Chamberchat autumn 2016 by West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce

ISSN 2396-8907

AUTUMN 2016

The Big Interview Victoria Titmuss, Director of External Affairs, West Cheshire & North Wales

The Kings School, Chester

Chamber of Commerce

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Chamber News

Chief Executive Officer’s Message A very warm welcome to you as we near the end of the summer and the onset of autumn. It really has been a fascinating quarter since I last updated you, both politically and economically. The voting public decided to BREXIT, the major political parties appear fractured and our economy has taken a dip yet as businesses well know life goes on BREXIT or no BREXIT! WHILST the decision taken for the UK to leave the EU is of huge importance, the subsequent political and legislative process must not be allowed to crowd out other priority issues for business and the economy, many of which are wholly domestic in nature. Business cannot afford any period of parliamentary inaction and uncertainty on non-EU-related issues, whether two years or more in length, and we seek urgent reassurance that this will not be the case. As we enter a new era for the UK the government must provide us clear and resolute leadership. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney’s decision to temporarily ease bank capital rules will help to improve liquidity and sustain vital credit flows to businesses and consumers. The Bank of England is acting in a clear and resolute fashion. Government must do the same, so that businesses can continue to trade, invest and take risks – as many have done both before and after Junes vote. Attention swiftly needs to turn to delivering clarity. While it is prudent for the UK government to delay firing the starting gun on negotiations with the European Union, firms want a clear timetable, and simultaneous action to support the wider economy. The big decisions – on airports, energy generation, HS2, house building and more – need to be followed through. The decision to delay a postreferendum budget must not be a convenient excuse for ministers to duck these important choices. Action and momentum over the coming months are vital to stoking the embers of business confidence.

More regionally we have seen economic stakeholders across West Cheshire and North Wales come together to enhance our regions opportunities. From matters as diverse as rail infrastructure with the recent release of the North Wales and Mersey Dee Alliance Rail Task Force’s ‘Growth Track 360 Prospectus’ to discussions around a Growth Deal for North Wales and further devolution for Cheshire and Warrington we are seeing a huge amount of work which is helping to enhance the cross border relationship that we all know is essential. Long may this continue as we strive to raise the profile of West Cheshire and North Wales on the economic map. As a Chamber our focus remains the same – to aid business growth and ambition amongst our membership, to ensure the availability of services that support growth such as export and trade, to ensure our region is supplied with robust infrastructure to support connectivity and to help bridge the gap between young people and business. These key areas of focus will not change whatever the political or economic landscape. As a valued member of the Chamber we would very much welcome your views on how recent changes, both nationally and regionally, are affecting your business. Is there more that we can do to address the barriers you are facing? – Can we do more to represent your concerns? – If you feel we can provide you further support then I would encourage you to contact the Chamber, we are here to provide you a voice, please help us to shout as loudly as we can on your behalf.

Colin Brew Chief Executive Officer, West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

So I wish you all every success in the coming quarter. The Chamber is very much here to help so please make use of your Chamber membership whether through our ever increasing list of events and networks, our International Trade provision or through the services we can offer to support your business growth. Your engagement is essential to us.

TOGETHER WE’RE WELL CONNECTED

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CONTENTS

The Big Interview

Name: Victoria Tit muss Job title: Director of External Af From: fairs The King’s School, Ch ester

The Big Interview

WCNW: Tel l us a little about you VT: I have bee ? WCNW: Wh Affairs at The n the Director of Ext at attracted ern King’s Sch you King’s since May ool, Cheste al VT: My daughter ? 200 r actuall job adverti strategic res 8. In this role I have sed! The bra y first saw the ponsibility nd is well kno respected for all extern facing activit and wn loved and ally ies including a part of it. I wanted to , student rec adm issi It was be ons/ ruit a great opp to help sha I read Marke ment. ortu nity pe the future ting at De organisatio Montfort University n and a fres of this iconic in Leicester h me out of before pur a career wit the food bus challenge for suing hin the Fas iness. t Moving Consumer Goods (FM WCNW: Tel CG My first job l me a bit was as a gra ) industry. about the history of Buyer with duate trainee King’s? Tesco workin VT: Henry amazing Sir g VIII Terry Leahy. under the School in 154 founded The King’s moved bac I eventually 1 k North to until the late poor and frie for the education of Chester – working for nin “24 ndless boy several wel in the twentie eteenth century, and four hundre s” and for l-kn companies th century ove d including Arla own FMCG governme successive buildings adj years the School occ r major dairy nts helped upied wit acent to Che products com Foods UK, a to preser h the Direct The School ster Cathed I have two Grant Schem ve access moved to ral. children wh pany. Assisted Pla its current the Wrexha e and the King’s - my o both atte ces Schem site on m Road in nded The son lives in e. Sin we have bee 1960. New York my daught School reta n entirely dep ce 1997, and er is in her ins strong link upon our ow the Cathed final year at Lancaster s with n resources endent ral Uni number of and sadly Chester’s old and with the city. It singing and versity. I love rowing pupils we the is est indepe and have a littl are fina able ncial suppor and is proud nde e dog called Percy who t to has dw to offer to serve the nt school I adore. dramatica the surrou indled rath city as wel lly. ndi er l as We hope to Many places ng areas. increase the at the Sch our size of ool were free bursarial sup port fun West Cheshir to provide e & North Wal more full and d in order es Chamber ass isted of Commerce

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Victoria Titmuss Director of External Affairs, The Kings School, Chester

13/09/2016

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West Cheshire College Annual Awards Page 19

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce Riverside Innovation Centre 1 Castle Drive Chester CH1 1SL T: +44 (0) 1244 669988 e: info@wcnwchamber.org.uk w: www.wcnwchamber.org.uk The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Chamber. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format (including, but not limited to, any online service, any database or any part of the internet), or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in the magazine, neither the Chamber nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies it contains. WCNW magazine is published on behalf of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce by

Advertising: Mike Agnew T: 0161 661 4191 e: mike.agnew@excelpublishing.co.uk Designer: Adrian North e: adrian.north@excelpublishing.co.uk Printed by Buxton Press

@ChamberWCNW Excel Publishing Company Ltd 6th Floor, Manchester One 53 Portland Street, Manchester M1 3LD Tel: 0161 236 2782 www.excelpublishing.co.uk

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cover story

/wcnwchamber West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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Member News... 17 Knew Production Helps turn youngsters away from a life of crime

NEWS

NatWest becomes the Chambers latest Strategic Member

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

GETTING STARTED With Jack Sullivan JS-PT Health Studio Ltd

PERSON BEHIND 28 THE THE BUSINESS Dawn Watson, Finstra Ltd

INTERNATIONAL

30 24 HOURS WITH... Paul Aiston, Staingard Ltd

39 TOP TIPS...

With John Farrell, Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers

40 NEW MEMBERS

A list of our new members

TOGETHER WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE WELL CONNECTED

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Strategic Members News NatWest Business Banking solidify their relationship with the Chamber of Commerce by becoming the latest Strategic Member NATWEST has become the latest high-profile organisation to join the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber as Strategic Members. The bank, which has been a long-standing member of the Chamber, now seeks to strengthen the bond between the two dependable organisations. Sarah Bailey, Relationship Manager at NatWest Cheshire, said: “I am thrilled to have been invited to become a Strategic Member of the Chamber. We have worked closely with the Chamber for a number of years and I believe that this new partnership can help not only the existing members of the Chamber, but the people within Cheshire too.” “At NatWest, we recognise the important role the Chamber plays in providing a platform and a voice for businesses from across the West Cheshire and North Wales regions to network and achieve their business growth ambitions. Our vision over the next 12 months is to work closely with the Chamber team and have a vision to stabilise and strengthen local economic growth.” NatWest is the largest lender to small and medium enterprises, with 1 in 4 choosing to bank with NatWest. This includes more than 850,000 customers across the UK. NatWest’s Relationship Managers are ideally placed to use their local networks and expertise to support local businesses in achieving their goals. The bank is also committed

L to R Sarah Bailey Relationship Manager NatWest, Debbie Stokes Membership Director Chamber of Commerce and Stuart Finnerty Director of Business Banking Cheshire at Natwest.

to developing local business communities and nurturing ecosystems in a bid to strengthen local economies. Sarah said: “Our business customers have said they want three things from us - be close to our business, so we are getting in touch regularly giving them help and advice that is more useful to them, and relevant information and tips that demonstrate we

understand their business.” “We want to be simple to do business with, so we are making access to our services, like opening an account or borrowing money, much quicker and simpler and concentrating on getting these things right first time. We are also trying to be available to customers when they need us most, by helping them get through to us quickly on the phone and to the

right person first time, or when they go into one of our branches.” Speaking about the partnership Debbie Stokes, Membership Director at the Chamber of Commerce said “We are delighted to welcome NatWest as the latest Strategic Partners to join the Chamber. The team at NatWest have been actively involved and very supportive of the Chamber and our members for many years. They share the same values and vision as the Chamber and are passionate about supporting the business community in this region. We look forward to working closely with NatWest over the next 12 months, particularly offering vital help and support to start-up businesses and those businesses looking to grow and take their business to the next level, bringing together the expertise and experience of NatWest and the Chamber will help us to achieve this.” Whether its day-today banking or specific product support that you need, NatWest’s specialist Relationship Managers are on hand to help you achieve your business ambitions. Relationship Managers are accredited by the Chartered Banker Institute. With teams of specialists in a variety of sectors across the UK, you can talk to NatWest about products and planning for any business sector, and tap in to Relationship Manager’s local knowledge and network.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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Chamber News His Grace the Duke of Westminster IT is with great sadness that the Chamber learnt of the loss of His Grace the Duke of Westminster on Tuesday 9th August. As the President of the Chamber, His Grace took a very active role in rebuilding the Chamber [incorporated in 1923] on his arrival in Chester, which today

makes a strong economic contribution to the region and to international trade. Our thoughts are with the family of His Grace, who have done so much for so many, and whom must be somewhat devastated. We remember His Grace as an evolutionary and pragmatic President, a most kind man.

You are invited to our St David’s Day Charity Ball!

RETURNING for the third time, the renowned Chamber Annual Charity St David’s Day Ball is set to light up your social calendar with its arrival on Friday the 3rd March 2017. Held at the luxurious Quay Hotel, overlooking the beautiful Conwy Estuary, the night promises to be one of elegance, great company and exquisite dining – It is certainly not to be missed! The St David’s Day Charity Black Tie Ball Event is generously being sponsored

by Cullimore Dutton Solicitors, a celebrated and highly successful legal firm, incorporating traditional values with a modern outlook. Following tradition, the Ball will support a deserving charity that will be chosen in due course by the Chamber Focus Group, with all the proceeds from the evening being donated to this cause. Guests will be greeted with a complimentary glass of sparkling rosé on arrival at the breath-taking venue, all before sitting down for a delicious gourmet three-course meal, with hot beverages and mints to follow. In traditional form the Charity Auction & Raffle will follow suit, with after dinner entertainment still to

be announced. Attending last year’s Charity St David’s Day Ball, Scott Burns, Dealer Principal at Evans Halshaw Ford Bretton said “Having booked a table of 10 for myself and my colleagues the Ball was a fantastic opportunity to socialise as one in the surrounds of the beautiful Quay Hotel. Breaking the stereotype of a ball, the evening was a fun filled night made even better by the fact we raised so much money for charity!” If you or your company would like to donate a prize for the charity auction or raffle, please contact Jenny Davidson on j.davidson@ wcnwchamber.org.uk.

Tickets for this wonderful event are selling fast and cost £35+VAT for Chamber Members and £42+VAT for Non Members. Tables of 8 to 10 people can enjoy a 5% discount.

Any Members who donate a prize will be included in the programme on the evening and also feature in the next edition of the Chamber’s Quarterly Magazine. For more information or to book tickets, go to wcnwchamber.org.uk/events.

TOGETHER WE’RE WELL CONNECTED

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Chamber News

Another year, another fantastic summer Cocktail Party! With the rain at bay and a warm summer breeze present, July the 7th marked the iconic ‘Annual Chamber Cocktail Party’ which was held in the spectacular surrounds of Eaton Estate. PLAYING host to the fabulous event on an annual basis, The Eaton Estate is a local marvel of agricultural and Cheshire Beauty. The Eaton Estate is part of the Grosvenor Estate and is a private, family owned, organisation, which includes some 435 homes, 15 farms and 72 commercial units, four schools and over 10,000 acres of high quality agricultural land in Cheshire, North West England. The history of the Eaton Estate can be traced back to the early 1440s. The breath-taking beauty of the Eaton estate was on full display as guests meandered their way through the impressive Cheshire grounds to congregate at the famous ‘Long Room’ where they were welcomed warmly with Prosecco and a delicious range of mouth-watering canapés, all provided by caterers Dougherty & Allen. Tantalising nibbles and beverages were plentiful as guests gathered amongst the impressive grounds, exchanging pleasant conversation with new friends and old friends alike. The iconic Long room was to be the gathering destination for all attendees whilst Colin Brew, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, alongside the Chamber’s own Chairman William Hogg gave their speeches, reflecting on the progress made in the recent times and acknowledging

the success of the evening, thanking all for coming and wishing them a delightful experience. Reacting to the anticipation had by many guests to hear them perform, the renowned, hugely talented Bridgewater quartet swiftly followed suit L2R Matthew Hodgson, Colin Brew,Sarah Jones, Debbie Stokes (all of WCNW Chamber) Sarah Bailey Natwest Business Banking

The Bridgewater String Quartet

and delighted all attending with an ensemble of hand selected classical pieces. Their opening of Vivaldi held the crowd captivated throughout, maintaining a constant sense of awe through their whole performance. Speaking after the event Clare Schofield from the University of Chester said “A huge thanks to everyone involved in organising a wonderful event. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it ran like clockwork. It is an amazing venue, the organisation and information about the event

was perfect and I am really looking forward to the 2017 event. Many thanks to all of the team.” Talking on behalf of the Chamber Colin Brew, Chief Executive Officer said “The cocktail party is an annual opportunity to celebrate the successes of members and the Chamber and to enjoy the super surroundings of the Eaton Estate. This annual event is a chance for members and guests to enjoy an evening of entertainment socialise and network. More importantly members get to know other

members on a social basis, building relationships that matter, which often create a lot more strength and trusts in business. Thank you to all the members and support team for making tonight a huge success and we’d like to do much more of these events to add to our popular monthly social lunch calendar.” The Chamber would like to thank each and every single guest who attended and made the Cocktail Party the huge success it was, and also offer our gratitude to the fantastic caterers, performers, marketing Cheshire for their incredible support and of course the venue itself, all of whom made the evening one to be remembered forever. The evening drew to a close as the sunset over the Eaton Hall clock tower, with full stomachs and cheerful hearts guests left eagerly anticipating the Cocktail Party’s return next year.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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BCC News

BCC Quarterly Economic Survey: Sub-par UK economic growth even prior to EU Referendum The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey – Britain’s largest and most authoritative private sector business survey, based on over 8,200 responses from firms in Q2 2016 – suggests that UK economic growth was uninspiring in the run-up to the EU Referendum. THE survey – the biggest snapshot of how the UK economy was performing just before the referendum – shows that several key indicators remained static, or at a low ebb. Our services sector – the UK’s main driver of economic growth – saw domestic and overseas sales fall ahead of the referendum, and manufacturing sales remained at a historically low ebb. On the basis of our data we do not expect official data to record an improvement in UK GDP for Q2. The results suggest that even before the uncertainty caused by the EU referendum result, uninspiring growth rates would have required future action to shore up business confidence and promote investment. The BCC calls on the government to get on with the big domestic decisions that underpin investment and business confidence, such as direct investment in the transport, energy, housing and digital schemes that can have a major impact on communities, supply chains, jobs and productivity. Key findings in the Q2 2016 survey: • Overall, the figures for both the services and manufacturing firms indicate continued low levels of growth. However,

in the run-up to the referendum remained fairly static across many indicators, and slackened in others • In the manufacturing sector, the balance of firms reporting improved export sales rose slightly to a percentage balance of +9 from +8 – although fewer firms reported an increase in advance orders (+5, down from +8 in Q1) • However there has been practically no change in the number of firms reporting growth in their workforce over the last quarter in the manufacturing sector (+12, down from +13) • The balance of manufacturers reporting improved cash flow fell three points to +4, and is now at the lowest level since Q2 2013 • Fewer manufacturers are looking to invest in training – down 8 points to +19, the lowest since Q1 2013 • In the services sector, the percentage of companies who are struggling to recruit fell slightly to 64, down from the 18-year high of 68 • Ahead of the referendum, fewer services companies reported an increase in export sales and orders (+11 and +13, down from +13 and +16 respectively)

• Fewer firms reporting improvements in domestic sales and orders in the last quarter. For manufacturing, the balance of firms reporting an increase in orders fell four points to +9, while in services this fell slightly by one point to +20.

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• The balance of manufacturers confident that turnover would improve fell from +44 to +40 – the lowest level since Q3 2012. The balance of service firms confident that turnover would improve remained unchanged at +44 – and remains low by historical standards • Pressure to increase pay rose slightly for services (30, up from 27) but fell for manufacturing firms (27, down from 33).

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International Trade The implications of the Exit of the UK from the European Union for Customs and International Trade WHAT a turbulent time it has been in politics in the past few months, the Referendum and BREXIT seem to have dominated our thoughts and we now have a new Prime Minister and a new Agenda – exiting the European Union. We asked our International trade Trainer Mark Rowbotham, MA, FCILT ex HMRC, to give us his thoughts on the exit. “The implications on UK trade policy are massive, the UK will no longer be part of the EU Single Market, and will therefore implement full Customs controls over imported/exported goods. It will also be able to negotiate and conclude Free Trade Agreements with any country it chooses and implement any restrictions deemed appropriate where there is any question of national security. However, there are many issues which will affect the UK’s international trade policy and facilitation, these are detailed as follows: Customs Law Although UK Customs Law is enshrined in the 1979 Customs & Excise Management Act, this legislation was enacted in the wake of the UK’s accession to the EEC and has been somewhat changed by the merger of HM Customs & Excise with HM Inland Revenue in 2002. Because of the exit of the UK from the EU, there may be changes required in UK Customs law to reflect this, and these will become apparent over the next 2 years, the time required to adhere to the provisions of Article 50 of the Lisbon

change in harmonised codes on 1 January 2017, it may still be necessary for HM Government to review import duty rates in line with national economic requirements. This may affect trade with other nations, but it may impact on trade facilitation concerning UK international trade policy, and may also necessitate a significant overall review of the UK Customs Tariff.

Theresa May

Treaty. This will include the full implementation of import and export Customs controls at the UK frontier, inclusive of Crown territories including Gibraltar. Customs Controls and Declarations There will be the need for the implementation of full import/export Customs controls at UK frontiers, as well as the implementation of full Import/Export Customs Declarations for the movement of goods into and out of the UK. This will also affect the provision of essential information to clear goods by this means, including issues such as:

• Valuation • Tariff Commodity Codes • Customs Procedure Codes • Countries of Origin • Countries of Destination • Use of Import Duty Reliefs and Export Preferences subject to negotiation by HM Government) The present scheme of the personal allowances on duty-paid goods coming into the UK from the EU will also be abolished, as the UK will most likely revert to duty-free allowances which are much more limited. Tariffs Although the World Trade Organisation is implementing a significant

Origin & Preferences In leaving the EU, the UK forfeits the ability to use existing trade preferences and F.T.A’s. It’s agreed with overseas countries. It’s in the interests of the UK to enter into negotiation as quickly as possible with many nations, including the EU, to create a new regime of international F.T.A’s, in order to further stimulate trade facilitation and development. In doing so, a new set of UK Certificates of Origin and Movement Certificates will be required to provide evidence of Origin status, especially where trade preferences apply. As part of any F.T.A’s negotiated by the UK, a full set of Rules of Origin will have to be negotiated in order to satisfy Origin requirements for trade preference purposes”.

Don’t forget the next set of BCC/Non BCC training courses start on the 21st September 2016. Group discounts are available. Course information available on our website or call 01244 669988.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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KPI Recruiting open new offices in prime Queensferry location THE NORTH West’s leading Recruitment business KPI Recruiting have moved to fully refurbished offices in prime high street location in Queensferry Founded in 2008 KPI Recruiting offer a complete spectrum of recruitment services specialising in Industrial, Commercial, Driving, Engineering and Health Care. The experienced team in Queensferry have built an enviable reputation in Chester, Deeside and across North Wales, currently supplying temporary and permanents workers to many prestigious brands. KPI Recruiting Director Ryan Jardine “Our organic growth has been fantastic over the last 12 months, this is testimony to the service our

team is providing. Now with six branch locations across the North West we are able to build more recruitment partnerships with successful local companies.” We would welcome the opportunity to work with new clients, if you are looking to increase your work force or if you have a charity you are interested in us supporting now is the perfect time to get in touch as we become part of the community. If you would like to know more about our services you can contact the Queensferry branch on 01244 289800.

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Getting started

“Being able to make a change to other people’s lives is an amazing ‘perk of the job’ but essentially this is what drives me, and this is what I like to pass on to my team.” Name: Jack Sullivan Job title: Head Coach/Founder From: JSPT Health Studio Ltd Tell us a little about yourself and your background. My story pretty much began when I left the armed forces after four and a half years. Being a part of the army since the young age of 16, I definitely feel my experience within the forces taught me invaluable skills and techniques which I still use daily. On leaving, I returned home to Connah’s Quay where I decided to set up my business, establishing something local was very important to me and something I prioritized. It took about 6 months prior to me leaving to actually start reflecting what it was I wanted from life, and what direction I wanted to take. After receiving two job offers from two completely separate sectors, it was then I found myself starting along my career path in the field

of health and fitness. Working in my local gym for one and a half years and becoming Team Leader, I quickly realised that there was something missing, something I felt I could provide and give back to people. I was fed up with the lack of personality and interpersonal skills, and this was the honest reason why I decided to establish something that would incorporate these alongside that of fitness. 27 months ago I decided that enough was enough, and I handed in my notice, realizing I was unhappy doing what I was doing. This was a huge wake up call for me. We focus on two target markets here at the studio. Busy females who want to get their confidence and habits back on track, getting results that they deserve. We also work with busy males who suffer with lower

back pain, have movement issues or general difficulty in easy moving. The studio has grown rapidly over the past two years and by doing so have created a team of five hard working and driven team members. We have also enjoyed sponsoring local football teams, and been supporting local boxing sensation Tom Doran on his rise to the top. One of the main difficulties for me in starting up has been keeping track of all the essential numbers. It’s about taking a step back and creating a system that is clear to understand so the whole team can pick it up easily. Why did I start on my own? I wanted to make the decisions, I wanted to help people, I wanted something that was really simple yet severely lacked everywhere I went and that was the customers experience, about them being happy and the business over delivering. Being able to make a change to other people’s lives is an amazing ‘perk of the job’ but essentially this is what drives

me, and this is what I like to pass on to my team. We have plans to take a more online approach in the future, being able to offer our services further afield. I’m not looking to become the richest man in the world, what I do aim to have is a business that allows me time, freedom and happiness. I know often this sounds a cliché, but at this moment in time I am in love with what I do and I look forward to going to ‘work’. Once that stops, then that is when alarm bells will start ringing. With that being said, there is and always will be things that go wrong, days when you’re working 24 hours to make sure something is right, weekends when you have to miss out and this is something that you need to accept if you want to build a business. I don’t consider myself successful, but that’s something I’m willing to keep working towards. It’s not risk free (neither is a normal job), but if you don’t give it a go…. You will never know what could have been.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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MWL Systems ranked in top one percent of Microsoft’s IT partners MWL Systems has been ranked in the top one percent of Microsoft’s IT partners, placing the company amongst the top IT providers not only in the UK, but globally.

Matt Kingsley-Williams discusses strategy with MWL Systems’ Head of Cloud Solutions, Hugh Valentine

THE company has achieved Microsoft’s Gold Midmarket Solution Provider competency status, demonstrating MWL Systems’ “best-in-class” ability and commitment to meet Microsoft customers’ evolving needs in today’s dynamic business environment. MWL Systems is part of the Microsoft Partner Network. This elite group helps strengthen partners’ capabilities and in turn improves the service they are able to provide to their customers by showcasing leadership in the marketplace with the latest technology. It also provides an invaluable connection with one of the most active, diverse IT networks in the world. Crucially for customers,

equipped with exclusive training and the latest software and support, partners like MWL Systems are able to implement solutions to meet customers’ unique business challenges and infrastructure needs. Attaining the Gold Midmarket Solution Provider competency demonstrates partner expertise in the latest infrastructure solutions based on Microsoft’s cloud, business-management and technologies, such as Office 365 and Azure servers. Matt Kingsley-Williams, MWL Systems’ Commercial Director, said: “Achieving the Microsoft Gold Midmarket Solution Provider Competency is a major feather in our cap. It showcases our expertise in and commitment to today’s technology market and

demonstrates our depth of knowledge of Microsoft and its products. “It also demonstrates the tremendous success of MWL Systems’ cloud business. We will continue working hard to achieve even more accolades, staying ahead of technology and remaining aligned to the needs of our customers, providing them with the very best and latest IT, ultimately helping them stay ahead of their competition.” To earn a Microsoft Gold competency, partners must successfully complete

exams (resulting in Microsoft Certified Professionals) to prove their level of technology expertise, and then designate these certified professionals uniquely to one Microsoft competency, ensuring a certain level of staffing capacity. They also must submit customer references that demonstrate successful projects (along with implementing a yearly customer satisfaction study), meet a revenue commitment, and pass technology and/or sales assessments. “By achieving a Gold competency, partners have demonstrated the highest, most consistent capability and commitment to the latest Microsoft technology,” said Gavriella Schuster, corporate vice president, Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft Corp. “These partners have a deep expertise that puts them in the top one percent of our partner ecosystem, and their proficiency will help customers drive innovative solutions on the latest Microsoft technology.” The Microsoft Gold Midmarket Solution Provider Competency sits alongside MWL Systems’ existing Microsoft competencies including Gold Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions, Gold Hosting and Silver Datacenter and Cloud Platform. For more information around MWL Systems’ Microsoft services please call 01978 858300 or visit the company’s website www.mwlsystems.co.uk.

TOGETHER WE’RE WELL CONNECTED

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Sanctuary Housing Parade regeneration nominated for award CHESTER’S Blacon Parade redevelopment has been named as a finalist in a leading national award. The project is in the running for Regeneration Scheme of the Year at Inside Housing magazine’s prestigious Top 60 Development Awards. The £16m transformation and rejuvenation of the area involved the construction of the highly popular Enterprise Centre, now the focal point of the community, along with 62 homes for affordable rent, including apartments for older people, a new children’s play area and the modernisation of local shops.

Trinity Gardens, Sanctuary’s scheme for the over 55s in Blacon

In addition to Sanctuary funding, Cheshire West and Chester Council provided

Octavian Centre marks two-year anniversary SANCTUARY’S National Maintenance Training Centre in Chester has seen nearly 600 operatives qualify in a variety of trades since it opened in June 2014. The Octavian Centre, in Sovereign Way, is a dedicated facility where trainees and apprentices can hone their skills and gain

Sanctuary Octavian Centre marks two-year anniversary

valuable qualifications under the direction of experienced Sanctuary trainers. From there, they progress to working on Sanctuary’s property portfolio both in the North West and other parts of the UK. Courses are offered in tiling, plastering, plumbing, joinery, glazing and floor welding, all of which are vital in helping to keep the homes of our residents in tip top condition. Simon Clark, Sanctuary’s Director for Maintenance and Reinvestment, said: “The Octavian Centre was established to provide Sanctuary with a place to train operatives to the highest standards. “Having a national training centre also means residents have greater assurance of consistency in the quality of our workmanship. “In the two years it has been open it has been a huge success and we look forward to welcoming even more trainees and apprentices in the months and years ahead.”

almost £3 million towards the scheme, while the Homes and Communities

Agency contributed £2m. The European Regional Development Fund also gave a grant of £1.24m towards the Enterprise Centre. Sanctuary Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Ian McDermott, said: “This regeneration project has not only brought an economic boost to Blacon, it has helped strengthen local relations and brought new life to the area. “It has been very much a partnership approach and we are delighted that this successful collaboration and project has been recognised.” The award winners will be announced in London in October.

Enterprise Centre popular with local businesses

Sanctuary Parade Enterprise Centre, Blacon

THE Parade Enterprise Centre in Blacon is proving a hit among local businesses with many taking advantage of its facilities for meetings and conferences. The centre, managed by Avenue Services - a joint venture between Sanctuary Group and Cheshire West and Chester Council - has a number of rooms equipped with the latest technology and internet connections,

and these have become popular with businesses and community groups alike. Avenue Services is a not-for-profit venture and reinvests the surpluses it makes back into community projects and initiatives for the benefit of local people. For more information on Avenue Services please email Sandra.hewitt@sanctuaryhousing.co.uk.

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EU Referendum ‘Business as usual’ for Cheshire West & Chester

Gerald Meehan Chief executive of Cheshire West and Chester Council

THE council’s response to the referendum has been to send a message reaffirming the commitment to work with businesses to drive local growth and prosperity. The council recently wrote to businesses, partners and key stakeholders on behalf of the recently appointed Chief Executive Gerald Meehan, and stated. “Our area has considerable strengths with a strong skills base, excellent businesses and fantastic growth potential. It is vital that

we maintain and build on these strengths in the post referendum environment. Please be assured we will be working with partners and civil servants to ensure we positively influence any future changes to funding and business support for Cheshire West and Chester.” There was also a call from the Cheshire and Warrington LEP who are interested in hearing from businesses and investors on how they think the result will affect them.

This includes whether businesses are intending to progress investments or whether plans are being reconsidered, any major contracts affected as a result of the outcome or whether companies are potentially facing difficulties/seeing no change in trading positions. Businesses from Cheshire West & Chester are invited to contact the Business Growth business@ cheshirewestandchester. gov.uk or 01244 515560

Chester Work Zone Opens THE latest Work Zone has been opened in Chester, based at the Blue Coat Centre in Northgate Street. Work Zones first opened in February 2013 starting in Ellesmere Port soon followed by Northwich and Winsford. They were designed to provide all the support someone would need to help them get back into work under one roof. Work Zones work with a range of partners, including Job Centre Plus, local employers and local

training providers to provide that holistic support package. Said Councillor Brian Clarke, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Infrastructure: “We have a skilled team who will work with individuals over time, building their skills and confidence and working in partnership with local employers to provide the support needed to successfully move and stay in work.”

Work Zone Cllr Clarke, Alison Knight, Gary Willott, Alison Reid, Cllr Dixon

If you would like help from the Work Zone, either telephone 01244

976028 or drop into the Work Zone to find out how the team can help.

Chester Investment Prospectus Launch FOLLOWING the successful launch of the Investment Map at MIPIM, Chester Growth Partnership have produced an Investment Prospectus, containing details of sites and opportunities within Chester which are ripe for development. Chester Growth Partnership is the new name for Chester

Renaissance – a private sector board and Council officers – and is the body charged with regenerating the city’s economy. Since its rebranding, the ambitious new board have developed five workstreams focussing on aspects to improve within the city, including bringing more new business to Chester. The Investment

Brochure was produced to bring attention to the development opportunities available – from the large scale office projects such as Parkside One on Chester Business Park to potential hotel sites in Abbey Square and Bishops Palace. The prospectus was premiered at an event aimed at London-based investors

and agents, which was hosted at Grosvenor HQ in Mayfair, London on June 29.

Don’t take our word for it. “It was very insightful, I can go away and apply this knowledge practically on my shop floor” “Really worthwhile and impressed with the way ideas were translated

to apply to each of our businesses – thanks” We would encourage you to look at the programme, which is available if you register on www. inditincheshireandwarrington. co.uk or email us at business@ cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

The full prospectus can be viewed and downloaded at http://chester. westcheshiregrowth.co.uk/ invest/investment-prospectus/ All enquiries to helen.crampton@ cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Retail Skills Programme CHESHIRE West and Chester in partnership with the Chester and Northwich Business Improvement District (BID) Groups and West Cheshire college are delivering a series of retail

focussed training and skills events for businesses across the borough. These events are free to attend and are targeted at business with a customer retail focus, they are informal and informative.

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Member News

Knew Productions helps turn youngsters away from life of crime A project that helps young people steer clear of crime is aiming to roll out across North Wales with the help of a Wrexham-based video production agency. Knew Productions has produced a highlights video for Connor’s Time, which tells the story of a teenager’s experience of life at a young offenders institute, and the challenges he faces when released. The project is the latest collaboration between Theatr Clwyd and North Wales Police, with the recorded show performed live in front of year 9 pupils at Ysgol Clywedog in Wrexham. With further funding

needed to take it into other schools in the region, it is hoped the video produced by Knew Productions will attract corporate sponsorship. Using actors from Theatr Clwyd, the live performance allowed the high school students to feel the emotional storyline, in an effort to get across the realities of time behind bars. Connor’s Time follows on from the award-winning project, Justice in a Day, which featured the same character, played by actor Richard Shackely, on his journey from committing a crime to being sentenced at a magistrates court.

“In order to carry on delivering this wonderful and life-changing outreach work, it’s imperative we find sponsorship or funding.” Annie Dayson, sponsorship manager at Theatr Clwyd, said: “I’m thrilled that our actors have had this opportunity to make a huge difference to the lives of youngsters in the region. “Justice in a Day was a resounding success and to embed the learning we created a new narrative

L to R Richard Knew, Knew Productions, Annie Dayson, Clwyd Theatr Cymru Sponsorship Manager and Emyr John, Facilitator

on Connor’s journey from committing the crime and being sentenced at a magistrates court, to now being in a young offenders institute and the challenges he faces. “In order to carry on delivering this wonderful and life-changing outreach work, it’s imperative we find sponsorship or funding. It would be an exciting opportunity for businesses in the region to support this fantastic scheme.” Connor’s Time is the latest highlights video filmed and edited by award-winning Knew Productions for Theatr Clwyd. Knew Productions managing director said: “Connor’s Time is a fantastic, innovative project and we’re excited to be involved in it. “The actors are superb and manage to convey the reality of crime and its consequences with no glitz and glamour’ “Justice in a Day was a huge success and it’s brilliant to see Connor’s Time continuing the story to educate more North Wales school pupils. “We’re proud to be a part of this campaign to encourage youngsters to resist committing crime.”

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Chamber News

My ﬁrst 12 months working for the Chamber A lot can happen in 12 months, a year can fly by and sometimes it’s very easy to forget the significance and importance of events that have occurred over the last year, the achievements, changes, improvements that we all have faced and made. 16 months ago in May 2015 I completed my first year A Level studies. Finishing high school with limited knowledge about the opportunities available for young people, I found myself forced into following the set route of further education in the form of A Levels, which alike a lot of my peers was the expected thing to do. The exhausting combination of pressure, long travelling times and a disorganised schedule made me realise that further education was not for me. I longed for a more hands on approach where I could learn and earn, gaining vital skills for my future whilst being able to differentiate my work life from my home life, having the liberty of not allowing work to infringe on my personal time. Signing up to the apprenticeship.gov website I was able to scan around and pick out a suitable apprenticeship for me and knowing my strengths and preferences I applied for roles under the branch of business administration. In total I applied for around 3 apprenticeships as I was quite specific about what I wanted. From the off I favoured the Chamber most, so when they got in contact with me following my interview to notify me of my

“My time spent in the Chamber during the last 12 months has had a profound effect on every aspect of my life.” success I knew then that it was the start of great things to come. Starting my role off mainly under the wing of Sarah Jones, the Chamber’s Finance Manager, I was taught vital finance skills and the ability to perform many tasks such as producing invoices, inputting and extracting data from our personal CRM system alongside SAGE accounts and other processes. My time spent with finance allowed me to gain a crucial understanding which I can take forward with me throughout my career. I carried on working alongside Sarah closely whilst helping the membership team occasionally with various tasks such as inputting new members onto the CRM system and attending certain events to help when I could. For me the significant turning point in my role at the Chamber, and career as a whole, was the day our former Marketing and Communications Officer left. There were a number of personal job responsibilities that were specific to her role, which as a team we had to distribute between ourselves. I believe this was an iconic moment as I volunteered myself to adopt a lot of them and proved myself to my

Beth Gittins

colleagues, demonstrating the skills and personal quality’s I had already obtained that were more specific to marketing and communications than finance. From there on I was able to expand on my knowledge and skills within the field, growing in my career and as a person whilst doing so. My effort and hard work caught the attention of Colin Brew, CEO of the Chamber and Debbie Stokes Membership Director. Acknowledging the work I was doing and the efforts I was making they offered me a permanent position as a Membership Support Officer specialising in the Marketing

and Communications of the Chamber to start in the September of 2016. My time spent in the Chamber during the last 12 months has had a profound effect on every aspect of my life. Not only have I obtained skills in many fields I can take on with me throughout my working life, but I have also been given so many fantastic opportunities to achieve and grow my career all whilst becoming a much more confident, self-proud and mature young woman. I cannot thank the Chamber enough for the last 12 months and I am so excited to see what is in store for the next year ahead.

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Apprenticeship Levy - Breakfast Seminar 29 September 2016

Find out how the Levy will affect your business What is the Apprenticeship Levy? In the 2015 Autumn Statement, the Government outlined plans to increase Apprenticeship participation to 3 million by 2020. The increased Apprenticeship starts will be partly funded by large employers paying a percentage fee of their PAYE wage bill in the form of a Levy. The Levy system is due to be implemented from April 2017 and will prompt organisations to review their current training and Apprenticeship schemes to maximise the benefits for their organisations. The Facts The Apprenticeship Levy will be introduced to large employers who have an annual payroll in excess of £3m, at a rate of 0.5% of their PAYE wage bill. • First payments are due in April 2017 • The levy will apply to employers

across all sectors regardless of whether they have current Apprentices or not • Employers paying the Levy will receive an allowance of £15,000 to offset against their Levy payments • Apprenticeship training can either be given to new recruits or existing staff • Employers who pay the Levy and are committed to Apprenticeships will receive 10% top ups to their digital accounts to fund more training • Smaller companies can still take advantage of available Government funding, which is expected to include an employer contribution. How can West Cheshire College help? West Cheshire College can support employers to maximise the training opportunities from paying into the Levy by offering the following services: • Advice and guidance clinics • Levy calculator

• Guidance on accessing the Digital Apprenticeship Service • Training needs analysis • Workforce planning support • Recruitment service for new Apprentices • Up-skilling for existing staff using Apprenticeship Frameworks • Advice on new Trailblazer standards Levy Payment Example: • Employer of 250 employees, each with a gross salary of £20,000 • Pay bill: 250 x £20,000 =£5,000,000 • Levy Sum: 0.5% x £5,000,000 = £25,000 • Less allowance of £15,000 = £10,000 • Levy payment by employer = £10,000 Come along and ﬁnd out more about the Apprenticeship Levy at our information seminar at our on 29 September, 8:30am – 10:30am at the Ellesmere Port Campus. 01244 656499. west-cheshire.ac.uk

West Cheshire College Annual Awards Ceremony June 2016 THE College recently celebrated the achievements of its student at the Annual College Awards Ceremony. Guest speaking at the event was Bernie Toolan, Plant Strategic Maintenance Manager from Vauxhall Motors who praised the students for their exceptional commitment and hard work during the 2015/16 academic year. Among the award winners were students working for local employers: Mark Garner from Vauxhall Motors, ILM Diploma in Team Leading Level 2 Abbie Jones, Business and Administration Apprentice with Linder Myers Solicitors, OCR Diploma in Business and Administration Level 2 Oskars Kalnins Apprentice with Nation Tyres and Autocare, IMIAL FL Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Level 1 Joan Massey from CLS Group, C&G Certificate in Cleaning and Support Services Skills Level 2 Kimberly Smith Advanced Apprentice with the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust, EDEXCEL Diploma in

Pharmaceutical Science Level 3 and EDEXCEL NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills Level 3 Paul Whittingham Advanced Apprentice with Whiston Hospital, St Helen’s and Knowsley NHS Trust, C&G Diploma in Clinical Healthcare Support Level 3 and C&G Award in Employment and Personal Learning Skills in Health Level 3 Helen Nellist, Acting Principal and Chief Executive, praised the students by saying: “At West Cheshire College we’re extremely proud of

all our students - they are creative, enthusiastic and motivated. We look forward to this event every year, where we have the opportunity to celebrate and recognise our students’ successes. “I’d like to express my thanks to Vauxhall Motors, Unilever, Port Tyres and Autocare, C3 Imaging Print and Graphics, University of Chester, Chester Municipal Charities Trust, The Randolf Caldecott Society and Ladies’ Section Of the Freemen and Guilds for their generous support in sponsoring some of the awards on the evening.”

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Member News

Chester ﬁrm acts for wildlife & raises £4,000 in cycle challenge KEEN cyclists from Chesterbased Knights Professional Services helped their team raise more than £4,000 for charity, when they rode 100 miles for Prudential RideLondon 2016. Partner, Emyr Kerfoot and solicitor, Amanda Bailey from the tax and trust team at Knights joined a group of five to raise money for wildlife charity Chester Zoo. Its conservation campaign, Act for Wildlife, encourages supporters to take action to help save endangered species around the world from extinction.

Amanda, who previously participated in the 80 mile Snowdonia Etape bike ride, said: “The bike ride was brilliant with an amazing atmosphere throughout the day. Hundreds of people participated and the crowds gave all the riders plenty of support, which helped keep us going. “The route was from London to Surrey and followed the same path that was used during the London Olympics 2012. There were a few difficult hills but we made it back in one piece. “Chester Zoo is a long-

standing client of ours so we have had the chance to visit on a number of occasions and we are always in awe of the amazing work that the staff do for the animals. “It’s is a popular Chester establishment so we are delighted to support a local charity through our enjoyment of cycling while raising awareness of its work – especially as many people are not aware that Chester Zoo is involved in more than 80 field projects globally. “I would like to thank the staff at Knights, clients and friends who helped our team

reach the target of £4,000 and raise vital funds for a brilliant and worthy cause.” Helping Amanda and Emyr to raise £4,000, was Chris Wynne, David Wynne and Rob Leech from Wynne Construction who joined them on the ride from London to Surrey, along with Chester Zoo’s assistant curator of mammals, Nick Davis. 100% of all funds raised for Act for Wildlife goes towards helping conversation projects in the wild and can range from helping rhinos in Africa to monitoring dormice in Cheshire. Hannah Taylor, who is part of the fundraising team at Chester Zoo, added: “Challenges like these help us to highlight the importance of wildlife conservation and the work that we’re doing to protect endangered species all around the world from extinction. “As a conservation and education charity, we need businesses to get on board and go the extra mile to help us carry out more and more of this vital work. We take our hats off to the brilliant staff at Knights and Wynne Construction for their support.” Knights is a UK-top 70 law firm with more than 400 professionals located in seven offices in Cheltenham, Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Colchester.

L to R David Wynne, Wynne Construction, Amanda Bailey, Knights Chester, Nick Davis, Chester Zoo, Chris Wynne, Wynne Construction.

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Events Roundup

Chamber of Commerce host yet another fantastic Networking Lunch at the beautiful Quay Hotel & Spa in Deganwy THE 25th of May marked yet another successful networking lunch for the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Guests gathered at the renowned Quay Hotel & Spa in Deganwy where summer was in full swing as the sunshine beamed over the picturesque Welsh estuary. Guests in attendance were greeted warmly and given complimentary gift bags from the generous host upon arrival. Old and new friends alike gathered for networking and striking conversation with likeminded business people from their local region. The Chamber’s networking lunch events are a fantastic way to broaden your business contacts and exchange details and advice whilst cementing new friendships, all alongside being served a delicious two course meal. Attending the event Tessa Catton of Utility Warehouse Discount Club said “Chamber Networking Lunches are a great way of helping my business. I always find a large variety of business owners attend all of whom are very friendly! What makes the events even better is they are so accessible and easy to get to.” Networking fun was in full swing as guests were seated for lunch. The delicious main of Pan Roast Supreme of Chicken, served with dauphinoise potatoes in a red-wine sauce was a real treat. Lemon tart with a fresh raspberry sorbet followed the exquisite main cleansing all guests pallets before settling

Jon Morgan, Executive Director and Nathan Stephens, Talent Ofﬁcer with Disability Sports Wales

down to listen to our guest speakers. Representing the organisation Disability Sports Wales our guest speakers in attendance were Jon Morgan, Executive Director and Nathan Stephens, Talent Officer with Disability Sports Wales, who identifies the athletes of the future. Jon gave an insightful talk about the organisation and their goal of getting every disabled person hooked on sport, for life, within an inclusive sporting landscape, whilst continuing to ensure that within a performance context Wales remains a

nation of champions. Following on from Jon, guests were introduced to Nathan Stephens, past double winter and summer Paralympian and now Talent Officer with Disability Sport Wales. Nathan lost his legs at the age of 9 in a train accident resulting in a personal journey which took him from active community sports participant to World Champion. Nathan recited his inspiring story which saw him compete in the 2006 Winter Paralympics, the 2008 Beijing Summer Paralympics, the International Paralympic

Committee Athletics World Championships in New Zealand in 2011 where he became World Champion before finally competing in the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Despite personal challenges and obstacles, Nathan has triumphed throughout this journey thanks to his hard work, determination and positive outlook on life, all of which came across during his talk and marked him out as a truly inspirational person. Following their talk Jon commented “Speaking at a Chamber event has been a wonderful opportunity for our organisation to engage with North Wales businesses, promoting our services and as a (charitable) Limited Company ourselves, learning from other businesses in membership of the Chamber. We have received such a warm welcome and we look forward to continuing to liaise with the Chamber and its members moving forward.’’ Reflecting on the event Debbie Stokes, West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s Membership Director said “Today’s event was fantastic! The Chamber is honoured to have such inspirational speakers attend this event and speak to us all. Once again the venue has made us feel so welcome, as always they have provided excellent service and from everyone at the Chamber we would like to thank The Quay Hotel & Spa. I also want to send my gratitude to all those who attended and made this event the huge success it was.”

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Events round up Another successful Networking Lunch at the beautiful Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel & Spa

Guests enjoying lunch at Craxton Wood Hotel

Richard Smith, The Wine School of Cheshire

THE beautiful Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel & Spa in the idyllic setting of Cheshire played host to yet another highly successful monthly Chamber Networking Lunch. Delegates assembled at the renowned hotel where they were greeted warmly by new faces and old friends alike to embark on another enjoyable networking opportunity. Hot beverages were plentiful as guests engaged eagerly with one another, securing new business contacts and firming friendships with like-minded business people

across the region. Conversation was in full swing as everyone settled down to listen to the highly successful Richard Smith from the Wine school of Cheshire give an insightful and thoroughly enjoyable (which I’m sure all would agree) unique wine tasting opportunity. Richard spoke about his past experiences and current opportunities his role offers, including his time at the renowned Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge and having the unique task of matching client’s, from all round the

world, dishes to available wines via Wi-Fi. Talking about his experience presenting for a Chamber event Richard spoke after “It’s great having the opportunity to engage with a large audience as today has allowed me to do. The ability to showcase what I do in my role and what I’m passionate about is fantastic and the interaction shown by my fellow members was equally excellent” The fantastic two course meal was served promptly. The mouth watering starter of ‘Ham Hock’ had been carefully suited to a delicious crisp white wine by Richard, complimenting the rich flavour of the meat. Following on guests were treated to an old French favourite of beef bourguignon, classically matched to rich full bodied red, exaggerating the delicate taste of the slow cooked beef. Newest additions to the Chamber, Collette Salmon and Dan White of Liverpool Football Club attended the event. Generously armed

with a fantastic prize to win two hospitality tickets to attend any match over the next season, all attending were asked to place their business cards in a hat and the winner was withdrawn. Ian Walker of CPD Works Limited was the lucky winner and the new owner of the fantastic prize. Colin Brew, Chief Executive Officer of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce attended the event, presenting Sarah Bailey of NatWest Business Banking, the newest addition to our Strategic Membership scheme, with a membership certificate and plaque. The Chamber is delighted to welcome NatWest as one of our newest Strategic members and look forward to embarking on a new business partnership over the next 12 months. The Chamber’s Annual General Meeting followed and featured William Hogg, Chairman of the Board of Directors lead the meeting, summarising the last 12 months within the organisation and the reassignment and new appointment of the Board of Directors going forward. Reflecting on the event Debbie Stokes, Membership Director said “Yet again the Chamber has lead the way for another fantastic networking opportunity and lunch, my deepest gratitude is offered to the excellent venue and their tentative staff but also to everyone who attended and made the event what it was. Our events offer a fantastic opportunity to network professionally whilst forming strong connections and friendships and the feedback we receive testifies this.”

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Events round up Summer Networking Fun and Lunch at Village Hotel Club St David’s Park WITH temperatures reaching 34 degrees, guests gathered together in the glorious sunshine to embark on fantastic networking opportunity. Delegates were treated to a fantastic array of foods from the Hotel’s buffet. Eyes gleamed as homemade Admiral Pie, Beef Stroganoff and Tagine were all offered alongside fantastic garnishes of various salads and freshly baked bread. Attending the event Claire Brooke of Aaron & Partners said “Chamber events are always so informative. It’s so great to meet new contacts

and exchange business cards in a friendly and relaxed environment” Unique to any event before, all those attending were given the opportunity to vote in our upcoming ‘Members Choice Award’ to be revealed at the Chamber’s Annual Ball on the 14th October 2016. This award allows Chamber Members to vote for another member who they believe to be most deserving. Speaking at the event, Fiona Sernberg and Sandra Crabbe of Nuffield Health gave an insightful talk about the work they do at the unique and highly successful

Not for Profit hospital, discussing the progress and significant changes it has made over the last century whilst maintaining the same basic core principles of care. Debbie Stokes, Membership Director at the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce attended the event, speaking afterwards she said “With the beautiful weather today’s event was even better than expected! It’s great to see members from all business sectors networking together, broadening their business contacts and expanding awareness of their business

within their local region. As always I would like to thank everyone who attended and ultimately made the event the huge success it was, I would also like offer my gratitude to the hard work and excellent hosting from our venue and to our guest speakers for the insightful speech they presented to everyone today”

Chamber Annual Ball THE West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s showpiece Annual Celebration Ball is set to return for another year on 7th October at 7:00pm. With a new venue, new menu and new entertainments it promises to be an unforgettable event! Held at the iconic Chester Grosvenor Hotel, guests will be greeted with a glass of Tattinger champagne on arrival. With a spectacular three-course meal, Chamber Recognition Awards Ceremony, keynote speakers, Guest DJ and Compere Gavin Matthews from Dee106.3 and an afterdinner casino theme, we can guarantee it will be a night to remember!

The night will also raise money for the Hand on Heart charity, whose goal is to prevent the death of cardiac arrest in young children. There will be a fun-filled charity auction and raffle prizes up for grabs, with all proceeds going towards this inspirational charity. Guests will also have the opportunity to hear from our guest keynote speaker Mr Mike Spicer, Director of Research and Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce. One of Dee106.3’s resident DJ’s will be acting as compere for the night, hosting the charitable auction and helping to lead the way for the Chamber Recognition Awards. This

year, we have increased the number of award categories to ensure our members receive the recognition they deserve for their hard-work in their industry or sector. For the first-time ever, there will be after-dinner entertainment in the form of a casino, where each

guest will be given ‘fun money’ and will have the opportunity to play for free. Poker faces at the ready! If you would like to donate an auction prize please contact Jenny Davidson on 01244 669988 or alternatively email j.davidson@ wcnwchamber.org.uk.

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The Big Interview

Name: Victoria Titmuss Job title: Director of External Affairs From: The King’s School, Chester WCNW: Tell us a little about you? VT: I have been the Director of External Affairs at The King’s School, Chester since May 2008. In this role I have strategic responsibility for all externally facing activities including admissions/ student recruitment. I read Marketing at De Montfort University in Leicester before pursuing a career within the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry. My first job was as a graduate trainee Buyer with Tesco working under the amazing Sir Terry Leahy. I eventually moved back North to Chester – working for several well-known FMCG companies including Arla Foods UK, a major dairy products company. I have two children who both attended King’s - my son lives in New York and my daughter is in her final year at Lancaster University. I love rowing and singing and have a little dog called Percy who I adore.

WCNW: What attracted you to King’s? VT: My daughter actually first saw the job advertised! The brand is well known, respected and loved and I wanted to be a part of it. It was a great opportunity to help shape the future of this iconic organisation and a fresh challenge for me out of the food business. WCNW: Tell us a bit about the history of King’s? VT: Henry VIII founded The King’s School in 1541 for the education of “24 poor and friendless boys” and for over four hundred years the School occupied buildings adjacent to Chester Cathedral. The School moved to its current site on the Wrexham Road in 1960. The School retains strong links with the Cathedral and with the city. It is Chester’s oldest independent school and is proud to serve the city as well as the surrounding areas. Many places at the School were free

until the late nineteenth century, and in the twentieth century successive governments helped to preserve access with the Direct Grant Scheme and the Assisted Places Scheme. Since 1997, we have been entirely dependent upon our own resources and sadly the number of pupils we are able to offer financial support to has dwindled rather dramatically. We hope to increase the size of our bursarial support fund in order to provide more full and assisted

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The Big Interview Many of our families have both parents working and we appreciate the huge financial commitment this entails. We strongly feel that no parent/guardian should be deterred from applying to King’s because of financial considerations. It is the policy of the School to give whatever financial assistance it can where the need exists. We would encourage anyone interested in sending their child to King’s to come and visit the School and experience its unique and dynamic atmosphere. We regularly organise Open Mornings and Discovery Days.

places for deserving pupils. In reality we require an endowment of over £30 million to enable the School to meet the demand for bursaries from investment income. WCNW: What is it like today? VT: Today King’s is a forward-looking, modern and innovative school educating girls and boys from aged 4-18. In 2003, we changed to a fully coeducational school and haven’t looked back since. As a School we believe that co-education makes absolute sense in today’s society. We feel we have an important role to play in not only equipping our pupils with the necessary tools to succeed academically/ professionally but also in empowering them to learn how to work and play productively alongside each other. In addition to the excellent academic results, King’s offers a huge extra– curricular programme of music, drama, sport, leadership clubs and activities. It is a really busy school with over 150 activities on offer is any one week. We believe there is no limit to what our pupils can achieve. So we encourage them to be ambitious. To reach for their dreams. To be confident enough to step outside their comfort zones and try something new. This drive is really valued by the top universities. I am constantly inspired by the generosity shown by our school’s former pupils – known colloquially as Old King Scholars - who feel passionately about giving back to the institution which they clearly loved attending and which gave them such a good start in life. As well as financial giving (which is so vitally important to the School’s future), our alumni give generously of their time, knowledge and expertise in support of the school’s work in areas including alumni community building, community engagement and our raising aspirations and widening participation efforts WCNW: Tell us a little about your more famous former pupils: VT: Where do I start! Many famous individuals have been educated at The King’s School. Amongst the most distinguished 19th century alumni were artist and illustrator Randolph Caldecott, Thomas Brassey a renowned civil engineer responsible for building much of the world’s railways in the 19th century and Charles Burney music historian, musician, composer and

General Rowland Hill a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars who later became Commanderin-Chief of the British Army in 1828. Today our best known alumni include several Olympic athletes, actors, television personalities, government ministers and business leaders. Quite excitingly we have the celebrated actors Ronald Pickup and Nikolas Grace returning to the School this September to help us celebrate our 475th anniversary. WCNW: Is it a good place to work? VT: King’s is one of the best places I have ever worked. Our vision is clear and we all know our role in it. It is a very caring and compassionate organisation as you would expect, being a school, and the sense of teamwork is fantastic. I feel passionate about the education we offer and the pupils are brilliantbright, engaging, confident and willing to take on any challenge. The Governing body are incredibly committed and want to see King’s continue to improve and be the best school it can possibly be. We are continuing to engage as a member of the Chester business community through my involvement with the Chester Growth Partnership and try to share our facilities, where we can with other charities and community groups. WCNW: What sort of families send their children to King’s? VT: All sorts! There really isn’t a set ‘type’. Our admissions process is based solely on talent and behaviour. Our main priority is to ensure that the young person concerned would benefit from the opportunities of a King’s education.

WCNW: What new projects are you currently working on? VT: Where do I start! In midSeptember we celebrate The King’s School’s 475 year anniversary with a series of exciting events. Celebrations will open with a rather special commemoration service which will be held at Chester Cathedral on 16th September with contributions from several famous former pupils and an address by Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury. Celebrations will close with a spectacular Tudor-inspired ball for parents, alumni, staff and supporters held at the School on 17th September. During our anniversary celebrations we will be launching our King’s 100 Challenge to produce sufficient charitable income to support a wider range of deserving pupils through immediate bursarial support. Our aim is to raise £30m to fund an extra 100 bursaries and assisted places by our 500th anniversary in 2041. We also have a new website launching and will be working on the third year of our Infant School plan to see it full in every year. In addition we have a new Headmaster, Mr George Hartley, starting in September 2017 so I will be working on the plans to introduce him to parents, OKS and the wider community. WCNW: Finally what would you tell a newcomer to Chester about King’s? VT: I would tell them to come and have a look for themselves - our doors are always open and we love showing visitors around all our schools - Infants, Juniors or Seniors. We are proud of the education we offer, our staff but most of all our wonderful pupils.

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Chamber News

£1 Billion rail vision to create 70,000 jobs A major campaign has been launched to secure £1bn of rail improvements which would transform the North Wales and Cheshire regional economy and deliver 70,000 new jobs over 20 years. The campaign – called Growth track 360 – is being led by a cross-border alliance of business, political and public sector leaders. If successful, it would lead to a massive boost to the North Wales, Cheshire and Wirral economies, linking them with the planned HS2 line between London and the North of England. The campaign is calling for: • The electrification of the line from Crewe to North Wales so the region can be linked to HS2 and fast London trains can continue to Bangor and Holyhead • The doubling of frequency of trains between the North Wales Coast Line and Wrexham to Manchester through Chester • The investment in new, modern, better equipped rolling stock • Creating new services between Liverpool and Liverpool Airport to North Wales and Wrexham via Chester (Halton Curve) • Doubling journey frequency between Wrexham and Liverpool via Deeside and Bidston. Linked to the proposals would be improvements to stations to upgrade facilities and capacity and the creation of a smart ticketing system to make journey planning cheaper and easier. Also being sought is a new approach to franchises to improve services and upgrades to signalling and line speeds to enhance journey times. The campaign is being driven by the North Wales and Mersey Dee Rail Task Force (NW&MD) and has the backing of the region’s eight local authorities, the Cheshire and Warrington Local

Enterprise Partnership, the Mersey Dee Alliance, the North Wales Economic Ambition Board, the North Wales Business Council and the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Initial research suggests delivery of the improvements would lead to an estimated 70,000 new jobs across the North Wales and Mersey Dee region and the fast-tracking of economic growth so that GVA (the value of goods and services produced each year in the region) grows to £50.5bn in 20 years. The proposals are regarded as an integrated and linked package of long term investment that will require sustained commitment to drive passenger use, reducing reliance on road transport. Cllr Dilwyn Roberts, Leader of Conwy County Borough Council, said: “Our vision is for a smart, modern and integrated public transport system which can help us unlock the region’s full economic potential, ensuring we can fulfil our status as an integral part of the Norther Powerhouse and help to address the imbalance in the UK economy.” Cllr Samantha Dixon, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “This investment is essential if we are to create opportunities for generations to come. This investment would increase productivity and economic growth, increasing tax revenues and reducing unemployment across the region.” Cllr Derek Butler, Chairman of the Mersey Dee Alliance and Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Flintshire Council, said: “It is vital that our region gets this investment if we are to attract inward investment and talent. We have economic and business assets of national and international

It is vital that our region gets this investment if we are to attract inward investment and talent significance but cannot make the most of these without a rail system which meets our needs for the future.” Ashley Rogers, Chairman of the North Wales Business Council, said: “Every sector of our economy and every community in the region would benefit massively from this long overdue investment. We cannot afford for this part of the UK to become a Cinderella region, left behind in the race for investment and in the Government’s ambitions for a Northern Powerhouse.” Colin Brew, CEO of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce, said: “Additional capacity and faster journey times on our rail network will reduce road congestion and massively improve commuter, tourist and freight movements across the region.” The Welsh Government’s Economy and Infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates, said: “I welcome this report from the Rail Task Force. Rail services are a key component of our transport modernisation programme across Wales. Our vision is for a faster, more frequent, integrated transport service which places the needs of the passenger at its heart. Connecting people to jobs and businesses to growth opportunities is a must if the economy of North Wales is to continue to grow and reach its undoubted potential. The Growth Track 360 proposals sets out a vision for rail in the region that unlocks the economic potential on both sides of the border.” Cllr Phil Davies, Leader of Wirral and Cabinet Member for Economic

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Chamber News Development and Energy in Liverpool City Region, said: “Wirral is recognised as the number one location in the North West for clean energy engineering, and linking our economy to manufacturers in Cheshire and North Wales with a fast, reliable train service is long overdue. Moving goods and people between the Dee and the Mersey is fundamental to the continued growth of the region. Building a 21st century railway connecting Wirral to north Wales, Holyhead and beyond is a vital infrastructure project the Government should throw its weight behind.”

The campaign has already secured support for businesses across the region and has published a prospectus – Growth Track 360, Connected within an hour – which is being presented to senior Government figures in London and Cardiff. The campaign will also be lobbying senior rail industry figures to make the case for the investment. Mr Rogers said: “We are clearly pushing for a substantial and complex investment, so at this point our ask of Government is to commit to sufficient funding to establish a rail industry group to support our task force in

commissioning feasibility work on the project so that a robust and detailed investment case can be made. “We are also seeking a commitment to the acceleration of work on overdue projects, including North wales coast signalling and line speed improvements; the Halton Curve line between North Wales and Liverpool; and north-south line speed improvements.

L to R Cllr Derek Butler, Cllr Samantha Dixon, Ashley Rogers, Chairman of the North Wales Business Council, Cllr Dilwyn Roberts, Colin Brew, CEO of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce and Ken Skates, The Welsh Government’s Economy and Infrastructure Secretary

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(which is important for curling), gives us 7 days a week curling and allow us to develop more leagues, a junior & wheelchair section. What’s the best bit of having a job like yours? In both my roles every day is varied and I get to meet many interesting people and businesses. Being able to use your profession to help the sport that you love is a bonus.

The Person Behind the Business Dawn Watson, Director at Finstra Ltd An overview of yourself and your current role. I am a Scottish Chartered Accountant who has lived in Wales for just over 3 years. I have 2 roles – providing financial and strategy advice to start ups and SME’s (often acting as their part time Finance Director) via my company Finstra and a voluntary role as the Welsh Curling Development Officer. I am also a Director of British Curling which is the sport’s governing body overseeing the curling Olympic programme. What are your aims? By working for myself I have been fortunate in that I am able to mix my work life with giving something back to the sport that I love, curling. As Finstra I get to help companies grow and develop by supporting the owners and management team. Within curling I help to develop the sport within North Wales and the surrounding area and allow as many people as possible (young, old, able and disabled) to have access to the sport.

Describe your role I work with companies that are growing and have the need for an experienced finance director but are not of a size that they require a full time person. By working part time with companies I get to see various industries on a regular basis whilst providing support and help to different management teams each looking to grow their own business. Currently my role in Welsh Curling is focused on a project to build a dedicated curling facility in Deeside. This will be at Deeside Leisure Centre which is where we currently curl on a Monday night. We have support from both Flintshire Council, Sport Wales and the World Curling Federation and together with the current members we are now trying to raise the funds we need in order to open the facility in Sept 2017. Currently we are only able to curl on hockey ice on a Monday evening during school term time. The new facility will improve the ice quality

Was a role like this always what you aspired to? I had no idea what I would do but have kept an open mind and made the most of the opportunities offered to me. I never thought I would end up living in North Wales! Any special memories to share? Following on from the Olympics in 2014, we had over 1,200 come and try curling at Deeside. We had old, young, able and disabled people, the eldest of whom came on his 80th birthday, is in a wheelchair and is now a regular curler. Tell us a bit about what you do outside work to relax. Curling! I have the privilege of representing Wales in European and World Curling Competitions so as well practicing in Scotland I get to travel the world curling. I have been to Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Latvia curling and next year I hope to go to the World Mixed Doubles in Canada. When the curling season is closed (we play Sept to April) I try to play golf. In an ideal world, what else would you like to be? I’m very lucky as I am doing work that I enjoy and being self-employed means that I am able balance my work-life balance with my curling. What advice would you give to anyone starting out? Do not give up and trust your instincts. If it doesn’t work the first time but you still believe in the proposition, then look for alternatives.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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Member News

The future’s bright for Altimex & MJ lighting at Thornton Science Park

Davinder Lotay Managing Director of Altimex and MJ Lighting

IN May 2015 Davinder Lotay moved his businesses Altimex Ltd & MJ lighting to Thornton Science Park. Altimex Ltd specialises in electronic manufacturing and fibre optics providing an end to end service whilst MJ lighting provides bespoke LED lighting solutions to global brands including The British Museum, V&A Museum, Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo Shoes, Nando’s, and Sky. In just over a year both businesses have grown to the extent that they are now expanding into a larger building on site to enable

new product development. Managing Director Davinder explains the impact of moving to the University of Chester’s Thornton Science Park: “The move to Thornton Science Park was a fantastic opportunity for the two companies for several reasons; the excellent onsite facilities and warehousing capabilities, the location and legacy of having been the Shell research site and the ‘wow factor’ once on site i.e. the sheer scale of it. However, the deciding factor for me had to be that the University of Chester’s Faculty of Science and Engineering is based here too. This was a really unique offering, having access to academia, which has proved to be really beneficial to us”. Company growth “Keeping ahead of technology is a challenge for all organisations designing and manufacturing state-ofthe-art electronic controls, we work very closely with the University to ensure this is achieved. Our presence at Thornton Science Park enables us to exploit the

Aerial View of Thornton Science Park

skills and knowledge of both the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Business School. It gives the companies added credibility to be associated with a university and academia. We also benefit from the placement scheme, which allows us to work with dynamic and talented students, we are helping to develop the future workforce which is so vital in addressing the skills gap in electronic engineering. In turn, these students gain an invaluable insight into working in an innovative industrial environment.” “The company growth we have seen from being based

2015

2016

Staff

x10

x20

Turnover

£1.1M

£1.5M

Student placements

2 from University of Chester Faculty of Science and Engineering

1 from University of Chester Business School

Students employed

1 from University of Chester Business School

on a University campus is evident in our figures below” Business support The University of Chester is proud to support the success of companies such as these through its Commercial Operations which provides business incubation and support services (available at its sites including the Riverside Innovation Centre (RIC) and the NoWFOOD Centre). Thornton has led the way in helping to support SMEs in the advanced manufacturing, automotive, energy and environmental sectors. The unique benefits to companies based at the Thornton Science Park include: • Opportunity to forge close collaborative research and development relationships with academic experts • Access to students on placements for short-term projects • Ability to recruit undergraduate talent emerging from the University’s Science and Engineering courses • High quality accommodation including offices, laboratories and workshops.

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HOURS WITH...

Name: Paul Aiston Job Title: Managing Director Company: Staingard Ltd

Give a brief overview of your company Staingard provides a range of furniture care products and services from a simple cleaning product to a complex repair kit or insured warranty product. Based in Waverton, just outside Chester, we produce all our products and distribute them from our facilities there and we also have an office in the midlands. What types of disciplines do you usually work with? I never delegate something that I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do myself. Also I never lose sight of the importance of every customer big or small and always encourage my team to think outside the box and make decisions, rightly or wrongly, that they are committed to. Tell us a little bit about your background For all of my working life I have been involved in a sales or sales management role, which continued when I started at Staingard 10 years ago. Although this required me to bring into play the experience I had acquired previously, it naturally required a lot

more sales skills! I have worked in sales roles across the middles east and the UK and currently travel regularly to China sourcing new products. How do you begin your day? Whenever I am home my day always begins at around 06:30 with a long walk with the family dog. Do you have a long commute? No, well not every day, my Chester office is 400 yards from home, however we have an office in the midlands as well. What does your morning usually involve? If I am not travelling to see a client somewhere in the country or meeting with one of the field team then I will be catching up with the team in Chester or with the admin backlog. I try to deal with any marketing issues in the morning before I am too distracted by the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events. How many people do you work with? Currently Staingard employs 27 people.

Do you make time for lunch? I rarely actually stop for lunch, it is more likely I have something while on the go. The exception to this is when I am in China when lunch is an important part of the day and the business association. As a result I rarely take breakfast or dinner since lunch is quite full on! Do you work in the evening? Most evenings during the week I will spend 2 to 3 hours making sure that time sensitive tasks are completed and I try to clear my desk ready for the next day. When do you finish work? I aim to complete my working day by 8.30pm.

What are the best parts of work and why? The best parts of work are seeing my team growing and delivering results and witnessing their excitement when we win new business. What plans for the future? In essence, to keep doing what we have done so well for the last 10 years and ensure that in another 10 years my sons will be running the business whilst I enjoy some downtime! What is a typical evening? A typical evening would be to chill out with a glass of good wine and watch TV that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need too much engagement so my overworked brain can get some rest.

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TOGETHER WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE WELL CONNECTED

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But there’s no point having all that speed if you haven’t got a real-world use for it. So should it be on this year’s shopping list?

‘We upgraded to ultrafast broadband a year ago,’ says Matthew. ‘And it’s not gone down since.’

‘It’s an essential part of what we do,’ says Matthew Hill, IT Administrator of Gardinia Windows. And Gardinia isn’t a young, digitally-born startup in London. It’s a UPVC windows, spares and parts company in Huddersfield.

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Book your Christmas party with Horseradish Horseradish are specialists in providing first-class memorable Christmas parties. Their portfolio boasts a whole host of beautiful and unique venues across the North West including Chester Racecourse, Chester Town Hall, Speke Hall and Bangor-On-Dee Racecourse. Whether you are looking for an intimate VIP supper, a stylish dinner and disco or a winter wonderland extravaganza; there’s one thing that’s a sure bet - a

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Festive Planning Being responsible for the ofﬁce Christmas party can be very stressful. Colleagues will be expecting you to provide the perfect event; as will your boss, but at the best possible price. And it all has to be organised whilst managing your usual heavy workload. Here are a few tips to help keep the run up the Christmas party stress free: Set a date as soon as possible: Only attempt to ask around for dates if your office or department has under 20 people. Any number above that and you’ll never get an agreement. Just set a date and inform everyone. The key to getting a full turn out is to give plenty of notice, ideally six weeks. Don’t inform people unless you have confirmed the venue. If you want a Friday night party in the middle two weeks of December you really do need to book by the beginning of October.

Venue: It’s always best to have your event at a venue rather than in the office. Christmas parties at your place of work rarely meet the mark. Staff members feel more valued if they are taken out, plus you don’t have to worry about office health and safety issues, not to mention the mess the next day. Decide whether you want to take over a venue for a private party or attend a shared party. For easy organisation find a venue that will provide entertainment too.

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If you just book a restaurant find out how many sittings they have per evening otherwise you could find yourself being rushed to finish to make way for the next guests. Don’t forget to ask about dress code and what time the party will have to finish. Choose a venue that is central for everyone and close to transport links so that the journey home for people is as easy and safe as possible. If it’s not, provide transport back to the office as a central point. Line-up taxis beforehand. Everyone else wants a taxi at this time of year. Food & drink: Do provide food and not just drink! As most problems occur due to excess alcohol, be aware that your company may be held responsible for the actions of staff at Christmas/end-of-year parties. Providing food doesn’t have to be expensive. Most venues have a set Christmas menu selection and a range of budgets. If the Christmas party is in the office, party platters from good sandwich companies or supermarkets are very cost effective. Decide on a drinks policy beforehand. Will the company pay for a welcome drink or the first few drinks only, the whole lot or nothing at all? Make sure staff know well in advance what drinks will or won’t be provided.

BEST WESTERN HALLMARK HOTEL CHESTER LLYNDIR HALL Llyndir Lane, Rossett, Chester. LL12 0AY Tel: 0330 028 3417 www.hallmarkhotels.co.uk/hotels/ Chester-Llyndir-Hall

Guest List and Invitations: If you’re organising a very large party or inviting guests from outside the company, a formal invitation is required. If not, an all-staff email will suffice. Follow up with reminders a week before and two days before the event. Make sure you include an RSVP and menu confirmation deadline. Give people an email reminder a day before the deadline to cut down on chasing staff. Let client or customer facing staff such as reception and customer care know well in advance if they have to organise cover for their jobs so they can attend the party and which department will cover the cost! Build it Up and Make it Fun: Every company has its ‘Scrooges’; so try and create some extra interest as you approach the work Christmas party date. Organise a Secret Santa, set a theme and ask people to come in fancy dress or run an award on the night for the best dressed or most festive looking person. Put disposable cameras on the tables and get them developed the next day and up on the notice board or company intranet.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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ENTREPRENEUR ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR ENTREPRENEUR ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2016 OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2016 AWARDS AWARDS 2016 2016

View the 2016 finalists at awards.enforbusiness.co.uk View the 2016 finalists at awards.enforbusiness.co.uk View the 2016 finalistsrd at awards.enforbusiness.co.uk View the 2016 finalists at awards.enforbusiness.co.uk

THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2016 rd MERE GOLF 3RESORT & SPA2016 THURSDAY NOVEMBER rd THURSDAY MERE GOLF 3RESORT & SPA2016 rd NOVEMBER THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2016 Celebrating their 15th consecutive year, the North West Entrepreneur of the Year MERE GOLF RESORT & SPA Awards are some of the most established & andSPA revered accolades for owner-managed MERE GOLF RESORT businesses in the region – the awards business owners most want to win! Celebrating their 15th consecutive year, the North West Entrepreneur of the Year Awards are some of the most established and revered accolades for owner-managed Celebrating their 15th consecutive year, the North West Entrepreneur of the Year businesses in the region – the awards business owners most want to win! Celebrating their 15th consecutive year, theand North Westaccolades Entrepreneur of the Year Awards are some of the most established revered for owner-managed Awards are some of the most and revered forto owner-managed businesses in the region – the established awards business ownersaccolades most want win! businesses in the region – the awards business owners most want to win!

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After dinner speaker:

Justin Moorhouse Hosted by: Justin Hosted by: Moorhouse Justin Justin Moorhouse One of the North West’s finestMoorhouse and funniest comedians.

Nick After dinner speaker: Wheeler After dinner speaker: Nick After dinner speaker: Wheeler Nick Nick Wheeler Founder and Managing Director of the biggest online Wheeler and mail-order shirt business in Britain - Charles Tyrwhitt

One of the North West’s finest and funniest comedians. Actor, writer and radio presenter. One of the North West’s finest and funniest comedians. Actor, and radio presenter. One of the North West’s finestwriter and funniest comedians.

Founder and Managing Director of the biggest online and mail-order shirt business in Britain - Charles Tyrwhitt Founder and Managing Director of the biggest online and mail-order shirt business in Britain Charlesonline Tyrwhitt Untapped Potential Founder and Managing Director of the -biggest

Hosted by:

Actor, writer and radio presenter.

REFRESHING RECRUITMENT

and mail-order shirt business in Britain - Charles Tyrwhitt

Untapped Potential

Ticket enquiries to: events@excelpublishing.co.uk REFRESHING RECRUITMENT

Untapped Potential REFRESHING RECRUITMENT

Untapped Potential Ticket enquiries to: events@excelpublishing.co.uk REFRESHING RECRUITMENT

Ticket enquiries to: events@excelpublishing.co.uk TOGETHER WE’RE WELL CONNECTED Ticket enquiries to: events@excelpublishing.co.uk WCNW AUTUMN 2016.indd 37

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Member News

UK court closures highlights the importance of preventing late payment FOLLOWING a consultation, the government has announced that 86 courts across the UK are to be closed over the next 18 months; this is be described as a necessity to save money within the system, with proposal for the development of an online to increase access to justice. However with online courts merely a proposal at this stage, for UK businesses this means that closures to county courts will increase the distance they may have to travel to attend hearings when taking legal action against debtors, but may also

prove to be an even lengthier process than it is now. It is paramount, therefore, that businesses take all the necessary steps to ensure that they reduce their risk to late payment and subsequently their risk of having to take legal action. Of course, sometimes taking legal action is unavoidable, however implementing certain processes and procedures relevant for your business, for example a credit policy, can provide significant leverage to encourage settling a debt before court action is needed.

• Appropriate and effective collection strategies • Dealing with disputes quickly and improving internal processes if disputes are recurring • Confidently negotiating with customers for payment

How can you prevent late payment? • Setting credit limits, credit checking customers and monitoring • Adequate T&Cs and ensuring you can demonstrate acceptance

Don’t forget as a Chamber Member you can access your FREE membership benefit of the Credit Management Group UK Toolkit and Telephone Support Helpline for more details and how you can start using this benefit go to http://wcnwchamber.org.uk/ why-join-us/membershipbenefits/ or tel: 01244 669988

Cheshire’s Under Sheriff in ‘custody’ at Chester’s oldest law firm Partner John Arnold installed as Under Sheriff

L to R John Arnold from Cullimore Dutton and Kathy Cowell OBE DL, the High Sheriff of Cheshire

FOLLOWING on from Diana Williams’ appointment as the President of the Cheshire and North Wales Law Society in February, Cullimore Dutton Solicitors now boasts the Under Sheriff of Cheshire amongst its ranks. John Arnold, a partner and Head of the Commercial Department at Cullimore Dutton Solicitors was installed as Under Sheriff at a declaration service held recently at Eaton Hall Chapel. “I am thrilled and delighted to be appointed to assist the High Sheriff, Mrs Kathy Cowell, who I know will be

an excellent High Sheriff and representative for Her Majesty in Cheshire,” said Mr. Arnold. He also joked: “A relatively recent change in the law has sadly meant that the Under Sheriff can no longer call out the Posse Comitatus of able-bodied men to assist in keeping the peace or arresting a felon, ( heading off at the pass always being a bit of a tall order in Cheshire) .” The High Sheriff is the Queen’s representative in the county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and

order. This aid can take many forms and includes ceremonial occasions as well as assisting with other legal matters including those relating to parliamentary elections. Founded in 1862, Cullimore Dutton Solicitors is Chester’s longest established law firm and provides expert practical, friendly and timely advice for businesses and individuals right across the region and into North Wales.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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Top Tips

10 f

top tips for start-up businesses

from John Farrell, Accounts Senior Ellis & Co, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers Select the correct record keeping system that will suit you and your business. This is important from the beginning so you can monitor how your business is performing.

Set up a business bank account with a bank that will help you and your business move forward. A good bank manager is important for the future especially if you are looking to grow the business.

4 5 6

1 2

Firstly it is imperative that you are trading as the correct entity whether it be a sole trader, partnership or Limited Company. Make sure you have registered with the authorities such as HMRC and Companies House.

Discuss with an accountant any pre-trading expenditure that has been incurred before commencement of the business Ensure you have knowledge of all business expenditure that is allowable for tax purposes. Again this can be discussed with your accountant.

Consider if VAT registration is required for your business. You may find that the VAT registration is beneficial to the business before you hit the VAT registration threshold.

Keep a note of any business mileage undertaken in your private vehicle. This can be claimed at 0.45p per mile up to 10,000 miles in any tax year and 0.25p per mile thereafter.

Make sure you are making provisions for tax liabilities at the end of the trading period. This will stop any unwanted surprises!

For Company Directors, it is important that you are on the correct salary and declaring a reasonable level dividends. A monthly profit and loss calculation can help you with this.

John Farrell comments “All of the above points are essential when starting a business. A simple review of these can alleviate any possible pitfalls and also ensure the business has every chance of being a success.” Bio John Farrell has a wealth of experience in the accounting industry supporting start-up and established SME businesses. He is now in his 13th year as an Accounts Senior at Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers. Ellis & Co was founded in 1989 by the firm’s Principal Robert Ellis. Today the firm supports over 400 businesses from across the region and continues to grow and expand its portfolio of clients year on year. As a strategic member of the Chamber they play an active role within the Chamber supporting its members as well as businesses across the wider community. They are now regarded as one of the leading accountancy and business firms in the region.

TOGETHER WE’RE WELL CONNECTED

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New Members BDW Consulting Ltd Fiona Trappe The Whitehouse, Conwy Wales 01492 580646 info@bdwconsulting.co.uk www.bdwconsulting.co.uk

Blizzard Protection Systems Limited Simon Carter Unit 2, Coed-y-Parc Industrial Estate, Bethesda, Bangor Cheshire LL5 4YY 01248 600666 simon.carter@ blizzardsurvival.com www.blizzardsurvival.com

Business Wales Richard Fraser-Williams Unit 21, Ffordd Richard Davies, St Asaph, Denbighshire LL17 0LJ 01745 585025 richard.fraser-williams@ businesswales.org.uk www.businesswales.gov.wales

Clear The Chaos Vikki Cunliffe Northop 07557 409108 vikki@clearthechaos.co.uk www.clearthechaos.co.uk

Clockwork Consulting Rob Richards St Andrews Business Centre Queens Lane, Mold Flintshire CH7 1XB 07515 313371 rob@clockworkconsulting.co.uk www.clockconsulting.co.uk

Daulby Read Ltd Peter Goddard 3rd Floor, Liverpool House, Lower Bridge Street, Chester Cheshire CH1 1RS 01244 311033 enquiries@daulbyread.co.uk www.chesterinsurancebrokers. co.uk

Flight Centre Business Travel Laura McKay 48 Bridge Street, Chester, Cheshire CH1 1NQ 01244 439553 laura.mckay@ﬂightcentre.co.uk www.ﬂightcentre.co.uk/ business-travel

Grow Literacy Lindsey Howard Hoole, Chester 07816 101608 lindseyhoward@ growliteracy.co.uk

Invaluable Ltd Carla Fallows 52 Overleigh Road, Handbridge, Chester Cheshire CH4 7HW 07825 128820 carla@invaluableva.com www.invaluableva.com

IPS Coaching Limited Ian Spink Wirral 07504 503732 ian@ipscoaching.co.uk

Kalos Associates Ltd Sian Smith 99 Ermine Road, Chester, Cheshire CH2 3PP 07900 188193 sian.smith@kalosassociates.com www.kalos-associates.com

Liverpool Football Club Collette Salmon Anfield Road, Liverpool, Merseyside L4 0TH 0151 2642204 collette.salmon@ liverpoolfc.com www.liverpoolfc.com

Martin John Bespoke Tailors Martin Davidson No. 2 Sealand Farm, Chester, Cheshire CH1 6BS 01352 761747 martin@mjbespoketailors.co.uk www.mjbespoketailors.co.uk

Patrick Parsons Ltd

Superfast Business Wales

Jane Crawley Unit 5, St Johns Court, Vicars Lane, Chester Cheshire CH1 1QE 01244 318289 j.crawley@patrickparsons.co.uk www.patrickparsons.co.uk

David Marnell Envoy House, 61 Longbridge Road, Plymouth, Devon PL6 8BU 037164 12119 ext 8123 superfast@businesswales.org.uk superfast@businesswales. org.uk/superfastbusinesswa

Recycling UK Ltd Neil Clarke 10 Portal Business Park, Eaton Lane, Tarporley Cheshire CW6 9DL 01829 732471 info@recycling-uk.com www.recycling-uk.com

Sage & Company Vicki Bartlett 102 Bowen Court, St Asaph Business Park, St Asaph, Denbighshire LL17 0JE 01745 586360 vicki.barlett@sageco.co.uk www.sageco.co.uk Sarah Macklin Editing Sarah Macklin Chester 07894 547733 sarahmacklin.editing@ gmail.com www.sarahmacklineditor.com

Shredding UK Ltd Simon Marsden 10 Portal Business Park Eaton Lane, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 9DL 01829 732471 info@recycling-uk.com www.shreddinguk.net

Surf Snowdonia Justin Everley Conway Road, Dolgarrog, Conwy County Borough LL32 8QE 01492 353123 info@surfsnowdonia.co.uk www.surfsnowdonia.co.uk

The Chocolate Consultant Simon Godden 1 Maori Drive, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 7BS 01928 497289 thechocolateconsultant@ gmail.com www.thechocolateconsultant. co.uk

Wellfield Accounting Services Helen Wellfield The Grange Building, Mollington Grange, Parkgate Road, Chester Cheshire CH1 6NP 01244 852968 helen@ wellﬁeldaccountingservices.com www. wellﬁeldaccountingservices.com

SI Risk Ltd Nathan Monshin Linden House, Mold Business Park, Wrexham road, Mold, Flintshire CH7 1XP 0203 1981231 nathan.monshin@sirisk.uk www.sirisk.uk

Simpson Millar LLP Deana Bates 100 Talbot Road, Manchester, Lancashire M16 0PG 0345 3579200 deana.bates@ simpsonmillarllp.co.uk www.simpsonmillar.co.uk

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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What Feature I’m passionate about Your opportunity to get to know: Vicki Jones, Partner at Knights Chester HELPING PEOPLE ACHIEVE GOALS Vicki Jones, partner at Knights Chester has a career spanning 22 years. An expert in secured lending and commercial property, she is passionate about helping people achieve their goals – whether that’s colleagues or clients. “Supporting young people achieve their aspirations is something I have always been really passionate about,” she said. “At Knights we invest heavily in our staff and have in Chester grown from a team of 11 staff to more than 60 in the last three years. “I’m proud to work for a firm which is committed to growing a team of experts. We all have a role to play in growing our knowledge and our recent growth is testament to the passion that we all share to develop our young professionals.

“I work with three ambitious and talented paralegals in the commercial real estate team, just a small selection of the 130 paralegals who have been recruited firm-wide. Watching their progression so far has been inspiring. “Our paralegals work very closely with experienced lawyers supporting them on client work until they are able and confident enough to manage specific aspects of client work. Those paralegals who show real talent are awarded training contracts. “During my time at Knights’ Chester office, three new paralegals have succeeded in gaining training contracts with us, which is quite a significant number, and a further three are set to start a new training contract with us in October. Very few law firms offer such career progression to young people.”

Vicki’s passion extends to helping businesses realise their growth plans. She added: “Whether a client wants to buy or lease a property for expansion, or an investor wants to grow its portfolio, we have a great deal of experience we can tap into at Knights and a growing team of non-legal specialists who can offer tax advice, accountancy and management consultancy. Thanks to the team we have strengthened, we are in a position to help our clients’ businesses grow too and support them to achieve their aspirations – whatever it may be.” Visit www.knights1759.co.uk, join the conversation @knights1759 or call 01244 896600

L-R Harriett Brittan-Lewis, Nicole Whiston, Aisling Sorrentino (back), Victoria Jones, Dewi Jones (back) and Natalie Dean

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

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