Safe in Sussex’s Gingerbread Fun hits its 5th Year!

Safe in Sussex’s Gingerbread House Fun hit’s its 5^th year this year with its signature Business/Community Gingerbread House Decorating Competition. Last year there was a public event and this year they have decided to move the business event back to face to face too.

The event will be at St Oscar Romero School in Goring by Sea on Thursday 8^th December, Safe in Sussex plan to have the Business Judging event first and then open it to the public afterwards.

This year they hope to judge 7 competitions at the event with the public able to view all of entries (Entrance will be by donation only). Fay Millar, Managing Director of Gingerbread World has worked with Safe in Sussex since the beginning and said ‘It’s great to be working with Safe in Sussex for the 5^th year in a row. We are privileged and honored to be producing their gingerbread kits. Gingerbread is so much fun and it is a good chance for everyone to get creative whilst doing something worthwhile and raising money for charity too. We are very proud to support Safe in Sussex because they are a wonderful charity doing a very worthwhile and needed job helping people affected by domestic abuse. We look forward to seeing what people come up with this year’.

The Competitions are:

Business/Community Groups Gingerbread House Decorating Competition

Business/Community Groups Freestyle Gingerbread House Competition

Adult Gingerbread House Decorating Competition (16 years old +)

Adult Freestyle Gingerbread House Competition (16 years old +)

Child Gingerbread House Decorating Competition (15 years old and under)

Child Freestyle Gingerbread House Competition (15 years old and under)

Totally Freestyle Gingerbread Competition (any age)

The Gingerbread House decorating competitions are only for people that buy and decorate one of Safe in Sussex’s large or small gingerbread houses.

The Freestyle Gingerbread House Competitions are for all those bakers out there! They might be someone (or a group of people) who makes your own gingerbread house creations from scratch every year and would like a chance to show it off.  The Totally freestyle competition is where it doesn’t have to even be a house – it can be anything out of gingerbread. 

 All competition entries will be judged on 3 things: Imagination, Inspiration and Appearance.

Many businesses get involved in the fun, from taking part, internal competitions, sponsorship and much more.  Comm Point has already confirmed that they will be involved in sponsorship again this year. Steven Jackson, the Managing Director said” The Gingerbread competition provides friends, family and colleagues fun, while raising the profile and money towards the fantastic work that Safe In Sussex does, to give people the power, information and the means to escape from domestic abuse.”

For details of how to get involved in this year's Gingerbread Fun, please email Debbie on fundraising@safeinsussex.org.uk or if your certain already register online as soon as possible via this link:   

Janet Withell, a Utility Warehouse Authorised Distributor was our first Business to register, so don’t delay and get signed up today!

Manufacturing and Supply Chain - Horizons Program Launch

It’s widely acknowledged that businesses in the Manufacturing and Supply chain sector have been one of the hardest hit following the challenges of the pandemic and Brexit. 

With this in mind, West Sussex County Council has prioritised funding for small and medium-sized businesses (no more than 249 employees) to receive specific innovation support to recover and boost growth.

If you are…

• a leader or senior manager in the Manufacturing or Supply Chain sector with responsibility to drive innovation in the business?
• determined to recover and grow following the challenges of Brexit and the pandemic?
• looking to create a new, or adapt an existing, service, product or business models?
• a small or medium-sized business or Social Enterprise including Community Interest Company or Charity with a trading arm, based in West Sussex?

…then this completely free programme could be for you!

Find out more from RISE at the University of Brighton here

Two leading HR firms in Sussex announce Merger

Sustained growth has driven two neighbouring human resources businesses to join forces and form The HR Dept Sussex-by-the-Sea.

The HR Dept Eastbourne was launched by Serena May in 2013, followed by Sue Beeby launching The HR Dept Chichester in 2014.

Providing outsourced human resources and employment law support to small and medium-sized businesses, the two companies have seen the need for HR support grow significantly in recent years.

Together the award-winning businesses have expanded into Brighton, Hove, Arun, Adur, Worthing and Horsham and now serve over 100 clients in many different sectors, ranging from those with just one employee to those with over 100 members of staff.

Based out of offices in Falmer, the expansion will provide more SME businesses in Sussex with crucial HR support and services to help them through both common and complicated HR issues. This may range from new starters and employment contracts to disciplinaries, leavers, and everything in between.

Serena and Sue have worked closely together on many HR projects over the years and feel that the merger is a natural business progression that will enable them to take on more staff and grow the business further.

The creation of The HR Dept Sussex-by-the-Sea will initially see the recruitment of an HR & Business Support Co-ordinator to complement the existing team and the acquisition of office space near Brighton.

Serena comments, “It’s been an incredible 10 years so far and I’m so excited for the next stage of my business journey with Sue as my business partner. Sue and I have provided local businesses with quality HR and employment law support for some time. The expertise, experience, and solutions we provide are an essential part of how businesses operate in today’s world, and more and more companies are demanding our services as a result.”

Sue continues, “We are both getting so much work from our respective areas that it’s just a logical progression to meet in the middle and share the next phase of our business journey together.”

Both Serena and Sue have won various awards over the years, the latest being the People Management Award in 2021 from County Business Clubs where they are joint members and value-added partners.

Sue comments, “It’s onwards and upwards for us. I like to think we are playing a significant role in the communities we serve and the businesses we support - especially during the last two years. Employers have needed us more than ever to navigate their way through pandemic-related HR issues, whether that’s furlough, closing a business, starting a new business or advice with applying Government guidance, which has been overwhelming for many.

“I would like to thank the ongoing efforts of the team and continued support of our clients.  However, we know there are difficulties on the horizon for the businesses we are working with who worked so hard to come through the pandemic.  We will be there to continue to support them in the coming months and years.”

The Worthing Oktoberfest plus the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show is now being held from Fri 7th to Sun 9th October 2022!

This is the 2nd Worthing Oktoberfest held in Steyne Gardens within a gigantic marquee after several date changes due to the Covid situation.

The last one was completely SOLD OUT, and this too will be a fantastic weekend that will sell out quick soon, so don’t delay when buying your tickets and spread the prost word!

Inside the marquee it will be themed taking you to a traditional Bavarian party atmosphere with a modern UK sing along spin on it with classic chart tunes and the odd Bavarian classic one thrown in.

Once you walk through the door the fun will begin!

We have a live Oompah band that will be playing great sing a long pop classics from the last 50 years.

Our 20 metre bar will be serving classic draught German beer as well as wine, spirits and soft drinks – and we have various stalls outside selling traditional hot food to keep you going.

There’s NO excuse not to get involved!

This event is for 18+ only

Plus X are launching a competition for one lucky company to win a free away day at their Brighton innovation hub.  

According to a Glassdoor survey, company culture is one of the main reasons that almost two-thirds (65%) of employees stay in their job. Team away days play a vital part in creating a company that: 

 Encourages collaboration between team members 

 Curates a supportive culture that harvests clear communication between employer-employees 

✅ Boosts team morale and motivation 

 Provides opportunities for productive brainstorming 

 Inspires innovative thinking and decision making 

Entry is free, winner announced 30^th September 2022. Good luck  

Available for teams of 10+, enter below! 

https://plusx.space/win-a-team-away-day-competition/  

The Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) 2022 Quarter 3 is now live

This is your chance to drive change. Since the COVID-19 crisis, the QES has consistently demonstrated the scale of impact on UK businesses. The survey has been essential in understanding the short and longer-terms impacts on businesses of different sectors and sizes.  The QES carried out by the British Chambers (BCC) is the largest independent business survey in the UK and a significant economic indicator. We are asking all Sussex businesses to complete the survey. 

QES findings are vital in the BCC’s and Sussex Chamber’s lobbying efforts because they are broken down to individual accredited chamber-level, making sure your voice is properly heard both nationally and locally on the issues that matter.
 
The results of the QES are published in advance of official figures and other private surveys and it consistently mirrors trends in official data. The results help influence the Bank of England and central Government.
 
We encourage you to take just a couple of minutes to complete this extremely important economic survey. All data is treated as strictly confidential and will not be passed on to a third party.

Once you click the link, please make sure to select ‘South East: Sussex’ from the ‘Which Chamber’ section

Click here

Local accountancy firm goes viral on TikTok - 1.5m views!

Jonny Matthews, digital marketing executive at Carpenter Box, a local accountancy firm with offices in Worthing and the South East, recently created a TikTok video to promote the business’ recruitment campaign to younger people. And it’s gone viral!

In just a week, the nine second clip, featuring the firm’s communications director Kira McKinney mouthing words from a scene in Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory and encouraging eight Carpenter Box employees to dance, has received over 1.5m views.

It has also received nearly 150,000 likes on the popular social media platform, almost 2,000 comments and 1,000 shares, turning Kira and her team into a TikTok sensation!

Finding Dory, the sequel to Finding Nemo, is about a blue tang fish (Dory) who gets separated from her parents as a child. As she grows up, Dory tries to search for them, but due to her short-term memory loss gradually forgets them.

Carpenter Box’s TikTok dance is based on a Roblox video, which went viral and started the trend. Roblox is an online platform that allows users to create games and play games created by others. There are approximately 50m games so far.

Jonny said: “We’re recruiting for trainees and wanted to show the fun side to our firm to attract potential applicants. We hoped the video wouldn’t ‘flop’, but never expected it to take off like this!

“We’ve successfully managed to raise the visibility of Carpenter Box amongst young people on our TikTok channel, which is an ongoing project managed by our digital team, and promised our managing partner we will follow it up with some more sensible posts about accountancy.”

Carpenter Box recruits trainees into departments such as tax and business services, pays for them to study the relevant qualifications and supports their long-term career goals.

Those interested in applying should call 01903 234094 or visit www.carpenterbox.com for more information.

You can find Capenter Box’s viral TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@carpenterbox/video/7119883169213582597

Mayo Wynne Baxter welcomes two new partners

Leading south-east law firm Mayo Wynne Baxter is excited to announce two new salaried partners have joined the firm as it expands further into Kent and Surrey.

Partner Sacha Bolourchi has formed part of the residential property team in Seaford and partner Caroline Flint has joined the contentious probate team, where she will cover Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

These two new hires bring a wealth of experience with them, which will support Mayo Wynne Baxter’s ambitious growth plans following its merger with national legal and professional services group Ampa.

Sacha said: “These are incredibly exciting times following the recent merger, and I look forward to building on the success the firm has enjoyed.

“I started my legal career almost a decade ago at a private practice in Lewes, specialising in criminal defence, before moving into residential conveyancing.

“I work with a variety of clients, from first time buyers to high-net-worth individuals and look forward to creating lasting relationships with my client base at Mayo Wynne Baxter.”

Caroline will work out of Mayo Wynne Baxter’s Brighton office and brings 20 years of experience with her, having started her career in personal injury litigation.

She then moved into private client work and went on to work with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, a global professional body that helps families plan for their futures, where she specialised in contentious probate. She also studied for The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists qualification.

Caroline said: “I’ve spent many years immersed in contentious probate so I’m looking forward to bringing this experience to the team and supporting its further expansion into Kent and Surrey.

“I was also pleased to see the firm’s support for Sussex Partnership NHS Trust charity Heads On and the varied programme of fundraising. In my spare time I’m the chairwoman of Headway Kent, which supports the rehabilitation for people with brain injuries, so good causes are very close to my heart.”

Martin Williams, deputy chief executive partner, Mayo Wynne Baxter, said: “It’s fantastic to see our team expand as our business grows out of our historic homeland in Sussex and into Kent and Surrey.

“The significant experience that Sacha and Caroline will bring to the firm will certainly help us build on our success and encourage talent to join us for this exciting journey.”

For more information, please visit: www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk/

West Sussex MIND share the importance of being suicide aware in the workplace

For many people the workplace can be either a source of support or a source of stress. Work can support our mental health, helping to meet our basic needs for inclusion, stimulation, creativity, social interaction, financial security and learning. But for some people their experience is the opposite and this leads to stress and illness, absenteeism, poor performance and departure from the workforce or, sadly, even suicide and this is particularly so for men in middle age. Managers have a key role to play and can be proactive about creating a healthy environment where people thrive and if things do go wrong, can learn about how to spot the warning signs and take steps to connect their staff to help.

If you think someone is in imminent danger of taking their own life, you should dial 999 for an ambulance and not leave them alone, and we would recommend that everyone invest an hour in the free Living Works START on-line training. Click here to go to eventbrite.

 If the danger is not immediate, then their GP can help, Samaritans (116 123) are another ‘go-to’ is the Hub of Hope app Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope which lists a wide range of support.

The signs of suicide are often subtle, but if you notice any of the following, do ask about suicide:

• ·         talking about wanting to end their life
• ·         talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
• ·         feelings of isolation, loneliness, worthlessness
• ·         withdrawal from colleagues, decrease in work performance
• ·         changes in behaviour
• ·         putting their affairs in order
• ·         abuse of alcohol or other substances
• ·         depressed mood or mentioning previous suicidal behaviour
• ·         being bullied or experiencing harassment or isolation.

People need to feel safe to talk about how they are feeling and as manager you can ensure this by creating a culture of trust and openness and taking wellbeing seriously. Ensure you promote an inclusive workplace, carry out stress risk assessments on roles, have Wellbeing Action Plans in place, role-model healthy behaviours and include mental health in regular 1-1s.  All this sends out the message that you take wellbeing seriously. You also need to think about how staff that work from home get those messages and are supported. Mind have published a special WAP guide for people working from home and links to free resources.

At West Sussex Mind we have been supporting the communities of West Sussex for over 50 years, so do contact us if you need help in any aspect of mental health: training@westsussexmind.org

https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/taking-care-of-your-staff/employer-resources/wellness-action-plan-download/

Responding to suicide risk in the workplace: guidance for line managers (cipd.co.uk)

Responding to suicide risk in the workplace | CIPD

A NATURAL EXPANSION FOR POPULAR LOCAL PET STORE

Award winning Brown’s Natural Pet Store have reopened their Goring Road branch after a complete refurbishment. Brown’s Natural Pet Store has been serving the community for nearly thirty years.

Previously known as Shoreline Pet Supplies, the family-run business rebranded four years ago and opened their second store in Ferring village. Since then the business has gone from strength to strength. Brown’s team has grown to fifteen members of staff, while still maintaining their reputation for traditional and expert service.

Specialising in raw natural foods and treats, the newly revamped store will cater to the growing interest in products designed for pet health and wellness. “We are so pleased to be re-opening after several challenging months in the store where our business first started.” said Rob and Holly Brown, founders of Brown’s Natural Pet Store.

“We had planned to reopen in February, but due to non-stop problems with our freezers and windows needing to be replaced (3 times) it felt like it would never happen. Now that we are open and everything is working we are so grateful for the feedback so far. Our design was heavily led by wanting to restore the “apothecary” style that the store had in the seventies. A huge amount of thought and effort went into the design, with many nods to it’s history and past including a really eye catching sliding ladder. We’ve spent a small fortune on the build to bring our brand in line with our Ferring store. The new store will continue to offer a huge selection of raw foods-which we think has the widest variety anywhere in Sussex- a fantastic cat section and a brand new and exclusive Dog bakery!”

Brown continues; “While our focus remains on providing specialist natural products, the heart and soul of our store is the same as it has always been. To provide the best standard of service to our customers, with a highly-trained team offering advice around pet welfare, nutrition and behaviour.”

The new Brown’s Natural Pet Store can be found on the Mulberry Parade, 278 Goring Road.