unLTD. Connecting business across Sheffield City Region #21 by unLTD magazine

JANUARY 2020 | ISSUE 21 | FREE | WWW.UNLTDBUSINESS.COM

GREEN

ISSUE How businesses are responding to the climate crisis

FOCUS ON: FLOODS ● CALENDAR ● LEADING THE CHARGE: E-VEHICLES ● AWARDSunLTDBUSINESS.COM SPECIAL

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CONTENTS

30 COVER STORY: SUSTAINABILITY

46 FOCUS ON: FLOODS

50 E-VEHICLES

58 AWARDSSPECIAL 4

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CONTENTS

ALSO INSIDE... 6: News Green awards, solar panel savings and Glu Office Hero Awards ceremony. 22: Calendar All the very best events happening around the city region in January plus a look-ahead to 2020. 45: Your Pitch GamCleaning Services, tells us about their business with an ‘ecological and social conscience’. 65: Launchpad Doncaster’s Naughty But Nice Chocolates share how Launchpad helped with support for their independent business. 66: Active Travel Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team kick off the new year encouraging workplaces to think about how their employees are travelling to work. 69: Barnsley College A look at Talent United, Barnsley College’s employer engagement scheme.

74: After Hours A tour of eateries which serve up plenty of sides of volunteering, repurposing, charitable, and environmental credentials for a feelgood eating treat. 78: Weekend Escapes With the help of Peak District National Park, we look at some of the great, green venues on the doorstep.

EVERYTHING ELSE: 12: Appointments 15: The Diary 17: Evolving technology 19: Financial health 21: Legal matters 71: Charities 82: Number crunch

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@UNLTDBUSINESS UNLTD BUSINESS

HAPPY NEW YEAR A big Happy New Year to all our readers and contributors. It seems crazy that we’re heading into a new decade that in many ways could define who we are as a nation and the future of our planet. Bold claims, maybe, but if you believe the science – and as non-scientists we have no reason not to – then urgent action in the way we live our lives and conduct our business needs to be taken. The argument is always that no matter what we do in the United Kingdom is offset by countries such as China and India where their carbon output dwarves our own. However, that is a very basic way of looking at things as we not only individually have to take responsibility but also support industries that will invent the technology to tackle climate change. This month we publish our first concept front cover – the unLTD Green Edition. We have spoken to a host of local firms who are putting the green agenda at the heart of their businesses including Office Friendly, Bag It Don’t Bin It, Russell Richardson and Market Infra. And we get behind the wheel with businesses including Utility Alliance, Stoneacre, Burrows and City Taxis in our e-vehicles feature. Speaking of transport, we are also starting the year with a message from Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team to encourage workplaces to think about how their employees are travelling to work. Many of our regular features have gone green, too, with Weekend Escapes taking a trip to the Peak District to check out some of the most environmentally friendly places to visit and stay. After Hours looks at the best places to eat in the Sheffield City Region that have a charitable and CSR focus (and our number crunch has a sustainability theme). The back end of 2019 was awards season, so we round up who won what from the Sheffield and Doncaster Awards ceremonies – and despite not taking a trophy home in the former we're not sore losers! And happy to hear from success stories like our friends at CT and The Milestone Group.

UNLTDBUSINESS EDITORIAL Richard Fidler richard@unltdbusiness.com Jill Theobald editorial@unltdbusiness.com General hello@unltdbusiness.com 0114 252 7781 ADVERTISING Dan Laver dan@unltdbusiness.com 07867 313995 Phil Turner phil@unltdbusiness.com 07979 498034 General advertising@unltdbusiness.com FINANCE Sarah Koriba and Michael Johnson accounts@exposedmagazine.co.uk DESIGN Simon Waller and Simon Garlick CONTRIBUTORS Georgia Howe Dax Keeling Steve Knapp Anna McGuire Sasha Mossman Martin Ross Bronte Saulle

Raj Shah Ian Snow James Tippett Jamie Veitch Helen Williams Ash Young

unLTD is published monthly by Blind Mice Media Ltd Unit 1B Rialto, 2 Kelham Island Square, Kelham Riverside Sheffield S3 8SD and HRM Unit 1a Speedwell Works, Sidney Street, Sheffield S1 4RG The views contained herein are not necessarily those of Blind Mice Media Ltd and HRM 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 and HRM cannot take responsibility for contributors’ views or specific listings.

AGENDA NEWS STEPS Rehabilitation win prestigious industry award

STEPS Rehabilitation has won Rehabilitation Provider of the Year at the national Personal Injury Awards 2019. This is the second consecutive year that the Sheffield-based company has won the award, reaffirming the positive impact that they are having on those who have suffered serious injuries and illnesses. The judges said that STEPS “shone in their patient satisfaction and adapting services to constantly meet and provide high-quality services… their outcomes we’re outstanding”. STEPS, which opened its doors in 2017, has a unique environment that enables clients recovering from brain injury, spinal cord injuries and complex trauma injuries access to tailored packages of care, and a wide range of medical specialists and therapists, under one roof. Speaking of their success at the ceremony, Jules Leahy said: “Our ethos is to create a rehabilitation environment with a strong family-feel, where positivity and a cando approach is adopted by everyone working at STEPS. This has been the key to our success and enables us to achieve the very best outcomes for our clients. It is very much a team effort.”

PUBLISHER CONSERVES TONNES OF CO2 WITH NEW SOLAR PANELS Sheffield’s Twinkl has installed a total of 148 solar panels on the roof of its headquarters, as part of its commitment to minimising its carbon footprint. The 50-kW solar power system will produce 41,000 kWh per year and it’s estimated the solar panels will save more than 10 tonnes of CO2 in the first year alone. The solar panels were installed by Homeco Energy, a renewable energy systems provider based in Sheffield, which offers renewable energy systems to homes, schools and businesses.

The solar power system will produce enough energy to power

150 COMPUTERS Homeco Energy company director Chris Neil said: “It is great to see a local, successful business leading the way in reducing their environmental impact, whilst at the same time

helping to significantly reduce their energy costs. “The cost of solar panels has fallen exponentially over the last few years and for most companies the business case for installing panels really adds up.” Twinkl co-founder and CEO Jonathan Seaton said: “There is sometimes a belief that reducing environmental impact comes at a great financial cost. We recognise that the benefits for the environment are much greater but that in the long term these solar panels are financially sustainable too, and they are generally low maintenance.”

Dads In Business goes global with Amazon HQ Rob Taylor and Angga Kara, who are founders of the Sheffield-based Dads In Business Project, were delighted to be invited to Amazon HQ in London. During the visit, the inspirational duo delivered a Dads In Business wellbeing session for senior executives from across the globe.

The collaboration with Amazon followed successful sessions locally in Sheffield, as well as wider conversations with regional and national business leaders and business bodies, who recognise the gap in support for men at work. Rob Taylor explained to unLTD: “The global reach of this session was a fantastic

testament to the project, which is in its infancy. With support from one of the largest companies in the world, we aim to be helping other dads in the workplace throughout 2020.” Dads In Business is a supportive network set up to help busy dads with managing themselves, their family and their business.

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AGENDA Twice as nice – unLTD competition winners!

GLU RECRUIT MD ROB SHAW WITH OFFICE HERO MATTHEW SHERIDAN

GLU RECRUIT ANNOUNCES WINNER OF OFFICE HEROES The annual Glu Recruit Office Heroes Awards took place at the Leopold Hotel in Sheffield to celebrate the region’s unsung workplace champions. With a record number of nominations at the event, a panel of local businesses, with representatives including our own Phil Turner and Dan Laver, Hallmark Branding, Steel City Marketing, MK Public Relations, Connect Yorkshire and Andy Hanselman Consulting deliberated through two rounds of shortlisting before making their final decisions. The overall winner was announced as Matthew Sheridan from Bluebell

MATTHEW SHERIDAN from Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice crowned Office Hero

Wood Children’s Hospice, who was nominated by numerous colleagues and wowed the judges with his total commitment to helping brighten up the lives of the children in the Hospice. Matthew said: “It really is overwhelming to receive such praise from my colleagues when doing the job that I love with a group of people that I think so much of.” Tamaris Roberts from Born & Raised, and Susan Ball from Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce were highly commended, and a special mention went to Harrison College’s Gemma Peebles.

Major acquisition creates ‘exciting venture’ Leading industrial lubrication specialist Aztec Oils has completed the acquisition of the lubricant, pre-packaged fuel and contract packing business of Multispec Limited (formally “Caldo Oils”), for an undisclosed sum. Aztec Oils manufactures and distributes high performance lubricants to a wide range of industrial sectors and is fully committed to building long term relationships with its ever growing number of world-wide customers. John Longstaff and John Warner from Sheffieldbased BHP Corporate Finance

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acted as lead advisors to Derbyshire-based Aztec Oils with tax advice being provided by Mark Cooper and Katherine Taylor. Andrew Fielder and Katie Ash from Banner Jones provided legal advice. Funding for the transaction was delivered by Matthew Chenery from Barclays Bank. Aztec MD Mark Lord said: “This venture really excites us. It gives us a great opportunity to develop our retail packaged range, offering both Aztec’s branded products, whilst at the same time growing our

Double congratulations are in order for our competition winners from our November issue! Helen Thorsby of Malton, North Yorkshire has bagged herself a Whirlow Hall Farm Cookbook. To mark their 40th birthday, Whirlow Hall Farm Trust released their own cookbook, featuring recipes and stories from members of their team, local restaurants and charity supporters to help showcase the wide range of culinary talent on offer in Sheffield. Published by Meze Publishing, the team behind the hugely successful series of regional cookbooks, as well as The Henderson’s Relish Cookbook, the recipes are all family-friendly and easy-tomake. Meanwhile Meghan Downs of Sheffield has won a selection of candles courtesy of The Sheffield Candle Company, run by MD James McKennan. Fresh from a successful stint in their Christmas Cabin at the Sheffield Christmas Market on Fargate, the team are back preparing handmade products for the New Year, with the team hand-wicking, hand-pouring and hand-labelling all the products. Enjoy, Helen and Meghan!

private label offering.” John Longstaff, director at BHP Corporate Finance, said: “We are delighted to have advised Aztec on this strategic transaction. Caldo is a perfect fit and I am confident that Mark and the team at Aztec will maximise the benefit of the opportunities afforded to the enlarged group.” The terms of the acquisition will see Aztec procure Caldo’s manufacturing facilities in St Helens (Merseyside) along with distribution operations in Newton Abbot (Devon) and Rhuddlan (North Wales).

AGENDA HOT Engineering specialist Sheffield Forgemasters is to lead a consortium of partners in its largest ever research and development project, with an overall project value of £10.5 million. Evoluted have been shortlisted twice for the Northern Digital Awards – the unLTD columnists are up for Large Digital Agency of the Year and Best Digital Marketing Campaign. A team of academics and clinicians from Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield Children’s Hospital triumphed in a Dragons’ Denstyle pitch to win £10,000 of medical technology funding. The Master Cutler’s Challenge – which sees businesses use their entrepreneurial skills and teamwork to make as much money as possible for charity – raised £200,000 to support St Luke’s Hospice in Sheffield and Rotherham Hospice… … and Market Infra have donated £3000 to Jessops Hospital. Sheffield City Council’s highway maintenance contractor Streets Ahead has been shortlisted for Team or Crew of the Year in this year’s Keep Britain Tidy’s annual awards. Property management specialist Omnia Property Group has gone into the premiership after launching a two-season partnership with Sheffield United.

COOL Almost all businesses (96 per cent) are feeling pressure to become more environmentally and ethically sustainable, according to a new HSBC survey, but many are struggling with barriers such as their ability to finance change (35 per cent) and to free up resources to implement that change (31 per cent).

SHOPPERS GREET READYMART'S HORSE AND CART

CMS SECURES DYNAMIC NEW CITY CENTRE OFFICE SPACE International law firm CMS has signed a 20-year lease for new premises at 1 Charter Square in Sheffield, underscoring the firm’s continued commitment to its presence in Sheffield and the north. 1 Charter Square, in Phase 1 of Sheffield City Council’s Heart of the City II regeneration project, offers a central location, first-class facilities as well as a dynamic and collaborative environment. Located across four floors, it

will be home to approximately 350 CMS people with enough space to accommodate future growth. The landmark building, which also houses HSBC, has been carefully designed to respect the surrounding street patterns, as well as creating linkages through and around the area, including the exciting new retail and leisure developments on The Moor. CMS’ head of the north, Mark Haywood, said: “We are delighted to reaffirm our

commitment to Sheffield – and the north of England generally – in the most tangible way possible, by taking a new home for our people in the City for the next 20 years, with space to grow. CMS has grown by more than 20 per cent in the north of England over the last 18 months as we consciously embrace the opportunities this vibrant region offers.” The firm is expected to move in Autumn 2020 – coinciding with the firm’s 30-year anniversary in Sheffield.

College to mark National Apprenticeship Week by hosting free Masterclass Barnsley College will celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2020 by hosting a free business Masterclass. The Masterclass, Business Growth: The Top Three Things You NEED To Be Doing, will be delivered by local business coach Becky Stevenson on Wednesday 5 February, 9.30am to 11.30am in The Hub Space at Barnsley College’s Old Mill Lane campus. Talent United is the College’s employer engagement initiative which aims to bridge the gap between education

and employment by providing an array of work experience opportunities, events and live projects. Attendees will also have the opportunity to find out about the range of courses, including apprenticeships and industry placements on offer to improve business productivity and competitiveness. The College offers more than 100 apprenticeships in sectors including Art and Design, Business, Engineering, and Leadership and Management. Programmes combine

workplace experience with training to deliver skills for business growth, whilst improving employee retention and motivation. For more information about courses for businesses call 01226 216 166, email employer@barnsley.ac.uk or visit www.barnsley.ac.uk/ employers. Book your place on the Talent United Masterclass via Eventbrite: https://bit. ly/2YYGjN8 Read more about Talent United in our feature on page 69.

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AGENDA

AWARDS FOR GREEN PEAK DISTRICT BUSINESSES

JASON LOCK AND JO HOLLIDAY (LOCKERBROOK FARM OUTDOOR CENTRE), KATHRYN HENDERSON (RAINBOWS END), JANE DAVISON (DERBYSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST), MARIAN AND MARTIN FRENCH (PEAK DISTRICT HOLIDAY COTTAGE), CHAIR OF PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY, COUNCILLOR ANDREW MCCLOY

Six new Environmental Quality Mark awards were presented to Peak District businesses, which support their local economy, work to reduce their environmental impact and help to conserve and enhance the Peak District National Park. The ceremony was organised by the Environmental Quality Mark Community Interest Company (EQM CIC), which runs the scheme on behalf of the Peak District National Park Authority and was supported by the University of Nottingham. EQM CIC director Faith Johnson said: “As a not-forprofit, we’re hugely grateful to EQM award holders who

helped us create the perfect evening. Anthony and Julie Knox offered their venue Hargate Hall. Wheeldon Trees Farm and Clearer Thinking both sponsored the welcome drinks and Losehill House Hotel provided the linen for the tables. “We wanted the awards dinner to show off the food that EQM award holders produce – caterers Blueberry Café created a locally produced banquet of food. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust received their award during the evening, and we were delighted to serve their conservation grazed beef.” Kitchen Garden Flowers & Produce (Peak Organics

CIC), Hope Valley Ice Cream, Chatsworth Farm Shop and Bloomers of Bakewell also contributed to the menu, and there was a display of award-winning crafts, including turned wooden bowls, made from local sustainable timber. Awards were presented by Chair of the Peak District National Park Authority, Councillor Andrew McCloy, to Lockerbrook Farm Outdoor Centre (Snake Pass), Peak District Holiday Cottage (Flagg), Rainbows End (Blackwell-in-the-Peak), White Peak Shepherd Huts (Tideswell), Hickbrew microbrewery (Longnor), and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.

Barnsley’s Nexus business park completed Work is complete on a new £6.6m speculative business park in Barnsley. Developer and long-term investor, Carnell Management Services (CMS) has delivered 15 high quality units for B1, B2 and B8 use at the Nexus industrial development on the flourishing Capitol Park. Representatives gathered at the development, which has been built with the help of a £2.20m loan from the Sheffield City Region JESSICA Fund, to mark its practical completion, including investor CMS owner Paul Carnell, Martyn Carnell, joint agents Knight Frank and Smiths Chartered Surveyors and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough

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ANDREW CORBETT, PAUL JOHNSON, PAUL CARNELL, SHAUN HIGGINBOTTOM AND REBECCA SCHOFIELD AT NEXUS

Council’s Enterprising Barnsley. Shaun Higginbottom, from Enterprising Barnsley, said: “It’s great to see the project completion at Nexus. We are keen to see businesses thrive in Barnsley and major developments like these attract companies, create high quality jobs which mean a further boost

to our local economy.” Nexus’ units feature impressive facades, full height roller shutter loading doors, LED lighting to the warehouse, fitted offices with WCs, shower and a kitchen facility, as well as good sized loading areas with dedicated yards to the large units.

Crane service provider lifts top award Sheffield-based national crane service provider Street CraneXpress has won a prestigious national award for its record in training and development. The company – part of the award-winning SCX group – has its own Academy to help ensure a steady supply of fully-qualified crane maintenance engineers through a four-year apprenticeship programme. Now its commitment to raising standards through lifelong learning and continual professional development has resulted in success in the Lifting Equipment Engineers Currently

apprentices are learning their trade through the SCX Academy

Association Awards. Street CraneXpress won the Kevin Holmes Award, which honours the memory of a previous chairman of LEEA’s Learning and Development Committee. Director Ray Fletcher said: “It has taken a great deal of hard work and commitment to see through our plans for developing the SCX Academy. It is extremely pleasing to see that our vision and attitude towards innovation and development is recognised by those working closely with us within in our own industry sector.” The SCX Academy runs in partnership with the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, which brings together worldleading research and innovation in advanced manufacturing.

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AGENDA Sheffield's Wake Smith chairman retires Wake Smith Solicitors’ Chairman Nick Lambert has announced his retirement, after nearly four decades in the legal sector. The commercial litigation solicitor has been with the Sheffield law firm for 12 years, since it merged with Tofields in 2007 and supervised the incorporation of Wake Smith Solicitors Limited in 2015, before the successful city centre move for the firm in 2016. Nick will retire at the end of April 2020, with corporate team director John Baddeley taking over as chairman in January 2020.

SHEFFIELD CHAMBER DIRECTOR RICHARD WRIGHT WILL STEP DOWN AT THE END OF JANUARY

CITY’S ‘FIERCE ADVOCATE’ TO STEP DOWN FROM SHEFFIELD CHAMBER Sheffield Chamber of Commerce has announced Richard Wright, director of policy and representation, will step down from his role at the end of January 2020. Richard has been a part of Sheffield Chamber for nine years, originally joining on a short-term basis to help it through challenges it faced at the time. During his tenure, the Chamber has been rebuilt and its role is substantially more secure and its position as a partner in the city is clearly established. Richard said: “It has been an absolute pleasure. The Chamber has gone through a

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transformation whilst I have been here but so has the city. I never cease to be amazed by the ‘glass half full’ attitude of the vast majority of people in the employer community and it’s that attitude which eventually makes the difference between success and failure. “There are so many people I could thank, including all our members and our successive Boards of Directors. In particular, I want to thank the previous and existing staff. Their dedication, 'can do' attitude and ambition for our members and the city is amazing and I know I leave the Chamber in good hands.” President Matt Jackson

added: “There is no doubt the Chamber and the wider city will miss Richard. He is a fierce advocate for us all. His and the Chamber’s contribution to things like the flood defences, vocational education, international trade development and many others is a fine legacy. “The Chamber has an interesting period ahead including a new website, new premises and obviously a new structure to accommodate Richard leaving. We are well advanced with getting these in place and will announce more in the New Year and well before Richard leaves.”

ELIZABETH SHAW, NICK LAMBERT AND JOHN BADDELEY FROM WAKE SMITH SOLICITORS Fellow litigator Elizabeth Shaw became head of the litigation department in December 2019, and a new litigation solicitor will join the team in the new year. Nick said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here – it's a good firm with good people. Whilst there will always be bumps on the road, as the legal sector continues to face different challenges, I know it will continue to prosper and flourish for a very long time to come. “I plan on enjoying my retirement, and although I will no longer be playing an active part, I’m sure I will watch with interest to see how Wake Smith progresses.”

AGENDA APPOINTMENTS

DANIELLE SWAINSTON AND KEEBLES’ PARTNER SARAH BURTON

Keebles strengthens Doncaster office Award-winning Yorkshire law firm Keebles LLP has appointed Danielle Swainston as a solicitor to its Doncaster-based Litigation and Dispute Resolution department. Danielle, of Cantley, brings more than six years’ experience and joins the firm at a time of expansion for the department. Danielle said: “Making the move from a smaller local team to a large Yorkshire organisation like Keebles is a big step up – however, the firm still has a really localised feel about it which was one of the things that really attracted me to working here. “As someone who has grown up in Doncaster, I am pleased to be working alongside local people and for a firm that is so embedded within the town.” Keebles Partner Sarah Burton said: “Danielle brings with her not only fantastic experience – she really cares about providing an excellent service for the people of Doncaster and we look forward to working together to further develop our team into 2020 and beyond.” With offices also in Sheffield and Leeds, Keebles is regarded as a key player by the prestigious Legal 500 and Chambers guides.

NEW HEAD OF CARE PLEDGES TO ‘GO FOR GOLD’ FOR CHARITY Specialist children’s nurse Judith Bentley has joined Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice as head of care. Judith joins the North Anston hospice from Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield and brings a wealth of nursing expertise and life experience to the role, which involves managing the in-house and community care teams and leading and developing services including day care, short breaks, and nursing on-call. “I am passionate about delivering high-quality care and this is an exciting time to be joining Bluebell Wood,” said Judith. “We are recruiting now to expand our care team in early 2020, ensuring we can continue to support care in the hospice while also increasing our community nursing team

JUDITH BENTLEY

to enable us to further support children and families who choose to stay at home for end of life care. “I advanced the ADHD

Hentons expands wealth management division Sheffield-based accountancy and advisory firm Hentons has announced plans to expand its wealth management business across the UK and has hired Tom La Dell to lead the new operation. Tom will manage an existing team of two and has made two new hires. Paul Collins joins from Fairstone Financial Management (City) and will be based in the London Office, while Peter Huddart joins from Tegamax Wealth Management and will cover the Yorkshire region. Tom La Dell said: "I am looking forward to developing a financial planning proposition that will give private clients,

PETER WATSON AND TOM LA DELL directors, business owners and entrepreneurs the support they need to plan for their future financial freedom.” Peter Watson, MD of Hentons, said: "Recruiting and retaining the best talent is a priority for us as it is critical in helping to provide our clients with great service and to facilitate our continued growth.”

services at Pinderfields to a gold standard service and that is my aim for the children’s services I manage at Bluebell Wood.”

Welcome to Yorkshire appoints new chief executive A new chief executive has been appointed at Welcome to Yorkshire. James Mason, 41, is the former chief operating officer at Bradford City Football Club. More recently chief operating officer of global sports agency, First Point USA, James will join the organisation early in 2020. Born and raised in Bradford, Mr Mason describes himself as a proud and passionate Yorkshireman.

CHANGE YOUR JOB, CHANGE YOUR COMMUTE. 12

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New principal for UTC Sheffield Mothersole replacement set Olympic Legacy Park to be an interim A new principal has been An interim chief executive has been appointed following the news that John Mothersole’s would be retiring from Sheffield City Council. Mark Bennett, director of HR and customer Services said: “In line with our constitutional and democratic processes, a panel of Elected Members are recommending the appointment of Charlie Adan, an experienced interim chief executive who will provide stability and continuity until a permanent Chief Executive is appointed, which could take up to six months. “It is vital that we appoint someone with the experience required for this role."

appointed at UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. Jessica Stevenson has 19 years’ experience in education and was previously director of inclusion at Mercia Learning Trust in Sheffield. She takes over this month after previous principal Sarah Clark became chief executive officer of Uttoxeter Learning Trust in Staffordshire. Nick Crew, executive principal, The Sheffield UTC Academy Trust, said: “Jessica has a strong track record in education and is well respected within the city. We are looking forward to working with her.” Jessica said: “I am excited to join a trailblazing technical school that is ensuring students get the academic and technical skills that universities and employers

Thriving contact centre firm to create 150 jobs in Sheffield

JESSICA STEVENSON

need. I can't wait to start as principal in January and build on the fantastic work that has been achieved so far.”

NEW STUDIO ASSISTANT FOR CREATIVE AGENCY GREY MATTER Sheffield creative agency Grey Matter has boosted its team with the appointment of Jana Kukebal to the newly created role of studio assistant. Jana – who speaks five languages including Russian, Estonian and German – has held previous roles as a business development manager, SEO manager and is an internationally published fashion photographer. She said: “I have always been a creative person and was therefore looking for a position where I could combine both my creativity with my business administration skills. The

JANA KUKEBAL

position of a studio assistant in a dynamic and innovative marketing agency was a great

choice for me as it means that there is no such thing as ‘routine work’.” As it approaches its 30th anniversary in 2020, the company’s client base continues to grow with more national and international work being undertaken than ever before. Senior account manager, Brendan Hampsey, said: “Jana’s skills are a perfect fit for us as we handle such a variety of creative projects, and in a busy studio like ours, her creative, administration and facilities management skills are already proving invaluable."

South Yorkshire based contact centre CC33 is set to create a further 150 jobs for local people – taking its workforce to more than 350 this year. CC33’s recruitment drive comes at a time when the company has experienced a series of expansions and client wins in 2019. The contact centre has also already created more than 150 positions within the business in the last 12 months. The company recently appointed head of people and HR, head of compliance and head of management information, and opened their latest office, on Ecclesall Road, last year, adding to their other Sheffield office in Shalesmoor, and a Rotherham office. MD Paul Fletcher said: “2019 was a fantastic year for us, and we are now in a great position as we move into the new year. “We’re a forward-thinking company and believe one of the keys to our success is our high staff retention. We’re constantly developing our recruitment packages, providing great incentives and creating a positive workplace culture.”

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AGENDA

THE DIARY BY RICHARD FIDLER

Our editor says the general election result provides a great opportunity for businesses

Firms look to close skills gap

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR CITY REGION IN 2020 This column has done its very best to avoid politics over the past couple years – and with good reason. The disconnect between politicians, those doing their bidding, certain sections of the media and those of us who believe we should be left to get on with things with minimal interference from the state has never been as wide. In the Sheffield City Region there were a couple of shocks in the December general election with seats turning from red to blue in constituencies which had previously been considered Labour Party strongholds. But was it really a shock? This was the ‘Brexit election’ after all and, as we know, our area came out massively in favour of leave in 2016 – as

did large parts of the rest of England. Now, three and a half years later, people were given another opportunity to make their views known. So, it can hardly have been a surprise when the vote went for the people who said they’d get it done rather than those who wished to either trample on democracy or rerun the whole thing. I think most people have had enough politics since the referendum to last a lifetime, so hopefully 2020 will bring a bit of stability (and sanity). The likelihood, though, is that there will be lots of twists and turns along the way as the UK and EU negotiate a trade deal throughout the year once the Withdrawal Agreement passes on January 31. In the meantime business

has to seize the opportunity of a period of relative certainty. The Conservative Party owes its majority in parliament to the northern towns who ditched decades of tribal voting to back Boris Johnson. If the promised billions of pounds to the north materialises then it’s up to us to make the most of it. Transport is a massive issue across Yorkshire so any monies for this will be most welcome. Also, business leaders who were waiting for the result of the election to be known before giving the green light to projects now need to put their money where their mouth is. If the past 42 months have felt like operating with the handbrake on the next 12 could see the accelerator pushed firmly to the floor. Let’s hope so.

Look out next month for a round-up of an event I attended at Kollider. A group of leading tech businesses from Sheffield got their heads together to see how they could close the skills gap in their sector. Hosted by Ben Atha from The Developer Academy other attendees included Razor, Sheffield Digital, WanDisco, Sheffield Digital Skills Action Group, Joi Polloi, Aviva, Servelec Technologies and Sky Betting & Gaming.

Cheer up, it's nearly summer! Apart from dad jokes, one of the other perks of having children is passing on pearls of wisdom throughout the year to enlighten their little brains. One of my favourites – to motivate them for school – is that the year flies by once January (all 85 days of it – seems like) is out of the way. For kids it’s a succession of holidays almost every month from February half term, to Easter, to spring Bank Holiday and then on to the big one at the end of July. Let’s not dwell on the fact that February is a tad longer, with 2020 being a leap year, and look forward to the spring when the holidays start coming thick and fast. Ok, I’m being ultra positive here but that’s what having a new calendar on your desk does to you. Happy New Year.

Got views of your own? Let me know: richard@unltdbusiness.com LinkedIn: Richard Fidler

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Award-Winning Digital Marketing, Web Development & Digital Design Contact Our Team For Help Growing Your Business Online www. evoluted.net

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info@evoluted.net

0114 272 9753

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AGENDA

EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY BY ASH YOUNG

Our tech expert shares his top green marketing tips

GREEN MARKETING FOR AN ECO-FRIENDLY BUSINESS With the war on climate change raging on, customers are looking for eco-friendly, sustainable companies more than ever before. In fact, a Futerra survey found that 88 per cent want brands to help them be more environmentally-friendly and ethical in their daily life. A commitment to sustainable practices shows you’re not just interested in making money but helps to build a strong reputation with existing and new customers. Here are a few of my top green marketing tips: Digital-only strategy Going fully digital with your marketing is a great start as it’s a much more environmentally

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friendly channel compared to flyers, print and direct mail. Even better for SMEs – it’s often much cheaper to use online marketing. Showcase your eco-friendly choices with content Identify your sustainable USPs – why should ethical customers shop with you? • A new eco-friendly alternative product range? • You only source from ethical and sustainable manufacturers? • Your products are re-usable? • Your company has low waste or emissions? • Eco-friendly packaging? For example, here at Evoluted, we’ve signed up to Offset Earth

– a scheme to counterbalance our carbon footprint by planting trees roughly equivalent to our usage. You can watch our forest grow as the months go on with their online tracker (www.offset. earth/evoluted). Once you’ve established these eco-USPs, create some original content around them, showing you’re committed to an eco-friendly ethos. Not only that, but credible content builds expertise, authority, and trustworthiness with Google and in turn, can help to boost search rankings. With climate change consistently in the media, eco-friendly business practices are another angle for securing links from external sites too!

Environmental incentives Encouraging customers to purchase with discount codes and offers is an age-old concept, but green marketing incentives can be a new effective step. Perhaps donate a proportion of profit to an environmental cause or plant a tree with every purchase? These green marketing tips are small steps you can take to show customers that choosing your business can make a positive impact on the environment. We can help you set up and run any digital marketing channels. For more information, contact the Evoluted team. Ash Young, Evoluted www.evoluted.net

IF YOU ASK ME

Highly professional, unbiased, independent financial planning and wealth management

delivering planning lead (not product driven) financial advice Shortlisted for Financial Planner of the Year

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FINANCE

FINANCIAL HEALTH

BY RAJ SHAH, DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL OF BLUE WEALTH CAPITAL The financial planner kicks off the New Year with a financial forecast

WHAT IS FINANCIAL FORECASTING? Financial forecasting – sometimes known as cashflow forecasting – is an important part of financial planning. Most people understand how vital it is for a business to produce forwardlooking forecasts, including assessments of future, predicted, profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and cash flow statements. These forward-looking figures will often determine targets and budgets for a business. This is exactly the same principle that we adopt in our financial planning work with individuals and families. A financial forecast is essentially a prediction (or assessment) of future income/expenditure. Historically people have tended to ‘plan’ their finances through approximations and serious rounding exercises. A good example would be someone who wants to retire at a specific age and identifies they will need, for example,

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about £100,000 or £1million. These rounded figures are often nothing more than a finger in the wind, a guestimate or stab at trying to find a number. They are not calculated in any meaningful way. They rarely take into account expenditure requirements (and fluctuations) and they are not scenario-tested. What does this mean? They are not looking at the impact of different future scenarios which may not be entirely predictable. A good example will be someone plotting their retirement income/expenditure who does not account for the financial impact of long-term care costs being incurred. Cashflow financial forecasting aims to take a different approach. As financial planners we have access to bespoke software which allows us to work with our clients to stress-test long term income and expenditure

patterns. By long term we mean taking multi-decade views. These long terms patterns can be tested against various different scenarios – for example, we can run one future forecast assuming a retirement age of 55, another at 65. We put all known factors into the forecast and can adjust for all sorts of variables, such as investment returns, inflation, savings amounts and expenditure patterns. These scenarios show variable results and will pinpoint future shortfalls, risks and threats. It will help determine the right investment strategy, asset allocation, risks that need to be taken (or avoided) and quite possibly help with the tax structures. Crucially, it will also provide the clearest possible picture of how the financial plan needs to look overall – this often produces surprising and, on occasions, revealing results. Our clients are always

pleased to work with such an interesting model and we constantly receive great feedback on how effective this is in creating the clearest possible picture. It also regularly provides a high level of reassurance as many people find they are in a better position than they may have thought! In financial planning terms, financial forecasting is a central plank in the decisionmaking process – plus, it is a component part of building a long-term, successful and efficient plan. If you would like to come and see us about a Financial Forecast, all you have to do is contact us on office@ bluewealthcapital.com Raj Shah is founder of Blue Wealth capital and has been shortlisted for Financial Planner of the Year and Investment Adviser of the Year. www.bluewealthcapital.com

IF YOU ASK ME

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LEGAL

LEGAL MATTERS

BY DAX KEELING, COMMERCIAL LITIGATION SOLICITOR AT BELL & BUXTON Our columnist on how mediation can help avoid further costs and risk

Rodgers

THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDIATION At some point you may need to instruct a lawyer and you might think that inevitably a dispute will lead to a trial it might come as a surprise that, in modern English dispute resolution, it isn’t automatically assumed by the courts, or the lawyers, that a dispute will end up going to trial. Quite the opposite. Any party unfortunate enough to find themselves involved in litigation will be expected by the courts to take all reasonable steps to try and settle its case before trial and, ideally, before legal proceedings have even been issued. Mediation is one possible method of “Alternative Dispute Resolution” (ADR). Since the Civil Procedure

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Rules were introduced in 1999, ADR has become increasingly important, and the profile of mediation has grown hugely as a result. Other elements of ADR can include written or verbal negotiation and “without prejudice” meetings between the parties. Mediation relies on the skills of an independent mediator and is seen as a good way of settling a case by agreement between the parties, which avoids incurring further costs and risk. Mediation will often take place at a neutral venue, with the mediator shuttling between the parties (who sit in separate rooms) trying to find a workable solution to the problem. It tends not to focus on the legalities of the dispute, but on a broader

attempt to get the parties to find a solution they can both “live with”. There are many practical reasons why parties might wish to settle their case at mediation. The costs of legal disputes can be punishing, and no party can be entirely sure of what the outcome would be if the case goes to trial. Every party needs to be aware that, if they lose at trial, then they will be expected to pay their opponent’s reasonably incurred legal costs. Litigation, particularly for individuals and small businesses, can be a draining and upsetting experience. There are good tactical reasons to mediate. It has become clear, from numerous court decisions, in recent years that any party refusing to

consider mediation is taking a risk. Refusing to mediate will not impact on the outcome of the case but it could impact on the costs. Courts are often prepared to make orders penalising parties who have won their case at trial. Even if you think that your case is so strong that there is no point in mediating, you could be at risk of a negative costs order at the end of a trial. Whether it is worth taking that risk over the costs of the case is a question that will always require very careful consideration. Dax Keeling is the commercial litigation solicitor at Bell & Buxton d.keeling@bellbuxton.co.uk www.bellbuxton.co.uk 0114 2495969

AGENDA CALENDAR

29TH UNLTD BUSINESS SOCIAL

Venue: Virgin Money Lounge, 66 Fargate, Sheffield S1 2HE Time: 4pm – 6pm Cost: Free About: The unLTD Magazine Business Social is back after a brief hiatus, and this month we are talking about what businesses in the region can do to modify the impact they are having on the planet – with speakers from Office Friendly and Utility Alliance. Contact: email phil@unltdbusiness.com by January 17th

EDITORP’SICK EVENT

2ND/9TH/16TH/ 23RD/30TH BNI INSPIRE NETWORKING

Venue: Best Western Plus, Aston Hall Hotel, Worksop Road, Sheffield, Aston, S26 2EE Time: 6:30am – 8:30am Cost: £11 About: BNI’s weekly business breakfasts are a fantastic chance to network with other like-minded business people. By creating a friendly environment where introductions, referrals and the sharing of contacts are commonplace, BNI have a healthy weekly attendance and we’re sure that you’re likely to return. Contact: bit.ly/34FrRLa

5TH NEW YEAR NEW YOU REGIONAL TRAINING

Venue: Beighton Welfare Recreation Ground, 52a High Street, Beighton, Sheffield, S20 1ED

Time: 12pm – 4pm Cost: £5 About: As the owner of Rosie’s Craft Shop, Roselyn Wragg is hosting an event to help get your business up and running in the new year. This four-hour workshop will teach you how to start to build your business. Contact: bit.ly/2sICvUn

6TH REAL NETWORKING BRUNCH CLUB Venue: Mercure Sheffield, Parkway Hotel, Britannia Way, Catcliffe, S60 5BD Time: 10am – 12pm Cost: £13 About: Catering for those who can’t commit to the earlier breakfast meetings, REAL Networking’s Brunch events are the next best thing. The first section of the event is an opportunity to network freely with the group before selecting two other attendees you’d like to speak with 1-2-1. Contact: nicola@ realnetworkingclub.co.uk

8TH NEW YEAR, NEW YOU, NEW GOALS 'THE SERIOUS EDITION'

Venue: Sheffield City Hall, Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA Time: 10am – 4pm Cost: £75 inc vat About: It's not just the turn of the year but the turn of a decade as 2020 fast approaches. unLTD columnist Helen Williams of Helping Entrepreneurs Win says it’s time to get serious with your goal setting! Contact: www. helpingentrepreneurswin.com

13TH MACRAME HANGING BASKETS

Venue: The Great Escape Game, 3-7 Sidney Street, Sheffield, S1 4RG Time: 6:30pm – 9pm Cost: £35 About: No experience is needed for this basic introduction into creating your very own Macrame Plant Hanger. You will be given

step by step guidance on how to create your piece and all equipment is provided. Contact: 0330 088 3032

15TH DIGITAL MEET MANUFACTURING – DIGITAL TWIN

Venue: Sheffield Technology Parks, Arundel Street, Cooper Buildings, Sheffield, S1 2NS Cost: Free Time: 12pm – 1:30pm About: Join Jonathan Eyre, the Digital Twin Lead at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), to fully understand the role a digital twin plays in a manufacturing business. This session is intended to connect digital and manufacturing together in a way that benefits both sectors. Contact: www.amrc.co.uk/dmm

15TH DONCASTER BUSINESS INSIGHT BREAKFAST BRIEFING

Venue: Best Western Premier,

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AGENDA Great N Road, Rossington, Doncaster, DN11 0HW Time: 7:45am – 9:30am Cost: Members – Free, Nonmembers – £15 + VAT About: This breakfast briefing will be an opportunity to hear and discuss the results of the latest Doncaster Business Insight Survey. Attending this event will allow businessleaders across Doncaster and South Yorkshire to keep upto-date with all economic and investment conditions. Contact: bit.ly/2s5sPDh

16TH NETWALKING

Venue: Endcliffe Park Café, The Old Pavilion Endcliffe Park, Rustlings Rd, Sheffield S11 7AB Time: 9:30am Cost: Free About: A networking walk – all welcome, with a focus on sustainable and ethical business, and health and wellbeing. Dust off the walking boots and the January blues for a walk to Forge Dam and back followed by a cuppa at the cafe. Contact: 0114 250 9078, info@ssk.uk.com

16TH DONCASTER MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING FORUM GREEN GROWTH & PRODUCTIVITY

Venue: National College For Advanced Transport & Infrastructure, Carolina Way, Doncaster, DN4 5PN Time: 8:30am – 11:30am About: The morning session will cover issues surrounding Green Growth and will provide some insight into the support available from the various Government and Private Sector providers. Contact: bit.ly/2tuwQBt

16TH WHEN WOMEN SPEAK SHEFFIELD

Venue: Showroom Cinema, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2BX Time: 10:15am – 1pm Cost: Free About: Expect the unexpected as women come together to encourage, inspire and support one another to show up just as we are and uncover the power and simplicity of using our voice. Contact: bit.ly/36M62uR

22ND SHEFFIELD CAREERS FAIR

Venue: Novotel Hotel, 50 Arundel Gate, Sheffield, S1 2PR Time: 10am – 2pm Cost: Free About: Events such as Sheffield Careers Fair are invaluable. You get to ask questions

directly to employees and their employers, using your burning questions to gauge whether a company suits your needs or not. Use these valuable resources whilst you can, especially since they’re free. Contact: info@ukcareersfair.com

23RD MANAGING PEOPLE & LEADERSHIP Venue: Mercure Sheffield Parkway hotel, Britannia Way, Catcliffe, Sheffield S60 5BD Time: 7:30am – 10am Cost: Free About: An educational event on the subject Management & Leadership. The panel includes Kevin Parkin founder of Parkin Limited, Dame Julie Kenny ex CEO of Pyronix Ltd and Rita Howson CEO of Support Dogs. Contact: connectyorkshire. merlintickets.co.uk/

27TH – 28TH BUSINESS GROWTH ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME

Venue: The Keepmoat Stadium, Polypipe Stand, Stadium Way, Doncaster, DN4 5JW Time: 9:15am – 4:15pm Cost: Free About: Learn how to accelerate the growth of your business with this two-day workshop. The programme has been developed so that attendees leave these sessions with an outlined plan on how to implement improvements into your own business plan. Contact: Craig Atkin – 01302 640103

30TH BARNSLEY COLLEGE OPEN DAY

Venue: Church Street, Barnsley, S70 2AX Time: 4pm – 7pm Cost: Free About: This open day will include information from Student Services about fees, accommodation and student life and details of how to apply. Contact: Call 01226 216 123/ email info@barnsley.ac.uk

28TH STONEACRE VOLVO LAUNCH

Venue: Stoneacre Volvo, 280 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2FQ Time: 6pm – 8pm Cost: Free About: At the launch of this new site, directors and representatives from both Stoneacre and Volvo will be in attendance to answer any questions you may have. You’ll also be able to enjoy a high-end Swedish themed buffet and wine as well as some fantastic live music. Contact: 0114 553 7200

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AGENDA 2020 EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

27TH FEBRUARY DONCASTER BUSINESS SHOWCASE 2020

Venue: Doncaster Racecourse, Leger Way, Doncaster DN2 6BB Time: 10am – 4pm Cost: Free About: The Doncaster Business Showcase 2020 takes place on Thursday 27 February bringing together over 280 exhibitors showcasing the very best of local and regional businesses as well as attracting thousands of professionals every year. It is the largest business-to-business networking exhibition in Yorkshire and is seen as a very powerful marketing medium and a great place to network and forge good business relationships in the region. It really is the ultimate networking event for all ambitious businesses looking to develop key relationships in order to grow and prosper. This is a must attend event if you want to explore the possibilities of starting your own business or if you are an existing business looking to grow. Alternatively, if you are looking to improve your skills, need some inspiration or just want to see what’s happening in and around the area – you are sure to find something of interest. For many businesses, it is the ultimate event to be seen networking at in the region – come along and meet new suppliers, clients and customers for FREE. Contact: bit.ly/35GacUV

JANUARY 19TH SHEFFIELD HERITAGE FAIR

Venue: 48 Arundel Gate, Sheffield, S1 2PP Time: 10am – 5pm Cost: Free About: Take the opportunity to chat with local heritage groups and learn from history advocates who care for, promote and pass on our local heritage to future generations of the 'biggest village', Sheffield. Contact: www.museumssheffield.org.uk

5TH RESONATE PROPERTY

NETWORK | SHEFFIELD

Venue: CHURCH, 4a Rutland Way, Sheffield, S3 8DG Time: 7pm – 10pm

Cost: £5.99 About: The Resonate Property Network is here to help grow your network and business in a supportive, informative environment. bringing people to property, everyone working in, interested in or providing services to the property industry are welcomed! Contact: bit.ly/2QieA6n

FEBRUARY 21ST FEBRUARY & 28TH AUGUST SHEFFIELD JOBS FAIR Venue: Bramall Lane, 105 Bramall Lane, Sheffield S2 4SW Time: 10am – 1pm Cost: Free About: Held at the home of The Blades, this jobs fair will be a fantastic opportunity to speak directly with potential

employers face-to-face. You will be able to register with employers and recruitment agencies, discuss roles with employees and even apply for jobs right there and then – so remember to bring copies of your CV with you! Contact: bit.ly/3905kw8

27TH SHEFFIELD SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK LAUNCH EVENT

Venue: TBC Time: 8.30am – 10.30am Cost: TBC About: Sheffield Sustainability Network is a group of likeminded people who are working together to drive a positive change in how our businesses operate, helping members reduce their

organisations carbon footprints and remain prosperous in a rapidly changing world. Contact: www. sheffieldsustainabilitynetwork. org

MARCH 14TH SHEFFIELD GIN FESTIVAL

Venue: Cutlers Hall, Church Street, Sheffield S1 1HG Time: 12pm – 10:30pm Cost: £12.50 About: Sheffield is to host the Gin Society Festival in the incredible Cutler’s Hall in March 2020. A ticket to the festival gains you entry plus plenty of extras, including; a voucher for a free gin & tonic, a free Copa Glass, a gin festival book and access to a host of talks and gin tastings! Contact: bit.ly/2rh0SYQ

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AGENDA

TRAMLINES

REDBRIK CHESTERFIELD HALF MARATHON

29TH SHEFFIELD HALF MARATHON 2020

Venue: Arundel Gate, Sheffield, S1 2PP Time: 7:30am Cost: £33 About: A major event in the UK's running calendar, the Sheffield Half Marathon attracts thousands of runners of all abilities and spectators to the city's streets and raises many thousands of pounds for good causes. Contact: shm2020.eventdesq.com

APRIL 17TH SHEFFIELD CAREERS FAIR

Venue: Novotel Sheffield, 50 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PR Time: 10am – 12pm Cost: Free About: Events such as Sheffield Careers Fair are invaluable. You get to ask questions directly to employees and their employers, using your burning questions to gauge whether a company suits

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SENSORIAPRO

your needs or not. Use these valuable resources whilst you can, especially since they’re free. Contact: bit.ly/35FlIQE

JUNE 4TH-9TH SHEFFIELD DOC/FEST

Venue: Various throughout Sheffield TBA Time: Various Cost: TBA About: Sheffield Doc/Fest is a world-leading festival held over six days celebrating, sharing and debating the stories of our time through documentary filmmaking. Growing every year, Doc/Fest welcomed 28,000 general public admissions, and 3,489 individual industry delegates from 59 countries to Sheffield in 2019. Contact: info@sheffdocfest. com / 0114 276 5141

JULY 31ST JULY – 2ND AUG TRAMLINES FESTIVAL

Venue: Hillsborough Park, Parkside Road, Sheffield Time: 12pm – 11pm Cost: TBA About: From its modest beginnings as a small festival taking place at various venues across the city centre, Sheffield’s Tramlines Festival now finds itself based in Hillsborough Park due to its growing popularity with artists and attendees alike. Tramlines remains a family friendly festival and saw the likes of Two Door Cinema Club, The Courteeners and Nile Rodgers and Chic headline last year’s event. Contact: https://tramlines. org.uk

OCTOBER 2ND-10TH OCT SENSORIAPRO 2020

Venue: Town Hall, Pinstone, Sheffield, S1 2HH Time: TBC Cost: TBC About: Sensoria is the UK’s festival of film and music, f heady mix of screenings, performance, talks, events and exhibitions. Contact: info@sensoria.org.uk

18TH REDBRIK CHESTERFIELD HALF MARATHON

Venue: Queens Park, Chesterfield, S40 2ND Time: 9:30am Cost: £5 – £29 About: The event will incorporate the 5 Mile Run and Family Fun Run. Staged in partnership with Redbrik Estate Agents and Chesterfield Borough Council, this event has a fantastic and challenging course through the heart of Chesterfield. Contant: info@ redbrikchesterfieldhalf.com

FOCUS ON

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SALES

SALES STRATEGY BY STEVE KNAPP, THE SALES MINDSET COACH

Our columnist and author on how tech is helping ‘green up’ the buyer’s journey

GREENING THE BUYERS JOURNEY The sales industry has become far greener in recent years because of massive advances in technology. When I started in the 1980s, I would clock up thousands of miles a year driving from doorto-door pushing my wares. Central to my job was cold calling. I was knocking on doors and pressing the flesh. There was no social media to research target customers, just a phone book. ‘Cold calling’ in that era required an almost superhuman resilience and razor sharp skills to succeed. Generally, it fell into two categories – a ‘cold’ telephone call or a ‘cold’ visit to a workplace. Phonecalls were always the hardest – you could always build-up trust more quickly meeting someone in the flesh.

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When you rang someone you’d literally got a few seconds to find enough of a commonality with a total stranger to gain their trust enough to keep them on the phone. Your ultimate aim wasn’t – at that point – to get a sale. It was to get a follow up meeting which meant more miles in your car. The concept sounds totally alien in today’s world obsessed with social media – a world where you can virtually nail down whether a person will be interested in your product with a quick search of Facebook and Instagram. It’s fair to say the buyer’s journey has been totally and utterly transformed in recent years and, with the rise of AI around the corner, more massive change is yet to come.

It’s a proven fact that it takes five to 12 interactions with a target customer to make 98 per cent of sales. But the way these can be made are very different from the pre-digital world. Interactions – or ‘contacts’ as we call them – can be anything from a target customer reading a blog to a social engagement on one of your posts on LinkedIn. So much of my work involves coaching people on the importance of adding value in their sales approach. WOPPA is a simple acronym I use to focus on the important elements of customer interactions and keeps clients on track to achieve your desired outcome. It breaks down into a list of questions that prepares you for each interaction with a customer. I suggest you use it.

W: Why are you making this call or having this meeting? What is the purpose? O: What’s the objective of the call? P: Premise. This is where you bring in the things that you know about the prospect. How did your interaction end last time that is relevant to this interaction? P: Plan. Okay – it’s a plan within a plan but this is all about your personal preparation. Here you are planning what you will do during the call or meeting. A: Anticipate. It’s very likely that your prospect will have a lot of questions for you so this is a good time to spend anticipating what they may ask you. Steve Knapp steve@thesales mindsetcoach.com thesalesmindsetcoach.com

AGENDA

BUILDING A BUSINESS STARTS WITH

#YOUFIRST DETERMINE YOUR VALUES

EXPRESS YOUR INDIVIDUALITY

GROW YOUR CONFIDENCE

CHANGING HOW YOU APPROACH LIFE AND BUSINESS

07881 917665 HEWCOACHING

HEW_COACHING

HELEN@HELPINGENTREPRENEURSWIN.COM

WWW.HELPINGENTREPRENEURSWIN.COM

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH SALES? Did you know?

• 97% of any buying decision begins online with 57% of a buyer’s decision made before you even meet face to face • 46% of sales people missed their targets last year... not surprising when only 39% of sales people’s time is spent selling! • 51% of businesses have no sales strategy! THE BAD NEWS IS you are stuck doing what you’ve always done, and you know that you

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are going to get less than what you’ve always got. The pace of change with selling and buying has exploded. You need to keep up to stay at the top of your game – but you don’t know where to start, right? THE GOOD NEWS IS you can still do something about it. Stop blaming the things you cannot control or the market changes for your lack of sales. Maybe, just maybe, the problem can be solved closer to home.

HELENWILLIAMS1

PLAN. GROW. DO.

Is the change you need. Where?

The OEC, Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2DE

When? Tuesday 25th February, Tuesday 3rd March, Tuesday 10th March. All 9.30am-12.30pm.

For more information contact us on: info@plangrowdo.com | www.plangrowdo.com

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ENTREPRENEURS

ENTREPRENEURSUPPORT BY HELEN WILLIAMS

Our columnist says discipline is the name of the game for sustainable business

‘IT’S A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT’ It’s January and everyone comes out of the traps full of good intention and ambition. Once the haze of the festive season has lifted, the motivation of improvement and growth is felt like no other time of the year. While the positive air of intention and determined application is apparent amongst most, how long does this new-found feeling stay? This is the million-dollar question around sustainability of application – what is the most important factor; motivation or discipline? The fact is motivation doesn’t last long. It’s a temporary feeling and can quickly diminish, especially when you are challenged at some point in the process. Discipline, however, is a totally different story but is a muscle that requires building up so that

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your actions and behaviours become habitual and not susceptible to influence by inner negativity of thoughts and emotions, or indeed by external factors inclusive of other people. You don’t decide to run a marathon and begin with thrashing yourself over 12 miles as the first training run attempt?! It’s not a natural progression path and isn’t sustainable. You would potentially fail, knocking your confidence, create susceptibility to quit, you run the risk of injury, and it’s not a sustainable training programme for your mind and body. Growth and success are built on great levels of discipline. Discipline is what keeps your work ethic a strong game, incrementally and systematically.

You don’t quit, you do what is needed – not what you desire at the time. Being disciplined is what will ensure you create application and momentum that can be maintained. Motivation and hype are short-lived and somewhat false, therefore unsustainable. Discipline and associated progression create sustainability you can uphold at the level required for your life and business goals. When individuals and business owners have a desire to change their current situation and grow into a better, happier, healthier and more profitable domain, it is important to grasp the importance of managing expectations. As cliched as it sounds, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ it does ring true every time. This isn’t dampening spirits of enthusiasm but is solidifying

the requirement behind appreciating that everything that you do is sustainable, otherwise why bother? You can’t achieve long term by burning yourself out short term, and you can’t sustain profit levels if resource isn’t there to continue the actions needed to achieve them in the first place. Growth and development is a process. Not a process that changes everything overnight and all at once, but a process that is proven. One to keep repeating and layering up with new concepts, levels of effort and additional strategy. A continual process built on discipline in order to build a sustainable you, and a sustainable business. Helen Williams helpingentrepreneurswin.com 07881 917665

COVER STORY

GOING

GREEN: SUSTAINABILITY

Doncaster Chamber of Commerce CEO Dan Fell participated in a recent British Chamber of Commerce CEO Roundtable where chamber representatives from across the country took part in a ‘robust discussion’ about the national network’s role in achieving net zero climate ambitions. unLTD’s Jill Theobald caught up with him to find out more about his views closer to home in the Sheffield City Region business community

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COVER STORY DONCASTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE “Part of the solution.” That’s how Dan Fell Doncaster Chamber chief views the private sector and industry when we start talking about the environment for unLTD’s sustainability special edition. “Clearly the climate crisis is at the forefront of everyone’s mind at the moment,” says Dan, “and as a network we are really keen to ensure we are standing up for business.” To do that, Dan believes, calls for a shift in perception. “We need to understand that the private sector and industry is part of the solution to climate change and not misdiagnosed as the problem. In order to do that, we need to lead by example in how we run our own organisations. It’s also about understanding how we can put best practice and optimum advice in front of our members so we can support them on their journey to becoming greener. “The roundtable discussion was about three areas. First off what can we do as chambers ourselves to become more sustainable because we can’t be signing up to declarations and encouraging our members if we’re not leading by example. “The second is about policy – we as chambers banging the drum on infrastructure, investment, and legislation. The third area is practical guidance and advice for businesses. We have to remember that the rank and file of our business community are SMEs who want to become more sustainable but don’t necessarily know how. “It’s about signposting to that support so that we avoid any ‘greenwashing’ and instead help them to do some great things that can lead to a step change in the way they do business. “Chambers up and down the country bring people together and in particular in South Yorkshire – we’re great at events, networking and letting people form their own relationships so it’s about understanding the catalytic role we can play in forming those discussions and enabling people to work together to find those solutions.

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DAN FELL, CEO OF DONCASTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

“That will lead to things like green energy forums and environmental clusters coming in 2020.” The interest is evidently there within Doncaster Chamber membership already. Dan says: “We’re getting interest from both sides – businesses that are specialists in environment and green technology are coming to us because they are keen to meet businesses they can help. Equally businesses are asking us how they can go about becoming more carbon neutral. It’s similar to the way international trade support has matured over the years. Businesses knew they needed to export and had some sense

of where the opportunities were but needed someone to act as a Sherpa and give them support and guidance to underpin that journey. "I see environmental business support going on the same way over the next year or so – we all know there’s the economic opportunity there, we need to ensure the practical support is there to help businesses get there.” And Doncaster Chamber members large and small are leading the way already. “There’s Engie, a huge global company headquartered in Wath Upon Dearne who bought Keepmoat Regeneration a couple of years ago,” says Dan. “They are doing brilliant work to

support the transition to a lower carbon future, not just housing but all sorts of incredible stuff in terms of the aviation sector, too. “Go Green (outsourced waste management and recycling solutions), who are Rossingtonbased, are brilliant and helping customers on a mission to send less than one per cent of waste to landfill.” How does Dan feel Sheffield City Region is performing on the sustainability stage? “The region is as proactive as anywhere else in the UK,” says Dan. “But particularly our expertise in engineering and manufacturing gives us the potential to be ahead of the curve in terms of solutions. Equally our strength in logistics, warehouse and distribution – we want to double down on the fact that Doncaster is brilliantly connected, but while we’re the experts in logistics we need to become the experts in green logistics.” And how does Dan convince any businesses reluctant to embrace the sustainability agenda? “People know there’s a global problem and people want to do their bit – it’s not a ‘why’ problem, it’s the ‘how’ that’s a bit more challenging and for any businesses that might be reluctant, the thing that usually clinches it is nine times out of ten is doing things that make environmental sense make financial sense! “There’s lots of practical things we can do but it has to be underpinned by governmentled policy and legislation. “Look at the Scandinavian countries – they are fundamentally greener, not because people and businesses are wired differently in their sensibilities but because their governments explain the agenda, make it easier to be green, and put the financial rewards in place. “We need the right policy and agenda here – and we will continue to lobby the government for that on behalf of businesses.”

COVER STORY £1m investments in recycling. New technology to help with energy management. Eco-friendly printing. For our sustainability special Jill Theobald caught up with a host of businesses to find out how they do their part to combat climate change and make operations more sustainable

UTILITY ALLIANCE “Our approach to energy management is quite simple really – we often say, ‘in an ever-increasing energy market, the true way to save money is to use less’.” So says Utility Alliance MD Daniel Potter – who took control of the Sheffield arm of the Hartlepool-based national business in 2017. And the simple approach is, literally, paying off – for the business and their customers. From a business start-up with four employees to more than 400 – Utility Alliance has, as Daniel says, witnessed ‘quite remarkable growth in our first four complete years in business’. The business energy experts trade, monitor and use the latest technologies to save business time and money across four key areas – reducing water costs, reducing energy costs, utilising new technology and electric vehicle charging. But it’s not just about saving money. Says Daniel: “It’s also about helping businesses become more energy efficient overall and reducing their carbon footprint. We care about the environment, community and educating all about the importance of how to use energy responsibly. We work with businesses of all sizes, from local shops to hospitals, hotels to schools and factories nationally. “We have seen far more businesses in the last 18 months express interest in asking for help to reduce usage. Many are now placing targets on themselves to reduce energy, reduce waste and their carbon footprint.

UTILITY ALLIANCE MD, DANIEL POTTER

But the challenge many face is how to do that?” Which is where Utility Alliance step up – and the usage and costs go down. “We have developed a range of technologies designed to help track and monitor customer usage on varying scales of detail,” says Daniel. “We have an entry level platform designed for those making their first steps into tracking usage to any level of detail the customer may require. “We get great satisfaction from providing a customer the training they need to use their software and then receiving that first call or email saying: ‘It’s working, usage is going down’.” And with a customer base that is nationwide, how proactive is Sheffield City Region (SCR) in terms

of businesses exploring alternative or sustainable energy services? “When we have been out and about at networking events in the SCR, one topic that does tend to come up more and more is how can I control my spend and reduce environmental impact? That is in stark contrast to where this industry was a few years ago,” explains Daniel. “One SCR business we worked with is a manufacturer of coat hangers and a supplier to major retailers. Being in that big supply chain can sometimes mean that in order to continue working with them, they need to demonstrate a decrease in energy usage. “We worked with them on a lighting project designed around replacing old, inefficient lighting with

modern low-usage technology. What started off as a trial to understand the difference in usage, finished up being a whole factory kit-out. The best part for the client was there was no capital expenditure, because we rolled the cost into their procurement contract, spreading it over a couple of years.” How would Dan convince businesses that are reluctant or sceptical about the need to address their carbon footprint? “We do come across this opinion from time to time – sometimes you can’t change that view. But having said that, we did have a similar situation a couple of months ago and when we demonstrated the cost reduction of using less energy, it soon changed their mind!” And that ‘remarkable growth’ looks set to continue for Utility Alliance. “We plan to continue to grow our business in the next 12-18 months,” adds Daniel. “In Sheffield alone we are recruiting for 96 new positions across many disciplines in 2020. “Our industry is fast-paced and ever changing, but one area we have seen an increased demand for is electric vehicle charging points. We have developed a number of products, some of which even provide an additional revenue stream to customers themselves. We expect the continued take-up of this offering to soar going into 2020.” Read more about Utility Alliance’s charging service in our electric vehicle feature on page 50.

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COVER STORY

67%

79%

Source: Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Source: BBC

of consumers prefer to work with sustainable and responsible businesses

of plastic waste is in landfill

An average of

70% of office waste is paper Source: Wrap UK

OFFICE FRIENDLY “The reasons for businesses to become more sustainable are multi-faceted,” says Office Friendly managing director Julie Hawley. “Yes, it’s important to be aware of your environmental impact. Yes, it’s the right thing to do. But it’s also about lead generation too – it creates a different conversation with your customers.” Office Friendly reprofiled themselves as Business Development Specialists two years ago, setting up three new services providing SMEs with marketing, training, and social sustainability support – and clearly the latter was a no-brainer for the firm. Julie says: “For a long time, and probably as a result of sustainability being in the media and with TV natural world programmes like David Attenborough, our customers had been asking about issues like single use plastics, recycling, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Big corporates like Sky were pledging to be single use plastic free by 2020 so we knew this was on the agenda for businesses and a key area we could be supporting them on.” The company was established 25 years ago as a dealer group within the office products industry, negotiating price and bringing services and tools to its community of 150 independent office product resellers across the UK. With the brand repositioning came three key areas – KascAid the creative and marketing agency, Pioneer its learning and development arm, and CSR and social sustainability programme Weaver, all services now being rolled out

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for businesses in the Sheffield City Region. Developed in partnership with independent sustainability consultancy Carbon Smart, Weaver certification recognises five areas: carbon footprint, waste management, single-use packaging, sustainable products and social responsibility. Marketing director Katie Metcalfe explains: “The Weaver framework involves a personalised sustainability action plan and a summary report measuring and analysing the business’s achievements with three certification levels – blue which means businesses Comply, silver which means they Compete and gold which is Champion. The Weaver certificate and emblem enables them to display their credentials.

Julie says, “When it comes to sustainability, many employees, customers and stakeholders expect transparency and accountability action from businesses. Weaver helps implement sustainable practices and means customers can show they are a trusted supplier taking things like carbon footprint, energy usage and community involvement seriously. “One customer we work with who supplies the construction industry knew single use plastics on site was a big issue for them – and his biggest customer challenged them with the five Weaver areas. He has gone through the process and brought other customers on board including a gift bag supplier who was wanting to source an alternative bag product and which is looking to be used at

a major golf tournament in the US. “Some customers can be shy about showcasing their community credentials and think of it as bragging – one was repatriating their cardboard waste by giving it to a local allotment to use to suppress weeds. We explained they were doing the local project a disservice by NOT promoting their community work because it raises the profile of that organisation and may encourage other businesses to do the same.” Katie says: “Weaver shows existing and potential customers how committed businesses are. Having sustainable business practices can attract new contracts, giving a wider reach and giving extra publicity, too.” Adds Julie: “Sustainability and CSR are also increasingly a big part of tenders, too – Weaver shows you have proper policies and practices in place. “We currently have 16 businesses on board with a further ten waiting in the wings and other businesses are keen to become more sustainable but don’t know how to and need signposting. There needs to be a lot more education about it and the frameworks available like Weaver. We’re working with Sheffield City Region Growth Hub and Skills Bank to reach more businesses in the area and will be running workshops in 2020. “We need to get the sustainability message across and out there. “Ultimately, it just makes business sense.” For more information www.ofweaver.co.uk

BUSINESS ENERGY EXPERTS Unit 2, Waterside Court, Bold Street, Sheffield, S9 2LR

+44 (0) 114 478 0956 www.utility-alliance.com 34

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COVER STORY Sustainability has been the name of the game for Sheffield based eco-friendly printing company Bag It Don’t Bin It (BIDBI) from day one, producing custom-printed reusable branded cotton tote bags. Jill Theobald caught up with MD Daya Singh to find out more

BIDBI How has BIDBI moved with the times to embrace the sustainability and environmental focus? From the outset BIDBI has been at the forefront to help consumers reduce their use of plastic bags. Over the years we have continually looked at our supply chain and manufacturing process as a whole, enabling us to reduce our packaging and raw material usage within our business as well as consolidating shipments, be it import or export, to reduce our carbon footprint, too. We insist on using farmers who grow and harvest cotton in a sustainable and responsible way. In addition, we have recently purchased more energy efficient equipment and our UK factory has been accredited by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). This certification carries strict environmental and social responsibility guidelines with codes of practices to follow, plus we work very closely with the Fairtrade Organisation. Subsequently, we introduced new ranges of Fairtrade and organic products. When did you start offering these products and why was it important for you as a business to do so? We have always offered our clients the option of using Fairtrade certified cotton and non-virgin cotton. However, as consumer awareness grew over the years, we launched our first specialised Fairtrade range in 2017 in a response to the burgeoning interest from consumers wanting to know where their products

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of investment which gave rise to growth and new job creation in all areas of our business. As a result we have decided to stay within Sheffield City Region as the business continues to expand – we feel it’s important to keep the young vibrant spirit our of culture by staying central in a city where investment and growth has been high on the agenda. We are hoping to partner with Sheffield City Council next year to see if we can look to start up a new project called “Green Friday”. This will be an alternative to “Black Friday”, whereby businesses look to make donations to help plant more trees in and around our region. Anything we can do to help our environment will better us!

DAYA SINGH, MD OF BAG IT DON'T BIN IT

originate. Thus, being associated with both the Fairtrade Organisation (FTO) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), ensured traceability for our bags which is key for many clients – as the shift in consumer habits showed people are interested in the ethical credentials of the products they are buying. For BIDBI, it was critical to have the ability to supply our customers with an ethically accredited bag. As a result, our new Fairtrade and Organic cotton range of bags was launched in 2019. The collection included various

options which helped BIDBI to stand out as being one of the first in our industry to stock and print this extensive range without products losing authenticity. How do you view Sheffield City Region (SCR) in terms of businesses being proactive about exploring alternative / sustainable products such as yours? As a business, the help and support given to us from day one has been tremendous from all parties involved within this region. Over the past few years, BIDBI has seen a huge amount

Is this an area you will be continuing to invest in? What are your future plans? Sustainability is one of the main focuses of our business, we sell this message through our products and how we conduct ourselves as a business. It will always be an area we continue to invest in, launching larger ranges of FTO or recycled products, plus looking into ways to reduce our impact on the environment through investing in more energy efficient machinery and looking for alternative renewable energy sources. We need to help educate our prospective and existing clients to source products that have genuine ethical provenance, moving away from cheaper, non-audited factories, of which many have no social compliance policies and selling inferior products.

COVER STORY Market Infra was established in 2016 as an independent consultancy of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s built environment. MD Tom Hudson tells unLTD how the changing climate change policies mean ‘exciting times’ for the firm

MARKET INFRA The climate change agenda is becoming prevalent in today’s society and is gaining more attention within the industries we work in. For our clients, helping to tackle climate change by reduction of carbon footprint is something we are starting to see more frequently. The UK has already cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent since 1990, but the measures needed to reach net zero by 2050 will require significant changes to our daily lives and the critical infrastructure we use for travel, energy, food, and housing. It is exciting times for Market Infra – we are helping some of the UK’s best businesses adapt their strategies to the changing markets. The electricity and power generation sector is

one industry which has seen great changes with moving to smart localised grid networks, integrating intermittent and new renewable energy technologies. A relatively new area is battery storage. We have been supporting our client Green Frog Connect to refocus its business strategy in light of changing climate change policies and a market shift to the use of battery storage with great success. Green Frog Connect is an electrical contractor and independent connection provider specialising in the construction of high voltage infrastructure for power generation projects. As the UK transitions into a net carbon zero economy, Market Infra has worked with Green Frog Connect to re-focus its plans

For our clients, helping to tackle climate change by reduction of carbon footprint is something we are starting to see more frequently.

as the company is looking into new market areas such as battery storage connections projects. And the results speak for themselves – over to Green Frog Connect’s director, Tom Drake: “As a growing business, it’s important that we demonstrate innovation in order to make a real impact and contribution to the industry and the wider low-carbon economy. “We have enabled grid connections of over 1,500MW of renewable energy in the last seven years through solar, wind and lower carbon gas generators. We have invested heavily in our capability to delivery battery energy projects and look forward to becoming a key player in this space over the coming years.”

132KV GRID CONNECTION / SUBSTATION NEAR BIRMINGHAM BUILT BY GREENFROG CONNECT

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COVER STORY

ITI NETWORK SERVICES – THE TEMPLAND GROUP 25 years ago, trains could take you to London at around 100 miles per hour. Wi-Fi wasn’t available on the journey but you might have had a Sony mobile phone which looked like a Mars bar, or a Nokia brick. And on your desk – maybe a modem allowing you to send and receive data at 56kb per second. Today, offices and many homes can access data at 300Mb, over 5,000 times faster than 25 years ago. Our demands on data capacity have shot up too. We use 10,000 times as much data now. Trains would travel at over 9,000 miles every minute now if their speed had increased at the same rate of change. Those figures could seem astonishingly abstract, but not to Dave Newton, Commercial Director at ITI Network Services. This telecommunications specialist is celebrating a special anniversary in 2020: the original business which now works with blue-chip multinational clients, alongside prestigious organisations in defence, sporting facilities, the public, education and private sectors was launched in 1995. Newton joined what was IT Installations Ltd in 2007 to head up its wireless business unit and is one of the firm’s longest serving directors. Since then the business has undergone a management buyout, becoming part of The Templand Group of companies. Did Dave ever have one of those Nokia bricks? “Yes, and I still have a box of old mobiles from that era. They’re practically unbreakable and the battery life was exceptional.”

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DAVE NEWTON, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR AT ITI NETWORK SERVICES

With this issue of unLTD focusing on business’ contribution to protecting the environment, we ask how the telecommunications industry has changed. Dave says one of the biggest changes is how business is done. Fax machines were an

office must-have in ’95: not anymore. And, sadly, for many people a smartphone is more disposable today than the mobile of 25 years ago. But it’s what you can do with all this data capacity and speed that really interests him.

“Firms can reduce the cost and impact of travel through high-quality video meetings. Technology has enabled businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, with some analysis showing virtual conferencing, teleworking and the Internet of Things will contribute to a 15 per cent reduction of other sectors’ emissions in 2020. “ITI is undertaking Investors in the Environment (iiE),” Dave adds, “It’s good for businesses, and the right thing to do.” The firm has grown dramatically since 25 years ago, and “will continue to grow sustainably,” says Dave. “Becoming part of a group structure has enabled us to serve customers better. Last year we acquired Newline Communications, so we can now deliver external civil engineering and fibre works. We’re continuing to seek opportunities for acquisitions to complement the group. “We’re also looking to recruit to varying new roles in 2020. We’ll continue to recruit and support ex-forces personnel and Reservists – they’re adaptable and multidimensional.” Another development is a move to a new office building. So an exciting year ahead and as Dave and colleagues prepare to celebrate that quarter century, one more question: how fast can data speeds get? “5G is game-changing, but for many businesses and residents in rural areas, fibre broadband will have an even bigger impact. That will give access to data speeds available to cities and could free up travel time and reduce carbon footprints, too.”

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COVER STORY Rob Cole, director at Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens, tells unLTD all about Sheffield Sustainability Network’s vision, plans and benefits ahead of its launch next month SHEFFIELD SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK Sheffield Sustainability Network will be launched in February – a group of likeminded people working together to drive a positive change in how businesses operate, helping members reduce their organisations’ carbon footprints and remain prosperous in a rapidly changing world. How to respond to the declared climate change emergency? How to shift our business practices to be more sustainable in order to stay competitive? How can small businesses and non-profits work together to help support both ourselves in prosperity and each other on a sustainable planet? These are just some of the questions that businesses, organisations, charities, and Sheffield residents face today. Sheffield Sustainability Network was founded by three local business owners who had been exchanging ideas on more sustainable ways of working, and quickly realised this information sharing would be beneficial for others. We set about creating a platform that supports local businesses and non-profit organisations in their goal to become more sustainable. Starting with around 10 steering group members, we plan to grow to more than 100 members by end of 2020, run campaigns and member events, and partner with key local bodies including Sheffield Business Together and Sheffield City Region Sustainability Partnership.

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ROB COLE, DIRECTOR AT SHEFFIELD SUSTAINABLE KITCHENS

Sheffield Sustainability Network also aims to provide benefits to its members including:

share knowledge and skills to support our members through our online resources, regular meetings and workshops.

Sustainability audit We recognise that sustainable practices are not only an environmental need, but increasingly a business requirement – however, knowing where to start can be a challenge. We will provide a simple self-assessment audit process to help identify areas where easy gains can be made.

Purchasing power There is an increasing amount of sustainable products available, but the cost of these can be prohibitive for smaller organisations. As a network, the potential for combined purchasing power will help us get more competitive pricing from suppliers.

Shared knowledge By pooling our information and efforts, we are able to

We recognise that sustainable practices are not only an environmental need, but increasingly a business requirement.

Grab all the details of the first Sheffield Sustainability Network event on Thursday 23 February in our 2020 Event Highlights on page 24.

Printed Cotton Bags and Homewares Our Certified Fairtrade & Organic collection is certified by Fairtrade and the Soil Association Show your ethical values to your customers Printed using organic inks in a GOTS accredited production factory

40 www.bidbi.co.uk

info@bidbi.co.uk

0114 272 1201 unLTDBUSINESS.COM

COVER STORY

RUSSELL RICHARDSON There’s being ahead of the curve. And then there’s being four DECADES ahead of the curve. Shredding, archiving and recycling experts Russell Richardson was established in 1978 as a family-run paper recycler. Still bearing the name of the founder and still 100 per cent controlled by the family, Russell Richardson has evolved into one of the UK’s leading document management and confidential shredding companies. Today, the company provides a variety of services such as on or offsite document shredding, document archiving, textile and uniform destruction, hard drive shredding (on and off-site), electronic media destruction and IT recycling. But 50 per cent of the business is still bulk paper shredding and recycling, as Director Emma Moorhouse explains: “We’ve come full circle in a lot of ways as customers are definitely thinking

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about sustainability and environmental issues more and more.” With an increase in demand for recycling services – shredding more than 1,000 tonnes a month – has led to major investment from Russell Richardson. Last year – when the GDPR regulations imposed tighter rules – the firm invested £165,000 in a ‘super-shredder’. The multi-tasking mobile shredding truck can destroy confidential paperwork at a client’s premises, as well as data-packed computer hard drives, CDs and memory sticks. And earlier this year, further expansion saw them add to their growing fleet of collection vehicles with the addition of a brand-new shred tech mobile shredding truck. The second truck is capable of shredding up to 2 ½ tonnes of confidential waste per hour at customers’ premises and is a further £170,000 investment. “The investments are in response to increases in output we can keep up with demand,” says Emma.

We’ve come full circle in a lot of ways as customers are definitely thinking about sustainability and environmental issues more and more.

“Customers who had used our paper services were also asking about general office recycling services like plastics and food waste so we have now got a broker service for different waste streams which means a complete container, collection, recycling and disposal service for all waste, fully managed by Russell Richardson.” And demand is high – with recycling at Russell Richardson more than trebling in the last five years. No wonder a new home was needed earlier this year, with a £1 million investment in a state-of-the-art facility on Park House Lane in Tinsley. The relocation has enabled the company to combine the shredding, archiving and recycling divisions within the high security 50,000 sq ft site. Emma added: “Now we’ve got the new facility and equipment we have the infrastructure in place to continue the next stage of our growth – customer interest is not slowing down by any means.”

ADVERTORIAL

GET FIT THE HI-TECH WAY Running out of time to exercise? Hi-Tech Fitness may well have the answer to your January workout woes – unLTD’s Bronte Saulle caught up with the team to find out more… Nestled in Sheffield’s Shalesmoor, Hi-Tech Fitness was founded by Russian wrestling champion and professional coach, Zagir Kaziev. After launching neighbouring Eagle Fight Club six years ago, Zagir wanted to offer a solution for people in Sheffield who struggle to find the time to work out due to busy lifestyles. The studio, which officially opened for business in November 2019, offers time efficient and high intensity sessions through electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). The first of its kind in Sheffield, EMS exercising once or twice a week for 25 minutes eliminates the need for spending long hours in the gym. Anyone would be forgiven

for thinking this is a recent discovery, but as Zagir tells us “in fact Soviet scientists used electrical stimulation in the 1950s to train cosmonauts and restore them after returning to Earth. EMS technology has been used for decades in the field of rehabilitation and in the 1970s, it was mastered by the USA, who turned electrical stimulation into a public fitness method.” Fast forward 50 years and Hi-Tech is offering the latest technology equipment with XBody devices, a friendly approach and expert trainers to support individuals, regardless of age or background, get to their desired fitness levels in a fraction of the time. Zagir explained: “During traditional exercise, the brain

sends signals to the muscles to bring about contractions. EMS training mimics the action of the central nervous system, activating muscles in the same way, but using external impulses. These are delivered via electrodes onto the skin directly above the muscles. “The electrical impulses generated by XBody devices cause muscle fibres to contract, and such stimulation can be 30% more effective than normal physical activity. Scientifically proven to achieve fast and sustainable results from day one, the impulses spread to each part of the body, exercising each muscle group, and bypassing the joints entirely.” So, who is the right person to try it out? Given that the training provides a time-

efficient fitness method, it is recommended for those who have busy lifestyles, such as professionals, and parents with young children, who can often only spare a limited time for exercise. It is also an ideal solution for those who do not want to spend countless hours in the gym in order to reach their training goals, as individuals should start to feel fitter and experience visible results within six sessions of using EMS. Now we are officially into January, many of us will be thinking about fitness related new year’s resolutions. XBody EMS training can support with strengthening muscles, losing body fat and it can be a solution for skin problems such as cellulite. As there are many programmes available,

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ADVERTORIAL

EMS can be used to assist the elderly and those recovering from injury. Zagir added: “EMS devices burn calories in significant amounts as most of the body is involved in physical exercise. The heart and respiratory system are working at once, which leads to a greater number of calories burnt. This is especially beneficial for mothers who are trying to get back into shape after childbirth, without heavy training. Studies have shown that training and treatments applying EMS technology can help reduce cellulite. Additionally, the classes are recommended for people with mobility impairments.” For those who already hit the gym, EMS for muscle strengthening, conditioning

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and increasing muscle mass can be extremely efficient. It can also be used for preventive and rehabilitation purposes in neurology, orthopaedics, rheumatology and other medical fields. Asymmetric muscles are a common problem for athletes and in these cases, individuals may feel the stimulation stronger in one part or side of their body. This is not an unusual symptom and personalised EMS exercises can be provided by the HiTech team. Not forgetting the reason fitness enthusiast Zagir Kaziev launched Hi-Tech – to provide a solution for those who are too busy to work out. Due to the effectiveness of XBody EMS training, one 20-minute training equals approximately

90 minutes of conventional training (including short breaks between exercises). During the session, between 80% and 90% of all muscles and even hard-to-reach areas are worked out. What can people expect from the first session? After arriving for the booked appointment at Hi-Tech, one of the friendly trainers will give a briefing on EMS. Clients will then receive a cotton suit to change into and the instructor will assist with a specially fitted EMS suit, which is used to conduct the electric pulses. Zagir explained: “First time customers will be given pre-exercise instructions to help put them at ease, and then the workout will begin. We will go through a series

of exercises, designed to stimulate different muscle groups, and there will be a short relaxation stage. The intensity of impulses will be varied according to fitness level and goals.” And after the workout, individuals are welcome to use the Hi-Tech facilities and enjoy a refreshing shower with a towel provided – ideal for those who are rushing back to the office! To find out more about HiTech Fitness call 07707070788 or email hitechxbody@ gmail.com. If time efficient and effective workouts sound ideal to achieve those 2020 exercise goals, appointments can be booked hassle free online at www. hitechfitnessuk.com/pages/ pricing

GET FIT FAST WITH EMS By Hi-Tech Xbody Fitness Studio Sheffield Electric impulses are generated by XBody devices and delivered through cables to the electrodes on the skin surface above the muscles to be stimulated. These impulses mimic the action potential that comes from the central nervous system and evokes visible muscle contractions. The resulting muscle contraction is similar to the usual movement and the regular contractions of the muscles.

BOOk YOUR

TRIA l

WHAT CAN EMS BE USED FOR? • Total body reconditioning • Muscle strengthening, conditioning and increasing muscle mass • Total body reconditioning • Invoking positive effects in case of the following indications: • Increasing local blood circulation • Prevention of venous thrombosis of the calf muscles after surgery • Prevention or retardation of disuse atrophy

SESS ION N OW

• Muscle re-education • Relaxation of muscle spasm • Maintaining or increasing range of motion • Treating medical conditions, such as: • Total hip arthroplasty • Anterior cruciate ligament • Total knee replacement • Lower back pain • Obesity • Sarcopenia

YOUR DREAM AND HEALTHY BODY IN JUST

2x20 MINUTE SESSIONS A WEEK S3 8UR, Sheffield, 284 Shalesmoor Tel: 0114 272 8966 | Mob: 07707 070788 44Web: www.hitechxbody.com | Email: hitechxbody@gmail.com | Insta: xbody_sheffield_ unLTDBUSINESS.COM

YOUR PITCH Adeola Banjoko, co-founder and MD of GamCleaning Services, tells unLTD about the cleaning business with an ‘ecological and social conscience’

GAMCLEANING SERVICES

ADEOLA BANJOKO, TIJAN KORITA AND ISMAILA KHAM

Tell us about your business – sell yourself! Gamcleaning services serves as a drive for positive change. We are a business with an ecological and social conscience. We use eco-friendly and natural products and aim to develop communities through sustainable projects. We aim to empower communities by taking the extra time to train, nurture and teach our staff. We are aware that communication in English can act as a barrier for many when looking for employment. At GamCleaning Services, we

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want to ensure that everyone is given a fair opportunity, even if that means going the extra mile for potential candidates. Moreover, 20 per cent of the profit generated will be used to create sustainable development projects in the Gambia, BTC (Be That Change) project. The next upcoming BTC project will be shared at the beginning of 2020. Meet the trio I am a recent graduate in International Relations and Social Policy – my passion for as long as I can remember has been centred around

making a positive change and contributing to the field of international development. Tijan Korita has over 20 years hotel management experience and housekeeping for various hotels in the UK. Ismaila Khan is a soonto-be graduate in Computer Science with a great interest in business and entrepreneurship. Together we are on this exciting journey! Who are your customers and how are you targeting them? Businesses, domestic clients (homeowners), events – anyone really who needs a

cleaner. We are happy to cater to all cleaning needs and all our services can be tailored individually. We are targeting our customers via social media, emails, face to face meeting, networking events and flyer distribution. How can people get in touch with you? Facebook: GamCleaning Services Instagram: Gamcleaning Services Email: info@ gamcleaningservices.com LinkedIn: Adeola Fatima Banjoko

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FLOODS South Yorkshire was hit by its most devastating floods since 2007 in November last year. The flooding happened fast, with little warning and those householders and businesses impacted have been struggling to recover ever since. Jill Theobald found out how South Yorkshireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Foundation (SYCF) set up an emergency appeal the very next day and spoke to some of the businesses affected 46

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Unprecedented levels of rainfall. Water spilling into homes. Damage to business premises and stock. When the rains came last year, South Yorkshire was badly affected once again by flooding. Figures provided by the four local authority areas show more than 1,000 households were affected by flood water with the resulting damage making many homes uninhabitable for at least the immediate future. Areas of Doncaster were particularly hit hard with many of the low income and most disadvantaged areas worst affected. Local charity South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF) sprang into action the following day by setting up an emergency appeal and has been working to provide financial relief. Beginning with Phase 1 £200 blanket payments to help families with immediate needs, they went on to distribute larger payments through Phase 2 for those worst affected across the region. SYCF ran a similar appeal in 2007 and raised almost £1.6m at that time to distribute out into communities. This time around the charity has already topped £500,000 and

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is continuing to distribute funding. Chief Executive Ruth Willis said: “The extraordinary response from affected communities to help one another since the flooding began has been a lifeline for many. From a cup of tea and a listening ear to large scale volunteer community clean ups and food and cleaning goods donations, people have stepped up without hesitation. “We have had an incredible response to our appeal and people have been so generous. The payments we are making all come from charitable donations and are truly appreciated by those who have been affected. “So many people, who are still reeling from the floods are incredibly vulnerable. The community efforts on the ground are truly amazing and humbling but we need more support and more resources for everyone impacted. I can’t overstate how important it is that we raise as much money as possible so we can help as much as we can.” After the flood waters subsided, taking weeks in some areas, people were left assessing the damage and long-term implications and cost to their homes and businesses. Social enterprise Re-Read

We have had an incredible response to our appeal and people have been so generous.

reuse, redistribute or recycle high quality donated books to disadvantaged children to reduce waste and make a difference to literacy, educational achievement or quality of life in the local area. The Doncaster business had built up an inventory of nearly 235,000 books and in the last 12 months gifted in excess of 35,000 to children living in South Yorkshire – and then the floods hit. The organisation that aims to ‘keep books out of landfill and stories alive’ was facing a nightmare tale. Re-Read Founder Jim McLaughlin said: “When the dam burst its banks, our warehouse, office and equipment was badly damaged, and we estimate we lost 100,000 books. As a social enterprise we already operate with very small profit margins and don’t have a lot of resources. “But our director set up a Go Fund Me campaign and along with a Twitter campaign – which was retweeted by authors like Caitlin Moran and Anthony Horowitz – we managed to raise enough money to sustain our 11 staff through Christmas and into January. “Penguin donated 2,000 books which was wonderful, while Dr Lynn Collier spotted our campaign and arranged

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South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue declared a major incident at around 10.30pm on Thursday 7 November as a result of widespread flooding across the county.

KEY FACTS:

RE-READ’S FLOOD DAMAGED STOCK AT THEIR WAREHOUSE

for donations from London public schools so we took a trip down and collected a vanload of books which was overwhelming. “North Doncaster Development Trust offered us offices on a short-term loan and Doncaster Council let us use the empty former Poundland unit in the Colonnades so the support we have had has been wonderful. “Our insurers Aviva have been fantastic too and have really pulled out the stops for us so we’re hoping to be back in our HQ by the end of January.” Business and social enterprise consultant Jamie Veitch has several clients affected by the floods in Sheffield. He told unLTD: “This time around, several Sheffield organisations didn’t want to draw attention to the flooding they had experienced. Not because they hadn’t taken precautions – all had – but because they were aware that further downstream, in Rotherham and Doncaster, the impact of the flooding was

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enormous, and they didn’t want to draw attention from that. “They quietly got on with cleaning up, one of my business clients affected by flooding even made a donation to SYCF’s flood relief fund to help other organisations they thought might have been worse affected or didn’t have their resilience.” And ending on a positive – and preventative note – over to Kim Jennings, a Senior Catchment Manager for the Trent Rivers Trust. The charity works with partners to deliver environmental, communitybased and capital works projects to improve the river environment of the Trent and its tributaries (including in the Idle and Torne catchment – the river Torne flows from Maltby through Doncaster to the Trent). Doncaster resident Kim, who witnessed the effect of the flooding first-hand, said: “Flooding is not a one solution issue and the recent flooding across the Trent Catchment provides an

opportunity to investigate and develop a more resiliencebased approach to flood risk management within the catchment with local businesses, which works for both communities and our natural heritage. “The Trust is recognised as a leader in the catchment in providing Natural Flood Management (NFM) solutions as part of a resilience-based approach to flooding which enables communities to work with the land to identify areas which can be used for flood storage and use natural interventions to help slow the flow of water downstream. “NFM can also be used to create new habitats and expand on existing ones, such as wetlands for example. This approach is maximised when whole communities are involved including local businesses, landowners, and local residents as everyone can contribute to reducing and improving their understanding of flood risk, whilst improving their local environment.”

2,500 The number of emergency calls, not just relating to flooding, that 999 control operators have taken since then SYFR carried out around

290 RESCUES SYFR pumped more than

75 MILLION LITRES away from flood hit areas

E-VEHICLES

LEADING THE

CHARGE

As more cities across the UK introduce emissions charges, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder businesses nationwide are making the switch to electric. unLTDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sasha Mossman spoke to a range of businesses to get a steer on how they are helping get Sheffield City Region on the road to a greener future In a bid to reduce emissions on our roads, the Department of Transport has announced that a major strategy to grant drivers of zero-emission cars special privileges is in motion. If the strategy is passed, motorists would be allocated green licence plates, allowed to use bus lanes and given the right to pay reduced parking fares. Following the phenomenal success of the initiative in Canada, many businesses in the UK are following suit in order to stay ahead of the curve.

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E-VEHICLES

STONEACRE Stoneacre are one dealership taking steps to introduce more E-Vehicles (EVs), having recently announced the completion of a brand-new Volvo showroom in Sheffield. The Stoneacre Volvo team moved into the state-ofthe-art new development in December, with an official launch event taking place later this month. The site will serve as the flagship showroom for Stoneacre Motor Group’s 8 Volvo businesses across the country. It’s at this new development where motorists can find Volvo’s wide range of e-vehicles and hybrid cars – from the S90 and S60 saloons, the V90 and V60 Estates to the XC40, XC60 and XC90 SUV Crossovers. In a conscious effort to reduce their emissions, Volvo have pledged to focus primarily on expanding their e-vehicle range – namely,

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planning to make all-electric cars account for 50 per cent of global sales by 2025 and plugin hybrid to make up 20 per cent of total sales in 2020. The recent release of the XC40 Recharge – their first fully electric vehicle – is another step in Volvo’s bigger plans for electrification. Plans have already been put in place to triple production capacity for e-vehicles, and Volvo have scheduled the release of a new e-vehicle every year for the next five years. Area manager Steven Morris said: “We’ve been eagerly preparing for the opening of our new development over the past six months and we’re excited to get up and running – especially as we’ll be displaying Volvo’s everexpanding low emissions range, particularly the XC40 Recharge. “By combining two electric motors, one mounted on each axle, the

XC40 Recharge can go from 0-62mph in just 4.9-seconds, while top speed is limited at 112mph – in line with Volvo’s commitment to road safety. “Volvo claims the car will be able to do 248-miles on a single charge, and when you do need to recharge, you’ll have the option of either an 11kW AC charger or a 150kW DC fast-charger – which will be capable of delivering 80 percent charge in 40 minutes.” The Sheffield team are no strangers to the brand either –

with over 160 years combined experience at Volvo, they were selected to work at the development down to their strong expertise and ability to deliver premium service to those looking to make the switch from petrol to electric. This team includes members such as Steven, who has worked with Volvo for 35 years and Russ Sorsby, Dealer Principal, who has lived in Sheffield all his life and has a first-rate understanding of the area.

Discover why Toyota Hybrid is better for business

Join over 12 million drivers who have switched to a Toyota Hybrid and havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looked back. With these enticing offers, the Toyota range has the vehicle to suit your business needs.

Burrows Business Centre Tel: 01226 869 225 www.burrows.toyota.co.uk Burrows Toyota Barnsley Claycliffe Island, Barugh Green Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 2RS burrowsbarnsley.toyota.co.uk

Burrows Toyota Sheffield 260 Penistone Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S6 2FQ burrowssheffield.toyota.co.uk

Burrows Toyota Doncaster Quest Park, Wheatley Hall Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN2 4LT burrowsdoncaster.toyota.co.uk

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Burrows Toyota Worksop Lawrence House, Retford Road, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 2QD burrowsworksop.toyota.co.uk

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E-VEHICLES

BURROWS For bosses across South Yorkshire seeking to strengthen their environmental policies, Burrows have a variety of solutions to support the switch to EVs and hybrids. The family-owned dealership, who have sites across Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, boast three different environmentally friendly options. Adam Hughes, local business development Manager at Burrows, said: “Sometimes consumers see electric vehicles as something to fear, but Toyota pioneered the Hybrid revolution back in 1997 with the first-ever Prius and developed this massively over the past two decades – so at Burrows we’re dealing with fourth generation technology.” For Burrows, the increase in demand for e-vehicles – particularly hybrids – is much more prevalent for businesses than individual customers. Adam said: “General consumers still benefit from buying either electric or hybrid vehicles, but the impact is

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much more noticeable when companies make the switch – particularly in order to reduce their Co2 emissions and carbon footprint as an entire business. “The market for EVs is moving extremely quickly, and our private customers are looking at green policies for their companies for fleet vehicles – nobody wants to be seen to be working against environmental strategies.” Fully electric vehicles on offer at the include the bestselling Kia E-Nero, which, despite having far lower range limits, produce the least Co2 emissions and require no petrol at all. Adam said: “These fully electric vehicles are not practical for all drivers, however, they can be ideal for smaller commutes should the driver be equipped enough to charge them at work and home.” Burrows also offer two forms of hybrid car – selfcharging and plug-in. These vary from model to model, but the Prius is most popularly sold at the dealership.

The market for EVs is moving extremely quickly, and our private customers are looking at green policies for their companies for fleet vehicles.

The self-charging hybrid combines a traditional petrol combustion engine, battery and electric motor, and alternates between petrol and electricity usage dependant on speed. When the driver brakes, the vehicle begins to self-charge – eliminating the need to plug-in the vehicle. The plug-in works the same as a self-charging, however, the vehicle offers the option to literally ‘plug-in’ to boost battery power. For businesses in the early stages of switch, self-charging stands out as the ideal switch from diesel for most, according to Adam. Adam continued: “Hybrids are far more cost-effective and desirable to businesses than the more traditionallyused diesel, which has seen its value drop considerably as the public become more environmentally conscious. “Self-charging cars particularly are the most popular for businesses looking to change their fleet cars. When people make the switch, hybrids can ease the transition, as they are most similar to a traditional petrol-ran car.”

The New VOLVO SHEFFIELD BUSINESS Experience

OFFICIAL SHOWROOM LAUNCH IS ON 28TH JANUARY The new Volvo Sheffield retail experience is now open. Inspired by our Scandinavian roots, this luxurious showroom is a spacious, modern masterpiece, designed to elevate your Volvo experience to the next level. You have an open invitation to our launch evening on 28th January. Expect sumptuous canapes on arrival with a glass of prosecco or peroni if you wish while our live singer sets the perfect tone. Our partners, British Triathlon, are attending and hosting some great competitions that everyone can take part in to win prizes. We are excited to have the company of some big names in British Triathlon, they will be taking part in a question and answer session. The first 100 people to book then attend will receive a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Volvo Welcome Bagâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. All this combined with one-night only business offers on new Volvo cars make it an un-missable evening. We look forward to seeing you, please confirm your attendance to andy.mcinnes@stoneacre.co.uk

Stoneacre 280 Penistone Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 2FQ. Telephone 0114 553 7200 www.stoneacre.co.uk Business users only, prices are +VAT. All offers subject to terms and conditions and are as part of a Stoneacre finance plan. Finance provided subject to status, written details available on request. Models shown are for illustration purposes only. Ask for details. Cars may be in group stock. Stoneacre operate as an Independent finance Introducer from a panel of lenders. Stoneacre do not charge a fee for introduction to a finance provider however we may or may not receive a commission. Offers correct at time of going to press, but may be subject to change. Subject to Your status, if after signing the Purchase Order You sign a Finance Agreement with a Finance Company in relation to the Vehicle, the terms of the Finance Agreement will replace this Supplier Agreement. The standard terms of the Finance Agreement will be stated on the Finance Agreement form that You will be asked to sign. Decidebloom Ltd t/a Stoneacre, Omega Boulevard, Capitol Park, Thorne, DN8 5TX, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA number is 308726. You can verify this by visiting the FCA website or by contacting the FCA on 0854 606 9966.

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E-VEHICLES

UTILITY ALLIANCE Now more than ever, vehicle owners, businesses and fleet operators are seeking to reduce their carbon emissions. The stats only prove this further – experts believe that by 2030, there will be 5.6 million EVs used by workers for their daily commute. Despite the obvious benefits, the massive increase in e-vehicles on our roads will provide some challenges – as 40 per cent of UK homes having no access to off-street parking, the need to charge these vehicles is not one currently accommodated for. Currently, 76 per cent of EV drivers are looking for more conveniently located charging solutions – a stat Sheffield energy consultancy Utility Alliance found hard to ignore. To encourage more businesses to ‘go green’, Utility Alliance offer several options to ensure EV drivers can always stay charged. For forward-thinking businesses, Utility Alliance can supply and install a number of workplace charging solutions – from more affordable

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single-bay options to covering full-site parking, including smart load management. Additionally, the firm also coordinate all government grants and incentive schemes. Daniel Potter, managing director at Utility Alliance says: “We believe that workplace charge points will be essential to enabling EV-mobility, which is why we’ve developed a business-friendly EV charging service for businesses that is hassle-free, low cost, and fully managed. “It’s a solution that is suitable for any sized business, from start-ups to blue chip corporates – and with more than 2,000 customers with us, we believe we’re a natural partner to work with.” Utility Alliance also provide charging options for larger commercial vehicles such as buses, delivery vehicles and EV fleets. The firm design and deliver high load, high availability charging solutions. In a drive to make charging more accessible during downtime, Utility Alliance also design, supply and install rapid charging solutions for ‘destination charging’ such as

For forwardthinking businesses, Utility Alliance can supply and install a number of workplace charging solutions.

shopping centres, cinemas and retail parks. Daniel added: “We are uniquely positioned in that our Energy Services team can offer a range of services alongside EV charging – including onsite generation, energy storage and similar flexibility services. “In line with this, our intelligent software system has been designed to integrate with your business’ energy management systems to control and optimise power output to chargers in line with site energy demand and costs.” Additional benefits offered to drivers by Utility Alliance include access to a self-service portal that gives total control over their EV charging needs, account management and setting payment plans and access to planning tools that help to identify, reserve and navigate to their next charging point. Daniel said: “Utility Alliance’s EV charging solution has been designed to be fully scalable as your EV charging needs grow – so it’s easy to start small and build up when you’re good and ready!”

We are proud to be supporting the businesses of South Yorkshire in their quest for a cleaner city, installing EV charging points, moving forward together for a better future. We supply, install, service and maintain electric vehicle charging points for domestic and business customers across Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

www.goelectricltd.co.uk

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E-VEHICLES

e r g d .

FLEET RENTAL

n c , .

n C

CITY TAXIS Businesses and independent drivers are not the only ones benefitting from switching to EVs, however, as City Taxis are leading a green revolution of their own. Following a successful rebrand, the taxi firm has launched three different citywide schemes: food delivery service CityGrab, local charity initiative CityCharity and CityElectric, an e-vehicle offering designed to promote sustainability in Sheffield. The CityElectric scheme will be ambitiously trialling ten e-vehicles in and around Sheffield in order to see the impact it will have on drivers and riders across the city. The trial will take place with a view to expanding to their 2,000 strong fleet – the third largest fleet in the UK – if successful, making City Taxis the first of its kind to attempt a scheme of this size. Amy Tingle, business manager at City Taxis said: “We’re aiming to have a fully EV fleet by 2025, although there are a few factors that we’ll need to consider in order to succeed with this. “We want to ensure our drivers are looked after and need to find an offering that’s right for them – but equally, we need to get the infrastructure in Sheffield

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We want to ensure our drivers are looked after and need to find an offering that’s right for them – but equally, we need to get the infrastructure in Sheffield right first so that EV chargers are easily accessible.

right first so that EV chargers are easily accessible.” A disadvantage to making the switch to using e-vehicles as taxis immediately is the lack of charging hubs – something the firm have already taken into account. Amy added: “We have a vision to build 12 accessible charging hubs across Sheffield to ensure drivers and the public can easily access charging facilities in support of Sheffield’s bid to tackle climate change. “We are working with the council and local businesses to consider different locations to house the charging hubs. “We’ve already begun work on our first prototype, which is due to be launched at Kelham Island within the new year.” This prototype has been developed to charge 10-12 vehicles – comprising fast and rapid chargers which can fully charge an EV within as little as 30 minutes. The hubs will also house a rest-stop – which will include coffee machines, toilets, a seating area and free Wi-Fi. Amy continued: “No one within the UK who have a fleet size like ours has done this before and City Taxis are excited to pioneer Sheffield’s proposed charging infrastructure.”

If the prospect of committing to buying an e-vehicle seems daunting, alternative options are available. Companies such as Fleet Rental Solutions offer vehicle leasing for both businesses and private clients, and the advantages to businesses can be just as great. Geoff Bell, director of Fleet Rental Solutions said: “For a long time, those in the automotive industry have been aware of EVs but the demand has only been growing more recently – for us, we noticed it was around the time the 69 plate came out. “The biggest advantage to renting is that, as technology advances so quickly, you risk quickly having an outdated model once you’ve bought an EV. “By renting, you’re not tied to an older model that may not have the same battery power you’d be needing – you can just upgrade once the time comes.” Depending on the customer’s requirements, Fleet Rental will source any EV on the market in order – no matter how specific. As more and more cities introduce emissions charges, the rental firm are preparing for electric cars – and potentially vans – to become more commonplace in the workforce. Geoff continued: “Cars are a bit like mobile phones – technology is ever changing, and we work hard to keep up with this incredible pace. “As an independent rental service, we will always give full advice to ensure that the e-vehicle is right for the customer. By making EVs more accessible to each customer, we can help them to become more common.”

AWARDS

E T A R B E CEL GOOD TIMES The winter can mean only one thing for businesses across the country – awards season! We’ve been celebrating the very best in businesses in the Sheffield City Region – and last month unLTD were honoured to have been able to get in on the action! Each year, businesses of all sizes and sectors compete to win big at the Sheffield Business Awards, and we at unLTD were thrilled to have made the shortlist for the Creative Impact Award this time around! We were in great company too – also shortlisted with us were Peek & Poke, Bright Box Makerspace and the welldeserved winners Bond Bryan Architects. Although we came home empty-handed, 2019 has still been an incredible year for our team at unLTD – we were shortlisted after hosting

three successful events at both the Millennium Galleries and Virgin Money Lounge, celebrated our 20th print issue, welcomed our head of sales Dan Laver to the team and continued to showcase the most positive business developments our city region has to offer. Hosted by the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, the Sheffield Business Awards is one of the most prestigious events in the region. Now in its 18th year, the event is firmly established as the leading awards ceremony for Sheffield businesses.

For this year’s honours, more than 170 businesses applied for the chance to be shortlisted for 16 awards, which recognised excellence in areas such as innovation and international trading. At the ceremony, which took place at Ponds Forge in December, our team enjoyed a night of food and drinks, brilliant entertainment and the opportunity to see the best in local business on display. Boasting more than 850 attendees, the ceremony was presented by David Garrido from Sky Sports News whilst entertainment was provided

by comedian Ian Moore. For the tenth year running, Elevation Recruitment Group were the headline sponsor for the event. The judges said: “All the judges agreed it was a huge honour & pleasure to be presiding over such a collection of fantastic companies and individuals whose talents and achievements are showcased in the 2019 entries. “While the judging decisions were very difficult, everyone who entered and those who are shortlisted, should be incredibly proud of their achievements.”

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AWARDS

AND THE WINNERS AREâ&#x20AC;Ś Best Contribution to Sheffield Visitor Experience, sponsored by Van Dyk by Wildes

Winner: The Milestone Group Excellence in International Trade, sponsored by Pricecheck

Excellence in Manufacturing, sponsored by Wake Smith

The Sheffield Universities Entrepreneurship Award

Winner: MGB Plastics

Winner: Mak Tok Limited

The Innovation Award, sponsored by Lupton Fawcett

Digital Transformation Project of the Year, sponsored by Insight

Winner: Loadhog Ltd

Winner: Pryor Marking Technology Ltd

Winner: S4S (UK) Limited

SME of the Year, sponsored by Sheffield Business School

Creative Impact Award, sponsored by SIV

High Growth Business of the Year, sponsored by CT

Winner: Eurosafe Solutions Limited

Winner: Bond Bryan Architects

Winner: Twinkl Educational Publishing

Business Person of the Year, sponsored by Shorts Chartered Accountants

Winner: Alastair Morris, Pryor Marking Technology

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Excellence in Professional Services, sponsored by The Star

Winner: Shorts Chartered Accountants

The Special Recognition Award, sponsored by Spaces

Winner: The work-wise Foundation

Employer of the Year, sponsored by The Sheffield College

Winner: Central Technology Ltd Large Business of the Year, sponsored by Hallam FM

Winner: Sheffield Forgemasters Excellence in Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility, sponsored by Evoluted

Winner: Regather Limited Outstanding Business of the Year, sponsored by City Taxis

Winner: Loadhog Ltd

CT is Employer of the Year 2019

52 60 Employer of the Year.indd 4

WINNER

Check out our article to the right to learn why winning ‘Employer of the Year’ award at the Sheffield Business Awards means so much to CT and Managing Director, Ian Snow

unLTDBUSINESS.COM 17/12/2019 15:56

9 15:56

AWARDS Among the winners were our very own columnists Central Technology (CT), who took home the prize for Employer of the Year, while our friends at The Milestone Group, won Best Contribution to Sheffield Visitor Experience

CENTRAL TECHNOLOGY MD Ian Snow said: “The last 18 months have been a real period of change and growth for CT, with a huge amount of thought, effort, and action taking place to provide an environment people want to come to work, a place where they can have a voice, support, and importantly, progress in their career. “We were so delighted that all the hard work we have put in was recognised at the prestigious business awards this month. It was an incredibly tough group but winning ‘Employer of the Year’ is a fantastic team achievement. We want people to know why it is great to work here. “Workers now want more than just a good job – they are

also looking for somewhere that cares. For CT, that is caring about their health, wellbeing and work/life balance. Investing in talent development and ensuring the right training is available is of paramount importance here at CT but we also know the difference added benefits can make. “We have invested heavily into creating a new modern 11,000 sq ft functional office that provides a great working and social environment. We enlisted the Fitness Truck, a mobile fitness solutions company, which offers free weekly HIIT training to any of our staff who wants to get involved and get fit.

“CT are absolutely committed to raising the awareness of mental health in our workplace. We have partnered with Champion Health and have become the first business in Sheffield to roll out a company-wide health assessment and mental health training programme. “We want to ensure that we were doing everything in our power to make sure the CT team are happy and healthy and to support them not just in their work life but also in their personal life. We want to ensure we have the information and training on hand in order to offer potentially critical guidance and support as and when needed.

“We have also recently celebrated that a third of our workforce is now women, smashing the national average (16 per cent). We are extremely proud of this balance and of the support and flexibility we provide many of the working mums here at CT. There is so much female talent out there, and we will continue to demonstrate, through our own role models, the opportunities for a rewarding career. “We now need to continue to do the best for our team and continue to build our profile to ensure we continue to attract high calibre applicants to join our team to help us to continually improve the service we offer.”

host, first class entertainment and a fantastic atmosphere. This combined with shortlisted companies, sponsors and partners and the city’s ‘great and good’, ensure a glittering evening and a fantastic networking opportunity.

“So, what’s next? We want to continue to think and create outside the box, be innovative, challenge expectations and be one step ahead of the trends, putting our own unique Sheffield stamp on everything we do. Watch this space!”

THE MILESTONE GROUP Group Commercial Business Manager, Beth Green, attended the Sheffield Business Awards on behalf of The Milestone Group. Beth said: “We are delighted to announce our success in the Best Contribution to Sheffield Visitor Experience category, sponsored by Van Dyk by Wildes. “We are honoured and thrilled to have been shortlisted in this category, let alone win! It is a great achievement for the group, and it really reflects our ethos of high service and standards. We continue to deliver excellent service and

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new ideas, to keep things fresh and inclusive for our guests. “The category was fiercely contested, with fantastic entries from Sheffield Theatres Trust, Yorkshire Wildlife Park and SIVLive. “The award recognises an individual, organisation, charity, scheme, project or event that has achieved excellence in their individual sector area, as well as looking for activities that link events in the city to tourism & hospitality. “We loved the awards night, which consisted of a sparkling drinks reception, an exceptional three course meal, celebrity

AWARDS

R E T S A DONC

BUSINESS AWARDS South Yorkshire’s success wasn’t just limited to Sheffield either, as Doncaster Chamber of Commerce hosted their Doncaster Business Awards The winners of the 21st annual Doncaster Business Awards, sponsored by Doncaster College and University Centre, were announced in December during a prestigious awards ceremony at Doncaster Racecourse. The black-tie evening

organised by Doncaster Chamber saw more than 900 guests from the local business community recognise and celebrate the high calibre of work that firms are performing across the borough and beyond. Dan Fell, CEO, Doncaster Chamber said: “Once again our

Doncaster Business Awards have been a huge success and are testament to the high calibre of work being done across the borough and beyond. We really do have a lot of success stories to shout about with Doncaster increasingly being recognised as a great place to do business.

“Congratulations to all of the winners and runners-up who were very deserving of their awards. Despite the current national climate of uncertainty caused by Brexit, businesses like these are giving Doncaster every opportunity to continue to thrive and grow.”

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AWARDS

AND THE WINNERS ARE… Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Nadeem Shah Rising Star – Sponsored by Doncaster College and University Centre Winner: Jane Byers-Woods – VolkerRail Runner Up: Katie Livcock – Institution Excellence in People Development – Sponsored by ORB Recruitment Winner: Unipart Rail Runner Up: Polypipe Excellence in Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility – Sponsored by REMONDIS Doncaster Ltd Winner: Curly’s Athletes Ltd Runner Up: VolkerRail Success through Partnerships – Sponsored by Ellgia Limited Winner: People Focused Group Runner Up: Cast Business and Education Partnership – Sponsored by Opportunities Doncaster

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and SCR Enterprise Adviser Network Winner: Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Runner Up: Pegler Marketing Campaign of the Year – Sponsored by HSR Law Winner: Doncaster Racecourse Runner Up: Club Doncaster Success through Innovation – Sponsored by Pegler Group Yorkshire Ltd Winner: Nathaniel Carter & McSkelly Auctioneers Ltd (NCM Auctions) Runner Up: World Feeds Ltd Excellence in Customer Service – Sponsored by Atherton Godfrey LLP Winner: NatWest Business Banking Doncaster Runner Up: St Leger Homes of Doncaster Third Sector Organisation of the Year – Sponsored by Investors in Community Winner: People Focused Group Runner Up: Active Fusion Business Start Up of the Year – Sponsored by Unipart Rail Winner: ORB Recruitment Runner Up: Navy Professional Ltd

SME Business of the Year – Sponsored by Wilkin Chapman Business Solutions

Winner: DigitalXRAID Ltd Runner Up: Ecoefficiency Ltd Large Business of the Year – Sponsored by Keebles LLP

Winner: Polypipe Runner Up: VolkerRail After dishing out the trophies for the town’s businesses, Doncaster Chamber also got to take home a trophy of their own – on the national stage! At this year’s British Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2019, Doncaster Chamber was awarded the Chamber of the Year – the highest accolade a Chamber of Commerce can win. The awards, now in their 16th year, highlight the role of business in delivering growth

and prosperity for the UK and local communities. Dan Fell, chief executive at Doncaster Chamber, said: “As a Chamber our vision has always been ‘to be the best Chamber of Commerce in the UK’. This award proves our dedication, ambition and drive to support the growth of local businesses, both big and small, and the growth of the borough overall as a thriving place to live, work and do business. “I am thrilled that Doncaster Chamber has won this award. It’s testament to the hard work of our fantastic team, our board and our 700 Chamber members, without their support we wouldn’t be able to do half the great work we aim to do to make a difference in Doncaster. Sarah Howard, chair of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said: “The engagement of Doncaster Chamber with its members and external businesses embodies the mission of Chambers of Commerce everywhere. “The Chambers’ efforts to improve member services and the development of Opportunities Doncaster is a testament to their dedication. Congratulations to the entire Doncaster team, truly worthy recipients of this award.”

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LAUNCHPAD

NAUGHTY BUT NICE CHOCOLATES Chantelle Ayling and business partner Warren Moody set up Naughty But Nice Chocolates in 2018 and since last summer have received support from Launchpad to help them make their mark on South Yorkshire Tell us about your company? We set up Naughty But Nice Chocolates a little over a year ago with the goal of creating hand-made chocolates in a variety of flavours that would suit everyone’s budget. All our chocolates are made on the premises of the International Food Hall in Doncaster. Since starting, we have mainly worked with milk chocolate, but are now starting to create new flavours with milk, white and dark chocolate which is really exciting. We offer ‘pick and mix’ boxes where customers can choose exactly what chocolates they want which is proving very popular and love to experiment with different flavours and create our own recipes – we recently created a ‘rhubarb crumble’ chocolate and received wonderful feedback. When did you first decide to start up your own and what inspired you? Warren and I were both fed up of working long hours with no flexibility, and wanted jobs where we could work when we wanted. Towards the end of 2018, we decided to start our very own business together. When you run your own business, you are in control and have the freedom to work whilst managing your own health and wellbeing. Warren previously worked as a chef so with his practical experience, making handmade chocolates was the perfect business idea to

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on what they enjoy the most. Using feedback, we will be able to create chocolates we know people want and love.

take forward and have a more flexible lifestyle. How has Launchpad helped you? Launchpad offer general support, advice and encouragement through their assistance in helping us create a business plan which we are still developing but look forward to working towards over the next few years. Launchpad also highlighted the importance of social media, encouraging us to be

more active which included taking part in a course where we received training on promoting our business on Facebook and other platforms. What are your hopes and aims for the business? In the future we hope to be known for our quality chocolate and stand out as an independent business local people want to use. We will create new chocolates and get the local community involved by gaining customer feedback

Launchpad advisor Irshad Akbar said: “Chantelle and Warren are passionate about their business venture and have a desire to succeed. When they approached Launchpad they had a one-to-one with a business advisor who emphasised the importance of marketing, networking and developing their business acumen. Warren and Chantelle now have a base in Doncaster market and continue to receive support from the Launchpad team to develop and grow their business. “Starting and growing a business is not easy and that’s why the Launchpad programme was created. Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and our partners means there is no cost to the entrepreneur, so we can get straight to work on turning those dreams into reality. “Stop dreaming and do it. Contact us for information now on 03330 00 00 39 or email growthhub@ sheffieldcityregion.org.uk.”

TRAVEL SOUTH YORKSHIRE

DITCH THE CAR0 We are kicking off the new year with a renewed message from Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team to encourage workplaces to think about how their employees are travelling to work. unLTD’s Bronte Saulle found out what options are available… Through the Department for Transport’s Sustainable Travel Access Fund (STAF), Travel South Yorkshire can support employers to enable their staff to improve their commute. This predominantly involves moving away from cars towards more active and sustainable forms of transport. The #LittleBigChanges campaign focuses on how a small change to a routine can make a big difference. Its aim is to encourage as many people as possible to make small changes to their lifestyle and encourage transport choices that are more active and sustainable, better for the individual and the local environment. Travel South Yorkshire Marketing Manager, Richard

Pilgrim poses the following important questions: “Do employers know or think about how their staff travel to work? Do they think about the impact that this could have on the individual’s health and wellbeing?” A study by Mindlab International found that walking, as part of a return trip by bus, provided up to half the recommended daily level of exercise (the NHS recommends 30 minutes per day, five days a week). Study participants walked for an average of 15 minutes when taking a return journey by bus - two and a half times more than when taking the same journey by car. According to a survey from the Journal of Public Health,

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people using public transport racked up an average of 20.5 minutes of physical activity, as part of their daily journeys alone. Breaking those figures down, train users accumulated 28.1 minutes and bus users 16 minutes. This resulted in overall 34% of public transport users achieving 30 minutes a day of exercise over the course of their journeys (21% of bus users and 52% of train users). Richard explained: “Public transport use is an effective way to incorporate physical activity into daily life, with one in three public transport users meeting physical activity guidelines. This suggests that shifts from sedentary travel modes to public transport could dramatically raise the

proportion of the population achieving recommended levels of physical activity.” There’s no denying that studies show ditching the car can contribute positively towards individual’s health and wellbeing, but often a shift in circumstances is the biggest driver of change. This can be anything from an office relocation to a change in availability or demands on existing car park infrastructure. Richard said: “The new year presents a chance to re-think all our habits and this includes the way we travel. Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team will work with employers for free to consider ways that their employees can switch-up

INTERESTED IN SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL FOR YOUR COMPANY? WEBSITE: WWW.TRAVELSOUTHYORKSHIRE.COM/BUSINESS EMAIL: SUSTAINABLETRAVEL@SYPTE.CO.UK

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TRAVEL SOUTH YORKSHIRE

their commute. This involves discussing employee travel and any issues and challenges the business has. “Travel Clinics are held on-site where employees can talk about their existing travel to work habits with an advisor, and from there eligible employees are provided with access to tickets to trial public transport services in South Yorkshire. For supported workplaces, where employees currently commute to work by car, the Active and Sustainable Travel team can provide up to 28 days of free access to local public transport services including bus, tram, tram train and train.” On average, 80% of participants in the 28-day public transport trials so far have typically reported feeling less stressed compared to driving. This includes 70 employees from Grant Thornton, who took part in the trial after their office moved two miles from Broadfield Court to Sheffield city centre, and employees from HSBC when they relocated around half a mile from Griffin House to Grosvenor House. ANSYS UK moved its engineering simulation business from Sheffield Business Park to St. Paul’s Place last year. This resulted in

Our editor Richard Fidler secured a 28-day pass for South Yorkshire to see if his travel habits changed. Here he reports back! When I was presented with the pass which gave me free travel across trams, trains and buses in our area I told Travel South Yorkshire Marketing Manager Richard Pilgrim that I’d be totally honest with my review. The aim was to make me use the car less often and let public transport take the strain. It hasn’t been easy but slowly but surely, I have been making adaptations. Your use of transport is generally dictated by your lifestyle – work, family commitments, socialising – so I knew I wouldn’t be able to go totally car free. However, with a bit of planning I have been able to leave the car at home occasionally which either gave me a bit more time to answer emails and plan my day or to enjoy a drink after work – with several events throughout December this was very useful! I would have liked to have taken advantage of the pass even further, but it does take time to get out of the habit of just jumping in your car.

leaving behind its office close to junction 33 of the M1 to a city centre base with limited parking. Out of 16 people, who took part in the 28-day public transport trial during the first month of their new commute, 100% reported feeling less stressed compared to driving to work and 100% said they would recommend public transport. Moving forward, 89% said they would continue to choose public transport for some or all of their journeys to and from work. Richard added: “Switching from the car to public transport can be easy with the support of Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team. They will do the hard work, including providing support with journey plans and researching best route options. “For those that are driving and are unwilling or unable to ditch the car, we can look at supporting them through trials of Park and Ride sites linked to public transport. This enables a combination of public transport and the car, whilst reducing the number of miles travelled by car. If someone is unable to change their typical weekly commute in full, they can try switching to public transport at least once a week.”

TWITTER: WWW.TWITTER.COM/TSYACTIVETRAVEL LINKEDIN: WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/TRAVEL-SOUTH-YORKSHIRE

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Upskill your workforce, Grow your business Recruitment and training support for business growth and a competitive edge.

DEC1219UPS

• Bespoke recruitment and training packages. • Over 100 apprenticeship programmes in all industry sectors. • Advice to help you understand the Apprenticeship Levy and maximise your return on investment. • Flexible delivery.

64 68 www.barnsley.ac.uk/employers

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BARNSLEY COLLEGE

BRIDGING THE EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT GAP These include free use of the College’s Hub Space for training and events, discounted and free courses and invites to exclusive events hosted by Talent United such as bi-monthly networking. Jess Widdowson, Enterprise Team Leader, said “We are privileged to have such dedicated employer partners, all of whom are actively involved with the College. This is very much a two-way relationship, providing students with meaningful engagements with employers, employees and the workplace whilst offering businesses an opportunity to develop their staff and join a network of like-minded people”. In October 2019, Talent United released its new programme of partner-led Masterclasses. Running throughout the academic year, these free to attend sessions cover a variety of topics and are all delivered by a Talent United partner. The first Masterclass was delivered in October, and was led by Brett Riley-Tomlinson, owner of Novus Marketing Solutions. The session demonstrated how delegates could make high quality video content using

We are privileged to have such dedicated employer partners, all of whom are actively involved with the College.

a mobile phone. Subsequent Masterclasses have focused on themes including self-discipline, how to create engaging presentations using augmented reality and successful money management. Events are scheduled into the New Year and are bookable through Eventbrite. The next Talent United Masterclass, ‘Business Growth: The Top three Things You NEED to be doing’, will be delivered by Becky Stevenson on Wednesday 5 February in The Hub Space at Barnsley College’s Old Mill Lane campus. Places are limited so employers are encouraged to book their place via Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ business-growth-the-top-3things-you-need-to-be-doingtickets-81442969113. To find out more about Talent United or to become a Talent United partner please contact talentunited@ barnsley.ac.uk or call 01226 216 411.

DEC1219UPS

As young people complete their studies at college or sixth form, they also have to consider their future options in terms of higher education and employment. It’s vital to ensure that students feel able to make an informed decision and who better to support them with this than those currently working within their chosen sector? Talent United is Barnsley College’s employer engagement initiative, which aims to bridge the gap between education and employment by providing students with employer-led opportunities. By creating partnerships with local, regional and international companies and individuals, the College is able to provide unique, bespoke and engaging opportunities to students. This includes everything from guest speakers and workshops to industry placements and apprenticeships. So far, students have visited Sheffield Theatres, experienced workshops from numerous partners, heard inspiring entrepreneurial talks during Global Entrepreneurship Week and much more. As part of the programme, the Enterprise department provides Talent United employer partners with a range of exclusive benefits and discounts.

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CHARITIES

EMMAUS SHEFFIELD AIMS FOR ‘GREENEST YEAR YET’ Homeless charity Emmaus Sheffield is aiming to make 2020 its greenest year ever. The drug and alcohol-free project provides a home, support and work for formerly homeless people, and through its Social Enterprise the project aims to provide meaningful work for the people it supports (‘companions’) to eventually become self-supporting. And in 2020 the charity aims to place green issues at the top of the agenda as they see this as an essential subject which needs to be addressed. “We already have the environment very much at our heart as our secondhand superstore is all about recycling and repurposing household items,” said Emmaus Sheffield CEO Graham Bostock. “We sell things that might otherwise be abandoned, and we have a team who up-cycle pieces of furniture and create items from recycled materials that might have gone straight to the tip. “Two of our companions recently completed an upholstery course and with

more training planned for the future we hope to recycle more furniture instead of it going to landfill. “We have our own fully trained electrical PAT testers on site, so we are able to take household electrical items and sell them on, with the assurance for our customers that they are safe and in complete working order. The charity has also appointed a recycling officer to maintain environmental standards across the Emmaus site at the historic Sipelia Works, close to the Sheffield Canal Basin. Graham added: “Our new recycling officer will be looking into a more efficient use of heat and power at our site, as well as ensuring glass, plastic, cardboard etc is recycled in a proper manner. “It’s all about working on our carbon footprint. “We firmly believe that if everybody makes those small but important changes, then we really can all achieve something for the greater good of the planet.”

EMMAUS SHEFFIELD PROVIDES A HOME, SUPPORT AND WORK FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS PEOPLE

PLAYING A ‘LITTLE PART IN THE BIG CLEAN-UP’ Patients with mental health needs took to the streets of Doncaster to help with the massive clean-up operation after the floods. A handful of patients who use the services at Emerald Lodge in Bentley, together with some staff, headed to the areas previously flooded and to clear debris and rubbish, which had collected as the floodwater subsided. Emerald Lodge is run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS

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Foundation Trust (RDaSH). Hayley Smith, RDaSH support worker, said: “Our patients decided they wanted to help the local community so we grabbed some bin bags, hi-vis jackets and gloves and headed to the streets. We collected so much debris and litter and feel we’ve helped to play a little part in Doncaster’s massive clean-up operation.” Read more about the impact and aftermath of floods in our Focus On feature on page 46.

EMERALD LODGE PATIENTS DO THEIR BIT TO HELP WITH THE FLOOD CLEAN-UP

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ADVERTORIAL

DISTANCE NOT A BARRIER TO SUCCESS FOR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION Mosaic International is on a mission to connect the world. With advances in technology making it easier to create direct communication channels, you might think you are already there with taking your first, or your next steps into the international business market. However, whilst the technological side is as far forward as it ever has been, there is still a human connection that needs to be made to ensure any business relationship can succeed. This is where we come in. At Mosaic International we provide support for companies seeking profitable business opportunities in the UK and South East Asian markets. With our specialist knowledge of Singapore and Malaysia, we know firsthand how these emerging economies are fast becoming recognised as world class trading nations. We understand that the key to a successful collaboration is compatibility, and this stems directly from understanding the culture on both sides of the relationship. With the political uncertainty we have endured over the past few years in the UK, it is more important than ever for UK businesses to explore different options when it comes to trading abroad. The doors to South East Asia have always been open, but have you been knocking on them?

MOSAIC INTERNATIONAL MD KILEY TAN

What we do We provide a personal service to our clients, but most importantly we are on the ground within the region you currently work in, and the region you are looking to enter, via our vast network of business contacts we have developed over the years. Our local knowledge can help you build relationships with agents, distributors and joint venture partners in South East Asia to enable you to seek out new business introductions. Why we do it Malaysia, Singapore and the South East Asia region as a whole offer diverse economies. Consisting of industrial and consumer electronics, energy, commodities, manufacturing and service industries, they are

driving growth through both domestic consumption and rapidly expanding exports to the rest of the region. We know first-hand how well these economies are thriving. We offer a unique insight into the best in productivity and innovation that this region can offer. Who we work for Whether your organisation is a large corporate business, an SME or a micro business, Mosaic International can help you. If you have the drive to grow and expand into the South East Asia region, we can help you to break into these markets. Our client base is diverse, from traditional manufacturing industries to emerging technologies – and everything in between.

Who we are Mosaic International was founded in 2015 by its MD Kiley Tan. Prior to setting up Mosaic, Kiley had a successful career in the legal industry in Malaysia and the UK. Kiley has first-hand business knowledge of both regions, and every project is approached with the same high levels of enthusiasm and meticulous attention to detail. Kiley comments: “Our knowledge of local markets and cultures can be the difference in developing successful business relationships with agents, distributors and joint venture partners who are on the ground in South East Asia. “In many business scenarios, people deal with people, so understanding the different cultures of each region will help develop that human connection with potential business partners. “We deliver a true meeting of East and West for mutual benefit.” Kiley Tan can be contacted on 07885 784783 or kiley.tan@ mosaicint.co.uk.

VISIT WWW.MOSAICINT.CO.UK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW WE CAN HELP WITH YOUR NEXT BUSINESS VENTURE unLTDBUSINESS.COM

AFTER HOURS

LOCAL

As it’s the sustainability issue, Jill Theobald takes a tour of some of the Sheffield City Region’s eateries which offer the discerning diner plenty of appetising options – and serve up plenty of sides of volunteering, repurposing, charitable, and environmental credentials, too – for a feel-good eating treat! 74

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AFTER HOURS PHOTO: MANTRA MEDIA

BLEND KITCHEN

Blend Kitchen Address: 18 Pinstone Street Sheffield S1 2HN Contact: 07983 518060 Opening Times: Tues – Sat: 9am – 3pm Closed: Sun – Mon

Social media: facebook @ blendcookeatshare Twitter @BlendSheffield www. blendcookeatshare.com About: Blend Kitchen opened as a cafe, restaurant and events space on Pinstone Street Sheffield in July 2018. It is a social enterprise with a vision to use cuisine and hospitality to enhance people’s lives. It is a modern cafe/bar serving an all-day menu under the ethos of “seasonally influenced, locally sourced, globally inspired.” Blend’s mission is to create spaces where an inclusive, empathetic, non-stigmatising and non-threatening culture are the norm. Blend believe we are more the same than we are different, and by bringing groups together

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that normally would not co-exist, can create positive change for all involved. Blend use the medium of food and hospitality to bring people together to develop new skills, build relationships and improve health and wellbeing. The unique venue uses hospitality, cuisine, arts and training to enhance the lives of the people of Sheffield and as a catalyst to improve the health, skills, employment opportunities and cohesion of local communities. Blend is a true community hub that unites people of all backgrounds via great hospitality in a safe, welcoming environment where prejudices and preconceptions are left at the door. The Holt Address: 156 Arundel Street, Sheffield, S1 4RE Contact: info@thefoodworks.org Opening Times: Monthly

three-course bistro events, 6.30pm onwards Social media: Twitter/ Facebook/Instagram @ thefoodworksshf About: Food Works is Sheffield’s leading force in the fight against food waste, intercepting and repurposing more than seven tonnes of food waste every week through a cafe and supermarket where you ‘pay as you feel’, a catering business, schools project and green box scheme. Food Works have now also partnered with The Holt to bring monthly three course bistro events, following seasonal themes to deliver delicious dishes from surplus ingredients. Think relaxed candle- lit atmosphere, an option to bring your own drinks, and creative food, all followed by Smith Street Coffee or Birdhouse Tea. Blueberry Café, Castleton Visitor Centre Address: Buxton Road,

Castleton, Hope Valley S33 8WP Contact: 01433 620020 Opening Times: Mon – Sun 10am–4:30pm Social media: Facebook @ BlueberryCafeCastleton About: Blueberry Cafe is situated inside Castleton’s Visitor Centre, in the heart of the stunning Peak District and welcomes everyone including dogs with wellbehaved owners and muddy boots! The cafe menu offers a taste of the Peak District with a selection of hot homemade dishes including Peak District Burger, homemade soups, sandwiches, salads, lighter bites, homemade cakes, freshly ground coffees and loose-leaf local teas. Blueberry Cafe is accredited with the Environmental Quality Mark which shows the café’s ongoing commitment to promoting the Peak District and also protecting the local environment. All takeaway

AFTER HOURS

Wedding

FEBRUARY 16TH – WEDDING FAYRE MARCH 5TH – OPEN EVENING JULY 16TH – OPEN EVENING SEPTEMBER 27TH – WEDDING FAYRE OCTOBER 18TH – OPEN DAY BOOK NOW

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AFTER HOURS

FOOD WORKS BISTRO NIGHT AT THE HOLT

disposables are compostable, and the café no longer stocks plastic straws. Hidden Gem Café Address: The Bents Green, Ringinglow Road, Sheffield S11 7TB Contact: 0114 262 0094 Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 9am – 4pm Sun: Closed Social media: Facebook @ hiddengemcafe Twitter @workltd Instagram @ hiddengemcafe About: Hidden Gem is run by WORK Ltd, a local charity that offers people with learning disabilities a chance to develop life skills which helps to build confidence and self-esteem to reach their full potential. Approaching its 20th year, WORK Ltd has its Centre, and bijoux gift shop as well as the bistro café, staffed by its talented students. The weekday menu regularly changes to take advantage of the seasonal local produce but includes a mix of breakfast and lunch meals and a great selections of cakes, all freshly prepared on site every day.

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Hygge Café Address: 18 A High Street, Rotherham S60 1PP Contact: 0330 202 0571 Opening Times: Mon-Wed and Fri: 8am – 4pm Thurs: 8am–7pm Sat: 9am – 3pm Sun: Closed Social media: Instagram @ hygge_at_rise/ About: Named after the Norwegian word for cosiness and comfort and associated with feelings of contentment and wellness, Hygge is a new café/social space in Rotherham town centre offering a warm and inviting environment to meet up with family and friends, work meetings or just some me-time with a nice cup of freshly ground ethical North Star coffee. Hygge is part of the charity Rotherham Rise which since 1978 has provided support to women, men and children affected by domestic abuse and child exploitation. Be inspired by the mid-century décor, enjoy the comforting vibes with the added benefit that you are supporting a local registered charity, with all the profits supporting vulnerable

people affected by abuse. Fusion Café Address: 74 Arundel Street, Sheffield S1 2NS Contact Number: 0114 252 5974 Opening Times: Mon-Wed Fri-Sat: 9:30am – 3:30pm Thurs: 9:30am – 2:30pm Sun: Closed Social media: Facebook @ Fusion Organic Cafe, Sheffield Twitter @fusioncafesheff About: Fusion café is a social enterprise by Freeman College, which is part of Ruskin Mill Trust – the UK wide charity specialising in educational and residential provision for young people with learning disabilities and difficulties. Fusion is an integral element in the curriculum and students have a handson experience of the whole cycle of food production and service, from seed to table. Wherever possible, the café uses locally sourced ingredients, much of which students grow on Freeman College’s own horticultural sites and farms. You may even find salad bags or vegetables

and fruit for sale in the café which their biodynamic land manger Pieter has delivered. Its experiential curriculum combines practical skills with therapeutic education, tailored to the individual student, such as practical work on the land and in workshops, as well as the bakery and in the café. Billy’s Hill Fine Foods Address: Hilltop Farm, Wombwell S73 0PZ Contact: 01226 754744 Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 9am – 5pm Sunday: Closed Social media: Facebook @ billyshillfinefoods About: Billy’s Hill specialty grocery store, shopping and retail and coffee shop and café have been selling their home-grown beef and locally sourced lamb and pork, as well as dry cured bacon, hams and sausage since 2007. The onsite bakery is where they make their award-winning meat and pork pies, making bread the “old fashioned way” and all made on-site using traditional methods for the very best in local produce.

AFTER HOURS

WEEKEND ESCAPES With the help of our friends at Peak District National Park, unLTD takes a look at some of the great, green venues on the doorstep for a weekend break

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AFTER HOURS Places to stay in the Peak District National Park are at the heart of a scheme that ensures the UK’s original national park is enhanced. Many have attracted the Environmental Quality Mark as a result of going that extra mile to conserve the natural environment that visitors to the area have come to enjoy. It is sustainable tourism in action across many business sectors in the Park – but inevitably care and quality come together in accommodation. The EQM doesn’t just recognise green credentials it helps organisations to become even more environmentally aware. EQM director Faith Johnson said: “The Mark is the Peak District National Park Authority’s award for businesses which are doing their bit to look after this wonderful environment. “The award is designed to encourage applicants and recipients to think in a green way about all of their business activities but very importantly to ask themselves ‘What am I doing to inspire my customers to care for the Peak District and

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to be greener. Award holders really take this to heart and are doing so many amazing things in their business. Whenever I do an audit, I’m so impressed with how much green stuff is going on.” April Cottage Church Street, Youlgrave DE45 1WL www.whitepeakcottage.co.uk April Cottage is a 200-yearold self-catering cottage in the centre of Youlgrave. Accommodation is provided for three people. Beechenhill Farm Ilam, Ashbourne DE6 2BD www.beechenhill.co.uk Award-winning self-catering accommodation and eco wedding venue on an organic dairy farm. Hoe Grange Brassington, Matlock DE4 4HP www.hoegrangeholidays.co.uk Luxurious self-catering log cabins or gorgeous glamping pods. Unwind under that stars in a log fired hot tub and enjoy stunning views from your pillow. New for 2019/20 – traditional Gypsy caravans!

Church Farm Holiday Cottages Church Farm, Alsop en le Dale DE6 1QP www.churchfarmcottages.co.uk Freshly baked cakes await your arrival at Pinster or Winnets Cottage converted from a stone barn at the grade II listed Church Farm. Dewsnaps Farm Holiday Cottages Sandy Lane, Chinley SK23 6AW www.dewsnaps.co.uk Each cottage is a highly insulated converted barn with solar PV, solar thermal, wood pellet boiler and wood burning stove. Dove Valley Centre Under Whitle, Sheen, Longnor SK17 0PR www.dovevalleycentre.co.uk Sustainable converted 18th century barns provide stylish self-contained cottages sleeping five and seven (together sleeping 12). Studio and camping for larger groups. Great for parties and workshops. Hargate Hall Wormhill, Buxton SK17 8TA www.hargate-hall.co.uk More than a century old former

‘gentleman’s residence’ and originally built for one family, the Hall is now divided into 12 self-catering holiday apartments. East Lodge Country House Hotel Rowsley, Matlock DE4 2EF www.eastlodge.com Significant steps have been taken to reduce the hotel’s environmental impact which also excels in local sourcing, including produce from its own kitchen gardens. Losehill House Hotel and Spa Lose Hill Lane, Hope S33 6AF www.losehillhouse.co.uk A four-star hotel in a secluded setting overlooking Win Hill. It features the award-winning Orangery restaurant using local produce and a Thiago Spa. My Country Houses Portland House, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire DE4 3PX www.mycountryhouses.co.uk Five-star party house for self-catering in style with groups of friends and family, featuring delightful dining area, well-equipped kitchen, beautiful bedrooms and a walled garden.

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AFTER HOURS

Old Post Office Barn Upper Hulme, Staffordshire ST13 8TY www.post-office-barn.co.uk Ideal for relaxing and unwinding, this restored Roaches red gritstone barns offers self-catering accommodation for two people and a dog! Sladen Lodge Castleton Road, Hathersage S32 1EH www.sladenlodge.co.uk Easily accessible contemporary lodge for up to 16 guests, ideal as holiday accommodation or a unique corporate retreat, on the outskirts of the village of Hathersage. The Servants Quarters c/o Kinnaird Garden Buxton SK17 9BF www.theservantsquarters.co.uk In the centre of historic Buxton, the self-catered town house has been sensitively restored considering the environment and supporting local businesses. Secret Cloud House Holidays and Scaldersitch Farm Scaldersitch Farm, Sheen, Near Hartington SK17 0HN www. secretcloudhouseholidays. co.uk Environmentally responsible luxury yurt accommodation

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at Secret Cloud and boutique camping at Scaldersitch Farm with private wood fired hot tubs, essential oil sauna and wellness treatment room. The Nightingale Centre Great Hucklow, Buxton SK17 8RH www.thenightingalecentre. org.uk Holiday and conference centre in the heart of the Peak District sleeping up to 67 and able to accommodate individuals and groups. Tom’s and Douglas’s Barns Orchard Farm, Parwich, Ashbourne DE6 1QB www.tomsbarn.co.uk Two 5-star Gold Award green holiday cottages for two in Parwich are in a conservation area. The sympathetic barn conversions incorporate the best of the old with the best of the new. Underleigh House Lose Hill Lane, Hope S33 6AF www.underleighhouse.co.uk In a stunning location this Gold award and 5-star B&B has four en-suite bedrooms (including three with private lounges). Breakfast features local and home-made specialities. Upper Hurst Farm Hulme End, Buxton SK17 0HH www.upperhurstfarm.com

A caravan and camping site in an elevated position with panoramic views, near the picture-postcard village of Hartington. Glamping pitches available.

baskets, local produce and home-made meals available. New awards in November 2019.

Rainbows End Holiday Cottages Rainbows End, Blackwell in Whitehouse Barn Holiday the Peak, Buxton, SK17 9TQ Cottages www.rainbowsendWhitehouse Farm, Thorncliffe, thecoachhouse.co.uk Leek ST13 8UW Rainbows End is a charming www.whitehousebarncottages. eco-holiday cottage with co.uk lovely attention to detail and At 1,400m, overlooked by lots of little extras – from Buzzards and Sky Larks, the locally made, natural toiletries homely cottages for two are to cheese from the cows that lovingly decorated with eco graze their meadows. paints, vintage/reclaimed homemade furnishings and Lockerbrook Farm Outdoor Whitehouse pottery. Centre Lockerbrook Farm, Snake Pass, Weathericks and Bradstone Bamford, Hope Valley, S33 0BJ Windmill Farm, Hopton Lane, www.lockerbrook.org.uk Wirksworth Outdoor Centre with 38 beds www.weathericks.co.uk spread between eight bunk Two luxury self-catering rooms welcoming groups for cottages with expansive views outdoor learning in a stunning across farmland to Carsington moorland environment. A Water. Both cottages have the great location for retreats and Walkers and Cyclists Welcome gatherings for all ages. awards. Peak District Holiday Cottage Wheeldon Trees Farm Rockfield House, Flagg Lane, Holiday Cottages Flagg, Derbyshire, SK17 9QS Earl Sterndale Buxton SK17 www peakdistrictholiday 0AA cottage.com www.wheeldontreesfarm.co.uk Two dog-friendly self-catering Nine award-winning family holiday cottages in Flagg, with and dog friendly cottages uninterrupted Peak District in a stunning location close views, walks from the door and to Buxton. Walks from the secure cycle storage for each door, electric bikes, breakfast cottage.

NUMBER CRUNCH

SHEFFIELD – THE OUTDOOR CITY

As well as being one of the UK’s heralded ‘outdoor’ cities, Sheffield can claim to be the greenest city in Europe, having four trees to every one inhabitant. With 83 public parks and most of its population living within a 15-minute drive of the Peak District, it’s with good reason that Sheffield is known as an outdoor city. As part of our sustainability issue, we crunch the environmental, energy and greener travel numbers.

Sheffield’s Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) generates up to

Sheffield train station has more than

400

secure bike parking spaces as well as showers and a bicycle repair shop

The Sheffield City Region has over

150

Sheffield has used the worlds first electric bin lorries – using zero carbon emissions and producing no air pollution (converting 1 bin lorry to electric is the equivalent to taking

30 10% 2030 70 Sheffield has more than

miles of rivers and streams

21MW of electricity to the National Grid

1/3

diesel powered cars off the streets)

of Sheffield is technically in the Peak District National Park

Sheffield has

Sheffield’s

woodland cover, far more than any other UK city

Sheffield aims to be carbon neutral by

green roofs

30MW biomass energy plant displaces around 80,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year

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