4FRONT Magazine

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The business magazine of South Cheshire Chamber

www.sccci.co.uk

Spring Edition 2013

Luxury car workers meet Prince Page 23

College gets Royal seal of approval Page 15

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‘Lettings - With a Difference’

The Temples teams with Phil Spencer at the Hilton Hyde Park Awards Ceremony - 19th April 2013

We are very proud to announce our continued success in the ESTAS Letting Agent Awards winning GOLD & SILVER as 2013 Best Letting Agents in the North West and by retaining our GOLD for 2013 Best Small Lettings Group in the UK. This reaffirms our total commitment and dedication to % providing % professionalism % % %and service % ! excellence ! ! ! . . . We are Simply ! the ! Best! ! ! to !our clients

! ! ! ! ! ! !

Landlords -! Join! the ! Winning Team'

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With over a decade of letting experience in Cheshire, come to your local family-owned and run independent letting specialist for a comprehensive service from experienced and caring professionals.

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FOREWORD

Welcome to the Spring edition of 4Front, the magazine for businesses in South Cheshire It was this time last year that I was congratulating Crewe Alexandra on their successful promotion to league one and once again they have had success at Wembley winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. On behalf of the local business community may I congratulate Chamber President and Club Chairman John Bowler on their success.

They are a real asset to South Cheshire.

Crewe Alex is a well-respected club who have a clear vision and have laid down solid foundations to achieve their goals. The Chamber is currently trying to establish a strong foundation for the All Change for Crewe initiative to achieve the success we all want to see for South Cheshire. Part of those foundations being laid is the ‘Local plan’ which was presented by Cheshire East Council earlier in the year, as this development Strategy sets out the proposed overall number of new homes and employment land that will be needed to drive economic regeneration for Crewe and Nantwich. The Chamber has been liaising with members and will continue to do so throughout the process.

We have all taken a deep breath since the HS2 announcement and while it is fantastic news, there are other developments happening that might not be on the same scale but are very important for the future of South Cheshire. The old post office buildings on Weston Road have now been demolished and work will start shortly to construct the new entrance, Crewe Green Link Road has the funding in place, pinch point funding has been granted to improve access to Junction 16 on the M6, MMU Cheshire are researching the ‘Innovation’ needs for Crewe and the Cheshire East Council has recently announced a £1.5 million contract to develop

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Chamber Team

Paul Colman Chief Executive

superfast broadband in Cheshire. These are positive announcements that will improve the economic prospects of the area and the Chamber is playing its part in making these happen.

As I write this editorial the Office of National Statistics announces that GDP has risen by 0.3% in the last quarter, this figure means the economy avoided two consecutive quarters of contraction, which is encouraging news.

This will clearly have disappointed those in the media who thrive on negativity and they will claim the figure is insignificant, but a 0.3% decrease would have been reported as the end of the world!

In South Cheshire there is an air of positivity.

I speak to many businesses and often the discussions focus on their expansion needs and recruitment plans and combined with enquires about inward investment and the projects identified earlier, confidence is building and long may it continue.

One event in the calendar that reminds us that we have fantastic businesses in the area is our Business Awards which will be taking place at Crewe Hall (Pg. 21). It is an opportunity to celebrate all that is good in South Cheshire and I encourage you to enter your company or nominate others.

Tina Hankey Chamber Executive Membership Co-ordinator

Erika Floodgate CEO Administration Apprentice to Paul Colman

Richard Weilding Business Loans Executive

Jon Barnes Chamber Executive - International Trade Co-ordinator

Anne Xiourouppa Accounts

Madeleine Abbey Chamber Executive - Events & Marketing

Nadeem Ahmed Chamber Executive Business Engagement & ICT Development

Paul Wilcox UKTI

I hope you enjoy this magazine and if your company has good news or advice to share with the local business community please make sure you submit an article for the next edition, so we can play our part in helping you achieve your success just like the Alex!

Chief Executive

For Articles and Advertising Sales please contact: Tina Hankey South Cheshire Chamber, Lyme Building, Westmere Drive, Crewe Business Park, Crewe CW1 6ZD Tel: 01270 504700 • Ext 16 Fax: 01270 504701 Email: tina.hankey@sccci.co.uk www.southcheshirechamber.co.uk

www.sccci.co.uk

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NEW MEMBERS

Meet our new members . .

Baker Tilly Tax and Advisory Services LLP Festival Way, Festival Park, STOKE-ON-TRENT Staffordshire ST1 5BB Tel: 01782 216 000 natalie.yates@bakertilly.co.uk www.bakertilly.co.uk Accountants & Tax Advisers

Be Safe North West Ltd The Quadrangle, North Wing, Crewe Hall Weston Road, CREWE, Cheshire CW1 6UZ Tel: 01270 500 899 info@besafenorthwest.co.uk www.besafenorthwest.co.uk Health & Safety BUTLER DRAIN SERVICES

Full Potential Marketing Limited 52 Langley Drive, CREWE, Cheshire CW2 8LN Mobile: 07719 808 469 damien@fullpotentialmarketing.co.uk Marketing

Lantern Fire and Security Ltd 40 Goldfinch Drive, STOKE-ON-TRENT, Staffordshire ST7 2GL Mobile: 07712 588 052 chris@lanternfire.co.uk www.lanternfire.co.uk Construction Security

Butler Drain Services 12 Pit Lane Hough, CREWE, Cheshire CW2 5JQ Tel: 01270 842 019 peterbutler44@yahoo.com Electricity, Gas & Water, Engineering

Lymer Doors Limited Sunnyhills Road, Barnfield Industrial Estate, LEEK Staffordshire ST13 5RJ Tel: 01538 388 727 bill.banks@lawtonpc.co.uk www.lymerdoors.co.uk Construction

C D & I Services 1 Seaton Close, CREWE, Cheshire CW1 3XH Mobile: 07414 501 670 cpdenthusiast@googlemail.co.uk Consultants

Nantwich Cricket Club Whitehouse Lane, NANTWICH Cheshire CW5 6HH Tel: 01270 624 638 rob@rss.me.uk Charity

FORYHUOHDI LPDJHV Cloverleaf Images Unit 2, The Warehouse, Middlewich Street CREWE, Cheshire CW1 4EA Tel: 01270 589 160 info@cloverleafimages.com www.cloverleafimages.com Commercial Photographic Studio

Courier Connex Limited Shenton Hill, Aston Lane, WOORE, CREWE Cheshire CW3 9RD Mobile: 07429 634 846 general@courierconnex.co.uk www.courierconnex.co.uk Courier/Light Haulage

Era Creative Ltd 7 Marton Close, Hough, CREWE, Cheshire CW2 5RD Tel: 07584 684 630 hello@eracreative.co.uk www.eracreative.co.uk Design & Print

Ovenspan Blossom Cottage 36 Green Lane, CREWE, Cheshire CW3 0ES Tel: 01270 811 270 djones213@btinternet.com Cleaning Service

Perris-Myatt 59 South Crofts, NANTWICH, Cheshire CW5 5SG Mobile: 07720 805 944 sarah@perris-myatt.co.uk Training & Consultancy

Posh Cleaning Services 6 Bramhall Road, CREWE, Cheshire CW2 8PT Tel: 01270 661 566 admin@poshcleaningservices.co.uk www.poshcleaningservices.co.uk Cleaning services - office and domestic.

The Best Chocolate Company 28 Hospital Street, NANTWICH, Cheshire CW5 5RP Mobile: 07413 632 255 keith@chocyholics.co.uk www.chocyholics.co.uk Retail

The Kitchen Facelift Company Limited Charles House, Princes Court, Beam Heath Way NANTWICH, Cheshire CW5 6PQ Tel: 01270 625 931 info@thekitchenfaceliftcompany.co.uk www.thekitchenfaceliftcompany.co.uk Kitchens

Three 29 Design 47 Ashley Meadow, Haslington, CREWE Cheshire CW1 5RH Mobile: 07534 892 464 livia@three29design.com www.three29design.com Design & Print

S & S Furniture Ltd 61-63 High Street, Silverdale, NEWCASTLE Staffordshire ST5 6LY Tel: 01782 624 474 factory@s-sfurniture.co.uk www.ssfurniture.co.uk Manufacturing and Retail

Studio 4orce 9 Hythe Avenue, CREWE, Cheshire CW1 3XE Mobile: 07725 359 843 john@studio4orce.co.uk www.studio4orce Health / Leisure / Fitness

System 7 Franchising Ltd Herons Way, Chester Business Park, CHESTER Cheshire CH4 9QR Tel: 01244 458 628 jeff@system7franchising.com www.system7franchising.com Business Management Consultant

X2 Communications Ltd Units 1-2 Moss Lane Business Centre, Moss Lane Sandbach, Nr Crewe CW11 3YX Tel: 0844 854 9700 mike@x2comms.co.uk www.x2comms.co.uk Telecommunications

For more information on joining the Chamber contact Tina on 01270 504700 Ext 16 or email tina.hankey@sccci.co.uk If you would like a meeting with a member of the Chamber Team, please contact the Chamber on 01270 504700

Spring Edition 2013

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CHAMBER NEWS 5

Life as an apprentice and I complete my course through Total People. When I was younger I couldn’t imagine working in an office. I thought it was boring but now I enjoy it.

Erika Floodgate, 18, is the friendly voice at the end of the phone when you call the Chamber. Here, she speaks about her role as an Administration Apprentice and encourages others to consider workplace learning.

“For the past few months I have been working towards a Level 2 NVQ in Business Administration. Unlike my friends I don’t go to college, instead I complete assessments and workbooks to build up an online portfolio. Making sure I complete the work is manageable but hard work.

“With an apprenticeship you are being trained in specialist subjects as well as getting real experience from a working office. I’m part of the Cheshire East A-Team

Chamber Forthcoming Events 2013

“The scheme is great because you’re not expected to know everything, you learn as you go on while also earning money.

Joint Export Club with East Cheshire Chamber 2nd May 2013 - 1st floor, Meadowside, Mountbatten Way, Congleton, CW12 1DY

“Although I’m basically a student, I get treated like an adult and given responsibility.

I have grown into my role and become more mature.

Networking & Tour for Members at SG World 8th May 2013

“My favourite part about being an apprentice is meeting lots of different people. It has really helped me develop communication skills and interact with people from all walks of life and business owners of all sizes.

“My job is really varied and I've had some great opportunities, such as going to important events and meeting HRH Prince Edward.

Crewe & Nantwich Jobs Fair 27th June 2013 at Crewe Alexandra Football Club New Members Welcome Morning 28th June 2013 at South Cheshire Chamber Texas Scramble Golf Tournament July at Wychwood Park Golf Club (date TBC) Chamber Annual Dinner 18th July 2013 at Crewe Hall

“Further education is not for everyone and being an apprentice is a good life experience. Learning while earning is a great concept and you can pick up different skills.

You should be prepared to have a lot of responsibilities but it gets easier the more time you spend at work.

Pre-Nantwich Show Business Reception 30th July 2013 at Dorfold Hall Park

“So to anybody thinking about starting an apprenticeship I say go for it!”

AGM & Annual Business Luncheon 19th September 2013 at Wychwood Park

Export Club - July 2013 Joint Networking Evening with Shropshire Chamber (date TBC)

Export Club - September 2013 Tour for Members September / October 2013

A warm welcome to new members members drawn from a wide range of businesses including marketing, design, photography, car sales and health and safety training.

Attendees heard about the various networking and promotional opportunities for members including Events, Chamber Portal, E-newsletter and 4Front magazine and how the Chamber helps exporters.

Brewtime: New members, left to right, Marc Bagguley, Holdcroft Volvo Crewe; James Greenaway, Era Creative; Michelle Bennett, Lymer Doors; Alf Murphy, Employment Law Solutions; John Clover, Cloverleaf Photograph and Sarah Perris and Merryn Myatt of Perris-Myatt enjoying a cuppa at the new welcome morning

A new event has appeared on the Chamber’s calendar.

Welcome Mornings for new members will now feature regularly.

The first of these took place at the Chamber offices on Crewe Business Park on April 26 and was well-attended by

Events and Marketing Executive Madeleine Abbey said: “Attending large events as a new member can be a little daunting and the Welcome Mornings offer a chance to make new contacts and friends in business in an informal way. They are also a great way to get to know the Chamber and how it can support you in business.”

The next Welcome Morning will be held on June 28.

For more information call Madeleine on 01270 504700 ext 20

Networking Evening at MMU Cheshire (date TBC) Annual Golf Tournament 15th October 2013 at Crewe Golf Club Joint Networking Lunch with East Cheshire Chamber 17th October 2013 (venue TBC) Export Club - November 2013 Chamber Business Awards 22nd November 2013 at Crewe Hall Christmas Networking Lunch 13th December 2013 at Rookery Hall Chamber events are being updated daily so keep an eye on the website and newsletter – and don’t forget the Chamber Member Interactive Portal where you can also promote your own events www.sccci.co.uk

Summer Issue due out 12th August 2013 Editorial Deadline 28th June 2013 Contact tina.hankey@sccci.co.uk Advertisement Deadline 19th July 2013 Contact tina.hankey@sccci.co.uk

www.sccci.co.uk

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TESTIMONIALS/CHAMBER NEWS

Here’s what members have to say about the South Cheshire Chamber . . .

We have had a number of support initiatives through the Chamber including small business loans when we were expanding into larger offices as well as publicity through Chamber articles and nominations at awards. The Chamber has been instrumental in helping our own success over the years - Helen Gould, PA4You Ltd The Chamber is a fantastic platform helping us to ‘sell’ ourselves to the business community and give back through sponsorship of the business awards. Through our rapid expansion, the Chamber has assisted with mentoring and sound business advice, all in all a great support - Ryan Jardine, KPI Recruiting Understanding the needs of small business, a friendly approach and great advice has made the Chamber a real friend to us. We were also thrilled to become a networking venue, giving us the opportunity to meet local business people and raise the profile of our venue - Samantha Norris, White Lion at Weston Redshift has stayed in the spotlight and has grown considerably, thanks to Chamber backing. It has taken an active interest, sitting on our Steering Group and providing content for our business shows. This interaction is helping us towards our goal of a full-time FM Community licence which will allow us to broadcast to a wider audience by the end of the year - Liz Southall, Redshift Radio

Join the HS2 conversation wants them to help shape its future discussions with HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport (DfT).

Since the Government’s preferred route was announced, Cheshire East has been analysing what it could mean for the area and has published a variety of detail at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/hs2

Cheshire East Council is urging people to join its conversation on the high-speed rail link HS2.

The authority understands that people want to know what this means for them and

The council believes it will bring real benefits, including a high-speed service taking passengers from Crewe to London in 58 minutes and a maintenance depot at Basford sidings creating many new jobs.

route is announced by the Government later this year.

Council leader Michael Jones said: “As a council, our job is to listen to the people and make a case to the Government about how we want them to move forward with the HS2 proposals.”

Visit www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/hs2 and fill in the online web form, call 01270 686022 or email hs2enquiries@cheshireeast.gov.uk

But right now, it wants to hear what the people think. This will help Cheshire East to represent their views as strongly as possible when the official consultation period on the

Go Local campaign hopes to set tills ringing As part of the Go Local initiative, the paper is featuring offers and incentives from shops and stores designed to attract customers to buy their products in Crewe and Nantwich.

Each week it will include local businesses ranging from local newsagents, butchers and hairdressers through to florists and cafés.

Each business listed is linked to a reader money-off offer, for example 10% off their bill, free item, or buy 1 get 1 free.

To redeem any of the offers or discounts, readers need to present the voucher printed in the paper.

Chamber chief executive Paul Colman and Barry Ellams of the Chronicle meet to launch Go Local in Crewe town centre

The Chamber has teamed up with the Chronicle newspaper as it launches a campaign to boost trade in local shops.

Spring Edition 2013

Chronicle editor Michael Green, said: “Go Local shopping campaigns run by our newspapers have always been successful in the past and we are sure it will be a big winner in Crewe and Nantwich.”

Chamber chief executive Paul Colman said:

“The Chamber is delighted to be supporting the Go Local campaign which is a positive initiative designed to showcase local shopping and supporting our retail community.

“We know we have some great shops with a lot of variety out there but we want people to Go Local and support shops in our town.”

The Chronicle is offering posters to all participating shops.

All shopowners or store managers have to do is take a picture of themselves and email a paragraph of no more than 20 words explaining what is good about their shop.

Email your photos and words to barry.ellams@trinitymirror.com

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MEMBERS NEWS 7

A stress-free and happy workplace Losing two close family members and a job through redundancy in the same year might have stopped most people in their tracks, but Dennis Richards used this and his experience of stress in the teaching profession to inform his next career move.

He founded Stress Free Living – specialising in stress management in the workplace and helping employers unravel complex legislation including HSE and the new British Standard in Stress Risk Assessment (PAS 1010).

Accountants go coast to coast A team led by David Williams, managing director of Crewe-based Jones Sheridan Financial Consulting, are set to cycle 140 miles across the width of the UK to boost funds for charity.

Dennis Richards

He said: “Stress now overtakes back problems as the main cause of long-term sickness absence in the UK, costing the economy over £3b a year. “A good stress management policy will reduce absenteeism, the chance of litigation, staff turnover and recruitment costs while increasing productivity and improving employee satisfaction and corporate image.”

He added: “Whether the stress employees suffer is due to the workplace or originates outside it, it is in the employer’s interest to give staff the tools to manage it. This can range from relaxation techniques to cognitive behavioural methods of dealing with negative thoughts and anxiety. Unfortunately many employers leave it too late, when the employee is on long-term sick leave and seeking compensation.”

Contact Dennis Richards on 07588563143

Double triumph for safety firm Safety Advisory Services Ltd of Crewe is celebrating after scooping a gold medal for excellence for the second year in a row. The accolade came from the City & Guilds' Medals for Excellence programme which recognises the achievements of Learners and Lecturer/Trainers in the UK and internationally who produce exceptional work or overcome the odds to achieve their goals.

Pat Birchall (pictured) was recognised for Outstanding Performance as an Assessor/Tutor for the Level 5 (QCF 7) NVQ in Management of Health and Safety (Higher Level Award) while the centre was honoured for its high standard of teaching and training.

Safety Advisory Services Ltd specialises in Occupational Health and Safety including Waste Management and Recycling combined with the Built Environmental Programmes. It delivers Edward Timpson MP to top name organisations across the presenting Pat Birchall UK and overseas including Enterprise, with her Gold Medal Veolia, Lloyds Banking Group, Cooperative Banking, Bombardier Transportation Ltd and Basell.

The two day marathon from Morecombe to Harrogate will put them in the saddle for over 15 hours and they hope to raise as much money as possible for The Wingate Centre, a charity the business regularly supports, and the British Heart Foundation.

David said: “As a business, we have taken part in a number of charity initiatives in the past, including organising a charity SpeedKarting event and our annual golf day which raised more than £3000 last year. This will certainly be one of our biggest challenges to date.”

David Williams is using his pedal power to help the Wingate Centre and British Heart Foundation

The ride will take place during National Bike Week on June 15 and 16.

To support the effort visit www.justgiving.com/teams/JSC2C to find out more.

If you are interested in sponsoring the team in any other way, you can contact David Williams on 01270 530975 or email dwilliams@jones-sheridan.co.uk

Tap into the Electronic Newsletter The Chamber’s Fortnightly Newsletter is sent by email to hundreds of members fortnightly and is a great way to keep up-todate with business news and local events.

It also provides a platform for members to promote their news and events free of charge. Members wishing to have their events listed should email the information to: madeleine.abbey@sccci.co.uk PLEASE NOTE: Members wishing to receive the South Cheshire Chamber e-newsletter must add info@sccci.co.uk to their contacts list to avoid it being treated as spam.

Pat was presented her medal by Edward Timpson MP and will attend the Lion Awards Ceremony in June 2013 at the Roundhouse, London.

For further information on Safety Advisory Services Ltd call 01270 584552 Award photography i2i Photography

www.sccci.co.uk

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MEMBERS NEWS

Healthcare ‘Oscars’ reward unsung heroes

Dealership gets into top gear to mark anniversary Holdcroft Volvo in Crewe is celebrating its first anniversary and a record year selling over 300 new and used cars.

The business on Weston Road is marking the milestone by getting more involved in the community supporting Crewe Alexandra’s Sunday ‘Lads & Dads’ training ground with its kits, printing and pitch-side coats for coaches.

Sales manager Marc Bagguley said: “Holdcroft has enjoyed a successful presence in Crewe through its Renault and Nissan dealerships for over 20 years and in more recent years through its Hyundai business.

Rewarded: The ECG team from Leighton Hospital

Staff and volunteers at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) have been recognised for their dedication to improving the quality of patient care at the Trust’s annual Celebration of Achievement evening.

More than 200 members of staff attended the event at Nantwich Civic Hall which was sponsored by the Royal College of Nursing and the union representatives of the Joint Consultative Negotiation Committee (JCNC).

Staff and volunteers were nominated by their colleagues and the awards were designed to ensure that everyone who had gone the extra mile in their daily work was eligible for nomination.

“We opened Volvo Crewe a year ago to cover the Cheshire/Shropshire areas for sales, servicing and parts. We took over premises previously occupied by Stratstone Volvo. When that closed it left local owners facing a trek to our Stoke Volvo dealership or a drive to other dealers in Chester and Warrington.

“They have been delighted with our presence in Crewe making our first year really successful. Volvo has one of the strongest customer retention rates in the industry and we have been pleased to welcome many new owners to the brand.”

For more information on Holdcroft Volvo Crewe call 01270 531000

Trust chief executive Tracy Bullock said: “The night capped off an exciting 12 months at the Trust, which saw us named as the most improved in the country as well as one of the top 40 hospitals in the UK.” Winners were: Outstanding Contribution to Patient Service and Care, Dr Shirley Hammersley (Consultant Physician in Acute Medicine); Outstanding Contribution to Safety, Wendy AstleRowe (Health and Safety Lead) and Dave Robinson (Security Lead); Commitment to Access, Equality and Diversity, ECG Team; Leadership Award, Sally Mann (Lead Nurse for Surgery and Cancer); Improving Cleanliness, Les Horth (Domestic); Outstanding Contribution to Personal Development, Debbie Brown (A&E); Volunteer of the Year, Sue Buckley (for supporting the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and One in Eleven charity appeal); Employee of the Year, Ailsa Rowlands (for promoting staff health and wellbeing and helping to raise more than £13,000 for the One in Eleven Appeal); Team of the Year, Acute Medical Unit / Primary Assessment Area; Patient Choice Award (sponsored by the Royal College of Nursing), A&E.

Double triumph for lettings firm South Cheshire lettings and property management firm Martin&Co beat off stiff competition to secure two national awards on the same evening.

quite special. The lettings industry remains unregulated, so the choice of the right agent is paramount, and these awards recognise the standards we maintain.”

In a ceremony attended by hundreds of representatives from the lettings industry, it won prizes for market leadership and best franchise. The company was represented by directors Mark Bowler and Shaun Cafferty as well as general lettings manager Sarah Lillico.

Sarah added: “As a Crewe girl I am thrilled that our efforts have received UK wide recognition. We have tried to lead the local property market into the 21st century with a fresh and pro-active approach and this has paid dividends.”

Shaun said: “There were almost 200 other lettings businesses in the running for these honours, so to be presented with two different awards on the same evening was

Spring Edition 2013

Judges said the firm had “embraced the values of integrity and professionalism” offering straight-talking good advice.

Shaun Cafferty and Sarah Lillico of Martin&Co receiving the Best Franchise award

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MEMBERS NEWS

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Sci-fi fan is ‘sew’ good to hospice

CREWE

NANTWICH

CONGLETON

MALPAS

STOKE

STAFFORD

Crewe-based physiotherapy, health and wellbeing experts CTC Healthcare are celebrating after winning a national award at the Department of Health’s Health at Work Partnership Forum – part of the public health responsibility deal.

Accountant James Nicholls has undertaken a Dr Who fundraising marathon for the ‘Dougie Mac’ hospice at Trentham

Dr Who fanatic James Nicholls from Nantwich has been hitting local headlines with his intergalactic challenge.

James has been knitting Tom Baker-style scarves and watching a mountain of old episodes to help raise cash for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice.

The 28 year-old took up knitting to relax while studying for his accountancy qualification and has sold the long, colourful scarves on the internet for ÂŁ50.

After passing with flying colours he is being sponsored by colleagues to watch 900 episodes – a total of 422 hours - of the Time Lord’s space travels.

He said: “Colleagues are really committed to supporting the hospice and are always coming up with wacky ideas to raise funds. When they heard I knit scarves they suggested I did it for the hospice while sponsoring me to watch my entire collection of DVDs in 900 days. “I’m just over half way through and have reached 1978 with Tom Baker as the Doctor so there’s quite a way to go yet but so far I have not missed a day.�

The ‘Who-vian’ hopes to raise hundreds of pounds for the hospice and add to the funds already raised by colleagues who stage dress down Fridays and regular whip-rounds. His effort has been featured in the Chronicle, Sentinel and on BBC Radio Stoke.

For more information on services provided by Barringtons call 01270 623821

Barringtons’ sister company BCR raised £500 for St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice with a St George’s Day quiz at Residence in Nantwich. More than 40 bankers, lawyers and accountants took part answering Britishthemed questions. For more on the hospice’s latest appeal see page 27.

The responsibility deal is a public health initiative (started in March 2011) aiming to achieve national success through voluntary organisations and companies working in collaboration. The responsibility deal involves various pledges which companies can sign up to and promote public health within that area. One of these such pledges is 'health at work', the core commitment is ' We will actively support our workforce to lead healthier lives'.

The day revolved around case studies that members had submitted outlining how they had implemented the Responsibility Deal pledges, the challenges they encountered and the outcomes they realised. Dame Carol Black (Expert Adviser on Health at Work to the Department of Health) judged CTC Healthcare’s case study as the best on the day.

CTC Healthcare’s case study centred around an innovative project it implemented in partnership with a major employer in Crewe. The ambitious project had the aim of improving the physical, social and psychological wellbeing of employees within 6 months.

CTC Healthcare was praised by Dame Carol Black for the positive outcomes achieved during this timescale. These included: t FNQMPZFFT QSPWJEFE XJUI (1 SFGFSSBM MFUUFST t JODSFBTF JO JOEJWJEVBMT XJUI BO ABDUJWF QIZTJDBM BDUJWJUZ JOEFY t EFDSFBTF JO JOEJWJEVBMT DMBTTFE BT IBWJOH IZQFSUFOTJWF CMPPE QSFTTVSF t PG JOEJWJEVBMT BUUFOEJOH B TUSFTT SFEVDUJPO DPVSTF JNQSPWFE UIFJS TUSFTT classification Paul Shawcross, CTC Healthcare Consultant and Physiotherapist explains how the project worked.

A8F DPNQMFUFE CBTFMJOF IFBMUI DIFDLT PG FNQMPZFFT BU UIF TUBSU PG UIF NPOUIT XIJDI allowed us to give our client an overarching summary of the health of its workforce.

We then developed a series of health and wellbeing interventions that we implemented over the 6 months. We believe that the success of the initiatives was due to us recruiting wellbeing champions from within the company.’ $5$ )FBMUIDBSF T .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS XBT EFMJHIUFE UP BDDFQU UIF BXBSE A$5$ )FBMUIDBSF has been at the forefront of delivering innovative health and wellbeing solutions that result in tangible benefits for our clients. We are extremely proud to receive such high acclaim for our case study.’

To book an appointment call 01270 588244 Visit www.ctchealthcare.co.uk www.sccci.co.uk

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10 MEMBERS NEWS

Dealership launches scheme to help small businesses designed to put small to medium companies on the road to success in style.

The unique BMW/MINI Business Partnership offers a bespoke, tailored lease service for companies with fleets of less than 50 vehicles, and underlines Blue Bell’s commitment to supporting the local business community and encouraging success.

Blue Bell BMW and Blue Bell MINI Crewe have launched a ground-breaking Business Partnership scheme, especially

The new service, which offers models across the BMW / MINI range, also provides companies with the benefits of luxury mobile office facilities thanks to a new partnership with Regus, the world’s leading provider of flexible workspaces.

Each new Business Partnership customer will receive complimentary 12-month Regus Businessworld Gold Card membership, giving them access to professional business lounges and meeting rooms equipped with the latest technology at 150 locations across the UK.

BMW Corporate Sales Manager Bernard Rooney and MINI Local Development Business Manager Michael Sayward (pictured) are on hand to keep local companies up to date with important regulation changes and offer invaluable expert advice on maintaining maximum business user efficiency.

Michael said: “The BMW Business Partnership is a fantastic new opportunity for local small and medium sized businesses. These companies are the heartbeat of our vibrant and diverse business community.

“We are dedicated to supporting local growth and the Business Partnership is designed specifically to help those companies where cost saving and maximising efficiency are crucial to survival and success.”

Information about the benefits of the BMW and MINI Business Partnership programme or to search for cars based on either a monthly payment or by model, visit Blue Bell’s latest contract hire offers at http://www.bmwbusinesspartnership.co.uk To test drive a BMW visit Blue Bell Crewe on Fourth Avenue, Weston Road, Crewe, Cheshire, or for MINI visit Blue Bell MINI Crewe on Gateway, Crewe. Contact the BMW team on 01270 212525 or MINI 01270 214800

Call service raises the bar for standards Crewe-based call handling service at PA4You is celebrating a near-perfect score when it comes to accuracy. MD Helen Gould said: “The outsourced call centre industry standard measurement is to use the 80/20 rule. 80% correct messages / 20 errors. Also 80% of calls to be answered in 20 rings or less.

“However we work to 95% minimum accuracy level, and regularly achieve much, much higher. Last week for example it was 99.9% accuracy. That's just one tenth of one per cent of the thousands of messages we handled were sent back as incorrect. And that was in our busiest week yet!”

Hayley Langley is on call at PA4You

The statistics are used to identify staff training needs and ensure high standards are maintained.

Helen added: “We awarded one of our team, Hayley, who has been with us over four years a very special prize last week.

In the first three months of this year she has had only two client complaints about the thousands of messages she had handled in that time.”

PA4You are driving through the recession with growth of over 30% a year as more business owners understand the benefits of never missing another call to their competitors.

For more information call PA4You on 01270 219500

Women get to grips with marketing MMU Cheshire was the venue for a MizBiz event on April 24 offering women support with their business ventures.

More than 20 women attended the lunch and talk at the Crewe campus with guest speaker Emma Dalzell of Bare Bones Marketing taking the stand.

Emma, winner of the Chamber’s Best Start Up Business in 2012, presented ‘Getting Down and Dirty with your Marketing’ focusing on the challenge of promoting a business while keeping a tight grip on the purse strings.

For more information on MizBiz and to register for details on the next event call Joy Grant at the MMU on 0161 247 5289.

Spring Edition 2013

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MEMBERS NEWS 11

Businesses get a flavour of college facilities

Phillip Knight is seen outside the new County Group office in Manchester

Picture by Jan Roberts of Pure PR

Businesses from a wide variety of backgrounds enjoyed a taste of college life when South Cheshire Chamber staged its first networking event of 2013. It was hosted and sponsored by Reaseheath College which provided a hot buffet lunch and an opportunity for members to tour its £7m Food Innovation Centre where national and regional businesses develop and trial new products.

The state-of-the-art facilities, recognised as the best offered by any college in Europe, are also used to train food and drink manufacturing students, apprentices and future managers already working in the industry.

Chamber chief executive Paul Colman welcomed more than 40 members to the

Insurers branch out into Manchester

Crewe-based The County Group, best known for County Insurance Consultants, has grown to become one of the largest insurance brokers in the North West with the opening of new offices in Manchester. event including business owners and employees from firms ranging from banking, legal and recruitment to pottery, print and PR. South Cheshire Chamber offers many networking opportunities throughout the year.

For more information on events call Madeleine Abbey on 01270 504700 For more information on membership call Tina Hankey on 01270 504700

Marketing - just when you need it New members Full Potential Marketing Ltd have created a service tailored to the needs and budgets of SMEs. MD Damien Mooney said: “Employing a full-time marketing professional is expensive – it’s not just a salary, it’s the benefits, the holiday pay, the sick pay, the hardware and software.

“We provide businesses with their own experienced and knowledgeable Marketing Manager, who works with them to plan, implement, manage and deliver marketing activities. And they only pay for the service when needed.

marketing specialists, with strong commercial, organisational and project management skills.

“The new Marketing Manager Service provides instant benefits as our clients have immediate access to a highly professional and experienced team of

“The service is tailored to our client’s needs, so working on-site or off-site isn’t an issue for us…and we won’t even take up any office space.”

Last year County Insurance provided more than £20m of both personal and business insurance policies for their customers.

MD Dave Clapp said: “Having grown organically for a number of years now, we felt the time is now right for us to have an office in the centre of Manchester. We already have a number of clients there and it is our ambition to attract and service more clients, who tend to be located in Manchester, by being there ourselves.”

Phillip Knight, Branch Director, added: “Having high quality products is vital to this venture. County Insurance has worked really hard over the past couple of years to secure a variety of facilities via partnerships with leading insurers. These are ideal for the larger business market, both in terms of competitiveness and quality of product.”

The new office – based on Hardman Square, Spinningfields - is designed to aid the growth of the business by having a presence in the heart of the city.

County Insurance can be contacted on 0800 980 3139

For more information contact Damien direct on 07719808469 or email damien@fullpotentialmarketing.co.uk

www.sccci.co.uk

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12 MEMBERS NEWS

Nantwich sizzles in food league Nantwich has been identified as a ‘foodie hotspot’ as it gears up to welcome thousands of visitors to another summer of gastronomic greatness.

Mountain high: Nantwich town crier John Parsons takes on the Mount Vesuvius pasta-eating challenge staged by Romazzino Italian Restaurant

Sponsorship packages include roadside advertising boards for company names and logos

National newspaper, The Telegraph, placed it in its Top 20 of tasty towns. The International Cheese Show, staged as part of the Nantwich Show, and the Nantwich Food and Drink Festival, earned the town its place in the food-lovers’ league of top destinations.

The paper said: “Experts estimate that proximity to a world-class restaurant can add anything from 10 to 25 per cent to property prices. These 20 towns, including Nantwich, bring a smile to food-lovers’ faces.”

Organisers of Nantwich Food and Drink Festival are planning to do just that when the event returns over the weekend,

September 6-8. Spokeswoman Jan Roberts, who handles publicity, said: “We believe our festival has so much to offer over others. We have lots up our sleeve for this year, including new venue in the heart of the town centre.”

Last year’s festival attracted more than 30,000 people to Nantwich and generated £2m income for the town.

For more information on Festival 2013 www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk Businesses can throw their weight behind the festival through sponsorship. Various packages are available which include highprofile publicity and roadside advertising boards. For more information visit www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk For more information on Festival 2013 www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk

Railwaymen fast track cup to Mornflake Mornflake, the club’s shirt sponsor for a 9th year, was out in force to see the Railwaymen beat Southend United 2-0 with staff travelling down to London in their coachloads. Football secretary Alison Bowler said: “It was the stuff of dreams. We were the first Football League team to get to Wembley twice in one year, and win for a second time.

John Lea (centre) and Alison Bowler of Crewe Alex with Mornflake staff and the Johnstone Paint Trophy

Crewe Alexandra spread a little of its Wembley glory to Mornflake giving staff a sneak preview of the Johnstone Paint Trophy after its historic win in the capital.

“Our partnership with Mornflake has proved lucky beyond doubt and we go from strength to strength. We were only too happy to give fans working there a chance to see the cup in all its glory before going on official show in the club shop.”

The super-shiny cup didn’t have too far to travel to its famous porridge-making neighbours on Gresty Road and was greeted with cheers of delight by staff from the office and mill.

The breakfast cereals firm is a keen supporter of the Alex and helps fuel players with its products through a pre-training breakfast club. As shirt sponsor its logo is seen on players every outing, flying the flag for the brand up and down the country.

MD John Lea said: “After its Wembley win last May and now second historic victory, the club is certainly helping to bring the feelgood factor back to Crewe.

“And you don’t need to be a football fan to appreciate what this means to the town.

After the doom and gloom of an endless winter, they have provided a very joyful start to spring.”

Mornflake wins international award for its oats (see page 19)

Athletes are a runaway success with backing from accountants More than 230 people attended the awards evening staged in recognition of the team achievements of the 2011 winter and 2012 summer season.

Crewe-based Alextra accountants are proud sponsors of the Crewe & Nantwich Athletics Club and members of the team attended the prestigious awards evening at MMU.

Spring Edition 2013

Success stories spread from the NSCCL and summer and winter sports hall events to Cheshire track and field league titles.

Individual achievements were celebrated with annual performance awards for under 11s and the AAA’s performance awards for under 13s and seniors. The finale consisted of the individual event awards for all age categories making it an event for everyone.

Members of the Alextra Team, Farrah Oliver and Rebecca Thorley, attended the event

and presented the under 11 winners with their medals and certificates - the category that Alextra specifically sponsor.

Director Anthony Brookes said: “Alextra Accountants choose to sponsor this event every year. The cause of the club throughout the year is phenomenal and the accomplishments achieved by those who take part makes us very proud to support and be a part of.”

For more information on the services of Alextra Accountants Ltd call 01270 250800

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MEMBERS NEWS

New business takes flight for couple A couple from Woore are celebrating success after turning a hobby into a business crafting hand-made garden structures.

Robin Limited was formed.”

They specialise in bespoke treehouses, play caravans, garden offices, garden structures, children’s swings/climbing frames and summerhouses.

New Chamber members Greg and Katharine Shaw achieved a long-held ambition to run their own enterprise when they founded Cheeky Robin Ltd a year ago.

With a love of wood and design, the idea grew when Greg built a gypsy-style caravan for his daughter to play in. Katharine said: “Friends and family were impressed with the quality and design and nagged and nagged him to set up his own business, thus Cheeky

Katharine added: “Our aim is to let your imagination run wild while taking your garden to a different dimension.”

For more information about bespoke products from Cheeky Robin Ltd call 07949 133493 or visit the website www.cheekyrobin.co.uk

Business gets full marks for helping school Nantwich-based IT support provider Complete Technologies Solutions Limited (CTS) has donated equipment to a school in China. The donation came after managing director Sarah Wilson visited and was appalled at the level of poverty suffered in rural villages. Sarah said: “My father lives in China and on a recent trip to see him we visited a village called Lian Jiang in Guang Dong Province. We were appalled at the poverty and lack of even the most basic equipment in their school, Di Shan (Low Mountain) Primary School.

“It was a real surprise after arriving in the nearby city of Zhanjiang which is incredibly modern and wealthy." Her father David Edis-Bates added: "I've been based in China for a while now and despite rapid economic reform, there is still a massive problem with poverty especially in rural areas. The equipment donated by CTS will make a massive difference to the village."

CTS Tech Solutions provides ICT support services to schools and SMEs across the region.

For more information visit www.cts-techsupport.co.uk

Family firm is a shining example notching up an awards hat-trick Temples Lettings carried off the Gold Award in the national category for Best Small Lettings Chain at the prestigious Estate & Letting Agent Awards 2013 – for the second year running

Phil Spencer, who has hosted the ESTAS every year since their inception in 2004 said: “I think these awards help us all to focus on customer service for the greater good of our own businesses as well as the wider industry. We must all drive standards higher, raising the bar in terms of the quality of advice we offer and the level of customer care we deliver.”

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The Nantwich office, owned by Roy Kitchen, was named Best Letting Agent in the North West while the Northwich office, owned by Roy’s daughter and sonin-law Natalie and Gary Williams, won the Silver Award for the region.

Roy’s son Steve, Lettings Manager in Nantwich, was also highly commended and shortlisted for the national Peoples Award.

The hat-trick of awards was announced on April 19 by TV property expert Phil Spencer at a lavish luncheon and ceremony at the Hilton Park Lane London attended by 600 of the UK’s top estate and letting agents and suppliers to the industry.

Picking up their hat-trick of awards from TV celebrity Phil Spencer are Roy Kitchen (left), Nantwich branch general manager Jackie Kenny, Robbie Kitchen and Steve Kitchen

ESTAS and recognise top estate and letting agents in the UK based on research amongst customers who are asked a series of questions about the service they have received from their agent.

Agents were shortlisted in 18 regions around the country. “The ESTAS competition is about recognising the hard work agents put in every day, every week and month of the year” says Simon Brown who runs the national scheme. “So to be shortlisted is a great achievement, but to win is the highest accolade any agency can achieve.”

More than 23,000 questionnaires were completed by customers during the competition.

The awards, celebrating their 10th year, are known throughout the industry as the

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14 MEMBERS NEWS

Gymnast and physio team up for conference As a leading sports physiotherapist, Rick Carter has worked with several Premier League football teams and has been instrumental in the design and delivery of the event. He said: “With over 25 years experience of working with successful multidisciplinary teams at elite level in both sport and business, I understand how team dynamics affect success.

Beth Tweddle with celebrity trainer Greg Whyte and (inset) Rick Carter

Olympic medalist Beth Tweddle and Rick Carter, MD of CTC Physiotherapy and CTC Healthcare, were key speakers at a major sports conference.

The Multi Disciplinary Team Conference was held at the prestigious National Football Centre in Burton-upon-Trent and was host to a world-renowned panel of experts, including the star gymnast.

It explored the implementation, development and management of multi-disciplinary teams harnessing and delivering a sustainable world class performance in both sporting and business environments.

“I’m lucky to have a strong team around me at CTC and I work as part of a successful multidisciplinary team at West Bromwich Albion under Dr. Mark Gillett.

The conference showcases current successful practices and thinking and is well received by both delegates and speakers alike.”

It brought together experts in sports science and medicine including Dr Ian McCurdie, Chief Medical Officer for the British Olympic Committee, Bill Knowles, who rehabilitated Johnny Wilkinson and Tiger Woods and Dr Mark Gillett, Chief Medical Officer to West Bromwich Albion Football Club.

Also appearing were Greg Whyte, the celebrity trainer who helped David Walliams swim the Channel.

For more information on CTC call 01270 588244 or visit www.ctcphysio.com

Business is fighting fit for new member He said: “It was back in my 20s I realised how I could tune my mind and body into making myself feel positive.

“Everyone goes through dark times but for me exercise has always been the one thing that has pulled me through.

“Studies now show that the release of endorphins, the feel good hormone, in the brain can help people with mild depression in an ever-increasing stressful world.

“I have been in this business on a part-time basis for 17 years starting out as an amateur boxer then going on to do my ABA badges gaining nine qualifications.

New Chamber member John Howell is boxing clever with a new fitness business.

The former amateur boxer and boxing trainer has created a new studio at his home in Hythe Avenue, Crewe where he is putting clients through their paces as they strive to get fit, lose weight and tone up.

Spring Edition 2013

“But now with my own purpose-built studio I am ploughing all my energies into the business and things are going well.”

John, who has also taken classes at Legends, added: “It was my dream to have my own studio. I'm proud to say I have accomplished that.”

For more information on fitness at STUDIO 4ORCE in Crewe call John on 07725 359843

Garage retains its crown for fourth year

Chris Meredith and staff with ABP’s clutch of awards, including its latest accolade for Large Garage of the Year

Staff at a South Cheshire garage are celebrating after scooping a national award for the fourth year running.

ABP Motorsport in Shavington not only retained its crown as ‘Garage of the Year’ but also beat heavy-weight rivals across the country in a new category for large garages. It was honoured once again in the Car and Accessory Trade (CAT) national magazine awards which asked readers and garage customers to vote for industry champions and ABP on Newcastle Road raced to the finish line.

Large Garage of the Year was the top award to be presented at an Oscars-style presentation ceremony held at Twickenham Stadium in London.

Although the voting figures are not revealed, organisers indicated ABP’s ran into thousands.

MD Chris Meredith said: “Winning for four consecutive years is wholly unprecedented and this year it is even more of a staggering achievement as we were placed against the ‘big boys’ in the Large Garage category.

“When we heard the categories were being split into Small and Large, and we were placed in Large, we thought we didn’t stand a chance, as we are pretty small in comparison to many of the larger national entrants. So I went along to the awards ceremony not expecting anything at all and couldn’t believe my ears when our name was called out as Garage of the Year again.”

It’s the fifth national award in four years for the garage which employs nine staff from the local area. It was also named Motorcodes Garage of the Year in 2012 after scoring top marks in customer surveys.

For more information on ABP Motorsport call 01270 567177.

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MEMBERS NEWS 15

College is officially opened by Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex officially unveiled South Cheshire College’s state-of-the-art campus.

Prince Edward was joined by college governors, local dignitaries, staff and students at the showcase event. He met staff and students in different departments including Hair and Beauty, Film and Media and Performing Arts and stopped to chat to them about their studies.

He also visited students in the college’s Independent Living flat, a specialist facility for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.

His visit culminated with the unveiling of a plaque in the college’s Centre Stage Theatre to declare the building officially open.

Peter Swift, college principal, said: “The Prince was very interested in what our students had to say and seemed very impressed with the college.”

Prince Edward plants a new tree in the College copse

The Prince carries out a full schedule of royal duties on behalf of The Queen and plays the lead role in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

Prince Edward unveils the new College plaque in front of a packed Centre Stage Theatre

Health and Social care student Natasha Russell, 16, shared a few words with the VIP visitor. “He asked me what course I was studying and seemed really interested in what I had to say. I think it’s fantastic that he came to open the college.”

During his whistle-stop tour of South Cheshire the Prince also visited the Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts and met Cheshire East Council apprentices.

Save £000’s in Sickness Absence costs... ... with the cost effective Day 1 sickness absence service from CTC. ‘the cost of work related ill health and injury in the form of absenteeism is £32 billion in the UK’ PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2011

CTC Healthcare provide an immediate service to help maximise staff attendance and reduce sickness absense costs from Day 1

WHY USE DAY 1 HEALTHCARE? Cost effective approach to sickness absence management.

Access to an experienced team of healthcare professionals within 24 hours.

Regular communication and progress reports provided to the employer.

Free consultation to assess business needs.

Simple monthly payment (no limit to the number of referrals).

Quick and easy service to set up.

Speak to a CTC Healthcare consultant today for more information on: 01270 588 244 or email day1@ctchealthcare.co.uk www.sccci.co.uk

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16 PATRONS

AIR PRODUCTS Shuttle power

In a spin

Have you ever wondered what powers a space shuttle launch?

Well the answer is a combination of oxygen and hydrogen – a fuel which is increasingly regarded as a viable fossil-fuel alternative for other forms of transport too.

Air Products has over 40 years experience in the aerospace industry, including its pioneering work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), providing technology for the production and supply of liquid hydrogen to power space shuttle programmes and other initiatives.

With a contract serving space centres across the US, Air Products operates a dedicated hydrogen liquefaction plant for NASA in New Orleans. With two liquefaction units onsite, this plant is capable of producing up to 60 tons of liquid hydrogen a day.

Ray Marchini, Air Products’ senior contract manager, government sales, said: “This is the most exciting industry imaginable and it is great to be playing our part in powering NASA’s on-going space shuttle programme by providing supplies of liquid hydrogen. With a number of hydrogen liquefaction plants strategically located across the US and Canada, there is always a constant stream of supply. This makes our service one of the most reliable in the world.”

Demand for gas liquefaction technologies is increasing around the world and is used in a variety of ground-breaking applications including liquid fuel production, natural gas liquefaction and the development of photovoltaic solutions.

For more information on Air Products call 01270 614000

In the quest for clean energy, a wide range of industrial gases and chemicals are used in the production of modern wind turbines – turning wind energy into electricity.

Standing proud off growing areas of coastline, wind turbines are designed to withstand the toughest environmental conditions, including the corrosive effects of wind and waves. The specialist metals used in their construction are high-performance and have protective coatings, which make them especially resilient and hardwearing.

Mike Hevey, Air Products’ European business manager - Metals, Glass and Minerals, said: “The manufacture and assembly of a wind turbine is a complex one due to the mechanical stresses involved.

Steel and Aluminium are used to provide the strength from the main hub with the blades themselves being manufactured from glass reinforced plastic. It’s where Air Products industrial and specialty gases help optimise the manufacturing process.

“Gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon and CO2 are commonly used in the manufacture and assembly of wind farms, in order to produce high performance composite materials or specialist protective coatings, which are designed to withstand the harshest of environments. Our ability to optimise the productivity of clean energy solutions is vital to the future of the planet and we aim to continue to work closely with industrial partners to support the research and development of new materials and solutions.”

Air Products is actively working with a variety of industry groups on research and development projects to find clean energy solutions for the future.

MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Part Time Masters Degree Opportunities importance of leadership throughout the organisation.

Managers in today’s organisations need access to the tools, techniques and knowledge associated with effective leadership in the 21st Century.

Both private and public sector organisations are facing unprecedented change in the 21st Century. The environment is turbulent and complex requiring adaptable and flexible organisations capable of responding effectively to the challenges of globalisation, increasingly sophisticated consumers and advances in technology. Such circumstances place increasing emphasis on the

In support of this the Department of Business and Management Studies at MMU Cheshire offers a range of learning opportunities aimed at individuals who are seeking to further their professional development either through postgraduate qualifications or supplementing existing qualifications.

One example is the part-time MSc Strategic Leadership and Change, a blended learning programme which minimises time away from work and maximises employees potential.

Typical outcomes: •

More confident and skilled employee capable of responding

•

Improved performance in current role.

•

Identification of future potential.

•

Problem solving related to current issues.

The Department recognises Professional Qualifications and you may already have such as the CMI Executive Diploma, CIPD Professional Qualification Scheme and CIM Postgraduate Diploma enabling access to “Top Up” Masters degree courses through Accreditation of this Prior Learning (APL).

For further information please contact Jane Muir at J.Muir@mmu.ac.uk or come down to one of our Cheshire Postgraduate Courses Fair 3pm – 7pm, Wednesday 15th May 2013.

Call us on 0161 247 6969 to book a place or come along on the day and see what we have to offer.

Spring Edition 2013

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PATRONS 17

REASEHEATH New food partnership will support industry comprehensive service which includes the latest research and development, access to new processing technologies and bespoke training.

Coming together: Graham Bonwick, Steve Osborn, Toni-Anne Harrison, Katherine Tunnicliffe and Derek Allen celebrate the new partnership

Reaseheath College’s Food Centre has become part of a new collaboration aimed at improving the transfer of knowledge between companies and research centres.

The partnership, between Reaseheath, the University of Chester and Leatherhead Food Research, will offer a ‘one stop shop’ for small, medium and large businesses within the food and drink industry. By combining their skills, the three partners aim to offer a

All have very strong credentials within the industry. Reaseheath’s Food Centre is the result of a recent £7.3 million investment offering industry standard dairy processing halls with full pilot plant and new butchery and bakery facilities. It has a team of multi disciplinary technologists offering a technical support service and unbiased evaluation of products.

The Food Centre is already used by businesses of all sizes for new product development and staff training.

The University of Chester has expertise in food science, technology, nutrition and dietetics and is currently developing a commercial food centre, the North West Food Research - Development Exchange (NOWFOOD), which is ERDF funded.

Leatherhead Food Research is an

independent organisation offering scientific expertise and international regulatory advice to global food, drink and related industries Reaseheath and Leatherhead, which is based in Surrey, both have conference facilities in accessible locations which will be available for customer innovation days.

The partnership was launched at Reaseheath’s Food Centre in front of delegates from large, medium and small businesses.

Food Centre Head Toni-Anne Harrison said: “This is a very exciting collaboration offering real combined strengths which will appeal to a wide cross section of companies. By coming together we will already have done the leg work necessary for most projects, and clients will be able to deal with one point of contact.”

For more information on Reaseheath College call 01270 625131

SOUTH CHESHIRE COLLEGE College has ingredients for success A local chef has found the secret recipe for apprenticeship success after linking up with South Cheshire College.

grateful to the college for what it has done and I think apprenticeships are a great way for young people to learn new skills which can only benefit them in the workplace.”

Shaun Newall (pictured) who runs the Verdin Arms, has a former college apprentice working in his kitchen and is set to take on another to bolster his team.

He took over the pub and restaurant at Wimboldsley in November and has quickly developed a reputation for excellent homecooked food. He has been supported in the venture by former college apprentice Kayleigh Gater, 21, who completed a Level 3 in Patisserie.

Shaun is a former college student himself, completing a City and Guilds Professional Chef Course in 1981. He said: “I’m very

The college’s Work Related team works extensively in the delivery of apprenticeships. Over 100 apprentices are currently completing qualifications and improving their skills in the workplace and apprenticeships are available in areas such as Engineering, Business Administration, Customer Service, Child Care, IT, Hairdressing and Plumbing For more information call 01270 654638 or visit www.scc.ac.uk

Crewe firm unites with college Global communications company Boldon James is looking to the future by strengthening its links with South Cheshire College.

It is set to announce new partners in the UK, Netherlands and Eastern Europe which will help to expand Boldon James’ business interests into other non-Defence vertical markets such as Finance, Banking and Utilities.

The Crewe firm is set to work closely with the college by taking advantage of apprenticeships and work-related training programmes which can benefit the business.

Companies around the world use Boldon James products to manage sensitive information securely.

The company has secured multi-million pound projects with organisations such as the European National Armed Forces and the UK Ministry of Defence and Intelligence Services.

Members of the Boldon James team outside the Crewe Business Park office

Development director Richard Bailey said: “We are keen to strengthen our links with South Cheshire College which is one of the top further education colleges in the region with excellent facilities and another glowing reputation. We are hoping that taking on apprentices in the future or engaging in other work related training programmes will benefit both organisations and help our business to go from strength to strength.”

www.sccci.co.uk

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18 PATRONS

BENTLEY Royal seal of approval for Bentley opportunity to tour the factory and meet a number of colleagues who make some of the world’s finest luxury cars.

The Earl of Wessex tours the factory

Bentley Motors was delighted to welcome His Royal Highness, The Earl of Wessex to the company’s historic Pyms Lane factory.

The Earl, who had a number of engagements within the region, had the

The company has close links with the Royal Household, having worked with other UK automotive companies in 2002 to make the State Limousine which proudly carries the “Winged B” of the Bentley marque. HRH was able to see the craftsmanship in wood and leather that goes into the State Limousine while taking in how the plant has been transformed over the last decade into a state-of-the-art automotive production facility which marries traditional skills with advanced manufacturing and engineering excellence.

During the visit, he met a number of the

company’s apprentices. Bentley’s highly regarded apprenticeship programme not only provides individuals with the training and work experience essential to a career in the industry but it also delivers significant business benefits to the company, helping it remain globally competitive.

The Prince also launched the Cheshire Community Foundation at an evening reception held at Bentley Motors. The Foundation is a new charity which aims to ‘Make Cheshire Better’ by connecting local philanthropists with local charitable causes.

The event was hosted by Bentley and attended by over 100 guests, dignitaries and business leaders from the region. Bentley is contributing to the charity through the Bentley Fund.

Firm creates its Chinese dynasty it heads for double digit growth again in 2013.

Bentley has introduced the new Flying Spur to Greater China.

The company has also announced plans to grow its dealer network in Greater China as

Chairman Dr Wolfgang Schreiber said: “China is a key market for Bentley and we are enjoying great sales success and growing customer interest. To continue to achieve these results, we have a significant expansion plan in place. This starts with the new Flying Spur, previously our best-selling model and we expect 60 per cent of the new Flying Spur sales to be delivered to customers in China.”

2012 saw a 23 per cent sales growth in China, with the region becoming Bentley’s second biggest market.

Bentley established an official importer at the start of 2013, Bentley Motors China, to manage all key operations from its headquarters in Beijing. The company’s growth plan includes major network expansion to build on the current 26 locations and continue to provide every Bentley customer with a first-class service.

12 new dealer locations are opening by May this year, with plans for 45 dealerships covering all key cities in Greater China to be in place by 2015.

For more information on Bentley Motors call 01270 255155 or visit www.bentleymotors.com

WULVERN Wulvern head office goes green measure - reducing reliance on power from the national grid while boosting revenue through the government's feed-in tariff scheme.

Wulvern’s head office goes solar!

Crewe-based housing association Wulvern has installed solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels to its head office as a major step towards reducing the carbon emissions from energy use – and is the first company on the Business Park on Electra Way to do so!

The project will provide the twin benefits associated with this particular energy-saving

Spring Edition 2013

The government sets a Feed in Tariff (FIT), which pays Wulvern a rate per kilowatt for any energy generated by the panels. This means that Wulvern can generate an income of around £3,650 a year which it will use to invest in energy saving measures for its tenants.

Lee Smith, Neighbourhood Investment Manager, said: “Wulvern has already started to install solar PV panels on some our homes, particularly in rural locations, with great success so fitting them to our head office will enable the organisation to also benefit from reduced energy costs as well as reducing our carbon dioxide emissions by over 14,700 tonnes or 20.2% per year.”

As well as its commitment towards the environment, Wulvern also demonstrated its corporate social responsibility by contracting the work to Wardle-based company, the Green Electrician Group, supporting employment in the local community.

Furthermore by working in conjunction with the Manchester Metropolitan University, Wulvern has secured £73,000 of funding to deliver a two-year project looking at energy affordability and has appointed KTP associate, Sarah Bloor.

Sarah will be helping tenants cope with ever increasing fuel prices and with reducing their carbon footprint, and working on initiatives such as PV panels which compliment other projects including insulation and installing up to date condensing boilers.

For more information on Wulvern Housing visit www.wulvern.org.uk

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PATRONS 19

MORNFLAKE All aboard a vintage classic Companies are being invited to welcome a vintage classic.

up and down the country to events like the Just So arts festival at Leek in August.

Mornflake’s ‘porridge-parlor’ - a replica Asquith delivery van – has taken to the road and local businesses can apply for it to visit their premises.

Marketing spokeswoman Catherine Sadler said: “We searched high and low to find a vehicle that would fit with Mornflake’s heritage and the Asquith was just the ticket.

When it’s not appearing at shows we thought it would be nice to visit local businesses and give their employees a chance to enjoy the products we make at Crewe while learning more about us.”

The firm’s promotions team will treat employees to porridge made up in the van’s specially-created kitchen area complete with serving hatch.

Marketing manager Richard Jones with assistants Nicola Smith and Catherine Sadler with the Asquith

The Asquith has been specially-converted to add extra pulling power to the company’s roadshow appearances and will be travelling

For more information on visits from the Asquith call Catherine Sadler at Mornflake on 01270 213261

Champion oats strike another gold Oats from Mornflake are simply world-class - and that’s official! The family millers have notched up another gold medal from the prestigious ‘Monde Selection’ board – an international institute for quality food.

It adds to the gleaming array of more than 40 gold medals achieved by the Crewebased firm since the world famous institute was founded in 1961.

Catherine Sadler of Mornflake with the Monde Selection gold medal

Based in Brussels, its selection committee of Michelin-starred chefs, master bakers and nutrition experts test all manner of globallyproduced food and drink products and it was the Mornflake oat that came out tops

yet again in the cereal category.

Spokeswoman Catherine Sadler (pictured) said: “Our expertise and dedication to quality has been recognised once again by the Monde Selection in a category we have made virtually our own down through the decades. But it is not all about winning awards for us. By placing contracts with farmers across the UK, we help to conserve the oat as an important crop and an essential part of the agricultural economy.”

For more information on products visit www.mornflake.com

SG WORLD Exhibition time for SG World The two main highlights in the SG World event calendar fall in April and May – the Academies Show South and the Safety and Health Exhibition.

Following their successful exhibition presence at The Academies Show North 2012 at the Birmingham NEC, SG World attended the London based show on April 24. The Academies Show is an important annual forum for schools who have already or who are looking to achieve academy status.

“It was an excellent day,” Mark Haase, Director, said. “We were able to connect with a huge base of education decision makers, and demonstrate how our solutions, like VisIT ED electronic visitor management software and AudIT school asset and inventory management software, help academies to implement best practices for safeguarding pupils and property.”

for schools and academies. AudIT, an internet-based software system, helps schools and academies meet their obligations under the Schools Value Financial Statement and as laid out in the Academies Financial Handbook.

Also on stand was the latest release of the extremely popular touchscreen visitor management system VisIT ED – including enhanced functionality for latecomer and early leaver monitoring, pre-booking for appointments and video support. Designed with the full weight of SG World’s school safeguarding experience, VisIT ED is one of the most comprehensive school touchscreen packages available on the market.

Preparations are now well underway for SHE running from 14th – 16th May at the NEC, Birmingham. SHE is Europe’s leading annual exhibition for the occupational safety and health industry – a key market for SG World’s range of safety inspection, Permitto-Work and visitor/contactor management solutions.

For more information on SG World call 01270 500921

Visitors to the show were able to see demonstrations of AudIT, the asset management solution designed specifically

www.sccci.co.uk

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 20

20 ADVERTISING

Spring Edition 2013

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 21

BUSINESS NEWS/MEMBERS NEWS 21

MP hosts another major jobs fair fallen by 8.1%. Recently I have been visiting thriving local businesses including Storage Boost, OSL Rail and CNG Services, to name but a few.

"But we still have over 2,000 people actively seeking work.

"The Job Centre is advertising over 3,000 jobs within 10 miles of Crewe, which increases to over 12,000 within 20 miles.

"So the jobs are out there. We just have to match people and their skills to the right jobs.

"My second annual Jobs Fair aims to help with that process.

"The Jobs Fair is also there to help people identify gaps in skills, potential training, and opportunities to boost their CV through volunteering and getting involved in community activities."

Picture coutesy of the Crewe Chronicle

A second jobs fair hosted by Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson will take place at Crewe Alexandra FCs stadium on Thursday June 27.

The jobs expo which attracted 2,000 job hunters last May will feature the region's major employers and is again backed by the Chronicle.

Mr Timpson explained: "In Crewe and Nantwich unemployment is falling. In fact, in the last year the total number of job seekers has

South Cheshire Chamber chief executive Paul Colman, said: "After just one year the Jobs Fair has become an important date on the calendar for anyone looking for a job and for prospective employers to tap into a wealth of talent in South Cheshire.

"It is a major networking opportunity for unemployed local people offering them an opportunity to engage with corporate recruiters.

He added: "There are many opportunities available in South Cheshire's vibrant economy and this event will showcase them under one roof."

Sponsors invited to back showpiece business event Onboard this year also is CTC Healthcare with a new Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace award.

Clinical director Andy Leach said: “As a former winner of the Small Business of the Year category, we have experienced at first hand the promotional benefits it brings. Sponsorship strengthens our links and gives us an opportunity to raise awareness of health and wellbeing in the workplace, an area in which we specialise.”

It’s the 17th annual event to be staged by the Chamber and excitement is already mounting with entries beginning to arrive.

MP Edward Timpson MP, Chamber chairman John Dunning and chief executive Paul Colman at last year’s jobs fair Picture coutesy of i2i Photography

A range of high-profile sponsorship opportunities are available for this year’s South Cheshire Chamber Business Awards.

The event takes place at Crewe Hall on November 22 and will once again be a celebration of all that is great and good about business across the South Cheshire area.

In partnership with The Chronicle – the evening’s media partners – all sponsors and winners are included in a feature spread offering a valuable publicity opportunity.

Several key sponsors are already confirmed – Bentley Motors, MMU Cheshire, KPI Recruiting and Jones Sheridan Financial Consulting.

Awards will also be presented in the categories of: Young Business Person of the Year, Best Start Up Business, Small Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Employer of the Year, Contribution to the Community, Excellence in Customer Service and Exporter of the Year.

Chamber chief executive Paul Colman said: “Over the past 17 years the awards have become a highlight on the social calendar, offering a chance for local business stars to shine and for sponsors to demonstrate their commitment to the local business community while receiving the publicity that goes along with that.

“It’s been another hard year for members of our local business community and this will be a night when their resilience is demonstrated in style.”

For more information on how to become a sponsor and the categories still available call Madeleine Abbey at the Chamber on 01270 504700 extension 20.

www.sccci.co.uk

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 22

22 ADVERTISING

Spring Edition 2013

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NETWORKING 23

International Trade Networking - Peer to Peer South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce recently held another of its successful Export Club events at the Hunters Lodge Hotel in Crewe.

Edward Greenhalgh of EEG Consultants followed, using his anecdotal presenting style to take the attendees through the ‘Practicalities of deciding to Export’. A perfect fit for our Export Club events, Edward used the knowledge gained from years of real world experience to discuss best practice when it comes to international trade and also highlight any potential pitfalls.

Titled ‘Peer to Peer’, delegates attended from companies of varying size and from a wealth of sectors, further proving the diversity of assistance offered at these events.

Once the delegates had settled in with a chance to network over bacon sandwiches and beverages, Keith Jones of Link Me 2 Export started the morning’s presentations with his talk on the ‘Importance of Global Branding.’ Explaining that even though gaining customers from overseas can be exciting, you need to do your homework a message which was emphasised with examples of how some of the world’s biggest brands have made costly mistakes which could have been easily avoided. It was an interesting topic, covering what to consider and what to avoid if you intend to give your products a global audience.

After a brief break which gave the assembly further chance to network, Tony Brown of UKTI North West topped the morning with a presentation involving ‘Selling through Agents and Distributors’.

Jon Barnes - International Trade Advisor stamping export documents

This proved very interesting with our attendees and fit well within the narrative of the morning. Selling through agents and distributors can be a fast way to grow sales into other markets, but it has its risks so a presentation like this was invaluable – the delegates proving this by asking questions throughout.

The next Export Club event is taking place on the 2nd May 2013 in Meadowside, Mountbatten Way, Congleton CW12 1DY. It is a joint event with the other Chambers in the area (East Cheshire, Warrington and Macclesfield) and is entitled ‘Make Exporting to Russia Easy’.

For further details please contact Jon Barnes on jon.barnes@sccci.co.uk

Company with most Let Agreed properties registered online in CW1,CW2, CW5*

MARTIN & CO

Date 20-04-2012 to 19-04-2013 Property Status: Let Beds From: All to: All Price From: All to: All Property Type: Any

www.sccci.co.uk

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 24

Employment Contracts • Grievance & Discipline • Employment Issues • Unfair & Constructive Dismissal

Hunter or hunted?

01782 205 000 www.beswicks.com

Whichever, sharp eyes are essential. The Beswicks employment team can help you keep one step ahead.

Whether you want bespoke advice on a particular situation, a team member to step in and deal with a difficult meeting, manage an ongoing situation for you, or a fixed price one stop HR solution, we can help whatever the size of your business.

Our friendly experienced team offer commercial practical solutions, to help you: • Reduced risk • Manage difficult situations • Deliver effective HR support • Manage your team.

REASSURING LEGAL ADVICE. NATURALLY.

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 25

SKILLSHARE 25

Red Fred Limited Red Fred Limited were established in 2005. Since then we have been serving up big ideas, inspiring designs and strong marketing strategies. In 2011 we opened our first overseas office, in Melbourne Australia.

In 2011 we opened our first overseas office, in Melbourne Australia.

T

E

SkillShare matches businesses that have great skills to share

w

As a design agency we deal in creativity and thrive on the challenge of helping businesses become more successful. We work with clients across all business sectors. We are proud to count JCB, Flybe & Brush amongst our clients.

We believe design is an investment rather than a cost but we recognise that in the current economic climate some organisations just don’t have the budgets available to continue their good work. Red Fred were approached by SkillShare to offer some consultancy to help the YMCA develop their brand and communicate their offer. We’re still working through the process but I am very confident that we will provide real benefits to the YMCA in the local area.

With the needs of local charities and organisations that do care We are looking for all sorts of skills anything that you can give From accounts, IT, design and print make a change and really live We also need electricians and other tradespeople on the team Any help that you can share with us will support this brilliant scheme

Red Fred Limited 67 Welsh Row, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 5EW

So what do you get in return, well here is the great part

T: +44 (0)1270 628525 E: info@redfred.co.uk www.redfred.co.uk

We’ll run a PR article in the local papers for a start

Expert Logistics

But this won’t replace the pride you’ll feel for the work that you have done

Expert Logistics, the UK’s number 1 in two man white goods home delivery service moved to Crewe in February, into a new head office and 360k sq ft of modern warehousing. Expert coming to town has seen more than 500 jobs created between delivery drivers, warehouse operatives and call centre administrators.

Come on support this fantastic scheme and join in with the fun

When Expert moved to Crewe they wanted to be part of the local community and one of their many initiatives saw them being involved in Skillshare, selecting Cheshire Young Carers.

Lorraine Hewlett, Quality and Excellence Director said “We chose Cheshire Young Carers as our Skillshare partner as we are very keen to promote the wellbeing of families, this is very close to our hearts as we have strong family values. Six of our employees also feel strongly about CYC and are in the process of becoming volunteers. We have made our skills available to CYC and are working with them on a plan to ensure they have a robust future and provide help for more families who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances”

SkillShare is a fantastic way of giving something back Support the local community and help get people back on track You’ll feel a million dollars because of the good that you have done And it won’t cost you a penny just time, experience and fun Come on be a part of this give Karen Brady a call Ring 01270 655781 and make a change once and for all

SkillShare is a not-for-profit organisation that matches skills donated by local businesses with the needs of the voluntary sector Why Get Involved:

Skills We Need:

• Achievement of CSR goals

Business Planning, Computing, Social Media Advice,

• Positive PR and image in the community

Accountancy, HR, Websites, Joiners, Plumbers,

• Your contribution to the ‘Big Society’

Electricians and many more . . .

• Enjoyable, Challenging and Rewarding

To find out more contact Karen Brady on 01270 655781 karenbrady@cheshireskillshare.org.uk www.sccci.co.uk

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 26

26 ADVERTORIAL

KPI Recruiting ‘supporting the community’ Many find themselves in this frightening situation through the loss of a job, the breakdown of a relationship, financial trouble, or a combination of other similar unforeseen circumstances.

Recruitment Company KPI is helping a local charity to find work for homeless people.

The charity - The LATH Group (Looking after the Homeless) runs a twice weekly drop-in centre at Christ Church Hall in Crewe, for homeless and needy people.

Its mission statement is “To ease the plight of the homeless in the Crewe area, with the long term aim of eliminating it altogether”.

The Chairman of Lath, Bernard Potter, who founded the charity in December 2009, and dedicated volunteer helpers, work closely with other providers in the area including the Salvation Army, YMCA, Cheshire East Council, Samaritans, Citizens Advice Bureau, Local Churches, SSAFA, the Royal British Legion and others to help address this growing problem.

The drop-in centre was opened in November 2011, to cater for homeless, needy and lonely people of the Borough. Hot drinks and toast are provided in the morning, and a soup and roll at lunchtime, with the occasional gift of fruit and/or cakes from volunteers. Leisure activities include Newspapers, Playing cards, Dominoes and Pool.

Advice is offered on a range of problem areas, and a laptop is available to enable assistance with Housing applications, and Job seeking. More physical help is provided in the form of tents, sleeping bags, warm clothing, and other essentials.

Attendance has risen from about six, when the centre was first opened to an average of 20 currently, of whom over half register as of no fixed abode (NFA). However, during the period from November 2012 to February 2013, 255 people utilised the facility, comprising 49 individuals, of whom 24 recoded themselves as NFA. This will include those ‘sofa-surfing’ (staying on a very temporary with friends or relatives), and those actually sleeping rough.

More recently, a boost has been to both job seeking and accommodation opportunities. Anne Baker, the specialist Human Resource volunteer at Lath explained “We engage with our guests about employment, help with CV’s, give them interview techniques, help in searching for suitable vacancies and, importantly, help to rebuild their confidence”.

Ryan Jardine, the Managing Director of KPI then came up with the idea of sponsoring one of the homeless people in a unique job-trial opportunity. KPI would essentially pay the wage of the chosen candidate and offer them ‘free-of-charge’ to a local business for a three month trial period in the hope it could lead to a permanent position.

Ryan is also offering help in finding accommodation.

This philanthropic idea provides a win/win for both the local business and the homeless person and, if successful, will pave the way for more in the future.

In parallel with this initiative Anne Baker would like to engage with local businesses to promote opportunities for work experience/placements for the homeless. If you would like to know more please contact Anne on 07803 936 682.

General enquiries, and other offers of help should be directed to the LATH Call Centre on 0800 508 8021, email: info@lathgroup.org.uk. More information is also available on the website at: www.lathgroup.org.uk.

Sift surf and selection

We guarantee every time perfection!

Outstanding Recruitment Of Outstanding People

KPI found my details on-line.

Here I am now…in a permanent position, I’m glad they found me!

Charlotte Kettle - Administrator

“Its nice to feel valued. I am a happy driver and there are not many of us around!!”

Peter Batewood – C+E Driver

“Found me work quickly, paid on time and correctly and I have been taken on permanently. Good agency!”

“Really impressed with thier service. KPI have provided me with a regular job I really enjoy.

Alicja Wiczynska – Production Op

Craig Cope – Returns Operative

Providing both temporary and permanent recruitment services to companies across Cheshire and Staffordshire

GLA

Spring Edition 2013

t: Crewe, 01270 589943 w: www.kpir.co.uk

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 27

MEMBERS NEWS

27

Hospice reaches out to the vulnerable with new appeal

By Jan Roberts Director of Clinical Services Siobhan Horton said: “Although many people benefit from hospice care many more are cared for and end their days in care homes.

Businesses are being urged to throw their weight behind a new appeal to offer dignity in death to elderly folk who end their days in care homes.

St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice has launched its ‘President’s Appeal’ in a bid to fund specialist training for care home staff and a team of highly skilled nurses who will take their expertise out into the community.

Officials want the growing numbers of frail and elderly people in our community, many of whom have dementia, to experience high levels of compassion and support in their final days.

“Therefore, this appeal is to fund the development of a compassionate care model for this marginalised, large and growing group of vulnerable elderly people. This will include direct care, education and research.

“Creating a model, with compassionate care at its core, will be a long term and cost effective way of make the biggest difference we possibly can to as many people as possible.”

•

•

£50k would fund a post to work specifically with staff in care homes, developing skills and a body of knowledge and expertise that translates into excellent care for the frail elderly and those with dementia £100k would pump prime a small team of professionals who could work across, and with, a larger group

of care homes and other areas where frail, elderly people are cared for and die •

£150k would pump prime some much-needed research into what the real needs are for frail, elderly people in the last phase of their life and how they can be best cared for and supported.

Siobhan added: “Our long term aim is to create a purpose-built centre where nurses, educationalists and researchers can carry out this valuable and muchneeded work. It will benefit not just thousands of people locally but potentially many hundreds of thousands across the UK.” The hospice is hoping to win corporate and community support across South and Mid Cheshire.

Anyone who can help is asked to call Jane Thompson on 01606 555688

Show stalwart retires after record service Nantwich Show organisers have paid tribute to the man who has helped turn the event into the biggest crowd-puller of its kind in the country.

Society President John Lea said: "From very small beginnings in 1897, the Society now takes the name of Nantwich industry worldwide. This has been an incredible achievement and over the last four decades John Broomhall has been a driving force behind that success. He is held in high regard by his friends and colleagues who turned out in force to wish him well in his retirement."

John Broomhall has stepped down after 25 years as chairman of Nantwich Agricultural Society which stages the event every July at Dorfold Park.

The retired auctioneer of Nantwich has also served 40 years on the show committee helping it grow to become the largest one day agricultural event in the UK and home to the International Cheese awards which attracts entries from across the globe.

His retirement party at Crewe Alexandra on Sunday saw a large crowd gather to pay tribute to the man known as 'Mr Nantwich Show.'

John Lea (left) managing director of Mornflake in Crewe and his wife Elizabeth, are seen presenting flowers to John and Rosemary Broomhall at his retirement party

provide music and host the packed schedule of entertainment organised by the Nantwich Show committee.

Chamber members RedShift Radio are delighted to be one of the Media Partners to the popular Nantwich Show taking place at Dorfold Park on 31st July.

On the eve of Show Day, South Cheshire Chamber in association with Cheshire East Council and the Nantwich Show will be organising the popular networking event The Pre-Show Business Reception, held on Tuesday 30th July.

Hosting the family picnic and bandstand area alongside the Cheese Hall and Mornflake Food Hall, RedShift Radio will

This will take In the run up to the popular Nantwich event, RedShift Radio have a schedule of specialist programmes for

Mr Broomhall, a former Vice Chairman of Wright Manley, has handed over the famous black bowler hat worn every show day to another society stalwart, Michael-John Parkin. The sales director at Barnett Jones and Cooke agricultural insurance specialists in Nantwich, is a former dairy farmer and his family have been involved with the event for 50 years. agricultural and foody fans including a show dedicated to the last 25 years of Chairmanship of John Broomhall as he hands over his signature bowler hat to new Chairman Michael-John Parkin.

To keep up to date with all the latest news to do with the event follow @NantwichShow and @RedShiftRadioUK on Twitter and Facebook.

Sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor stands are still available, for details email nantwichshow@btinternet.com.

www.sccci.co.uk

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 28

28 ADVERTORIAL

Put the spring back in your business It’s been a long, cold winter and a long time since the financial crisis started to crunch, but spring is the right time to at least try and spot some green shoots and opportunities.

that the business could no longer pay its debts. We planned and executed an administration order; within one month the business had been reviewed, valued, restructured and sold for more money than would have been raised in a liquidation and a ‘fire sale’. The director is now trading successfully with a smaller number of shops.

Many good businesses have been starved of cash and are now burdened with a millstone of debt.

The Insolvency Act provides a tool kit of procedures for restructuring businesses. If there’s a solid and successful business to save, one procedure available is a ‘pre-pack’ administration order, an insolvency process where the business is sold back to its management, leaving the debt behind.

We acted for a modular building business in Yorkshire. The business had been very successful and secured large, profitable contracts in the public sector. Sales slowed down and as austerity started to bite, sales plunged.

Case Study 2

There’s nothing wrong with directors or shareholders buying back their own business and making a fresh start – the key is the transaction has to be carried out with transparency and probity, with full value being paid for the business to ensure that all creditors get a fair deal.

We met the director and his lender and, again, planned and executed an administration order; within two weeks the business had been reviewed, valued, restructured and sold. The manufacturing operation was closed; the hire business sold back to the directors.

Remember, we’re always happy to have an informal, no-fee chat to explain the options available. The key thing is early advice – please get in touch. The earlier advice is given, the wider the options available. Don’t wait until there’s a bailiff at the door!

Case Study 1 We acted for a chain of sandwich shops in Cumbria. The business was long established and had traded successfully, but took on further premises at high rents; with the credit crunch, both footfall and spend at the new shops began to fall. Profits slipped, and in a business dependant on a fast turnaround of fresh produce, cash flow problems began to affect stock in the shops.

We met the director to explain the key issues and risks of the deteriorating position; the director later contacted us and explained

Mike Gillard

If you require any help or support please do not hesitate to contact me on 01270 212 700 or Mike@mgjl.co.uk

Mackenzie Goldberg Johnson

Mackenzie Goldberg Johnson Limited We help businesses take the necessary steps to financial recovery First we need to release the critical pressure created by a lack of solvency and cash and protect the business from court action, recovery agents, and creditor pressure.

Receivership, Liquidation and Bankruptcy are not the only options. Some form of future for the business can often be worked out.

Business and Personal Insolvency y U Refinancing U Retirement Options U Informal Deals U Administration Orders U Company Voluntary Arrangement - CVA

U Compulsory Winding g Up - CWU U Dissolution U Debt Management Plan y Arrangement U Individual Voluntary oluntary - IVA U Bankruptcy

Call Us: 0845 680 0315 or email: info@mgjl.co.uk Spring Edition 2013

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:44 Page 29

DIGITAL NEWS 29

Members take up the Online ‘Local Business Community Network’ Chamber Business Community Coordinator Nadeem Ahmad presents an update on the Portal

TOTAL CHAMBER MEMBERS 430

Total New Registrations Since Launch: 199

Total New Members Since Launch: 45

Total Chamber Events 19 Total Member Events 55

Total Events

74

Total Training 58 Total Blogs 85 Total News 165 TOTAL VIDEOS 23

Total Photos 301 Total Company/Employee Photos 272

Messaging System Messages 136

Total Comments

329

New Groups 10 Total Poll 7

The Chamber Portal has seen a gradual increase in take up since its launch in September last year.

Designed to provide a networking platform with a business focus and a professional approach, the South Cheshire Chamber Member Portal is the ‘Local Online Business Community Network’ for South Cheshire businesses.

The online platform has been designed with the goal of facilitating interaction, information-sharing, and relationship-building amongst Chamber members.

Dialogue with your partners, potential and current customers is a critical element of creating and sustaining preference for your products, solutions or services. The Chamber Portal with its interactive and dynamic multimedia rich features allows members to do just that.

We have over 300 active Chamber Members on the Portal. The active member figure along with the usage statistics are increasing steadily as more members discover the potential of the Portal for information sharing, promotion and engagement (Please look at the attached graphic for more stats on members’ participation on the Portal).

The Chamber portal has been designed as an on-going project where we are making continuous improvements to the system by adding new features and developing the functionalities depending upon the usage, feedback and requirements of our members. All of this is aimed at adding value to the Chamber membership.

The first phase of the development focused on the community and social aspects of member business engagement, which is inherent in a social network and is integral to a membership organisation. For the next phase of developments we are looking to add more functional elements to provide members with resources and tools alongside the social interactions. We are also looking to open up certain sections (blogs, news, events, training courses etc.) of the Portal for non-member access to allow for a wider promotion and sharing of the posts by the members (Phase 2 development features in the highlight box).

Please login to the Chamber Portal if you are already a Chamber member and explore the networking and engagement potential of the online platform, entitled to you through your Chamber membership. Non-members can join for a free trial to get a flavour of the benefits of the Chamber membership.

Phase 2 development features •

Member Offers/Discounts - Post your offers for other members under various categories to attract new business

•

Mentoring Page - Sign up for being a mentor/mentee. The system will match the two based on the expertise/skills that they will submit

•

Resource Page - This will include useful information sources for use to the members - templates, plans, guides etc.

•

Post a Query - To seek advice, service or products that our members offer

•

Ask for a quote - Similar to ‘Post a Query’ but this will involve specifying requirements

www.sccci.co.uk

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:45 Page 30

30 ADVERTISING

wi you to help Working with your business sine grow At Howard Worth we know how important it is to develop strong relationships with you. We b

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Need a loan? The Chamber can help . . .

Let’s face it, until last week we usually associated Cyprus with summer holidays, three points at football for England or competition with the UK for last place in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Until now that is. Within the space of a week the country has gained the level of publicity that Cheryl Cole and my old mate Anthea would be envious of.

However if you stand back and think about it then the proposals being discussed in that country are quite staggering.

In the UK we are hit from all sides by both direct and indirect taxation.

We tend to accept this to a degree because it is made on short term income at source i.e. from wages and salaries or from purchases of choice via VAT, Fuel Duty, Stamp Duty etc.

The end result is that if we are frugal or should that be lucky, we end up with a surplus of hard earned at the end of the month that it is ours and ours alone.

There is a generation not too far back from where we are today that believed that the best place for your hard earned was either in or under your mattress.

The events in Cyprus have resulted in many people now questioning the scorn they had previously poured over our elders for mattress stuffing.

What has happened on this Mediterranean Island is ground breaking as they have effectively closed the banks and are looking to take funds from already hard earned and taxed deposits.

I suppose the cynics would say ‘well you can’t take it with you’. As for myself I would at least like the choice.

No one is suggesting that we shall ever be in a similar position in the UK but nonetheless we do need to stand back and think about it.

Returns on deposits are poor so perhaps the answer lies somewhere in the middle. No matter what the outcome is in Cyprus by the time this article comes to press, these events are perhaps a poke in the ribs to remind us that nothing is certain, other than we will still be vying with Cyprus for bottom spot in Eurovision.

If these events have at all prompted you to use surplus funds to invest in your business and you are looking for someone to share the burden of cost, then feel free to contact us at the Chamber where we do have funds available. We cannot guarantee sun, sea and all night partying on a Mediterranean Island but at least you will be spared an uncomfortable night’s sleep on a lumpy mattress.

For further information contact me, Richard Weilding at the Chamber on 01270 504700 or via e-mail on richard.weilding@sccci.co.uk

Spring Edition 2013

Business Loans Executive Richard Weilding

Spring 4Front 2013_Layout 1 30/04/2013 09:45 Page 31

Mercedes-Benz New Car Offers. w on Ne rati ne Ge

w on Ne rati ne Ge

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raayton Dray

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Total amount payable

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N u m b e r of p ay m e nt s

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Acceptance fee

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To find out more or arrange a test drive call 01782 461 264

Drayton Drayton Group Group Mercedes-Benz of Stoke Stoke Mercedes-Benz Cobridge Road, Road, Hanley, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent ST1 ST1 5JP Cobridge 01782 461 461 264 264 www.draytongroup.co.uk www.draytongroup.co.uk 01782 Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the Mercedes-Benz range: urban 13.0 (21.7) 52.3 (5.4), extra urban 22.4 (12.6) -74.3 (3.8), combined 17.8(15.9) -64.2(4.4). CO2 emissions: 378-115 g/km.

Quotations are based on a 3 year PCP at 10,000 miles per annum. All quotations are subject to approval and vehicles must be ordered between 01.04.2013 and 30.06.2013 and registered before 30.09.2013, subject to availability. Excess mileage charges apply. Amount of dealer deposit allowance dependant on model. Finance examples for the New Generation E-Class Saloon, New Generation A-Class, New Generation E-Class Estate, C-Class Coupé, C-Class Saloon, C-Class Estate, M-Class and smart fortwo are 36 months.

Finance examples for the CLS Coupé and SLK-Class are 24 months. All finance examples are subject to the acceptance and purchase fees. Finance available from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Ltd, MK15 8BA. Model images shown for demonstration purposes only. Finance subject to status. Guarantees and indemnities may be required.

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BMW | MINI Business Partnership YOUR COMPANY BENEFITS.

No prizes for guessing the ‘Best Compact Executive Car 2012’, as chosen by ‘What Car?’ It is, after all, a title the BMW 3 Series has retained for the last seven years. What might come as a surprise is that this award winning performance and class-leading fuel efficiency is available for business users with the BMW 320d M Sport Saloon for as little as £298.98 (ex. VAT) per month, plus deposit*.

The MINI Cooper D Countryman remains among the most tax-efficient vehicles for your fleet.

With CO2 emissions of just 115g/km, the Cooper D Countryman achieves 18% BIK and fuel-efficiency up to 64.2mpg (combined).

Business users can enjoy the everyday hero for just £209.00 (ex. VAT) per month, plus deposit†.

For more information on any BMW contact Bernard Rooney on 01270 212525 or for information on MINI contact Michael Sayward on 01270 214800.

Blue Bell. Get to know us.

Blue Bell Corporate BMW – Fourth Avenue, Weston Road, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 6XH Tel: 01270 212525 www.bluebellgroup.co.uk MINI – Gateway, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 6YY Tel: 01270 214800 www.bluebellgroup.co.uk

Official fuel economy figures for the BMW & MINI range: Urban: 14.6-67.3mpg (19.3-4.2l/100km). Extra Urban: 26.2-80.7mpg (10.8-3.5l/100km). Combined: 20.3-74.3mpg (13.9-3.8l/100km). CO2 emissions 325-99g/km.

Offer available to business users only. Figures exclude VAT at 20%. *BMW 320d M Sport Saloon is based on a 36 month Contract Hire agreement, deposit £1,793.88 plus VAT, contract mileage 30,000 miles and excess mileage charge of 11.48p per mile plus VAT. †MINI Cooper D Countryman is based on a 36 month Contract Hire agreement, deposit £1,254.00 plus VAT, contract mileage 30,000 miles and excess mileage charge of 7.13p per mile plus VAT. At the end of each agreement you must return the vehicle. Subject to status and in the UK only (not the Channel Islands or Isle of Man). Individuals must be 18 or over. A guarantee may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Rentals may change if VAT rate changes during agreement. Hire provided by BMW Financial Services, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9UF. Offer expires 30 June 2013. We commonly, but not exclusively, introduce customers to BMW Financial Services. This introduction does not amount to independent financial advice.