CEO Jeremy Brooke on how SSB are not like other law firms
WE DEBATE THE RISKS OF EMBRACING AI
150 NOT OUT
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For this month’s cover feature, unLTD’s Phil Turner sat down with Jeremy Brooke, CEO and cofounder of SSB Group, to discuss the latter’s eventful journey which saw him overcome various setbacks to establish his own law firm. Jeremy explains how his experience has encouraged him to help inspire the next generation through the 'See it Be it' campaign.
28: THE AI REVOLUTION
For this month’s For and Against feature, our two guest columnists clash over the benefits and drawbacks of utilising AI in the workplace.
45: TASTE NOT, WANT NOT
We hear from Pete Moulam, co-founder of sustainable event caterers PJ Taste, to reflect on 17 years of the proudly local business, exploring innovative methods in both sustainable food trends and employee inspiration in the process.
50: 150 NOT OUT
After celebrating their 150th year anniversary with a snazzy rebrand, we spoke to the team at Hart Shaw Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers about the changing face of accountancy and how they stay one step ahead of the curve.
62: HAVE LUNCH WITH
Ash Birch catches up with Cavendish Cancer Care’s new marketing manager Laura Ross over a delightful veggie feast at V or V’s new spot in Sheffield Plate.
76: A STATELY HOME FROM HOME
Ah, that fresh countryside air! We popped out to the beautiful Peak District surrounds of Thornbridge Estate, meeting some of the team based at the historic Thornbridge Hall who told us about the exciting corporate event opportunities on offer.
On the back of some mixed economic messages, we focus on some serious success stories in this issue. Jeremy Brooke, CEO of SSB has built his business quietly but effectively and his is a story well worth hearing. Very much the epitome of a self-made man, he reveals how his independent spirit came from his entrepreneurial father and the need to stand on his own feet at a young age.
Elsewhere, there’s plenty more to celebrate from Bhayani Law, whose business has grown greatly in recent years and now offers a rounded recruitment and HR service for their clients throughout the lifecycle of their employee’s time in their businesses.
And then we also take to time to find out what has made chartered accountants Hart Shaw stand the test of time so effectively as they celebrate 150 years in business with a major rebrand. This month also sees the launch of our new column from Chloe Angus of Cavendish Cancer Care, an expert on staying on top of you and your staff’s mental health and wellbeing.
Throw in lots of business news, updates from the third sector as well as advice on how the latest budget might affect you, and you’ve got yourself a jam-packed April issue of unLTD!
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Joe Food Joe@unltdbusiness.com
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Ash Birch Ash@unltdbusiness.com
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Katie Fisher
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Jackie Cook
Jo Davison
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Paul Gosney
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Katie Nash
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Wendy Ward
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The views contained herein are not necessarily those of Blind Mice Media Ltd and while every effort is made to ensure information throughout unLTD is correct, changes prior to distribution may take place which can affect the accuracy of copy, therefore Blind Mice Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for contributors’ views or specific listings.
First Intuition’s hugely popular Accountancy Academies were launched in Leeds back in 2017. Since then, they have given many 16-18-year-olds from schools, academies and colleges across Yorkshire the opportunity to find out what a career in accountancy is really about.
Their latest event in Leeds provided ambitious teenagers the full breadth, range and variety of roles accountancy offers and the different ways they can turn their interest into a fulfilling and rewarding career.
A packed two days began with a series of activities to calm the attendee’s nerves. They then ran informative sessions hosted by a diverse range of accountants from national heavyweights including the NHS and Leeds
Building Society and leading local firms BHP and Kirk Newsholme before moving into more practical territory with a CV clinic and mock interviews.
The programme culminated with a team activity; attendees were split into groups and tasked with creating their own festival from scratch, putting together a presentation that would introduce the theme of their festival and explaining how they planned
Last month, Oughtibridgebased Actus Insurance re-launched their monthly Cycle Network, designed to give local businesspeople and cycle enthusiasts the chance to get out into the Peaks for a couple of hours through the spring and summer months.
Usually taking place on a Friday afternoon, and setting off from Fox Valley, the meet-up is open to everyone and is split into two groups: one for seasoned racing snakes and the other for those who like a more gentler climb out
into the countryside.
Actus Insurance’s Sam Leeder, who organises the event, told unLTD: “We have a core group of people who tend to come to most, but then outside of that we’ve had quite a diverse mix of people that come along.
“For me, the networking opportunity is a big part of it. It’s a bit like a golf day. You get the chance to spend time with people who’ve got a shared interest; who might be from a completely different industry to you, they might have nothing to do with you from a
to tackle budget, security, advertising and marketing, accessibility and pricing to a judging panel of ‘dragons’.
With day two drawing to a close, First Intuition Yorkshire Managing Director Lucy Parr, reflected on another highly successful Academy: “We were extremely impressed with the quality of the presentations as were all our ‘dragons’.
“We really put the learners through their paces, with some tough questions.
This is difficult enough for experienced businesspeople but even more so for our attendees, especially as they’d been well and truly put on the spot and handled it so well.”
The next event is heading to Sheffield, and you can look out for details of their Easter Academy across their social channels. If you would like to take part either as an attendee or an employer, please get in touch with lucybrennan@fi.co.uk
professional point of view, but you might be able to swap ideas.
“We get out from here on to some quiet country roads, and into some absolutely beautiful countryside.”
Post-cycle, food is provided free of charge at
McGilveray’s restaurant in Fox Valley. For anyone that wants to get involved, more info can be found on their Linkedin group @actuscc or by signing up for the mailing list, where you can also find the calendar of upcoming events.
King Ecgbert School has been awarded the Centre for Race, Educational & Decoloniality AntiRacist School Award - Bronze Status.
The award recognises that the school is committed to tackling racism and building an anti-racist culture, and King Ecgbert’s is the first school in the country to meet the criteria.
Headteacher, Paul Haigh, said: “Our school values are centred around King Ecgbert School being a warm, welcoming and inclusive school where we aim that all students, no matter what their background, feel welcomed, respected, recognised and so able to thrive.
“Our reputation for
inclusion is well known, but we feel strongly we have a moral responsibility to actively make the world a better place so the work on anti-racism has been a crucial part of our school’s development in the last few years.
“To be the first school in the country to reach this standard makes me immensely proud of the work the whole community - staff, students and parents, have done to make changes that make a genuine positive difference to the lives of our community.”
The award comes from the Leeds Beckett University Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality (CRED) and is part of a process started in in 2022, where the
school has worked with the support of CRED on six key areas to become an AntiRacist School.
The six areas are leadership and management, school environment, professional learning and development, the hidden curriculum (uniform policies, ethos of the school, displays), curriculum and pedagogy (how they teach), and their work with parents/ carers and community partnerships.
In order to achieve the award, the school has gone out of its way to listen to students, parents, carers and staff and kept their voices in mind as they planned to improve the school. They have also introduced a new Dignity
and Respect policy to make it clearer and easier for everyone in the school community to report racism and to make sure it is followed up with education as well as restoration.
As well as a focus on every day improvements, such as awareness of micro aggressions, they have taken more opportunities to celebrate diversity, including a Cultural Dress day as part of a week of celebrations last summer, marking Black History Month, and this year they will introducing an Asian History Month.
CRED are now planning to set up a network connecting South Yorkshire schools with an interest in working towards the Anti-Racist School Award.
Representatives of South Yorkshire’s businesses, and also the region’s skills community, have written to the Transport Secretary, reiterating why Doncaster should be chosen as the new home of Great British Railways (GBR).
Last year, the government opened a competition, enabling towns and cities from across the UK to put themselves forward as prospective candidates for the GBR headquarters.
Initially, a total of 42 places bid for the HQ and each of them were asked to submit evidence of how they met the relevant criteria. From there, the shortlist was whittled down to just six finalists: Derby; Birmingham; Newcastle; Crewe; York and Doncaster.
With the winner soon to be announced, representatives from the wider South Yorkshire business and skills communities have today written to Transport Secretary Mark Harper.
Signed by the Three South Yorkshire Chambers, The University of Sheffield, DN Colleges Group, The Sheffield Property Association, Sheffield Hallam University, Barnsley College, The Sheffield College, Sheffield Digital, Doncaster UTC, RNN Group, and a Private Sector Board Member from the South Yorkshire LEP — this letter outlines how Doncaster is the clear best choice for the GBR HQ.
Dan Fell, Chief Exec of Doncaster Chamber, said: “We are aware that a decision is now looming and so have taken this opportunity to remind the government why they selected us as a finalist in the first place, and why we should ultimately be chosen as the new home of Great British Rail.
“As explicated in our letter, Doncaster is the ideal candidate here, as the city meets each and every piece of the government’s criteria. Our bid is clearly aligned with the government’s levelling up objectives, we have an established railway heritage that dates back well over a century, and strong industry connections that endure to this day.”
Sheffield City Centre’s brand-new public space, Pound’s Park, opened to the public on 3 April. Although all landscaping elements of the park are now complete, some utilities and facilities are due to be completed later in the month. With families in mind, Pound’s Park features a three-by-eight-metre climbing boulder, reminiscent of a Peak District rockface, and a significant new children’s playground.
Sheffield Hallam University has become an Aardman Academy partner to give students and staff training with the award-winning studio.
Animation students at Sheffield Hallam will also be able to visit the studios as well as attend masterclasses with specialists from Aardman, creators of Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep.
The University already has links to Aardman, with alumni and honorary doctor Nick Park going on to work there and winning multiple Academy Awards and BAFTAs for his animations.
As an Aardman Academy partner, new students will be able to access online foundational workshops run by Aardman before starting their course, and at the end of their course will be able to have a one-to-one portfolio review session with staff at Aardman.
Melvyn Ternan, senior lecturer in Animation at Sheffield Hallam, said:
“We are one of only five partners in the UK and we are extremely proud to be in partnership with the Aardman Academy. The partnership will enhance our students’ development in animation, giving them invaluable insight and guidance directly from Aardman.”
ITV’s The Chase favourite Shaun Wallace is set to attempt the Guinness World Record for The World’s Biggest Ever Quiz at Sheffield Arena on Sunday 18th June.
Blend Kitchen, a Sheffieldbased social enterprise, is partnering with Woodlands Primary School to provide a five-week enrichment programme named ‘Gather & Cook’, for a group of six children from the school. The programme’s aim is to provide a supportive and engaging environment for the children to learn the basics of cookery, nutrition, sourcing fresh local food, and setting tables and food presentation.
Sheffield-based Mattress Online, the award-winning online mattress retailer, has been named as one of the UK’s official Top 100 SME Businesses by Elite Business Magazine.
After 90 years at Banner Cross Hall, Henry Boot PLC is set to relocate its Head Office to the Isaacs Building in Sheffield city centre in Autumn 2023. Part of Heart of the City, Isaacs Building is located on Charles Street, close to the company’s original city centre headquarters on Moore Street.
The Strategy and Resources Committee has approved exciting plans around the Coronation of King Charles III, where people from all over can come and enjoy the celebrations with live music, acts and a big screen to watch all the action over the Bank Holiday weekend.
‘The Lord Mayor’s Coronation Party’ will take place in the Peace Gardens on Saturday 6 May, with The King’s Concert taking place on Sunday 7 May, where the whole of the gardens will be decorated red, white and blue for a series of exciting events.
Councillor Terry Fox, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “The Kings Coronation will be a fantastic two-day celebration in Sheffield, where everyone can bring their picnic blankets and watch the action live from a big screen.”
As AI tools dominate the news agenda, with the emergence of ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) kicking off a race in the big tech sector, a new study has revealed that kids in the UK have already fallen behind the rest of Europe in using AI technology, with just a third (32%) of them using it to learn in school or at home.
Children in Austria are leading the continent with 43% already using AI technology to learn, followed by those in Italy (41%) and Spain (40%), according to The GoStudent Future of Education Report 2023. The report was commissioned by leading online tutoring provider, GoStudent, with a view to helping parents, schools and education providers better understand what children want from their education.
The report found that whilst 19% of children are using AI to learn at school, just 6% of children say they are actually being taught about the technology in school.
Felix Ohswald, CEO and co-founder at GoStudent, said: “With the right application, AI has the potential to revolutionise
education. AI-driven content, for example, can allow a class of children to engage with the same subject matter in entirely different ways, based on how quickly they absorb information or how they learn best - improving their learning outcomes and providing an individualised approach without losing the social setting of a classroom.
“We need to support more schools in using this kind of technology, because we know that four out of five (81%) children in the UK say that using technology makes it easier to learn.
“That just six percent of students in the UK are learning about AI in school is a surprising insight: this technology is quickly becoming more commonplace and, in order for this generation of students to truly harness the technology, they need to understand what it is and how it works.
“From our research we know that 70% of 14-16 year olds wish school incorporated more tech into the curriculum, to help prepare them for their future job, so it appears they are acutely aware of this need.”
Representatives from more than 200 businesses came together at Barnsley Metrodome for Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber’s Construction Expo last month, finding out more about the wealth of opportunities available to connect and collaborate with businesses working in the construction sector.
A South Yorkshire-based business has developed and launched a code-free web-based app aimed at helping other businesses communicate better with their customers.
Oello, which has been developed by Doncaster-based Faretext, will allow businesses of any size to have the ability to send SMS communication to their customers, without any knowledge or experience in coding required. This will effectively allow smaller firms to communicate and notify via SMS like the bigger corporates without the need for any coding skills or in-house/external resources.
Brian McGeachie, Oello Sales and Marketing Director said: “Put simply, it is an SMS service that has been designed to be accessible to every business, no matter your experience or knowledge. Just add contacts, write your message, and hit send. We’ve developed it for the layman, making
it as intuitive as possible, with integrated logic and features to protect the user in regard to GDPR that they may, or may not be aware of when marketing or notifying via SMS.
Colin McGeachie, Integration and Technical Director at Oello, added: “Text messaging is officially the most popular form of communication. At home, at work, and on the move. Everywhere. If you receive a text, it’s direct to your phone, it’s personal and demands your immediate attention.
“Most messages are delivered within seven seconds and 90% of those are read within five minutes. Best of all and completely unlike business email, the person reading the message is most likely the person you wanted to receive it.” Oello is available from today, Wednesday 5th April, to find out more please visit www.oello.co.uk
People across Yorkshire will enjoy greener, cleaner journeys as an extra 34 British-made electric buses are rolled out thanks to £7.6 million in Government investment.
The latest investment announced on Thursday 2 March means that the First Bus York depot will operate fully electric fleets by March 2024, one of the first bus depots in the UK outside London to reach this milestone.
Meanwhile, 25 brand new electric buses will also be introduced at the Bramley bus depot in West Yorkshire, bringing the total number of electric buses funded by the ZEBRA scheme in West Yorkshire to 136.
The funding comes from an extra £25.3 million rolled out nationwide to pave the way for the Government’s ambitious rollout of zero emission buses (ZEBs).
Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “Buses are the most popular form of public transport, and these new British-built zero emission buses will help clean up the air in communities across Yorkshire.
“We’re providing an additional £7.6 million to roll out 34 new electric buses to provide residents in Yorkshire with better, cleaner and quieter journeys, as we step up a gear to reach net zero faster and level up transport across the country.”
A delegation of representatives from across the United States joined Peak District teams to learn more about international conservation ambitions for ‘30by30’ - a worldwide initiative for governments to designate 30% of Earth’s land and ocean area as protected areas by 2030.
New colourful bin wraps have started to appear on litter bins across the city, designed by local artist, Luke Horton. Following on from a successful ‘Tek it ome’ litter campaign across Sheffield’s parks & green spaces last summer, the council’s Highways teams have now teamed up with Luke to design new bin stickers for street bins.
Sheffield headquartered Best Solicitors has reported more than a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in its conveyancing market share in South Yorkshire and is currently ranked in second place for completions in the region, according to data published by TwentyConvey.
Priding itself on offering a range of legal solutions to individuals and businesses, the practice has since grown to include offices in Barnsley, Stocksbridge and Filey.
Investing in its people has been at the heart of the business with several long serving staff proving testament to this. This has undoubtedly supported the firm’s growth and inspired excellent client reviews.
The firm is ranked in the top five locally by Review Solicitors across all its services. The number of clients stating that they were happy with the outcome delivered and were likely to recommend Best Solicitors to family and friends, is above the national average.
Carly Beanes (pictured), director of finance at Best Solicitors, joined the firm 16 years ago as a 16-year-old office junior. Keen to help wherever needed within the business, she soon realised that she enjoyed working with numbers and offered to help the accounts team.
Recognising her ambition, the firm created a new role and supported her with gaining accounting and finance qualifications.
Now leading the finance function at Best Solicitors, in January this year, Carly became a part owner when the firm changed its business structure to become a limited company.
Starting her working life when the firm was still a paper based business, Carly now embraces the latest technology to fulfil her role.
The commitment to nurturing and retaining staff
Best Solicitors was founded 21 years ago in the heart of Sheffield by three solicitors committed to championing social justice.
Carly, director of finance at Best Solicitors, joined the firm 16 years ago as a 16-year-old office junior
is evident in the success of the business. The firm recently won two awards at the annual Sheffield & District Law Society Awards and was named Commercial Property Team of the Year and Private Client Team of the Year.
Its residential conveyancing team recently reported a substantial 20% increase in its market share in South Yorkshire for property purchases.
Alongside its commercial success, Best Solicitors has retained the caring nature of
its founding partners.
The legal support provided ranges from representing families in child care proceedings and criminal matters, to securing personal injury compensation, representing landlords in disputes, and providing employment advice to both businesses and employees.
It prides itself on being a true partner in law for clients seeking legal advice in often distressing or stressful circumstances.
The wills and probate team
at Best Solicitors has recently been trained by Dementia Friends, an Alzheimer’s Society Initiative, in order to better support affected individuals and their families when mental capacity starts to fade.
The drive to care for others by providing legal support to the most vulnerable members of society 21 years ago, continues to this day.
To find out more about Best Solicitors, visit www. bestsolicitorsonline.co.uk
Sheffield-based charity Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care has won a major national award for its work supporting older people to be swiftly and safely discharged home from hospital.
Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care (SCCCC) was chosen from more than 400 charities across the UK as one of the 10 winners of the 2023 GSK IMPACT Awards which are delivered in partnership with leading health and care charity The King’s Fund.
Mark Storey, CEO of Sheffield Churches Council for Community Caresaid: “We are extremely delighted that the judges of the highly coveted GSK IMPACT awards have recognised the fantastic work of the whole SCCCC team in supporting hospital discharge in Sheffield and named us as one of the winners for 2023.
“As an organisation SCCCC has supported older people, their families and carers, and health and social care professionals for nearly six decades and this award recognises the passion and dedication that our staff, volunteers, trustees and partners have given over the many years. Without their devotion to helping others we would not be where we are today.”
A kind-hearted trio of British Gas engineers have turned their focus from customers to communities by directing £2,000 to a Cost of Living Fund overseen by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF).
Josh Hill, Customer Delivery Manager from Thorpe Hesley and his team of nineteen engineers decided they wanted to help people across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield with the cost of living crisis, after being given £1,000 by their employers for a charitable donation, which was subsequently
doubled to £2,000.
Josh said: “I did some research into local charities that are supporting communities with the Cost of Living and SYCF stood out straight away. After reading about all the
fantastic work they do and specifically about their Cost Of Living Fund, it was clear that our donation would be put to good use helping those most in need, in what is an extremely difficult time for many.”
Hallam FM Breakfast host Big John at Breakfast has announced that this year’s Cash for Kids Day is taking place on Thursday April 27th and they need you to get involved with all the fun and fundraising! The theme for the day is ‘Dress Like a Popstar’ so whether you want to unleash your inner Harry Styles or throw it back to Britney Spears, the choice is yours - and all for a good cause.
A donation of £5,368 has been split equally between two local charities, using funds that were raised at the latest Doncaster Business Awards ceremony.
It is an annual tradition for the President of Doncaster Chamber (who organise the Business Awards) to personally select which organisations will benefit from the proceeds here. This time around, the RSPCA Doncaster Rotherham & District Branch and the People Focused Group (PFG) were identified as worthy causes.
Explaining why he selected these particular charities, Andy Morley, President of Doncaster Chamber, said: “It’s no secret that times are tough at the moment, and the two organisations that I’ve chosen offer steadfast support where it is needed most.
“The People Focused Group are always there for vulnerable members of our society, ensuring that they have a friendly face
and someone to lean on when things become too much. I first came across the charity a few years ago, when I was judging the business awards, and I was blown away by the fantastic service they provide. They really do deserve all the help that we can give them.
“Meanwhile, animals are often forgotten victims in times of economic hardship, with many of them losing their homes, getting neglected or suffering abuse. What’s more, they are unable to ask for our help. That is why I believe the efforts of the RSPCA are more important than ever right now, and it is a privilege to be able to support them with this donation. I hope that the money makes a real difference.”
This month, unLTD has interviewed John Leaver from Better Today CIC (see p.18), a start-up non-profit I have been supporting for the last year.
John is a great guy and genuinely wants to help people. Previously a youth worker for 20 years and an accomplished DJ, he was living a “normal” life during his 20s, going out, getting drunk, taking drugs, spending time away from home, and drifting in and out of relationships.
He had his moment of clarity and stopped doing the drink and drugs and thankfully got his life back. When he was 1000 days sober, he shared his journey on social media and got an amazing reaction – lots of people were relating to his story and wanted to give up their toxic lifestyle too, as it was affecting their health, relationships and lives.
He created the CIC Better Today out of his
passion, a passion for living a clean lifestyle and a passion for helping people. He has since trained as a life coach and is holding amazing drop-in sessions for people in Kiveton Park where he has lived all his life.
He is helping with mental health, addiction and isolation issues that so many people are struggling with after Covid-19 and the Cost of Living Crisis.
If you have a passion for something – start it, then get someone like me to help you to ensure it is compliant, legal and has all the necessary requirements in place. I can help with start-up funding, business planning and most clients use me as a sounding board for all their mad ideas!
Loving what you do and being passionate about what you do is your job, let someone like me do the boring business bits and together we can work it out!
The RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre has teamed up with It’s My Life, a not-for-profit group that supports people with autism, learning disabilities and physical disabilities, to help run its new Centre charity shop.
In 2022, the charity realised their Centre Shop was in need of some love and attention, as well as some caring people to help them run it; they were delighted to partner with It’s My Life and some of their group members to make this happen.
Starting in September, group members have been lending their lovely, smiling selves to make the charity shop one of the friendliest and best in Sheffield. As well as helping run the shop, the group members also do customer service meet and greets on reception, meaning that everyone visiting the centre get to meet the lovely people of It’s My Life.
On the partnership, RSPCA Sheffield Chief Executive Dianna Radford said: “I truly couldn’t be happier to be working with It’s My Life. They have been holding their group in our function room for a few years now and seeing the group members on my way to support the animals at the Centre has always been one of the highlights of my day.”
The Fundraising Manager at South Yorkshire youth homelessness charity Roundabout has been named one of the country’s most influential events organisers.
Emily Bush is a winner of the Access All Areas 30under30 Class of 2023, the initiative designed to recognise and reward excellence among the younger generation in the live event industry’s
MOWGLI
workforce.
As one of the 30under30 winners, Emily will now be supported by Access All Areas over the next 12 months, as part of a programme designed to
£35K IN FUNDRAISING
The popular Indian street food restaurant, Mowgli, located on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield, has raised over an amazing £35,000 through their optional ‘add £1 to the bill’ scheme for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.
Mowgli and their generous diners have supported the much-loved charity since their partnership began in 2019. They raise £1,000 on average each month by giving their customers the option to leave a donation to the charity on their bill.
The restaurant also has a team of 15 staff taking part in the Edale Skyline Challenge on 4 April, which involves walking 21 miles in support of Bluebell Wood.
Zara Tattersall, Communications Manager at Mowgli said: “Charitable giving sits at the heart of Mowgli. We want to enrich the lives of the cities that we go to and in doing so, each of our 16 restaurants joins forces with a local charity.
“Our Ecclesall Road restaurant chose to partner with Bluebell Wood so we could support their outstanding commitment to young people, whose lives are too short, and their loved ones.”
provide advice, support and networking opportunities.
“I am truly overwhelmed to be included in the final 30 and proud to think that the work I do with Roundabout is receiving such important national attention,” said Emily. “We have developed a strong package of events for Roundabout and that has only been possible thanks to some fantastic teamwork and great support.”
Charities in Yorkshire have a chance to win a share of a £25,000 prize pot offered by expert charity insurer Ansvar as part of its Community Campaign.
The money will be split three ways: £15,000 for the overall winner with £5,000 each going to two additional charities.
Applications for funding can be submitted between Monday 6th March and Monday 17th April, with winners announced by Wednesday 31st May. Charities simply need to complete a short online form and explain in 500 words or less why their project deserves the prize.
Sarah Cox, Managing Director at Ansvar, said: “These are tough times for many charities, so we’re delighted to announce our search for three registered charities to benefit from a £25,000 prize pot.
“We know how much that money will mean to projects being run across the country and the judges are particularly keen to receive entries that provide a detailed outline of how the money would be spent.”
Some of Sheffield’s most vulnerable adults are receiving vital support thanks to a charity that has made its base in the city’s historic Victoria Hall.
The celebrated Norfolk Street venue is managed by The Foundry Sheffield, a small charitable organisation charged with the task of running the imposing building effectively, safely and in the interests of all tenants, users and visitors and with the ultimate aim of improving the lives of people throughout the city.
Charities working out of the centre’s range of offices include Age Active, Assist and City of Sanctuary.
One of the most successful groups making the most of the Victoria Hall’s location right at the heart of the city is The Sunday Centre, a not-for profit organisation, which serves
Sheffield’s homeless and vulnerable.
“The Sunday Centre is one of our great success stories and one that demonstrates very well the many different ways in which the Victoria Hall can touch people’s lives,” says Foundry Sheffield Organisation Manager Rose Durant. “The vital service this tireless group of volunteers provide continues to grow and they are now cooking something like 120 meals every week.”
Local recruitment agency, Glu Recruit, have announced their plans to get involved with the Master Cutler’s Challenge 2023.
Every year, the Master Cutler of Sheffield chooses a charity to be supported throughout the Master Cutler’s Challenge.
This year’s Master Cutler, Dame Julie Kenny DBE DL, has chosen The Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust with a theme of diversity and inclusion at the forefront of the challenge.
To kick off their fundraising, Glu Recruit have announced that they will be donating 1 per cent of all their permanent recruitment fees to Wentworth Woodhouse for the duration of the challenge.
The Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust is a core pillar in South Yorkshire, providing
programmes, training, upskilling and employment opportunities.
Rob Shaw, Managing Director at Glu Recruit, commented on the challenge, “We’re thrilled to be taking part in this year’s Master Cutler’s Challenge. The whole team have already started brainstorming fundraising ideas and I’m excited to share them with our network – hopefully inspiring other businesses along the way.”
Rowan Campbell-Pilling, a rising star in British Motor Racing and Charity Ambassador for Sheffield Children’s, and his team, have raised more than £3,000 by taking part in #TeamTheo’s Abseil 2023.
Keen to give back to his community, Rowan took the incredible 160ft plunge down Sheffield Hallam University’s Owen Building in support of Sheffield Children’s.
Rowan said: “My family and I know firsthand how important the services at Sheffield Children’s are and being able to raise money and awareness for something that means so much to me and many other young people in the region is such an honour.”
Dave Allen, of A&S Leisure Group, has been a long-standing patron of Weston Park Hospital and his £50,000 donation comes at the perfect time to finalise the charity’s upcoming campaign.
This esteemed funding is being used to support not only the vital cancer facilities, but also the costs of a new Weston Park Cancer Charity bus and its maintenance.
This progressive bus will be travelling around designated locations of Sheffield enabling cancer patients and their families, or anyone with suspected signs/symptoms, to receive invaluable advice and support –specifically targeting those who are unable to book an appointment at their busy GP surgeries and anyone struggling to afford transportation to the hospital or find city centre parking.
Each month, unLTD chats to a local charity’s founder, delving into the reasons why they set up the organisation. This time around, Ash Birch caught up with John Leaver, founder of Better Today, a Rotherham-based CIC that provides free-of-charge support services on a range of issues including mental health, substance abuse through their online community and weekly drop-in sessions…
Hi John. Can you start by telling us a little about Better Today?
When I hit 1000 days sober in 2022, my friend suggested I start putting video content out on social media, talking about my journey – what’s been good, what’s been bad.
To begin with, Better Today was just a TikTok channel. It got off to a steady start, in terms of interaction, but then one video on cocaine went viral and from that day I was spending a lot of my time trying to reply to all the messages.
I realised that people were struggling for relatable, accessible support. I’d opened a can of worms and could have spent from the minute I woke up to the minute I went to sleep trying to support people, so I decided to set up a CIC in order to be able to dedicate more time to it.
We now have a large online community, who support each other, as well as drop-in sessions in Kiverton Park, that are
open to anybody. It’s about the community helping each other and breaking down the stigmas.
Did the fact that you had so many people getting in touch, with potentially serious issues, worry you? What made me uncomfortable was the volume of people getting in touch. I’ve been a youth worker for over 20 years, working on various youth initiatives, so I understand about safeguarding and risk, and my forte has always been supporting people.
Better Today didn’t initially set out as an advisory platform, but as it grew, and as we’re in the domain of alcohol, drugs and mental health, you’re then touching on suicide and I realised quickly that we had a duty of care and needed to set up some infrastructure within the organisation.
I was also in London last week to receive my diploma in positive psychology coaching, an extension of which is an alcohol-free coaching certificate.
Why do you think your content resonates with people so much?
People really find the content relatable. Because I was going into it not intentionally wanting to support people and on the same level as them, there was quite a big uptake.
Can you tell us about your own relationship with alcohol and drugs?
I was a very sporty teenager and loved football and cricket. I didn’t like drinking or smoking and was completely anti-drugs. As I got to 16, I started playing football and cricket with the men’s teams and got into drinking through that. I’m also a DJ and started going to raves around that time.
When I was 18, I first started taking drugs. The next few years is a blur of partying, DJing and getting completely off my face every weekend. I stopped all my sports and completely hammered my body.
In my 20s, I got to a point where I was rarely excited about anything
and felt pretty down. I was in and out of relationships and drinking quite heavily, especially on weekends where I would binge drink a lot. I felt like I had loads of potential, and even though good things were happening, underneath the bonnet I was deeply unhappy and aspiring for more.
I stopped taking drugs in 2012, but I was still in a place where I thought there had to be more. I tried lots of selfdevelopment, but nothing hit the spot.
In 2019, I split up with my child’s mum and had a proper breakdown, and for the first time felt unable to cope. I was drinking vodka every weekend and got to a point where my head went. One day I was out with my friends, in a VIP with a big bottle of vodka, and I just had a sort of epiphany and went home.
From there, I did a month sober and started a personal training program. Things started feeling better and I realised I was onto something. There were peaks and troughs, but generally things started to improve and I refound natural happiness towards simple things. I hit 1000 days and that’s when I started to document it and started this path that I’m on now.
We’re hoping to replicate the sessions in other areas. My vision is for two or three sessions on a Wednesday night that become selfsufficient, so that everyone knows they have a place to go. We’re also looking at going into schools and other venues doing workshops. On a personal note, I’m also about to launch my own alcohol-free coaching programmes, separate to Better Today, called Lose the Booze. tiktok.com/@bettertoday_
Technology specialists Simoda has appointed fellow Sheffield company Vivid Creative to deliver its marketing strategy.
Simoda offers support around four key pillars of technology, Infrastructure & Cloud, Modern Workplace, Cyber Security & Data Solutions, all of which are underpinned by a range of services and support designed to drive value for businesses and organisations, whether they are large or small.
Simoda managing director Daniel Bumby said: “Vivid Creative is the perfect agency to support Simoda with our marketing as we look towards our next phase of growth.”
Gerry Arcari, managing director at Vivid Creative, said: “Simoda is a company that is doing great things in their industry, so we’re excited about telling their story to a wider audience.
“Daniel is a great leader and has really made Simoda into a Sheffield success story. We’re both based in Kelham Island so we have already struck up a good relationship and are working very closely on a number of projects.”
www.simoda.co.uk
Counter Context, a specialist communications agency with over 29 years’ experience, has just expanded its team with an additional 10 new staff.
This growth has resulted in increased capacity, improved collaboration and communication across the businesses based in Sheffield, Manchester, and London.
With a focus on serving the regeneration and development, transport and sustainability, and energy and utilities sectors, Counter Context has seen tremendous growth in the demand for its services. The team has now expanded from just 20 members before the pandemic to an all-time high of 37.
Alexis Krachai, Managing Director at Counter Context, said: “This expansion is a testament to Counter Context’s commitment to providing exceptional service and support to its clients as the speed of change in the built environment accelerates. The importance of calm and considered communication is growing as stakeholders and communities engage with the changes we’re seeing in towns, cities, and the countryside.”
Elsewhere, Belinda Lancaster, a partner at Sheffield solicitors, Graysons, has retired after more than 31 years.
Belinda joined Graysons in 1991
and went on to help secure scores of compensation awards for clients who had suffered personal injury, including industrial disease awards for miners and their families. She also spent years campaigning for more to be done around the dangers of asbestos exposure secure, working closely with the charity, Derbyshire Asbestos Support Group (DAST), and securing over £10m in benefits and compensation for victims of asbestos exposure.
She said: “It has been a real privilege to work for Graysons over the years and to have the opportunity to help many people. I’m looking forward to handing over the reins to Jon West – a colleague for whom I have the highest regard.”
This expansion is a testament to Counter Context’s commitment to providing exceptional service and support to its clients
Sheffield Cathedral has appointed Tom Daggett as its new Director of Music and Schools Singing Programme.
Tom heads up their music department to lead an ambitious new programme in which members of the department will go into classrooms, particularly in schools in more deprived communities, to give as many children as possible the opportunity to sing, and for the communities they are part of to experience the joy and flourishing that music brings.
Following his appointment, Tom said: “I am excited to lead the musical life of Sheffield Cathedral into a bold new phase, based upon the National Schools Singing Programme, which will renew musical opportunities for schools and communities across the Diocese, release the gifts of children and teachers, and rejuvenate musical worship.”
Thriving Sheffield-based business Hentons Corporate Finance is yet again expanding as their booming success within the mergers and acquisitions market continues.
The addition of Andy Cocker, as a Business Development Manager, further illustrates the businesses continued growth within the market, as well as their ambitions for the future.
Andy will be the ninth addition to the Hentons Corporate Finance team, after doubling staff numbers in under 12 months. Director of Corporate Finance, Chris Sellars, said: “I am excited to get involved and will be helping to build a project pipeline and will be offering support on funding.”
South Yorkshire home improvement company Yorkshire Windows has appointed a new site supervisor and inhouse training specialist.
Darren Bilewicz has several years’ experience working with the Rotherhambased company as a sub-contractor.
Managing Director Ian Chester said. “Darren is a time-served joiner with many years’ experience in fitting uPVC windows and doors both with Yorkshire Windows and with other companies and that is exactly the sort of experience we need.
“Not only will he be training but he will also be supervising projects on site, ensuring every job is finished to the high standard expected by our customers.”
Gravitate Accounting, which specialises in Xero cloud software, digital accounting and outsourced FD services, has made several new hires and welcomed 27 new clients since January.
The strong start to 2023 has resulted in a 14.5% rise in recurring revenues for JanuaryMarch when compared to the same period last year. Digital Accountant Megan Ducey and Trainee Digital Accountant Jack Laister have joined the team, along with Morgan Bland, who has been hired as Gravitate Accounting’s first apprentice.
Sam Newton, co-founder of Gravitate Accounting, said: “It’s definitely been a busy start to 2023 and we’re really pleased to have welcomed new clients and new team members.”
Specialist recruitment agency within the Engineering, Manufacturing and Technical sectors
Lodestone Recruitment is based in the heart of the engineering district of Sheffield and has been set up to provide staffing solutions for clients and job opportunities for candidates.
We pride ourselves on our ability to develop long-lasting relationships with both clients and candidates, and believe that these relationships add far more value to the recruitment process for all parties. We care a great amount about what we do. Reputation is everything in recruitment and the core values we try to follow are honesty, reliability and transparency.
www.lodestonerecruitment.co.uk
Glu Recruit, the South Yorkshire based specialist recruitment consultancy, have added three new members to their team as they continue to grow to meet the increasing recruitment requirements of businesses across South Yorkshire.
Joe Hall joins as Operations Manager and will be responsible for the daily performance of the business.
He will be working very closely with Rob Shaw, Managing Director of Glu Recruit, and his role will be pivotal in developing the team of recruiters –ensuring client and candidate experience is exceptional along the way.
Commenting on his new role, Joe Said: “Having previously worked at management level in the public sector for over 10 years, I’m excited to be joining such a forward thinking, down to earth business.
“Working with Rob, and a team of brilliant employees, my role will push the business to the next level and continue to provide expert recruitment solutions for businesses across the South Yorkshire region.”
With a strong background
in sales and both client and candidate relationships, Eleanor Crummy joins Glu Recruit as Strategic Partnerships Executive.
Eleanor will be responsible for growing and developing new business relationships with employers. She will be the face of Glu Recruit out in the business community, promoting the brand, and the services that Glu Recruit offer. Eleanor is key to the growth strategy for the business in 2023 and beyond.
Eleanor said: “I’m really looking forward to starting my new role at Glu recruit and joining such a wonderful, driven and successful team.
“I can’t wait to take on this new challenge and see what exciting business opportunities we can explore. There are great things to come at Glu…”
Jack Crookes joins as Recruitment Consultant and having previously worked in property, he will drive recruitment solutions for
businesses, with a strong focus on both property and sales roles.
Jack commented on his new role and said: “I’m delighted to join the Glu Recruit team at such an exciting time for the business.
“Having previously worked in the property sector, with a strong focus on sales, I feel motivated and driven to help candidates secure their next role – whilst building new client relationships in the region.”
South Yorkshire-based accountancy specialist Kingswood Allotts is setting its sights on growth and expansion, following the appointment of Tim Baum-Dixon as Chief Executive.
In a career spanning more than 15 years, experienced chartered accountant and business adviser Tim is the first person to hold the position of Chief Executive, following the acquisition of Allotts by Kingswood
LLP last year.
Tim Baum-Dixon, Chief Executive, Kingswood Allotts, said: “Allotts is a brand that has been synonymous with South Yorkshire’s business community for nearly a century. The company enjoys strong links with many business organisations throughout the region, the company has been longstanding patron of Doncaster Chamber, and active supporter of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber.
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It’s an intense industry out there and you will have deadlines that you won’t be able to budge, but if you’re exhausted and the work can wait (even 5 minutes) to give yourself a break, do it. Your Mental and Physical Health is foremost, always.
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Those people who you trust to tell you the work is not up to scratch, even when you want it so badly to be. Those who will give you a cup of tea when words won’t do. They matter more than you’ll ever know.
It’s a cliche but failing is invaluable and a vital learning tool in the industry. Find the safe spaces which allow you to do so and see what you can learn about yourself and your practice when you get it wrong.
What happens in your Film will only matter to an audience if they care why it’s happening. You need to engage them emotionally otherwise they’ll just switch off, even more so with the wealth of content out there currently.
3 4 5
If you want to work in film, you need to watch as much as you can. Each film will teach you more about the story and how to make one yourself. Even if you don’t like it, working out why you didn’t engage with the film is still invaluable to your development.
Formed in 2015 by Producer Rebecca Mark -Lawson, Tyke Films are a BFI Vision Award Selected Film, TV, and VR Production Company developing work with original approaches to true stories, told by those with lived experience and often exploring the intersection between documentary and fiction. Their latest documentary feature ‘Poly Styrene: I am a Cliche’ recently won Best Documentary and Raindance Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards. For more information about Rebecca or Tyke Films, check out www.tykefilms.com or follow them on social media @ tykefilms
In November 2022 the government announced a minimum wage increase. The changes will see the national living wage (NLW) for workers over the age of 23 increase from £9.50 to £10.42 (9.7%), with workers aged between 21 and 22 set to get an even bigger boost of 10.9% (£9.18 an hour to £10.18).
After coming into force on April 1 2023, businesses are being urged to check that they are compliant, with legal experts warning that those who pay under the legal limit could find themselves in hot water.
Katie Ash, head of employment law at Banner Jones, explains: “The National Minimum Wage is the minimum pay per hour almost all workers are entitled to. It is the same across all parts of the UK and must be paid by every single business, in every single sector regardless of size. However, the amount that each employee receives can vary depending on age and if they are an apprentice.”
As of 1 April 2023, the increases will be:
• National Living Wage for over 23s: £9.50 to £10.42 an hour
• National Minimum Wage for those aged 21-22: £9.18 to £10.18
• National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds: £6.83 to £7.49
• National Minimum Wage for under 18s: £4.81 to £5.28
• The Apprentice rate: £4.81 to £5.28
Katie added: “Those variations mean that while most businesses take steps to ensure that workers
are paid correctly, it’s not uncommon for companies to make mistakes that could land them in hot water.
“Organisations that operate on shifts or employ seasonal workers are particularly vulnerable to miscalculations, and errors are often made when a worker moves up an age band or completes an apprenticeship.
“Any employer found not
to be paying the minimum wage can be fined by the UK tax authority, HMRC, and workers are encouraged to log a complaint with HMRC if they feel they are being underpaid.”
To make sure that your business is compliant, Katie advises a full review of all salaries should take place and that the remuneration a person receives should
be calculated on an hourly basis and cross referenced with their job title and their date of birth.
If you would like advice on the changes to the minimum wage and how and how to make sure your business is compliant, get in touch with the Banner Jones employment law team on 0114 358 3294.
AI, or artificial intelligence, in 2023 is very much a part of most people’s daily life. Whether it’s through our use of virtual assistants like Alexa or Siri, facial recognition software for unlocking devices or algorithms personalising various feeds, AI has become a powerful technology for improving everyday experiences.
However, with the rise of high-powered language
Self-conscious. AI is the buzzword for sure right now, but this isn’t a new thing. In fact, not many know we can go back more than 50 years and still talk ‘AI’. The difference now is that it’s well and truly in the mainstream and your child could be having a full blown conversation about the best way to plan for school/decide who the best football team is/build a meal planner all with an AI model, all instantly, all making sense.
AI brings an absolute raft of benefits to everyone and everything, be it in that ChatGPT conversational style that’s really grabbing the headlines right now, or in a business focussed direction, with predictive data algorithms, rapidly supporting dynamic pricing and increased customer satisfaction.
In our Sheffield based startup, we’ve built our AI and machine learning as a service platform with a team of just four people. It’s truly amazing to see that what used to take teams of data engineers, scientists and developers, sifting through years and years of data, all at great cost in both time and money, can now be all be done in just two to three weeks with only a couple of months of data in an online package. That’s some valuable power that AI can bring right there and it, along with machine learning, which people often mix up as the same thing, should certainly be enhanced and taken advantage of. That’s not to say there is no need for human thinking, of course, as we still need to action out the results of AI thinking, but the value is there for all to see.
It always sounds a little strange for me to be talking about ‘human thinking’, but here we are. For example, someone who owns a chain of entertainment venues understands exactly how many staff they need, how much fresh food and beverages in stock, how much empty space is costing them and much more. They know this from experience and they are sort of right, but small mistakes in business cost money. AI helps immensely here, as it not only thinks with the data of the business, but all the other impact factors that change the business as usual. That capability to use the powers of 1 million brains at once is immensely valuable and data is free-flowing in insane amounts. Did you know that 99.5% of it isn’t even used, for example? We really are on a rapid growth path for the benefits of AI to use as a planet.
You have to get on board or be left behind.
processing tools such as ChatGPT, which can do everything from write feature-length articles to create basic code for websites, the debate about the pros and cons of utilising artificial intelligence programmes across various sectors has intensified.
To explore this further, we heard from two sides of the AI fence on the risks and rewards of extending more tasks to software in the running of businesses.
Don’t get me wrong, AI unleashes incredible potential and has some really exciting use casesbut its benefits are being overhyped in some quarters, and if used recklessly it has the potential to really damage businesses’ relationships with their customers.
In my field of digital marketing, I’m already seeing people wholesale outsourcing pretty much all their work to AI, viewing it as a cheaper and more efficient way of producing content en masse. In some low-risk uses - like writing thousands of very similar product descriptions for an ecommerce website - that might make sense, and there are some great creative campaigns you can run using it: my Evoluted colleagues in our Digital PR team attracted worldwide coverage by running a project that used AI to redesign famous horror movie posters.
But it’s trying to pass off AI-generated content as human-produced that is a recipe for disaster. Fundamentally, AI is brilliant at amalgamating different bits of existing content to produce a ‘best guess’ at your prompt - but fresh ideas still need to come from humans and there are going to be issues with AI content quality and reliability as you’re not 100% sure where it’s drawing theinformation from.
This can cause both customers and search engines to turn their noses up and damage faith in the trustworthiness of your business. A human understanding of what people want and what kind of messaging they’re likely to respondto is something AI will always struggle to grasp. Clever copywriting that grabs attention and converts well can’t really be automated.
Think how frustrated people get with automated call centres or website chatbots. When they work, they’re cheaper for the business operating them, but one negative, insincere experience is often enough to motivate a customer to take their money to a competitor.
As AI-generated content floods the internet, maintaining a genuine, unique and un-automatable brand image will increasingly become a USP. The challenge for businesses is to retain personalisation and resist the temptation to outsource to AI unless it makes no difference to quality or customer perception. If customers realise most of their touchpoints with your business are AIgenerated, you risk alienating them and damaging brand reputation.
Greetings from Latvia!
Here we are in a hotel in Riga, with the snow coming down, reflecting on March happenings!
Master Cutler Challenge’s official launch started proceedings when we joined many other South Yorkshire businesses to receive our certificate at The Cutlers Hall. The Challenge is an annual event when the Master Cutler - this year Dame Julie Kenny - selects a personal charity (the very fabulous Wentworth Woodhouse) and then businesses do whatever it takes to raise monies. Last year we did 3D Connect has got Talent, so our thinking caps are well and truly on this time around!
My next event was the perfect spot for some inspiration: the Big Challenge, Dragons Den judging event - a personal favourite of mine, if I’m honest! It's a wonderful initiative inspiring our young people across Sheffield schools to create and run their own businesses, overflowing with passion, tons of energy and loads of creativity! Bravo all finalists. My fellow dragons were just fabulous too.
Snow didn’t stop play at my first Rotherham Hospital’s Charity event, and it was great to hear from and meet a panel of dedicated supporters and suppliers to the charity.
The following week was jam packed with first a super event at the Winter Gardens bringing together business and culture aptly named Ripple. Here’s hoping the ripple does continue! Next was the return of Glu Recruit’s Unetwork at Rotherham Football Club with a great panel talking all things marketing.
The same day was Bhayani Law and HR social event - always a great way to find out really different happenings across the city.
Then our own 3D Connect event, hastily relocated to Gulliver’s Valley as a result of a teacher strike on the same day. Big shout to Andy Flowers and the team there who not only accommodated us at short notice but also gave us an option to bring the little ones along too! And they loved it! Truly thinking in 3D!
Afternoon tea at Graywoods was a great way to meet and mingle with almost 65 women in professional services, thanks to Deborah, Danielle and the team there.
And then, finally, a meet at Hallam FM with Rotherham Pioneers where we were introduced to all things digital audio - quite an insight and one to listen out for, for sure!
And now, back to Riga, still snowing, lots of business meets all around me and final check for that conference venue! Will we be back? Who knows?
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The training and skills academy’s anniversary year is focused on building new relationships and moving into new arenas. CEO Tricia Smith explains: “Our two core purposes remain the same: increasing people’s job prospects and helping businesses grow by developing their workforces.
“To achieve these goals, our organisation must constantly be on its toes, predicting new trends and economic effects and being ready to support individuals and businesses. We’ve been doing exactly that for two decades but in 2023 we are really gearing up, moving into new educational sectors and offering different training delivery methods.
“The economy has taken a hit, sectors such as hospitality are really struggling and the education and the mental health of young people suffered during the pandemic. We are intent on helping the Sheffield City Region’s workforce to meet these challenges and become more resilient to whatever changes lie ahead, as well as supporting individuals who have had a disrupted education.”
The Source has already begun by introducing new qualifications and training opportunities. Some 18 months ago, its senior management
team began a long-term relationship with the Association of Accounting Technicians, aiming to provide a wide range of accountancy qualifications and apprenticeships. The first cohort of AAT Level 1 in book-keeping completed their course in February 2023 with outstanding results - a 100% pass rate. The course is run bySheffield City Council's Advancing Digital Programme, which is funded by the ESF.
Further AAT qualifications are now underway, with tutors supporting Source apprentices through the required 20% of their job training, and in autumn 2023, the academy will deliver its first Level 3 Accountancy Apprenticeships. “The decision to provide finance
qualifications comes after listening to our business admin apprentices when they told us they wanted to further their careers with financial qualifications, and also identifying demand from businesses we work with. As costs soar, employers want to increase their in-house finance skills; we are facilitating that,” commented Tricia.
The Source is also eyeing the rapidly developing green energy sector as an important new arena for its relationships with local businesses. The number of jobs being created in renewable energy is growing at a rate which is four times faster than the UK’s total employment market. The industry has been slow to take off in Yorkshire but that could soon change
and ensuring the region has access to the right accredited training and qualifications is a priority for The Source.
CEO Tricia explains that “there are many conversations underway in the Sheffield City Region to address emerging employment opportunities in the green sector and we are keen to have more of our own. We want to hear from local companies thinking of expanding their renewable energy skills so we can learn about what specific qualifications they need, onboard them and grow our talented team of tutors to deliver them.”
To discuss green energy training and qualifications, contact Natalie.Doherty@ thesourceacademy.co.uk
The Source Skills Academy in Sheffield is passionate about bringing out the best in people. It has been helping businesses to increase the talents of their teams since 2003 and is proud to sponsor Skills Focus, a monthly spotlight on training and apprenticeship news and funding to help you develop your staff.
Phew! The Budget has come and gone and thankfully not undone any of the planning we’d done for our clients’ salary and dividends that needed sorting before the end of March and then April onwards...
We can start discussions once again about the tax impact of pensions; good, bad and ugly with the increase in the annual allowance to £60k and the abolition of the lifetime limit being a positive, although there is the sting in the tail of additional tax when getting money out of the pension above various thresholds.
I look forward to the NHS now being inundated with doctors returning to the profession following “enforced” retirement for tax issues concerning their pension. Let’s see…
We are now focussing on the compliance work of completion of Benefits
In Kind forms for our clients. The romantically titled “P11D” is how most of you will know it and I always look forward to the plaintive cries of “but it’s a pool car…” when the company Ferrari benefit in kind calculation is explained. Ouch.
We do try and plan these in advance with our clients but still have the odd one who has changed their cars without a quick chat about the consequences. We always suggest looking at the type of car you want, letting us know what business mileage you expect each year and
how the car is going to paid for. That means we can do the computation and sometimes suggest a different car in the range.
Electric cars anyone? This year we do have plenty of time to change a car as there aren’t any available for months if you want to pick a specific one! No excuse for bad planning!
One item we are pushing again this year is a “relevant” life insurance policy. That means taking out life insurance for an individual that is NOT
included as a benefit (even if the company pays), but the proceeds do go to the dependents tax free. Always a cheery subject, death, and the term IHT planning does seem better.
But it’s an important consideration and a relevant life insurance policy connected to a shareholders agreement does mean that you do not end up with your business partner’s spouse as the person that co owns the business with you.
We’re happy to help
on all these matters and we work with other professionals to provide a full package of advice for you, whether that’s a solicitor for a Shareholder Agreement or an Independent Financial Adviser for your life insurance (and pensions).
We are now in April 2023, and there’s no better time for a review of how the first three months of the calendar have gone and to address your forecasting for the rest of the year. Still on target?
What is your current role?
I currently have two roles; I am a full-time Silversmith based in Sheffield and the Managing Director of Rebecca Joselyn –Designs in Silver. I am also the Managing Director of Goldsmiths North which is an international jewellery and silverware selling event held at Cutlers Hall each July.
What does that involve on a day-to-day basis?
For Designs in Silver, it can be anything from meeting a client to discuss a commission, to beginning to hand-make a new design
OUR MISSION: TO ATTRACT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE MIX OF PEOPLE IN STEM CAREERS
or work on a new collection. Goldsmiths North is about preparing and planning for the annual weekend event to take place at Cutlers Hall in July.
How did you get started working in STEM? It began back in my college days where I found myself in the metalwork and jewellery workshop developing designs and ideas.
What qualifications did you take or gain along the way?
A BA Honours Degree in Metalwork and Jewellery Design. Aside from this, I’m
Why do you love working in STEM?
I love creating new designs and working out how to manufacture them. It is great learning new processes
and seeing my designs come to life! I love going to work every day and this is priceless.
What challenges have you faced in your career? And how have you overcome them?
I’m dyslexic so I can find reading and writing side of things a real challenge.
What advice would you offer for someone joining the STEM sectors?
If you enjoy what you do, then go for it! Don’t give up and stick to the people who encourage and support you.
What do we need to do as an industry to attract and keep more women in STEM? I think we need to shout about the successful women we do have in STEM and help support the new females coming into the industry.
To read about more about our work and female role models, please visit our website at www. equalityinstem.org.uk/blog
It is great learning new processes and seeing my designs come to life! I love going to work every day and this is priceless
a freeman of the Goldsmiths Company in London and the Cutlers Company of Hallamshire.
Most jobs have their stressful moments and in fact some stress in the workplace can be positive as it motivates us to deliver on tasks and projects. However, when that pressure becomes unmanageable, it becomes an issue which can damage both an employee’s health and their performance.
A recent study by Champion Health revealed that 76% of workers are currently experiencing moderate to high levels of stress. Year-on-year, that figure shows a percentage increase of 13%.
Experiencing high states of stress for long periods of time can result in burnout –a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, commonly related to job stress.
So, what’s going on and how can employers help? According to CIPD, workload is by far the most common cause of work-related stress, with lack of control, support and managers also having an impact. We must also consider financial and personal stresses outside of work. Creating a workplace culture where people feel able to share concerns and seek support will go a long way to improving the happiness of your team.
One of my key messages to companies that we
work with via Cavendish Wellbeing is that supporting the wellbeing of employees isn’t just a reactive process. The best employers will implement both proactive and reactive initiatives to support employee wellbeing.
• Get to know your team better. Sit down with them for an informal chat about their workload, stress points and personal concerns.
• Lead by example. It is easier to practice self-care if we see others doing so.
• Train line managers to spot
signs of stress and manage workloads effectively.
• Increase support for staff during periods of change and uncertainty.
• Prioritise mental health in the workplace with Mental Health First Aiders, accessible resources, signposting and wellbeing sessions.
• Learn to recognise your triggers. What causes your stress response to kick in? How does it feel? How do you know your stress levels are high?
• Take control of the stress.
Schedule and plan to tackle most stressful and try breathing techniques and naming the emotion.
• Challenge stressful thoughts to stop overthinking. Is the stress real? Will it matter in 5 years?
• Look after your wellbeing and increase capacity for stress with good rest, social connections, physical exercise and hobbies.
• Open up. Ask your manager for help. Talk to those close to you. Sharing can solve issues and reduce stress.
As part of his work with the See It Be It campaign, we caught up with Jeremy Brooke, Co-Founder and CEO of SSB Group, at a recent ‘What’s My Line’ session, held at Astrea Academy school. UnLTD’s Phil Turner chatted to Jeremy about his journey into law, what the future holds for the business, and how his teachers weren’t convinced he’d amount to much!...
Hi Jeremy. Can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and your early life?
I was born in Rotherham and went to Brinsworth Manor Junior School. When I was ten years old, we moved from Brinsworth to Thorpe Hesley because my mum had a massive heart attack due to a neighbour dispute. The constant noise, banging on walls, playing loud music, and that kind of thing got too much for her and she had a massive heart attack brought on by stress
We moved to a new house, a new place and a new school. Dad was at work, mum was in bed unwell, and frequently in and out of hospital, because back in those days, heart care wasn’t what it is now. My sister was older and had left home when I was seven, so I had to learn to fend for myself. I was looking after my mum and making sure my dad was alright when he got home from work, and we kind of made meals between us.
Don’t get me wrong, my mum didn’t abandon us or anything, but it was a different kind of childhood. Not as bad as some kids have, obviously, but we were constantly living in fear of mum dying as well,
which was quite a pressure. During that time, my sister was in the Wrens (Women’s Royal Navy Service), my dad had been in the Royal Navy during the latter part of the Second World War, and my sister married a Royal Marine. So, from the age of ten through to seventeen, I wanted to be a Royal Marine. That was my entire life. I literally used to run around the village with rucksacks full of bricks on my back and do press ups every day. You wouldn’t think it now, but I used to look after myself!
I went to the recruiting office at age 17 and found out that because I’d had some ear problems when I was a younger child, I was too deaf to join the Marines. I didn’t have a plan B. I’d got absolutely no idea what I was going to do.
That must have been a blow. How did you handle the disappointment?
I walked out of there and went straight down to the cutlery company that my dad owned in Sheffield. We sat there and I cried, he cried, and from there I kind of wandered from job to job for years. My dad was kind of blue collar, so
did all right for himself. He’d come from a working-class background. My grandad was a gardener. He’d done well for himself and set up his own companies. He was quite an entrepreneur in his time, but never quite made it.
Through that, I kind of knew about sales, because that’s what my dad did. And I knew that selling was important, so I went off and tried to sell plants hire equipment, fire extinguishers, and did cold calling and telesales.
Did you feel like you had a skill for sales?
I can talk a lot. Though I wasn’t very confident when I was younger. Going back to my primary school years, we had to build a balsa wood model of a house. All the kids in the class were doing a bungalow. Four walls, the apex roof - done! I decided to build a replica of Wentworth House. Everybody else has finished their build, and I’m still on with mine, and I remember a teacher effectively saying to me, you need to wind your neck in! You live in a steel and coal mining area. You’re either going to go down the pit or into the steel works. Stop all this overthinking stuff, just do what you can do. That impacted me for a while.
Sounds like an inspirational speech! How did you end up working in law?
So, the Marines went wrong. I didn’t want to be a salesman because that’s really hard work, but I did like people, so I bumbled around a few other jobs. I joined the police for four years. Then I saw an advert for an outdoor clerk at a law firm and I applied. The rest, as they say, is history.
What I found was, and back at that time this was particularly true, lawyers were a very particular breed. They’d been to college, they’d been to university, law was still very much a profession. The minute you got qualified, you bought a raincoat and a pilot suitcase. You changed the way you spoke and behaved. And a lot of them weren’t very good, either. You looked at what they were doing, and they were just going through the motions of being a lawyer without really pushing things, or questioning things.
The main thing about being a lawyer is asking questions, and I’m really good at that. If I got a present
when I was a kid, the first thing I did was took it apart. Took it apart, put it back together again and probably got into trouble with my dad. I’ve always been naturally inquisitive, so law suited me, even though I never wanted to work in an office.
What was your role as a clerk? Effectively, what I used to do was go out to police stations, sit with somebody and represent them during the course of a police interview. Any time, night or day; any type of crime and I’ve done everything from shoplifting, right through to armed robberies and murders.
The guy that employed me, Andrew Dalrymple, who at that time was at a firm called Rogers and Howe was brilliant, and he encouraged me to go on to a legal execs course, which was a correspondence course. I then followed that through about six years of study for legal exec and then another two years to transfer the qualification into being a solicitor.
For criminal law, you need to understand evidence, you need to be inquisitive if you’re going to be a good criminal lawyer. I actually had a case that went right through
to the European Court of Human Rights. It was the bugging of a drug dealers house and they’d not got the right warrants. I remember being sat with the QC who was representing this client, talking about the human rights legislation. He didn’t know it, and I’m going, ‘it’s a breach of Article Six,’ or, ‘it’s a breach of Article Eight’. Eventually, we won at the European Court of Human Rights. They had to change the law as a result of it.
Have you always been good on the details? Because there’s being inquisitive and then there’s being able to retain and use that information?
I’ve got the ability to remember facts. I never worked hard at school, and I put my hands up to that, but what I could do is read a book two nights before an exam and retain it for long enough to get through an exam. I always did just enough to get through.
Do you think that might have been because the teachers didn’t inspire you? Do you think that was cultural at the time?
Probably. My son was going to Winkfield Academy in Rotherham and Phil Davis, who is the head teacher, took us around the school and it actually made me want to go back. It was absolutely stunning. Again, it’s in a deprived area of Rotherham, but the kids are really, really achieving and he makes them believe in themselves.
That’s what I lacked from school. I didn’t from my dad. My dad had always sort of pushed me along and said to go and give it a go, or drive me to interviews, or drive me to work. He’d do anything to help.
If you can imagine coming out of Chapeltown, in Sheffield, working in a tank factory as a 17-year-old apprentice; the next thing you’re in Malaysia getting sunk twice in three days. When he comes back to England as a 20-year-old, suddenly he’s seen the world, and I think to some extent, socially, the Second World War changed Britain, because people had been away seeing things they should never see.
Would you say your dad is one of your heroes?
Oh, absolutely! He died 20 years ago, a lot younger than he should have done. But yes, he did everything for me. You couldn’t have
a better mentor. I had to get out of bed and be at work 15 minutes early. If I’d got a cold, you’d get up and you’d get to work. You only didn’t go to work if you were on your way to the hospital in an ambulance.
So, you worked for a number of years, then you qualified as a solicitor, how did you did you take the leap to setting up SSB?
I got fed up of getting out of bed at three o’clock in the morning, driving right across Sheffield to see some 18-year-old joyrider, who then sacked me because I’d not brought him a packet of cigs. I had a word with my bosses, and they let me move into their industrial disease department, which again is really heavily evidence-based.
That’s the point at which I’d started talking to my then bosses about, ‘what if we did this?’ and they were like, ‘that’s not how we do things, Jeremy’; ‘the laws not like that, Jeremy’; ‘we don’t sell things, Jeremy’. I thought, that’s not right, and if something doesn’t feel right, it’s clearly not right for you. Ultimately, I decided to leave that firm.
I didn’t think I could afford to set up a business. And to be honest, I’d not really looked at it close enough to work out how complex it would be to own a law firm. Remember, I’m from Rotherham, and I’ve got five O-Levels! My idea was become a partner of a law firm. When that happened that opened my eyes entirely, because partners of traditional law firms get promoted to partner positions on the basis of the amount of time they’ve served, not necessarily on the contribution that they made to the business or their skill set.
That frustrated the heck out of me. I worked on a small management team and we did things like setting up pay scales, dress codes and HR. About two days after the pay scales had been implemented, one of the senior partners comes in and says, ‘I’ve given my secretary a pay rise, she’s not being on the same as her!’ We’ve just spent six months putting this together. I got more and more frustrated.
I worked with a guy called Mark Tongs at an organisation called Leadership Management International. I told him my issues and he went away and came back
Based on the old TV show ‘What’s My Line?’, the See it Be it session, held at Astraea Academy, was designed to inspire children to consider careers they may not have thought of. Working in small groups, students are introduced to a speaker by name only; they are then allotted a short amount of time to ask the speaker questions about their current job role to which the speaker can only answer ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘maybe’ or ‘sort of’. Once the question session is finished the kids had the opportunity to guess the speaker’s profession. The speakers then revealed their jobs and industry and gave a short talk on what a day in the job is like, their career journey to date and what a young person interested in the industry should consider if they wish to follow a similar career path.
about a month later. He said, ‘I’ve spoken to people in this country and I’ve had a couple of chats with some friends across the pond who work with law firms, and I’ve got some advice for you – you need to leave!’ He made me realise I couldn’t change the culture from inside. I can either sit and be miserable for the rest of my life, or I can go and give it a go.
Was that a scary time?
Well, I was 40, I had an 18-month old child and I’m about to leave a relatively well-paid job. There were also restrictive covenants all over the partnership agreement, so I had a year of not being able to take clients with me. Two partners came with me to do family law and wills and probate law. We switched the lights on and there were three of us and the secretary, and that was it. Simpsons Sissons and Brooke.
From that point onwards, I got my mojo back and started to look at business and realise what could be done as a business, not just as a law firm.
We’ve talked about the culture of law firms so how is the culture of your business informed by your experiences?
I came from a good family with a decent mum and dad. If they didn’t like you, they didn’t like you for a reason. Not because of the colour of your skin or your age or whatever it could be. They never displayed any of those behaviours, so I’ve never adopted any of those behaviours. When I came to run a business, and I looked at other businesses, I thought, why not make your business such that somebody who’s got a young family can work how it suits them? Why not encourage diversity? If you’ve got a diverse community, you can’t be served by a white middle class business. We have a really grown up way of working. If you need to go to the doctors, you go to the doctors, you don’t take a day off. You just let us know and I would expect that you make that time back. You’re treated like a grown up.
When we opened the new building, we put in a prayer room, because we had people praying in board rooms before and that’s not right. Not in this day and age. We also put in a chapel, and we put in a bar on the top floor for the drinkers. It’s 2023, a prayer room should just be there. It shouldn’t be an effort to be inclusive.
What does the future hold for SSB?
We’re currently at 250 staff and we should have been at 600 staff by the end of last calendar year, but Covid put a stop to that.
How did Covid affect the business?
Covid absolutely smashed us. We were growing towards 100 staff, and suddenly we have to shut the doors and send them all home. The court shut down. The whole world shut down! We’ve had to do a lot of nimble restructuring, and relearning, and continue acquiring in order, hopefully, to get through the Covid legacy, because that’s not over for us yet.
My dad used to say, ‘Worse things have happened at sea’ - and I guess for him they did!
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Team Molly’s are proud to now offer outside catering options, Whether its small and intimate or a larger event including business and corporate launches, we’ve got you covered - from freshly prepared, sharing boxes and catering platters, to larger grazing tables.
Having been in business for almost a decade, with a successful sister company recently expanding their offering, Bhayani HR & Employment Law has put itself at the forefront of this niche through a holistic approach that looks after businesses and charities on every step of their journey.
Jay Bhayani founded Bhayani HR & Employment Law at a time when – despite the obvious synergy between the two – law firms were not generally combining these sectors. Bhayani Law filled this gap and has gone on to become an expert in the field, covering the entire ‘employee lifecycle’ right from recruitment – with the help of their sister business, Bhayani Recruitment –through compliance, culture, workforce planning, training, HR, health and safety, to live issues like disciplinaries and tribunal claims. Unlike
many law firms, who often focus solely on dismissals or another specific area, Bhayani Law looks at the whole picture to ensure that the employee journey can be supported throughout.
Bhayani HR & Employment Law also work within the third sector and recently brought a new Charity Engagement Partner, Charlotte Swinhoe, on board to develop this area of the business. “Understandably, charities can be so focused on their cause that they don’t always have the time or funds to have HR in-house, which is why we want to reach
out so they can outsource provision to us,” Charlotte explains. From upskilling and training future leaders to supporting trustees with their legal responsibilities, Bhayani Law is working to understand the third sector’s HR and employment law needs in order to support the teams that deliver charitable work for great causes, alongside their wide range of first and second sector clients.
“We deal with both legal claims and HR – whether that’s internal HR for a business, or an employee who needs advice on a process that’s
happening to them at work,” explains Kathryn Gilbert, Head of HR Services. “Myself and my department support businesses but our legal team supports employees on employment law matters. We can also incorporate bespoke training within the HR services on a whole host of topics – recently we became part of the South Yorkshire Skills Banks and have had Highfield accreditation so can offer our clients training at little or no cost. We also run free seminars focused on particular areas of employment law and HR. It’s a holistic approach that aims to make sure staff are viable and productive while employers are looking after their wellbeing, allowing them to attract and retain the best talent.”
This approach led to Jay Bhayani and the team identifying one gap in their offering: recruitment. They could support clients by advising them on the processes but didn’t have
the facility to resource that talent for them. Bhayani Recruitment, the law firm’s sister company, was the solution. Since its establishment around 18 months ago, the recruitment firm has worked alongside Bhayani Law to meet the corresponding requirements of all clients – there’s not always a crossover, but where they do identify a need, both Bhayani Law and Bhayani Recruitment are well placed to offer insight for employers who may be missing a step in their employee lifecycles.
“We work really hard to get to know our clients, which is why we have dedicated advisors for each one, and that means we understand the people and what that business is about,” adds Kathryn.
Together, the two companies offer a ‘full service’ package, a key part of which is Bhayani HR & Employment Law’s Watertight Plan. Operating at different levels of intensity depending
on the business’ size and needs, from a light touch to hands-on help, the Watertight Plan is designed to support employers in any HR and employment law situation. Kathryn points out that a key benefit of this option is the “wealth of experience” available to businesses on the plan, because both the HR department and the legal team have input. “We all have different strengths and interests within HR and employment law, so for the fraction of the cost of in-house HR, you get a wide breadth of knowledge and expertise.”
For businesses that need someone on site to guide HR processes or new recruits, there is the additional Watertight on Site service, allowing the Bhayani team to help identify requirements and provide expertise in person. With this exception, the vast majority of services from both Bhayani Law and Bhayani Recruitment can be
done remotely, meaning that you don’t need to be based in the South Yorkshire region to benefit from their sectorleading expertise. The law firm has expanded its reach to include several satellite offices and a base in Leicester, with clients all across the country. They welcome face-to-face meetings too and like to catch up with their clients in person whenever they can, especially if they can pop into the office for a cup of tea or a Bhayani beer!
This ability to build and maintain relationships, coupled with their commitment to offering commercially driven advice that helps businesses make pragmatic decisions, is what really sets Bhayani apart. They also put great stock in maintaining integrity and transparency, creating a name for themselves through hard work that focuses on the best possible outcomes for their clients, not only for business owners but their employees too.
We work really hard to get to know our clients, which is why we have dedicated advisors for each one, and that means we understand the people and what that business is about
Now in its 17th year, PJ Taste have been serving up feasts of seasonally inspired, locally sourced food and drink for a range of corporate events, weddings and all manner of celebrations across Sheffield, South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire. Last month, unLTD spoke to co-founder Peter Moulam to discuss the company’s story, their zero-waste approach and how they’ve chosen to put their staff first by establishing an Employee Ownership Trust.
First of all, how would you sum up the business and its ethos?
Well, the mission statement is to be the caterer of choice for locally sourced and creative event catering in Sheffield and South Yorkshire. We started on West Street 17 years ago and our first tagline was ‘selectively sourced, locally loyal’. It’s about being intelligent in terms of our procurement and doing it in a holistic, sustainable way. In recent years, I’ve personally become more interested in sustainable agriculture.
On that note, are there any sustainable food technologies or trends that you think are particularly exciting at the moment?
There are organisations like Wildfarmed that I find really interesting. It was started by Andy Cato, a musician with Groove Armada, and a few years back, he sold all his publishing rights, bought a farm in France and decided to start growing organically. However, it all went terribly wrong to begin with, but he was saved by adopting this process of regenerative agriculture: producing this amazing regenerative flour without the use of artificial pesticides or fungicides. I think
that’s exciting because it deals directly with the issue that a lot of mass-produced, modern food has little nutrition and is killing the planet (and us!). So, part of what we try to do in our menus is trying to tell the stories behind the food to the customers – that’s something that really excites us about our work.
Since setting up shop on West Street 17 years ago, could you talk us through how the business has grown and changed? The big change was six or seven years ago when we moved from being a mixture of retail and event catering to wholly event catering. We bought premises in Attercliffe – which at one point was the old Take Two Club where bands like the Human League played – and that gave us our own meeting and dining space, while also meaning that we weren’t at the whim of landlords and could build up some financial stability.
What spurred the decision to move from mixed retail to solely event catering?
I think because that’s where the natural growth was and also because we were becoming jacks of all trades – trying to focus on retail but also fitting in weddings
and corporate events at the same time. So, I think it was a sensible decision for the long-term benefit of the business to specialise in one main area.
When clients get in touch, how does the process usually work?
We like to sit down with the client and try to understand their events, discussing potential themes and angles. We don’t really work with set menus; for us, it’s about providing a bespoke package and getting the experience right.
Could you give us a few examples of how you stick to your zero-waste approach at PJ Taste?
We bought our first fully electric delivery van about eight years ago and put about 30 solar panels on our building at Attercliffe as soon as we moved in. So, following a round of deliveries, the van will come back to the office and charge back up off the grid using solar power. We’ve always tried to operate a zero-waste kitchen, which is made easier moving from retail into event catering as the numbers are more precise, and the only waste we produce goes into our compost which is then recycled through our growing. We obviously work to reduce plastics, using solely biodegradable food containers, and I think another important thing is engaging the staff with what we do. We recently worked on developing eight core values, and a key one of the eight was ‘sustainability’ while another was ‘one team’.
That links to your announcement that you’ll be transitioning into an Employment Ownership Trust this year. Could you tell us a bit more about that?
I suppose it’s about working together and not having a hierarchical structure to that ‘one team’ mentality. We’ve got members of staff like Adam, who joined us as an apprentice about 14 years ago, and most of the staff have been with us between 4 and 6 years, so we value our staff and more recently have given Westfield Health membership schemes to all our staff. The Employment Ownership Trust goes live on the first of May; it’s the ultimate way to get staff involved because they’re going to be beneficiaries of the trust. Roughly explained, original directors sell their shares to the trust, so the business will be run for the benefit of the staff, and there’s the opportunity to share profit in the form of bonuses. I think the current legislation states that the first £3,600 will be taxfree per employee. Overall, it feels like to logical conclusion to the way we want to go as a business.
As well as providing outside catering services, PJ Taste also have Upstairs@ PJTaste - their own unique, lovingly refurbished meeting, dining and event space in Attercliffe accommodating up to 120 people. Visit www.pjtaste.co.uk/ meeting-room or call 0114 312 3663 for more info.
Are there any interesting events on the imminent horizon that you’re looking forward to working on?
We’re doing the VIP catering at the Crucible for the upcoming Snooker Championships, which is obviously interesting in itself, but it’s also symbolic because John and myself who started PJ Taste 17 years ago were previously bar and catering managers at the Crucible. It’s funny how these things can come full circle!
To enquire about catering and bookings, please contact ask@pjtaste.co.uk or 0114 312 3663. www.pjtaste.co.uk @pjtaste
The firm’s areas of expertise include audit and assurance, corporate finance, taxation, and business advisory services, providing dedicated professionals who work closely with clients to gain an in-depth understanding of their business and financial needs.
With a historic milestone reached and a rebrand recently signed off, Joseph Food spoke with Emma Legdon, Martin McDonagh, Patrick Abel and Steve Vickers to hear about what helps them stand out from the rest.
There’s a huge history with this firm which I believe can be traced back around 150 years. Is that correct?
EL: Yes, we have letters on display in this office from Mr Hart, who registered his
accountancy company with the stock exchange in 1873. So, there’s a lot of history here.
MM: Mr Shaw didn’t come along until much later; there was a merger in 1991 which provided the second part of the company name.
How long have you been based at Sheffield Business Park?
EL: We moved to these offices in 2004, so it’s been 19 years.
And how has the job changed over the last two decades? What have been the main shifts in terms of clients’ needs but also more wholesale changes in the industry?
PA: Automation is obviously a big one, especially when it comes to accounts
Last month, unLTD popped down to Sheffield Business Park to meet four of the partners at Hart Shaw, an independent firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers with a history that can be traced back 150 years.
preparation. In terms of corporate finance, one of the main things that has changed dramatically is the landscape of funding. The banks aren’t what they used to be and there are a lot of new kids on the block, specialist funds that have come in to fill in the gaps the banks have left behind. Of course, then you have had all the issues around Covid and furlough – there have been lots of challenges and the industry has changed a lot.
MM: I suppose automation has been the biggest difference, on both our sides and the client’s side as well. 20 years ago, you’d get clients coming with the plastic bag full of invoices and saying ‘get on with it’. Now, of course, the information comes in on drives and through digital channels, so that has changed
how we work: it removes a lot of the bookkeeping and gives us more time to sit down with clients and talk to them about their business.
You’ve recently undergone a significant rebrand. Can you tell us a bit about why you’ve chosen to do that?
EL: As mentioned, it’s our 150th birthday this year, so as well as a time for celebration we decided to reflect a bit. We realised that our website wasn’t really reflecting who we were as a company today: we wanted something a bit more modern, friendly and fresh. We also came up with a new logo, which I think the whole firm has taken to – and you can actually see the H and S in it now! The most important think about Hart Shaw is the staff we’ve got here, and the website now
focuses on that: highlighting the people who deliver good quality work and making everything a bit more personable, moving away from this idea of faceless accountants and advisors to show what we’re really about.
EL: I think we’ve gone a long, long way from just preparing a set of accounts. We’re more involved in our clients' business on a more personal level.
PA: We’ve also got specialists in every field, so anything a big four firm can do, we can do. We specialise in corporate finance, corporate tax, personal tax, tax compliance, audit, accounts prep, payroll, business recovery and insolvency. There’s obviously
We realised that our website wasn’t really reflecting who we were as a company today: we wanted something a bit more modern, friendly and fresh
a lot of other bits that overlap too.
Are there any recent achievements that you’re particularly proud of?
SV: I think on a general note, while we have merged and acquired in the recent past, we’re quite proud of the fact that we’ve managed to grow organically each year while maintaining our clients and staff. Amongst the partnership there are eight of us and I think between us there’s a good spread of age, experiencing and skills that complement each other.
It’s quite a difficult landscape for businesses at the moment. What are the main issues you see and how can Hart Shaw help?
MM: We deal with a massive cross-section of businesses, but staff recruitment and retention are probably the biggest challenge facing a lot our clients; a lot of it due to people retiring earlier and issues around Brexit. In terms of how we can assist, it of course depends on what the particular issues are. But for example, if it’s something to do with the accountancy, perhaps a bookkeeper off on maternity leave, we can always step in and support for a period of time. Another way we can help is by putting clients in touch with each other to potentially develop mutually beneficial relationships there. As Emma mentioned, we spend much more time talking to clients about their business rather than just preparing a set of accounts; while another unique selling point of ours is everyone has access to a partner, so they’ll get to know the other members of our team. We all share an ethos of coming together to help the client as quickly and as best we can.
EL: We can in theory work with a client all the way from business setup right through to when the director(s) are looking towards retirement.
SV: I work in tax, so I don’t
have any corporate clients, but I know most of these guy’s clients because I’ll be brought into assist when conversations around tax get a bit complicated. Once a client has access to a lead partner, they’ve got access to the team.
How else would you sum up the ethos at Hart Shaw?
PA: I think it’s important people know that we are a friendly, approachable team. We don’t want to be faceless robots.
MM: Definitely. We often tell clients that we want to be seen as an extension to their business rather than something distant or
separate.
EL: We’ve got eight partners and 80 members of staff here, so while we’re a decent-sized firm we’re not corporate. This might sound like a cliché, but there’s a real family feel here that we’re keen to promote. The staff as a whole were very involved in the rebrand every step of the way, and that’s very important to us.
If you want to discuss a specific issue, ask for a quote or simply find out what they have to offer, you get in touch via the follow options: Phone: 0114 251 8850
Email: info@hartshaw.co.uk
Website: hartshaw.co.uk
These are the R&D Expenditure Credit ‘RDEC’ Scheme for large companies and the Small and Medium Enterprise ‘SME’ Scheme. Both offer different but generous tax relief.
Both require companies to have incurred costs on projects: “seeking to advance knowledge in a field of science or technology, where the knowledge is not readily deducible by a competent professional in the field”.
In plain English? You must be working towards something new and innovative, not merely catching up your company’s knowledge with the rest of the market.
Very broadly, profitable companies spending £100,000 on qualifying costs under the SME scheme get £43,700 tax relief pre-April 23 (£46,500 post-March 23).
Loss-making companies can surrender the loss for a payable tax credit (14.5% and 10% pre-April and post-March respectively). Again, broadly, for that same £100,000, for a loss-making company the credit is worth £33,350 tax relief pre-April 23 (but only £18,600 post-March 23).
Given many fledgling companies undertaking R&D are initially lossmaking, will these changes materially discourage earlystage innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit?
The RDEC scheme (aka ‘above the line’ relief)
Here, companies receive a
taxable credit equating to a percentage of the qualifying expenditure. Broadly, companies spending £100,000 on qualifying costs under the RDEC scheme get £29,530 tax relief pre-April 23 (£40,000 post-March 23).
Unfortunately, anyone. The R&D claims market is unregulated.
This leads to the inevitable abuse, with some unregulated organisations submitting claims which are at best exaggerated, or at worst fraudulent.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
• Do your due diligence before you sign up with anyone offering to help with R&D tax credits.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
I’D AVOID ANY WHO:
• Ask for fees upfront.
• Seek to tie you in for more than one year.
• Charge additional fees for dealing with HMRC enquiries afterwards.
• Won’t let you have a copy of their report.
• Can’t provide testimonials from firms in your sector.
• Aren’t regulated by a professional body (for example ICAEW, the Chartered Institute of Tax, ACCA, etc).
• And personally, I’d also have a look on Companies House to see how long they’ve been in business. Ask them to confirm they are required to follow the Professional Conduct in Relation to Tax ‘PCRT’. If
they aren’t, I’d avoid them. (A pound gets you a tenner, a few won’t even understand the question!)
Inevitably, the abuse in this area has led to a shorter deadline for applying, and a tightening up of, and more onerous claims process and more HMRC enquiries.
More and more R&D tax credit claimants finding themselves on the wrong end of a HMRC enquiry are now turning to regulated firms like us for help sorting out the mess.
We do know what Professional Conduct in Relation to Tax ‘PCRT’ means and are bound by it and are more than happy to help with your R&D tax credit claim.
www.hartshaw.co.uk
speaking it is overwhelmingly more likely for a business to throw an aging but perfectly good piece of hardware into a skip than it is for that hardware to be collected, reused and recycled. Failure to dispose of used IT correctly is not only damaging to the environment but not commercially savvy. Much of the IT equipment which ends up in a landfill has a rebate value and can be sold on, with the second-hand IT market estimated at more than £300 billion. So, why are companies still refusing to recycle their old computer equipment, which would allow them to free up valuable space, provide an opportunity to make some money, and protect the environment? The main reason according to BusinessWaste.co.uk is concerns over data security, with nervous bosses worried that their data could fall into the wrong hands if it is sent for recycling.
As the world becomes more aware of the urgent need to address climate change and protect the planet, businesses in Sheffield are increasingly looking for ways to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their environmental impact. One area that offers exciting potential for sustainable innovation is IT solutions.
Traditional IT solutions often come with a significant environmental cost, including energy consumption, e-waste generation, and carbon emissions. The sustainability of the IT channel is a major concern with electrical waste equipment increasing in volume at three times the rate of average waste growth in the UK and a large proportion of this equipment destined for a landfill. E-waste now contributes 50 million metric tons globally every year and statistically
This has opened up an opportunity for IT companies to engage with local businesses and provide secure data destruction services. One local business focused on helping companies lower their carbon footprint and ensure fewer assets end up in a landfill is Steel City Consulting. Established five years ago, the company started out as a managed service provider servicing local businesses in Sheffield but more recently have shifted their focus to provide sustainable IT solutions which include secure IT asset disposal, hardware refurbishment, and consultancy for reducing energy consumption.
Earlier this month, Steel City Consulting CEO Dan Birch took time out to discuss his passion for lowering material and energy consumption. “My wife was pregnant when the COP26 conference happened and it got me thinking about the type of world I wanted my son to live in. In 2055 he’ll be the same age I am now, which is five years after the target set by COP26 to secure global net zero greenhouse gas emissions. If we are going to reduce the worst impacts of climate change, we need to do it by then, otherwise we are headed for a planet
Not sure what to do with old office tech? Steel City Consulting has the IT solutions to put businesses on track for a more sustainable future
which is 2°c warmer and potentially terrible consequences.”
Dan explains that Steel City Consulting had always offered sustainable IT solutions as a business but the conference, and the timing of it, got him thinking about how the business should move forward. “We consequently changed our business focus to helping our clients reduce their CO2 emissions. Over the last year, we have done our best to minimise our own internal emissions, and we are now fully focused on reducing the emissions of our clients.”
Steel City Consulting have a wealth of services including a hassle-free approach to disposing of unwanted hardware which maximises the return for the owner. “Our thinking was that we need to make it as easy for companies to recycle as possible,” explains Dan, “so we offer a host of flexible payment options with fast and accurate pricing for used equipment. We can arrive onsite with full packing materials and can decommission the equipment if required. Once the goods arrive with us, they are taken to our destruction facility and locked in secure vaults for testing and refurbishment.”
Ensuring that data is handled securely is a top priority and data is destroyed by either overwriting or erasing in accordance with environmental standards and regulations, such as the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive from the European Union. “We operate a full custody audit trail using GPS tracked vehicles and security cleared logistics. Many local IT companies offer to buy used equipment, but we run a secure data destruction operation. Handling the data and making sure it is disposed of correctly is our number one concern, and we provide our customers with certification to show data has been disposed of correctly.”
In addition to the IT asset disposal services offered by Steel City Consulting, the company also offers other sustainable solutions which include refurbishing machines so that their performance is almost identical to new hardware; offering hardware maintenance to extend the post manufacturer warranties of the hardware; and working with companies to provide op-ex services where goods are paid for on a subscription basis rather than outright, which means that at the end of the term the goods are returned to the original owner who has the responsibility of disposing of it correctly.
Steel City Consulting are encouraging local businesses to reach out should they have any environmental concerns, or want to discuss how they can lower their CO2 emissions through making better use of their IT. “Going forward, sustainability will be at the heart of everything we do”, says Dan, “so I want Steel City Consulting to be the leader in this space and where better than Sheffield – the greenest city in Europe – to lead this charge. We’re currently working with people right across the country and further afield, but we are keen to work with businesses in our local community too.”
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Stepping forward for this month’s local business pitch is Evie Herbert, Junior Brand Manager for innovative Barnsley-based cleaning products company Vamoosh.
Tell us about your business – sell yourselves!
At Vamoosh we ‘solve the unsolvable’ cleaning problems, and our patented technology dissolves pet hair in the washing machine. Hair fibre (keratin) doesn’t dissolve in water, but Vamoosh® breaks up keratin by using active oxygen to break down the S-S bond (disulphide bond). The breaking of the S-S bond breaks up the hair into smaller pieces and ultimately dissolves it and washes it away.
Vamoosh won the last ever Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2022 for this product.
Where did the inspiration to set up Vamoosh Cleans come from?
The inspiration for Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver came from Managing Director Tom’s family pet, a black Labrador called Mr Chips. The major never-ending hairy problem that Mr Chips caused in the household came when washing pet bedding, leaving the washing machine clogged with pet hair (and if there’s anything worse than pet hair, it’s wet pet hair!).
This spawned the idea for Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver, introduced for pet bedding and blankets. In 2016, Tom teamed up with friend and scientist Dave to start working on a creative formula that could dissolve hair in the washing machine. Dave and R&D technician Alex took 18 months to find the perfect formula that dissolved hair and was kind to the environment.
How does the process usually work when a client gets in touch?
I run our influencer programme and their main way to contact me is through our Instagram, @ vamooshcleans. With a strong influencer following from cleaning gurus such as This Morning’s Lynsey Queen of Clean and Mrs Hinch, we have lots of loyal brand advocates which has really helped build consumer trust. Vamoosh is already stocked in various retailers such as Asda, B&M, The Range,
Pets at Home and Wilko’s. It’s is also available to purchase on Amazon and on the website, www. vamooshcleans.com.
How can people get involved?
As the Junior Brand Manager, I run the social media and I love seeing people using our products or spotting us in stores and tagging us @vamooshcleans. My pets feature on social media as well as do other team member’s furry friends. We always seek customers’ feedback on the product and are constantly wanting to see how we can be better – and if there are any more unsolvable cleaning problems that people need solving! It’s such a unique product, so it’s great to see consumers’ own experience using it and what pets they use it on. As you can imagine, we get lots of great pet user-generated content including dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs and many more.
The inspiration for Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver came from Managing Director Tom’s family pet, a black Labrador called Mr Chips
Grow and invigorate your workforce in 2023 by recruiting an Apprentice!
With nearly 1 million Apprentices employed across the country, Apprentices are a brilliant way to fill skill gaps and lower costs of staff development.
To find out more, or to start the Apprentice recruitment process visit apprenticeships.sheffcol.ac.uk or scan the QR code here.
Hi Laura. Can you start by telling us a little bit about your new role?
I actually only started three weeks ago and it’s a new role at Cavendish. It takes in traditional marketing, so working with journalists, print, newsletters, magazines, but also improving on all the digital side of things such as the website and social media. It’s kind of a whole marketing role.
Previously, Cavendish have had people doing bits of marketing, but they’ve never condensed it in to one role. As a charity, they’ve been going quite a long time, starting in the 1970s and it’s quite interesting because when it started, it was really quite revolutionary.
Cavendish provides complementary therapies and counselling to people going through cancer treatment. That’s not necessarily just the patient. It might be their family, children or anyone associated with them.
It’s not instead of medical treatment, it’s as well as. It’s all free of charge for anyone who uses the service and the management are
They don’t judge me for going for the school run, but I kind of still feel like I’m disappointing people. I’ve never had to do it in a job before. I’ve always been the person that would stay until 7pm if I needed to get something finished
very keen that there never will be any situation where people have to pay, so all of our money is pretty much raised through fundraising and a small amount, about 4 per cent, comes from the NHS.
It’s quite unique in that it’s got a defined offer. From a marketing point of view, that’s quite handy because we’ve got a USP. There’s a massive job to do, in terms of improving people’s awareness of Cavendish, which in turn helps with fundraising, but also helps people access the service.
How does a typical working day look for you right now?
I’m quite new, so I’m still learning quite a lot of things. But it might involve things like meeting medical students who’ve been doing a placement at Cavendish, to see how we can use their input for things like our newsletter that go out to specialist care nurses. I also work with journalists, update the website, put things out on social media, as well as provide support for a lady who is doing corporate wellness packages. It’s quite varied and there’s a lot to get stuck into working part-time, across a 24hour week.
What are you enjoying about the role so far?
I’m especially enjoying the writing side of things, and I’ve actually written an article this morning which will feature in unLTD; I’m also enjoying the events, so I helped out at the half marathon, which we were one of the key charities for. I’ve been doing a little bit with Radio Sheffield, and then just getting to have chats with everybody. So far, it’s been really nice and it’s going to be a very interesting role, and one that I could potentially develop over the next few years.
You mentioned this is a new role, so what were you doing before you moved to Cavendish?
So, I’ve actually come back to work after eight years looking after my children. Way back before my career break, I did a PR degree at Leeds Met, which at the time was quite unusual, but I think it’s more common now.
I don’t know why I decided to get into PR. I think I probably watched too many episodes of
For the initiated, V|OR|V need no introduction! For our money, their Kelham Island venue is the best veggie and vegan restaurant in the city, so it’s safe to say that we were hugely excited when news broke of their latest project – a veggie and vegan Grill House in city-centre food hall, Sheffield Plate.
Specialising in celeriac doner and oyster mushroom shish kebabs, their new spot is the perfect place for a quick, Turkish influenced lunchtime bite, and one drizzly Thursday in March, I met up with Cavendish’s Laura Ross for just that.
I arrive slightly early, so I’m given the chance to peruse the menu in a bit more detail and order myself a Punchy sparkling blood orange soda. As the menu suggests, the kebabs are the main event here, but I’m intrigued by their small plate offering and inquire how many of the small plates would be enough for a decent lunch.
I’m told by the incredibly helpful staff that three or four of the plates to share would be more than enough. I relay this to Laura who is happy to Lady and the Tramp a few dishes with me.
In need of more recommendations, I head to the counter where I’m advised to opt for the confit garlic lebnah, from their big dippers section, along with the smashed Yorkshire jester potatoes, grilled purple broccoli, Korean fried kohlrabi and crispy seasonal squash all of which can be found on their seasonal small plates menu.
The first thing to say is, this was lot of food! We probably could have gone a dish less, but as it’s all so delicious, we do a sterling job of ploughing through the majority on offer, grazing away while we chat.
My favourite amongst a stellar line-up was the kohlrabi; tasty little mouthfuls of battered cauliflower, with a hint of spice from the sauce. I could eat a bucket of them!
If you’re already a fan of V|OR|V you’re going to love this new space, and if you haven’t tried the full restaurant experience yet, then this is the perfect taster. And what’s more, if you’re sad that your vegan kebab delivery options have been limited with the closing of Donner Summer, V|OR|V’s kebabs (and the rest of the menu) are available on Deliveroo.
Sex in the City as a teenage girl and thought, ‘Wow –that looks glamorous. I’ll do that.’ I ended up working at Sheffield City Council. Not quite so glamorous!
After I graduated, I had quite a lot of jobs in my 20s, mostly working in comms, eventually working for the National Trust in a comms manager role, which was a great job but was only a maternity contract. I ended up at a foster care agency, in a kind of comms, marketing and business development type role, and I was there for five years, during which I had my own maternity leave with my eldest son, who’s now 10.
I went back to that job when he was one, but it was quite stressful and quite a lot of travelling. Meanwhile, my husband had started his own business whilst I was on maternity leave, which luckily had become quite successful fairly quickly. He was really busy and so I think at that point, we were like, what are our priorities? I always think for one of you, and it doesn’t have to be the mum, something has to give when you’ve got young children.
Unless you’ve got a lot of money to have a nanny or you’ve got a lot of grandparent help, I think you’ve got to compromise. So, I quit my job and started doing a bit of freelance. We then had our second baby.
For some reason, over Christmas last year I got into my head that maybe I should get a job. I had a look to see what was available in part time marketing roles, and I was quite specific, because
having children at school in Sheffield, I didn’t want to be driving to Leeds because you know what it’s like, you send them off to school and you get a phone call half an hour later saying they’ve fallen off a climbing frame, or they’ve forgotten their packed lunch, so I wanted to be local.
I saw this job and put an application in on the very last day, because I was still a bit undecided – it’s a big
change. I wasn’t expecting to hear anything back, but they rang two hours later and asked me to come to an interview the following week. I hadn’t had an interview since 2008, so I wasn’t expecting it to go well. One of my friends in HR was saying to use it as experience, but I only went and got it! It was a bit of a surprise, I have to say.
Everyone at Cavendish has been lovely. It’s a really nice place to work and its very family friendly. The first few days were a bit of a shock because it’s getting used to being in a place for a certain time, things like logging into a system for holiday requests, finding out where everything is and feeling
like the new person all over again.
They don’t judge me for going at 2pm for the school run, but I kind of still feel like I’m disappointing people, because I’ve never had to do it in a job before. I’ve always been the person that would stay until 7pm if I needed to get something finished. I can’t do that now.
It’s a lot to balance and before you’re in that position, I don’t think you can appreciate it. I think if you are going back to work after a career break, it can absolutely be done. It was so much easier than I thought. And I think employers now are much more willing to accept gaps on your CV because, actually, you’ve probably done stuff in that time which has been useful. So far, it’s been a really positive experience.
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Solutions, a leading provider of IT services and solutions, has announced the launch of their latest data intelligence services. These services are designed to help businesses and organisations of all sizes to harness the power of data analytics and gain actionable insights that drive better business decisions.
The services are built on a foundation of advanced analytics and machine learning technologies using a three step framework. They help businesses to collect, process and analyse large volumes of data from various sources before using intelligent automation in order to use this information in their day to day business processes. This includes structured and unstructured data, such as social media feeds, customer feedback, website analytics, and more.
According to Simoda, technology investments are a top priority for organisations, with 75% of companies focused on automation, upskilling, and deploying advanced technologies such as AI. One of the benefits is having the ability to uncover insights that were previously hidden or unknown. By analysing data in real-time, businesses can make faster and more informed decisions. They can also identify trends, patterns, and opportunities that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
The services are available as a fully managed service, which means that businesses don't need to have their own data analytics team. Simoda will
work closely with businesses to design and implement data analytics solutions that meet their specific needs.
“More and more businesses are asking us about how to maximise the value in their data and enhance their productivity through automation, so we’ve decided to make it a focus for Simoda through Q2 and our Data Intelligence Framework is a great way to illustrate the journey,” said Daniel Bumby, MD at Simoda.
Data intelligence services are already being used by several leading businesses across a variety of industries. These include retail, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. In each case, they have helped businesses to improve their operational efficiency, reduce costs, and drive revenue growth.
A leading healthcare provider, used the approach to improve patient outcomes. By analysing patient data in real-time, the healthcare
provider was able to identify patients who were at risk of developing complications and provide targeted interventions to prevent them from becoming sicker. This resulted in improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. A global retailer, improved their supply chain efficiency. By analysing data from suppliers, logistics providers, and internal systems, the retailer was able to optimize their inventory levels and reduce waste. This resulted in significant cost savings and improved customer satisfaction.
Simoda's data intelligence services are available now. Businesses that are interested in learning more can visit the Simoda Technology Solutions website or contact their team for more information and request a copy of their Data Intelligence White Paper. Find them at www.simoda. co.uk/data-intelligencestrategy or call 0114 553 3600
More and more businesses are asking us about how to maximise the value in their data and enhance their productivity through automation
After presenting a Budgetin-all-but name with the Autumn Statement, the Spring Budget was delivered against the backdrop of a day of widespread industrial action. The run-up to the event appeared deliberately downplayed, apart from a late flurry of leaks highlighting a focus on childcare at one end of the scale and pensions at the other.
While acknowledging the Prime Minister’s two objectives of halving inflation and reducing debt, Mr Hunt focused his Spring Budget on the Prime Minister’s third objective – getting the economy going.
SMH Group, a leading firm of Chartered Accountants and Financial Advisers headquartered in Sheffield, presents the key points of the Spring Budget that was delivered amongst a backdrop of widespread industrial action. In a wide-ranging and longer than usual speech, there were some key headline items:
• The inflation rate is forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility to fall from 10.1% (January 2023) to just 2.9% by the end of 2023
• The lifetime allowance for pensions will be abolished from April 2024, with the lifetime allowance charge withdrawn from April 2023
• A new monetary limit for the tax-free pension commencement lump sum will be introduced for 2023/24 of £268,275 (equivalent to 25% of the current standard lifetime allowance)
• The annual allowance for pensions will increase by 50% to £60,000 from 2023/24 and the money purchase annual allowance will rise from £4,000 to
£10,000 from 2023/24
• Small and medium-sized enterprises that spend 40% or more of their total expenditure on research and development can claim a tax credit worth £27 for every £100 they spend from April 2023
• The energy price guarantee is maintained at the current £2,500 level until the end of June 2023
• Up to 30 hours of free childcare per week will be available to working parents of children from the age of nine months by September 2025. Initially, from April 2024, working parents of two-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week
• The scheduled 11p a litre duty increases in petrol and diesel will not go ahead
While the majority of the 2023/24 tax rates were released in the Autumn Statement, some changes involved unwinding the
announcements of Mr Hunt’s predecessor.
With inflation and cost of living concerns foremost for the majority of individual and business taxpayers, the Chancellor needed to balance longer-term economic imperatives with perhaps shorter-term political concerns.
The key tax changes you should bear in mind for 2023/24 are:
• Most main tax allowances and reliefs remain frozen at their 2022/23 levels, with the exception of the reduced threshold for additional rate taxpayers, which is cut to £125,140 for 2023/24
• The dividend allowance for 2023/24 is cut from £2,000 to £1,000
• The capital gains tax exempt amount is reduced from £12,300 to £6,000 for 2023/24
• The corporation tax increase announced by Rishi Sunak when he served as the Chancellor pushes the rate to 25%
• Companies investing in new plant and machinery in the three years from 1 April 2023 can claim a first-year allowance of up to 100% of expenditure
As ever the Budget documentation contained a wealth of detail and much to digest, our Budget Summary highlights the key aspects likely to affect you.
If you have any questions about what you should do next, please get in touch with SMH Group on 0114 266 4432 or info@smh.group
Tell us about your business – sell yourselves!
I’m Heath from Move That Mountain and I’m a Business & Leadership Coach – which means I work with business leaders on challenges within your business. Improving the bottom line, performance, building a cohesive, high-performing leadership team, or restructuring and reframing the challenges in your organisation. If you find yourself banging your head against the wall trying to work out how to improve performance - or governance. Or do you need help understanding your why and overcoming personal obstacles, I can help.
My results-focused, collaborative coaching style, developed over 25 years of lived experience in roles up to and including CEO and Chair, will support you to get to where you want to be, and help you and your organisation be where you want them to be.
Where did the inspiration to set up Move That Mountain come from?
The name came from a coaching conversation with someone who used to be in one of my senior leadership teams, who I still coach today. She said “You can make people believe they can move mountains.”
The business came from 25+ years of building businesses and teams across a range of sectors and getting a real buzz from being part of people’s journey’s. I enjoy adding value and helping people to find the answers they probably already have, but don’t know how to get to.
Seeing someone unlock the potential in themselves or their businesses as a result of some carefully crafted conversations is really satisfying and I know that there are lots of business owners and leaders out there who are going through their challenges on their own, because they either can’t speak to anyone in their teams, or don’t know where to start.
What do you believe helps you to stand out from other Business and Leadership Coaching companies?
There are lots of business consultants and coaches out there who start from the position of “they know best” (I know ,I’ve employed some of them…) or they are great at churning out leadership theory.
I have real world experience of most of the situations people are facing in their businesses and I have a unique career history and range of experience to draw from when helping to advise (in a consultancy role) or empathising and helping someone find solutions (in a coaching role) I also believe that the line from Consulting—Coaching—Mentoring is a continuum and so I don’t pigeonhole my approach into any one area, instead offering bespoke support to each client.
What achievements are you most proud of so far?
There are lots of things I’ve been fortunate to be involved in over the years in business that I could waxlyrical about, working with some great teams.
Top in the UK this….or multi-
million pound turnaround that….or huge workforce improvement the other….blah ,blah All very impressive and happy to bore anyone with them if they like.
But the thing I’m proudest of is my 3 Crime Fiction Novels that I’ve published (all available on Amazon if anyone likes a crime thriller)
My writing and publishing is a completely different discipline to that needed in my work and one that I get a real sense of flow from. I took 19 years to publish my first novel, Prisoner in November 2019 and then my next two, Khan and No Remorse followed in 2020 and 2021. I’m currently working on the followup to Khan.
How can people get involved?
If anyone would like a FREE introductory chat to see how I might be able to help them, their business, or their teams, give me a shout and we can meet up for a cuppa and a chat. I’ll also be offering a Chambers Member discounted rate for coaching and consulting work.
heath@movethatmountain.co.uk 07932 617763
Heath from Move That Mountain talks to us about the ins and outs of business leadership and coaching.
Anne helped me from start to finish, the support was immense! When things started to take a long path, Anne pushed the client and pulled us together!
Anne made a massive impact and was a great facilitator! Thanks Anne. I’m now employed Steve aka Londdonfat Deserter - Candidate
The experience that I had, and the service provided by Debra was exceptional. Despite not being successful with my first interview, Debra focused on the positives and helped me to use the post-interview feedback in a constructive manner. As soon as other suitable vacancies became available, Debra was on the phone. Her communication and dedication to finding the right role for me was second to none. I’m delighted to say that as a result of this, I’ve secured a new position, employed in a role and the industry that I’m passionate about. I can’t thank Debra enough for the work that she has done to get me to where I am.
IanYour Trusted Recruitment Partner
“To work in partnership with our customers to thoroughly understand their needs, so we consistently deliver a recruitment service that’s of an exceptional standard, guided by our values”
Integrity – When working with us, you need to know that you can trust what we say and what we do Collective – We achieve more when we work together Transparency – we openly admit our mistakes and problems while formulating the steps to solve them
Ownership – We take full accountability for everything we do Respect – we value diversity and show this through our recruitment practises which prevent discrimination of any kind Yes – Be open and willing to say yes to your goals!
I spoke with Rebecca regarding a job vacancy. Rebecca provided such an easy and smooth process, and I did in fact get the position! She was so lovely and put me at ease when speaking with her. Rebecca was understanding with regard to my disability. I look forward to working via yourselves! Thank you.
LaurenHillamCandidate
I have worked with Debra Foster from Andy File Associates twice now whilst recruiting for Product Trainers due to growth in our business. I can honestly say Debra is brilliant at taking the time to really understand your needs/requirements and be able to put forward individuals that would be a perfect fit for the company. The first person we recruited is still with us and is a well-respected member of the team, so I am hoping that we have struck gold yet again this time. Thanks, Debra, for making recruiting a pleasure.
Helen PowellSSG Insight
I’ve had the pleasure to deal with Martin Gowland from Andy File Associates. Martin has been very communicative, knowledgeable and helpful in making the recruitment process very smooth and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend Andy File Associates as a recruitment agency, especially if Martin is looking after you.
Tomasz
Bona – COO Phoenix Sustainables
WashbournCandidate
Here at Andy File Associates, we have been working hard in developing our new vision. This vision is what we want to aspire to be, and how we want to get there.
The STEM event focused on school children, had everything from underwater seals and 3D printers, to scale models of small scale nuclear reactors and the vast building even had a spitfire and a McLaren; the theme was around sustainability. There was plenty of energy in the room, with over 5,000 attending on the day.
It started with a business breakfast alongside many colleagues from across South Yorkshire, discussing how sustainability is chief among many customer requirements these days but can sometimes feel like we are just ticking a box. We are not; this is real! It gave me all that I needed to re-energise my thinking around this theme.
I reflected that, as SMEs, we can all make a difference. It is the small things as well as the big focus on Net Zero targets that count. Looking at lifecycles of equipment is an important consideration when selling or purchasing. How we have seen individuals make a difference, in the rise against single use plastics as basic as our everyday shopping with ‘bags for life’ and reusing containers, instead of disposal. I would love to meet David Attenborough and say ‘Thank You’ for pushing this!
Over 20 years ago, part of my studies around management of resources were focused on sustainability. Many small businesses I speak to, with only a few employees, think that they can’t have an impact and really don’t need a plan
After spending a day meeting local school children at Get Up To Speed – a business showcase event organised by The Work-wise Foundation and held at Magna – unLTD heard from Lisa Pogson, MD at Airmaster, about her takeaways from the day and how she became re-energised about being more sustainable.
of how they can help. They’re always focused on the next big thing, the next project, who the next target customer should be. We are all the same. There are over 5.5 million small businesses in the UK, making up around half the turnover of UK business as a whole. But we need to get onboard with this.
“ears ago we started working with what was then the Green Business Club at the local Chamber of Commerce. The HVAC industry was cleaning up its act and we got a diagnostic on what else we could do. We started focusing on waste, whether it was
recycling or what we did with our gases. It was all about little wins; from focusing on fuel use through a member of staff doing ISO14001 environmental training.
Recently I have been asked to be included in a debate with the IOR about whether it is important to ‘Spend money on Energy Efficient Design or Service in Refrigeration’. This is once again about going back to the small things too. I often compare servicing of a vehicle to our equipment. If you buy the fanciest car in the world, with all mod cons, you will need to keep it serviced and maintained to a decent
standard too. Everything has a life cycle and sometimes things can go wrong before that, but often, they will last longer if they are looked after.
At a recent Rotherham Business Growth Board, we discussed how the people right at the end of our supply chains, if included in discussions and design processes, can have a positive effect on price and materials, often by 10-20%. So, let’s all think about how we can include more people in the discussions, wherever possible, and make those financial and sustainable gains, no matter how small!
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The Internet of Things (IoT) and SIM technology are two powerful forces that are driving innovation and transforming industries around the world. By combining these technologies, businesses can create new products and services that are more connected, efficient and effective than ever before.
In 1991 Munich smartcard maker Giesecke & Devrient sold the first 300 SIM cards to the Finnish wireless network operator Radiolinja. By the end of 2025, reports suggest that the number of active SIMs globally will be 24 billion. Only 4 billion of those will be for use in mobile phones.
At its core, IoT refers to the ability of devices to connect and communicate with each other over the internet. By adding SIM technology to IoT devices, businesses can create even more powerful solutions that can operate in areas with limited or no Wi-Fi connectivity.
One example of IoT and SIM technology is in the field of agriculture. Farmers can use IoT sensors to monitor soil moisture levels, temperature and other environmental factors that affect crop growth. By adding SIM technology to these sensors, farmers can receive real-time alerts and data, enabling them
to adjust their irrigation and fertilization systems to optimize crop growth.
In the healthcare industry, IoT and SIM technology can be used to monitor patients remotely, enabling doctors to track their vital signs and make treatment recommendations in real-time. For example, IoTenabled heart monitors can send data to doctors over cellular networks, alerting them to potential heart attacks or other health issues before they become
life-threatening.
Ever followed a Heavy Goods Vehicle on the motorway? It probably has a SIM in it for its vehicle tracking, odometer readings, tachograph and even a driver WIFI access point. Another SIM will be attached to the Dashcam to record insurance / driver safety audio-visuals. Another SIM maybe in the trailer checking ambient temperature of perishable goods, or soldered into each of the many containers on
the load for asset tracking purposes. A further SIM may be attached to a sensor in the engine recording oil and fuel measurements. The list goes on.
This is the Internet of Things in action, and we use it without knowing, every day.
If you would like to know more with regards to IoT/ SIM technology and how it might help you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at www.highlanderuk.com
huge draw, we’ve also got a fantastic events chef who can do an amazing lunch buffet or evening meal in the Great Hall.”
Victoria Smith, who along with her husband Richard set up the respected Sheffield restaurant group Brew Kitchen, will be taking over from Michael when he retires this month and is keen to showcase the breadth of experiences available for clients.
“We have around 60 people coming for a conference in June, which will be taking place in the Carriage House, then there’ll be a buffet lunch before they go off in the afternoon for events. This might be a walk along the Monsal Trail, abseiling, the Thornbridge brewery experience, or we could even put on a casino night in the cellar bar. We work with local companies in the area to provide a variety of options.”
A historic country house located in Derbyshire, the story of Thornbridge Hall can be traced right back to the 12th century when details of a small manor house called Thorne Breach first appeared on record. Over the intervening centuries, this remarkable estate has had ties with ancient noble families, wealthy industrialists and even William the Conqueror.
The house’s current lavish appearance is largely thanks to the work of a Sheffield lawyer named George Marples, the son of a well-off local businessman, who oversaw a vast expansion of the house beginning in the late-1800s. An interesting character – to put it mildly – he apparently insisted that all staff would call him Lord Marples (or face the consequences), and little did he know at the time that over a century later this self-styled nobleman would inspire the name of the first beer by Thornbridge Brewery, who initially set up their business in one of the old workshops on the grounds.
Bringing the narrative right up to the 21st century, Jim and Emma Harrison purchased Thornbridge in 2002 when it was in an almost derelict state. The house and grounds have been lovingly maintained and restored over the years, and today Thornbridge Hall is a popular venue for weddings, private parties and corporate events – the latter of which they were particularly keen to discuss with
unLTD when we visited last month.
Michael Sharratt has been the in-house caterer at Thornbridge Hall for 14 years and told us how he has witnessed its growth into a thriving events venue first-hand.
“In the first year we were here, there will have been maybe six weddings in a year. Over the years we’ve built up the client base considerably and it’s a much more commercial business, even more so since the pandemic. It’s a busy, busy place now but still retains that exclusivity factor, so it is able to really cater to specific needs. We have some businesses who invite clients down; sometimes they’ll book a coach out from Sheffield or Chesterfield and make a weekend out of it. It’s a great setting for those sorts of events.”
The house certainly boasts no shortage of spaces to suit a range of corporate needs. Across The Carriage House, The Boardroom, The Great Hall, and 14 acres of stunning formal gardens – not to mention an underground cellar bar stocked by Thornbridge Brewery (tours can also be arranged to visit their home across the road) – there’s a wide array on offer to host everything from small meetings and private dining events to large conferences, training days and staff parties.
“We have great links with coach firms and local accommodation, so we can arrange all of that,” adds marketing manager Sophie Barber. “As well as the venue itself being a
As well as the corporate offer increasing, the visitor experience has also improved hugely. Quackers Café, the 10-acre gardens and 'Meet the Animals' days are now extremely popular, particularly during the warmer months, while in March the estate hosted its first artisan food market celebrations showcasing a wide selection of local producers.
Their recent victory in a pivotal planning appeal saga – which threatened to demolish the recently built café, driveways and car park – means you can expect the events calendar to continue filling up with a diverse selection of experiences: everything from group tours and afternoon teas to fun runs, art workshops and flower-picking sessions.
But in the meantime, if you’re looking for your next staff event or away day, Thornbridge Hall offers a breathtaking setting to host it in. Not to mention a team who will work with you individually to create the perfect experience tailored to your needs.
“We have a range of packages available on our website,” says Victoria, “but we usually work individually with people to create something bespoke. If people get in touch, we’re confident we can make it happen.”
For more on Thornbridge Hall and the corporate/private event packages they offer, head to www. thornbridgehall.co.uk or email events@thornbridge-estate.co.uk. @thornbridge_estate
unLTD recently took the short drive out to Thornbridge Hall, looking to bone up on some intriguing local history and hear about what the venue can offer to businesses based across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
Award-winning Sheffield engineering firm SCX has taken a major step to bringing a revolutionary new rail passenger lift to market with final testing underway.
The AVA lift was developed as part of the AVA bridge consortium, commissioned by Network Rail to design a next-generation passenger footbridge. The aim is to deliver on Network Rail’s ‘Access For All’ strategy to improve station accessibility across the UK.
SCX is working with its AVA consortium partners and Network Rail to deliver a lift that provides an obstacle-free, accessible route to and between platforms for everyone, including disabled users, people with prams and pushchairs and cyclists.
Matthew Harvey, Chief Growth Officer at SCX, said: “We’re really excited to be getting onto site to begin testing of the new AVA lift.
“The AVA lift is a first-of-a-kind outdoor rated lift system, engineered with a strong focus on delivering a safe and robust solution that is easy to both maintain and to use.”
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Thanks all – and we’ll catch you next month! Joseph Food
joe@unltdbusiness.com
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