B E L O N G . C O N N E C T . S U C C E E D .

Meet CajaWe talk to Caroline Brown about all things CAJA

Thinking social valueWhat is it and why does it matterfor business?

PlusStaffordshire Business Awards 2019Export team has bumper yearLatest member newsNext stop for HS2

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SPRING 2019

WE HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY BUSY OVER

THE PAST FEW MONTHS, LAUNCHING

OUR NEW BRAND IDENTITY, NEW

WEBSITE AND INTRODUCING NEW

MEMBERS TO THE TEAM, ALL ALONGSIDE

SUPPORTING OUR MEMBERS AND LOCAL

STAFFORDSHIRE BUSINESSES.

WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE

HAVE ACHIEVED - IT HAS BEEN A REAL

TEAM EFFORT AND SHOWCASES SOME

OF OUR CORE CHAMBER VALUES - BEING

ACCESSIBLE, RELEVANT AND BOLD.

WITH OUR NEW LOOK, WE’RE NOW

ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT IN MUCH GREATER

DETAIL ALL THAT’S GREAT ABOUT

BUSINESS IN STAFFORDSHIRE.

WELCOME

SPRING 19.

PAUL FARMER OBE, PRESIDENT STAFFORDSHIRE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

6.

22.

36. 52.

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is proud to hold the ISO 9001 Quality Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management standards.

CONTENTS

OUR PATRONS

6. 8.

12.16.

18.

22.

24.

30.

32.

34.

36.42.

46.48.

52.

56.

Meet Caja

Winning work through doinggood

Patron Profile - Karen Dobson

Capital allowances - explodingthe myths

Exporting - Successes and Training

Staffordshire Business Awards 2019

JCB's World leading factoryproject forges ahead

Question time with ExtramileCommunications

Big boost for Staffordshire women

The physical attraction of workplace wellbeing

Next stop for HS2

Finest, Future Finest and eventsfor your diary

Members News - Talent

Member News - Growth and Success

Members News - Making a Difference

Welcome to New Members

We are extremely grateful to the following companies for their continued support of

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce

12.

18.

Caja is an innovative business transformation organisation, based on Keele University Science & Innovation Park. Our key areas of expertise lies in integrated organisational improvement, optimisation and transformation - Process, Technology and People, partnering with our clients not only to deliver successful outcomes, but to see that change is embedded and sustainable, across the whole organisation and wider connected communities.

Founded in 2015, our heritage at Caja is collaborating with organisations to solve complex business and organisation problems and deliver large transformational change, including significant expertise in global shared services and outsourcing - its in our DNA. Our clients are in both the private and public sectors, from FTSE 250 organisations to Local and Central Government, NHS and other Social and Health Care organisations in

England and Scotland, Higher Education and Further Education.

Caroline tells us why they’ve become a new patron:

She said: “The business has been running for four years now, originally operating from Knutsford and now from offices on the Keele University Science Park where we moved two years ago.

“We work on a huge range of projects with clients across the country and although we have some customers in Staffordshire, we’d really like to make available our skills experience and expertise to organisations throughout the county.

“Staffordshire has such a diverse range of businesses and talent. We want to tap into that and build, lasting sustainable relationships with companies here. Staffordshire Chambers will be a real vehicle to help us do that and we’re really looking forward to working with them and getting to know all the fantastic businesses on our doorstep.”

Our unique operating model enables us to bring together a community of experienced subject matter experts, who have a breadth and depth of knowledge and skills, together with a number of partner organisations, who support us, particularly with specialist technology enablement and digital solutions, that include Robotic Process Automation (RPA), machine learning, digital infrastructure and channel shift, as well as behavioural scientists. This powerful combination enables us to develop leading edge innovative solutions for clients and then work alongside client organisations to support delivery of the programmes and projects, embed change and transfer knowledge and skills to the organisation to develop sustainable capability.

Caroline sits on a working party with Crown Commercial Services that aims to improve the relationship for SME’s working with the Government.

6. MEET CAJA

MEETCAJA

CAROLINE BROWN MANAGING DIRECTOR - CAJA

01782 443020 cajagroup.com

"We work on a huge range of projects with clients

across the country "

9.WINNING WORK THROUGH DOING GOOD

What is social value and social impact? Just corporate busswords or something more?

Actually, they mean much the same, and there is an important point behind them. There is a growing awareness that we all need to be more aware of the difference we make and how we account for it. It highlights what contribution to society do businesses, communities and investments make?

Businesses of all sizes need to recognise the importance of social value to their organisation and that the appeal in measuring it is that economic valuation techniques can be used and therefore hard answers can be given.

So, what is social value? Social Value UK states that social value is, ‘the quantification of the relative importance that people place on the changes they experience in their lives’. In its simplest form, social value is therefore a measure of what matters to everyone who is affected by the actions of your business.

Thinking about matters beyond the balance sheet is becoming increasingly important as government relies more and more on businesses taking on the mantel of implementing social policy. Businesses also need to respond to changing consumer habits, a growing ‘millennial’ workforce and a wider need to be responsible for their products and services and the impact on society and the environment.

In 2013 the Public Services (Social Value) Act came into force, requiring people who commission public services to think about how they can also secure wider social, economic and environmental benefits. Before they start the procurement process, commissioners are encouraged to think about whether the services they are going to buy, or the way they are going to buy them, could have an impact, intended or otherwise, on the area and all stakeholders.

In March this year the Government has launched a consultation to look at how it should take account of social value in the commissioning of central government contacts. With the Social Value Act increasingly embedded into local government procurement practices it is interesting to see how central government is following suit and the issues they are seeking to influence.

Social Value and Stoke-on-Trent City Council

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 came into force on January 31st 2013, but six years on what does it mean for local businesses seeking to work with, and for, Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Essentially the Act states that it requires ‘public authorities to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public services, contracts and for connected purposes.’

Councillor Janine Bridges, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Economy states that social value is an ‘enormous consideration’ for them, when they are looking to award contracts.

Councillor Bridges said: “Social value is vitally important.”

“In simple terms we interpret it as being about what a supplier is giving back to the community or is providing the community with as part of their service delivery. When we’re looking to award contracts – there is a 60% weighting for cost and a 40% weighting on social value.”

“Businesses really need to think about social value, and what they are doing about it as part of their service, or product offer, especially if they are looking to supply to the City Council, it can mean the difference between getting the job or not and of course, it’s really important that they want to give something back.”

Additional information on the City Council’s procurement process can be seen at stoke.gov.uk/procurement

"BUSINESSES REALLY NEED

TO THINK ABOUT SOCIAL

VALUE, AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING ABOUT IT"

WINNING WORK THROUGH DOING GOOD

The Chambers’ experience of our members attitude to doing business is that they care deeply about the society and the environment of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and are keen always to give something back.

We know that the more businesses that understand their social value, the more contracts those businesses can win, improving the prosperity for all people of Staffordshire.

In response to Members’ interests, we were the first Chamber to have a Social Value Forum. If you would like to steer our work and help other businesses in this area, contact Matthew Lowe at matthew.lowe@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

We support Members looking to win contracts by helping with bid writing training; CIPs qualifications and Social Value Training.

See our full calendar of training courses at staffordshirechambers.co.uk/training

How can the Chambers support my business?

Staffordshire Chambers was the first Chamber of Commerce to join Social Value UK and Social Enterprise UK, promoting their services to our members.

We remain the only Chamber of Commerce to be signed up to the UN Global Compact, the international organisation responsible for the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that everything we do contributes to tackling some of the biggest problems globally.

The Chambers’ can help you find projects that you can get involved with – we have 26 members who are charities; we run some amazing work in schools linking business to young people; we can use your expertise to mentor others, including start ups and women wanting to return to work – and many other links across the whole of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

For more information contact Sarah Colclough at sarah.colclough@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Julie Mirowski, Director of Newcastle-under-Lyme based Rydale Roofing Ltd firmly believes in the importance of embedding social value in her business, she says, “Businesses really need to understand how measuring their social impact as a business can lead to winning more tenders.”

“With competition on tenders, especially within the construction sectors, being tight, having a strong positive impact from your business can often mean the difference between winning or losing that contract.”

Margaret Michell, Chair of the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Social Value Forum, believes that social value is important for both employer and employees.

“The world is starting to think in a more socially sustainable way, our consumers are becoming more aware of it so businesses should be too. I believe that social value is the right way forward for everyone, no matter how big or small your organisation. Instead of making decisions based solely on profit, we need to consider the wider implications,” said Margaret.

“Maintaining a socially responsible business can be easier than you think. If you take a look at what other businesses are doing then you may even realise that you are already doing some of these things yourself, you just didn’t realise that they were making an impact.”

Social Value the business view

As local and central government has embedded social value into their procurement practices it is essential for businesses looking to win those contracts to be able to demonstrate their social value.

Caroline Brown is the Managing Director of Keele based Caja and the newest Patron of Staffordshire Chambers.

Caroline sits on a working party with Crown Commercial Services that aims to improve the relationship for SME’s working with the Government. Part of this work is looking at what businesses wanting to work for and supply to Government departments and what those businesses need to do win those contracts.

She says that social value has a real part to play in this, “Often businesses are already doing things inherently that could come under the heading of social value.”

If you’re tendering for big pieces of work with public sector organisations, it needs to be demonstrated on paper.

“It can be as simple as having an apprenticeship scheme or putting on training courses for staff to really develop skills in the workplace.

“It can be helping local charities, choosing a charity of the year to support with various fundraising activities or at Christmas donating food to the local foodbank. With some of the projects we run, we make sure health and wellbeing days are included for members of staff delivering the work.

“For us, it’s not just about building social value into our tendering documents, it’s about it being an integral part of our business. We truly want to give back to the community in which we live and work as well as where our clients deliver services.”

11.

CAROLINE BROWN MANAGING DIRECTOR - CAJA

"The world is starting to think in a more socially sustainable way."

WINNING WORK THROUGH DOING GOOD

Karen Dobson, Principal and Chief Executive of Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG), talks through her career journey and recent OBE award win.

Karen started her career in the public sector as a nurse, before going into teaching. Following which she joined Newcastle College in 2002, where she was promoted to principal in 2004. In her time at NSCG, Karen and the team have seen it grow from strength to strength.

1. As the leader of the largest and such a successful FE college in Staffordshire, how do you ensure that NSCG is always developing and moving forward?

To be successful in any business you must innovate and change. That means always focusing on what’s important in the education business and making sure that everything we do has a positive impact on students. If not, you must question why you’re doing it and often that means you have to change.

As a recently merged institution, Newcastle College and Stafford College have undergone a whole institutional review of curriculum and curriculum delivery to ensure that we provide a great student experience on both our sites. Key to that is having the best staff doing the right things. Like any good business, we invest in staff training and development. It’s important to us to have happy and well-trained staff as well as delighted students and customers.

NSCG also has a great group of Corporation members, many of whom have seen improvements and innovations at Newcastle College and now NSCG. They want the best for the College and provide just the right amount of support whilst challenging myself and my senior team in order to get it.

PATRONIN PROFILE

13.PATRON PROFILE

KAREN DOBSON PRINCIPAL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE - NEWCASTLE & STAFFORD COLLEGES GROUP

2. What are your aspirations for NSCG in the next few years?

Our newly launched Strategic Plan is called ‘Committed to Excellence’ and that sums up our aspirations and ambitions quite nicely. We have a good local and national reputation and that takes work; everyone needs to be committed to being better.

I want students and apprentices who study with us to be proud of their achievements and for NSCG to be the obvious choice for education and skills provision in Staffordshire. Having top class teaching and learning facilities is an important factor in this and currently we’re working hard to deliver a significant capital project that will bring all of our estate on both our college sites up to the same high standard.

3. If you could engage further with local businesses, what support would you ask of them?

Our approach in our work with local business is to develop a long-term relationship of trust, which will hopefully ensure our employers get the training for their staff that supports their business needs, whatever the latest government policy on training happens to be. We work with partners who commit their precious time to help support the development of employability skills in our full-time students.

Therefore, in addition to our work as an apprenticeship training provider (we currently have more than 2000 trainees and work with more than 850 employers) we’re always hoping employers will help to support our full-time students by providing ‘live brief’ opportunities, site visits, or delivering talks to students about the real world of work. Of course, we’re always looking for significant work experience opportunities too.

4. After working in the NHS for 13 years, how did you manage the transition into the education sector?

I loved my work in the health service, particularly the years I spent as a Ward Sister (now Ward Manager). However, after a period working in the community as a Health Visitor, I realised I enjoyed the teaching side of this role and was fortunate enough to move into a lecturer role where I was able to utilise my experience to teach students about the job I’d just left.

However, in my first year as a lecturer I can honestly say I’ve never worked so hard in my life. The amount of preparation and ‘out of class’ work expected of a teacher was a shock to me and it hasn’t got any better…. teachers are amongst the most hard working individuals I’ve ever come across.

5. What advice would you give to other women in business?

Work hard and have the highest expectations of yourself and others, but always remember everyone can have a bad day. You certainly get more from people with a little praise and remembering to say thank you for a job well done. I’ve been extremely lucky and at various points I’ve had some great role models (male and female). I’ve also seen what happens when it goes wrong and if you’ve got any sense, you learn from both.

6. How does it feel to have been awarded an OBE in the Queens 2019 New Year’s Honours list?

Completely unexpected - it really was a big surprise and I am extremely ‘chuffed’. However, I know that I couldn’t do my job without the fantastic support of many people, particularly my close team at work and, of course my family, so this honour is definitely shared with them.

If you would like to support NSCG please contact 01782 725111 or visit nsgc.ac.uk

14. 15.PATRON PROFILEPATRON PROFILE

KAREN DOBSON PRINCIPAL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE - NEWCASTLE & STAFFORD COLLEGES GROUP

CAPITAL ALLOWANCES

EXPLODING THE MYTHS

4. We’re loss-making so can’t benefit from making a CA claim

CAs are a flexible form of tax relief. If a company, partnership or individual is loss making, the relief can be either carried back (via the loss carry back rules), carried forward or surrendered via group relief. In certain circumstances it may be possible to surrender a loss arising from a CA claim to HMRC in return for a payable tax credit – resulting in a beneficial cash-flow boost.

5. It’s only a timing benefit that will be clawed back when we sell the property

It’s a common misconception that making a CA claim reduces a building’s base cost for capital gains purposes. This is generally not the case – unless the property is sold at a loss. Furthermore, since April 2014 the transfer of allowances when a property is sold often requires agreement between the buyer and seller which can act to protect the seller against any claw back of relief.

6. The previous owner of the property has claimed all of the CA

The rules surrounding CA on second-hand properties are particularly complex, and there may be an opportunity to identify previously unclaimed allowances. This can be for several reasons:

• The seller is not entitled to claim (e.g. as a charity, pension fund or similar non-tax paying entity);

• The property has been owned for over 10 years (additional CA assets were introduced in 2008, if the seller held the asset prior to 2008 then a partial claim may be possible); or

• The seller is a property developer/trader holding the building as a current asset.

Peter Graham, Head of Capital Allowance at RSM and chair of the Chambers' Business Tax and Finance Forum addresses the common misconceptions concerning capital allowances.

1. We have no cost breakdown for our expenditure, we can’t make a claim

In many circumstances, this is a barrier to making a claim as the qualifying expenditure must be accurately assessed. However, a lack of detailed information can be overcome by a CA specialist. Drawing on a multi-disciplinary team made up of Chartered Surveyors, Accountants and Tax Advisors can help to build robust claims from the ground-up, using industry cost databases and evidence gathered from site visits to identify and quantify the value of allowances available.

2. My advisor has already made a CA claim

Many advisors will make routine CA claims for assets such as computers, trade equipment and furniture. But to fully benefit from CA, a combination of surveying and specialist taxation knowledge is needed to maximise the opportunity.

3. We can’t make a CA claim, we’re out of time

When considering a CA claim, it is possible to go back to the date when the property was purchased. We have prepared numerous claims for properties acquired many years ago. Any newly identified allowances must be included into the latest open tax period.

The only requirement is that the items covered as part of the CA claim are still in existence in the building at the end of the year being claimed for.

Alternatively, it is possible to make a claim in the next tax return and begin claiming allowances from that point forward.

For many years the government has used capital allowances (CA) to encourage businesses to invest in plant and machinery, recognising the important role this plays in innovation and improving the UK’s economic output. The availability of CA can significantly reduce the cost of the investment by reducing the owner’s tax liability.

The annual investment allowance increased from £200,000 to £1m per annum from 1 January 2019, significantly increasing the cash flow benefit of a CA claim.

In 2015-2016 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that CA claims had risen by 3% overall to £90.5bn, showing that investment into qualifying fixed assets is as strong as ever.

To further strengthen this position, the Chancellor announced the introduction of significant amends to the existing CA system in the 2018 Budget - an increase in the Annual Investment Allowance and the introduction of Structures & Buildings Allowances.

Despite all this, many individuals and companies are still underclaiming their qualifying entitlement to valuable reliefs, but why?

For more information, please contact Peter Graham on 01782 216000 or visit www.rsmuk.com

16. CAPITAL ALLOWANCES EXPLODING THE MYTHS 17.CAPITAL ALLOWANCES EXPLODING THE MYTHS

Staffordshire Chambers' International Trade Team is celebrating after helping Staffordshire companies export more than £250 million pounds worth of goods to 115 countries in just 12 months.

That’s £50 million pounds more than last year and 15 extra countries.

Staffordshire Chambers is encouraging businesses to think about moving into new markets abroad and can support them with the relevant documentation, training, translation services and ensuring companies are legally compliant.

The team help companies, from all sectors with advice and support on the exporting process from start to finish. They work to ensure local companies trade with countries from Abu Dhabi to Zimbabwe and just about everywhere in between.

While the UK is currently in the European Union, companies exporting to Europe don’t need any documentation, because its Free Trade - that may change depending on what happens with Brexit.

Staffordshire Chambers’ Head of International Trade, Rob Lawley, says the uncertainty of Brexit has helped lead to a boom in export to other countries. He said: “There is a feeling of making hay while the sun shines because there’s so much uncertainty of what will happen to the economy when we leave Europe. That coupled with the fact that sterling is weak, which makes it cheaper to export, has led to at least a 20% increase in the goods we’ve helped Staffordshire companies export. This is great news for the local economy and for us as a chamber.”

He added: “I’d encourage any business that is thinking of either exporting for the first time or would like to enter into new markets abroad to contact our team as we can advise them on how to begin exporting and how to build their business overseas.”

If you would like more information please call 01782 224405 or visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk/international-trade

"There is a feeling of

making hay while the

sun shines because

there’s so much

uncertainty of what will

happen to the economy"

19.EXPORT TEAM HAS A BUMPER YEAR

EXPORT TEAM HAS A BUMPERYEAR

In the current climate of uncertainty surrounding overseas trade it’s more important than ever that companies are prepared to meet any potential challenges.

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce offer a range of international trade training courses which are accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. This selection of courses gives businesses who import and export the skills needed to trade successfully in global markets.

If businesses complete six courses they gain a Foundation Award in International Trade which is designed to equip businesses with a highly skilled workforce in international trade.

Export Documentation Officer at Staffordshire Chambers, Allison Tomlinson, said: “Chambers' staff also use the courses to keep their knowledge up to date. At Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce we need to be an exemplar in processing export documentation because it is ourselves who companies turn to for advice and support. Completing the award has updated my knowledge and developed my skillset which I look forward to using and helping companies navigate whatever the next few weeks and months brings .”

Catherine Alldritt, Management Accountant at FT Ductile, said: “As part of my role I deal with import and export documentation, but I wanted to broaden my knowledge further. The training has been absolutely fabulous and I couldn’t have asked for more. It’s really improved my understanding and has helped us as a business improve our processes.”

Kelly Harding, Logistics Co-ordinator at Tennants Fire Chemicals Ltd, added: “Being new to a busy international freight department in which 95% of our sales are exported outside the EU, I wanted to achieve a good understanding of exporting and importing globally."

"After researching the various courses available, I decided to start with the Incoterms (2010) course provided by Staffordshire Chambers. I quickly discovered several further modules on offer within this area and if completed, I could achieve an accredited qualification in international trade.

“I’m pleased to say I have now completed all the courses and gained my foundation award! It has been a valuable and essential part of my training and it will be hugely useful, to both myself and my employer. I would recommend these courses to anyone involved in international trading as it really is massively beneficial. Finally, I’d like to say a big thanks to Staffordshire Chambers’ Trainers and International Trade Advisors, Wendy and Maggie, for making it such a worthwhile but also enjoyable experience.”

Diane Whittingham, International Trade Adviser at Staffordshire Chambers’, added: “I am thrilled to have achieved the BCC Foundation Award in International Trade. Local companies look to us for advice and support when embarking and enhancing their International activities and strategy. By updating my skills and knowledge through attending this series of courses I can ensure that the information and guidance I offer will be up to date, relevant and enhance the company’s International growth strategy.”

To find out more about the international trade training courses available visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk or call 01782 202222

"local companies look to us for advice and support when

embarking and enhancing theirInternational activities"

20. ACCREDITED COURSES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE

ACCREDITED COURSES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Don’t miss the chance to have your business recognised in the Staffordshire Business Awards 2019. This year the fabulous awards are returning and there’s a brand-new category to enter.

The awards, sponsored by the West Midland Reserved Forces and Cadets Associations, will be showcased in a glittering black-tie event at the Staffordshire County Showground on July 4th.

The awards celebrate all that’s good about business in the county. Last year more than 350 nominations were received, giving the judges a difficult job to shortlist and choose the eventual winners.

This year, businesses have until (Friday 17th May) to submit their entries to the awards which are free to enter.

Staffordshire Chambers’ Chief Executive, Sara Williams, said: “We welcomed a selection of exceptional entries for last year’s awards, which made judging across the board very difficult. Our awards help to showcase the innovation, spirit, creativity and ingenuity of businesses across the county.

“Entering is completely free and our online platform makes it easy to complete your application. We encourage businesses of all shapes and sizes to enter and we look forward to celebrating Staffordshire’s business talent in July.”

Last year 400 people attended the awards evening to celebrate winners from across the county, including the most prestigious award of all, Business of the Year which went to Burton based S & I Groundworks.

"Our awards help to

showcase the innovation,

spirit, creativity and

ingenuity of businesses across the

county."

23.STAFFORDSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS 2019

STAFFORDSHIREBUSINESS AWARDS 2019

Categories include:

• Business of the Year - sponsored by HSBC

• Employee of the Year - sponsored by Staffordshire Partnership for Employment and Skills

• Employer of the Year - sponsored by Newcastle and Stafford College Group

• Young Employee or Apprentice of the Year - sponsored by the Local Enterprise Partnership

• Retail, leisure, culture and tourism award - sponsored by Tile Mountain

• Most Promising New Start Up Business - sponsored by Grindeys/ LLP

• Small Business of the Year (1-50 FTE's) - sponsored by SBEN: LCBEP

•Medium / Large Business of the Year (> 50 FTE's) - sponsored by Dains LLP

• Science, Technology & Innovation Award - sponsored by University of Wolverhampton

• Professional Services of the Year - sponsored by Finest

• Manufacturer of the Year - sponsored by Michelin Tyre PLC

• International Trade Award - sponsored by The Department for International Trade

• Environmental / Low Carbon Award - sponsored by Keele University

• Digital Award - sponsored by Synetics Solutions

• Entrepreneur Award - sponsored by Staffordshire University

Nomination forms will be available to download from Monday 1st April 2019 at staffordshirechambers.co.uk/awards

22. STAFFORDSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS 2019

Construction work on the new £50 million JCB Cab Systems factory is forging ahead as it targets a summer opening.

The shell of the 350,000 sq ft plant next to JCB Heavy Products and the World Parts Centre at Uttoxeter is on course to be completed slightly ahead of schedule ready for high-tech production line facilities to be installed from March onwards.

The investment, one of the biggest in the company’s history, will create the most advanced and productive cab facility in the world with a computer-controlled production line, fully-automated painting facility and robotic welding.

The new site will accommodate 400 employees, who will relocate from Rugeley, Staffordshire.

JCB Cab Systems’ General Manager, David Carver, said: “We are delighted with the progress on this new site. A strong team focus on the delivery timeline and favourable weather means completion of the infrastructure and main building is ahead of schedule.

“Our focus is on building a plant that supports the company’s global growth plans and enables us to work far more efficiently.

“A weld automation facility destined for the new factory is currently being trialled at Rugeley. In addition, a computer-controlled production line, fully-automated painting process, and other high-tech features will ensure we have the most advanced cab facility in the world. A phased programme of moving production to the new site will be implemented from July onwards.”

WORLD- LEADING FACTORY PROJECT FORGES AHEAD

CONSTRUCTION WORK FORGING AHEAD ON NEW £50 MILLION FACTORY

GRADUATE CELEBRATES JOURNEYFROM WELDER TO AWARD-WINNER

A JCB graduate engineer is celebrating two top award wins and embarking on a promising new career path with the world-renowned digger maker.

Sam Titterton, 28, from Uttoxeter, was awarded the prestigious Lanchester and Bugatti Student Prizes by Coventry University when he graduated with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering.

His journey from the welding production line at JCB to securing a place on the company’s graduate engineer development programme has been tough but rewarding.

Sam left school at 18 after studying a BTEC in Manufacturing and went to work as a welder fabricator in Uttoxeter, before joining JCB as a welder on the Loadall production line in 2013.

He said: “I’d always had a keen eye for engineering but I wasn’t aware of the benefits of education at school and never seriously thought about studying further. I wanted to get straight into working as an engineer, but when I started in Loadall I kept asking ‘why’ a lot. I saw opportunities here and wanted to make more of myself and make a difference.”

“I was never unhappy doing my job, but I knew studying was the only way to further my career, so after nine months I took the plunge and went to university. I was 23-years-old and it was tough financially, but I kept coming back to JCB in my holidays on the production line, which helped.”

“I received the awards from Coventry University at my graduation ceremony last month and am really honoured to have won them. I love my job now, my managers and mentors are brilliant and while I still ask ‘why’ I am now in a position to answer some of those questions. I understand so much more and am looking forward to making a difference in the future.”

The Bugatti Prize was awarded for Sam's outstanding dissertation project in designing and manufacturing a racking system, which the University now uses in its workshops. The Lanchester Prize was to recognise Enterprise, Initiative, Creativity and Invention in a project to redevelop the Lanchester wheelbarrow and make it relevant to 21st Century use.

Now Sam is keen to share his experiences with the next generation of engineers. He added: “I am an ambassador for the company and talk to STEM students at local schools to encourage them to further their education. While I don’t regret my choices, I could have got here a lot quicker if I’d carried on studying straight after school so I really want to share that message.”

JCB offers a wide range of Early Career options to school leavers, apprentices, undergraduates and graduates.

Visit careers.jcb.com

25.FROM WELDER TO AWARD WINNER

MARKETING MORNING

PATRONS LUNCH

FINEST MEET & EAT

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

FINEST MEET & EAT

MARKETING MORNING

PATRONS LUNCH

Charity Quiz

Staffordshire Well-being Conference

Marketing Morning: Marketing Staffordshire

Ceramics Dinner

Let’s Do Business

Speed Networking

16.05.2019

17.05.2019

21.05.2019

13.06.2019

27.06.2019

01.08.2019

EVENT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

For more information or to book your place on our events, please call 01782 202222 or visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk/events

PATRONS LUNCH

GARETH MORGAN CHIEF CONSTABLE OF STAFFORDSHIRE POLICE

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce met with Public Relations Manager of ExtraMile Communications, Nikki Proctor, and fired five short questions about the growing multilingual marketing agency which manages worldwide clients from its Stone- based office.

1. How do you feel Staffordshire is developing as a business hub?

In my opinion, Staffordshire is a growing business hub that is, at times, somewhat overlooked. For example, there are many multinational corporations based here in Staffordshire that some may not even know about. The county is ideally located within the UK for businesses in all sectors to thrive and prosper. The area benefits from an easily accessible transport infrastructure that connects Staffordshire with all parts of the country, and with future plans for improvements such as HS2, this can only be seen as beneficial to the further development of Staffordshire as a centre for business.

2. Why did you choose to get involved with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce?

Staffordshire Chambers has built an excellent business community available for all to tap into with a huge wealth of knowledge and advice. ExtraMile has had a long-standing relationship with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and is looking forward to getting further involved with them during this year. The support Staffordshire Chambers provides to us as a business, is invaluable.

3. Tell us about your businesses USP

The clue really is in the name “ExtraMile”. By understanding our clients’ business objectives, we help them to differentiate themselves in the crowded international marketplace.

We appreciate that all of our clients have different needs and to deliver on their business goals, we don’t take the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. As a team, we are agile and adaptable, we work hard to deliver innovative, imaginative and strategic campaigns that perfectly complement our clients’ overall sales and marketing strategy to ensure that their voice cuts through the marketing noise.

4. What are your aspirations for ExtraMile Communications?

In the last three years ExtraMile has achieved 93% growth in turnover. We have outgrown two previous office spaces in Eccleshall, and recently relocated to a 3,000 sq ft office in Stone to accommodate our ever-growing team which will allow for our planned future growth. We have also opened a new London office in St. Dunstans Hill to allow us to service multinational clients wanting to trade in new international markets.

ExtraMile has now established itself as one of the region’s fastest growing digital marketing companies. Our aspirations for the future are to continue to broaden our reach, invest in business growth to service new sectors, and upscale our team to grow a solid foundation of the very best talent.

5. Last but most certainly not least, do you have any advice for Staffordshire businesses about surviving Brexit?

The ongoing Brexit negotiations seem to have left many businesses holding their breath. Our advice to local companies is not to get caught up in the fog of hesitation but to take charge of your future. Invest money and resources in your business and use the skills at your disposal to innovate and grow. Look to tailoring a new, dynamic marketing strategy that will take your company through Brexit and beyond.

extramilecommunications.com 01785 850774

QUESTION TIMEWITH EXTRAMILECOMMUNICATIONS

QUESTION TIME WITH EXTRAMILE COMMUNICATIONSQUESTION TIME WITH EXTRAMILE COMMUNICATIONS

"Staffordshire is a fast-growing

business hub that is at times, somewhat

overlooked"

31.30.

BIG BOOST FORSTAFFORDSHIRE WOMEN

Sarah Colclough, Project Coordinator at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “We're over the moon to win the Skills and Opportunities Fund for the Midlands and East region. With this funding, we can continue to grow the project and provide intensive support to enhance the confidence and self-esteem of up to 60 vulnerable and disadvantaged women across the patch.

“It means we’ll be able to offer 12 inspiring workshops, provide mentor support and offer start-up prizes as well as supporting women to reach their full potential in business.”

A project to help support women in business has been given a lift thanks to £35,000 of funding.

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce has been running the, ‘Boosting Women in Business,’ scheme for the last 18 months, helping nearly 70 women and supporting 20 new businesses in the process.

Thanks to a successful bid to the Natwest Skills & Opportunities Fund, Staffordshire Chambers can continue to deliver the programme.

The project helps provide intensive support to boost the confidence and self-esteem of vulnerable women across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. Its aim is to help women understand the value of their skill sets and how these can help them run their own business.

"Helping nearly 70 women and supporting new businesses"

"RAMONA IS A HUGELY

EXPERIENCED BUSINESS

WOMAN AND KNOWS WHAT

IT’S LIKE TO RUN A COMPANY

AND BRING UP A FAMILY. SHE

WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC

AND I LEARNT SO MUCH

FROM HER. WITH LET'S DO

MENTORING SHE GUIDED ME

THROUGH DEVELOPING MY

BUSINESS PLAN AND KEPT ME

FOCUSSED ON DRIVING LEGS

PR FORWARD."

TAMSIN PARKER, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT LEGS PR

To find out more on let's do mentoring and how it can help your business please call 01782 213929 or email

ann.steele@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

SARAH COLCLOUGH STAFFORDSHIRE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

GEMMA BOURNE NATWEST BANK PLC

THE PHYSICAL ATTRACTION OF WORKPLACE WELLBEING

Written by Amy Povey, Group Protection Propositions Product Manager at Aviva.

Workplace wellbeing programmes have come a long way in a relatively short time. Although they are normally associated with large organisations, there are many reasons why small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) can also benefit. And the best place to start is by getting the basic physical aspects of wellbeing right.

1.3 million reasons to think about wellbeing

The aims of workplace wellbeing: boosting morale, reduced absenteeism and improvements in productivity are shared across all types of businesses, throughout the UK. However, wellbeing is still a relatively new concept for many SMEs and has yet to make a big impact on a sector representing 99.3% of the enterprises in every main UK industry, where 5.7 million businesses generate around a half (51%) of all private sector turnover.

Although most of these businesses are sole traders and non-employing companies, 24% of them – 1.3 million businesses – employ people who could potentially benefit from workplace wellbeing initiatives in some form or another. For SMEs, the bottom line is that wellbeing in the workplace can prevent physical and mental illness and increase employee productivity.

Workplace wellbeing in practice: getting physical

Physical wellbeing is often the best place to start. Huge changes aren’t necessarily required and – with energetic internal promotion – good outcomes can occur at relatively little cost. In today’s sedentary workplace environment, the basics should ideally begin with desktop assessments to ensure that employees are sitting correctly, rather than comfortably.

The next steps could be health risk assessment questionnaires, which can help pinpoint key issues, while the promotion of healthy eating in the workplace can also bring benefits. A good place to start is with the contents of the workplace vending machine. Then there are working practices to consider: does a ‘long working hours’ culture really deliver business benefits if it leads to long term sickness? Do employees have a healthy work/ home life balance? By deploying procedures which deliver the basics, the programme can be extended to cover external features, such as gym discounts. The overall aim is to boost engagement and productivity.

For SMEs with modest budgets, it might be easier to focus on tried and tested physical improvements, like making sure employees take regular breaks from their workstations.

Workplace wellbeing: there’s an app for that

It’s clear that not all SMEs have the financial muscle for a multimedia wellbeing campaign, but advances in digital media mean that they don’t necessarily require a Hollywood budget. Recent advances in digital technology have brought health and wellbeing apps to the workplace. These are provided by innovative group protection providers, health and wellbeing providers - or they can be sourced independently. Broadly, these apps fall into two categories: ‘digital wellbeing’ and ‘digital doctor’.

Digital wellbeing apps aim to track and improve an employee’s health by managing chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, and fitness priorities such as goal-setting for daily activity levels, calorie intake and more. They also allow employees access to free, personalised health information about health and wellbeing issues, such as healthy eating, losing weight, sleeping better, lowering stress levels, or simply being more active.

Workplace wellbeing: fast forward to the future

To sum up, corporate workplace wellbeing programmes are on the rise, and will inevitably spread to the SME sector, with digital applications leading the way. And a future with reduced absenteeism, productivity improvements and inclusive, caring workplaces could be closer than we imagine.

* This article was provided by Aviva. Aviva Health UK Limited. Registered in England Number 2464270. Registered Office 8 Surrey Street Norwich NR1 3NG. REG012

Aviva Health are a BCC service provider for all Chamber members. If you would like more information call 01782 202222

35.THE PHYSICAL ATTRACTION OF WORKPLACE WELLBEING

Staffordshire is affected by two phases of HS2. Phase One runs from London to the West Midlands - initial work is underway and the railway is expected to be open by 2026.

Phase 2a is the section of the new railway between Fradley in the West Midlands and Crewe. A hybrid Bill seeking powers to build and operate Phase 2a was deposited in Parliament in July 2017, and the Bill is expected to achieve Royal Assent in late 2019, with initial work to start the following year.

The route through Staffordshire, a distance of approximately 51km, passes through the parishes of Fradley and Streethay, Alrewas, Kings Bromley, Armitage with Handsacre, Mavesyn Ridware, Hamstall Ridware and Colton, Colwich, Ingestre with Tixall, Hopton and Coton, Whitgreave, Marston, Stone and Swynnerton, Whitmore, Baldwins Gate and Madeley.

While HS2 remains a divisive subject across many communities throughout the UK, the business community has been vociferous in its calls for greater rail connectivity, linking up employees to employers and businesses to new markets as well as encourages more frieght on railways. As Brexit dominates Whitehall, it is essential to balance the importance of securing the best possible deal with the EU with the urgent need to set out a compelling vision for UK growth and a bold set of domestic policies to fix the fundamentals at home. Business communities throughout Staffordshire are concerned about perceived inaction in Westminster and Whitehall on key domestic economic matters such as HS2 and rail connectivity- where attention and swift action are needed for the UK to succeed after it leaving the EU.

The current rhetoric on improved capacity and increased connectivity has struggled to muster support for HS2 from residents and businesses in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. HS2 is going to be one of the the largest infrastructure projects undertaken in Europe and will have a significant direct impact on the relevant markets, particularly in engineering and construction. Phase one alone involves 140 miles of new infrastructure including four new stations, with Phase 2a providing a further 37 miles of infrastructure. I believe that HS2 is an opportunity for businesses of all shapes and sizes to start thinking about the business opportunities emerging from HS2.

This key infrastructure project will provide and release much-needed additional capacity for the UK’s rail network, freeing up space for more local and intercity train services, and better east-west connectivity. All of which is crucial for supporting trade, exporting, tourism and business investment. It will also make it easier to connect businesses with suppliers, consumers and skilled workers.

Along with other strategic partners, Staffordshire Chambers lobbied the DfT and HS2 to provide Stoke-on-Trent with a connection to the line and at the time Stoke-on-Trent was only one of two cities to be actively disadvantaged by the HS2 proposed route, the other being Cardiff.

While we were successful in those calls when the DfT and HS2 included the provision of a service to Stoke-on-Trent within the Crewe Hub Consultation, it was not anticipated that for this provision to the city, commuters might risk losing one of the existing Virgin Pendolino services to London and that they might only be able to travel as far north as Macclesfield on the HS2 line. These points were directly raised to the Minister stating that the route must be properly integrated with our local transport networks, and as a chamber we have been calling for more investment in local roads and public transport, to ensure that our urban areas really see the benefits. We are also supporting calls for HS2 to connect Stoke-on-Trent to key urban areas.

Staffordshire Chambers' continues to support its members through HS2, monitoring the progress of the Phase 2a through Parliament and hosting discussions and roundtables with members and key stakeholders at our Transport Forum. Our members can get involved and stay updated to the progress of HS2 through our Transport Forum.

Chamber forums are not just meetings but a community of interested business people who come together to work to find solutions to shared problems and articulate issues facing Staffordshire companies.

We host a number of sector forums including Transport, Planning, Employment & HR, Social Value, Rural Affairs, International Trade, Digital Economies and Energy and Utilities.

In December, Matthew Lowe, Policy Advisor at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and Transport Fellow at The British Chambers of Commerce was deeply privileged to represent Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce members at a roundtable hosted by Nusrat Ghani MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport and the Minister responsible for HS2, Tom Kelly, the Strategic Director for Stakeholder Engagement for HS2, and James Staff, Head of Communications for High Speed and Major Rail Projects for the Department for Transport.

Along with colleagues from across the chamber network including the Black Country Chamber, he raised members' priorities, concerns and views on how HS2 will impact on the Midlands and the North of England.

If you wish to learn more about the work of Staffordshire Chambers, relating to HS2 or how to get involved with our forums, call 01782 202222 or email Matthew directly at matthew.lowe@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

NEXT STOPFOR HS2

37.NEXT STOP FOR HS2

It has been over a year since the University of Wolverhampton opened its new town centre Learning Hub and what a busy period it has been. There is a new team in place, who all live within the Stafford area and recognise the importance of the University in the local community.

The centre opened with three key aims; of enhancing the university’s presence in Stafford and Staffordshire, providing information, advice and guidance for students who are considering studying at the University, and increasing provision for local courses to meet local needs in Stafford and Staffordshire.

The success of the centre has allowed each of the aims to be achieved. The centre has run many courses, workshops, public lectures and careers events. Key highlights this academic year so far include:

• Over 220 students attending language courses ranging from German to Italian

• 272 members of the local community attending public lectures and events

• Over 1600 visitors the using the centre to enquiring about events, courses and advice

The University will continue to develop its provision this year and is developing key partnerships with prominent local organisations such as the Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford Half Marathon, the Town Centre Partnership, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, The Growth Hub and Stafford Chamber of Commerce.

A new range of course and offers are being developed for 2019 that will include professional and personal development, workshops focusing on key business aspects such as marketing, IT and Cyber Security and a new range of under and post graduate degree programmes.

2019 is looking like it will be a very exciting year for the University in Stafford.

For more information visit www.UWIS.co.uk or phone 01785 247622.

West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (WM RFCA) is one of 13 Associations based around the United Kingdom. Established by statute, they offer advice and support to the Defence Council on behalf of the Reserve Forces and Cadets movement. In addition to this they also provide an essential representative link between the military forces and the local community, raising awareness of the benefits and skills gained through part-time military service.

Businesses strive to recruit applicants who can demonstrate good leadership and possess skills in organisation, communication, problem-solving and teamwork, as well as demonstrating a strong work ethic. Service Leavers and Reservists have these key personal attributes. Members of the Armed Forces are also trained in a variety of diverse trades including engineers, electricians, drivers, chefs, HR specialists, communications operatives, and medics, which can help add value to your workforce.

WM RFCA builds and maintains relationships with employers in the region by creating strategic partnerships, by promoting the skills that Service Leavers and Reservists can bring to your business and by encouraging employers to cement this partnership via the Armed Forces Covenant: a voluntary pledge which builds a two-way relationship between business and defence.

As one of the MOD’s Regional Employer Engagement Directors, Philip Sinclair’s role is to engage with you. The country and its Armed Forces need your support in a number of ways:

• By publicly committing your support

• By striving to recognise the value that members of the Armed Forces community can bring to your business

• By recruiting from the Armed Forces talent pool, or indeed growing it from within

• By developing your staff through Reserve Service

By supporting the Armed Forces in any or all of these ways you are making a direct contribution to the operational capability of our Defence and to its issues, in a positive, and extremely valuable way.

If you would like to learn more, please contact Philip Sinclair at wm-reed2@rfca.mod.uk

THE UNIVERSITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON CONTINUES TO GROW ITS PROVISION IN STAFFORD

THE ARMED FORCES COVENANT – WHY YOU SHOULD COMMIT TO SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT?

39.THE ARMED FORCES COVERNANT

Q: Can you explain what kind of assistance this grant would pay for?

A: Typical expenditure would include Patent or Trade Mark Attorney Fees – we can’t pay towards a Patent or a Trade Mark for example but we could help with the fees for the advice these Attorneys give. It would also include the work done by market research companies, product designers, software companies, legal entities, testing facilities etc – any external fees where a company has to pay for external advice.

Q: Who exactly would be eligible for this grant?

A: Our grant is for Staffordshire based B2B (business to business activity) companies or new start up companies with a new product idea which they would sell business to business. As this project is an extension, companies who have received funding from us in the last three years would unfortunately be ineligible to apply.

Q: How much money is available and how can companies apply?

A: The grant will be £5,000 and we would be able to give back to the companies 37% of their overall expenditure. To receive the full amount of £5,000 the company’s eligible external consultancy fees would need to be £13,500.

Although their current European Funded Project was coming to an end on 31 December 2018 the BIC is pleased to announce that this project has now been extended for another three years. Here are some answers to questions you may have been thinking about as we interview the BIC’s Deputy Chief Executive and SBIIS III Project Manager - Jackie Millward

Q: Jackie, this is great news for the BIC and Staffordshire but can you remind us what the funding is for?

A: As you said we have been running this project for three years and it has been a very successful project for us and so we are over the moon that it will continue for another three years. We will be able to continue to offer business advice on Innovation within Staffordshire, run a number of Self Development Workshops and Events focussing on Innovation and continue to offer our New Product Development Grant.

Q: What will this grant be able to do for Staffordshire businesses?

A: This grant can be used to help companies pay for external assistance to help them research, develop and launch to market a new product or service. We have helped 45 new products and services in the last three years and look forward to helping to bring many more to market.

£5 ,000 Grant for New Product

Development

This grant will help B2B Staffordshire businesses pay for external specialist advice to help research, develop or launch to market a new product or service.

Typical expenditure would include:

Research & Development Fees - ICT Advice - Legal & Financial Market Research - IPR Fees - Project Management Product Design & Development - Product Launch

The £5,000 Grant is based on 37% of the overall expenditure and all support must lead to the development of a new product or service.

£600,000 awarded locally 2016 - 2018 - can we help you in 2019?

Business Innovation Centre 01782 333798 enquiries@thebic.co.uk www.thebic.co.uk Studio 10 Sutherland Institute, Lightwood Rd, Longton, Stoke on Trent, ST3 4HY

HOT OFF THE PRESS

As she enters her third and final year as Chair of Finest, Sarah Da Silva, from Zebra Consultancy, is looking forward to what's ahead.

"Finest has grown steadily over the last two years," says Sarah. "We've welcomed a wide variety of new members and we're confident that our numbers will continue to grow as we champion the professional services sector in Staffordshire."

A particular focus for Finest in the coming year will be collaborations with other organisations. "We already have plans in motion to further develop our relationships with our two great universities, Keele and Staffs. At Finest, we recognise the value of developing and keeping talent locally and working with our Universities is a great way to help this to happen."

Sarah continues, "We are also looking forward to establishing connections with the newly formed Skills Hub, investigating what synergies exist with Platform and continuing to work with the Education and Skills Forum. We have a wide cross-section of knowledge and skills within our membership and that puts us in a great position to do our part in building the future of Staffordshire."

In addition to these proactive collaborations, Finest will continue to provide its regular calendar of events throughout the year, allowing its members to connect with each other, to stay informed on important local and national topics and to grow by developing business, and social, relationships.

Future Finest is a vibrant network of the future leaders of Staffordshire's professional services organisations, providing networking, collaboration and continuing professional development opportunities.

NOTE FROMSARAH

To find out more about finest, please visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk/finest or email finest@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Meet the Leader

Me, Myself and I

Become the next Head Honcho

Speed Networking

A Fresh Cup of Networking

Learn from a Leader

07.05.2019

12.06.2019

09.07.2019

09.05.2019

16.05.2019

23.05.2019

FUTURE FINEST EVENT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

FINEST EVENT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

For more information or to book your place, please call 01782 202222 or visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk/events

"We're confident that our numbers will continue to grow as we champion the professional services sector in Staffordshire"

43.FUTURE FINEST

42. THE HUBB FOUNDATION

A charitable organisation which has been set up to deliver a range of community projects across the Potteries is going from strength-to-strength.

The Hubb Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families in Stoke-on-Trent and has been founded by Carol Shanahan, Managing Director of Burslem-based company Synectics Solutions.

Business and education representatives across the city have joined forces to become partners of the Hubb Foundation which was officially launched at the Best Western Moat House Hotel, Etruria in February.

The creation of the Hubb builds on successful projects which have been rolled out across the city since 2017, delivered by the Port Vale Foundation Trust in partnership with Synectics Solutions.

One of these initiatives is the ‘Ay Up Duck’ project which delivers free summer holiday sports sessions and healthy food to school children across the city and supports parents who have little or no access to holiday activities.

Now, due to the overwhelming response to ‘Ay Up Duck’, the Hubb Foundation has been established to take support and community engagement to the next level.

The Hubb Foundation will help to bring local communities together, work on their behalf and ensure that social needs or lack of provision are addressed.

Synectics Solutions is a data solutions company committed to ensuring that its corporate social responsibilities are rooted into the local community and Staffordshire Chambers is proud to have them as a Patron.

Carol Shanahan said: “Being an integral part of the local community is key to us and establishing the Hubb Foundation is helping us to engage with families and community groups in Stoke-on-Trent who need our help and support the most.”

THE HUBB FOUNDATION

CAROL SHANAHAN SYNECTICS SOLUTIONS MANAGING DIRECTOR AT THE HUBB FOUNDATION LAUNCH

B E L O N G .C O N N E C T .S U C C E E D .

JOINNOW

We are the leading business support and networking group for Stoke, Stafford & Staffordshire Moorlands, and have been for over 200 years.

With an increasing number of members across the county, we aim to provide you with all the help and support needed to help your business to grow and prosper.

For more information contact us on 01782 202222 or visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Plinkfizz has added two new members to its team. Tina Patel and Brennah Lawton have joined the marketing company to help manage their growing client base.

With a background in digital and experience marketing, Tina will lead digital marketing strategies and Brennah has joined as a Graphic Designer and will also focus on the digital side.

Brennah joined from a design agency where she worked on websites, brand development and design projects, interactive designs and more recently had a focus on augmented reality.

Tina has almost 10 years’ experience in marketing and started her career at Walt Disney World in Florida where she worked in guest services and marketing.

Fiona Hawkins, Managing Director at Plinkfizz, said: “It’s great to have our two new strategic hires in the business, bringing with them fresh ideas and a real strong focus on digital.”

DUO STRENGTHENSDIGITAL OFFERING

Dains LLP has appointed a new Business Development Director to its Stoke office.

Daran Harding has joined the team after more than 30 years’ experience in corporate banking across the Midlands and North West.

During his banking career, Daran has supported clients with acquisitions, restructures and property purchases in addition to working capital support alongside the funding of trading assets.

Ann Diggins, Office Partner at Dains Stoke, said: “Daran joins us during an exciting growth period in the region, as we see our staff members and client base increasing. Daran’s banking and funding expertise provides us with an additional advantage and broadens our capabilities in supporting our existing client base and new clients. Daran is already out in the local marketplace sharing the firm’s passion for building strong relationships and adding client value.”

Two new directors have joined ExtraMile Communications on the company’s board. James Roberts and Amanda Brooke who have been working with the company for some time have now become directors and shareholders in the international digital marketing company.

Chairman of ExtraMile, Nick Evans, said: “We’re exceptionally pleased that James and Amanda are joining us on the board of directors and as shareholders in the business. From our point of view, this shows a massive affirmation that ExtraMile is a company worth investing in. Both James and Amanda bring with them incredibly strong knowledge and experience and we now have four very different, but complementary, skill sets which will be vital as ExtraMile continues its ambitious growth plans.”

New Chamber member Nick O’Sullivan MBE has become a Wealth Manager with the St. James’s Place Partnership and offers advice on all aspects of financial, investment and retirement planning.

The former Major was awarded an MBE in 2016 for an international military exercise he planned and delivered in the Mojave Desert, in the U.S.

Nick, who served in the forces for 13-years, retrained in London and has moved from Poole, with his wife and daughter up to Weston.

The 39-year-old said: “I absolutely love my new career. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Don’t get me wrong my time in the Marines is something I will never forget. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the camaraderie.

Being part of a team becomes a subconscious behaviour when you’re in the Forces and you automatically put the team before self. Any other approach fails to deliver what is required. I believe it’s the continuation of that mindset that will mean my focus is always what’s best for my clients.

“I’m thoroughly enjoying it. My eyes have been opened to the vibrancy and calibre of businesses in Staffordshire. In particular, I’m really looking forward to helping business owners plan is based on the lifestyle they wish to live and giving them the advice and tools to help them grow. After all, by helping businesses to grow and employ more people, they are in turn supporting more families and their communities. That’s something we can all be proud of.”

FRESH TALENT GOES THE EXTRA MILE

ROYAL MARINE SWAPS THE FRONT-LINE FOR A NEW CAREER IN WEALTH MANAGEMENT

The Strategi Solutions Group has appointed two new members to its team.

Jonathan Nicholls has joined as Talent Resourcing Executive to head up the company’s new professional service. He brings with him a wealth of experience from the recruitment industry.

Richard Milward has also joined the company as HR Development Manager with more than 20 years’ experience working at Director level within the commercial sector.

Richard said: "When I decided to make a career change to HR, I kept hearing about Wendy's work and Strategi Solutions. For me, their culture, team spirit and ambitious growth plans helped make my decision to join such an exciting business."

Jonathan added: "Having been aware of the work that the Strategi Solutions Group does for a number of years, I was eager to join the business at this exciting time."

A talented young Stoke-on-Trent Accountant has gained national recognition after passing part of his taxation exams with the highest marks in the UK.

Josh Draycott joined Geens Chartered Accountants after his A-levels and has won the Kimmer Medal for the best paper in the Inheritance Tax, Trust and Estates section of the ATT (Association of Taxation Technicians) qualifications.

Hannah Sutcliffe, who only joined the Stoke firm last summer, has also passed her Level 3 AAT at distinction level.

Geens’ Director, Karen Lowe, said: “Josh is part of our Trust and Tax team and has been studying his tax exams after already passing his AAT, accountancy exams. 903 students sat the ATT exams but just 73 selected the Inheritance Tax, Trust and Estates paper due to its complexity, with only three achieving distinctions. To come out on top is a remarkable achievement for Josh.

“Hannah joined us from a non-accountancy role. Her commitment to gaining industry qualifications is matched by her work at Geens, where she has progressed very quickly.”

STRATEGI EXPANDTHEIR TEAM

ACCOUNTANTGAINS HIGHESTMARKS

DAINS ANNOUNCESAPPOINTMENT

MEMBERS NEWS TALENT

MEMBERS NEWSTALENT

47.

Staffordshire Sauce – a locally designed and produced magazine focusing on the county’s thriving food and drink scene, is increasing from two to four issues per year.

Provoke Marketing & Design in Stone launched the publication last year and it’s gone from strength to strength.

Sauce Editor and Founder of Provoke, Daren Bach, said: “The shift to a truly seasonal schedule will see a closer focus on the delicious produce available in Staffordshire at different times of the year, as well as the dishes our talented local chefs come up with using this produce. It will also allow us to showcase even more of the fantastic people behind Staffordshire’s flourishing food and drink scene.”

A SAUCYCELEBRATION

Dukes Bailiffs has completed a large extension to its Dukes Court premises, including new meeting and training rooms. This development has allowed for the business to look at recruiting for a number of roles including call centres jobs, admin support, a Human Resources Manager and mobile certificated Enforcement Agents.

Laura Naylor, Marketing Manager at Dukes Bailiffs, said: “Everyone that joins Dukes is viewed as part of the extended family. It’s an exciting period of growth at Dukes Bailiffs, we have just opened an office in the centre of London where we’re recruiting for a digital marketing executive. We also celebrated our 25th year in business in 2018. “

The West Midlands Open College Network has partnered with The Governance Forum to create an exciting and unique Leadership Framework Board Game - 'The Leadership Framework - Seven steps to being an Effective Leader.’

The Board Game provides an interactive, team based educational tool giving participants an opportunity to perfect their leadership knowledge and behaviour.

This unique leadership training package has been developed in partnership with Dr Karl George MBE, the Managing Director of The Governance Forum, who works with boards and senior executives in the private, public and voluntary sectors.

A 'CLEVER'ACQUISITION

MyCleverGroup has expanded its offering with the acquisition of HCL Marketing (Harrison Carloss Ltd).

HCL is now operating from MyCleverGroup’s headquarters on Festival Park to help its business-2-business offering grow. HCL is a full-service creative marketing agency which, over the years, has created a string of highly successful campaigns for clients including Dr. Martens and Evo-stik.

MyCleverGroup’s CEO, Gareth Mobley, said: “HCL is now in an ideal position to expand and offer its wealth of marketing experience and extensive services to new and existing clients. The agency’s working ethos and track record are a perfect fit with the values of MyCleverGroup as we grow our own capabilites in assisting businesses with marketing and end-to-end digitalisation.

“MyCleverGroup is expecting a flurry of further key acquisitions and a number of key appointments over the next 12 months to fulfil its mission of helping empower hundreds of businesses using the latest technology.”

DUKES EXTEND ITS PREMISES

THE LEADERSHIPFRAMEWORK

49.MEMBERS NEWS GROWTH AND SUCCESS

James T Blakeman & Co Ltd has celebrated 65 years in business with the help from a fantastic team of drivers, supported by female logistics experts, who together ensure that the show stays on the road.

The company has five HGV vehicles and two rigid-body Class Two vehicles that cover the length and breadth of the UK. While it is an all-male team that sits behind the wheel, it is an all-female logistics team that keeps the many plates spinning to ensure customers are kept happy.

Jane Selman, Head of Human Resources, says: “Together they really are the Real Madrid of logistics teams. Logistics and transport is still very much a man’s world, but women like Helen, Sharon and Sarah are literally helping to drive through change. They are showing there is no reason for women not to think about this area for their career path and they can handle the job as well as any man.”

DRIVING BUSINESSFORWARD

MEMBERS NEWSGROWTH AND SUCCESS

Aspire Housing’s Chief Executive has been named the third most influential person in housing, finishing above the Housing Minister and Mayor of London in the national rankings.

Sinéad Butters MBE has risen to third place in the housing ‘Power Players’ rankings, which are published annually by leading sector magazine 24Housing.

She’s been recognised for her local work as Group Chief Executive of Aspire Housing, as well as her widespread influence as Chair of PlaceShapers – a national network of more than 100 community-based housing associations.

Sinéad said: “I’m really surprised and honoured to be recognised in this way! It’s fantastic that the work of PlaceShapers and Aspire is seen as a force for change. We strive to make a difference to people and communities here in North Staffordshire and through our PlaceShapers national network, across the country.

As ever, it is always about the work of everyone else both PlaceShaper colleagues and Aspire people that should really be recognised. I just lead both fantastic organisations, and I am lucky to do so.”

ASPIRE HOUSING CEO NAMED THIRD MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN HOUSING

51.MEMBERS NEWS GROWTH AND SUCCESS

A NEW ADDITIONRed Industries has bought waste management company, Environmental Resource Group (ERG), offering a further step to expand and strengthen Red’s position as one of the UK’s leading independent waste management businesses.

This acquisition includes ERG’s waste facilities in Brownhill and Dudley, laboratory, offices, staff, and customer base.

CEO and Founder of Red Industries, Adam Share, said: “We are proud to incorporate ERG into our business. It was clear from ongoing discussions that our companies are well matched and aligned in terms of strategy, ethos, and focus for the future.

The acquisition of ERG complements Red’s existing waste management activities and secures more regional and national coverage in line with our growth strategy.”

GEARING UPFOR GROWTH

My Simple Mortgage has secured investment to support ambitious expansion plans.

In a little over a year, the size of the team has doubled, to three mortgage and protection advisers and a paraplanner joining the team.

The expanded team will allow the business to help more people get a better deal on their mortgage and if everything goes to plan, they will add more mortgage and protection advisers to their team during 2019.

Founder, James Adams, said: “We’re committed to being honest and open, and our customers value the personal time and care we put into finding the right deal for them and their circumstances. By employing more people who share these values, we’re optimistic that we can simplify the process for even more homeowners.”

Swan Physio is expanding its services thanks to a £50,000 investment. The practice has doubled its clinical space to offer more services and more appointments.

As well as expanding their student training programme, the cash injection means they’ve also been able to buy additional clinical equipment, as well as equipment for the gym.

Company owner and Lead Physiotherapist, Carys Roberts, explained: “Our investment means we can offer new treatments and expand our offering to patients with complex needs who require complex rehabilitation.

We pride ourselves on providing a holistic approach so that our patients can get what they need under one roof.”

GLIDING AHEAD WITH EXPANSION

A Senior Account Manager at Cloud Computing, IT Infrastructure and Security Specialists D2NA, has founded the Staffordshire Women in Tech Group (SWiT).

Lindsey Davis has launched it to engage with and empower women to share ideas and knowledge about technology and expand leadership and technology skills in the local area.

SWiT is a platform for networking which also provides mentoring opportunities for women at all levels of their careers.

Lindsey said: “I am passionate about diversity and want this group to provide greater visibility, empowerment and ultimately thrive as we work towards increasing the numbers in the sector. With a number of influential business women already on board, I am thrilled to launch this network and look forward to seeing it grow.”

STAFFORDSHIREWOMEN IN TECH

A spectacular aerial photograph of Festival Park has been donated to Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce by professional Drone Pilot, Nigel Woodcock.

Nigel, of The Sky Cam North Staffordshire, teamed up with print, design and signage specialists Graphix to cover a large expanse of wall at Commerce House with the 3,975mm x 2,300mm image.

Nigel said: “The photo clearly shows Commerce House and the surrounding area of Festival Park. It is fascinating to see how the expanse of office and retail buildings have grown on land that once housed Shelton Bar steelworks.

"The area was reclaimed for the National Garden Festival in the 1980s before being regenerated for offices, shops and entertainment. The drone image clearly shows how successful this regeneration has been with buildings now extending into the Etruria Valley following recent developments close to the A500.”

Steve of Graphix said: “I suggested we could work with Nigel to come up with something that would have a real impact. The image has been printed on high-spec vinyl wallpaper with a matt finish to reduce reflection and glare. Our design team ensured the artwork was to scale and it was printed in a series of panels. Our signage team then ensured it was installed effectively, placing each panel in place and cutting to size. The overall effect is stunning and Staffordshire Chambers is thrilled with the result.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Totally Delicious, is fueling productivity across a wide range of industries by transforming sterile staff rest areas with its very own canteen takeover. This concession concept aims to help feed the minds, bodies and souls of employees, resulting in a happier and healthier workforce.

Occupying around 15 square meters, the new self-contained units offer everything from hot drinks and snacks to nutritious balanced meals. Concessions can be built within 72 hours and open within a working week. What’s more, operating costs roughly work out at the equivalent of only £1 per member of staff per day, while the neat design of the concessions reduce any loss of valuable floorspace.

The model is a great alternative for businesses who have been put off by expensive fit out costs and disruptive commercial kitchen builds. It also allows businesses to serve up quality food to their teams on site.

Managing Director at Totally Delicious, Dominic Bowers, said: “This is an ideal, self-contained solution for businesses that are growing quickly. Companies can expand rapidly, but then they have to consider how best to look after their teams. This solution gives them a speedy, adaptable and cost-effective solution, with quite often 50% less cost than traditional builds.

“More than 90% of our normal menus will be provided from these concessions. The focus is on grilled, steamed or baked food for staff, it gives them healthier food options and simplifies the kitchen investment needed. We we also offer ‘graze and go’ with items such as coffees, drinks, impulse snacks, sandwiches, baguettes. The result, is a healthier offering to staff and great value proposition to employers.”

The Totally Delicious team is helping clients to enhance their staff welfare offering by creating a separate 'recharge' area for staff downtime, which is incredibly important for staff retention and productivity. As a result, clients say that they have found communication between their employees from all levels of their businesses increases dramatically.

Totally Delicious has already formed partnerships with local businesses, including KMF and Portmeirion, by building and operating catering services within factories, offices and contact centres.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO WORKPLACE CANTEENS UNVEILED

TEXTILEWORKSHOPS GROW

Stafford Textile Designer, Jo Hill, has seen the popularity of her sewing workshops 'free motion embroidery,' (where students learn to draw with their sewing machine.) grow.

During her workshops participants spend the day in Jo's custom-built studio creating items ranging from textile pieces to bags and lamp shades.

Over the past 12 months, Jo has welcomed students from various places across the UK including Scotland, Wales and the South-West.

Jo said: "It's fantastic to know that people are choosing to visit Staffordshire to attend my workshops. I always recommend staying in our lovely local B&Bs, for a real Staffordshire experience!"

PAYCARE MANAGER UNLEASHES WILD SIDE IN THE RAINFOREST

The Marketing and Partnerships Manager at Wolverhampton based Paycare is travelling to Brazil on a nine-day adventure, to raise £6,000 for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. Emily Glew is swapping the comfort of her day job with the Health Cash Plan provider for a trek through the rainforest, as well as canoeing along the Amazon’s winding rivers, meeting an indigenous tribe and learning about the area’s history.

Emily said: “ I’ve always been an outdoor person, and a self-confessed thrill-seeker, and had come across this challenge hosted by Midlands Air Ambulance Charity at an awards evening I’d attended on behalf of Paycare, which also supports the charity.”

A former Royal Navy nurse has been shortlisted in the prestigious British Ex-Forces in Business Awards. Lyndsey Marchant who founded Phoenix Occupational Health in 2007, will find out if she has scooped the Entrepreneur of the Year Award at a glittering ceremony in London in May.

The 39-year-old’s family run business provides all aspects of occupational health services including management referrals, and health checks and health promotions, to help staff stay healthy and in work.

In twelve years, the company has gone from strength to strength, winning national contracts, employing a team of 11 staff, increasing turnover and opening a new office in Burslem.

Horizons Coaching held a positive well-being session with ceramics manufacturer, Steelite.

The company, owned by Helen Dos Santos, combines coaching with Neuro Linguistic Programming, hypnosis and the latest developments of Time Line Therapy techniques.

Helen said: “We all lead busy lives, constantly connected to technology and are often living at a 100mph pace. It has become more important than ever that we have coping strategies and a positive mindset to help us through tough times, at home or at work. Working with Steelite International was an incredible experience. It was an honour to coach such dedicated and passionate staff on how vital it is to switch off that negative voice in our heads.”

STEELITE BENEFIT FROM 'POSITIVE VIBES'

COMPANYFOUNDER SHORTLISTED INNATIONAL AWARDS

Strategi Solution Group Exceeds Their Target to Raise Funds for the Dougie Mac Hospice

The Strategi Solutions Group has smashed their target to raise much needed funds for the Dougie Mac Hospice.

They’ve chosen the Hospice as their nominated charity as so many of the team have experienced first-hand the incredible level of care and support that they provide.

At the beginning of 2018 the company set themselves an ambitious target of £5,000 and through the efforts and involvement of all the team the final total achieved has come in at £5,300.

Strategi’s appointed charity champion, Ange Hopwood has led and coordinated the team’s fundraising efforts throughout the year.

Alongside weekly bring a pound to work dress down days, cake sales and collecting money at Uttoxeter Racecourse’s race days, the team put their baking skills to the test at a Strategi bake off which was judged by David Webster, Dougie Mac’s CEO and Jeanette McCartney, Director of Care. Team members Lisa Clowes and Lauren Kay did a sponsored skydive and Sarah Pye completed a coast to coast hike in which she walked 192 miles.

STRATEGI SOLUTION GROUP RAISE FUNDS FOR THE DOUGIE MAC HOSPICE

Alongside weekly bring a pound to work dress down days, cake sales and collecting money at Uttoxeter Racecourse’s race days, the team put their baking skills to the test at a Strategi bake off which was judged by David Webster, Dougie Mac’s CEO and Jeanette McCartney, Director of Care. Team members Lisa Clowes and Lauren Kay did a sponsored skydive and Sarah Pye completed a coast to coast hike in which she walked 192 miles.

Strategi also encouraged their own clients to pledge their support through collaboratively advertising on billboards within Newcastle-under-Lyme, with all profits being donated directly to the charity fund.

Ange Hopwood, Sales Manager and Charity Champion at the Strategi Solutions Group added: “I’m incredibly proud of what the whole team at Strategi has achieved and the willingness of everyone to really get involved to support a cause which is so close to my own heart. The team at the Dougie Mac provided an exceptional level of care to both my Mum and Mother-in-Law in the last few weeks of their lives, to which I will be forever grateful.”

MEMBERS NEWSMAKING A DIFFERENCE

HIGHLIGHTING HOMELESSNESS IN ‘BIG SLEEP OUT’

Leek United Building Society staff have taken part in Stoke City Community Trust’s ‘Big Sleep-Out at the Bet 365 Stadium.

They braved freezing temperatures, in an outdoor sleepover to help highlight the plight of North Staffordshire’s homeless and donate to local homeless charities.

Head of Branch Network, Simon Round, said: “As a mortgage lender, we help people to buy homes. By taking part in ‘The Big Sleep Out,’ we wanted to help people for whom a home of their own and sadly sometimes even a roof over their heads – is very often out of reach.”

KEEP A PIE OUT FOR TMT FIRST

To celebrate National Pie Day Newcastle based TMT First has raised £160 for The Donna Louise Trust, selling 160 pies and donating another 40 to a homeless charity. Customer Services Assistant, Clair Beech, hosted the, ‘insPIEred,’ lunch thanks to a generous donation from Wrights Pies.

Clair said: “I believe in the importance of giving back to the local community, so when I spotted National Pie Day was coming up, I immediately jumped at the chance and got in touch with Wrights Pies. They were incredibly generous, donating over 200 pies that allowed us to raise a good chunk of money for a charity so close to my heart.”

MEMBERS NEWS MAKING A DIFFERENCE 53.

RUTH HESFORD, DIRECTOR AT TAILORED BRANDING

"THE LET’S DO MENTORING SCHEME

HAS GIVEN US THE CONFIDENCE

WE DESPERATELY NEEDED TO

FOCUS OUR BUSINESS, WITH SPORTS

BRANDING AS AN OFFSHOOT AS

OPPOSED TO THE FULL FOCUS.

RICHARD WAS GREAT AT LISTENING

TO OUR PLANS AND ASKING THE

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, ALLOWING

US TO BE BOLDER IN OUR APPROACH

TO ACCESSING FUNDING THROUGH

STAFFORDSHIRE CHAMBERS

AND TURNING OUR TALENT INTO

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH."

Pupils at Ormiston Meridian Academy in Meir are benefitting from new library books after teaming up with a Newcastle company.

Axair Fans have worked with the academy to help stock the library shelves with new books to help improve the reading ability of students, as part of their commitment to the local community.

As the school is situated in an area of economic deprivation, many students have reading ages below their actual age and the academy is striving to improve literacy levels.

Head of Literacy at the Academy, Tracy Hope, said:

“It’s important that the books we have engage the students with interesting stories to capture their imagination whilst being relevant to both their reading age and their chronological age. This can be challenging when there is a difference between the two ages and highlights the need for a broader range of books.

“We have made great strides towards improving the prospects for our young people in the last few years, but we still have much to do and are relentless in our pursuit of the best for those in our care.”

AXAIR LITERACY INITIATIVES

To find out more on let's do mentoring and how it can help your business please call 01782 213929 or email

ann.steele@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

O U R T R A I N I N G

This year we have introduced over 30 new courses designed specifically to fit the needs and requests from our members and Staffordshire businesses.

We believe that we have the right training available to suit businesses of all shapes and sizes.

For more information or to view our training courses visit us at staffordshirechambers.co.uk/training or call 01782 202222

80:20 RISK MANAGEMENT LTD

Consultants

07787 556888

https://www.8020rm.com

A2Z CONTROL SYSTEMS LTD

Manufacturing

07557 678313

www.a2zcontrolsystems.co.uk

AEON ENGINEERING LTD

Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities

01619874660

www.aeon-eng.com

AFFINITY DESIGN & MANAGEMENT LTD

Construction

07850 946750

www.affinitydm.co.uk

AMBROSE LETTINGS

Real Estate Activities

07305 513429

www.ambroselettings.com

ANGEL WILLS & ESTATE PLANNING LTD

Financial & Insurance Activities

07779 66867

www.angelwills.co.uk

B.I.G HEALTHCARE

Recruitment & careers

01782 622222

www.bighealthcare.com

BAPS CONSULTANTS LTD

Transportation & Storage

07535 663098

www.bapsconsultants.com

BARRINGTONS

Financial & Insurance Activities

01782 713700

www.barringtons.co.uk

BEACON CENTRE

Charities

01902880111

www.beaconvision.org

BEAR PUB STAFFORD

Hotels, leisure, restaurants

01785 472560

www.bearpubstafford.co.uk

BEBBINGTONS

Real Estate Activities

01538 755598

www.bebbingtonbrick.co.uk

BIOBRADE LTD

Manufacturing

01782 551698

www.biobrade.com

BLISS BEDDING

Wholesale and Retail Trade

01335 310202

www.blissbedding.com

BLITHFIELD LAKESIDE BARNS

Hotels, leisure, restaurants

07508194992

www.blithfieldlakesidebarns.co.uk

BODYLINE CLINIC

Other Service Activites

08454 918750

www.bodylineclinic.com/clinics/stoke-on-trent

BOWSON ENGINEERING LTD

Engineering

01782 749000

www.bowson.co.uk

BRIDGET BLAKEMAN

Other Service Activites

07814 082261

BRISTOL STREET FORD

Motor Vehicles

01782 717799

www.bristolstreetmotors.co.uk\staffs

BRODERIK ENGINEERING UK LIMITED

Manufacturing

07739 320130

www.broderikeng.co.uk

BROOKESWOOD ARCHITECTURAL JOINERY

Manufacturing

01538 361955

www.brookeswood.com

CAJA LTD

Consultants

01782 443017

www.cajagroup.com

CALS S UK LTD

Training

01782 680390

www.csu-als.com

CHARLOTTE FOSTER PRODUCTIONS

Printing & media

07795 185396

www.charlotte-foster.co.uk

CLIPNCLIMB

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

07455 431534

stoke.clipnclimb.co.uk

EPEAK RECRUITMENTS LIMITED

Recruitment & careers

07459 755573

EXCELLENCE3 LTD

Printing & media

07809 613687

www.excellence3.co.uk

FINDER PLC

Manufacturing

01785 818100

www.findernet.com

FISCALE (STAFFORDSHIRE) LIMITED

Financial & Insurance Activities

07747 698169

www.fiscalerdtaxcredits.co.uk

FORCE GROUP TRAINING

Recruitment & careers

01782 263032

www.forcegrouptraining.co.uk

FORTUNE HART CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

Financial & Insurance Activities

01785 859434

www.fortunehart.co.uk

FRANKLYN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Financial & Insurance Activities

01260 291825

www.franklynfm.co.uk

FREETHS LLP

Legal Services

01782 202020

www.freeths.co.uk

FRESH TELECOMS LTD

Information & Communication

01782 712379

www.b2bcorporate.com

FT DUCTILE

Printing & media

01543 416894

www.ftductile.co.uk

G-TEC (GROUND MAINTENANCE LTD)

Other Service Activites

01630 620240

www.g-tec.site

GAP PERSONNEL

Recruitment & careers

01782 289090

www.gap-personnel.com

GLOW ACTIVE UK

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

07765 707265

www.glowactiveuk.com

GRAPHIX

Printing & media

01782 570010

www.graphix.me

CONNECT ON DEMAND

Wholesale and Retail Trade

01785 211090

COUNTY GROUNDS SERVICES LTD

Building & Property Services

07534 224061

www.countrygroundsservice.co.uk

CQA INTERNATIONAL LTD

Engineering

01782 338979

www.cqainternational.co.uk

DANNY W POOLE & SONS

International refridgerated transport

01782 219121

www.dwpandsons.co.uk

DATA COMPLIANCE GROUP LTD

Consultants

01889 581205

www.datacompliant.co.uk

DEFENCE LAB STAFFORD

Other Service Activites

07905 440243

www.defencelabstafford.co.uk

DENDRITE FABRICATIONS

Building & Property Services

07785 325342

DIANE FIELDING ASSOCIATES

Financial & Insurance Activities

07935087501

DISTRICT HEATING SERVICES

Engineering

07555 700197

DO SAFETY LIMITED

Consultants

07814 888 896

www.dosafety.co.uk

DOCS TO DATA

Computing & IT Services

01785 220846

www.docs-to-data.co.uk

E S HAULAGE LIMITED

Transportation & Storage

01785 213008

www.eshaulage.co.uk

EMBS CONSULTANCY LTD

Consultants

07866 509026

www.embservices.co.uk

ENVISAGE

Advertising & Design

01782 231444

www.thisisenvisage.com

WELCOME TONEW MEMBERS

GREEN BOXLINE LTD

Manufacturing

01782 414526

H & B ELECTRICAL SERVICES LTD

Electricity, Gas, Steam & Air Conditioning

01782 898132

www.handbelectrical.co.uk

HATCH 19 LIMITED

Wholesale and Retail Trade

07795 411675

HMS HOLDINGS

Building & Property Services

01782 898122

www.hmsholdings.co.uk

HUNTER HEYWOOD LIMITED

Recruitment & careers

03331 230213

www.hunterheywood.co.uk

HYDROCK CONSULTANTS

Consultants

01782 261919

www.hydrock.com

INNOVATION CENTRAL

Training

01782 821486

www.innovation-central.co.uk

INSPIRED LEADERS CIRCLE

Consultants

07706 092065

www.inspiredleaderscircle.com

INTERLOCKDIGITAL LTD

Computing & IT Services

01782 377417

www.interlockdigital.co.uk

IPP ACCURA SUPPLY LTD

Manufacturing

01283 722000

www.ippgrp.com

IZAAK WALTON FISHERY

Agricultural, Forrestry & Fishing

07740 856150

JPM BUSINESS CONSULTING

Consultants

07948 474739

www.jpmbusinessconsulting.co.uk

JULIE BAILEY LIFE COACH

Human Health and Social Work Activites

07977 996963

www.juliebailey-lifecoach.co.uk

KAMIS KLOUD

Printing & media

07368 231721

www.kamiskloud.com

KANUKA DIGITAL

Advertising & Design

01785 279985

www.kanukadigital.com

KEELE UNIVERSITY

Education

01782 733660

www.keele.ac.uk

KUHMICHEL ABRASIV LIMITED

Printing & media

01785 252200

www.kuhmichel.com

MAX FRANK LTD

Construction

01782 598041

www.maxfrank.co.uk

MIDLANDS AIR AMBULANCE

Charities

0800 840 20 40

www.midlandsairambulance.com

MIDLANDS CONNECT

Transportation & Storage

0121 214 7276

www.midlandsconnect.uk

MY CLEVER GROUP

Financial & Insurance Activities

0330 133 1638

www.myclevergroup.com

MY WORLD OF WINE

Wholesale and Retail Trade

01782 796436

www.myworldofwine.co.uk

N J DOCKSEY LTD

Transportation & Storage

01538 384 955

www.nigeldocksey.co.uk

NATIONAL PLANT SOLUTIONS LTD

Construction

07973 570607

www.nationalplantsolutions.com

NATURALLY WILD ABOUT GARDENING

Other Service Activites

01782 514836

NETINSPIRE LTD

Computing & IT Services

01782 524600

www.netinspire.co.uk

NEWFORD LTD

Human Health and Social Work Activites

01782 545547

www.newford.org.uk

NEWLYQUALIFIED

Recruitment & careers

07921 941178

www.ifrc.co.uk

NOW U KNOW TRAINING LIMITED

Training

01782 346300

www.nuktraining.co.uk

ODESMA LTD

Consultants

07748 761994

www.odesma.co.uk

PACE WARD LTD

Financial & Insurance Activities

01782 286311

www.paceward.com

PATERA ENGINEERING

Engineering

01782 312277

www.pateraeng.co.uk

PCES LTD

Manufacturing

01902 713402

www.pces.uk.com

PLUM HAPPY LIMITED

Consultants

07718 749223

PLUMBGAS SERVICES LIMITED

Other Service Activites

01785 663990

www.plumbgas.services

PROMTEK LTD

Engineering

01782 375600

www.promtek.com

PRONIMEN

Consultants

07979 181193

www.pronimen.com

RANDD UK LTD

Financial & Insurance Activities

07365 377375

www.randduk.com

RECOUP TRAINING SOLUTIONS

Financial & Insurance Activities

01270 812788

www.recouptraining.co.uk

RICHARD JACOBS PENSIONS

Financial & Insurance Activities

01782 557800

www.jacobs-pensions.co.uk

ROCKTAIL ASSOCIATES LTD

Consultants

07980 282749

www.rocktailmarketing.com

RORY MACK ASSOCIATES

Real Estate Activities

01782 715725

www.rorymack.co.uk

RUDYARD HOTEL

Accommodation & Food Service Activities

01538 306208

www.hotel-rudyard.com

SECURITY TRUST FINANCE

Financial & Insurance Activities

01785 338509

SILVERDALE BATHROOMS LTD

Manufacturing

01782 717175

www.silverdalebathrooms.co.uk

SIMPLE HR

Recruitment & careers

07974 392965

www.simplehr.co.uk

SIMPLY J

Wholesale and Retail Trade

07572 293333

www.simply-j.co.uk

SMITHFIELDS PARTNERSHIP LTD

Real Estate Activities

07971 087124

SOCIALLY GROWN

Advertising & Design

0881 114045

www.sociallygrown.co.uk

SOLUTION FOCUSED (UK) LTD

Training

0203 1433756

www.solution-focused.co.uk

SOULANDJAZZ.COM

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

07792 610835

www.soulandjazz.com

SPIDERWEB SOFTWARE LTD

Computing & IT Services

01785 282987

www.spiderwebsoftware.co.uk

STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY

Education

01782 294000

www.staffs.ac.uk

STERLING TRANSPORT CONSULTANCY

Consultants

01785 615334

www.sterlingtransportconsultancy.com

STOKE NORTH LIVE AT HOME SCHEME

Charities

01782 816662

www.mha.org.uk

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL

Local Council

01782 234567

www.stoke.gov.uk

SYNECTICS SOLUTIONS LTD

Computing & IT Services

01782 664000

www.synectics-solutions.com

TECTIME DATA SYSTEMS LTD

Manufacturing

01782 414849

www.tectime.com

THE QUARTER CAFE

Accommodation & Food Service Activities

07967 354394

www.thequartercafe.co.uk

THE ROACHES TEA ROOMS

Hotels, leisure, restaurants

01538 300345

www.roachestearooms.co.uk

TIMBER FASTENING PRODUCTS

Manufacturing

07801 691770

www.tfproducts.co.uk

TOTAL HEALTH & CONNECTION CIC

Wholesale and Retail Trade

07904 222 308

www.garethjbutler.com

TRENTHAM FOODS

Printing & media

01782 372541

www.trenthamfoods.co.uk

TROPIC SKIN CARE

Wholesale and Retail Trade

07958 635317

TUFF

Construction

01782 265225

www.tuffltd.co.uk

UMESH SAMANI SPECIALIST CARS

Motor Vehicles

01782 822700

www.specialistcars-stoke.co.uk

VX FIBER

Computing & IT Services

07702 027451

www.vx.se

WELDFAST UK LTD

Manufacturing

01782 566553

www.weldfastuk.co.uk

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce

Commerce House, Festival Park

Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

ST15BE

staffordshirechambers.co.uk

01782 202222

Editorial and advertising:

marketing@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

THE MAGAZINE FOR BUSINESS LEADERS WHO WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE'

'