 16% 19% 26% 26% 7% 2% 2% 2% 27% 22% 26% 4% 13% 4% 0% 4%
How do your company’s total employment levels compare to the previous period last year?
n After programme n Before programme
I am considering an acquisition Up The same Down less than 10% Down 10-20% Down 20-40%
What sort of leader would your team say you are?
What is the most difficult part of being a leader?
Feeling alone
Dealing with conflict
Being focused on strategy
Setting and achieving goals
Making tough decisions
Achieving buy-in
Setting the tone for the business
Knowing the plan inside out
What aspects of being a leader have been helped since doing the 50 Leaders Programme?
Setting the tone for the business
Setting and achieving goals
Making tough decisions
Feeling alone
Achieving buy-in
Dealing with conflict
Avoiding being dragged into the day-to-day
Knowing the plan inside out
56% 61% 37% 50% 30% 50% 28% 42% 26% 33% 21% 19% 12% 19% 5% 19% 0% 14%
Do you have a better understanding of your leadership style as a result of participating in the 50 Leaders Programme?
65% say they have a better understanding of their leadership style
Over the past six months, how productive have you been as a leader?
How has your productivity changed in the last three months?
78% claim to have been more productive in past three months
What do you believe to be the most important leadership traits you have demonstrated in the past 12 months? (top five)
What do you believe will be the most important leadership trait for you to employ to achieve your plans this year? (top three)
57% said communication skills
43% said effective delegating
38% stated showing resilience would be a required trait
Who is the leader you have admired most in the world in 2022?
Over the past six months, how productive have you been as a leader?
% increase since the start of the 50 Leaders Programme
Q. What leadership skill would you most like to develop in 2023 and why?
❛❛ Delegation – to be able to empower my team, so I can grow the business ❜❜
❛❛ Communication – to ensure all staff understand our business journey and are able to connect to it ❜❜
Q. What topics did you find the most beneficial for you as a leader on the 50 Leaders Programme?
❛❛ ‘Business Strategy and Vision 2023’ and ‘Effective Decision Making in Business’ ❜❜
❛❛ Leadership styles and finance workshops and one-to-ones with Phil and Rob ❜❜
Q. Have you revised how you measure your success as a leader as a result of your participation in the programme?
❛❛ My measure is how engaged I am and how I feel rather than just waiting for the financial success ❜❜
❛❛ I realise that I need to give more responsibility to individuals to help them develop. It will be their development that will be the measure of my success ❜❜
Q. Since the 50 Leaders Programme, what is the one thing you have noticed has change about the way you think or act in your business ?
❛❛ It has really helped me to realise that, although everyone's business journey is unique to them, there are many similarities. Therefore, advice can be easily drawn from business to business ❜❜
❛❛ The relatability is massive. It made me feel a lot more confident in how we are operating ❜❜
❛❛ I have a lot more understanding on general operations/business management. I also have more hope for the future of the business, which I am now looking forward to. The programme really was a lifeline in terms of understanding what running a business really means ❜❜
If you are interested in finding out more about the MDHUB, please visit www.mdhub.co.uk
Email MDHUB Directors: Fiona Shafer: fiona@mdhub.co.uk or Phil Green: phil.green@mdhub.co.uk
Patents have long been a key tool in the armoury for protecting innovation, but a challenge for those who trade across borders is that patent rights have historically been enforced on a countryby-country basis, meaning that cross-border enforcement is complex and expensive.
This has been true in Europe even after the introduction some decades ago of the European Patent Office (EPO), which provides a central process for the granting of patents for all EU states and a range of others, including the UK.
The introduction of the Unitary Patent (UP) and Unified Patent Court (UPC) on June 1st 2023 has fundamentally changed this landscape, providing the option to centrally litigate patent rights across the participating countries (initially 17 countries, including France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands) in a single action. This represents the biggest shake up of the international patent system in decades, marking the culmination of many years of attempts at harmonisation.
Since this is a change that affects the post-grant patent landscape, the process for obtaining patents is relatively unaffected. To obtain patent rights in Europe, you can still file at the EPO using European patent attorneys based in the UK. Outside of Europe, your patent attorney can advise you on the most suitable strategy using the procedures that have been in place for some years. As well as the EPO, national patent offices, such as the UK Intellectual Property Office, also remain
open for business – the right option for you will depend on your budget and business needs.
The difference comes when the EPO grants the patent. At that stage you now have the option of obtaining a European patent with unitary effect, or ‘unitary patent’ (UP), for participating countries, instead of the “classical route” which requires individual ‘validation’ in each country. This could save significant sums if protection across a wide range of European countries is desired.
The classical route stills remains open, so the UP is just a choice for obtaining protection in the countries taking part. For those countries not taking part (including non-EU countries like the UK, but also some EU countries like Spain and Poland), there is effectively no change, meaning that you can still file with the EPO as usual in order to obtain protection throughout Europe.
❛❛ This represents the biggest shake up of the international patent system in decades ❜❜
The key change for those who already hold patents is that you are now able to enforce your European patent in all participating countries at the Unified Patent Court (UPC) rather than individually in each country. This means higher potential damages in a single action, and a more powerful injunction. The value of your European patents is therefore potentially increased (while the Unitary Patent may reduce the cost of obtaining broad coverage in future).
It’s important to note that the UPC is available not only for Unitary Patents but also for European patents that had been validated on a country-by-country basis in the past. This means that this is a change that affects everybody who holds patents in any participating country, and rights holders must understand what this means for them and their assets.
In particular, there is a potential threat associated with the new system for patent proprietors. This is because not only does the UPC allow patent
proprietors the ability to enforce their patents across multiple territories in one action, but it also provides others with the option to attack patents in multiple countries simultaneously in the same way. If you would like to protect your patent portfolio from this kind of central “revocation” action, you have the option to “opt-out” your patents from the UPC. In most circumstances, an opt-out can then be withdrawn at a later date if it becomes desirable to utilise the UPC for enforcement purposes.
For more information on the Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court and what you should do next, please contact Anton Hutter, a UK & European Patent Attorney (ahutter@ vennershipley.co.uk) based in Stirling House on the Surrey Research Park in Guildford.
❛❛ The key change for those who already hold patents is that you are now able to enforce your European patent in a single action across all participating countries ❜❜
The Government’s Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS), launched in April 2021, has been extended again. This enables Let’s Do Business Finance to provide support to more UK businesses for anther year as they recover and grow from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis
The scheme, administered by the British Business Bank and delivered by Business Support Partners across the UK, was created as the predecessor to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILs) to enable businesses to survive and grow amidst an unforeseen economic climate. As of Autumn 2022, the scheme had approved more than £1bn in business finance to small and medium sized enterprises in the UK, and this number is only expected to grow.
Let’s Do Business Finance has been an official Business Support Partner of the RLS since its inception, following the conclusion of the earlier CBILs. Providing loans from £25,000 to £150,000, Let’s Do Business Finance has been able to offer an alternative to traditional high street banks, and support numerous businesses in the South East and East of England with their operations through the scheme.
Originally intended to run until the end of 2022, the extension of the scheme to 2024 is welcome news for businesses to attain much needed finance as they adjust to ongoing economic challenges.
By being able to continue delivering the scheme with the British Business Bank, Let’s Do Business Finance is looking forward to connecting even more businesses with the opportunity to grow and invest in their future.
Local businesses who have been able to benefit from the scheme include:
Co-working and flexible workspace solutions business ‘Freedom Works’ which operates nine workspaces throughout Sussex, borrowed £127,000 through the RLS to help it refit and launch its ninth workspace in Hastings Town Centre in the former Debenhams building.
❛❛ We would have really struggled to have got Hastings done without the support of Let’s Do Business Finance, as that funding helped us to unlock further financing. We were even more delighted to welcome Let’s Do Business Group as one of our founding members at Hastings ❜❜
Jon Trigg, Owner, Freedom WorksThe Amack Group Ltd (Trading as AYM), based in Lewes, East Sussex, benefitted from a £70,000 loan via the RLS to facilitate further business growth, implementing a new stock system and recruiting a new seamstress.
❛❛ We’re delighted to not only have our accreditation extended but our credit limit to be increased too. This will enable us to help even more businesses deliver their growth plans as we all strive to move on from the pandemic and other economic shocks of the past three years ❜❜
Sean Dennis, Managing Director, Let’s Do Business Finance
n LAPTOP STATION
Laptop Station, Eastbourne, which offers sales and repairs of laptops, PCs, tablets and mobiles has been operating for over ten years. Having moved to a larger workspace, it approached Let’s Do Business Finance for support to enable its future growth. Borrowing £50,000 through the RLS, it was able to repay its existing finance and invest in its website to improve its organic rankings.
❛❛ I’ve never been able to get funding from a mainstream bank. It’s been so frustrating as we had a history of repayments, but they just wouldn’t accept it. Something that has been so refreshing in dealing with Let’s Do Business is that you are dealing with a human being that’s actually talking to you, and listening to you, as well as looking at the figures. They look at the whole picture and not just the piece of paper ❜❜
Brenden West, Co-Owner, Laptop Station
n KIRK & KIRK
Luxe eyewear brand Kirk & Kirk, Brighton had set its sights on a bigger and brighter future, and secured a £150,000 loan through the RLS, to enable it to cement its place in the UK market with vibrant pop-up stores and to grow its team.
❛❛ Working with Let’s Do Business was a pleasure. The process was thorough and professional throughout ❜❜
Jason Kirk, Owner, Kirk and Kirk Eyewear
Michael Pay of EMC Corporate Finance discusses the importance of understanding EBITDA, and its variations, when valuing your business
Whatever the person ‘in the pub’ might say, the majority of business valuations start from what the underlying EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) is. Buyers then apply a multiple that reflects growth, risk, strategy and a number of other factors that we will discuss another time. So, it’s important to understand what you can add back to your profits, or need to deduct, to come to the starting point.
You may have come across the terms “adjusted” or “underlying” in respect of a
company’s EBITDA. A sceptical business buyer may see them as an inflation of a vendor’s profi ts but these adjustments to profit are important. To ensure you are maximising your selling valuation, they need to be identified early on and then justified during due diligence.
It is very common for there to be adjustments to EBITDA and, just as importantly, the profit that a UK SME may be generating in their annual accounts may not be refl ective of the profit that the same business would generate under new ownership.
❛❛ Identifying the adjustments within your business can help you plan for exit ❜❜
Shareholder costs
• Salaries – Owner managers commonly remunerate themselves through a mixture of PAYE and dividend income. If the PAYE salary alone does not refl ect the shareholder’s employment contribution to the business, an adjustment will be required. This could be up or down.
• Benefits – Other shareholder costs incurred need to be identified. The most common examples include company pension payments, private healthcare and vehicles.
• Replacement cost – If a replacement is required for outgoing management, a new expense will be included which reduces EBITDA.
• Property – The property occupied by an SME may be owned by the business itself or a related party. Rent and property costs may need to be adjusted to reflect a market rate which will be incurred under new ownership.
• Related parties – Identify transactions involving related parties. Some will be excluded entirely like management charges while others may need to be adjusted if they are not on an arm’s length basis.
Excluded Assets
• Income – Assets that are excluded from a sale may generate income which will need to be removed, the most common example being a property rented to a third party.
• Costs – Similarly, there may be expenditure linked to these excluded assets which has not been capitalised, this can be added back.
• Revaluations – Movements in the value of these assets will impact the profit and loss account. This could be in the form of revaluations or foreign exchange gains and losses in the case of financial assets.
• Professional fees – Costs incurred that may suppress profits in a given year. This could cover sale transaction costs, legal costs relating to a litigation dispute or accountancy tax restructuring advice.
• Investment – Expenditure included within the P&L incurred for future benefit. Includes items such as non-capitalised R&D and recruitment costs. This would also include capital expenditure which has not been capitalised on the balance sheet.
Accounting policies
• Provisions – These should be checked for year-on-year consistency and accuracy. Common examples are stock value and customer bad debt
• Disposals – Disposals of capital assets trigger profit and losses in the company accounts, these are driven by accounting estimates and often are unrelated to the trade of the business.
• Missing accruals – Check that costs are allocated correctly. Commonly, SMEs pay and recognise bonuses in arrears. This can be substantial year on year where bonuses fluctuate.
• Owned assets – Owning assets can mask the cost for a business when reviewed in EBITDA terms. Be aware of recurring capital expenditure regularly replacing assets.
Identifying the adjustments within your business can help you plan for exit and understand how your business valuation could be determined. Unlike the valuation which is usually proposed by the buyer, owner adjustments are proposed by the vendor so should be clear, identifi able and justifiable. Missing out items can be detrimental to value and, like many aspects of transactions, they are negotiable!
❛❛ It is very common for there to be adjustments to EBITDA ❜❜
Starting a business from scratch can be a steep learning curve. You are throwing yourself in at the deep end and with new challenges on a daily basis; it really is sink or swim.
Many business owners figure out what works and what doesn’t as they go, but as the business grows and expands, this becomes an increasingly risky way to operate. Running a business can be an incredibly isolating experience and so it is vital that you reach out to the right people for support.
Mentoring is an unbiased relationship between you and someone with business experience. Conversations with your mentor can guide you through making difficult decisions and prompting thought by hearing another perspective. While your mentor should be a trusted adviser, all decisions will still sit with you. The aim isn’t to tell you what to do but to ask the right questions to find out what you think the right move is.
Business mentors can make a huge difference through the insights they share from their own personal experience. While the mentoring relationship will look different depending on the needs of the mentee, a good mentor should stimulate your thinking and challenge your assumptions. The aim is to support both business decisions and personal growth by:
1 Offering impartial and unbiased advice – your first point of call might generally be your friends and family who are personally invested in your success. However, this can cloud their judgement and prevent them from seeing the bigger picture. A good mentor will be neutral but informed offering a perspective that you may not have originally considered.
It’s easy to think that your accountants only deal with numbers but there is a real value-add opportunity in moving beyond just compliance. It is already a highly trusted relationship and the experience your accountant has gained from supporting a variety of businesses is invaluable.
2
Acting as a sounding board –running a business can be lonely, particularly if you are the sole owner. A mentor can be an invaluable resource for you to bounce ideas off or talk through challenges. Sometimes talking things through without the fear of judgement is all you need to reach a decision.
3 Keeping motivation high –Motivation will ebb and flow but once it is lost it can be a struggle to bring it back. Listening to the experiences of someone who has been there and done that can be key in restoring your inspiration and getting you back on track.
When working with my clients I call upon this as well as my experience running my own business to offer my clients context and insights for the challenges they face.
Get in touch if you want to learn about how we can support you and your business.
www.hwca.com/accountants-esher
T: 020 8549 5137
E: esher@hwca.com
With Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools fast becoming interwoven with our day-to-day lives, what are the questions that small businesses need to be asking? Joseph Bradfield of Sussex Innovation looks at the applications already in use, future directions the technology might take, and how companies can use AI more meaningfully and purposefully
Artificial Intelligence has reached a tipping point over the past year, as a wide range of applications have rapidly moved from intriguing novelties to reliable mass-market tools. Image generators like Dall-e and Stable Diffusion made headlines for their realistic imitation of human illustrators, ChatGPT demonstrated an ability to quickly produce human-sounding text, and now consumer software from Microsoft Office, to Google Analytics, to Adobe Creative Suite are being upgraded with in-built AI tools to speed up workflows and reduce repetitive manual tasks.
Broadly speaking, the most practical AI tools already in use fall into a handful of different categories:
n Automation tools carry out repetitive, time-consuming tasks such as data entry, invoice processing, and report generation. They are intended to streamline workflows, reduce errors, and improve efficiency.
n Chatbots are used to answer common customer queries and provide customer support. They are also increasingly used internally to resolve common employee queries or troubleshooting needs, and perform basic tasks such as scheduling meetings.
n Predictive analytics uses machine learning algorithms to analyse data and make predictions. This technology can be used to forecast sales or optimise cashflow.
n Personalisation tools can create bespoke experiences for customers, such as recommending products, delivering targeted marketing or tailoring customer service interactions.
Each of these types of tool has been gradually adopted by many small businesses over recent years, and may not be the sort of thing you immediately think of when you hear the phrase ‘AI’.
The next generation of AI tools are predicted to take the technology much further, into every corner of our working lives.
More advanced automation tools are already beginning to be capable of making autonomous decisions and recommendations, carrying out more complex tasks without requiring human time and skill to build from the ground up. Improvements to Natural Language Processing are helping machines to understand much more complex queries and requests, and respond in more human-sounding language. These are the two major shifts that will start to make AI a much more practical productivity tool.
❛❛ If introduced smartly, the major benefit of workplace AI will be the technology’s ability to reduce administrative burden on employees ❜❜
If introduced smartly, the major benefit of workplace AI will be the technology’s ability to reduce administrative burden on employees, freeing their time to focus on more meaningful and fulfilling work. However, AI solutions also present a risk of negatively impacting on wellbeing and job satisfaction. Their implementation must be carefully managed to mitigate that risk.
Most of the concerns that have been voiced about the advances in AI have suggested that skilled jobs will be displaced, in much the same way that the industrial revolution reduced the demand for craftspeople. These transitions have historically been extremely stressful and destabilising for workers, who lose the sense of control and autonomy over their work.
With this in mind, here are several pointers for any small business looking to invest in AI whilst maintaining a strong company culture:
n Start small, by identifying a specific task or process to improve. Test the technology and see how it will work in practice. Don’t try to change everything overnight.
n Consult employees, to understand which tasks place the biggest and least welcome administrative burden on them. Take time to review their job roles together and listen to their insights about what would make them feel more productive.
n Be transparent about what technology is being used and why. Hold regular team sessions to discuss and refine the direction your adoption of AI is going in.
n Provide training so that employees are comfortable using and adjusting to the technology to fit their needs; make them feel empowered in their roles rather than outsourcing the implementation process.
n Monitor results to ensure that they are delivering the expected benefits. Are team members spending increased time on projects that offer more value to the business?
If you would like to know more about how AI can bring efficiencies to your business, please watch this space for the launch of our AI knowledge Hub in June 2023 www.sussexinnovation.co.uk/events
Like many readers of this article, the topic of AI is increasingly relevant to me. As a content writer by trade, I’ve watched the countless AI-assisted articles published in 2023 with some trepidation. Are the robots coming to take my job?
As an experiment, I typed my precis for this article into ChatGPT to see what it produced. It returned a version that was heavy on facts, with simple, descriptive sentences, and light on style, insight and narrative resonance. It would have made for a quick thing to write, but a boring thing to read. However, with a little more prompting and instruction, the results were clear and well-written enough that I felt comfortable using them as a draft template from which to begin writing.
Ultimately, this may be the ideal application of AI tools in the workplace as the technology continues to evolve. The fantasy of AI carrying out all our work for us is misplaced, at least for the foreseeable future. But if we can use it to expedite the tasks that consume our time and don’t fulfil us, everyone stands to benefit.
❛❛ Are the robots coming to take my job? ❜❜
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In the workplace, all employees are expected to be productive, efficient, and able to work collaboratively with others. However, we are not all the same, with one in seven of us being neurodivergent. Pam Loch of Loch Associates looks at neurodiversity at work
With one in seven of us in the UK being neurodivergent, to work effectively together, employers need to develop a culture that embraces the differences between us.
Neurodiversity is a term that refers to the natural variation in human brains and the ways to process information. Conditions such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and others fall into this category. It’s often assumed that neurodivergence is a disability, but that assumption is incorrect.
The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination based on one of nine protected characteristics, which includes disability. The Act defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on an individual’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
While neurodivergence can fall into this definition, the onus is placed on an employer to determine whether or not someone meets the criteria in the definition and has a disability.
If the employee does have a disability, then there is a proactive obligation on employers to make ‘reasonable adjustments’.
The legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities is designed to help them overcome any substantial disadvantage they may face in the workplace. Reasonable adjustments can include changes to working hours, equipment, training or support.
What is ‘reasonable’ is assessed on a case-by-case basis and takes into account, for example, the employer’s financial resources to make adjustments. For neurodiverse individuals, the type of reasonable adjustments that need to be made is likely to vary. So, for example, an employee with dyslexia may require assistive technology such as text-to-speech software or a coloured overlay to help them read and comprehend written information. An employee with autism may require a quiet workspace or the option to work from home to help them manage a sensory overload.
It’s important that an employer understands and recognises that employees who are neurodivergent have unique strengths and abilities which can benefit the workplace. For example, individuals with ADHD may be highly creative and able to think outside the box, while those with autism may excel in tasks that require attention to detail and analytical thinking.
With dyslexia, they may have strong verbal communication skills and the ability to think creatively. Employers can benefit from neurodiversity by recognising and accommodating individual differences, creating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, and providing appropriate training and resources for managers and employees. By doing so, they can harness the strengths of all employees and create a more innovative and effective workforce.
Employers who fail to make reasonable adjustments for neurodiverse employees who have a disability are likely to face tribunal claims for unlawful discrimination. This can be costly not only from a time and financial perspective, but also potentially damage their reputation as an employer.
It’s worth keeping in mind that in addition to the Equality Act 2010, employers must also consider the Health and
❛❛ It’s often assumed that neurodivergence is a disability, but that assumption is incorrect ❜❜
Safety at Work Act 1974, which places a duty on employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees while at work. Employers therefore have to consider any risks or hazards that may be present in the workplace for any neurodivergent individual. Employers should carry out risk assessments to identify any potential hazards and take steps to eliminate or reduce them where possible. For example, an employee with autism may be particularly sensitive to fluorescent lighting, so an employer could replace such lighting with natural or softer lighting.
One other challenge with neurodiversity is that it is less visible than physical disabilities which means employers will
have to rely on individuals making them aware of the fact they have a neurodivergent condition. Many employees do not disclose they have a disability or are neurodivergent before they are recruited or when they start work because they fear they will be discriminated against.
This ends up potentially being a no-win situation though, as often the employer only finds out about the condition when they have concerns about an individual’s performance or conduct at work. At that stage the relationship may then be irreparably damaged because the employer may think the employee has acted disingenuously by not telling them about it before. However, if the employer had known, they could have
made adjustments to the role to avoid the performance concerns arising in the first place.
As with any relationship, honesty is the best policy. However, if an employee has had a bad experience in the past, they may be reluctant to disclose information about their condition. If employers do want to benefit from having a diverse, motivated and productive workforce, it’s important to develop a culture which encourages staff to be open and transparent, knowing that it will benefit everyone in the long run.
Pam Loch, Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates Group www.lochassociates.co.uk
❛❛ The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination based on one of nine protected characteristics, which includes disability ❜❜
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Dominique Collins, Head of Library and EPQ at Hurstpierpoint College, explains why Sixth Formers should undertake an Extended Project Qualification to benefit their future academic and professional lives
The EPQ is a research project that is roughly equivalent to half an A-level in UCAS points. There is a taught element of around 30 hours, and 90 hours of independent work. Students can choose any topic as long as it has sufficient research to support the project. They can write a 5,000 word essay or create an artefact and write a 1,000 to 5,000word report. An artefact can be almost anything; for example a play, cookbook,
app or short film. Students must document their process through a production log as they go, and the process culminates in a presentation at the end as part of the assessment.
❛❛ Whilst undertaking an EPQ, students learn a variety of skills which are beneficial for their future academic and professional lives ❜❜
Research shows that students who undertake an EPQ are more likely to enter higher education than those who do not. They are also better prepared for higher education and more likely to achieve a good degree. A study found that EPQ boosts students’ attitudes towards learning and increases their self-perception, making them better able to cope whilst at university. Students themselves also value the option of a ‘dual offer’ from some universities (eg: AAA or AAB plus an A in EPQ) as reducing the entrance requirements for certain universities removes some stress at exam time.
Whilst undertaking an EPQ, students learn a variety of skills which are beneficial for their future academic and professional lives. These include research skills, skimming and scanning documents, note-taking, referencing, planning, time management, academic writing, presentation skills, editing and proofreading. These skills are crucial for success in higher education and in many careers.
In addition, students who take an EPQ improve a variety of personal qualities. They learn resilience, commitment, independent thinking, critical thinking, reflection, attention to detail, decision making, and problem solving. These reflect the independence required by the qualification and are also attributes that a traditional A-level may not focus on,
further demonstrating the usefulness of the EPQ. In an increasingly automated world, qualities like problem-solving and critical thinking will enhance employability. These are the types of qualities valued by employers and will be useful throughout life.
We have already covered the opportunity to develop skills that will help students to succeed in higher education and in their careers, but there are also many benefits on a personal level. An EPQ offers students the chance to explore a topic which they are interested in and to gain a deeper understanding. This can be especially valuable for students who may be unsure of what they want to study at university or who want to explore a topic in more depth than is possible in their regular courses. Due to the depth of topic knowledge required for an EPQ, students can learn whether the course they have chosen is the right one for them. Projects that are based on a personal interest or hobby can also be very successful as this generally helps maintain student motivation.
The EPQ also allows students to showcase their passion and knowledge to universities and potential employers. By choosing a topic related to their proposed degree - or one in a similar field to a potential employer - students
signal their interest in the topic, allowing them to talk at length about what they have learned. It also demonstrates an ability to manage their time effectively and produce high-quality work, something any employer looks for in a future employee.
To conclude, the Extended Project Qualification is a valuable opportunity for Sixth Formers to develop a range of skills which will help them succeed both in higher education and their future careers. It allows them to explore a topic that they are passionate about and to demonstrate this to universities and employers through the high-quality work they produce. With its academic and personal benefits, the EPQ is something that every student should look to undertake.
www.hppc.co.uk
Lee Hills, Partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter looks at new guidance from the CMA regarding sharp online selling techniques
Guidance recently issued by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) aims to provide businesses with a framework for engaging in responsible selling practices and avoiding unethical sales techniques that can harm consumers.
However, the CMA has indicated in an open letter to industry that it is ready to take enforcement action against the use of misleading online sales tactics, and has urged businesses to urgently review their practices and avoid the risk of prosecution.
Following a survey recently commissioned by the CMA, reference is made to approximately one quarter of participating consumers using online shopping as a means by which to attempt to secure the best available prices for goods and services, with the
behaviour of an increasing number of shoppers being driven by the high cost of living.
With the spotlight being shone on internet retailers by consumer protection groups and the recent introduction of online reporting tools enabling consumers to bring their concerns over misleading sales techniques to the immediate attention of the authorities, the clear message from the CMA is that retailers failing to take heed do so at their own peril.
The CMA’s guidance is comprehensive and covers various areas where businesses may employ unfair selling techniques.
The guidance states that businesses need to be proactive in ensuring a fair and transparent selling process to safe -
guard consumer interests. This includes, amongst other things, proper disclosure of product information, pricing practices and contract terms.
Once crucial area of focus is the use of psychological techniques to manipulate consumers into making purchases. The guidance warns against the use of fear, urgency, or scarcity tactics to pressure consumers into buying products or services. It also recognises the impact of social media and online marketing on consumer behaviour, urging businesses to exercise restraint and ethics in these areas.
❛❛ The CMA’s guidance is comprehensive and covers various areas where businesses may employ unfair selling techniques ❜❜
Another key element of the guidance is the need for businesses to improve transparency and accountability. The guidance calls for clear and concise communications with consumers about product features, benefits, pricing policies and refund or return policy. It emphasises the need for businesses to provide consumers with access to clear and accurate information about their rights, protections, and legal remedies, when they have been subject to unfair selling practices.
The guidance is a timely response to growing concerns around unethical selling practices, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent cost of living crisis. The pandemic has brought about significant changes in consumer behaviour with more people shopping online, increasing their exposure to potentially fraudulent activities and misleading sales techniques.
This new guidance seeks to provide businesses with a framework for
building trust, increasing consumer confidence, and promoting responsible selling practices.
This warning shot by the CMA comes in advance of the government’s planned introduction of the Digital Markets Competition and Consumer Bill; legislation intended to reform the UK competition and consumer protection laws which are likely to include increased powers for the CMA and its ability to impose significant financial
penalties on businesses independent of the judicial system.
Any business engaged in online selling, particularly where price reduction and time limited offers are promoted should now take the opportunity to review its selling practices and techniques to ensure compliance with the CMA’s recent guidance and legislation which is likely to come into force over the next two years.
For further information contact Lee Hills, Partner, Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP
lhills@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk
www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk
❛❛ The pandemic has brought about significant changes in consumer behaviour with more people shopping online ❜❜
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The automotive future is electric –that’s a matter of fact. On the road to decarbonisation, electric vehicles (EVs) will play a transformational role
For the UK to reach its net zero target, all vehicles must be fossil fuel-free by 2050 to support the shift to EVs, and technology is rapidly evolving to accelerate this transition.
Based at Surrey Research Park in Guildford, ipTEST develops unique electrical testing equipment which is widely used in the manufacture of electric vehicles to ensure they operate reliably and safely. A testament to its breakthrough innovations, the company has recently been honoured with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise, in the Innovation category, recognising DS5, a cutting-edge product which performs advanced tests at exceptionally high speeds.
At the heart of every electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle is a collection of small yet mighty high-power electronic chips which supply power from the vehicle’s battery to the motors, and return it to the battery during braking. These chips need to operate reliably 100% of the time, and therefore, must undergo advanced testing. With DS5, ipTEST applies high voltages and electrical currents which far exceed what the chips will ever experience during normal driving to have the resilience to comfortably stand up to everyday use.
The DS5 product was developed three years ago to address the needs of this specific market – high-speed electronics used in electric vehicles – and its success has resulted in ipTEST growing very fast, very quickly.
“DS5 was in the right place at the right time when EVs were really starting to take off,” explains Dr Conor McCarthy, managing director at ipTEST. “As a
❛❛ In 2021, the business relocated to Surrey Research Park to facilitate its expansion ❜❜
company, we were perfectly placed to supply our customers with these testers so they could supply the electronics that go into electric vehicles. DS5 has been tremendously well received and I’m so proud it has been recognised with the King’s Award. This has been a true team effort by everyone at the company.”
ipTEST has been manufacturing highquality testers for the best part of 30 years. In 2021, the business relocated to Surrey Research Park to facilitate its expansion. “I think moving to Surrey Research Park at the time we did was very important,” says Conor. “We outgrew our previous facility and when we moved into our current units, we thought we’d have all the space we would ever need. However, we immediately filled up both floors of the building, within as little as a year. Having Surrey Research Park offices and overflow space has been incredibly helpful, and we’ve been able to use temporary leases and temporary space at the Park to further expand our manufacturing.”
The team finds having access to off-site meeting rooms highly beneficial, especially when they need to get away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life in a manufacturing environment. Conor adds, “Overall, Surrey Research
Park is a really nice place to work; it’s somewhere our employees feel happy. We love the site and the location, which offers amazing views of the lake from just outside the office window.”
April was a busy month for ipTEST. The company has taken on a lease of a second building, which it started to move into just a week after receiving the news of the King’s Award. This spacious ground-floor facility, located next door to its current home on Priestly Road, will enable ipTEST to completely expand its manufacturing to keep up with demand. “The fact that the King’s Award was awarded to us the week before we moved into a new facility is great timing. We’ve been celebrating with pizza on two consecutive Fridays We always have a pizza whenever there’s anything to celebrate – big or small.”
Now, the team eagerly await their invitation to a Royal reception, where they will be presented with their award by one of the King’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant. The framed official
certificate and commemorative crystal trophy will take pride of place at the ipTEST HQ, of course.
The innovation will continue. DS5 is the start of a journey, and ipTEST will be developing ever-faster versions of the product. As well as making electric vehicles safer, the company’s testers also check the electronics used in many other products where electrical power needs to be controlled, ranging from mobile phone chargers to wind turbines and high-speed electric trains. “Here at ipTEST, we’re proud that the technologies and products we develop are all helping with the net zero efforts,” says Conor. “We’re proud to be contributing to a greener, safer world.”
https://surrey-research-park.com
www.iptest.com/
❛❛ We love the site and the location, which offers amazing views of the lake ❜❜
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Local charity Chestnut Tree House recently announced an exciting new art trail, taking place in Chichester and Arundel in the summer of 2024. Now it is looking for local businesses to join the fun as sponsors
The Big Hoot is an exciting new art trail which will be flying into West Sussex next summer. Brought to you by local charity, Chestnut Tree House, and Wild in Art, the public art event will see a collection of 30 large 3D owl sculptures come to nest in and around Chichester and Arundel, providing a free, fun, family-friendly trail for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Exact dates and sculpture locations are still to be confirmed, but in July 2024, the owls will appear – each one individually designed by an artist, and sponsored by a business, group or individual. They will be on display for eight weeks, before gathering in one location for a special farewell event in September 2024, followed by a charity auction, where the sculptures will be sold to raise money for Chestnut Tree House.
Get involved with this unique and innovative event to promote your business, drive customers to your door, and support Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice, a much-loved local charity.
In addition to bringing businesses and community groups together as sculpture sponsors, The Big Hoot art trail will also encourage schools and other education establishments to get involved in a city-wide Learning Programme.
If you’re interested in joining the Big Hoot as a sponsor, please contact corporate@chestnut-tree-house.org.uk You can find out more at www.thebighoot.co.uk
SCULPTURE SPONSOR
£7,500
This allows you to support this initiative in a very personal way while associating your brand with The Big Hoot. Sculpture sponsorship is open to all businesses and individuals, and includes:
n One unique sculpture on the 2024 trail
n Logo on your sculpture’s plaque
n VIP Tickets to The Big Hoot events
n Dedicated Account Manager
PRINCIPAL PARTNER
£25,000
(two opportunities available). Our principal partners are investing in the highest tier of sponsorship available, including logo placement on all large sculpture plaques, marketing and collateral.
Other sponsorship opportunities are available: find out more at thebighoot.co.uk
Summer is on the way – and so are the insects. Wasps, flies and ants will soon start to multiply in abundance, but it’s wasps that Cleankill receives the most calls about at this time of year through until the late autumn.
There are many types of wasps, and some types of bees look very similar to wasps. Pest controllers often take calls from homeowners convinced they have wasps, but it turns out they have bees. Cleankill Pest Control Managing Director Paul Bates explains: “There are around 250 types of bee in the UK, including 25 bumblebees and one type of honeybee. Many species of bee are considered ‘endangered’. It is important to remember that bees are beneficial and vital insects, and are not normally considered as pests.
“Bees are very important pollinators –they pollinate about a third of everything we eat. Although many bee species have stings, they will only sting people if strongly provoked and, because they are so beneficial, every effort should be made to avoid controlling or destroying them.”
“In the spring, we begin to see many UK bee species becoming more active. This increase in activity can cause unnecessary confusion and concern for some people. Honeybees are frequently mistaken for wasps. However, wasps don’t become active in large numbers until early summer, so if you see a buzzing insect in the spring it is more likely to be a bee than a wasp.”
Incorrect identification of wasps is one of the many reasons that it’s important to use a professional pest controller who has the knowledge and skill to correctly identify a pest. He or she can then decide the most appropriate course of action.
The saying, “You pay peanuts and you get monkeys” applies equally to pest control. Bargain wasp nest treatments you might see advertised are cheap for a reason. You risk someone who could use insecticide indiscriminately and in a way that could be harmful to your family and pets. If they have to go in your loftspace, it’s unlikely they have the correct insurance and will be careful with your property.
Unless the nest is still tiny – the size of a golf ball – and can be easily removed do not risk any form of DIY pest control. It’s well worth checking garages and sheds for nests before they become large.
An average nest in late summer can contain up to 10,000 wasps and this can represent a major problem. There have occasionally been incidents of people being stung and suffering anaphylaxis, which can be fatal if not treated quickly. Bates continues: “It is extremely important that people don’t try to tackle large nests themselves as, unlike bees, wasps continue to sting without dying and send out signals to other wasps to
join in. They have more of a hooligan mentality than other similar species and their instinct is to protect the nest. The best advice is to call a professional pest controller who has the correct training and equipment to deal with your nest problem safely and efficiently.”
Award-winning Cleankill’s staff are highly trained and offer an exceptionally fast and efficient level of service. The company holds ISO9001, ISO14001 and Altius Elite Vendor accreditations.
Cleankill is a British Pest Control Association member and also fully accredited to the Safecontractor, Constructionline and Achilles Health and Safety schemes.
The fastest way for nature to reduce the impact of humans on the planet is to limit conception and, therefore, the human race. Sadly, humans seem to have got there first with a significant reduction in male fertility likely caused by obesity and endocrine disrupting chemical. Two surgeons explain the problem...
The leading minds have recently published an extensive survey*, ‘The Fertility Index’, to show how men and women across the UK understand and manage fertility and sexual health issues. The index has highlighted that fertility issues have risen hugely over the last two generations with 16% of those under 34 being impacted by fertility issues when they have tried to conceive compared to just 6% of those who are now over 55 (when they had tried to conceive in previous decades).
These figures show a concerning trend in a rise in fertility issues across the UK which mirrors recent reports showing a surge in infertility in men across the western world. According to a global study, sperm counts are not only dropping but the rate of this decline is increasing with data showing a drop of 1.2% per year from 1973 – 2000 but from 2000 to 2018, the decline was 2.6% per year. These may seem like small figures, but the increasing drop means millions of men will likely experience fertility issues at a drastically increased rate.
By Dr Tet Yap and Professor Suks Minhas
Already in the UK, one in 50 babies in the UK is born via IVF, one in 60 in the US, and in Denmark, Israel and Japan the figure is more than one in 25 – and rising. Experts believe the increase in fertility issues is based on a number of factors including an increase in obesity in the western world and our increasingly sedentary lifestyle which has been impacted further as millions work from home since the pandemic. Increased exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as those found in plastics, is another major culprit.
Suspected fertility issues are best addressed early on. Statistics show that
women are more likely to believe that the issues lie with her and she is more likely to seek help than her male partner. It doesn’t help that fertility has always been almost solely focused on women. IVF, egg freezing, and the female biological clock dominate the agenda.
Unfortunately, men’s fertility and sexual health issues are still taboo subjects for far too many. Yet, of all infertility cases, approximately 40-50% are due to ‘male factor’ infertility. The Fertility Index was designed to encourage couples to openly discuss their fertility and sexual health issues and understand what can impact their sexual performances.
❛❛ Men’s fertility and sexual health issues are still taboo subjects for far too many. Yet, of all infertility cases, approximately 40-50% are due to ‘male factor’ infertility. ❜❜
The index also highlighted that more than one in four (26%) of those under 35 are considering freezing sperm or eggs while young to help with conceiving later in life as millions delay having children young.
The average age to have a child in the UK is now 31 but many couples are waiting until their late 30s or even early 40s to try for children. Freezing healthy sperm or eggs when young can extend the period that couples can conceive and also help with fertility issues which are more likely to increase with age.
Leading Surgeons Tet Yap and his internationally renowned partner Professor Suks Minhas are co-founders of Men’s Health Clinic, London Andrology, which supports men with conditions associated with male fertility and sexual function. They are leading minds in their field and have worked together for over 15 years, developing the most advanced treatments for sexual and reproductive needs.
London Andrology, 18 Devonshire Street, London W1G 7ASF
Tel: 0207 034 5032
Mail: info@londonandrology.com
*Research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers – RWB between September 16th 2022 and September 22nd 2022. The sample comprised 1,003 UK adults
❛❛ According to a global study, sperm counts are not only dropping but the rate of this decline is increasing ❜❜By Maarten Hoffmann
DISCLAIMER: All views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this publication
Is
The UK used to be the fourth largest economy in the world, and we are now sixth, with predictions that we will fall to tenth by 2050. We used to have a worldclass health service but today it is an embarrassing shambles with a waiting list stretching to six years for many treatments. We are currently paying to train doctors who then promptly jump on a plane to work elsewhere for better pay. We used to have an enviable education system but that has fallen and, if Labour get in, they will tax private schools to the point that some 100,000 private school children will be flushed into the already vastly over stretched and under funded system. Our universities, with the excep -
tion of Oxford and Cambridge, have virtually dropped out of the top ten list for the very first time but still leave our next generation of workers saddled with over £50,000 of debt before they even start their first job.
The UK used to be a manufacturing powerhouse but… no more. Automotive companies are leaving the UK in their droves and, as stated in the House of
Commons last week, the UK has missed the boat in the race to build battery factories. Tesla has turned away from the UK as ‘not open for business’ and is currently planning to build billion-euro mega-factories in Germany and France. Elon Musk was quoted as saying: “Brexit has made Britain too risky to construct our mega factory there, and my relationship with the UK government is choppy at best’. Since his $44 billion purchase of Twitter, he has dramatically scaled back all operations in the UK.
The UK military has been starved of cash to the point that the head of Nato questioned if we were even able to fulfil our modest commitments to the bloc, much to the acute embarrassment of army Generals. If the Falklands were
A note first that this is not a party political feature. In politics, we need the best people for the job, regardless of party.
❛❛ If the Falklands were invaded again, the best we could do is mail a second-class envelope with the keys! ❜❜
invaded again, the best we could do is mail a second-class envelope with the keys! Of the two aircraft carriers we built, to much hype and fanfare by the government, one has been broken down for over 18 months and they are cannibalising the other for parts. A senior US general has privately told Defence Secretary Ben Wallace the British Army is no longer regarded as a top-level fighting force.
Our roads are shameful, with pot holes the size of a small planet littering every road in the country to the point that people are now being forced to go out and fix the holes in their own roads to avoid the inevitable damage to their cars. It is estimated that it will cost £12 billion to fix them all, and the government has allocated just £200 million which will cover three B-roads in Horsham. Our rivers are so filthy that swimming in the Ganges would be safer, and preferable.
The trade unions have the country in a death grip, demanding a totally unrealistic 19% pay increase for NHS staff and similar amounts for just about everyone else. As Labour is funded in large part by the unions, and they get in at the next election, we are all totally screwed as they would have to capitulate yet certainly cannot afford it.
The new stealth taxes coming in will drag one in five workers into the 40p tax rate by 2027 - the ‘biggest tax-raising measure since 1979’. This will leave us all poorer, fuel inflation, depress devel -
opment and cancel any increase finally agreed for the strikers.
The UK inflation rate of 8.7% is compared to Spain (4.1%), France (5.9%), Germany (7.2%), India (4.7%) and the US (4.9%).
I could go on for a hundred pages but suffice to say we are buggered unless we get our act together now. In business terms, the government is the board of UK PLC and the people are the shareholders. We are the ones who get to vote on the board every four yearsLabour or Conservative? Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are the only two choices we are allowed to have for CEO. Our system is broken.
The only answer l see is for the rapid formation of a credible third party and the change to our voting system to bring in proportional representation. The trouble here is that all this needs the agreement of Parliament, and they are the last people in the world that would vote for such a thing. The lunatics really are in charge of the asylum – and we are all the asylum residents.
Depressed? You should be as we are all passengers on a train running over a cliff and can do absolutely nothing about it.
❛❛ Tesla has turned away from the UK as ‘not open for business’ ❜❜
Salty seas, sun on your face and wind in your hair –yachting, boating, sailing, whatever you choose to call it, is a fantastic holiday for those seeking adventure, relaxation and exploration on the open waters. By Tess
de Klerk
Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a first-time adventurer, chartering a boat provides unique travel that combines the freedom of sailing with the comforts and amenities of a luxury getaway.
Few other options allow for such an escape from the summer crowds, for such privacy. With a chartered boat, you have the opportunity to explore secluded coves, hidden beaches, and untouched islands, away from the bustling tourist hotspots. You can set your own itinerary, cruise at your own
pace, and anchor at picturesque locations of your choice. The sense of solitude and tranquility on the water is truly unmatched.
Sport and adventure becomes so easily accessible. For example, just hop on a jet ski and off you go. Pop on your gear and scuba or snorkel whenever the urge takes you - what a comfortable way to fully immerse in nature! Or simply chill on deck, drink in hand, looking out for curious marine life that might come your way.
Of course, expense comes to mind when thinking of chartering a yacht and yes, fees can be stratospheric. In the yachting world, there really is no limit to what can be indulged. At present, the world’s costliest charter yacht will set you back £3m a week – plus expenses, naturally. But for the rest of us who still have a clue what a loaf of bread and a pint of milk costs, there are options.
Firstly, decide if you need a skippered or bareboat hire. Bareboat means that you’ll captain her yourself. Let’s take it as the majority of readers will need a hired captain along with the boat. With a quick cursory search I found a sleek 36ft motor catamaran, docked in Athens, with four berths and skipper included, costing £4,584.69 for a week’s hire in June. Not bad.
❛❛ You can set your own itinerary, cruise at your own pace, and anchor at picturesque locations of your choice ❜❜
What I love most about boating is the flexibility. Your hotel stays in one place but yachting enables you to explore multiple destinations within a single trip. Whether you want to sail along the stunning coastlines of the French Riviera, hop between Greek islands, or embark on an island-hopping adventure in the Caribbean, a chartered boat gives you the flexibility to discover different places without the hassle of packing and unpacking. Each day brings a new view, a new port, and a new adventure. Lets look at some fantastic options close to home:
A good option is to start your trip in San Remo and sail your way up to Portofino, past brilliant bays, adorable old ports, and serene, tucked-away beaches. The picture-perfect villages that dot the rugged crescent-shaped coast of Liguria, dropping dramatically into a sparkling turquoise sea, makes the Italian Riviera a wonderful destination. Sailing conditions in the area are beautiful, with calm seas, clear blue skies, and mild southeasterly or westerly winds, mostly at night.
The South of France has it all – glorious sun, glittering blue waters, and a fabled blend of elegance and rustic charm that sets it apart. Add a stunning mountain background, postcard-perfect medieval harbours, and world-class shopping and dining, and you’ve got Europe’s most opulent sailing destination. Needless to say, the spectacular array
Mmm, the Dalmatian Coast with over a thousand islands scattered across translucent aquamarine seas, just waiting to be explored. Take in captivating Dubrovnik, with its ancient city walls, sleek marble streets, and magnificent Baroque architecture. Anchor at the lush islands of Mljet and Korčula and the tiny islet of Bisevo - home to the spectacular Blue Grotto.
Croatia’s sailing season spans from April to November, with the best conditions in July and August. Spring has gentle breezes, however September and October are fairly rough.
of anchorages and first-rate marinas will further enhance your yachting experience.
Chartering opens up a world of possibilities. Swap the bricks and mortar for freedom in motion.
www.dreamyachtcharter.com/gb
❛❛ Fees can be stratospheric…
But for the rest of us, there are options ❜❜
It’s a sad but true fact that Aston Martin has gone bankrupt seven times in its history. However, the company’s current CEO, Andy Palmer, has been absolutely committed to putting the marque on a firm financial footing, and his efforts thankfully seem to be paying off.
We say ‘thankfully’ because Aston Martin is an important brand. It makes cars that are as beautiful as supermodels, builds them in the UK, and even King Charles is a fully paid-up fan. It also helps that Canadian billionaire and investor Lawrence Stroll led a consortium to gain a 25% stake in the company.
This Aston is intended to be a lot more than just a showpiece that looks good parked up at the kerbside, though it’s claimed to deliver a driving experience and quality feel that’s worthy of its price.
Two engines are available – a twinturbocharged 5.2-litre V12 petrol, and a similarly boosted 4.0-litre V8. The latter comes from Mercedes’ tuning offshoot AMG, with which Aston Martin has a fruitful technical alliance. And it kicks off an exciting new phase in the Aston story with all manner of hyper cars, mid-engined supercars, crossovers, and electrified Lagondas on the horizon, – not to mention a return to the top tier of Le Mans.
The DB11 launched as a coupé but is now also offered as a Volante soft-top. Neither feel as scalpel-sharp as some
rivals at the same £150,000 ballpark –Audi R8s, Porsche 911s, McLaren 570s – but the DB11 does straddle the ground between performance cars like those and softly-damped GTs from Bentley and Merc.
What the DB11 is like to drive depends entirely on which year it was built. Early V12s didn’t feel especially sporty, rolling too much for you to place them with any accuracy in a tight corner, and certainly focusing more on long-distance comfort than short-term adrenaline spikes. But the tweaks for the V8 version launched in 2017 – which the AMR then borrowed in 2018 – sorted it out just nicely.
The V8 is vehemently the sporty one, not least because it is 115kg lighter. While its 503bhp engine gives well over 100bhp to the V12 – and the top speed is 21mph lower – it feels more boisterous and keener, and will actually be the quicker car in the real world simply because it compels you to drive it harder.
It turns in quicker, is keener to bring its rear axle into action and, in short, is a
❛❛ Squint through the Aston fonts and you might recognise the various media displays as lifted straight from Mercedes ❜❜
whole bundle of fun if you’re in the right mood. The engine is thunderous in its delivery and sounds suitably rawer than the V12 while it’s at it. This is a worse GT – it asks a lot of attention on twisty roads to keep it pointing the right way –but it settles down nicely if you dial back its selectable driving modes, and will still cruise at a hushed pace if you want it to.
The AMR isn’t too far behind in the excitement stakes, but even with its 30bhp-higher 630bhp output over the launch V12, it’s still not a car that makes much of a fuss unless you really boot it. It sounds very good when you do, but it does rather feel inappropriate in a car so classy. It’s hellishly quick, mind, with 0-62mph in 3.7secs. You might
actually manage it too; the rear axle is much better at putting all its power down with the AMR tweaks.
Inside, there’s a handmade quality to most things you touch, like the leather on the doors and the stitching around the sat nav screen. A digital instrument cluster brings the car up to date, but also cheapens it slightly – we’d prefer a physical dial with more detail for our £150,000-plus, at least for the tachometer.
Squint through the Aston fonts and you might recognise the various media displays as lifted straight from Mercedes. Which, thanks to Aston’s tie-up with the Germans, they are. This felt fresh, exciting and a big step-on back when the DB11 launched, but it’s hard to deny it’s already aged a bit in here. This is largely because Merc’s own media set-up has taken such a giant leap since. Perhaps future Aston models will use more up-to-date software.
You sit low, but the visibility is still fine, apart from the fat A-pillar when
MODEL TESTED:
Aston Martin DB11 V8
POWER: 503 bhp
SPEED: 0-62 4 secs
TOP: 192 mph
ECONOMY: 22 mph combined
PRICE FROM: £155,000
you’re pulling out of side roads. The parking sensors are so hyperactive in traffic, you’ll probably end up turning them off; important to remember when you come to parking…
The rear seats aren’t exactly big but you can squeeze six-foot adults back there for short journeys, and kids will be absolutely fine.
It’s a beautiful car and cruises divinely but although it will go fast, it doesn’t feel like you should. It’s great but there are so many better cars out there.
❛❛ The V8 is vehemently the sporty one, not least because it is 115kg lighter ❜❜
From £389* a month. Advance rental £5,160.
The new A-Class Hatchback brings a whole new level of superior sportiness and luxurious comfort to the compact car market.
It’s available as a mild hybrid drive and plug-in hybrid, and there’s a radiant Sun Yellow paint colour** that beams across the whole range now, not just on the hottest AMGs.
And right now, you can get the A180 AMG Line Executive Hatchback from £389* a month. Discover luxury every day with the new A-Class at Sandown Mercedes-Benz.
For more information please contact the team at Sandown Mercedes-Benz on 0330 178 1801.
sandown-group.co.uk
Road, Guildford, GU1 1RU
The Dynamic Awards 2023
All the winners named Flex-working Well-being boost or career curse?
DINING
A Michelin star Interlude
Banish
‘Superwoman’
The B-Corp journey
MOTORING The best driving tunes
TRAVEL
Leonardslee House
BATTLING TO SAVE JOHN LEWIS
Admiring women who are elevated to superwomanhood isn’t something that’s always appreciated. In fact, it can have the opposite effect
❛
The age reached by Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician whose calculations astronauts would trust over the computers
❛ You hate when people see you cry because you want to be that strong girl. But then you hate how nobody notices how broken and torn apart you are.
News
6 Upfront: The top international news stories involving women in business
22 In The Right Direction: Good news stories from around the world
Spotlight
26 Highlighting two female business leaders who ought to get more recognition that they currently receive
30 Jenny Garrett MBE on strategies to reduce microagressions in the office
Art Scene
32 The work of PX Miranda, focusing on eyes being the window to the soul
Travel
34 Tess de Klerk checks in to the 19th Century Leonardslee House for the night
36 Still at Leonardslee, the restaurant, Interlude, offers 18-course dining. Count them.
38 A brief snapshot of art and culture cross Sussex and Surrey
20 Samantha Kaye of Wellesley discusses whether the flexible working model can be a well-being boost or a career curse
24 Alison Jones and Jennifer Williams of Kreston Reeves talk about their journey to achieve the coveted B Corp status
GIRL TORQUE
Four keen drivers attempt the virtually impossible – to name their top five all-time songs to hit the highway to
The CEO of John Lewis & Partnership, battling to save the company from unwanted outside investors
PUBLISHER: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EDITOR: Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk
MOTORING EDITOR: Fiona Shafer fionas@platinummediagroup.co.uk
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Lesley Alcock lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EVENTS DIRECTOR: Fiona Graves fiona@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EVENTS MANAGER: Zaneta Bealing zaneta@platinummediagroup.co.uk
HEAD OF DESIGN: Michelle Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk
SUB EDITOR: Alan Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk
WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK
❛
If you’re beautiful, you’re led to believe that you can’t also be smart. But you can be fun and fit and be really smart. And the smarter you are, the more capable you’ll be to handle whatever challenges come up in life.
Regina Agyare, Founder of software company Soronko SolutionsBIG STORY Dame Sharon White
A very warm welcome to June’s edition of Dynamic.
We are all about celebrating women and their achievements here at Dynamic, and that is exactly what was done at our annual Dynamic Awards 2023. A fantastic evening was had by all! Congratulations to all our winners as well as each and every nominee - we have been overwhelmingly impressed by all your passion, hard work and dedication.
In the same vein, our regular Spotlight feature continues highlighting remarkable women within our community while Wellbeing this month focuses on the importance of acknowledging that we are human, not superhuman, and that Superwoman expectations can be more harmful than helpful.
You will also find our other regular features such as Travel and Art for your reading pleasure plus, do have a look at Wine & Dine if you’ve ever wondered what an 18-course menu entails.
We had a fantastic time compiling this month’s magazine, and hope that you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed creating it for you.
Editor, Dynamic Magazine tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk
Goldman Sachs has agreed to pay £215 million to settle claims by former female employees that the Wall Street bank has systematically underpaid women compared to men. The agreement brings to an end the class action lawsuit that started in 2010 and involves 2,800 female associates and averts a damaging trial that was due to start in June. Companies across all sectors are facing increasing pressure to do more to improve equality and diversity, and a quarter of a billiondollar fine might just focus some attention on the matter.
The first female chair of the Football Association (FA) is to visit Nottingham to deliver a lecture. Debbie Hewitt will speak at Nottingham Business School for the second of its Business Leaders Lectures series. Ms Hewitt will talk about her career at household names including White Stuff Ltd and Marks & Spencer, as well as her time as the first female managing director of RAC.
Attendees will be able to ask her questions at an open Q&A session. In 2021, British Vogue listed Ms Hewitt in the Vogue 25 –its annual list of the UK’s most influential women and she took on her current FA role in January 2022.
You don’t have favourites among your children but you do have allies.
Zadie Smith, novelist
Women continue to set up and expand businesses. Yet female founders’ share of funds from backers remains stubbornly low. “There is still a big issue of unconscious bias against women founders,” says Sutin Yang, head of scale-ups at Virgin StartUp, a UK organisation which has pledged to fund equal numbers of male and female entrepreneurs. “Investors tend to be more likely to interrogate a female founder’s business projections and ask questions around downside risk,” Yang adds. As a result, female founders lower their business projections and valuation, and are “less ambitious in their pitch”. Venture capital funding that went to female-led start-ups in the US fell from 2.4% in 2021 to 1.9% last year. But it rose to 17.2% if the management team included at least one man.
New rules are to come into force next year requiring businesses who want to float on the UK stock markets to have four in 10 of its board members be women, or explain why not.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said companies will need to account for diversity in their top teams and will report against targets the watchdog sets a year from now. The FCA added that some firms will not be able to meet the targets but should be able to explain why. At least 40% of a company’s directors should be women, and a woman should hold at least one of the senior board positions - either chair, chief executive, finance boss or senior independent director. At least one member of the board should be from an ethnic minority background.
Almost two-thirds of young women have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse at work, according to a new poll. Some 62% of those in the 25-34 age group reported being pestered or persecuted on work premises, as well as during virtual meetings, over email and on the phone, the survey by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) found.
Overall, 58% of women of all ages reported they had experienced being harassed, bullied or verbally abused while trying to do their job. However, it was not just colleagues who were responsible for the mistreatment. The poll found that in almost 40% of the most recent incidents to affect a victim, responsibility lay with a third party, such as a customer or client. The findings come amid scrutiny of workplace treatment of women following a string of recent allegations of sexual misconduct at high-profile organisations, including the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Its new director general recently apologised to female staff following claims of a “toxic” culture at the business lobby group, including allegations of sexual misconduct, some of which police are investigating.
To demonstrate the damage done by such harassment, the CBI Board has engaged lawyers for advice on a potential insolvency ahead of crunch member vote.
You will be defi ned not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive
Sheryl Sandberg
Do what you love and success will follow.
Passion is the fuel behind a successful career
Meg Whitman
John Lewis & Partnership has just survived a morality scare when its CEO, Dame Sharon White, thumbed her nose at a cherished century-old legacy, while searching for outside investment for the group. Who is Dame Sharon, and what did she do to cause such concern? By
ALAN WARESSharon White was born in east London on April 21st 1967, and brought up in Leyton, where she attended Connaught School for Girls. Her parents came to the UK from Jamaica in the 1950s, when her father was aged 15 and her mother 11. White attended Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, from where she received a BA degree in economics. She later earned an MSc in economics from University College London.
She was the first black person to become a Permanent Secretary at the Treasury
White joined the British civil service in 1989, and went on to have an astonishing career within several levels and departments. She worked fi rst at the Treasury and later for the British Embassy in Washington DC. She also worked at the 10 Downing Street policy unit during the Tony Blair premiership; at the World Bank, also in DC.
Additionally, she has worked in many government departments, including occupying the role of director general at the Department for International Development in 2003–09 (a department that no longer exists) and then at the Ministry of Justice in 2009–11, and also at the Department for Work and Pensions.
John Lewis, a philosopher and town councillor and founder of the chain of home stores in his own name, was born on February 24th 1836 in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, and became an orphan at the age of seven. Having served as an apprentice to a local draper from the age of 14, he moved to London to become a silk buyer, working in Peter Robinson’s Department Store at Oxford Circus by the time he was 20.
He first opened his eponymous flagship store on Oxford Street, London, a drapery shop, opened in 1864. In 1905, Lewis acquired a second store, Peter Jones in Sloane Square, London.
Lewis was not considered a popular employer, with a habit to dismissing staff arbitrarily. The stores had difficulty retaining staff – there was a strike in 1920 – and performed poorly compared to some of his rivals. His sons constantly disagreed with his business methods. It was his eldest son, John Spedan Lewis, who began the John Lewis Partnership, a workers’ cooperative – in 1929 after thinking up the idea during his days in charge of Peter Jones. He also thought up the idea of the
At the end of 2014, Ofcom, the broadcast and media regulator announced White would be the chief executive from March 2015, replacing Ed Richards as the previous chief executive and Steve Unger as interim chief executive.
It was a role she held for just over four years. In June 2019, White announced that she would be leaving that role to replace Sir Charlie Mayfield as the chair of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP).
At the Treasury, she supervised a review of the fi nancial management of government and the Treasury’s management response to the banking crisis of 2008. She was Director General for Public Spending at the Treasury from 2012-13, ultimately replacing Tom Scholar as Second Permanent Secretary in 2013.
She was the fi rst black person to become a Permanent Secretary at the Treasury, and the second woman after Dame Anne Mueller in the 1980s.
White married economist Robert Chote in 1997, when she was working at the British embassy in DC, and Chote was working for the International Monetary Fund. Chote has been the chairman of the Office of Budget Responsibility since 2010. Th is led certain parts of the media to dub them, “Mr and Mrs Treasury”.
White was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for public service. She took the name Dame Sharon White, Lady Chote.
White succeeded Mayfield during a meeting of the John Lewis Partnership Council on February 4th 2020, on a salary of £990,000 – a significant increase on her previous salary, which was £341,700 according to data released by Ofcom.
The John Lewis Partnership had been started in 1929 by John Lewis’ eldest son John Spedan Lewis. It was effectively a co-operative or mutual society where profits were reinvested back into the business to its workers.
At the end of 2022, Dame Sharon, seeing the trouble the company was in, sought to bring in outside investment. Previous chairman Sir Stuart Hampson was appalled
In 2014, The Voice named White the seventh most powerful black person in Britain. White has been recognised for her influence as one of the most powerful black British people in the UK on a number of occasions by Powerlist, topping the 2023 list; as well as regularly ranking in the top 10 since 2016.
Gazette, the partnership’s in-house magazine, first published in 1918.
The founding John Lewis died in Hampstead, London in 1928, at the age of 92, having also served as a Liberal councillor at London County Council.
The John Lewis Partnership plc (JLP) now operates John Lewis & Partners department stores, Waitrose & Partners supermarkets, its banking and financial services, and other retail-related activities. The privately-held public limited company is owned by a trust on behalf of all its employees – known as ‘partners’ –and a bonus, akin to a share of the profit, is paid to employees.
In 1925, Spedan Lewis devised the slogan ‘never knowingly undersold’ at Peter Jones, a John Lewis subsidiary, based in Sloane Square, London. It was intended mainly as a control on
at the notion. He felt the proposal – aimed at raising as much as £2 bn – could kill off the ‘spirit’ of the retailer’s partnership model.
He insisted that John Lewis is a ‘different kind of business’ where service levels are better because ‘the person behind the counter is the owner’. He dismissed the idea that it might be able to find a supportive investor who shares its ideals. For the business to sell a minority stake – for the fi rst time in its 159-year history – would be ‘very inappropriate’, he said. Additionally, retail consultant and television personality Mary Portas accused the group of losing its soul.
It was a blow for Dame Sharon amid a chorus of scepticism, mostly from worker/shareholders - who tend to get angry when they don’t get their ball back - about the idea of bringing in external funding, which critics said would threaten John Lewis’ cherished employee ownership structure.
For her part, White told the John Lewis Partnership Council that the partnership would always be owned by its employees.
“No ifs, no buts there is absolutely no question of de-mutualisation,” she said. ”If at any point the partnership were unable to fund all our plans through our own means, the board could consider external investment,”.
But she stressed any arrangement would have to be aligned with the partnership’s rules and values. White also
sourcing merchandise, but it also came to mean that customers could shop knowing that they were not paying more at Peter Jones than they could buy identical goods for at other stores. This principle, which was refined several times, was introduced at John Lewis’ stores, and became a celebrated motto for nearly a century. The most notable refinements were to exclude retailers who traded only online, and to include extended insurance and delivery charges when comparing prices. It was honoured until August 2022, when it was replaced with a general commitment to providing competitive value on its own label merchandise.
they
John Lewis had around 80,800 partners/employees as of 2020. The chain’s image is upmarket, and its customers are likely to be more affluent consumers. The Partnership also supplied the Ocado web supermarket until 2020 with Waitrose own-brand foods and John Lewis own-brand nonfood items such as furniture.
said targeted efficiency savings of £900m meant the group was on a “clear and secure path back to profitability”.
In the final analysis, staff - the shareholders – in what was seen by many as a vote of confidence, gave their backing to boss Dame Sharon despite this attempted move. However, the governing body, elected by workers, rebuked her over the group’s performance in 2022 - where the partnership lost £234m and scrapped the workers’ partner bonus – in votes that are symbolic rather than binding.
The performance of the partnership, including financing – whether internal or external – will determine Dame Sharon White’s fate at the top of the John Lewis Partnership. As many articles in Platinum have already pointed out – time and time again - you lose the goodwill of your staff at your peril. For now, she has that backing; the next move is up to her.
No ifs, no buts there is absolutely no question of de-mutualisation
Dame Sharon White
Winners of the prestigious Dynamic Awards were announced at a sensational gala dinner on May 25th at The Grand Brighton. Over 400 guests enjoyed a sumptuous three-course dinner, inspiring keynote speakers and entertainment before the awards presentation by comedian, Jo Caulfield.
Maarten Hoffmann, Managing Director at Platinum Media Group, the event organiser, said: “This event is the night of the year where the community comes together to celebrate businesswomen across the South East. The atmosphere was full of passion, camaraderie and excitement, and the audience raised the roof as they showed their support and appreciation for women in business.
“The Awards, now in their second year, attracted an excellent mix of applications from all business sizes and sectors, with the standard being very high. I’d like to congratulate all the winners and shortlisted finalists of this year’s awards.”
The Awards celebrate the achievements of businesswomen from across multiple sectors and industries, from start-ups to established businesses; from entrepreneurs to trailblazers.
Thanks to the astonishing generosity of the guests, we raised £7,000 in a ten-minute raffle with 100% of the amount raised going to make a huge difference to Waking up to Autism.
A special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Susan Fleet MBE, who received her MBE for services to music and charity fundraising over the past four decades. This follows the first ever such Dynamic Award in 2022 which was presented to Rosemary French OBE.
WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK
❛❛ An uplifting evening of pure celebration ❜❜
❛❛ What an incredible night! Absolutely thrilled beyond words to have won ❜❜
Emma Draper Businesswoman of the Year 2023
❛❛ Well done to Platinum for putting on such a slick, well-attended and inspiring event. ❜❜
Debbie Cenaj, Area Director, Lloyds Bank❛❛ I was absolutely delighted and somewhat overwhelmed to win. For me this is a highlight of my legal career
Lawyer of the Year 2023
Best New Business
Sponsored by Let’s Do Business Finance
KRISTINA PERECKAITE
South East Angels
Financial Services Award
Sponsored by Dynamic Magazine
KIRSTY WILSON
Knill James
Lawyer of the Year
Sponsored by Innovation Capital Team
GILVA TISSHAW
Tisshaws Family Law Solicitors
CSR Excellence Award
Sponsored by Loch Associates Group
VANESSA FORD-ROBBINS For Earth’s Sake
HR & Recruitment Award
Sponsored by Crest Coaching & HR
HANNAH COOPER Leaders Romans Group
Employer of the Year
Sponsored by MDHUB
HARRIETT & MOLLY FRESHWATER
The Secret Linen Store
Inspirational Award
Sponsored by Kreston Reeves
JULIE KAPSALIS
NESCOT | Coast To Capital LEP
Businesswoman of the Year
Sponsored by DMH Stallard
EMMA DRAPER
Velvet Stores
❛❛ Platinum does an amazing job for regional business ❜❜
University
Innovator of the Year
Sponsored by Sussex Innovation
DR SOPHIE CARR
Bays Consulting
Creative Industries Award
Sponsored by InspoHub
FIONA ALLMAN-TREEN FAT Promotions
Young Professional of the Year
Sponsored by University of Brighton Help To Grow DANIELLE REYNOLDS
DVR Equestrian
Property Professional of the Year
Sponsored by Metro Bank
CLARE DE BATHE
Chichester Community Development Trust
PR & Marketing Award
Sponsored by CB Solutions
CAROLINE COSKRY
The Oracle Group
Community Hero Award
Sponsored by Legal & General KATHRYN HIBBERD-LITTLE
The Mug Tree Tea Room
❛❛ Being present to celebrate the achievements of others – especially strong, passionate and skilled women –is always wonderful and to be a winner was an honour ❜❜
Kathryn Hibberd-Little Community Hero Award 2023
Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by University of Sussex Business School
SUSAN FLEET MBE
Company of the Year
Sponsored by Wellesley
HELEN CANNON
ISON Travel
Matt Edwards Skills Partnership, MiddlesexDynamic has a very special offer for all women who run their own business or are in a senior management role within any SME as we are determined to level the playing field.
The Help to Grow: Management programme as detailed here is normally 90% subsidised
by the government and the participant pays only £750. Dynamic Magazine is sponsoring a number of places on the course therefore it will be totally free of charge to Dynamic readers!
This is a unique offer 100% sponsored by Dynamic Magazine
PROGRAMME DETAILS
This mini MBA-style programme is designed for business owners and senior leaders of small and medium-sized businesses, Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course that helps your business reach its full potential for growth, resilience and succession planning.
Benefits:
n In-depth training
n Invaluable 1:1 business mentoring
n Bespoke Growth Action Plan
n Low cost, high impact
n Peer-to-peer networking
n Time away from your business to work on your business
This course, accredited by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, is
being delivered by the University of Brighton. Working in collaboration with industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs, the course covers strategies for growth and innovation, digital adoption, leading highperformance teams, financial management and responsible business practices.
With the support of an experienced mentor, you will also create a bespoke growth plan for your business.
To facilitate busy work schedules, the course is a mix of both online and in person workshops.
1 Strategy and Innovation
2 Digital Adoption
You will be supported by an experienced business mentor who will support you in producing a growth plan, and taught by experienced academics and practitioners from the School of Business and Law.
The Help to Grow: Management is delivered by leading business schools across the UK who have been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS).
Help to Grow is a 12-week course designed to be undertaken alongside full-time work. The time commitment is 50 hours over 12 weeks. Learning alongside other business owners, you have the opportunity to learn from your peers and network.
Using a combination of online and face-to-face sessions alongside case study workshops, you will have the opportunity to apply the concepts being taught to real-life situations faced by business leaders. By the end of the course, you will have a tailored Growth Action Plan to help you lead and grow your business.
3 Internationalisation and winning new markets
4 Vision, mission, and values
5 Developing a marketing strategy
6 Building a brand
7 Organisational design
8 Employee management and leading change
9 High performance workplace
10 Efficient operations
11 Finance and financial management
12 Implementing growth plans
YOUR GROWTH PLAN
n Develop your leadership and management skills, enhancing employee wellbeing and engagement
The University of Brighton has a long history of working with small to medium-sized businesses, and a strong track record of delivering business growth programmes.
The school of Business and Law is home to the Centre for Change, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (CENTRIM), which works with partners in industry, academia and government producing
groundbreaking concepts to explain, harness and improve innovation, entrepreneurship and change management.
The 2021 Knowledge Exchange Framework results place the University of Brighton in the top 10% for universities for public and community engagement, and in the top 20% for skills, enterprise, and entrepreneurship.
■ Identify what drives productivity and growth in your market, and understand what this means for you
■ Learn how to advance responsible business practices, including more inclusive and greener practices
■ Understand how to innovate your business model, including adopting and investing in new and digital technologies
■ Identify key domestic and export markets for your business and develop strategies for segmentation, positioning and targeting
■ Generate strategies to improve operational e ciency, allowing you to save time and money
Gatwick/Crawley: September 22nd 2023
Brighton: September 25th 2023
100% FREE FOR DYNAMIC READERS
To be eligible for Help to Grow, the following criteria must be met.
Your business must
■ Be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) based in the UK
■ Employ between 5 and 249 people
■ Have been operational for at least one year
■ Not be a charity
You must
■ Be a chief executive, owner/founder, senior manager or decision maker
■ Have at least one person reporting to you
■ Commit to completing all sessions
90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government, and your cost would therefore be a total of £750. While courses at Brighton are sold out, this amazing o er also applies to those who wish to enrol at Crawley.
Men who apply using the PLATINUM100 code will receive 50% discount o the cost of the course at Crawley, courtesy of Platinum Business Magazine, and their course will cost £375.
Meanwhile, women using the same code with receive 100% discount discount o the cost of the course at Crawley, courtesy of Dynamic Magazine, meaning their course is FREE.
This month we are catching up a female business leader who has recently completed the Help to Grow Management course to see what she thought of it and how it may benefit her organisation and, more importantly, her personal development
BETH NEAVE, OPERATIONS MANAGER Vehicle Replacement Network Ltd
❛❛ This course came just at the right time as I had taken on a new leadership role. The marketing strategy module has been especially useful and I have already started engaging the rest of the team on further developing ours. Using the tools and models provided by the course, we’ve improved what we already do. I especially liked the opportunity to take a ‘helicopter view’ of our business. I would recommend that anyone joining the course starts with an open mind, as this allows them to engage fully with the others to share knowledge – and learn from others. I really appreciated the supportive community spirit we developed. It was an excellent course and everyone involved was fantastic. ❜❜
BETH NEAVE, OPERATIONS MANAGER Vehicle Replacement Network Ltd90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government therefore a total cost of £750. The good news is that for Dynamic readers there are a number of FREE places for women on the Gatwick programme when you quote PLATINUM100 when signing up.
More information www.brighton.ac.uk/help-to-grow
While flexible working can go some way in enhancing women’s well-being, could it end up being detrimental to your finances?
SAMANTHA KAYE from Wellesley investigates…
Flexible working has seen a staggering increase in popularity in recent years and is now the job perk of choice for many.
Families across the country are reaping the benefits – more fathers are managing the school run, and it helps mothers balance childcare and other caring commitments. It can also provide some extra ‘breathing space’ in our hectic schedules, not to mention no longer needing to have that awkward phone call with our boss asking to work from home because menstrual cramps made for a poor night’s sleep.
But, while many women are enjoying the lifestyle benefits of this new way of working, it potentially won’t do your career – or your finances – any favours.
For all the many benefits, there’s nevertheless a risk that more flexible working could hold several stings in the tail for women
The stigma historically associated with home working is starting to dissipate since the pandemic proved that business doesn’t have to suffer as a result. But despite this, in some working environments, starting work late after your child’s school assembly can be perceived to be a lack of commitment.
The issue for women goes further than the potential stigma. Working part-time or fewer hours might affect your earnings and long-term wealth, not to mention having an impact on your position in the labour market. There’s still bias against women returning to work from maternity leave too, with lower expectations about their commitment standing in the way of progress.
Lastly, it can be much harder to establish clear boundaries around the start and end times of your working day. As for the time you’re saving on the commute, is it being spent on boosting your well-being or do you fi nd yourself working a longer day or checking emails after hours?
There are no two ways about it – flexibility can help support women. It can help us strike a better home/work life balance or allow us to better care for young and elderly family members without having to forfeit our career.
There’s also acknowledgement among employers that the normalisation and support of flexible working can encourage a more diverse workforce.
But for all the many benefits, there’s nevertheless a risk that more flexible working could hold several stings in the tail for women, with a potential knock-on effect on your fi nances as well as your retirement plans. It’s therefore important to fully assess your position in order to help you make a success story of this way of working.
Samantha Kaye, Chartered Adviser, Wellesley House, 50 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9LH E: samantha.kaye@sjpp.co.uk www.wellesleywa.co.uk
The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.
The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time. The value of any tax relief depends on individual circumstances.
St. James’s Place guarantees the suitability of advice offered by Wellesley when recommending any of the services and products available from companies in the Group. More details of the Guarantee are set out on the Group’s website www. sjp.co.uk/products.
Wellesley is a trading name of Wellesley Investment Management Ltd. The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/about-st-james-place/our-business/ our-products-andservices. The ‘St. James’s Place partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. Wellesley Investment Management Ltd: Registered Office: 44 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, TN2 5TN. Registered in England & Wales, Company No. 06530147.
I can help – contact me today to arrange a no-obligation chat. SJP Approved 25.05.23
Scientists have discovered microorganisms able to digest plastic at 15ºC as opposed to previous discoveries of microbes that need very high temperatures to do the same job. The higher the temperature needed, the more expensive and CO2 intensive the process.
These newly identified microbes, found in Alpine and Arctic soil, could be a recycling game-changer as it opens up new perspectives for recycling certain types of plastics, according to scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute. Unfortunately, these microbes are not able to break down all plastics, including polyethylene, one of the most common plastics used. The next step is to identify the plastic-degrading enzymes produced by the microbes and optimise them for use at scale.
The roll out of ‘lung trucks’ in England means people in deprived communities are now more likely to get an early cancer diagnosis, figures reveal.
The mobile screening units (pictured) have been deployed in supermarket car parks since 2018, and are now at 43 sites across England. New data from the NHS suggests they have diagnosed more than 1,700 cases of lung cancer. 76% of cases in deprived areas were spotted at stage one or two, compared to just a third in 2018.
Mattel’s Barbie has been aiming to represent diversity in its dolls for some time now. The dolls currently have representations of 35 skin tones and 9 body types, and include dolls with various abilities and a range of occupations.
The American giant’s latest launch is a Barbie with Down’s syndrome to “celebrate inclusion”. Ellie Goldstein, a British model with Down’s syndrome, was chosen as an ambassador for the new Barbie.“When I saw the doll I felt so emotional and proud,” Goldstein wrote on Instagram. “It means a lot to me that children will be able to play with the doll and learn that everyone is different.”
The Barbie’s launch coincides with Goldstein’s appearance on the cover of Vogue. If only Mattel could do better when it comes to sustainability; aiming to reduce plastic packaging by 25% per product by 2030 is simply not good enough.
The River Seine has been closed for swimmers since 1923 due to unacceptable levels of pollution in the iconic waterway but, just over a century later, the waters are due to be safe again for swimmers in 2024, just in time for the Summer Olympics. The major clean-up has been so successful that native species, including salmon, are now returning.
Describing access to the sea as an inalienable human right, Greek tourism authorities are retrofitting 287 beaches across the country with self-operating wheelchair ramps. ‘Self-operating’ means that wheelchair users can operate it by themselves without assistance from anyone, offering a flexible freedom rarely found in difficult terrain such as beach sand.
So far, the Seatrac system has been installed on 147 beaches. The scope of the project goes beyond beaches though, as seen at the Acropolis of Athens which is equipped with a wheelchair elevator. Many other sites are also receiving renovations to make wheelchair-bound visitors more welcome, including bathrooms, sidewalks and walkways, snack bars, and other amenities.
The government of Greece created a website for all the info needed to plan a wheelchair-included trip to the beaches of Greece, including a map of all the beaches nearby equipped with the Seatracs.
It’s hard to believe that, up until now, the benchmark for everyone’s DNA has been against that of the genetic material of just one man but progress has been made. Scientists have announced that they have updated the template using data from 47 people, including women, from people across four continents. The new DNA map –dubbed the pangenome – better reflects human diversity and could lead to new drugs and treatments that work for a wider range of people.
British and Irish children read almost a quarter more books last year. The 2023 What Kids Are Reading report, compiled by educational software provider Renaissance, surveyed 1.3 million kids and found they read more than 27m books in the last academic year, up 24% on 2020-2021.
However, it also sounded a note of caution, recognising that reading comprehension declined in the transition from primary to secondary school, and suggesting older readers need to take on harder books more suited to their age.
The news coincides with a resurgence of bookshops in the UK, and a record year for the UK publishing industry.
You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you
Mary Tyler Moore
I have an idea that the phrase weaker sex was coined by some woman to disarm some man she was preparing to overwhelm
Ogden Nash
In March this year, Kreston Reeves achieved B Corp status, sending a strong message to staff, clients, and stakeholders of the firm’s commitment to being a sustainable and socially conscious adviser.
ALISON JONES and JENNIFER WILLIAMSON
explain why
The B Corp movement was established 17 years ago with a vision to make business a force for good. B Corp recognises that businesses have many stakeholders. Putting shareholders fi rst drives decision making that focuses on short term planning and is not responsive enough to the wider societal and environmental issues.
There are sound commercial reasons for considering and adopting B Corp status.
There is a growing desire for a better business model –one that benefits all stakeholders. Where people, planet, the environment – and yes, profit – work in harmony. Business, we believe, must be conducted in a way where people and place matter.
We know it is increasingly important that all businesses play in both supporting change and being responsible for being part of that change. For several years, we have chosen to publicly support four of the UN Sustainable Development Goals - climate action, quality education, good health
and well-being, and reduced inequalities. The B Corp assessment is a great model to benchmark our work and to guide our continued efforts to become a business meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
We fi nd in our own business and in our clients’ businesses that competition for talent is tough. It is called a ‘war for talent’ with good reason, with individuals able to choose where they work. And increasingly, individuals want to work for organisations that reflect their own values. B Corp status is a pillar of a strong employer brand, supporting recruitment and retention.
B Corps are a fast-growing community of businesses, with over 6,000 worldwide and 1,200 in the UK
Clients too look to buy from and work with organisations that share common values with them, and who can meet and demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. We increasingly fi nd our role, as trusted business advisors, goes beyond the fi nancial and technical advice that are the mainstays of our profession, and we’re speaking with our clients and communities about impact, our role within it and its importance for us all in strategic planning. The independent certification required by B Corp is a clear statement of those values.
B Corps are a fast-growing community of businesses, with over 6,000 worldwide and 1,200 in the UK. It is an engaged and active community, with B Corps wanting to work with each other. We are proud that Kreston Reeves, one of the largest accountancy fi rms to achieve B Corp status, joins businesses that include the Jamie Oliver Group, Innocent, The Guardian, Pukka and Charity Bank. These are all businesses that choose the B Corp route and look to balance profit and purpose.
Kreston Reeves started its B Corp journey in 2020 when defi ning its purpose - ‘to guide our clients, colleagues and communities to a brighter future’.
We recognised then that there is more we can do to become a purpose-led advisory fi rm. Our vision for the fi rm, set down in 2021, is ‘to be known for our commitment to CSR’ and to ‘embrace the majority of the principles of a B Corp, balancing purpose and profit’.
B Corp accreditation was the next step in that journey – and it is important to note that is a continuing journey, not the destination. We were, at the time, unsure how close or how far we were from meeting those B Corp standards.
We do know, however, that all our 500 members of staff choose to work at Kreston Reeves, and we have a duty to make their careers and time at the fi rm as fulfi lling as possible. That is achieved through our shared values and purpose, our training, alignment with personal purpose, providing engaging work, and the social aspects of working at the fi rm.
We too recognise that we have a wider responsibility to our suppliers, the communities in which we work, our clients, and future colleagues.
Being on the journey as a B Corp provides us with guiding principles and goals to work towards,
It is not a quick and easy process. It requires a business to look at its social and environmental performance, operations, and how its business model impacts people, community, and clients. It also looks at your supply chains, charitable giving, and workplace.
Certification is measured across five broad areas:
• Governance – such as the fi rm’s mission and transparency.
• Workers – such as career development, health and wellbeing, engagement, and worker-owned.
• Environment – such as environmental management, air and climate, water use and waste, renewable energy, transport, and suppliers.
• Community – such as diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring, supply chain management, civic engagement, local economic development.
• Customers – such as customer stewardship, education, economic empowerment.
Businesses are required to re-certify every three years, creating a journey of continuous improvement.
It’s not easy to make a difference; investing time, energy and resource in what can feel like the face of some overwhelming challenges as the national and global position becomes even more difficult for many.
But that’s even more reason to do it, right? Nothing worth doing is ever easy.
And it does matter, that we’ve started this journey and are committed to making a difference. It matters to our business, our people, our clients, our communities, and the wider community. If everyone thought it was too difficult, then where would we be?
But we know there are areas we can still improve, and we’ll continue to focus on making those improvements. We want to have clarity and confidence in how we can defi ne, measure, and communicate our impact.
Fundamentally, becoming a B Corp provides us with a benchmark for continuous improvement where people, place and profit all sit comfortably alongside each other, and it underpins our purpose of guiding our clients, colleagues, and communities to a brighter future.
There is a growing desire for a better business model –one that benefits all stakeholders
In our exclusive Spotlight feature, we highlight women who are doing good things in their community. They’re not always seen but we think they should be.
Founder and Director of Callisto Associates, Sophia Spencer, chats to us about her journey and her love and passion for what she does.
Once a “reluctant entrepreneur,” I now deeply appreciate the lessons I’ve learned from the entrepreneurial journey I never imagined I would take, and which has made me more resilient, courageous and confident than I would have believed possible.
Having thoroughly loved my corporate career, I genuinely feared swapping the security of employment for the unpredictability of freelance work. However, over time, I’ve grown to love running my own business more, valuing the freedom and flexibility it offers.
My company, Callisto Associates, has evolved over the past 12 years, shifting from a one-person show to a dynamic team of six, and now streamlined to myself and my amazing assistant, supported by a trusted network of multidisciplinary professionals. We work flexibly, offering specialised services when necessary, underscoring our adaptability in the face of change.
My mission is to empower ambitious entrepreneurs and assist them in maximising productivity while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. I work directly with decisionmakers – primarily CEOs – delivering a wide variety of services which range from managing daily tasks like diary and inbox management, travel and event management, to more complex responsibilities such as designing and implementing sales and marketing campaigns, or providing ad hoc business consultancy and problem-solving sessions.
During the pandemic I set up and ran a tech business, managing an international team and personally navigated the terrain of seed funding and crowdfunding campaigns, which has provided me with the ability to offer first-hand insights and strategic advice. Regularly attending board meetings for several clients, I am intimately involved in decision-making processes.
Today, I am truly proud of what I’ve achieved with Callisto. All my clients have come to me through word of mouth (we haven’t had a website since 2015) and I feel genuine pleasure when I see them experiencing the success they seek both at work and in their personal lives.
www.twitter.com/CallistoAssoc
My mission is to empower ambitious entrepreneurs and assist them in maximising productivity
Rachel, founder and owner of the Tiny Box Company, shares with us some of her journey and her motivations
Rachel was ready to launch a fair-trade jewellery business when her sister suggested that she would need ethical, environmentally friendly packaging – but this proved to be tricky. Rachel noticed a gap in the market and set about creating her own line of packaging.
Thus, in 2007, Tiny Box Company was born. By 2022, Rachel’s business was serving approximately 120,000 customers in 42 countries... and counting. Here at Dynamic, we have been so impressed with what Rachel has built that we awarded her the Dynamic Business Award for Businesswoman of the Year 2022.
As a child, I thought of the cost of everything in relation to sweets. ‘How many sweets could I buy with five pounds?’ I couldn’t ever find anything that measured up to the value of that sugary goodness and, to this day, still struggle.
I know what you’re thinking but no, I did not end up as the real-life Willy Wonka, as natural as that road of progression probably sounds. No, I went down the other obvious route –running a packaging company.
My childhood, being extremely destructive and unstable, had me bouncing between different schools for years. I came out the other side resilient, and eventually put myself through A-levels and university where I studied business.
After not being able to find beautiful, ethical packaging for a fairtrade-type jewellery business I had started, I created Tiny Box Company from my bedroom, hoping to fi ll a gap in the market for small businesses similar to mine who were looking for packaging solutions.
Fast forward, past Dragons’ Den, past immense growth, past every kind of challenge thrown at us, and we end up here – turning over around £10m.
Behind the scenes, I’ve faced my own personal challenges; the classic imposter syndrome and lack of self-confidence that so many women in business face. It’s an issue not helped by the lack of female role models in entrepreneurship. I’ve had three run-ins with cancer, the last ending in a double mastectomy just one month after deciding to take on a new venture called Know The Origin - talk about not being able to control the future.
Through all of these challenges, I’ve experienced the joy of watching three young people grow into confident, skilled managers, who have helped and supported me every step of the way. If all else had failed, my proudest moments have been watching them grow into the people they are.
I still have a lot to do, though. My biggest passion is supporting young people in business. Knowing that someone might hear my story and think ‘I can do that too,’ is enough motivation to get me out of bed in the morning.
www.tinyboxcompany.co.uk
Behind the scenes, I’ve faced my own personal challenges; the classic imposter syndrome and lack of self-confidence
I’m fed up with the casual bandying around of the term ‘Superwoman’. Coined 40 years ago by a Cosmopolitan editor, it is now time to be merciful and give Superwoman a well-deserved rest. By Tess
de KlerkSuperwoman, someone who can apparently effortlessly juggle a successful career (and side-hustle – why not?), raise well-rounded, privileged children and have a delightful partner at their perfectly kept home has become deeply ingrained in our society. It is often seen as the pinnacle of female achievement, a standard that women are expected to meet or surpass. However, this idealised image of the superwoman is not only unrealistic but also harmful to women’s mental and physical wellbeing.
Listening to exhausted working mothers, desperately trying to do it all, anxiously doubting their ability to do it all, feeling disheartened by the constant stream of ‘success stories’ shared by their peers on social media, leading them to question their own worth and why they don’t always feel capable of handling the workload as effortlessly, stylishly, or gracefully as others seem to, leads me to propose the idea that the term superwoman, despite its frequent use, is a harmful and disempowering cocept. It has become an impossible competition that challenges us to prove who is doing the most, creating an environment where it seems we should strive to be the busiest woman. But having it all should not be mistaken for doing it all.
In fact, Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz first coined the term ‘superwoman syndrome’ in 1984 in her book of the same name, suggesting it comes to pass when a woman neglects herself as she strives to achieve perfection in every role she is fulfilling, measuring success or failure against tangible outputs.
These days ‘syndrome’ has fallen away and we are left with only ‘superwomen’, the term too often implying that women should be able to handle everything, without any assistance or support. It creates an unrealistic expectation that women should excel in all areas of their lives
A recent YouGov poll for World Cancer Research asked 2,086 UK adults what prevented them from taking better care of their health with results showing 29% of men and 40% of women answering, ‘feeling too tired’.
simultaneously, without experiencing any setbacks or moments of vulnerability. By glorifying the superwoman archetype, we discourage people from seeking help or relying on others, perpetuating the notion that asking for assistance is a sign of weakness.
The danger in being surrounded by falsely-perceived superwomen is that we may feel compelled to constantly prove ourselves and measure up to the seemingly effortless accomplishments of others, which too often completes the circle of self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. This pressure to be superhuman can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and burnout which then, all too often, is taken as a sign that we’re not capable enough, smart enough, strong enough to have everything we want. And to add insult to injury, recent published studies have suggested thatsociety tends to hold women to a higher standard than men and rewards them for not making mistakes.
Another problem with the outdated Superwoman notion is that it suggests that women can ‘have it all’ without making any sacrifices – but I am yet to meet such a woman. In reality, achieving balance requires making difficult choices and setting priorities. By promoting the idea that women can effortlessly do it all, we dismiss the challenges and sacrifices that women make behind the scenes. Without recognition there are no ‘thank you’s.
Additionally the term opens the door to undermine the importance of support systems and sharing responsibilities. No one can do everything alone, and the expectation that women can simply multi-task more is unfair and unrealistic. We are led to believe that the extra load should be an honour to carry but being congratulated and admired for taking on more than your fair share can be an insidious type of manipulation, after all heaping onto your load is lightening someone else’s.
So, let us be kind, let us be conscious. Keep in mind that we all have our own unique circumstances and that gushing over a fellow female’s superhuman abilities to seemingly do it all is likely more harmful than helpful. Let us measure success not by how much we do but by how well we prioritise and find fulfilment in various aspects of life. We should celebrate the strength and resilience of women without pressuring them to be superhuman.
You can't do it all. No one can have two full-time jobs, have perfect children, and cook three meals, and be multi-orgasmic 'til dawn...
Superwoman is the adversary of the women's movement
Gloria Steinem
Introducing Jenny Garrett OBE, who is an award-winning career coach, diversity expert, TEDx speaker and author of ‘Equality vs Equity: Tackling Issues of Race in the Workplace’. She is also co-founder of a social enterprise Rocking Ur Teens which connects corporates with a pipeline of future talent. Here, Jenny shares some of her wisdom with us.
etaining diverse talent is a huge challenge for organisations right now. Staff will not stay in organisations where they must endure death by a thousand paper cuts, as microaggressions are often described.
Microaggressions are statements, actions, or incidents regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of an underrepresented group, such as women and those from ethnically-diverse backgrounds.
Microaggressions can look like the four Ds below. Here’s how to challenge them and, as a result, reduce the instances of them happening in your workplace:
• e double takes – Assuming that a colleague isn’t senior because they are from an underrepresented group “Th is meeting is for grade x only, you must be in the wrong room.”
What would make you question their grade; the meeting invites to the people who should be in the room?
Caroline
CriadoPerez Vintage Publishing 2019
Winner of the 2019 Financial Times; the McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award, and Winner of the 2019 Royal Society Science Book Prize. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make decisions. Because so much data fails to take into account gender, it treats men as the default and women as atypical; meaning bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. Caroline Criado Perez investigates this shocking root cause of gender inequality.
❛ ❛ Gender equality is the goal that will help abolish poverty that will create more equal economies, fairer societies and happier men, women and children
Graça Machel
• e doubting - Questioning colleagues from underrepresented groups on their education as their level of intelligence surpasses others’ biased expectations of them. ‘You’re really intelligent aren’t you? What university/school did you attend? You’re so articulate.’
Everyone here is intelligent we only recruit the best. If you want to give your colleague a compliment, let’s make it constructive.
• e dismissals - When someone from an underrepresented group shares an experience of pay discrimination, and they receive the response ‘Why are you worrying about a pay rise? Your partner can support you, can’t they?’
You may not have meant to offend, but referencing someone’s partner is not relevant in pay discussions or decisions. Let’s factually assess who has earned a pay rise.
• e domain - Your environment illustrates that certain people succeed there, illustrated by the books on the shelves, the photos of past post holders on the wall and so much more.
We seem to only buy books from certain authors. Are we inadvertently saying that wisdom only comes from one part of the world? How can we change this?
Reducing microaggressions is a step toward enabling leaders to recruit, manage and promote differently resulting in more inclusive, productive, and profitable workplaces.
Jenny Garrett OBE is an award-winning career coach, leadership trainer, speaker and author of Equality vs Equity: Tackling Issues of Race in the Workplace.
LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP FOR WOMEN
CHANGING THE WORLD
Stephanie Schriock, Christina
Reynolds, Kamala Harris
Dutton 2021
Run to Win is for all women who are looking to lead and comes with impressive endorsements.
“I have long believed that women who dream big, work hard, and get back up after they get knocked down can do anything; Stephanie Schriock is one of those women. I’m so glad her thoughtful guidance is now available for women everywhere.”—Hillary Rodham Clinton.
OVERCOMING DOUBTS AND DOUBTERS
Kara Goldin
Harper Collins 2020
A Wall Street Journal bestselling business book, Undaunted is one woman’s journey past doubts and doubters to become the award-winning CEO of Hint water. After interviewing dozens of business leaders for her podcast, Kara Goldin uncovered the overarching key to their success based on the way they handle and move past obstacles and their own insecurities, which she unpacks in these pages.
Reducing microaggressions is a step toward enabling leaders to recruit, manage and promote differently resulting in more inclusive, productive, and profitable workplaces
The saying ‘the eyes are the windows of the soul’ has been attributed to William Shakespeare. However, the exact origins are unknown and could be accredited to the bible or derived from the Arab world.
Paulo Coelho de Souza, lyricist and novelist, states: “The eyes are the mirror of the soul and reflect everything that seems to be hidden; and, like a mirror, they also reflect the person looking into them.”
Shakespeare suggests that the eyes reflect emotions and fears communicated through the gaze. The eyes will reveal a person’s true nature. Coelho goes one step further to include the viewer, the person looking into the eyes of another.
Chilean artist Paulina X Miranda (P.X. Miranda) captures these moments in the eyes of her portraits. The eyes mesmerise us and draw us in. We wonder who these characters are and what stories they could tell.
Paulina is fascinated by history and historical figures. She uses literature, poetry and music as inspiration for her paintings. She combines these elements to create thoughtfully composed works, giving them a timeless and narrative quality. Medieval tapestry, the Arts & Crafts movement, Renaissance portraiture and William Morris also inform her art.
P.X. Miranda’s oil paintings unapologetically embrace nature and beauty. As Paulina’s artistic skill, vision, and style continue to evolve, her work is formulated into specific series that aspires to seek harmony between certain cultural and natural elements.
To aspire to harmony and beauty in one’s work is a powerful message, celebrated in the various details she includes in her pieces. Her portrait paintings are bold, with a contemporary twist on historical characters. An intensity emanating through the eyes of each painting invites us to explore each subject in her works while being lured into their stories.
Her earliest collection, Los Despiertos (The Awakened), began with an assemblage of notable historical portraiture (primarily, but not exclusively, from the Renaissance and Mannerism periods). With a deep interest in consciousness, Paulina sought to revive these figures through her process, providing them with a new narrative.
Building on this idea, the Los que Saben (Those Who Know) series introduced a symbolic emblem on the chest of her portraits. Placed above the heart, these symbols offer subtext, further unfolding her subjects’ stories.
P.X. Miranda is an acclaimed artist whose works are highly collected and celebrated, and Kellie Miller Arts is the fi rst gallery to represent her works.
Kellie Miller is an artist, curator, critic and gallery owner. www.kelliemillerarts.com
Paulina is fascinated by history and historical figures. She uses literature, poetry and music as inspiration for her paintings
Leonardslee House is where timeless elegance meets nature’s grandeur, nestled in the lush countryside of West Sussex, a mere half an hour’s drive from Gatwick.
By TESS DE KLERK
You’ll fi nd a luxurious haven for those seeking something really special; a place of beauty and romance reminiscent of a bygone era. From the moment we set foot onto the grounds of Leonardslee House, the hustle and bustle of the outside world melted away as we were welcomed by professional staff exuding genuine warmth and hospitality. They were clearly proud of where they work and it was easy to see why; Leonardslee House and its gardens are simply lovely.
Built in 1855, this Italianate manor house has been carefully restored to now seamlessly blend classic grandeur with touches of the contemporary to welcome guests into a world of understated opulence. I loved the tasteful fusion of period antiques, plush furnishings and modern art. I also loved the indulgent use of open space - there’s nothing cramped or stuff y here - and the atmosphere of bygone elegance.
Leonardslee offers ten bespoke guest rooms, each with country-house charm, each individually decorated, stamped with the style of designers such as William Morris and Penny Morrison. No shiny bling here; think more along the lines of a classic English Garden. Our suite was the spacious Magnolia and all I can say is that if you can book Magnolia then do, you won’t regret it. Not a single detail overlooked while the relaxing, muted pastels work well to lull one into sublime submission. Pastels can so easily feel outdated, but they don’t here. The views are stunning, including from the roll-top bath. All the bedrooms at Leonardslee offer en-suites and their own unique, feminine loveliness.
I loved the tasteful fusion of period antiques, plush furnishings and modern art
• Guests have the privilege of after-hours full access to the spectacular Grade 1 listed gardens
• Enjoy a delectable English afternoon tea while gazing over the beautiful gardens
• Follow Leonardslee’s Sculpture Trail
• Peek at the Doll’s House Museum where you’ll see the estate and neighbouring villages at a 1:12 scale.
• Visit Mannings Heath Golf & Wine Estate (3 miles away) which is under the same ownership as Leonardslee, for golf and wine tasting.
Find the cosy little bar for creative pre-dinner drinks before being dazzled at Interlude, Leonardslee’s Michelinstarred restaurant with ever-changing set menus based on the 240-acre outdoor pantry. Our 18-course taster menu deserves a review on its own – read more about it in the following pages.
The overall atmosphere of Leonardslee House is one of ease and indulgence. Members of staff are warm and attentive, ensuring that every guest feels like a cherished visitor. The serene surroundings and gentle melody of chirping birds provide the perfect backdrop for unwinding and immersing oneself in the beauty of nature. Whether you’re seeking a romantic getaway or a peaceful retreat, the hotel’s ambience sets the stage for a truly memorable experience. Take someone special – you won’t regret it.
From £355 per night, inc breakfast
www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/leonardslee-house
• ACCESSIBILITY: Bedrooms are not wheelchair friendly. Restaurants are accessible and large parts of the gardens are too.
• FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Yes. Family bedrooms are available.
• PET-FRIENDLY: Only guide dogs allowed in Leonardslee House. The gardens welcome well-behaved dogs.
The overall atmosphere of Leonardslee House is one of
Michellin-starred Restaurant Interlude continues the impeccable attention to detail found at Leonardslee House; a continuation of a unique old-world elegance blended with modern tastes. The very talented South African-born executive chef, Jean Delport, is truly an artist who uses food as his medium. And what a palette he has! The entire 240-hectare woodland estate that is Leonardslee is his to forage, his to ponder, his to experiment his alchemist ways with, and that he does.
His degustation menus adjust with the seasons and are guided by what is available in the garden, aiming at bringing the gardens to life within his restaurant. And I feel that was skilfully achieved; never before had I known the taste of pine trees or the silver birch I had so admired earlier in the day – fl avours clearly coaxed out with great care.
But don’t expect just a meal at Interlude – expect something akin to theatre. Guests are invited to woodland-inspired pre-dinner cocktails at the charming little bar before being escorted to the spacious manor house dining area where staff are attentive to a fault.
The enthusiasm and knowledge of servers and the convivial sommelier, Simba, are apparent. Each plate of the 18-course sample menu is explained, in detail and accompanied by a little map showing where the ingredients were taken from the gardens. Stunningly creative dishes appeared in front of me with flourish, paired with a selection of fantastic South African wines and pure artistry in presentation. I was slightly concerned that such a lengthy menu would become dreary but the evening flew by in a haze of wonder and perfectly paired wines.
It’s easy to maintain razor-sharp attention to detail in the planning, execution and serving of a three-course meal but 18? Yet, not a crumb out of place, nor a hair of the servers askew during Interlude’s delectable production. A true feat.
www.restaurant-interlude.co.uk
Ever wondered what an 18-course menu looks like?
1 Estate venison
2 Foraged flan - start of spring
3 Poached oyster - nettle, kaffir lime
4 Scallop - Exmoor caviar - Alexanders
5 Vetkoek - lobster, wild garlic
6 Rabbit ears carrot
7 Trenchmore beef - pumpkin - pine
8 Potbread - wild seeds, fermented honey
9 Snail porridge - bone marrow, oak
10 Chef’s pasture raised egg
11 Turbot - juniper, Sussex saffron
12 Shot pheasant - black pudding
13 Baron bigod - preserved damson
14 Sloe berry - Leonardslee gin, nasturtium
15 Elder - blackberry, local raw milk
16 Our honey - sunflower, marigold
17 Bespoke Sussex chocolate - yeast, birch
18 Woodland box
Don’t expect just a meal at Interlude – expect something akin to theatre
Chichester
In the Swinging ‘60s, playwright Adrienne Kennedy leaves New York for London, intent on adapting John Lennon’s book ‘In His Own Write’ for the stage, though things don’t go to plan. Kennedy’s autobiographical play is a mesmerising and disquieting tale of a young Black woman’s betrayal at the hands of the establishment.
Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
June 16th - July 8th
www.cft.org.uk/events/ mom-how-did-you-meet-the-beatles
Eastbourne
June will see Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park open its doors once again to the Rothesay International (Eastbourne) WTA tournament, which has run in Eastbourne since 1975, showcasing some of the world’s finest female tennis talent as well as the men from the ATP tour as they prepare for Wimbledon.
Devonshire Park, Eastbourne
June 25th - July 1st www.lta.org.uk/fan-zone/international/ rothesay-international-eastbourne
Lamberhurst
Join us for the Pre-War & Classic Transport Rally & Picnic. A great chance to see some classic pre-1978 cars, commercials and motorbikes, chat about classic cars with other enthusiasts, and maybe even acquire some spare parts at the auto jumble. Open to all pre-war cars, motor cycles, vans etc and post-war classics up to 1978.
Bewl Water, Lamberhurst
June 18th
www.bewlwater.co.uk
See the legendary rock band The Who - live in Hove! The band are set to perform music from throughout their nearly 60-year career, including sections devoted to classic albums ‘Tommy’ and ‘Quadrophenia’, as well as other beloved Who songs. They will conclude their UK tour at The 1st Central County Ground, Hove on Sunday 23rd July 2023. They will also be supported by UB40 featuring Ali Campbell.
The 1st Central County Ground, Hove July 23rd https://sussexcricket.co.uk/the-who
Polegate
Join us for entertainment and al fresco dining at the luxurious Folkington Manor. The evening’s entertainment will consist of performances by the talented Orpheus students.
Sir Richard Stilgoe will then be joined by special guest Dame Joanna Lumley for a fun, enlightening conversation about her ‘fabulous’ career!
Folkington Manor, Polegate
July 15th
www.orpheus.org.uk/ event/folkington-manor
Glynde
The Love Supreme Jazz Festival is a three-day greenfield jazz festival held in the first weekend of July in the stunning surroundings of Glynde Place. It is the first full weekend camping jazz festival in the UK but also welcomes day-trippers and non-camping weekend visitors.
Glynde Place, Glynde
June 30th. - July 2nd
https://lovesupremefestival.com
Nr Horsham
Working with British Naturism to host an early evening Naked Heart Walk at Leonardslee to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. Get your heart racing on the Naked Heart Walks while you ditch your clothes or be semi-clothed and meet like-minded people as you experience the joys of being naked in the great outdoors of our 240-acre gardens.
Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens, Lower Beeding
June 17th
www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/ all-events/british-heart-foundationnaked-heart-walk
Nr Wadhurst
The roses are glorious at Pashley Manor – the perfect time to visit with a Special Rose Week at this English garden on the border of Sussex and Kent. Over the Special Rose Week, you can take a guided rose themed walk round the gardens, and there is a great selection of potted roses, from 27-times Chelsea Gold Medal winners Peter Beales Roses.
Pashley Manor, Ticehurst
June 16th-24th
www.pashleymanorgardens.com/ events/special-rose-week
For a little change, I thought I would go ‘off-piste’ this month and write a piece on a subject that is often discussed – your favourite driving tunes.
The trouble with coming up with bright ideas that people have a lot of opinions on – within a limited framework – is that we tend to break the rules. That is definitely what happens when you asked four seasoned entrepreneurs to name their ‘Top Five Driving Tracks’ – and why…
Fiona Shafer MD of MDHUB, and Dynamic Motoring Editor
Where do I start? Music of all genres from a very, very early age has played, and continues to play, such a massive part in my life. Most of my favourite driving tracks are high energy songs that make my heart literally swell and do great job of keeping me focused on the road ahead, especially on long road trips which I love to take.
1. ‘Sweet Emotion’ by Aerosmith
2. ‘Whole Lotta Love’ by Led Zeppelin
3. ‘Moving on Up’ by Primal Scream
4. ‘Like Sugar’ by Chaka Khan
5. ‘Pull Up to the Bumper’ by Grace Jones
Driving at night, especially on a warm, summer’s evening with the roof down on my old Saab Convertible has been one of life’s very sweet pleasures, especially when listening to ‘Lover Come Back’ by City and Colour, ‘Give Me One Reason’ by Tracey Chapman or finally, the timeless and beautiful ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon
Phil Green Director of MDHUB
The whole concept of driving songs evokes blue sky, sun, an open-top car (’65 Mustang?) and open road. Sadly, the reality of a closed in car on a miserable wet day in a M25 gridlock is more likely. However, the music can make the difference to my mood regardless of what’s happening outside.
But what to play? I guess a classic – ‘Born to Run’ by Bruce Springsteen is always high on the list for pure energy lifting power in its nice build up and driving chorus.
If I need a quicker mood transformation, then ‘American Idiot’ by Green Day wakes me up. ‘A Town Called Malice’ by The Jam is a more lyrical lift but still a big steering wheel tapper. If I need to cool down then ’20 Years’ by The Civil Wars or ‘Killing the Blues’ by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss fits the bill. The de-stress chill out is between William Grant Still with his ‘Afro-American Symphony’ or ‘Beethoven’s Pastorale’
I’ve already gone over five driving songs but as I always have music on in the car it is difficult to limit – so an honourable mention to: ‘I Still Believe’ by Frank Turner; ‘The Jean Genie’ by Bowie (I get a mention in that one – have a listen) and ‘Watching The Detectives’ by Elvis Costello.
Fiona’s not wrong, how on earth to get this to five! I have a confession to make – l am a singer (in the car) and quite what l look like to passing cars, l dread to think. Also, l used to work professionally in music and the best tracks to me are all memory tunes – they take me straight back to a time and place that even photos can’t do.
• ‘Superstition’ by Stevie Wonder
The Valbonne Club in Carnaby Street with dancers on a rostrum in a pool, and this was playing when some clown threw five piranhas in the pool as the track was drowned out by screaming.
• ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ by ZZ Top
During the Live Aid week, l produced Fashion Aid, a huge live show in London with 6,000 guests, all famous designers and live TV. Jean Paul Gautier did a scene to this track and watching supermodels strut down the catwalk, dressed as ZZ Top, beards and all, will remain in my memory – and that of Prince Charles who was in attendance, but perhaps for different reasons...
Nikki Gatenby
Non Exec Director, Guest Speaker, MDHUB Advisory Board Member and bestselling author of ‘Superengaged’ and ‘Better Business on Purpose’
It’s like carpool karaoke in my car... so many to choose from, here’s an eclectic mix of what’s on my playlist at any given moment when jumping behind the wheel:
• ‘Pump It Up’ by Elvis Costello
You cannot help but tap it out on the steering wheel.
• ‘Mr Brightside’ by The Killers That riff into the classic singalong makes any journey go a little bit faster. After all, destiny is calling me…
• ‘One Kiss’ by Dua Lipa Shoulder raises from the very first beat, you cannot sit still with Dua in your ears.
• ‘Get Lucky’ by Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers – plectrum at the ready.
• ‘Ride It’ by Regard - I defy you not to head-bop and chill; perfect for a long winding road.
Basically, any track with the potential for a singalong, air guitar, air drums or the odd percussion clap has to be a winner (with both hands on the steering wheel at all times, obvs).
• ‘Fool on the Hill’ by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 l lost my virginity to this track in the Bluebell dancers dressing room at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club – nuff said! Only now do l appreciate the irony of the name of the song!
• ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ by James Taylor
His voice just gets me every time. l last saw him in Brighton in 2022. Every track is a winner and this got me to Tignes and back in a Lamborghini, playing the one album all the way and singing like a screaming banshee.
• Anything by Barry White and that’s… (not the name of a song) anything. He was the great love whale and, much to the chagrin of two of my four children, l occasionally remind them that they were conceived to ‘Can’t Get Enough of Your Love’ It is my unalienable right as a father to embarrass my children.
And you cannot forget in any list ‘Killing Me Softly’ by Roberta Flacka seminal track for ever.
