Seeker News - Issue 4

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ISSUE 4 – JUNE 2012

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inside 04 features

Networking...............4-6

William the conqueror of extremely helpful advice

Child’s play .......18-19

Steve Cook

Cash mob..................23

Editor SeekerNews

regulars News .....................8-17 Leading Edge.............21 Columns...............24-27 Charities...............28-29 Sport...................30-33 Arts.....................34-35 Social Diary ..........36-37 Events.......................38 Seeker News is published by Seeker Editor: Steve Cook – steve@seeker.uk.com Associate Editors: Dawn Cook – dawn@seeker.uk.com Nick Churchill – nick@seeker.uk.com Writers: Steve Cook, Nick Churchill Photography: Steve Cook Siân Court – sian@seeker.uk.com Accounts: Debbie Applegate – debbie@seeker.uk.com Seeker PO Box 4983, Poole BH15 3ZX 01202 611163 www.seekernews.co.uk Join us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/ seekernews © 2012 Seeker. All rights reserved.

ike many of our readers I was behalf – RBS and Lloyds – to lend to less than impressed when I read small businesses and kick start the job Foreign Secretary William creation and export push that Hague Hague had told the seems so keen on.

Government’s business critics to "stop On the other hand, why should we complaining" and to "get on with the expect Cameron, Clegg and co to have task of delivering more of those jobs any concept of what small business and more of those exports”. actually entails. Under the muchTo that he helpfully added: "There’s vaunted Project Merlin initiative, banks only one growth strategy: work hard." agreed to significantly increase lending to small firms and yet it actually fell in Thanks for the advice Mr Hague, I every quarter last year and has since hadn’t thought of that. been quietly scrapped.

Even allowing for the fact that Hague Meanwhile, the Federation of Small and his Cabinet colleagues are still Businesses says 30 per cent of its smarting from the business members missed a growth opportunity community’s criticism of the because they couldn’t secure financing Government’s legislative programme, at the right time. it’s a vicious attack on the concerted efforts of British business to haul the Work harder? I’m flat out now Mr country out of recession.

Hague, but I’ll be only too glad to step it up - I’ve got a living to earn, watch Something the Coalition seems me go. Just please don’t ask me to work uniquely unwilling to do. Unwilling, with one hand tied behind my back. but not unable. If Hague, Cameron, Clegg, Cable and the others had half a mind to they could If Hague, Cameron, Clegg, legislate to make business easier for Cable and the others had all of us – and I half a mind to they could don’t mean by legislate to make business attacking employees’ rights or easier for all of us slashing corporation tax for their fat cat Party sponsor friends.

I mean by compelling the banks they hold in public ownership on our

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SeekerNews

Networking The key to good business?

by Nick Churchill o some they’re the lifeblood of their business, to others a source of mortal dread. But love them or loathe them, networks have become as ubiquitous in the modern business world as a phone and a computer. So much so that the language has evolved to include networking – a verb that now describes the socioeconomic activity of being involved in a social network whose reason for existing is business.

There are as many kinds of networks

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as there are different types of business – from very formal structured meetings at which members bring a number of sales leads, to distinctly informal gatherings without an agenda, minutes or even membership list.

“The best networks are essentially support structures for business owners at which they can share experiences and information,” says Ian Girling, director at WSX Enterprise which runs two networking groups – BusinessXchange and Rural-Net.

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“So many businesses are run as oneman enterprises, often e-based, so it is easy to see how business owners can feel very isolated, particularly in rural Dorset.

“Business is invariably conducted online so a lot of business owners don’t even speak to suppliers or customers when making or taking orders.

Networks are an important way in which business owners, particularly people that are new to business, can come together and build their

SeekerNews

All together now...

Give without expecting to get Successful networkers tend to focus on what they can bring to the group rather than what they’ll take from it.

By focussing on giving and being helpful, the getting will come later – and in unexpected ways.

People generally prefer to do business with people that they respect, trust and like.

Talk don’t sell With a few exceptions, direct sales are not the goal in most networking groups.

Instead, the key is to teach and inform people about who you are and what you do, building relationships with people who will be happy to tell others about you.

Follow up Showing up and following up are the two most important parts of networking.

Showing up is easy, but the follow up is the most neglected part of the process which means you can really stand out by just doing this simple act of reaching out to remind someone of who you are and what you do.

confidence in the way they do business with the aim of improving their bottom line.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about making a living.”

Membership varies greatly between networks, reflecting shared or complementary interests, job titles, geography or business sector. Some of the most successful networks create ferocious, sales-driven environments to suit their members’ needs. Others limit membership to just one representative

of a profession; others are exclusive to particular business sectors.

“I’m not sure how much business is actually done in the room,” says Dorset Women In Business network committee member and Seeker News associate editor Dawn Cook.

“It’s more about relationship-building, getting to know people in a relaxed atmosphere. Women tend to behave differently with one another when there are no men around which is why women-only groups work so well. It is

about doing business, but not necessarily in an overt way.”

Established online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter play a vital part in the marketing strategy of any business and provide a forum for introduction to networking groups.

“People often get in touch with us because of something we’ve tweeted about or a Facebook post,” says Lloyd Morgan, co-founder of Poole-based Cross Networking.

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SeekerNews

Chamber launched Last month saw the launch of the new Poole Chamber of Trade & Commerce. The event, which was oversubscribed and resulted in a room fit to burst with business folk and local dignitaries, summed up the mood of the business community perfectly... we’re fed up with recession and we’re ready to take on the world again.

The Chamber has been bought back to life by two local businesswomen, Lucy Cooper and Ali Carter, who felt strongly that Poole businesses would benefit from support and advice via a structured and focussed Chamber organisation.

The Chamber’s main objectives will be to offer training and development opportunities, a varied platform for networking and a representative voice for Poole-based businesses.

With its first official patron on board, the FJB Collection which includes the Haven, Harbour Heights and Sandbanks hotels, the Chamber has attracted a tremendous amount of support with many companies becoming involved so far.

For more information about how the Chamber can support you please visit the new Chamber website www.poolechamber.org.uk.

“Social networking is important, but people like face to face contact and the connections you make in networking groups can serve you well for years.”

With national campaigns executed locally, the British Chambers of Commerce – of which the Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) is an accredited member – positions itself as the Ultimate Business Network.

“As a private sector business support organisation, DCCI works to further the interests of our more than 800 members

of all sizes, in all sectors, through a wide range of activities, as well as our networking events across the county, and the Dorset Business Awards,” says chief executive Peter Scott.

“Perhaps the least visible but potentially most influential work we undertake is lobbying on behalf of our members.

“As the voice of business across Dorset we are able to influence key policy or decision makers and we are the primary representative of business interests on all of the key local forums

including skills and learning, transport and the environment, as are now being addressed through the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership.”

There’s nothing new about networks – we’re social animals and from the old school tie to the working men’s social club, like-minded people have always gravitated to one another for safety, protection, advancement, even business.

If you think networking might be right for your business check out our events listings on page 38.

Editor’s comment Quite simply networking didn’t only change the way I do business it completely altered the way I perceive business.

When we started Seeker I used to tell people I was a photographer who had to do business in order to make a living from photography. Now, I find it is the business that interests me. I still love photography, it is my passion, but the ability to separate it from my business has been invaluable both personally and professionally.

Networking isn’t just about meeting potential clients and customers, it’s also about encountering possible collaborators and confidants. Of course, the prospect of

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laying the groundwork to secure new business is a major attraction for many networking groups, but often the most productive networks are those in which you meet like-minded people who inspire your own business activities.

Success means many things to many people, but it is often a welcome by-product of the company you keep.

Seek out effective, efficient and challenging people and the chances are your business will become more effective, efficient and challenging.

Steve Cook

SeekerNews

Bosses cry out as red tape tangles growth orset directors are calling for more help from government to cut red tape and regulations if local business is to take advantage of the potential growth in the world economy.

“The local area benefits from a wealth of knowledge-based businesses and enterprises that are very much focused on export opportunities,” says Warren Munson, chairman of the Institute of Directors in Dorset.

“Consequently, we should be positioned well to grow as the economic conditions improve, but we need the assistance from government in reducing the amount of red tape and regulation that is involved in running a business.”

His comments echo those of the IoD’s chief economist Graeme Leach who told the organisation’s annual convention last month that Britain could become the most competitive economy in the world – provided government stepped back and business stepped forward.

“The size of the state in the UK is too big, we simply will not be able to

sustain a state this big in the 21st century,” he said.

“The advanced economy with the smallest state share is South Korea, at just over 30 per cent of GDP. But let’s face it, in parts of the UK the state share is double that and closer to North Korea than it is to South Korea.”

Economic research suggests the world economy could triple by 2050 and the IoD has been setting out its plans to make sure British business is ready to take advantage.

“We need to unleash competition,” said Graeme Leach. “We need to be hyper sensitive in all markets, constantly seeking to maximise competitive forces.

“Think global, not local. I mean a genuinely global outlook, which sees the EU as one market among many, not the political and economic focus of the UK.”

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We should be positioned well to grow as the economic conditions improve, but we need the assistance from government in reducing the amount of red tape

Hire company puts millions into vehicles Dorset vehicle hire company U-Drive has bought new cars, vans and lorries worth more than £10 million over the last 12 months.

A measure of the company’s confidence about the future, the major investment programme is part of UDrive’s on-going mission to offer the best quality vehicles for hire and represents a massive 54 per cent increase in spending over the previous year.

“Our reputation rests on presenting great vehicles at competitive prices,” says manager Mark Hamblin.

“It’s a tough market and if we’re to continue to surpass the expectations of our customers we want to be offering as many new or near to new vehicles as we can.”

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The leading vehicle hire company in the south-west for more than 20 years, U-Drive offers cars, MPVs, 4x4s, vans, tippers and lorries in a range of sizes.

Over the last year the company has introduced a fleet of executive and prestige cars and developed its offering to the leisure market by making a fleet of brand new VW T5 California campers available for hire.

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“Whether hiring for business or pleasure, our customers know they can depend on U-Drive vehicles to be reliable and exceptionally wellmaintained,” says Mark.

“We work hard to make the whole vehicle hiring experience as straightforward as possible so that customers old and new can be on the road with the minimum of fuss.”

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Home theft warning as insurance claims rocket orset homeowners are being warned to keep their property secure this summer, with a potential rise in domestic burglaries and personal theft claims.

Rural insurance specialist Cornish Mutual is reminding people their homes could be at risk if they leave windows and doors open or unlocked during warm weather.

Latest figures from Cornish Mutual, which has locally-based insurance Inspectors across Dorset, reveal the average cost of each claim has rocketed by 83 per cent from £1,049 in 2010 to nearly £2,000 in 2011.

It is thought that the recession, dramatic increases in the price of gold

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jewellery and growth of personal electronic equipment such as iPads and laptops, has led to a rise in the cost of opportunistic thefts.

“Thankfully we live in one of the safest areas in the country, but that doesn’t mean that people should be complacent,” says Philip Wilson, business development manager at Cornish Mutual.

“One thing we are keen to stress is that you could be at risk of finding your insurance invalid if you’re burgled and you’ve left your doors or windows open.”

Mark Harper, Crime Prevention Advisor for Dorset Police says: “Although house burglary continues to

What’s all the brew ha-ha?

Brewery Square, the largest urban regeneration project in the south west, opens later this year to create a new residential, commercial and cultural quarter in the heart of Dorchester.

The 11-acre site of the former Eldridge Pope brewery includes four Victorian Grade II Listed buildings designed by George Crickmay, the architect for whom Thomas Hardy worked before becoming a full time writer.

These are being restored and converted to new uses including the 52-bed four-

star Dorchester Brewery Hotel and Spa in the old Brewhouse; and The Maltings Arts, the 440-seat Hardy Theatre and arts centre.

The development will feature branches of Carluccio’s, Wagamama, Zizzi, Café Rouge and Hobbs, as well as an Odeon cinema and The Maltings Arts Hardy Theatre set around a spectacular fountain; Brewery Square is a new quarter in the historic County town created from restored listed buildings and exceptional contemporary architecture.

decrease in Dorset it can still be reduced further very simply.

More than a third of home burglaries in Dorset do not involve forced entry and most of these cases occur when there is an unlocked ground floor window or door.

“Even if you are just at the end of your garden, it is vital to make sure that all doors and windows are locked when there is access from the street. It’s just a case of getting yourself into the good habit of keeping doors and windows locked and not exposing yourself to the sneak thief.”

For more crime prevention advice visit www.dorset.police.uk or www.thecrimepreventionwebsite.com.

Blooming great Four times RHS Chelsea Gold Medal winner David Ragg of Lansdowne Florist will be sharing his experiences of this year’s show and his previous successes when he speaks to Dorset Women In Business at Kingston Lacy on June 12.

A former Interflora Florist of the Year, David was listed as one of the top 50 florists in the UK by The Independent newspaper last year and has travelled the world teaching and demonstrating his skills.

Lansdowne Florist was established more than 50 years ago and has been under David’s direction since 1991. He also runs David Ragg Flowers in Wimborne.

DWIB meets from 9-11am. More information from Katie Frettingham at info@dwib.co.uk Petal do nicely!

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And the Poole retail Oscars go to... he stars of Poole’s retail world were shining bright at the Top of the Shops Awards last month.

A glittering ceremony hosted by Wave 105’s Steve Power at the Quay Thistle Hotel saw Beales, based in the Dolphin Centre, and Broadstone’s Glow Health & Beauty, walked away with the top accolades of Best Overall Retailer for the Multiples and Independents respectively.

Now in its seventh year, Poole’s retail Oscars attracted a great response with some 70 businesses entering the eight awards, broken down into Independent and Multiple retailer categories. Putting them to the test on skills including window displays, staff knowledge and the payment process were independent mystery shoppers from Retail Resource Dorset.

The event was organised by Poole Town Centre Partnership and supported by the Borough of Poole’s Economic Development team.

“Local shops are an essential part of the fabric of any thriving local community,” says Jonathan Sibbett, chairman of Poole Town Centre Partnership and director of sponsors Sibbett Gregory. “By concentrating on great service, good product knowledge and that personal touch, Poole’s

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retailers are consistently raising their standards in response to these tough economic times.”

Dolphin Centre manager John Grinnell adds: “It is great to be part of an initiative which celebrates the hard work and dedication of the retail staff in the Dolphin Centre, without whom the centre would not have the strong offering that it does.”

Managing director of co-sponsers Breeze Volkswagen, John Corderoy says: “It has been a challenging year for business, however the excellence demonstrated by all the award winners highlights that Poole’s retail community is dedicated to raising standards, ultimately helping to drive the economy forward.”

Fired up for Dragon academy Lymington student Lucy Ford, 17, has become the first student to be accepted at the Bournemouth’s prestigious new Peter Jones Academy.

The brainchild of Dragon’s Den guru Peter Jones, the Academy opens its doors at the Lansdowne college campus in September and will be a flagship learning facility for budding entrepreneurs, joining a range of business-focused courses at Bournemouth and Poole College.

Peter Jones Academies are seen as a way to draw the brightest, most forwardthinking young people who want to prove they have what it takes to turn a

Winners Best Overall Retailer: Beales (multiple), Glow Health & Beauty (independent) Best Customer Service: Leightons Opticians, Dancemania Best Window Display: Beales, Guitar Mania Best Newcomer: Marshalls Pet Store Best Security Practice: Primark Social Media Star: Dancemania Website Wonder: Quay Holidays Dolphin Centre Customer Service Award: Topshop

Angel hopes for the White stuff

business idea into reality.

“I’m so thrilled about this new venture, says Lucy who is an avid fan of TV shows such as Dragon’s Den and The Apprentice. “I believe this new experience will really build my confidence and give me valuable insight and help me form ideas that will take me forward in a business career.”

A Dorset home help service is urging government ministers to focus on people not money in the delayed White Paper on social care reform, which had been due at Easter.

Sam Acton, owner of Southbournebased Domestic Angels, believes too much emphasis is placed on funding and not enough attention is paid to the needs of carers or the people they look after.

“The system is obsessed with 15minute agency worker visits which means jobs are broken up into commercially-convenient time slots and prices,” she says. “It’s trying to make real life work like a factory system, but this does not work. We’re dealing with people’s needs – no wonder carers feel undervalued and those they care for are vulnerable.”

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Business minister sends video for castle launch usiness enterprise and skills minister Mark Prisk sent a video address to launch the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership at Lulworth Castle last month.

Some 200 businesses were represented at the launch with speeches from Tobias Ellwood MP and members of the Dorset LEP board, including chairman Gordon Page who also announced the new website, www.dorsetlep.co.uk.

“The aims of the Dorset LEP can be summarised in four themes,” he said.

“Under Competitive Dorset we want to unleash the potential of existing businesses and to encourage the creation of new ones. Then we have Talented Dorset, to enhance the skills of our current and future workforce.

“We need to be a Connected Dorset, so are working to improve electronic and physical connectivity, notably through high-speed broadband. And

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finally we need to create the conditions for enterprise to flourish through responsive planning and a dynamic housing market – Responsive Dorset.”

Businesses from a variety of sectors attended the launch, ranging from small start-ups to multi-national companies, including Sunseeker International, Humphries Kirk Solicitors, BAE Systems, Universal Engineering, Bournemouth Airport, Federation of Small Businesses, New Earth Group and JP Morgan.

Dorset LEP has already attracted nearly £50 million of investment for the county and substantial sums are expected in the near future. Some £10 million has been allocated from the

Alongside every other member of the board, I genuinely care about the future of Dorset

Government’s Growing Places fund to boost jobs and housing and more than £38 million to deliver superfast broadband across Dorset by April 2015.

A bid has been put in for £15 million to improve the east-west corridor between Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch with an announcement expected this month.

Anthony Woodhouse, vice-chair of the LEP, urged companies to dismantle any artificial barriers within the county.

“To attract investment, boost jobs and create enterprise, it is vital that we think as one Dorset, speak as one Dorset and act as one Dorset,” he said.

“I was born and bred in this county, my family business is in Dorset and I live here. Alongside every other member of the board, I genuinely care about the future of Dorset.

“The new LEP has the potential to herald a new era for this county – join in and be part of it.”

New logo is a breeze for Danni A design by New Milton student Danni Cain has been chosen as the new logo for proposed Navitus Bay Wind Park.

Developers of the wind farm off the Dorset/Hampshire coast and the Isle of Wight to the west asked for local teenagers to help design a visual identity for the project.

The logo submitted by Danni, a budding graphic designer at the Arts University College in Bournemouth, was the clear winner in the eyes of the judges, who thought that her entry was not only highly creative, but also reflected the brief submitted to entrants beforehand.

“I love the look of wind farms and actually based my design on the shape and movement of the turbines,” says Danni, who is studying a Graphic Design Foundation course.

“Currently I’m doing a project on my course designing a poster to promote the benefits of wind farms, which is what led me to the Navitus Bay website, and why I entered the competition.

I firmly believe in renewable energy and feel that wind farms can be very beneficial to the region and the UK.” The new logo will not only be the visual identity of Navitus Bay throughout the development period and beyond, but Danni also receives £500.

The new logo marks the start of the 50/50 joint venture partnership between Eneco and EDF Energy on the proposed Navitus Bay Wind Park.

I based my design on the shape and movement of the turbines

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Inspired to expand team Inspire, the business advisers and accountants based in Poole, have recruited again, bringing in another three new members of the team.

Ruth Farmer joins as senior audit manager, having previously worked for a regional accountancy practice and is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Kathryn Evans, left, worked for a practice in the New Forest for more than eight years and is experienced in preparing statutory accounts, undertaking audits and corporation tax compliance. She is currently studying for her ACCA qualification.

Howard Pearce joins the office as part of the Financial Services team, the Independent Financial planning and advisory arm of Inspire. His role is to act as a dedicated financial adviser to Inspire’s clients. Howard is a Chartered Financial Planner with more than 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry.

Deposit warning for landlords orset landlords are being warned to act on new rules for protecting tenants’ deposits as sweeping changes have introduced a stricter set of penalties that could see more property owners ending up in court.

Ceri Stephens, a senior associate solicitor at Battens Solicitors, which has offices in Dorchester, Weymouth and Sherborne, is urging landlords to ensure deposit money is protected with a government-backed scheme and all relevant details including the deposit certificate are given to the tenant.

Miss Stephens, who heads Battens’ property dispute resolution team, says landlords now have 30 days to protect a deposit and inform their tenants or face paying out up to four times the amount involved.

“The fundamental principle stays the same,” she adds. “Tenants are guaranteed their deposits back at the end of the tenancy if they have met the terms of their agreement and do

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not damage the property.

“It is a legal requirement for a landlord to use an authorised deposit protection scheme, but what’s new is that courts will accept no excuse for non-compliance, whereas before they could exercise discretion, and landlords will face financial sanctions. Non-compliance also means that you cannot serve a valid notice seeking possession of the property and a tenant will be able to bring proceedings against you even if the tenancy has come to an end.”

The changes will affect thousands of properties across Dorset where private lets make up a significant proportion of the housing market. In North Dorset around 3,000 homes (11 per cent) of the total housing stock are in the private rental market.

In East Dorset, Poole and Weymouth & Portland, the figures are 7 per cent, 12.2 per cent and 13.7 per cent respectively.

The amended rules are part of the Localism Act.

Wicked witch’s dress requires patient work Patients from a Poole hospice helped to make a magnificent witch’s outfit to be used in a performance of The Wiz at Lighthouse this summer.

Performed by dancers from local group Pure Funk, The Wiz is an adaptation of the Diana Ross and Michael Jackson take on The Wizard of Oz. Patients who attend the weekly art workshops at Poole’s Lewis-Manning Hospice, a charity that provides free care to local people with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, were asked to make decorations for the dress which was created by the hospice’s creative artist Jeanie Palfrey.

“We have a very talented group of people who attend our art workshops and I thought that this particular dress would be a wonderful project for them to focus on,” she says.

“In the show the character of Wicked Witch Eveline owns a sweat shop so our patients created decorations out of beads and material and any other bits and pieces they could find to make the magnificent dress.”

Pure Funk will give a taster of the show in Bournemouth Square on July 21 and at the Dolphin Centre in Poole on July 29. The show at Lighthouse is on August 11.

The dress will be available for hire after the performance and 50 per cent of takings will be donated to the hospice.

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Recruitment firm is selected for top hotel group ournemouth-based recruitment company Towngate Personnel has again secured a preferred supplier contract with a leading hotel group.

The company, which specialises in the hospitality industry, has successfully tendered to be one of a select few preferred suppliers to Macdonald Hotels and is now assisting with recruitment for all levels of management and staff in the 45-strong collection of three- to five-star hotels which stretches from Scotland down to the south coast and includes locally Elmers Court near Lymington and Botley Park Hotel, Golf and Spa, near Southampton.

“We are very pleased to be one of the select number of recruitment companies on the preferred suppliers list and look forward to working closely with Macdonald Hotels over the next 12 months,” says operations manager James Tucker.

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“Macdonald Hotels have told us that since they have put together their list they have reduced the number of suppliers from nearly 100 to just ten.”

With major hotel chains increasingly opting to deal with preferred suppliers, Towngate Personnel is pleased to have been chosen by several of the best-known groups.

“We have seen an increase in hotel groups putting together formal supplier lists over the last few years as they look to not only keep costs under control, but also to make sure that the quality of staff introduced by the agency is of a suitable standard,” adds James.

Towngate Personnel is now a preferred supplier to major hotel groups including Hilton, Guoman & Thistle, Millennium & Copthorne and the luxury country house group, Hand Picked, as well as hundreds of independent establishments.

Ben’s golden opportunity Triple Olympic Gold medallist Ben Ainslie has unveiled British Airways’ first One Destination Carbon Fund Project – at Osprey Leisure Centre, near Weymouth.

The funding has allowed the centre to put up a series of solar panels, producing renewable energy and reducing energy bills.

“I’m thrilled to be back in Weymouth, opening the first Carbon Fund project,” asid Ben. “We all have our role to play in sustainability and with projects like this one, British Airways is making a real difference to local communities.”

The Centre is owned and operated by a not-for-profit organisation, which took over a former naval sports centre to provide facilities for the community.

British Airways’ One Destination Carbon Fund was launched in 2011 and 16

enables customers to support low carbon community projects in the UK directly by making a donation.

“The feedback we receive from our customers suggested they wanted to be able to support low carbon projects in the UK,” said Jonathon Counsell, British Airways’ head of environment.

“We are delighted to have been able to provide Osprey Leisure Centre with funding.”

Nigel Williams, general manager at Osprey Leisure Centre, added: “As a community organisation we are very grateful for the contribution made by British Airways towards the installation of our solar panels.”

Following the opening of the project, Ainslie hosted an event at the nearby National Sailing Academy, where he has been preparing for the Olympic Games.

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Is separation a good bet for parents?

Parents could find themselves better off if they separate, says tax expert Steve Worth of Parkstonebased Worth Accountants.

Following changes announced in the Budget next year many fathers will have the unpleasant shock of a tax bill for several hundred pounds because of child benefit paid to the mother.

And in some cases it means couples would be better off separated than married. If a low-income mother no longer lives with the father she may be able to keep the benefit that would otherwise be lost if they were still together.

“It’s an anomaly, but somehow I don’t think this is what the Prime Minister had in mind when he said that marriage should be recognised in the tax system,” says Steve.

Child benefit will be progressively withdrawn from households where someone earns at least £50,000.

The benefit is withdrawn at the rate of one per cent for every £100 above this threshold. So anyone earning £60,000 or more in effect gets no child benefit. This affects about one household in seven where child benefit is claimed.

“For example, a two-income couple can earn £99,000 a year and keep all their benefit, while a single-income couple on £60,000 lose all theirs.

“As a possible solution a single earner over £50,000 may be able to consider a salary sacrifice into a pension and be better off with child benefit,” adds Steve.

To find out more about how child benefit and other changes affect your tax position contact Steve at Worth Accountants on 01202 516888.

SeekerNews

Building a house of straw, it’s not just for pigs ush, the Poole-based global cosmetics brand, has its new super-efficient factory complete with a cold storage room made of straw bales - the first of its kind in Europe.

The completely refurbished factory at Hamworthy incorporates some of the most innovative and ethically-sound building and construction technologies.

These include a 44kW solar photovoltaic roof array, highly efficient gas-powered steam boilers, solar thermal hot water panels, LED lighting and the new cold storage room, hand built by Lush employees under the guidance of Bee Rowan from Strawbuild and Sion Davies, Lush head carpenter.

The first industrial load-bearing straw bale construction in Europe, some 450 bales have been used to build the walls and insulate the ceiling. It’s one of the few straw bale cold stores in the world and is used to cool products and maintain them at the right temperature until they are filled. The 100 sqm

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From left, Jason Muller, Steve Braxton, Ruth Andrade, Chase Clark, Igor Calenta, Rowenna Bird, Matt Bradbrook)

building also has a mezzanine supporting up to 750 kg/m2 on straw bales and wooden joists.

Straw bales can deliver similar insulation values to standard cold store materials, but compared to polyurethane, straw has more then 300 times less embodied energy - the energy it takes to produce the straw.

The photovoltaic roof array will generate solar electricity during production hours and whatever is not used will be exported to the National Grid.

It is estimated that when the solar photovoltaic array is in use, it will generate about 20 per cent of the factory’s electricity needs.

Agency sea party just the job Kate Macgregor, Annie Lush, Iain McGregor, Lou McGregor, Wendy Maxwell, Lucy McGregor, Matt Desmier

In Pod they trust...

The crew from Skandia Team GBR joined more than 60 supporters at The Grove at Ashley Cross, Poole last month for the launch of the south’s newest creative agency, P’s in a Pod. Guests and Olympians enjoyed pea cupcakes, green punch, sushi and talking with local business leaders including representatives from the music and film industries, developers and organisations such as Sunseeker Charters, Bournemouth University and the Peter Jones Training Academy.

For the last ten years the company’s creative and marketing flair has been used

by major clients Down Under including Sydney Opera House, Virgin Money (Australia), The Olympics Arts Festival (Sydney) and Sunseeker International.

"It doesn’t matter what we’ve achieved in Australia,” says director Lou McGregor.

"Here, we are the new kids on the block so it’s important for us to meet with the people that are the heart and soul of the community – the businesses, the athletes, the artists, the educators.”

P’s in a Pod is on a mission to raise the visual profile of local businesses and be proud of the products and services they represent.

Specialist recruitment agency, Jobshop UK, celebrated its move to bigger offices in Bournemouth with a retro seaside-themed party.

The new premises provide the space needed for Jobshop UK to increase its team of consultants and introduce new specialist divisions.

“We’ve seen an upturn in talented and experienced professionals looking to move forward with their careers, and coupled with an increase in demand from our clients looking to recruit new permanent staff, we felt the time was right for Jobshop UK to expand,” says director, Tracey Wood.

Guests enjoyed candyfloss, 99 ice cream-style cupcakes, pink sweetie shrimps and mini fish and chips wrapped in press releases.

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 17

SeekerNews

Child’s play

by Nick Churchill heryl Hadland knows a thing or two about taking her chance, so when the opportunity arose to help those less fortunate than herself she grabbed it with both hands.

The MD of Hadland Care Group, she started the first Tops day nursery in Parkstone in February 1990 with not much more than the will to succeed and half a year’s study in how to provide childcare.

Since then she has built a portfolio of 11 Tops nurseries – the 12th is due to open in Portsmouth in October – two Reside care homes, the Aspire training company and now the Hadland Foundation, a charity founded last year to help deprived families with childcare, advance the prospects of vulnerable young people and support senior citizens and their families.

“It’s not so much about putting something back, but finally being in a position to offer the kind of help that can make a real difference to people living in difficult circumstances,” she says.

“We recently bought a washing machine for an elderly lady whose old one had broken. She was incontinent and her family couldn’t afford a new machine. We also helped a young baby who was paraplegic with a special suit that allows some movement. The local

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authority said it would take up funding if it could be shown the suit would make a significant difference so we were able to get the first one.”

The Hadland Foundation also supports vulnerable young people in work-based training with accommodation and travel costs, as well as paying for specialist equipment for senior citizens with debilitating conditions such as dementia.

It was a cause particularly close to Cheryl’s heart – she opened her first care home as a direct response to her stepfather’s struggle with Alzheimer’s.

“I’d bought premises in Christchurch with the intention of opening another nursery, but then discovered a covenant on the deeds that limited the number of people that could use the premises. My mum was struggling to cope with my stepfather at home so I changed direction and opened my first care home.”

That was six years ago and she’s since opened another Reside home in Southbourne.

The DIY spirit has characterised Cheryl’s business biography.

“I started trading when I was 13 or 14,” she says. “My family lived abroad so I went to boarding school. In the holidays I used to buy underwear in

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk

Hong Kong then bring it back to sell at school. I didn’t know it was an entrepreneurial streak, it was just something that I did.”

After school she worked in the City of London before moving to the coast to open Poole Dive Centre in the late 1980s. Then she had children.

“I needed childcare, but I needed it at times that suited me and my business.

Nobody was offering it so I decided to do it myself. Regulations were different at that time, but halfway through my one-year course I opened the first Tops nursery in Parkstone with some mates from college.

“Once that was up and running I was working three days a week with my team at the nursery and diving three days a week. I realised what I really enjoyed was teaching others so after learning about childcare I learned how to teach childcare and ten years later came out with a Masters degree in education.

“I encouraged my staff to get trained and after expanding the Parkstone nursery realised I had a team that was ridiculously over-qualified – they needed to be running their own units so we opened Tops in Wareham and at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in 1998.

“Aspire, the training company, was

SeekerNews

I love my life. I love being involved and fundraising for The Hadland Foundation has given me the opportunity to do so much more – I’ve never been more terrified than stepping out of a plane on a sponsored parachute jump!

the next logical progression and more than 50 per cent of our learners don’t work for any of my companies, but a lot of employers will only employ people that have worked for Hadland or been trained by Aspire. I only wanted the best for my children or family and excellence is a basic expectation.”

And there’s no sense of easing back – Cheryl still has dreams to fulfill.

“The plan is to continue to grow by at least one site a year.

We’ll open Tops at Portsmouth Lakeside this year and there are other sites being looked at.

“I love my life. I love being involved and fundraising for The Hadland Foundation has given me the opportunity to do so much more – I’ve never been more terrified than stepping out of a plane on a sponsored parachute jump!”

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 19

Planning Solutions Partnership to sponsor the Council backed Landlord Conference 2012 Planning Solutions Partnership has been asked to sponsor this year’s Landlord Conference and Exhibition organised by Bournemouth Borough Council. This joint event between Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire Councils has an anticipated attendance of over 5000 landlords.

Planning Soloutions Partnership has also been asked by Bournemouth Borough Council Housing Department to give a seminar on planning issues affecting landlords during the conference. Anthony Ramsden-Geary, Partner at Planning Solutions Partnership said “it is a huge honour to be asked by any council to sponsor IV M^MV\ IVL KWVÅZU[ \PI\ 8TIVVQVO Solutions Partnership is one of the most respected and experienced XTIVVQVO ÅZU[ QV \PM ZMOQWVº

Winter Gardens, Bournemouth A revised planning application for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Winter Gardens and Exeter Road curtilage properties has now been ÅVITQ[ML _Q\P I LMKQ[QWV IV\QKQXI\ML in the summer. Planning Solutions Partnership has worked with CZWG Architects on this exciting new scheme.

The latest proposals incorporate indoor and outdoor family entertainment, residential apartments, a hotel, restaurants, coffee shops and a large external piazza. The operators also plan an outdoor winter ice skating rink. At time of going to press the internationally-known leisure operator cannot be named but get ready for the town to be amazed!

“TONY AND HIS TEAM AT PLANNING SOLUTIONS PARTNERSHIP GIVE SENSIBLE, REALISTIC AND HONEST PLANNING ADVICE. THEY OFFER FIXED FEES AND ALWAYS GO THAT EXTRA MILE TO ACHIEVE A PLANNING APPROVAL.”

“Tony Ramsden at Planning Solutions Partnership is one of the most adaptable and experienced planners we have come Across and is certainly an expert on the South Coast.”

Steve Wells Managing Director, Dave Wells Properties

Ian Wallace Managing Director, Barratt David Wilson

SeekerNews

Seven secrets to exploiting the worldwide web t’s hard enough getting through the day as a business owner, let alone spending your precious time on maximising your online presence, improving your business, finding and keeping customers.

You know this is all of vital importance to your business, yet getting bogged down in the day to day means it’s always last on the list.

Being your own boss can be a lonely place which is why I’m hosting a free seminar which will offer ideas, inspiration, understanding or maybe just a good kick up the backside in which successful business owners reveal what they know and do but don’t normally share with anyone else.

You might just find a nugget that you can implement straight away.

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Wouldn’t you like to know how to make your website really work for your business?

by Ali Carter

Entrepreneurs’ Circle

Flying Start Entrepreneurs’ Circle taster seminar – only £15 for Seeker News readers June 20, 10am-1pm, AFC Bournemouth z Discover the tools you need to get and keep more customers z Learn how to avoid the five marketing mistakes that everyone else makes z Harness the full power of your online presence z Uncover the secrets to getting more done Call 01202 722261 to book your place “At first I was sceptical, but now I realise that who you hang around with really does make a difference. You can’t help but be inspired by the enthusiasm for achieving success at the Entrepreneurs’ Circle.”

Simon Harrison Callisto Communications, Poole “Like an espresso of knowledge – short, sharp and made me want to rush off and implement it!”

Angus Reid, Shop Surplus UK, Bournemouth Standing out Book your ticket online now at websecrets.eventbrite.co.uk – just £15 for Seeker News readers

Members list

SUMMARISING THE KEYS TO SUCCESS We have seen business owners need belief in their products and themselves, to have a vision of what success looks like and to have focus.

We have also seen they need a well-founded, agreed and formally written plan.

And that failure to implement will lead to failure – period.

That plans need reviewing – nothing stands still.

Finally, progress must be measurable – and measured.

It is vital business owners compare actual results with those they planned for.

WORTH ACCOUNTANTS Steve Worth 01202 516888 steve@worthaccountants.co.uk FORTRESS MORTGAGES John Richardson 01202 386053 john@fortress- mortgages.co.uk RT PROMOTIONS Richard Mack 01202 882893 richard@rtpromotions.co.uk GENER8 FINANCE Ian Wedge 0845 8128808 icw@gener8finance.com POSITIVE SOLUTIONS Arthur White 01202 605064 arthurwhite@think positive.co.uk MARK LIDDLE LLP Mark Liddle 01202 551193 mark@markliddle.com THE PASSIONATE PA Kate Chastey 01202 802863 kate@thepassionatepa.co.uk MAIL BOXES ETC. Howard Woodward 01202 299151 info@mbebh1.co.uk

CHEMDRY KALLISTE John Minton 01202 309414 johnminton@hotmail.co.uk STUDIO-FD Brian Freelander 01202 681461 brian@studio-fd.com RADIKLS Tony Raybould 01202 259187 tony@radikls.com SEEKER Steve Cook 01202 779604 steve@seeker.uk.com THE BUSINESS EXPLORER Ian Thurgood 07785 222054 ian@thebusinessexplorer.com RICHMOND HOME IMPROVEMENT CO Allan Tofield 0800 614102 enquiries@richmondco.co.uk MEH CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT LTD Magnus Harding 01202 766732 magnus.harding@ meh-construction.co.uk

SMB NETWORK SOLUTIONS John Harrison 01202 601776 john@smbnet.com ELLIS JONES SOLICITORS Sarah Hopcroft 01202 414003 sarah.hopcroft@ellisjones.co.uk WINNING BUSINESS David Foster 01202 427464 david@winningbusiness.co.uk APPLIED SAFETY SOLUTIONS Mark Baxter 01202 716100 mark@appliedsafetysolutions.com AFC BOURNEMOUTH Rob Mitchell 01202 726322 rob.mitchell@afcb.co.uk TEMPEST COSGRAVE Jon Sanctuary 01202 741888 j.sanctuary@tempestcosgrave.co.uk MSP BUSINESS SERVICES Malcolm Pitcher 08456 808304 malcolm@mspbusiness services.co.uk

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 21

We provide creative material to the highest standard • • • • • • • • • • •

Corporate Identity Brand Building Literature Advertising Multimedia Packaging Signage Web Development Design & Hosting Search Optimisation E-commerce

01202 700443 ideas@bluewaterweb.co.uk www.bluewaterweb.co.uk

Supporting... Informing... Resourcing Developing rural enterprises

Providing partners with support and resources

Embedding innovation and skills in enterprise

Enabling businesses to develop together through Rural-Net and BusinessXchange

Helping new businesses start and grow

WSX Enterprise Ltd, Arena Business Centre, Poole, BH17 7FJ

08454 586480

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wsxenterprise.co.uk connect@wsxenterprise.co.uk

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk

WSX Enterprise Ltd is dedicated to providing support for small to mediumsized businesses across the region

SeekerNews Campaign

MoB rule f you want anything doing, do it yourself.

This is where Seeker News cuts through the hot air and hyperbole of Mary Portas’ headline-seeking efforts to save Britain’s struggling high streets by talking to a largely disinterested government. This is where we take direct action to stimulate interest and, more importantly, sales on the high street.

A Cash Mob is a group of people who meet at a local business with the sole intention of buying something from it. The idea is to provoke local people into supporting local businesses and the wider community.

Launched in August 2011 by a blogger from Buffalo, New York, the Cash Mob movement has spread across the United States and is beginning to make an impact in the UK. Apolitical but socially engaged, Cash Mobs encourage people to meet and have fun by going into small, local businesses and spending an agreed amount each, en masse.

Seeker News wants to see Cash Mobs benefit Dorset businesses. We believe small actions taken locally can make a lasting difference.

Forget flashy advertising campaigns, big speeches and headline-grabbing celebrity endorsements, Seeker News believes in the power of local people to make the changes that This isn’t a quick fix, this matter. is a way of helping local And if the community businesses grow can support local business, local business can benefit the community by providing jobs, income and a focus.

This isn’t a quick fix, this is a way of helping local businesses grow. The income brought by a Cash Mob should be used to kick start a new project or venture,not a quick fix to cover a couple of outstanding bills.

If you have a business or know of a business that could benefit from the attention of a Cash Mob we want to hear about it.

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Visit seekernews.co.uk/cashmob or the Seeker News Cash Mob Facebook page and nominate a Dorset business. Tell us why a Cash Mob would be good for that business and for the community it serves.

In next month’s Seeker News you’ll find out how to join Dorset’s first Cash Mob. We’ll also publish a list of candidates and details of how to vote for them.

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 23

SeekerNews

The pencil is mightier than the metaphor Of course, in the world of promotional gifts, a pencil is hen is a pen not a pen? When it’s a never just a pencil and this mechanical pencil is no mechanical pencil, just like this one. exception.

But when is a pencil not a pencil? When it’s actually a metaphor for Promotional gifts are all about getting on with it.

by Richard Mack setting your business apart from the RT Promotions competition and increasing your When you know your way around chances of getting the call if there’s the promotional gifts industry as work to be done. well as we do at RT Promotions, it takes something very special indeed This pencil instantly put me in to catch the eye – which is exactly mind of the most important business what this mechanical pencil did. tip I was ever given – just get on with it.

In short, I saw one and had to have not just one, but loads of them. Just This pencil should be used for look at it, it’s beautiful. It would be a pencilling in meetings. Instead of forever talking about good looking pen, but it’s a great looking pencil which a good idea, pencil it in the diary, put it in your ideas is even better. book, take action, do something about it.

And it’s translucent purple, what more could you This is an action pencil! want? This is definitely a keeper and I’m being very And it’s always sharp. selective about who I give them to.

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Managing managers and leading leaders

by Ann Symes

Quay Development Coaching

Are you a leader or a manager? What’s the difference? Is it important?

Academics will each have their own complicated definition, however Ann Symes of Quay Development Coaching puts forward a simple way of understanding the difference: managers manage processes, leaders care about people.

Ann believes that there is always a place for management skills.

Processes and plans keep the heart of any business beating efficiently; however it is the people that keep the blood flowing to the heart to allow it to work effectively.

Good leaders engage with their teams and their customers or clients, in fact any member of the team can and should be a leader.

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Ann knows that by building a leadership culture in your business you will gain the following benefits: z Improved business success and job satisfaction z More motivated teams z Clearer and more relevant thinking z Reduce negativity and poor working habits z Improved problem solving and enhanced creativity z Increased confidence z Improved business growth and success for the long term So is your glass half empty or half full? Either way if you build a leadership culture in your business you will soon have a full glass.

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk

Starting a business during a downturn

by Chris Darlow WSX

The upside of starting a business during a downturn is that things can only get better as the economic climate improves – and you will have learned a great deal in the difficult times that you can use in the easier ones.

Top tips when starting a business z Book a place on the WSX New in Business start up course programme. This comprehensive two-day course will provide the information and guidance to crystallise your thinking and develop that all-important business plan. z As soon as you become self-employed you must register with HMRC and begin to file your own annual tax returns – or you could incur a penalty.

z If you are seeking finance to help your business get off the ground, then you will most certainly need to provide the bank or lender with a cashflow forecast showing the estimated cash in and out of a business. z One of the biggest initial expenses when setting up a business is office space. So, if possible, you should start from home. Turn the spare room into an office or cordon off a dedicated area somewhere quiet to keep your workspace separate from your personal space – and that of your family.

To book a place on the New In Business course contact Chris on 01202 607541 or e-mail chris.darlow@ wsxenterprise.co.uk

SeekerNews

Charity may begin at home but it blossoms at work too. ROS FRY, Dorset Volunteer manager for Cancer Research UK, explores her experience of businesses supporting charities

On firm ground joined Cancer Research UK last September and was instantly amazed at the astonishing level of support for the charity in this area. Everyone wants to beat cancer and realises that we need to fund scientists and researchers to find the solutions.

In Dorset we have thousands of volunteer fundraisers organising an incredible array of events and many small businesses such as pubs, restaurants, gyms and shops helping them by providing space and prizes for quizzes, raffles and parties.

Businesses play a vital part in helping the volunteers. In April, Barclays House in Poole hosted a strongman competition organised by staff member Ian Keeling. The company provided the site, hosted a healthy living display about cancer and pledged to match the funds that Ian and his colleagues raised.

In the same month, Pure Gym in Bournemouth allowed Cancer Research UK nurses to check the lung age of their clients and try searching for lumps in prosthetic breasts and testicles. Manager Ben Homer is encouraging all staff to fundraise and leading from the top with a personal sponsored cycle ride to Paris this summer. Yellow Buses in Bournemouth are supporting the local group, Beat Cancer Bournemouth, with collections and advertising on their buses during Male Cancer

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Achieving your goals efficiently In the delivery of a CSR agenda, many businesses are missing a trick by consigning their charity of choice to the community agenda, but by engaging the charity strategically and using their expertise companies should be able to achieve business and CSR goals with greater efficiency and effectiveness.

People Whether it’s a training programme, team building or volunteering your charity partner should be engaging, supporting and thanking your employees as individuals.

Environment/health and safety Getting employees to use sustainable transport, drive efficiently or be proactive about hazards in the workplace can be challenging. Utilise your charity’s ability to hold great events by asking them to organise a Green day in the workplace or deliver a campaign against hazards.

Community Your charity partner should be promoting your support to the community and its supporter base so co-branding on charity literature and events will improve brand exposure and reputation.

Gemma Saunders corporate partnerships officer The Wessex Autistic Society gemma.saunders@twas.org.uk 01202 483360

Awareness Month in June and Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

Businesses can support charities in many ways – pro bono volunteering, entering teams in local events such as Race For Life, Relay for Life or the new Rotary Dorset Cycle Ride through Wareham.

The deepest relationship with a charity comes when a company invites their staff to choose a particular charity to work over time. From March 2011 to April 2012 employees from local over50s insurance provider RIAS raised £25,000 for Cancer Research UK, following their successful employee-voted 2011 Charity of the Year programme.

In May, Bournemouth solicitors Lester Aldridge LLP voted to support Cancer Research UK as their Charity of the Year.

My aim is to raise £400,000 over the next 12 months and I would love to see other companies joining Lester Aldridge in choosing us as their Charity of the Year. Linking companies to organise networking and fundraising events will be good for business and great for beating cancer.

You can contact Ros Fry on 01308 423805 or ros.fry@cancer.org.uk www.cancerresearchuk.org www.raceforlife.org www.warehamrotary.co.uk/bikeride

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 25

Liquidation – a New Beginning?

In the majority of the liquidations we have recently been involved in locally, we have been successful in securing sales or transfers of all or parts of the businesses as going concerns.

Liquidation is often considered the end of the road for many businesses but David Meany, of Business Recovery and Insolvency Specialists, Ashtons JWD LLP, in Bournemouth, thinks that this is a misconception.

Traditionally, liquidation has been seen as the end of the road for a business.

Indeed statistics show that creditor voluntary liquidations only have a small business preservation rate. However, in many cases there is a viable core business, which once released from the burden of the existing debt, and with a new management structure and new investment, has the potential for success.

It is important that, as business recovery practitioners, we are pro-active in working with the existing management to identify opportunities to realise potential, even in those situations where a rescue procedure such as a company voluntary arrangement, is not achievable.

In the majority of the liquidations we have recently been involved in locally, we have been successful in securing sales or transfers of all or parts of the businesses as going concerns. This has had a very real and positive impact from securing employment, to providing enhanced realisations for creditors, and preserving an on-going customer/client for suppliers.

It is this willingness and ability to go the extra mile, which, in my view, sets us here at Ashtons JWD LLP, in Bournemouth, apart from the other business recovery and insolvency firms.

Ashtons JWD LLP is an independent firm of Licensed Insolvency Practitioners and Business Consultants with offices based in Dorset and Hampshire.

Between them, the partners have over 70-years of experience in providing high quality, innovative and effective business recovery and insolvency solutions to SMEs and individuals across the South Coast.

So, if you or a client is either in difficulty, or is forecasting an impending problem, please feel free to give us a call so we can work together to ensure the best outcome for all concerned.

admin@ashtonsjwd.co.uk

www.ashtonsjwd.co.uk

Bournemouth Office 22 Basepoint Business Centre, Aviation Park West, Enterprise Way, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 6NX Tel: 01202 651200 Fax: 01202 651255

Southampton Office 10 Shedfield House Dairy, Sandy Lane, Shedfield, Southampton Hampshire S032 2HQ Tel: 01329 834040 Fax: 01329 834041

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emember that scene in All The President’s Men where Dustin Hoffman is running through the editorial department, passing row upon row of busy reporters punching away on typewriters or barking down phones?

Well, if he tried that in regional daily paper newsrooms these days, it would be a lonely journey... apart from the tumbleweed.

Editorial staffing in UK newspapers has shrunk by around 25 per cent in the past five years, probably by half this past decade.

Tighter staffing levels mean specialist editors and correspondents are few and far between, so it’s important to know who does what and whether they’re the right person to deal with your organisation.

The pressure on newspaper staff to juggle various editorial balls is immense, so the more you can help your own publicity cause, the better.

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SeekerNews

Understanding the structure of the local media you think is relevant to you Neal Butterworth, Editor-in-Chief of the Bournemouth Daily Echo for 13 years, now runs Neal Butterworth Media and his seminars centre on his 12 Golden Rules for working with the local media.

This is the second of his Seeker News columns highlighting both the rules and taking a sideways look at the media.

Don’t be looking for separate staff for the paid-for titles and their free counterparts. It’s the same staff – and stuff – most of the time, recycled for greater time and production efficiency.

So give them a nudge to get your release in the frees for that extra bonus.

And for added bonus points, find out how the website content management works. It’s fed by the same team and there’s certainly more space online than in the tighter paginations of the papers.

And if you’re looking to play the game by advertising at the same time,

make sure it’s in the right place and, most important, at the right time to accompany your editorial.

Neal’s next seminar, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Your Local Media (But The Editor Never Returned Your Calls), takes place on Friday, June 15 from 9.30am12.30pm at the Haven Hotel Business Centre in Sandbanks. Full details at www.nealbutterworth.co.uk

Ideas worth sharing from Steve Graham’s Mini Master Class at BusinessXchange

LinkedIn and Real Life Networking The ever growing popularity of LinkedIn has made keeping in contact and making new contacts so much easier. However, it still takes effort if you want to include LinkedIn as a tactic in your real life networking strategy.

1. Strategy – who do you want to meet and why?

Recognising the sort of people who can be of help to you in building your business is the first step when you walk in the room. Who do you want to connect with and why? Are you looking for a champion, a client or a collaborator perhaps?

In real life if you try to connect with everyone in the room you will fail to do the most important thing... that’s build a relationship. If you try to connect with everyone on LinkedIn – the same applies.

2. Positioning – who are you and what do you do for your clients?

Are you dressed for success and are you smiling? What is your LinkedIn picture and profile saying about you? No one communicates in bullet points in real life so explain your position in short excited and readable paragraphs.

Give them a chance to listen to and engage with you.

Ensure that your baby bio that sits at the top of your LinkedIn profile is as good an elevator speech as you can make it. You know; the one minute

introduction that explains what you do that’s so great for your clients.

When you engage in real life – you would explain your credibility; give people testimonials and case studies to prove your position. You would reference your website and other areas for more information... wouldn’t you? So make sure your profile is relevant and complete.

3. Interact – be interesting but more importantly be interested.

Use your status update to tell your contacts what you are up to. Then comment on theirs too. Join groups where your target connections will be; then pose and answer questions. As in real life, we have to interact and participate if we want our LinkedIn contacts to be fruitful.

Small talk is a good way to start a relationship in real life. Think about how you are going to ask someone to connect with you on LinkedIn, are you going to give them a good reason to do so or are you going to send them a canned LinkedIn request? Then how are you going to keep their interest?

So just how are you going to replicate your real life social skills to enhance your LinkedIn networking?

For more information about the brilliant BusinessXchange, visit www.businessxchange.org.uk For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 27

SeekerCharities

‘They are wonderful and always have smiles’ ollowing a devastating diagnosis of lung cancer two months ago, Leslie Holder from Poole was referred to the Lewis-Manning Hospice where he has found great comfort and solace.

He visits the hospice one day a week as part of a 12-week programme having been referred to the its breathlessness clinic where receives free support to help him cope with the breathing difficulties triggered by his cancer.

“I was absolutely flattened when I found out I had cancer, it wasn’t the news I wanted to hear,” says Leslie.

“Going to Lewis-Manning Hospice gives me a day out. If I wasn’t there I would be on my own at home twiddling my thumbs. I have now learnt to live with the cancer and for one day a week I get to socialise with the other patients, I think I make them laugh.”

If I wasn’t there I would The Lewis-Manning Hospice outpatient breathlessness clinic helps be on my own at home local people with respiratory twiddling my thumbs conditions get more out of their lives by teaching them strategies to manage “We’re so pleased that Leslie has the distressing symptoms. There’s no found comfort at our hospice like so charge for services at the hospice which many of our patients do,” says Maria is mainly funded by donations.

Tidy from Lewis-Manning Hospice.

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“Often there is a stigma attached to hospice care with a presumption that people only go there to die, but we offer so much more such as respite and rehabilitation for people to help them to live with their illness and help them get back to their usual lifestyle.”

June is Hospice Awareness Month and the charity is holding a series of fundraising events to raise awareness and to raise vital funds to ensure they can continue to provide their services for free to local people who need them.

The fundraising team is encouraging the community to Go Yellow for one day during June with yellow fancy dress and offering tours around their new purpose-built hospice at the annual summer fete on July 22.

Leslie adds: “If there are people like the doctor and nurses at Lewis-Manning Hospice who are willing to help me and be as patient as they are with me and others then I am only too grateful and would do anything to help them. They are wonderful and they always have smiles on their faces.”

For more information about LewisManning Hospice call 01202 708470 or visit www.lewis-manning.co.uk

Bionic eye hope for blind

A charity on the grow

An experimental ‘bionic eye’ could restore sight to thousands of blind people in Britain after the success of its first UK clinical trials.

Dorset Blind Association has welcomed the news that two sufferers of a condition called retinitis pigmentosa, which causes the photoreceptor cells at the back of the eye to deteriorate, have been able to see again after being implanted with a wafer-thin microchip at the back of the eye which reacts to light sending an electronic signal picked by the optic nerve and processed by the brain into an image.

“You just have to admire the amazingly clever people who perform operations like this,” says Jonathan Holyhead, chief executive of Dorset Blind Association.

“While this treatment is still at an early stage, it does give real hope to thousands of people with sight loss that one day it will be possible to restore sight which until now had to be given up as lost forever.”

There is growing support among gardeners for Julia’s House.

For the charity is set to benefit from two village open garden events this month – at Cerne Abbas and Buckland Newton.

The annual Cerne Abbas event, on Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17, runs from 2-6pm daily and features 25 gardens – from pocket-sized gardens to those approaching an acre, landscaped formal layouts to wild gardens.

Entry is £5, children go free.

Buckland Newton’s garden day is on Sunday, June 24, from 16pm where gardens on show will include village allotments and two wildflower meadows. Entry is £3.50.

“This is such an enjoyable way for people to show their support

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for our charity,” says Julia’s House fundraiser Di Pestell. “We have been delighted with the response we’ve had from gardeners. We hope the idea will grow and grow!”

For more information visit www.juliashouse.org.

SeekerCharities

Whip out your bras and help save lives aramedics and pilots at the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance want to get their hands on all the bras they can!

For they are appealing to women in the region to donate their unwanted bras to raise funds for the life-saving service that can fly up to 8 emergency missions a day.

The fifth annual Bag-a-Bra week will be hosted by Bournemouth’s Castlepoint shopping park from June 25-July 1 when collection bins will be found along the two shopping malls and a 540-metre washing line of bras strung across the walkways will create awareness of the Air Ambulance recycling campaign.

“Bag a Bra has helped us increase awareness and enables us to talk to the public about our textile recycling scheme in general,” says Tracy Bartram, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance communications manager.

“It’s such a simple initiative to run.

Whether you are a group of friends or a local school or a club that meets

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Simon Trenchard, Leonie German, Peter Matthews, Annette PlaistowTrapaud and Phil Merritt

regularly; you still have time to start collecting. We hope that people will bring their unwanted bras to us during the week of the campaign.”

The five yellow textile recycling banks at Castlepoint allow the public to donate all unwanted textiles such as

clothes, shoes, blankets and towels in support of Air Ambulance.

“These banks alone have generated a magnificent £30,000 over the past five years,” adds Tracy.

To find out more visit www.dsairambulance.org.uk

Ride on the money

Coming together Dorset charities and companies got together to talk business at a significant new event for the county’s not-for-profit organisations.

Trustees, chief executives and fundraisers from more than 40 charities were represented at the first Dorset Charities Conference, hosted at Bryanston School, Blandford and staged by chartered accountants Ward Goodman, supported by WSX Enterprise and NatWest.

“Bringing these different elements together created a

real buzz as they started to discuss the potential of the possible benefits of working together,” says Ian Rodd of Ward Goodman.

Ian Girling of WSX Enterprise adds: “Like businesses, charities need to be working as smartly as possible, and we are delighted to be involved in helping not-for-profit organisations.”

Ward Goodman presented the wounded soldiers charity The Undentable Trust with £500 as the company’s charity of the year.

Macmillan Cancer Support has launched its appeal for cyclists to take part in this year’s Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride on July 1.

“We hope this will be another significant year for us as we aim to reach the £1 million mark since the founding of the event,” says ride organiser Peter Smith-Nicholls.

Joining Peter on board the Peter Smith-Nicholls (left), Wayne Sunseeker 115 Moors (right) and Chris Elms Predator yacht was the company’s operations director Wayne Moore and cyclist Chris Elms, Sunseeker’s top fund raiser in 2011.

“Sunseeker is delighted to be associated as official sponsor with the Dorset Bike Ride again this year,” says Wayne. “The Macmillan Cancer Support team do a wonderful job to help sufferers and their families.”

Enter online at www.macmillanbikeride.co.uk or call 01202 601705.

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 29

SeekerSport

Don’t get strung out and pull a Walcott ith Arsenal winger Theo Walcott’s participation in this summer’s Euro 2012 in doubt due to his recent hamstring injury, Bournemouth sports physiotherapist Anne-Marie Samuel is warning athletes to warm up and down before and after sports.

“Hamstring injuries are a very common injury for athletes – we see it all the time with footballers, rugby players, sprinters and hurdlers,” says Anne-Marie of Body In Motion.

“The hamstrings are the big muscles at the back of the thigh and are very important in sprinting and kicking.”

Hamstring injuries take a long time to heal properly because they affect a big muscle, which can put athletes out of action for several weeks at a time.

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“The worst thing they can do is return to sports too soon following the injury and pull it again,” adds Anne-Marie.

Body In Motion has a handy threestep guide to preventing hamstring injuries. z Build up speed and distance gradually to give a solid aerobic base of running before ramping up speed work and sudden changes in direction. z Do regular stretches after each game as sitting at a desk for work tightens hamstrings, as does a lot of strength training and running. z Get regular sports massage. It is a good idea to get regular sports massage once a month to maintain flexibility of the hamstrings WHILST on a programme of intensive training.

Hamstrings are more likely to tear if they are not stretched properly and are too tight, so warming up is essential.

“If a hamstring tears, rest it, apply an ice compress and elevate it straight away,” says AnneMarie. “You may need a few weeks to a few months off sport depending on the severity and in severe cases a surgeon will need to stitch it back together.”

With London 2012 Olympics fast approaching, the athletes from many sports will be doing their best to follow this advice and not end up like Theo Walcott.

Captain picks up a pair

Rob’s cup runneth over Rubicon People have come up trumps again with its sponsorship of local circuit racing driver, Rob Way who is competing in the Ma5da MX5 Cup. Rob, 31, who works for Dorset engineering company Io Electronics, has been hill climbing for the past six years, finishing first in his class before moving up a level to circuit racing.

With just two races of the new season under his belt, Rob has been awarded the Highest Placed Novice and with 22 competitors in his class he is currently riding tenth in the championship.

“Rubicon People have been so generous with their sponsorship 30

and I aim to repay them by bringing back a trophy or two,” says Rob. Jo West, customer development manager for Rubicon People, adds: “We are following Rob’s progress on our Facebook page and with blogs and plan on showing the car at local events throughout the summer.”

Sponsorship spaces on the car are available for local companies and the vehicle can be viewed at Magna Motor Company in Canford Cliffs when it is not touring.

For further details contact harriet@rubiconpeople.co.uk

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk

Wimborne Town skipper Scott Arnold was a happy man at the club’s annual presentation night as he picked up two awards.

Arnold, who returned to Cuthbury as one of Steve Cuss’ major signings last summer was named Players’ Player of the Year and Manager’s Player of the Year.

“I’m really happy to have won those two awards,” says Scott, pictured right.

“In my last spell at the club I won the Supporters award, but to win both the Players’ Player and Manager’s Player is very special.”

Nathan Peprah-Annan, whose arrival helped boost the Magpies’ defensive capabilities, was named Supporters’ Player of the Year.

Goalkeeper Dan Ackerman was named Chairman’s Player of the Year.

Matt Kemble, despite seeing his season ended early because of injury, picked up the Top Scorer award and defender Jordan Cole received the Ted Ryder Shield after being named the Most Improved Player.

SeekerSport

It’s a stick up as beach polo returns to Sandbanks laying host to polo’s finest sportsmen, the Asahi British Beach Polo Championship is set to return to Sandbanks in July.

The hotly anticipated beach festival promises excitement and glamour both on and off the pitch with a slew of celebrity faces expected to join crowds for the two-day event on July 6 and 7, the fifth year it has run at Sandbanks.

The 2012 Championship will see England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales come together for the first time to compete on the beach. The four nations will battle throughout the weekend on the original custom-made enclosed polo arena, culminating in a final with the

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two remaining teams going head to head for the title.

An ideal spectator sport, beach polo offers a unique and accessible introduction for polo novices and an action-packed match for enthusiasts.

Polo ponies are able to accelerate, stop and turn extremely quickly on the beach arena’s sand, creating a fast-paced game with the ball travelling at speeds of up to 100mph.

In addition to the hotly anticipated matches, The Asahi British Beach Polo Championship offers a host of activities within the festival. Guests will be able to enjoy beginners’ polo sessions, Oakley International Beach Volleyball,

fashion shows and The Beach Retail Village, featuring a selection of luxury exhibitors.

The event will also see the return of the exciting Audi Q7 V Polo Pony charity race in aid of Help the Heroes.

Asahi Beach British Polo will also offer an exclusive Sunseeker Hospitality Polo Lounge where celebrity chef Mark Hix will host a pop-up restaurant serving classic British dishes.

A range of exclusive bars will also cater to guests with the renowned AMIKA beach party, where players, celebrities and supporters celebrate into the small hours.

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 33

SeekerArts

Record On the

oth of Dorset’s last remaining independent record shops are to feature in a new film documentary. Last Shop Standing, which is due for release this summer, is based on the book of the same name by former record company sales rep Graham Jones and charts the fall and resurrection of shops like Square Records in Wimborne and Bridport Music – the last two record stores in the county that deal in new releases and are independent of the music retailing chainstores.

Campaigning rock star Billy Bragg, who has lived in Burton Bradstock since the turn of the century, lent his support to the project and was interviewed in Bridport Music. other famous faces lined up to appear include Johnny Marr, Richard Hawley and Norman Cook.

“A few years ago this would have been a really depressing story about shops closing and fighting each other for business, but now it’s a hopeful tale about diversifying and surviving against the odds,” says Paul Holman of Square Records.

“We have a lot of regulars whose support has been incredible down the years, but people come in here all the time and are amazed by it – it’s like they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be in a record shop... and they remember they like it.

“From the clips that have been posted online Last Shop Standing has done a great job of capturing that feeling.”

Paul is encouraging music fans to back the Last Shop Standing film by making a contribution to its production. As little as £25 gets the contributor a namecheck in the film credits and an advance copy of the DVD. Tickets for the premiere, copies of the book and even private screenings are also available.

Log on to www.indiegogo.com to find out more.

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PICTURE: STEVE COOK 34

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SeekerArts

Play’s the thing on your marks, get set, go! Just in time for Euro 2012 and this summer’s olympic frenzy, the Reduced Shakespeare Company returns to Lighthouse Poole for the European premiere of their new show, The Complete World of Sports (abridged).

The history of athletic competition is revisited in a marathon of madness and mayhem that sees the world’s great sporting events shrunk down to theatrical size.

Is darts really a sport? What does NASCAR stand for? Why do Americans insist on calling a contest in which only they compete the “World Series”? Which is more boring – baseball or cricket? Who invented wife-carrying, bog-snorkelling and cheese-rolling? And why aren’t they in the olympics?

Whether it’s the ancient cavemen or

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the Classical Greeks, the Romans, the Elizabethans or the modern sports media, The Complete World of Sports (abridged) revels in the emotion and the drama of sports – not to mention random drug testing!

The Reduced Shakespeare Company is a three-man comedy troupe that takes long, serious

Back when they played the Bure Club at Mudeford in 1963, The Animals were just another ambitious British beat combo riding the coat tails of the early success of The Beatles and, more particularly, The Rolling Stones.

But when the club’s young sound engineer Tony Arnold showed them the chords to a folk song covered by Bob Dylan on his debut album, music history was made.

The song was called The House of the Rising Sun and The Animals’ keyboard player was Alan Price who returns to Christchurch this month to play the Regent Centre.

subjects and reduces them to short, sharp comedies.

Let the games begin!

June 26-28 Lighthouse, Poole 0844 406 8666 www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

There are countless versions of that story, but Tony traded the arrangement for a recording of the group’s show. His studio, Arnie’s Shack in Penn Hill, Poole, was a bastion of the Dorset music scene in the 1970s and 80s.

June 16 Regent Centre, Christchurch 01202 499199 www.regentcentre.co.uk

Night to remember Town comes alive one of Dorset’s finest historic properties opens up its grounds for an open air production of William Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy Twelfth Night.

Presented by Wimborne Drama open Air Theatre, which returns to Deans Court following last year’s sell-out production of The Importance of Being Earnest, Twelfth Night is a comedy of cross dressing, mistaken identities, unrequited love, trickery and drunken revelry.

June 28-July 1 Deans Court, Wimborne 01202 886116 www.wimbornedrama.co.uk

Billed as The World Comes To Town, Dorchester’s 10th annual Festival is a five-day celebration of local, regional and international talent.

During the Festival the town will become a centre of arts ranging from theatre, comedy, film and visual arts to street music, a Jurassic procession, a vintage market and children’s shows.

Concert highlights include comedian Hardeep Singh Koli, Kawa Circus and the Mighty Zulu Nation.

There are performances and artist-led participatory workshops, as well as a programme of community-led work.

June 1-5 Various venues 01305 267992 www.dorchesterfestival.co.uk For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 35

SeekerSocialDiary

Top of the Shops Thistle Hotel, Poole, May 9

The organising team

Lisa King, Mark Ferns

David Pearce, Graham Richardson

Grace Williams, John Corderoy

Ali Knott, Malcolm Brown, John Grinnell

Peter Tanner, Roger Boyce, Steve Power

Lucy Brett, Lisa Clarke, Chris Sansom, Vicky Nyenje, Louise Morris

Nicola Webb, Tracey Gore, Michelle Ramsier, Gill Don, Carol WestďŹ eld, Abbie Flay, Lindsey Ridley

Free downloads of all images on these pages from www.seekernews.co.uk/photos

BCF Lunch Club Cafe Shore, Sandbanks, April 27

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Dave Brown, Ann Lampitt

Jeff Lester, Maria Tidy

Mike Clark, Ben Arnold

Chris Varney, Steve Cook

Andrew Watts, Jane Jones, Fiona McArthur

Dr Dave Richards, Hayley Grigor

Warren Burnett, Kerry Houston-Kypta, Oonagh McKinney, David James

Simon Simester, James Henderson, Richard Guppy, Chris Kane,

Magnus Harding, Susanne Brade-Waring

For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk

SeekerSocialDiary

DCCI Shore Start Cafe Shore, Sandbanks, April 24

Michelle Henry, Thomas Kaltenbrunner-Danaher

Chris Stanbury, Richard Pearce

Kristy Davies-Sumpter, Rebecca Green

Des Day, Ian Siddall

Des Day, Lee Taylor, Sean Dominey

Peter Kearns, George Rashbrook

Steve Cook, Kamala Mackinnon, Michael Regenhardt

Ian Siddall, Chris Stanbury, Helen Stacey, Brian Maidman

Charlie Polley, Jade Sims, Jennie Bayliss, Rosie Park

Ward Goodman Charity Conference Bryanston School, Blandford, April 17

Jeremy Le Sueur, Chris Wilkinson

Simon Nightingale, Jessica TufďŹ n

Diane Sale, Ian Rodd, Jeanette McPhail

Tessa Pollard, Linda Packman

Speakers at the event

Lucy Page, Tammy Tavanaie

Laura McHarrie, Melissa Crooks, Jeremy Leslie-Smith

Simon Willcox , Andrew Carswell, Becky Nixon, Jeremy Le Sueur

Alexandra Wiggins, Jane Storey, Mark Markiewicz, Mar Goodfrey For the latest news visit our website seekernews.co.uk 37

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events listings JUNE 12 6pm Hardy Rural-Net – Finding your business on the web – understanding SEo, Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester, DT2 8PY Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541

JUNE 20 8am Business Bites – Government grants & initiatives to benefit your business, Bournemouth & Poole College, North Road, Parkstone, Poole, BH14 0LS be@thecolege.co.uk, 01202 205500

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JUNE 19 6pm Forum & North Dorset RuralNet – Finding your business on the web – understanding SEo, The Royal Chase Hotel, Shaftesbury, SP7 8DB Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@ wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541 JUNE 19 4pm Business Essentials – Market Research, it’s easier than you think, Bournemouth & Poole College, Meyrick Park, Lansdowne, BH1 3JJ be@thecollege, 01202 205500

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JUNE 20 12pm DCCI – Networking Lunch Summer Lodge Hotel, For Street Evershot, Dorset, DT2 0JR Sylvie Wilson, sylvie.wilson@dcci.co.uk, www.dcci.co.uk/events, 01202 714805 38

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KEY DJC Dorset Junior Chamber DCCI Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry IoD Institute of Directors

JUNE 27 6pm Marshwood Rural-Net – Understanding social media and your business, Highlands End, Eype, Bridport, DT6 6AR Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@ sxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541

JUNE 28 7.45am Business Xchange Breakfast – The sales rhythm with Jason Routley, Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester, DT2 8PY Laura McHarrie, laura.mcharrie@ wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01305 837063

JULY 11 12pm DCCI – Summer Networking Lunch, Norfolk Royale Hotel Sylvie Wilson, sylvie.wilson@dcci.co.uk, www.dcci.co.uk/events, 01202 714805