Hive - Blackburn & Darwen Business Leaders Network

‘Arte et Labore’: By skill and hard work

Wednesday 1st October 2014, Blackburn Rovers Football Club, Blackburn

Welcome and opening remarksRichard Slater, Editor

‘The Buzz’Khalid Saifullah, Chair of the Hive Network &

Director of Star Tissue UK

Congratulations Hive!Commended for ‘Improving the business environment’

From left to right:• Sir Rod Aldridge• Cllr Kate Hollern, Leader BwD• Ed Vaizey MP• Neville Reyner CBE, Young Chamber

Hive on the global stageInternational Festival for Business 2014, Liverpool

In good company with: • Precision Polymer Engineering • Promethean• WEC• … and the Prime Minister

InvestmentTransforming Blackburn town centre

• New Bus Station: Feb-15• New Leisure Centre: March-15 • New Cathedral Quarter: Sept-15- 60 bed Premier Inn Hotel- 32,000 sq ft Grade A office building- New Clergy Court- New public square and gardens

Hive businesses in the newsFancy some home renovations?!

• Crown – pre tax profits up to £22m at Dec-2013

• Graham & Brown – CoolBrands status 5 years running!

• Herbert Parkinson – taking on 15 new staff

Education and skillsTwo new buildings opened over the summer

Regional Automotive Technology Hub• £5.5m • Audi, BMW, Nissan, VW-

Skoda, independent sector

• Meeting known skills gaps – Service Centre Management, Sales, Parts Distribution and Supply

Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio School

• Police Street, Darwen (behind the Leisure Centre)

• Combing work and education – placements, projects, professional qualifications

• Entry at Year 10 and 6th Form

• Specialisms in Business & Law and Creative Digital Media (Health, Social and Child Care from Sept-15)

Launching a Plan for ProsperityTuesday 18th Nov 2014 11-2 - Hive members welcomeVenue… Securing greater prospects for the

Borough over the next 6 years

• Infrastructure & housing• Business investment and innovation• Employability• Quality of life• IMAGE AND MARKETING!!!

Prosper NOW!...Final call for Lancashire projects seeking Regional Growth Fund monies through Regenerate Pennine Lancs

The Borough leading the way on projects across the County

• ABG – grants of £20k upwards

• FUSE – grants up to £50k for companies trading less than 3 years

23rd October 2014, 08:30-17:30, Dunkenhalgh• Free event for Lancashire’s

SMEs• Key note speech from

Lancashire’s Dragon’s Den investment winning entrepreneur Kirsty Henshaw (‘Kirsty’s’ – a range of healthy and nutritious ready meals)

• Topics for the day – Winning websites; Online customer relationship management; Using social media in business; How to use “the Cloud”

Register at www.superfastlancashire.com

Enjoy the event, and keep in touch…

• 200+ members and growing – Meltech Engineering, Presspart Manufacturing

• Monthly newsletter• @HiveBwD• Interactive website

www.business-hive.co.uk

‘Rovers’ return’Mike Cheston, Finance Director,

B.R.F.C