Ideas launched for new Worthing Hub

Last week Worthing and Adur Chamber hosted a VIP breakfast meeting to present their latest ideas for the new Worthing Hub.  This Hub for new and innovative businesses will be situated in the Broadwater Campus of Northbrook College and is supported by the Worthing and Adur Council.
 
The Worthing Hub will be a fantastic base for any business.  It has been designed by Mocha  (www.mocha-furniture.co.uk) to be a state of the art working environment that will provide a variety of workplace settings for all users.
 
As well as permanent workstations which a business can call its own, there will seven other settings for communal use such as high back soft seating areas for semi private meetings, visitor hot-desking, breakout space, private space and touchdown space.   Internal partitions have been planned to diffuse natural light throughout the space and each desk will have above desk connectivity to charge electrical equipment via both power and USB sockets.
 
The experience of using the space will be varied, comfortable and productive.  It will also be a space you will be proud to invite your clients into. 
 
The Chamber, the Council and Northbrook College have come together to provide a wonderful environment for fledgling businesses in the town offering both the setting and the support to kick start local entrepreneurs. Mocha are delighted to have been invited to be involved and be part of the team responsible for such a forward thinking business asset for the entire area.
 
For more information please contact Tina Tilley at the Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce.

Airports Commission backs Heathrow expansion

A third runway should be built at Heathrow, the Airports Commission has this morning recommended in its long-awaited final report. But Gatwick's chief executive has insisted the airport is "still very much in the race".

The shortlisted options considered were a third runway at Heathrow, extending an existing one or building a second runway at Gatwick.

While each of the three schemes shortlisted was considered a "credible option" for expansion, the Sir Howard Davies' commission said it has unanimously concluded that the proposal for a new northwest runway at Heathrow Airport presents the strongest case and offers the greatest strategic and economic benefits  - providing around 40 new destinations from the airport and more than 70,000 new jobs by 2050.

The report added that the Gatwick scheme is "feasible", but that the additional capacity would be more focused on short-haul intra-European routes and the economic benefits "considerably smaller".

Sir Howard Davies said: "Over the past two and a half years, the Airports Commission has reviewed the evidence without preconceptions, consulted widely, and followed an inclusive and integrated process. At the end of this extensive work programme our conclusions are clear and unanimous: the best answer is to expand Heathrow’s capacity through a new northwest runway."

John Holland-Kaye, chief executive of Heathrow Airport, said: "This debate has never been about a runway, it's been about the future we want for Britain. Expanding Heathrow will keep Britain as one of the world's great trading nations, right at the heart of the global economy."

He added: "We will create the world's best connected, most efficient and most environmentally responsible hub airport at the heart of an integrated transport system.

"The commission has backed a positive and ambitious vision for Britain. We will now work with government to deliver it."

But Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate insisted that the airport is still very much in the race and that the commission's report makes clear that expansion at Gatwick is deliverable.

He added: "It is for the commission to make a recommendation but it is of course for the government to decide. So we now enter the most important stage of the process.

"We are confident that when the government makes that decision they will choose Gatwick as the only deliverable option. For instance, this report highlights the very significant environmental challenges at Heathrow such as air quality and noise impact.

"Gatwick will give the country the economic benefits it needs and at the same time impact far less people. It is quicker simpler and quieter. Above all - after decades of delay - it can actually happen."

Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce will actively continue to support the Gatwick expansion plans.

Daniel Humphreys, Leader of Worthing Borough Council, says:

"In common with West Sussex County Council, we recognise the significant volume of work undertaken by the Davies Commission and will await the Government's response to their recommendations with interest.

"We must continue to be bold and to press for improvements to our transport infrastructure, ensuring that the Worthing Borough has what it needs to become a world-class business destination, with or without more planes landing in the County."

Neil Parkin, Leader of Adur District Council, comments:

"While the expansion of Gatwick Airport may have brought direct benefits to the Adur District, it isn't something that we've been banking on to provide future growth in our local economy or communities.

"We will continue to work for the benefit of our residents, businesses and visitors to protect what's special about our District while planning for a vibrant, prosperous future."

Tourism News - Issue 52 - June 2015 View this email in your browser

What When Where - new look events guide is out now! The Events Guide has taken on a completely new look; a bigger size, the guide will now be produced seasonally. The first guide was for the spring: April & May. The summer edition for June, July & August is out now. Editions for autumn & Christmas will be available later in the year. The guide is being widely distributed throughout the district and County, it’s available to view and download on the VisitWorthing website and it’s available at both of the new Visitor Information Points. The guide has been one of the first jobs for Jo Osborne, the Councils new Events & Tourism Manager, and she’s keen to hear what you think about it. Please email your comments to events@adur-worthing.gov.uk. VIP Training success...           Staff at the brand new Visitor Information Points have attended a valuable day’s training. The Welcome Host Gold course focuses on customer service and local tourism knowledge. At the end of the course they all took an exam and passed receiving a City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Principles of Customer Service in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel & Tourism. Rugby World cup 2015 The Rugby World cup is coming to the UK with 12 venues in England hosting matches. 2 of these matches will be at the Brighton Community Stadium on the 19th & 20th September while further matches will be held in the South East at Twickenham, Wembly & the Olympic Stadium. Visitors will come from all around the world and be looking for things to do and places to visit in between matches, so we've created a page on the VisitWorthing website at www.visitworthing.co.uk/whats-on/rugby-world-cup-2015. What a great opportunity for us! Take a look at Visit Englands Rugby World Cup promotional videos. Seafront Concessions for 2015 Activity along our coast is a valuable addition to the offer. This year there will be various Watersports activities,  the Promenade Land Train, Face Painting, Daves Dogems and more. For more information go to http://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/land-and-property/seafront-concessions/#concessions-operating-in-summer-2015.  'Workout your weekend' West Sussex County Council have recently launched ‘Workout your weekend – West Sussex` – a campaign aimed at attracting young urban professionals from London to visit West Sussex as a destination for an active weekend holiday, particularly for walking and cycling. A new website has been launched to allow prospective visitors to find out what the County can offer, such as some suggested walking/cycling routes and ‘stories’ from people who have already experienced the beautiful West Sussex countryside. You can find out more at www.west-sussex-weekends.com , follow them on Twitter @gowestsussex or on Facebook (search: Go West Sussex). The campaign website also features local accommodation and food/drink businesses who welcome walkers and cyclists by providing facilities such as secure cycle storage, washing/drying facilities and easy access to walking and cycling routes. If you would like to feature your business in the campaign, please contact info@west-sussex-weekends.com to find out more! Southdownsfood.org is waiting for you! If you have a food or drink business in or within a ten-mile radius of the National Park and produce, sell, serve or promote local food from the South Downs Region - from country pubs and farm shops to farmers' markets, food festivals and wine tasting - please sign up; they would love to have your listing on the website.  If you have already signed up you can now check the live site to see your profile. For more information go to www.southdownsfood.org or contact kate@naturalpr.biz.  New Indoor Play... Activus has arrived in Worthing. They've taken over the premises formerly run by P.L.A.Y. in Stoke Abbott Road. Although new to Worthing, Activus, managed by Aquaterra, have lots of experience. The centre has been given a fresh new look. Soft Indoor Play & Children's Parties remain a major part of their business; plus they're busy installing new equipment and will be introducing new services in the coming months. Activus - Stoke Abbott Road, Worthing, BN11 1HE T: 01903 231117 www.aquaterra.org/activus-worthing Visit Worthing @VisitWorthing Visit Worthing Group visitworthing.co.uk Updated Maps! The fold out district map includes Worthing, Shoreham-by-Sea and Lancing. This detailed map includes a street index. The counter map shows the town centre of Worthing with a broad outline of the whole area on it’s reverse. It’s approximately A3 in size and each copy peels off a pad...ideal for a desk or counter.  If you’d like copies of either of the maps please call into either of the Visitor Information Points. Welcome  to two new accommodation providers in the area that have both received the Adur & Worthing Approved Accommodation Scheme Award: Rose Cottage – at 46 Offington Avenue, Worthing, is a B&B run by Patricia Drury. My Number 12 – in North Lancing is a self-catering bungalow run by Flora Airzee. & Congratulations! to Barbara & Richard at The Conifers Guest House who have celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary.

 You may have heard about or know something of Men’s Sheds?
 
The new kid on the block is an older man – and he’s making, mending and learning in a community of other guys. The Men’s Shed in Worthing has been established for over two years, is ‘hosted’ by a prominent member of the local business community and is a local success story. Attached is some summary information including a brief introduction to a programme I’m working on called West Sussex Community Sheds.

There is a plan to establish a Men’s Shed in Fishersgate or Southwick and West Sussex Community Sheds is supporting this aim.

Have you got a modest sized premises in the Fishersgate/Southwick areas, which could be given a new lease of life as a Men’s Shed.
 
For more information please email david.richardson@westsussex.gov.uk

What is Men in Shed's?

Men’s Sheds originated in Australia where some 90,000 men (shedders) are now attending 690 sheds. The shed movement has spread to other parts of the world and in the UK 150 sheds are now open; 71 are in development; 1 new shed is opening each week and 3000 shedders currently involved.*
So what is a Men’s Shed? Put simply, it’s a larger version of the typical shed in the garden – a place where a man feels at home and can pursue practical interests. Men’s Sheds offers this to groups of such men – social spaces where members share tools and resources, working on projects of their own choosing at their own pace and in a safe, friendly and inclusive environment. They are places of skill-sharing and informal learning; of individual pursuits and community projects; of purpose and achievement; of social interaction and a place of leisure where men work together.
A shed’s activities usually involve making or mending in wood - e.g. carpentry, joinery, turning, carving, marquetry and furniture renovation. But also included may be metalworking, bike repairs, gardening, electronics, tool renovation, boat renovation, model engineering and there’s one shed where a car has been built!
Reclamation, reuse and restoration feature strongly – and some say that is true of the men too! Although sheds mostly attract older men, some have included younger men, women and young people. Whichever activities are pursued, the essence of a Shed is not a building, which some don’t have, but the network of relationships between the members.
“In our sheds we do things for ourselves, our communities and to support ourselves. We have benches and tools and we learn from each other, mainly about how to do things but also about life. We reuse materials, mend the broken and we make things we are proud of. We are more active than we were, more engaged through our projects, we are talking more, volunteering more and we have more friends. We are out of the house and not under our partner’s feet. When at home, we are happier, better company and more helpful. We feel our health has improved. Mostly we organise the Sheds ourselves with help and donations from our communities.”
So the experience of sheds nationally and internationally is that they are successful in engaging the interest of men, offering opportunities to socialise, to find friendship, to share, to learn and to support each other. The improved health and wellbeing benefits to men through being actively involved in sheds activity is supported by a growing body of evidence.
In West Sussex there are sheds in Petworth, Southbourne and Worthing, with a Crawley shed soon to open. Informal partnership working over the past six months or so between colleagues in West Sussex County Council Public Health; Adur & Worthing Councils; Crawley Dementia Alliance; Horsham Wellbeing; Men in Sheds Worthing and Groundwork South, has given rise to West Sussex Community Sheds.
The West Sussex Community Sheds programme looks to build upon the success of the Sheds movement by offering support and access to funding, to encourage and assist the start-up of new sheds. In particular we want to assist those sheds aiming to involve older men who may be experiencing social isolation or where their health and wellbeing could be positively impacted. Also encouraged are those sheds welcoming the involvement of women whose health and wellbeing might be improved through connecting with community organised activity and peer support.
Having regard to where sheds are currently located in the county, an initial programme focus could be to help the establishment of new sheds in Adur, Arun, Horsham and Mid Sussex.
Want to find out more? Just email any queries to Sheds@westsussex.gov.uk
* UK Men’s Sheds Association

Chamber of Commerce backs Tim Loughton’s bid for open public access Wi-Fi in Worthing

East Worthing and Shoreham MP, Tim Loughton, used a breakfast briefing to the Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce at Shoreham Airport last Friday to call for the roll-out of open access public Wi-Fi across Worthing. He was given unanimous support for the campaign by all the chamber members present.

The MP had been invited to give a talk on the Government’s economic growth programme, the latest developments with the A27 upgrade and the EU Referendum Bill.

Tim gave a rundown of how the local economy was faring well compared with the rest of the country with unemployment in the South East now standing at 4.1% compared with 5.5% nationally. The level of Job Seeker’s Allowance claimants in his East Worthing and Shoreham constituency has fallen from 1759 in 2010 to just 601 now, representing a lower rate than for the South East region as a whole. Tim praised the dramatic fall in those local young people not in education, employment or training which in 2010 stood at 490 but is just 110 today.

Commenting, Tim said:

“Whilst there is still a long way to go with the national economic recovery, local businesses are doing particularly well and unemployment rates are very reassuring, especially amongst young people. Our local business parks are in a particularly healthy state with Lancing Business Park, the second largest in West Sussex, almost at capacity. Whilst we cannot be complacent, it is clear that businesses see Adur and Worthing as a good place to invest and the changes to the A27 can only help that appeal.

I have been impressed by the determination of senior council officers and councillors to drive forward a technology revolution which must include rolling out public access Wi-Fi as rapidly as possible. I was in St Petersburg just after the election and I was struck by just how simple it was to log on to free public Wi-Fi across the City. Surely we can do the same in Worthing. I will be speaking to both the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council to see how quickly we can make Worthing one of the first public Wi-Fi accessible towns in the UK.”

Worthing & Adur Chamber supports the A27 Action Group

In December the Government announced that they are to proceed at last with significant improvements to the A27 and that at the very least the option of a full dualling of our stretch of this congested road between Lancing and the west of Worthing is on the table. This follows a lot of lobbying of Department of Transport ministers by our local Members of Parliament and some detailed studies carried out by a high-level stakeholder group reporting to the DfT and Highways Agency.

While substantial sums of money have been committed, many details have yet to be worked through and it is likely that final proposals will have to go out to a public inquiry. It is essential therefore that as far as possible Worthing and Adur can speak with a strong and unified voice to make sure that we get the most practical solution possible and avoid the localised squabbling between various interest groups which effectively scuppered the whole project when it was last considered in the mid-1990’s.

The A27 Action Group which was set up by the County Council to bring together local councillors, MPs and businesses in common cause has been instrumental in getting us to this stage and it is vital that we show this sort of discipline and unity locally.

To this end Tim Loughton and Sir Peter Bottomley have asked Tom Wye to set up a local A27 Action Group to try to bring as many different interest groups together round the table and see what we can be achieved.

Worthing and Adur Chamber will represent the Business community in this forum and will keep you up to date with any progress.

Queen's Birthday Honours for Worthing Businessman

Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd Managing Director Peter Webb has been awarded an MBE for services to Business in the Queen Birthday Honours’ List.
Peter, who with his wife Miriam, started their business Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd. (ETI), some 32 years ago with just one employee, today they ETI employ 165 people at their two factories in East Worthing.  ETI manufactures electronic digital thermometers and temperature probes, primarily for the food service industry, and are exported all over the world. 

Peter admits "I am absolutely overwhelmed to have been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours this year. It was completely unexpected and it’s certainly going to take a long time to get used to having MBE at the end of my name".
He said: "It was a big surprise when I first learnt about the award and I am delighted, and I know my family are also very proud.  I have known for a few weeks now and it has been difficult keeping it quiet”.
“I started the business in 1983 as a small enterprise; however ETI has grown phenomenally and way beyond my wildest dreams.  The industry has changed a lot over recent years, with the advent of new microprocessor technology, however as a business we have endeavored to embrace the latest technology for the benefit of our customers”
“Although I have been honored with this prestigious award, I could never have achieved the worldwide recognition and success that we have today without the support and commitment from everyone working alongside me present and past”.
Mr Webb, who is an executive member of the Adur and Worthing Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Northbrook College Employer Board, and has also been actively involved mentoring a number of start-up businesses, went on to state, “I have always believed that you need the right balance in business, and be willing to give back as much as you are getting out, hopefully my success will encourage other budding local entrepreneurs to follow in my footsteps”.
Earlier this year, Peter was also named among the region’s top business leaders in the IoD London and the South Director of the Year Awards. The awards, run by the Institute of Directors (IoD) and open to members and non-members, bring together company directors from a variety of backgrounds, recognising their qualities as business leaders.

Digital Enterprise Week saw an exciting and fully packed programme of events, workshops and talks, including subjects such as social media, entering the digital industry, starting a business, funding, start-up workshops, growing your team and using the cloud.

An Enterprise Challenge, supported by Bennett Griffin, took place in which three groups of Northbrook College students came up with a business idea, worked on the idea as a team, sat with three business mentors from Worthing & Adur Chamber who advised and guided each group.

The groups presented their business ideas to a panel of judges. For the judges, it’s always a difficult decision but they unanimously decided this year’s winning team was to be BMX Magic. Well done to the team for a great idea and presentation.

Nothing stands still at Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce. So when the team spotted a skills gap in the all-important areas of communications and social media, it was time to do something about it.

Step forward Amelia Tomlinson – the Chamber’s new apprentice.

Amelia joined the Chamber fresh out of Worthing College, having studied fine art, digital media, and photography. In fact, fresh is an understatement: Amelia left college on 18 May and started at the Chamber on 19 May. Amelia’s role encompasses social media – particularly the Chamber’s Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, and LinkedIn activity – and running the Chamber website (worthingandadurchamber.co.uk) keeping the content fresh and relevant.

Amelia, who lives in Worthing, said: ‘This was the perfect opportunity for me and came along at just the right time. It was too good to miss as the role allows me to put my digital media and photography skills to good use.

When asked for her impressions of the Chamber after a month on the inside, Amelia said: ‘I didn’t know an awful lot about the Chamber before I joined but I can see already that the support it gives to local businesses is invaluable. I see it as my job to communicate this message through our social media so that we spread the word and extend this support to even more members.’

Chamber Chief Executive Tina Tilley said: ‘I encourage all local businesses to look at taking on apprentices as they have a lot to offer. Amelia feels part of the team already. She is quickly making a difference in the social media area by bringing fresh ideas and a young person’s outlook. What’s more, she is incredibly confident in putting her ideas in place. Amelia is just what we needed.’

It looks like Amelia and the Chamber can look forward to a bright future together.

The British Gas Energy Efficiency Fund is designed to help micro-businesses manage their energy costs in the long-term, by providing free expert advice and energy efficiency measures.

 

Eligible businesses will receive a free on-site energy survey, as well as fully-funded installations of energy saving measures valued up to £6,000 per business.  For further information please see click the link below:

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/business/energyefficiencyfund