Featured News
The Long Marston company that is already a Rugby World Cup winner
When the Rugby World Cup is staged in England this Autumn it will be, first and foremost, of course, a festival of sport. A once-in-a-generation opportunity for sports fans in this country to see the world's best rugby players.
But the benefits brought by the tournament will far transcend the world of sport.
The potential economic boost for any country hosting the tournament, or any great sporting event, is vast. It is estimated that the 2015 Rugby World Cup will pump up to £2.2 billion into British economy with around 500,000 international visitors expected to generate £869 million of expenditure.
That is why sports governing bodies - and nations - invest such colossal time and effort in pitching for the right to host those events. There is the kudos and the sporting glory - but also the massive business opportunity.
And that opportunity exists not just for businesses in the cities where events take place. It is there for any company in the country with a quality product or service to offer and the energy, reputation or contacts to clinch the deal.
That's why, when the grandees gather for England's opening World Cup match against Fiji at Twickenham on Friday September 18, they will do so in hospitality suites assembled in south Warwickshire.
Long Marston, to be precise, which is where husband and wife Ross and Karen Kennedy created PDK Exhibitions in 1999. Sixteen years later, the business is going strong. From strength to strength, in fact. PDK is a small company which, to use a sporting analogy, punches seriously above its weight.
This rural business has therefore been supported by a micro-enterprise grant through the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network (RGN). The Rural Growth Network is managed by Warwickshire County Council on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and is funded by Defra. The micro enterprise grant scheme is allocated to micro-enterprises, businesses with less than ten employees.
PDK's design and construction services have been deployed at many of the great sporting events including Lord's Test matches, Wimbledon, British Grand Prix, Ryder Cup and Henley Regatta and major global gatherings for the aeronautical industry like the Paris, Melbourne and Bangalore Air Shows.
And their main project at the moment is The Rugby World Cup for which they are fitting out 22 suites and two cafes for the Twickenham complex in north London.
It is a contract which much bigger operators than PDK would love to have. But Ross Kennedy is not crowing about it. He's happy about it, of course, but in a quiet way and also, in a quiet way, totally confident that his team will deliver the job to total satisfaction.
And that's the mentality that has underpinned the company's strategy from day one.
"I think a lot of bigger companies take their eye off the ball," Ross said. "They become too big an animal and can lose a bit of focus when it comes to dealing directly with customers. "We are secure as a business because we have a lot of clients which come back to us again and again. We are still quite small and very happy to remain that way because we are totally confident in what we do: delivering what the client wants and delivering it on time
"The Rugby World Cup is a huge project for us. It is probably about ten weeks work and we will take on about 20 people for it. We start putting it together in Long Marston and will then take it down to Twickenham."
So how did a deal at a global sports tournament arrive at a business based in a village deep in the south Warwickshire countryside?
"It came out of a conversation at the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles last September," said Ross, who began his career as a trained carpenter. "We fitted out a suite there and a guy from the Rugby World Cup saw it and liked it and we started chatting. It's great that it all came together."
Rugby ready to live up to 'proud home' status
The town of Rugby is preparing to take its share of the global spotlight when England and Wales host the Rugby World Cup this autumn.
The carnival of rugby union between September 18 and October 31 will bring visitors from all over the world flocking to this country.
They will head principally, of course, for the great stadia like Twickenham, the Millennium Stadium and Villa Park where games will take place - but there is no doubt that also on the must-visit list for many will be the birthplace of the sport.
And with those visitors come clear business opportunities for the town of Rugby and the wider county of Warwickshire to exploit. This is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity with the World Cup predicted to inject up to £2.2 billion for the British economy from some 500,000 international visitors expected to generate £869 million of expenditure.
That economic benefit will be felt most of all by the 12 designated host cities – one of which is Rugby. Alongside the list of 11 cities that will host matches, the town of Rugby has been given a unique ‘Proud Home’ designation by World Cup organisers, included for its obvious attraction for national and international visitors.
This is an opportunity that the town and the county do not intend to miss. Rugby will be ready.
Preparations led by Rugby Borough Council have been underway for months. By August the town will be dressed. Hundreds of volunteers and town guides are being recruited to provide a warm welcome to visitors and direct them to key points of interest within the town. Education programmes will involve 50 schools and 2,000 pupils during the tournament.
And some of the benefits will last far longer than the brief duration of the tournament itself. A big emphasis is being placed on legacy with improvements made whose value will endure, like the renovation and de-cluttering of street furniture and the updating of interpretation-panels at key tourist locations.
The centrepiece will be a Rugby Village located at the Old Market Place. On non-match days, this will host a range of cultural events spanning art, music, entertainment, comedy, theatre, poetry and heritage with talks from guest speakers.
On match-days the space will be a transformed into an official Fanzone, screening fixtures for up to 2,000 people in a rugby club atmosphere with pre and post-match entertainment. The objective is to create an occasion for those who have missed out on tickets to say ‘I was there’. Rugby is set to offer the warmest of welcomes to those from far and near.
Coventry and Warwickshire success the "envy of the world" says JLR chief
Dr Ralf Speth, chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, has paid a glowing tribute to Coventry and Warwickshire for its part in the company’s international success.
Dr Speth, speaking at the Coventry and Warwickshire Showcase event at The Shard in London, said that the area’s unique strengths had been a key factor in driving the company forward.
The showcase, organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Place Board, highlighted the business and investment opportunities in the area to around 150 leading national figures from industry sectors – including development and investment.
Dr Speth said: “Our own recovery and transformation at Jaguar Land Rover has been driven by a number of factors – our investment, a global approach and the quality of our people. And I am convinced that the role of Coventry and Warwickshire as a partner, supporter and business location has helped Jaguar Land Rover immensely.
“Coventry and Warwickshire is among the top 10 per cent of the fastest-growing economic areas in the country, with a Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy of £17.8 billion.
“It is a centre for over 400 advanced manufacturing and engineering companies and it is within an hour’s drive from 15 universities, producing 100,000 graduates each year.
“That is a success story which would be the envy of any region anywhere in the world. Yet success does not happen by accident.
“Local government, local businesses, organisations and academia should all take a proactive and cohesive approach to investment. We come together on the Coventry and Warwickshire Place Board to make a difference: it is something we are proud to chair. Local partnerships can lay the foundations for a strong future in UK manufacturing.”
Dr Speth highlighted the company’s links with the area’s two universities and its on-going investment at its Whitley headquarters and its new Special Operations base at Oxford Road.
He was joined by several other business leaders from the area as well as national commentators and local MPs for the event which was hosted by BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Tony Livesey.
Les Ratcliffe, chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Place Board, said the Showcase had delivered a very strong message of opportunity to an audience which was normally hard to reach.
“We believe Coventry and Warwickshire has a very strong message to deliver, but the only real way of having it heard by the decision-makers in London is to tell them about it in their own back yard,” he said.
“The range of speakers and the consistently strong messages they had to deliver certainly made an impact and we will be following that up in the coming weeks, so we can bring many of the audience to the area to see for themselves."
Photo left to right: Jonathan Browning (CW LEP chairman), Izzi Seccombe (Leader of Warwickshire County Council), Ralf Speth (Jaguar Land Rover), Ann Lucas (Leader of Coventry City Council), Les Ratcliffe (Chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Place Board)
Midoki are captains of gaming industry awards
Leamington based Midoki proved their place as captains of creativity last night (Wednesday 15 July) at the Develop Industry Excellence Awards.
The team of veteran game developers scooped the best New Game IP (mobile) within the creativity category for their hugely successful title Plunder Pirates.
The awards recognise the accomplishments of talented developers throughout the UK and Europe based entirely on the result of their endeavours: the games.
Plunder Pirates is a Rovio Stars title developed by Midoki, and is set on an animated 3D pirate island. The strategic combat game uses dynamic PlunderCam™ technology that allows players to zoom, swivel and manipulate the game camera within a fully rendered 3D environment. Small details and character animations can be examined in close-up, cinematic cuts at literally any point in the game.
"With Plunder Pirates we wanted to bring our knowledge and expertise to mobile and create a genre defining product, with a stunning 3D environment, engaging gameplay, as well as multiple online and social features; we think we've done just that. And thanks to Rovio we are able to reach a far wider audience than we could have ever imagined.” said Chris Gage, Co-Founder of Midoki.
More than 500 delegates from around the world gathered in Brighton for the biggest awards night in the game development industry calendar - and 'Silicon Spa' shone yet again. Seven Leamington Spa-based firms were shortlisted for awards - Exient, Midoki, Christopher Randle, SEGA Hardlight and Playground Games, as well as Team Lumo and Modern Dreams.
Crowdfunding - a whole new dimension to starting a business
Every successful business starts with a good idea. But sometimes, particularly in the early days, the idea needs help.
Last year Institute of Directors West Midlands member Leigh Purnell had a really good idea. Well, two really.
The first idea was the product – Petalite Flux, an eco-friendly external smartphone battery charger which can recharge to 100 per cent in 15 minutes.
The second was to help the first take flight by crowdfunding.
Take flight it certainly has. And in the ever-competitive business world, Petalite Flux has provided compelling proof of how crowdfunding, if properly prepared and diligently delivered, can provide the perfect springboard for a business.
It was early last year when Leigh, a graduate of Aston University, founded Petalite Flux.
For sure it’s a bright idea - a device which fills a gap in the market, enabling phone-users to know they can keep their smartphones charged much more quickly and reliably. But even brainwaves can struggle to attract backers.
So Leigh turned to crowdfunding, a relatively new form of capital-raising whereby investors pledge money, often small amounts, to companies via websites such as Kickstarter, Crowdcube or, the one which Leigh chose, Indiegogo.
There are two types of crowdfunding, reward-based and equity-based, and Indiegogo is one of the latter category where people basically pre-order their products months in advance.
A minimum target is set and, if projects do not hit that investment level, no funding changes hands. Petalite Flux comfortably exceeded its target.
“The Angel investors we went to predictably asked ‘how can you prove there is demand for the product?,' said Leigh. "We needed to give them something solid to go on so thought crowdfunding could be the solution. It was.
"We prepared our campaign over three months last summer, ready to launch with a target of $30,000. We went on Indiegogo on November 17 and now have over $58,000 worth of pre-orders pledged.
“It has given us a huge lift in terms of PR and media and is basically a fantastic springboard for us. Now we are taking it back to investors with something really substantial behind us. Without taking the crowdfunding route, it is unlikely that we would be anywhere near this far down the line."
"We will be going into production soon, a little later than planned because, with the confidence of so many pre-orders, we are building in additional features."
It appears to be a success story which is only just beginning but Leigh Purnell is a man who likes to see things through - you only have to look in the Guinness Book of World Records to see that.
Five years ago, fresh from university, Leigh and two friends decided that, before they got to grips with a lifetime of work, they would do something different. So they set the world record for longest distance travelled in a taxi!
They bought a Coventry-made black cab off e-bay and set off on a trip which amounted to 47,000 miles spanning 51 countries, starting in Covent Garden then travelling through Europe, the Middle-East, India, Australia, Thailand, and the USA before heading back to Britain. As well as setting a world record, the marathon raised £25,000 for British Red Cross.
" We kept the meter running and the fare would have been £79,500," said Leigh. "It was the experience of a lifetime and people all over the world were really kind to us.
"They know how to make those cars in Coventry! It had done 20 years work on the capital’s road before we bought it but it still got us round the world. It was like a tank."
That adventure over, Leigh is now pouring his energies into Petalite. Thanks to crowdfunding, it looks like another winner and more investors would still be welcome (anyone interested can contact Leigh at leigh.purnell@petalite.co.uk).
Crowdfunding is a concept which the Institute of Directors believes has great potential. The IoD's national deputy head of policy Jimmy McLaughlin said: "Crowdfunding has the potential to be the revolutionary financial technology development of the 21st century.
"It is great to see IoD members using this to raise money, but almost as crucially raising profile amongst investors and potential customers."
Warwickshire businesses at the forefront of innovation
Businesses in Warwickshire are among the most innovative in the country according to new research.
Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) has been revealed as the highest-placed LEP in the West Midlands, ranking an impressive 14th nationally, for innovation.
Research by the Enterprise Research Centre, the UK’s leading independent research institute on the drivers behind business growth, revealed that CWLEP has a higher proportion of pioneering businesses creating state-of-the-art goods and services than anywhere else in the region.
Jonathan Browning, chairman of the CWLEP, said the findings had been based on analysis from 14,000 firms across the UK relating to their innovation activity between 2010 and 2012.
“It is the first time the UK has been mapped on innovation geography and the findings show that businesses within the CWLEP area are performing extremely well,” he said. “This report reinforces Coventry and Warwickshire’s growing reputation for innovation and highlights that we are particularly strong at collaborative working and research and design.
“This area has a strong mix of innovative talent in an array of sectors including advanced manufacturing and engineering, digital gaming and the groundbreaking work carried out at the University of Warwick and Coventry University.
“Inward investment remains strong as more companies who are designing their own products or services, or those involved in the supply chain, are moving into the area which is creating clusters of innovative excellence.
“All this helps the CWLEP’s drive to encourage growth, create jobs and boost the economy and shows we are the most innovative place in the West Midlands.”
Professor Stephen Roper, who led the ERC research, said firms’ ability to innovate played an important role in sustaining growth and competitiveness.
He said: “Innovation is strongly linked to growth, exporting and productivity – all areas in which the UK economy needs to improve if we want to boost our international competitiveness.
“The significant variation between different parts of the UK suggests that some localities are succeeding in creating a more innovation-friendly environment than others.”
Developing a Great Team and Great Customer Service
Drawing on his background as an occupational psychologist, Paul Gallichan-Todd has worked in training and development for 10 years. Vastly experienced in customer service and leadership training, Paul is the founder of Capricorn Coaching Ltd.
Here he offers some tips on how business owners can get the best from their workforce.
Developing a Great Team for Great Customer Service
Anyone who manages an organisation or team offering a service wants to know how to start or continue to deliver great customer service. Yet even if our staff know what to do, it doesn't always happen. Worse still, we can have the impression of having told them several times, yet it still doesn't happen.
Tackling the mountain of expectations
Almost all customer expectations are reasonable. We would expect no less ourselves.
However, businesses, or rather, people, consistently fall down in some areas. Consider honestly how well you do in the following areas.
Failing to consider the impact of poor or ‘non’-service
You will almost certainly have experienced this personally. An example is the garage who calls at 4pm to inform you that they won’t repair your car as expected. For them, it’s just another car. To you, it’s that crucial interview you just cannot be late for, the dentist appointment you waited weeks for, or your daughter who cannot be collected from school.
It’s stress, it's hassle, it's extra cost. You wanted service, not hassle.
Does this happen in your business? What is the impact on your customers and the reputation that spreads? How well do your staff manage customer expectations in such circumstances?
Never judge until you've walked a mile in their moccasins
One study found that 94% of customers did not make formal complaints (ie the silent ones who never come back. Are you one of them?) Your staff must understand the impact of poor or ‘non-service' on your customers. Once your team has grasped this, you can help them to find better solutions.
You may have encountered the IBM research which found that we learn best from experience, rather than being told or shown. In which case, to ensure your team really does understand the impact of their actions, get them first to consider problems when they are customers. Find out what the pain was – was it cost, hassle, time or something else? Then get them to identify when your customers have the same experience. The logical progression from here is to coach and give feedback on how well your team delivers service.
Poor feedback
Here are the four top complaints about feedback, both from staff and managers:
- Too vague (“what can I do differently?”)
- Too negative (“I feel attacked and certainly won’t go the extra mile for you.”)
- Too positive (excess feedback diminishes value, plus “what can I do to improve further?”)
- None (“You don’t care about me – plus I have no idea how I’m doing.”)
Do you need to know how you’re performing? Almost everyone does. It could be from your manager, your performance, the board, etc. Consider also that if you fail to provide feedback: "The void created by the failure to communicate is soon filled with poison, drivel and misrepresentation." (C. Northcote Parkinson)
Feedback to move forward
Spend time with your team. It sounds banal, but simple is powerful. Beware the trap that we can fall into: spending most of your time with the best and worst performers. Whilst this is logical, your team might be split by 20% top performers, 70% in the middle and 10% at the bottom. If you spend 70% of your time with the extremes, something is wrong.
Focus on the 70% in the middle: the solid performers who never complain, who just get on with the work, are rarely off sick: the backbone of your business. Yet you spend more time with the extreme performers. So go and talk to the 70%. You will make more impact on them than you know. I have many anecdotes where staff recalled feedback from directors and managers years after the event.
A quick reminder on ingredients of effective feedback: honest, factual, constructive, timely.
Beyond that, there is a danger of charging in with our perceptions and judgements – only to be met by a wall of negativity. The manager consequently complains that the team member is not receptive to feedback. Step back. If you watched ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, there is a lesson there. We initially see how the team struggles to deliver great or effective service.
However, on almost every occasion, Gordon Ramsay focuses his efforts on getting the manager to change how they do things. Ask them how they think they are doing and, of course, have some solid evidence about their performance.
The manager gets the team (s)he deserves. So if you’re not helping your team to perform, how do you expect them to be motivated to perform and go the extra mile? It’s that 70% of your business where you can arguably make most impact.
Conclusion:
We have focused on ensuring that you give your team appropriate feedback and that you and your team consciously consider the impact of ‘non-delivery’ on your customers. It is critical to remember that ‘the customer’s perception…is your reality’. Remember that your staff are your customers too: what is their perception right now?
© 2015 Capricorn Coaching Ltd.
Overseas investors like the look of Warwickshire
Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) is ranked second in the country for new jobs by employment through foreign investment.
Analysis of the UKTI Inward Investment Report 2014-15 reveals that 72.75 new jobs were created through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) per 10,000 in employment in the area.
In terms of FDI projects by population, the CWLEP is ranked fourth of the 38 LEP areas outside London at 0.38 projects per 10,000 residents.
Nearly 3,000 jobs were created in Coventry and Warwickshire over the last 12 months by attracting foreign investment to the UK – the third best performance outside London. In Coventry and Warwickshire, a total of 33 successful Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) led to 2,928 new jobs and the safeguarding of 180 jobs in 2014/15.
Twenty projects were expansions and 13 were new investments with the CWLEP performing strongly in advanced manufacturing and engineering with 21 recorded successes in the sector.
The UKTI and CWLEP supported 28 of the projects over the last 12 months.
Jonathan Browning, chairman of the CWLEP, said over 500 more jobs had been created this year compared to the previous 12 months by companies from overseas investing in Coventry and Warwickshire.
“These figures are extremely encouraging and show Coventry and Warwickshire is heading in the right direction and is one of the best performing regions outside London,” he said.
“It is fantastic that 2,928 new jobs have been created in 2014/15 which is an increase on the previous 12 months when 2,427 jobs were generated through foreign investment in the area.
“Coventry and Warwickshire remains particularly strong in advanced manufacturing and engineering which underlines our strength in attracting global, national and regional businesses in the sector to this area and the highly-skilled jobs they are bringing."
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, board director at CWLEP and leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Our local area is world-renowned in business thanks to our track record in innovation and our highly skilled talent pool.
“We welcome these figures and will continue to work hard to attract inward investment and create quality job opportunities for the residents of Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Cllr Ann Lucas, board director at CWLEP and leader of Coventry City Council, said: “These figures are very impressive and prove that Coventry is open for business. We have so much to offer and we must use our collective strengths to continue to attract more investment and create more jobs. Getting access to investment funds that are available is a key objective to the Government’s combined authority plans.”
Nowhere is Warwickshire's reputation as a growth area stronger than in advanced manufacturing, engineering and digital technology, in which the rising influence of the region is headed by the games development cluster in Leamington, Warwick and Southam known as ‘Silicon Spa.’ Remarkably, the three towns are home to more than 30 studios, directly employing 1,200 people.
Also flagged up in the UKTI report was the boost brought to the Rugby area by the London Taxi Company's pledge to invest £250million in a new research, development and assembly facility at Ansty, near Rugby.
Supported by the UK government’s Regional Growth Fund, that investment by the Chinese owners of the London Taxi Company, Geely, will create up to 1,000 new jobs at Ansty Park.
Dr George Gillespie, CWLEP board director, is highly encouraged by the latest figures. He said: "Advanced manufacturing and engineering remains a major strength for Coventry and Warwickshire as we develop a growing reputation for being a national and international hub in this specialist area.
“The report shows research and design is generally funded through foreign investment and this is vital to increase productivity and remain competitive in the global economy."
Warwick business booming under Dragon's wing
Warwick-based professional photographer Linda Scannell has received a big business boost from former TV Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis.
In January, Linda tweeted Theo about her 'Photography for Busy Business People' training course during Small Business Sunday, an initiative set up by Mr Paphitis that runs weekly.
Theo selected Linda's message to retweet to his 460,000 followers and, as a result, Linda has gained more than 250 new followers on Twitter and received lots of interest in her business photography and videography courses.
Linda attended the annual Small Business Sunday Winners event at the ICC in Birmingham recently and received her certificate from Theo herself.
"Winning SBS has given me and my business a real boost," Linda said. "Many businesses have to try for months or years before Theo notices them. 2014 was a great year for me, being voted one of the Top 10 Most Popular Wedding Photographers in England and selected as a West Midlands regional finalist in the Wedding Industry Awards.
"And now this award from Theo has got 2015 off to a brilliant start. I've had lots of positive feedback from local business people who have attended my workshops to learn how to create their own photos and videos. Now that Theo has recognised my photography course, it's given me the confidence to continue with converting it into an online version so I can share my expertise with businesses all over the UK and abroad."
If you run a small business, Linda highly recommends giving Small Business Sunday a try. "As a winner, I am entitled to a profile on Theo's winners' website which has already improved my ranking on Google. The free SBS Winners Event was very useful too with inspiring business speakers and lots of opportunities to network with fellow winners."
College facility built to meet demand for engineering apprentices
A new high-spec facility built by Warwickshire College Group at their Warwick Trident College will give the region greater capacity for engineers in its skilled workforce.
The £3 million building, jointly financed by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, through the Government’s Growth Deal, and Warwickshire College Group, is being created to meet huge demand and will open next month.
Apprentices for Jaguar Land Rover and SMEs across Coventry and Warwickshire will be taught in the new building with its industry-oriented learning environment. It includes specialist engineering workshops and 18 teaching, computer and specialist engineering technology labs tailored to the high quality courses demanded by industry.
Rachael Stewart, of the Jobs & Skills Business Group at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said the centre was being built to cope with a 350 per cent growth in demand for engineering apprenticeships at Warwickshire College Group since 2010.
She said: “This is the first Skills Capital project funded by the CWLEP and we are extremely proud of the new building.
“One of the main focus areas for the CWLEP is reducing the skills gap and this year there is at least a 20 per cent increase from 2013 needed by employers for engineering apprentices.
“Coventry and Warwickshire is renowned across the world for advanced manufacturing and engineering and this building in Warwick will help to train the next generation of apprentices to learn the skills they need.
“The first intake of apprentices will be focused on drivetrain engineering and product design and the CWLEP is delighted to be supporting a new apprenticeship centre through our Skills Capital budget and the Growth Deal which is designed to unlock growth and development.”
Angela Joyce, Group Principal and Chief Executive of the Warwickshire College Group, said the demand to enrol on full-time engineering courses at the Warwickshire College Group was up by 20% from 2013.
She said: “Jaguar Land Rover is experiencing significant growth and their apprentices at the centre will be working towards different levels whether it is a three or four-year apprenticeship programme or a six-year degree apprenticeship. We are delighted to be working with JLR who are an excellent partner and to be able to support their business growth.
“Just as importantly we are working with SMEs to support their skills requirements; the new Warwick Trident College development will support both global companies and local businesses of all sizes in the region.”
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, CWLEP board director and leader of Warwickshire County Council, said this was the kind of project which the Growth Deal was designed to set-up.
“It is vital we address the skills gap in Coventry and Warwickshire particularly in the engineering sector,” she said. "This new apprenticeship centre will have a major part to play in teaching the practical skills which employers need and it is fantastic to see the building taking shape.”
Photo from left: John Vickery (Warwickshire College Group), Rachael Stewart (Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership), Angela Joyce (Warwickshire College Group) and Cllr Izzi Seccombe (Warwickshire County Council)
Employers signing up in force for autumn Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair
Employers have been urged to attend the area’s largest free jobs, apprenticeships and careers fair organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership at the Ricoh Arena in the autumn.
The Wasps-sponsored Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair will take place in Hall 3 between 10am-6pm on Thursday October 15 to coincide with the nationwide Work Experience Week.
Companies already confirmed as attending range from the NHS to Travis Perkins and BAM Construction to Willmott Dixon as well as City College Coventry, Henley College Coventry, the Warwickshire College Group, Hereward College, Stratford College and North Warwickshire & Hinckley College plus Coventry University and the University of Warwick.
The event has been organised by the CWLEP again following the success of last year when over 2,000 young people and 400 parents attended, leading to a total of 500 apprentices being signed-up by local firms.
CWLEP chairman Jonathan Browning, along with members of the CWLEP’s Jobs and Skills Business Group, will attend the event which will be compèred by Free Radio Coventry breakfast presenter John Dalziel.
Rachael Stewart, of the CWLEP, said the fair was free to attend and free for exhibitors to come along.
“The Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair was a tremendous success last year and we have already started organising the event for 2015,” she said. “It is aimed at students in years 10-13 and their parents/carers and this year it is being held during national Work Experience Week.
“We have already had 30 employers confirm they will be coming along which underlines just how useful they found it.
“It is great that employers make their stands as interactive as possible because that really engages with students and the CWLEP organises the fair to improve skills in the area.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for students to be inspired by the range of options and opportunities that are available for their future careers."
There will be free car parking in car park B at the Ricoh Arena and employers, colleges, universities and training providers wishing to attend should email contact@cwlep.com
Plotting out a great future for young people
A shared commitment to give young people the best possible pathway into employment brought together delegates at a roadshow hosted by Warwickshire County Council.
Old Shire Hall was the grand venue for the PlotR pilot roadshow but while the setting was historic the theme was entirely modern: how to help youngsters into work in the 21st century.
PlotR, an independent, not-for-profit organisation, is a new website created to help young people aged 11-24 discover options ahead of them. It is built around 'The Game' which uncovers career options matched to each youngster's skills, interests and personality.
PlotR aims to bring all the experience and opportunities that employers can offer together into one place. It is a place which is becoming more and more familiar to job-hunters with the site visited by more 20,000 unique users each month.
Warwickshire County Council is among the employers with a profile on PlotR for young people to find and learn about. The council further underlined its commitment to youth employment by hosting the day-long event.
Head of Schools Outreach at PlotR, Laura-Jane Rawlings, said: "It is brilliant that Warwickshire County Council hosted the event, and in such an amazing building. It is that sort of support which allows us to offer the service to young people for free and we very much appreciate their generosity.
"We get wonderful support from employers like WCC and that shows that there is a real desire among employers to do whatever they can to help young people find the right career direction."
The roadshow was attended by training and employment organisations, education providers and key local businesses including National Grid, Network Rail, Jaguar Land Rover and Asda.
In a series of workshops, visitors heard how PlotR is designed to benefit all parties, most importantly providing career guidance for young people while also offering practical support for teachers and a rich source of potential high-quality recruits for employers.
It is also a great help to parents and carers, as Warwickshire County Council's head of human resources Sue Evans testified.
Sue said: "I have a 21-year-old and an 18-year-old and went through the PlotR test with them. It really opened our eyes to a range of options we did not know about. My daughter actually said 'wow' and it was great to see her really engaged by the new ideas.
"At Warwickshire County Council we do our very best to encourage young people into our workforce. Ensuring economic growth and access to quality jobs locally is a big priority for the council and we see young people as a key part of that. That's why we are involved with PlotR."
With 46 apprentices currently learning trades as diverse as forestry and highways to accountancy and community engagement within the council, WCC is very much backing up its words with action.
Laura-Jane Rawlings said: "From talking to young people it is clear that one of the biggest barriers to them has been the lack of careers education around for them. They don't know where to start.
"So PlotR is all about opening their eyes to what is out there. Young people are right at the heart of the project but we also work very closely with employers because we believe the best people to supply information, insight and advice on careers are the employers and staff that live and breathe those careers every day.
"Because of the unique value that employers hold for young people, we intelligently map employer-content and live opportunities into the psychometrically-driven user journeys on PlotR.
"PlotR is all about inspiring children to be the best they can in a way that fits who they are."
Visit PLotRon https://www.plotr.co.uk
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service's plea to business community
Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has asked businesses to help their communities by considering releasing their staff to become retained firefighters.
The request comes as part of the service's biggest recruitment drive yet.
Retained firefighters are an integral part of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service. Although not based at fire-stations, they usually live or work in their local community and carry a pager, so when they get the call, they are ready to respond to any emergency.
Currently, there are over 100 retained firefighters in Warwickshire, responding to the call to keep our communities safe. However, many more are needed, to provide cover at our retained stations during the day, nights and weekends.
Businesses and their workforces are protected 24-hours a day by the Fire and Rescue Service. So this is a great chance for the business community to give something back.
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Local Risk Response Commander, Keith McDermott said: “Retained firefighters play a vital role in keeping communities safer. At present we really need more people to come forward to provide cover in the day time, especially in more rural areas of the county.
“By launching the new campaign, we are hoping to encourage more local businesses to sign up to support their local community by considering releasing their staff to become retained firefighters.
“We are looking to recruit people from all walks of life. No previous experience is needed, but common sense, self-motivation, compassion and the ability to work as part of a team is essential. You must also live or work within five minutes travel time of your nearest fire station and be over 18.
“The job is challenging, but it is also one of the most rewarding careers you will ever have.”
Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Councillor John Horner, said: “Retained firefighters play a crucial role within our communities. Not only do they provide an operational response across the county, but they are an integral part of the local communities they serve.
“If you are considering becoming a retained firefighter or if you are a local business thinking about releasing staff, then there is no better time to step forward and find out what it would mean for you and your business.”
If you are up for the challenge and want to be extraordinary, then log onto www.warwickshire.gov.uk/beextraordinary alternatively, call our retained recruitment team on 01926 852223 for an initial chat.
Deadline looming for prestigious Tourism and Culture Awards
The deadline for entries for Coventry and Warwickshire’s first ever Tourism and Culture Awards has been extended - and been given added prestige.
The glittering awards ceremony will take place at the Ricoh Arena on Thursday September 24 to celebrate the region’s diverse attractions and venues and honour those which provide the best experience.
Seventeen titles are up for grabs including Tourism Event of the Year (sponsored by Warwickshire County Council), Best Retailer, Best Small Hotel, Best Pub and Best Experience, and entrants can apply online via the www.tourismandcultureawards.co.uk website. The deadline to enter is now July 31.
Winners on the night could also be entered into the annual Visit England Awards for Excellence - one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies in culture and tourism.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and Quidem, which owns Touch FM, Rugby FM and Oak FM, are organising the event which also has backing from Warwickshire County Council, the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Coventry City Council.
Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a great opportunity for businesses in our thriving tourism, leisure and culture sector to put themselves in the spotlight.
“Winning an award of this type would bring added profile and should, therefore, drive greater visitor numbers.
“The fact the deadline has now been extended gives even more businesses and attractions the opportunity to put themselves forward and with the added prestige of the chance to be entered into the Visit England Awards it should act as a catalyst for more organisations to get involved.”
Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Warwickshire County Council leader, said: "Our arts, culture, heritage and leisure destinations create a vibrant tourism economy that is the envy of many. More than 23.5 million day and night trips are taken in Coventry and Warwickshire annually and we should celebrate the popularity of our region.”
The full list of categories are: Best Pub, Best B&B or Inn, Small Hotel of the Year, Large Hotel of the Year, Best Restaurant, Best Experience, Best Venue for Music, Arts & Theatre, Best Retailer, Rising Star, Customer Service Award, Culture Award, Kids and Families Award, The History & Heritage Award, The Bright Idea Award, Young Tourism Award, Business Tourism Award and Tourism Event of the Year.
Railway projects advance with WCC backing
A number of key railway projects across the county are advancing this year, assisted by support and investment from Warwickshire County Council.
Those projects include the construction of the new Bermuda Park Rail Station, which forms part of the NUCKLE 1 rail upgrade that has seen two new stations being built on the Coventry to Nuneaton line.
The station at Bermuda Park is much-needed to enable people and businesses in and around the south of Nuneaton to gain quick and easy access to local, regional and national rail networks. It will also improve access to job opportunities in the Nuneaton-Coventry corridor, including serving Bermuda Park industrial estate.
The county council is also investing in the construction of a new railway station at Kenilworth as part of a major rail-enhancement scheme designed to encourage economic regeneration between Nuneaton and Leamington Spa. A new passenger service from Coventry to Leamington will mean that Kenilworth passengers will be able to access a wide number of destinations with just one change. The new station will bring numerous benefits to Kenilworth, attracting visitors and improving the local economy.
Major improvements are also on the way to Stratford’s town railway station thanks to significant support from London Midland and Warwickshire County Council. Stratford station passengers can look forward to a new café, waiting room and retail area.
Warwickshire County Council is committed to ensuring that communities benefit from excellent communications and transport infrastructure - and this commitment has been demonstrated by their backing of these projects throughout the county.
Spa college lecturer joins Worshipful Company
A lecturer at Royal Leamington Spa College has been chosen as one of only eight new Freemen of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers.
Jamie Ward, from Warwick, who has been the course leader for Furniture Crafts at Royal Leamington Spa College for seven years, was made a Freeman at a special admissions ceremony at Furniture Makers’ Hall in London.
The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers was founded as a guild in 1951 and granted Livery 12 years later. It aims to support the highest standards of design, manufacturing, marketing and retailing of all types of furniture and furnishing throughout the United Kingdom.
Jamie said: “It was a real honour to be recognised by the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers in this way. Becoming a Freeman is a real endorsement of the work we have done to raise the profile of furniture crafts both at the college and in the wider community.
"It will give me great opportunities to connect and network with industry leaders and ensure that we are delivering the right skills to our students so they can succeed in the professional world.”
At the ceremony, the Master, Paul von der Heyde, said: “It is heartening to see so many new faces joining from a wide cross section of the furnishing industry. We look forward to them becoming involved in Company activities and value their exceptional skills and experience.”
Aston Martin signs up to WCC's Employability Charter
Aston Martin joined the growing list of businesses to sign up to Warwickshire County Council's Employability Charter when its charter was presented to the company's HR director Michael Kerr by Mark Ryder, Head of Economic Growth at Warwickshire County Council.
The Employability Charter has been very well-supported by the county's business community since its launch in the spring.
Burgis & Bullock, National Grid, Southam College and Stratford-on-Avon College were the first to commit to the Warwickshire Employability Charter when it was launched at a special presentation by councillors at Shire Hall on 20 May. Round Oak School and the three hotels in the QHotels Warwickshire group have also recently signed up and Aston Martin has been warmly welcomed on board too.
Making a commitment is simple: just email skillsforemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk, stating the organisation name to be included in the charter. Your personalised charter will then be e-mailed to you.
A list of organisations that have committed is on the Skills section of the Business area of the council’s website. Schools and colleges are encouraged to discuss the charter with their employer contacts who can also commit by following the process.
Waste courses in the pipeline
"You can profit from your own waste" is among the messages to small and medium-sized businesses from a training course to be delivered by Warwickshire County Council.
Waste Smart is an industry standard training course, developed by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), to be delivered through a series of CIWM approved trainers and centres across the country.
Among those trainers is Warwickshire County Council which is offering businesses the Foundation Waste Smart Course course at just £150 per delegate (including lunch and independent marking of test papers).
The course provides knowledge, guidance and skills that can be adopted by all businesses to reduce the quantity of waste produced, whilst saving money and benefiting the environment.
An investment of £150 could prove a drop in the ocean compared to the savings to be made from astute management of a company's waste. When treated in the correct way, waste can even be a valuable resource and Waste Smart offers the necessary assistance to profit from an often overlooked commodity.
Two courses are in the pipeline, on September 29 and December 14, both at Northgate House in Warwick, though others may be arranged at other venues.
All successful delegates will receive a certificate that is valid for five years.
Not only does the content of the course raise awareness of waste-related financial benefits, the certificate provides a visual representation of a willingness to comply with regulation and develop environmentally efficient work policies.
To find out more please email julieburton@warwickshire.gov.uk
Eliot Park businesses shine at awards
Two companies based at Eliot Park Innovation Centre in Nuneaton have been recognised for their excellence at a ceremonies to celebrate the best of business, skills and support.
At the prestigious Coventry Telegraph Business Awards at the Ricoh Arena, specialist care provider Almond Care won the Professional Service Award while recruitment experts Midlands Professional Development (MPD) were highly commended in the Business Start Up and Entrepreneur category.
Their success further enhances the growing reputation of Warwickshire County Council-run Eliot Park Innovation Centre - and the town of Nuneaton - as a place to do business.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Council Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, said: "I warmly congratulate these two businesses on their successes which come as fully deserved recognition of excellence in their respective fields.
"Their success is a tribute to their skills of the people working for these businesses and also offers evidence of Eliot Park Innovation Centre's high value as a place to do business."
Almond Care was founded six years ago by former critical care nurse Julia Senah, with help from a £15,000 loan from the Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust (CWRT). Offering specialist and bespoke care for adults and children at home, the business began with just Julie and an administration assistant but now employs 70 people with new contracts being won week on week.
MPD, launched in July 2013, delivers an extensive range of tailored training programmes sensitive to clients' needs. Although still a micro-organisation, within two years of start up, the company is firmly established as a leading provider of corporate training, both locally and nationally.
MPD also celebrated a double achievement recently at the Pera Training Skills Support for the Workforce Awards. MPD, along with their client Atherstone-based manufacturers Ace Ceiling Products Ltd, won the Best SSW Provider and Best SSW Employer titles respectively.
Local company sponsors road safety education
The road safety of pupils at two Leamington schools will be enhanced thanks to the generosity of a local business.
O’Brien’s Contractors Ltd, based in Cubbington, have agreed to sponsor road safety education at Cubbington Primary School and Our Lady and St Teresa’s Primary School for the next year.
From September, the way that road safety in Warwickshire is delivered in primary schools will change. All schools have the opportunity to sign up to the Warwickshire Road Safety Club, but most will need to pay a small charge for the education they receive from it.
Over the past few months Warwickshire County Council’s Road Safety Team has been making contact with local businesses to encourage them to sponsor road safety in their local primary schools.
There are plenty of incentives for businesses to get involved. As well as materially helping to keep children and other vulnerable road users safe, they show a commitment to play an active and supportive role in their local community.
O'Brien's Contractors have made a donation of £1,600 to offer support which will enable the Cubbington schools to have the complete Warwickshire Road Safety Club package of support.
That package comprises a range of initiatives such as the Junior Road Safety Officer scheme, classroom sessions and assemblies, practical pedestrian training and other initiatives aimed at raising children's road safety awareness and skills.
The schools will run a series of initiatives throughout the year including the popular Warwick the Bear roadshow for 5-year-olds, Kerb Safe pedestrian training for 6 – 7 year olds and the Junior Road Safety Officer scheme for 10 – 11 year olds. Other activities will include assemblies and classroom sessions from a Road Safety Officer.
Peter O’Brien, managing director of O’Brien Contractors, is proud to be supporting the schools. He said: “Having been educated at Our Lady and St Teresa’s Primary School, along with my two brothers and fellow company directors, Mick and Simon, we welcomed the opportunity to play our part with Warwickshire County Council and the two local schools.
“The O’Brien family has been part of the local community since the 1950s when our father and mother moved from Ireland and made Cubbington their home. My father formed O’Brien Contractors over 50 years ago and the village has been the location for its headquarters ever since, benefitting from employing many local and highly skilled people.”
“The importance of road safety cannot be stressed enough and as a significant employer in the area, we welcomed the chance to get involved in the road safety scheme, ensuring the welfare of the young people in Cubbington.”
Get involved:
To find out more about becoming a sponsor for road safety education at a Warwickshire School please email roadsafety@warwickshire.gov.uk or call 01926 412404.
CSW Broadband scheme proving a big success
A scheme to supply faster Broadband Connection to businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire has met with immediate success.
During the first month of the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire (CSW) Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme in Warwickshire, 74 applications were received with the vast majority of them approved. The total value of vouchers approved in the first month was £19,513.
CSW Broadband is a partnership between Warwickshire County Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Coventry City Council, BT and the Department for Culture Media & Sport.
The scheme, designed to make faster broadband available to rural areas, is proving to be very popular with the demand high but further applications would be very welcome.
If you are a business, charity or other eligible organisation (even if you operate from home) then you could claim up to £3,000 towards the cost of your connections. Even if the fibre network hasn’t reached you yet, there may be other technologies that could be used.
For more information about the scheme in Coventry or Warwickshire please visit: http://www.cswbroadband.org.uk/the-project/broadband-connection-voucher-scheme
David pledges to make Coventry and Warwickshire voice heard
After joining the Institute of Directors' West Midlands committee as its Coventry and Warwickshire representative, David Trevis-Smith intends to ensure that his area's voice is heard - and its value is heard about.
David, founder of Studley-based DTS Solutions, believes that the business community in Coventry and Warwickshire has loads to shout about - but, compared to other areas, it does have a tendency to keep its light under a bushel.
That is something that, as regional delegate, he intends to change. David will be doing all he can to ensure that the strength, depth, range and quality of businesses in the area are fully and broadly recognised.
"The Coventry and Warwickshire business sector has so much to be proud of but often we are not awfully good at shouting about it, are we?" he said.
"I will be doing all I can to tell people just what the area has to offer. There is an awful lot to shout about.
"In this area we are right at the cutting edge of technology and sometimes there is a tendency to look far and wide for solutions when the answer is right here on your own patch. "
Cradley Heath-born David, a long-term resident of Coventry and Warwickshire and whose wife hails from Coventry, is an expert at restoring old buildings and preserving them for the nation. It is a process in which DTS Solutions has been involved since he first founded the business to take up an 18-month project for the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust, for whom he had previously done voluntary work.
But David's business experience is wide. Before founding DTS Solutions, he was managing director of a manufacturing business and then director of MOST management development centre.
A chartered director, David is delighted to be stepping up his involvement with the IoD and is keen to set up plenty of events to bring its Coventry and Warwickshire members together.
"The IoD is a great source of expertise and support for its members," he said. "I just want to build on that and get more and more of our business people together and networking, sharing their knowledge and experience because there is so much of it in this area."
Rapid growth and new office for Clarke Oil - specialist oil distributor responding to renewed demand
Written by Jacob Roberts, Business Information Manager, CW Growth Hub
Business is up at Clarke Oil, a family-run specialist oil distributor in Studley, with a passion for their products and an ethos of building close relationships with customers. Clarke Oil is not simply a distributor. They also work very closely with their customers, in a consultative style, to ensure that each customer’s need is fully met.
Through providing such a thorough service, it is perhaps unsurprising that interest in Clarke Oil and their products has skyrocketed. This increase in demand for recently led to them overgrowing their workplace and seeking to expand.
Clarke Oil, employing four people, contacted CW Growth Hub in mid-April 2015 to see what support was available to assist them in growing their business. It was at that time that they were introduced to Phil Peak, Senior Account Manager at CW Growth Hub.
“Rapid growth in a small business can sometimes be difficult to respond to,” Phil said, “Limited resources can restrict capacity, leaving a choice between comfortable stagnation or the uncertainty of continued investment.
“Working with Clarke Oil, I knew straight away that their business was not only well run, but dead-set on growth. My goal was to support Clarke Oil in reinvesting in their business and help them to reap the rewards of sustained growth,” Phil told us.
Having gained an understanding of Clarke Oil and their situation, Phil weighed up the options available to assist them in the expansion of their premises. This then lead to him introducing Clarke Oil to Tim Powell of the University of Warwick Science Park.
Working with Tim, Phil helped Clarke Oil to apply for a grant through the Rural Growth Network (RGN). Their application was accepted and Clarke Oil received £10,000 towards the cost of renovating their workplace. Their brand new office space, located within their warehouse, has now been completed and Clarke Oil is looking at a bright and busy future.
At the opening of their new office space, we spoke to Emily Clarke, co-owner of Clarke Oil.
Emily Clarke said: "The business had reached a natural plateau. We had reached a point where we needed to grow the business to enable us to expand, pitch for new customers and maintain the existing ones.
"So I did some research and came across the Micro Enterprise Grants. And I'm so glad I did.
"We received a grant which enabled us to develop our IT Infrastructure, allowing us to streamline all of our internal processes, and acquire a new office unit within our existing storage premises.
"The business could move forward again and we were equipped to grow as needed. And that's what has happened. Securing Key Distributor status for two major oil companies and strong vision for growth has all been aided by the support received. .
"But the grant wasn’t just about the money. Every single person we dealt with at the Growth Hub, and the Rural Growth Network were brilliant. We received excellent free advice on all sorts of areas and if the person we were dealing with could not help they always found us somebody who could.
"It’s been an amazing journey and I couldn't recommend the Micro Enterprise Grants more highly."
The Rural Growth Network is managed by Warwickshire County Council on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and is funded by Defra. The micro enterprise grant scheme is allocated to micro-enterprises, businesses with less than ten employees.
Italian expertise accessed thanks to CWLEP grant
A Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership grant has provided the foundation stone for a business to add a new dimension to its growing reputation.
The CWLEP grant enabled Planet Granite, formed in 2002 by Steve Mitchell, to enhance their range with the addition of state-of-the-art Italian CNC stone-processing equipment.
Visitors to Planet Granite's rural workshops and showroom in Devitts Green Lane, Arley, now see the latest machine from Prussiani Engineering, the manufacturer of machines for major global projects like the famous Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Steve, who visits northern Italy every month to select the materials used by Planet Granite for their granite and quartz worktops, decided earlier this year to take a tour of the factories producing the latest stone-working machines from Italy. He subsequently purchased and imported a five-axis Prussiani CNC bridge saw – the only one of its kind in the UK – thanks to the grant from CWLEP which is supported by the government’s Regional Growth Fund.
Along with other investments totalling over £200,000, the new equipment will enable the production capabilities of Planet Granite to grow fivefold which, Steve says, will lead to the recruitment of at least four more employees in the next two years.
He said: “The new machines have improved our quality and capabilities beyond our imagination and, like any manufacturing business, it’s all about the investment in systems and technology that make it a success."
CWLEP board member Cllr June Tandy said: "The constant reinvestment in the skills of the staff and the machinery at Planet Granite were among the reasons for their success.
“The Regional Growth Fund paid for a quarter of one of their new machines and the time this has saved means they can take on more orders from customers throughout the Midlands and the rest of the UK."
Love2Bike courses can keep people safe and benefit business
Employers and other organisations have been urged to get involved with Road Safety Warwickshire's Love2Bike campaign to promote the safety of cycling and its many benefits.
Love2Bike, a combined adult cycle and awareness initiative, will be launched on 21st July in Nuneaton, starting with a bespoke training programme for Warwickshire Fire & Rescue and Warwickshire Police.
Cycling for both leisure and commuting has numerous benefits in terms of health, well-being and the environment and this has considerable knock-on benefits for businesses. An increase in cycling amongst employees can mean a happy, healthier and more productive workforce - and lead to decreased demand for employee parking spaces.
Despite cycling being statistically a very safe mode of transport, road casualties involving cyclists have increased over the past five years. As a result, Road Safety Warwickshire has developed a training course aimed at adult cyclists and currently delivered primarily within the area of occupational road risk.
Chris Fossey, Warwickshire County Council's Road Safety Project Leader is keen for employers and organisations to get in touch to hear about the range of bespoke training solutions available to equip their staff with the skills and knowledge for safer cycling.
Chris said: "Through a mixture of theory and practical training sessions, our highly experienced cycle instructors can provide the skills and confidence required to handle the urban commute to work."
Interested organisations are asked to contact chrisfossey@warwickshire.gov.uk or call 01926 418612.
Leamington-based GRM on the fast track to success
A Leamington company is on the fast track to success after designing new seats for trains serving the eastern counties of England.
GRM has spent six months developing a prototype of lighter, safer seats for Greater Anglia and Eversholt Rail.
The 15-strong business has joined forces with Coventry-based Automotive Trim Developments (ATD) who will be manufacturing the 10,000 seats to be installed from September.
The project is great news for GRM, based at Edmund House in Rugby Road, but may not have been finalised without the support of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub after GRM managing director Martin Gambling met account manager Carolyn Reily at the Automotive Engineering Show at the NEC.
With Carolyn’s help, GRM applied for a grant from the Big City Deal which is run by Coventry University Enterprises. The funding enabled the recruitment of design engineer Ashley Fulham to work on the project full-time after GRM and ATD had already made significant investments in the prototype stage.
Martin said: “We were 80 per cent there and the extra funding was the final piece in the jigsaw because we didn’t have the time or the resources to take things to the production design level.
“The project wouldn’t have developed as smoothly without having a full-time member of staff working solely on this and, from ATD’s perspective, it has been helpful to know they are investing their knowledge in a permanent member of our staff.
“We hope this will lead to work with other train companies as a new and exciting part of our business. Working in sectors such as automotive and motorsport, where we develop and provide optimisation software products and services, the opportunity to expand into the rail industry is an exciting one.”
He added: “Talking to Carolyn it became apparent there was support for what we needed and it was really helpful having the support of the Growth Hub to discover there is a service available to help SMEs.”
The Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub is a one-stop-shop for support and advice for businesses across the area, which was formed by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership as part of its City Deal bid to government.
Partners involved include the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, UKTI, local authorities across the sub-region, Coventry University, the University of Warwick and the Manufacturing Advisory Service, which is now part of the Business Growth Service.
Craig Humphrey, managing director of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub, said GRM is an innovative business which is driving forward into new markets.
He said: “GRM had a fantastic train seat which had passed stringent safety tests at MIRA in Nuneaton but just needed funding to turn it from a prototype into the finished product.
“The seat is now production ready and by working with another local company – ATD in Coventry – it will be installed in time for passengers travelling on Greater Anglia trains in the winter.”
Rugby butcher achieves Q Guild status
An award-winning Warwickshire butchers' shop has been granted a prestigious honour – membership of the national Butchers Q Guild.
Joseph Morris in Bryant Road, Rugby, is recognised as one of the highest quality butchers in the UK after receiving The Q Guild brand seal of excellence.
The Q Guild has just 110 members, all award-winning butchers from the Scottish Highlands to the south coast.
Joseph Morris Butchers, which also has shops in South Kilworth and Wigston in Leicestershire, was established in 1930 and is now into its fourth generation as a family-run business. All the shop’s meat is home-grown or sourced locally, reducing food miles and ensuring that all animals are stress-free.
Rugby shop manager Roger Scott said: “Local produce is very important to us in terms of quality for customers and welfare for the animals.
“As we have our own fully licensed, EC-approved abattoir, we can also control all the products from farm to fork, so guaranteeing full high quality animal welfare and full traceability right up to the retail counters of our three shops.
“We’re delighted to become members of the Q Guild – we hope this will help take our shops from strength to strength.”
Gordon Newlands, general manager of the Q Guild, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Joseph Morris Butchers to the Q Guild. We know that their quality and innovation will sit very nicely with the values of the Guild.”
Smallfry boss is among the big fish
Warwickshire-based Steve May-Russell was among the winners at the recent Institute of Directors' West Midlands Director of the Year Awards.
At a celebration breakfast attended by more than 200 business leaders at the Edgbaston home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Steve collected the Director of the Year award in the Small Business category.
Steve, managing director of Wolston-based Smallfry, is a highly-respected figure, locally and nationally, for his sustained contribution to the British design industry spread over 30 years.
The full list of winners at the IoD West Midlands Director of the Year awards is: Brian Hall of BHSF Employee Benefits Limited (West Midlands Director of the Year): Steve May-Russell of Smallfry (Director of the Year, small business category): Dan Thombs of Comau (Director of the Year, large business category): Philip Mayling of MKG Foods (Family Director of the Year): Dean Kavanagh of Geotech UK (Young Director of the Year): Martin Gower (Public Sector Director of the Year): Guy Mucklow of Postcode Anywhere (Corporate Social Responsibility).
The Not for Profit award went to Lee Hendon of The Jaffray Care Group, a fitting reward for a 27-year career in nursing which now sees her lead an organisation that makes a huge difference to the lives of vulnerable adults and those with learning difficulties across the region.
"Don't sell to people you've just met," is the advice
A recent business growth event left delegates plenty of food for thought with some top tips on how to network more effectively.
One of the key messages arising from Info2Grow: A New Beginning was "Don’t sell to people you’ve just met" as it is better to build good relationships with contacts. You will then gain their trust and the rewards will follow later.
At the event, organised by Stewart, Fletcher & Barrett chartered accountants (SFB), Lloyds Bank, Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, Cambron Limited, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses, the networking presentation was delivered by SFB Director, Jon Sargent.
He offered delegates tips for introducing themselves and also spoke about the GAINS approach to networking, which provided a useful insight into what you should talk about when networking.
Stewart, Fletcher & Barrett's marketing manager Cheryl Stanley said: “Networking is a vital element of any firm’s marketing strategy. So, it was fantastic for delegates to hear some top tips for making it more effective.”
Anyone interested in attending future business growth events in Nuneaton should email events@sfb.uk.com to be added to the Info2Grow event mailing list.
Meanwhile , SFB are celebrating a special anniversary with managing director Paul Carvell having joined the company 25 years ago. It was June 1, 1990 when Paul arrived at the group.
“When I joined SFB, I couldn’t have imagined that in 25 years time I would be standing here as managing director of the firm," he said. "I am extremely proud of how the firm has grown over the years and a large part of that is down to the team I have around me.”
At a presentation to mark the milestone, Paul spoke about what SFB was like when he first joined in 1990. The firm had just one computer while staff members used typewriters and gave shorthand dictation.
Energy company expands at Stoneleigh Park
The future is looking green for the UK branch of an international renewable energy company after it expanded its Warwickshire-based offices and team.
agriKomp, which sells and installs biogas plants for farms, has enlarged its offices at Stoneleigh Park to cater for increased demand in business across the UK.
The firm has taken the last remaining floor of its building at Stoneleigh Park meaning it will grow its floor space and workforce by 30 per cent.
Steven Cook, operations director of agriKomp, said: “We have recently successfully completed a number of large projects which means the demand for servicing the new plants is greater than ever.
“We chose to expand our premises in Stoneleigh Park, rather than move, for a number of reasons. It is in an ideally-located, central setting and is also a hub for renewable energy, sustainability and biotechnology industries so perfectly fits our agricultural ethos.”
agriKomp currently employs 18 staff in Stoneleigh and more than 800 worldwide and has on its books projects throughout Europe including operations in Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy and France.
Colin Hooper, estates director at Stoneleigh Park, said: “It is great to hear of another agri-techcompany thriving here.
“LaSalle Investment Management, which manages Stoneleigh Park, refurbished agriKomp’s building two years ago, and it is really encouraging to see it grow and take on all the space for its UK headquarters.
“The company’s activities fit in perfectly with our long term aims for Stoneleigh Park as an internationally-renowned centre of rural and farming excellence.”