Fund our Food Banks – Adur & Worthing

Adur and Worthing food banks support over 3,000 people, including children, every month. Our food banks report that the current demand for help is unprecedented. With the Cost of Living increase, food banks also report seeing more families who have never required help before.

No one should be cold or hungry this Winter. ‘Fund our Food Banks’ is asking for your donation to ensure our local food banks have the funds in place during this time of increased pressure. Every penny you give will go straight to the food banks who support the most vulnerable in our area. 

• Food banks provide food supplies, hot food, clothing, fuel vouchers, and access to specialist services, such as Citizens Advice, to provide a holistic approach to supporting people in crisis.  
• Recent research shows that as many as 1 in 6 people will need to use a food bank over Christmas.*

Community Works provides support for the voluntary and charity sector and we are proud to be hosting the crowdfunder on behalf of the Adur and Worthing Food network, working alongside our partners to gain the maximum exposure. If you or your local business would like to donate or support this crowdfunder, please contact frances@bhcommunityworks.org.uk. Donations can also be made here:  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/fund-our-foodbanks

Foodbanks your donation will support 

Our local food banks are supported by the Adur and Worthing Food Network and those that need your support right now are:  

Worthing Soup Kitchen which supports emergency food and engagement with the homeless and vulnerable community in Worthing. 

Worthing Food Foundation is a non-referral food operation that supplies dry, tinned and fresh food, as well as other essentials, to people in need. WFF has as many as 500 people through its doors every week. 

Worthing Vegan Foodbank supports people in the short-term and long-term with food, personal hygiene items and emergency food parcels. Its products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free.  

Broadwater Support Group provides food, clothes and support to those who need it most, including furniture, emergency food supplies and uniforms. 

Lancing and Sompting Foodbank shares food given by the community to those who need it most.

Find out more here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/fund-our-foodbanks

Update from Chamber Member - George Square Financial Management

November has been another strong month for financial markets as weaker inflationary data and a softer tone from the US Federal Reserve has lifted investor confidence. While the global economy is not out of the woods, the unrelenting pressure from higher policy rates may be about to subside.

Recession Alert:

Economic activity around the world has shown a distinctive dip in recent months as the impact of higher interest rates and a decline in consumer spending impacts businesses.

The UK economy has entered recession, registering its second month on month decline in GDP. The Chancellor’s autumn statement will saddle UK households with highest tax burden since the second world war and worsen consumer finances already reeling from higher energy prices.

In the US, the all-important US Manufacturing managers’ survey reported its first reading below 50, a level associated with recessions.

Source – Bloomberg – 31/12/1992 to 30/11/2022

Housing demand on both sides of the pond have fallen sharply as consumer have struggled to finance higher mortgage costs. The gating of UK property funds has already started.

Inflation:

Source – Bloomberg – 31/12/1990 to 31/10/2022

US CPI data for October highlighted by the blue line - came in weaker than expected for October. Goods prices, a key part of post pandemic spike in inflation have now started to fall. Energy and food prices will start to show meaningful declines in the next quarter as we anniversary the post war spike in commodities. While inflation in the UK remains elevated, we believe the slowing economy and tighter monetary policy will help contain prices.

China

China’s Zero-Tolerance COVID policy has been at the centre of the storm this month. There is widespread discontent amongst the population of locked down cities, and domestic spending and manufacturing have come under strain. Riots at a Foxconn’s biggest iPhone factory in the city of Zhengzhou, highlights this unrest. The full opening of China relies heavily on the success of local vaccines, and a broader vaccination programme. The Chinese government will have to find a way to live with COVID to allow a recovery in its economy.

Bond rally

The rally in bonds started in October and has continued into November. The UK 10-year gilt yield, in blue, has declined sharply as the impending recession is priced into monetary policy forecasts. We have increased the duration of our bond holdings in a timely manner and allocated more to investment grade corporate issuers. Duration represents the sensitivity of a bond’s price to falling yields. As the recession begins, inflation should subside, allowing our bond holdings to recover. 

Conclusion:

Our approach throughout 2022 has been to reduce sources of unintended risk within portfolios. We closely monitor market-based signals such as breadth, factor performance and risk sentiment and stand ready to take advantage of the discounts on offer when asset prices start to recover.  Expected returns for a wide range of assets have improved significantly as inflation and recession risks are simultaneously being priced into a variety of asset classes. We are excited by the opportunity set we see ahead of us in 2023.

© 2022 George Square Financial Management Ltd. All Rights Reserved

The content of this material is a marketing communication, and not independent investment research. As such, the legal and regulatory requirements in relation to independent investment research do not apply to this material and it is not subject to any prohibition on dealing ahead of its dissemination. The material is for general information purposes only (whether or not it states any opinions). It does not take into account your personal circumstances or objectives. Nothing in this material is (or should be considered to be) legal, financial, investment or other advice on which reliance should be placed. No opinion given in the material constitutes a recommendation by Albemarle Street Partners or George Square Financial Management Ltd that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Although the information set out in this marketing communication is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, Albemarle Street Partners or George Square Financial Management  Ltd. makes no guarantee as to its accuracy or completeness. Neither Albemarle Street Partners or George Square Financial Management Ltd. shall be responsible for any loss that you may incur, either directly or indirectly, arising from any investment based on any information contained herein. This material may include charts displaying financial instruments' past performance as well as estimates and forecasts. Any information relating to past performance of an investment does not necessarily guarantee future performance.

Albemarle Street Partners is a trading name of Atlantic House Fund Management LLP  who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. George Square Financial Management Ltd. is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Start 2023 with funding from the Adur & Worthing Trust

The Adur & Worthing Trust are excited to announce the launch of the next round of Creative Commissions small grant funding, with grants of £500 - £1000 up for grabs. The Trust wants to commission more works of art – these could be in any shape or form, for example a painting, a comedy performance, a community participation dance project, a piece of new music, a film, a literary work or a new exciting event. The Trust funded nine exciting projects in 2022 and are inviting applications from across Adur & Worthing.

Karen Simporis, Chair of Adur & Worthing Trust says; “2022 gave us another great series of projects with something for all ages and a wide range of genres. For 2023 we’re looking for more new ideas and collaborations especially if it’s your first time applying for funding and dipping your toes in the water! Maybe a performance for the new Worthing Festival in June? More about this later. Surprise us!”

Applications open on 24 January, with a virtual & in-person launch at Colonnade House, featuring live Q&A with the Chair of the Trust alongside an exhibition & showcase of funded projects in 2022.  Another launch event is also planned to be held at Freedom Works - Fabric, Lancing, on 30 January, 18.00 - 19.30

Book onto a free launch event on the Colonnade House website: https://colonnadehouse.co.uk/event/creative-commissions-2023/

2022 saw a varied selection of funded projects ranging from sheep shearing to drag queens. Sea swimmers to giant kaleidoscopes. As usual, the funded projects showcased the diversity, talent & ingenuity of creatives based in Adur & Worthing.

Join the launch, visit the exhibition and be inspired to apply for a grant in 2023 to bring your project to life.

The funded projects of 2022;

●        The first project of the year coincided with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, artists from ‘Worthing’s West End’ collaborated with participants at Sight Support Worthing with interactive workshops to produce woven & knitted sculptures and large scale collaged banners which decorated Rowlands Road & Steyne Gardens in celebration of the Jubilee.

●        Jacob Chillmaid , aka Isabelle End, presented a group of LGBTQ+ performers at Coast Cafe - many appearing in public for the first time. The artists brought singing, comedy, lip syncs and breathtaking death drops. The event was then repeated in July as part of Worthing Pride.

●        When skateboarding & creativity collide. South Coast Skate Club worked with film producer Andy Evans holding workshops to support young skateboarders to film, record & edit their own ‘skate vids’. The films were premiered at Cellar Arts Club, with a full audience, who sat down refreshments to watch & vote on the 26 submissions in over 6 categories. One of the highlights was ‘Jurassic Skate Park’ by Lily Rose, which featured a velociraptor on wheels.

●        Just Add Water celebrated the post-lockdown communities of sea swimming along our wonderful coast line. Filmmaker Kristian Coburn met with local swimming groups from across Adur & Worthing to record their stories and highlight the positive effects sea swimming has on wellbeing & mental health. The film premiered locally in Worthing and has since gone on to be screened at festivals in Wales and has been nominated for the Lift-Off Global Network’s First-Time Filmmaker Sessions.

●        Katie Gander used the power of nature & creativity to ‘weave communities together’. The project was launched in Summer when the flock of sheep at Fen Farm in Sompting, had their winter fleeces sheared. With funding from the Trust and Sompting Big Local, the farm opened its doors and Katie took members of the public through the process, spinning, dying & felting the wool from fleece to wonderful pieces of textile art.

●        For a time during the pandemic, all we could do was look out the window. David Parker and artists from Figment Arts Studio, explored this theme in a variety of creative outputs. After being inspired by trips to Highdown Gardens, paintings, drawings, comic strips and performance took over the gallery at Colonnade House in celebration of the theme. The giant kaleidoscope was taken to Superstar Arts in West Worthing, and participants watched their artwork magically transform, which then provided a sensory experience for the artists with learning disabilities.

●        The mission of The Coastal Creatives is to Conserve, Create & Change. The trio is made up of reportage artist, Amanda Beck, songwriter, Chris Beck & beach trash artist, Carmen Haselup. Throughout Summer, they brought their creativity & passion for a greener world to the outdoor exhibition space, West Buildings Shelter, on Worthing Beach. The exhibition encouraged passers by to write their own song, create their own trash art and get involved with protecting our environment. With people as far as New Zealand being inspired and engaging with the campaign.

●        October was a month of celebration! Choir group, Spring in Soul, used the power of music to bring Black History Month celebrations to Worthing. With free performances encouraging audience participation throughout the month, the musicians and singers sang their hearts out whilst highlighting the important contributions and achievements of members of the Black community.

●        Simon Wilkinson developed an augmented reality story which explored the relationship between a medical robot and a child. Simon worked with artist Myra Appannah to launch the smartphone app at Worthing Dome in 2022.

You can see all the funded projects from 2022 on the Colonnade House website here and at the Creative Commissions exhibition 24 January - 4 February 2023. Applications close midnight 5 March 2023.

About the Trust:

Adur & Worthing Trust was formed in 2015 and is a registered charity and

Company Limited by Guarantee.

The Trust aims to stimulate the economy, employment, regeneration and

infrastructure in the local creative and digital sector both physically and virtually.

It actively supports Adur & Worthing Councils strategy A Commitment to Culture

by encouraging inclusive cultural activities, expanding opportunities to

participate in the arts and raising the profile and reputation of Adur and Worthing

for cultural excellence and innovation.

The Quarterly Economic Survey (QES)
2022 Quarter 4 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 to start the survey

Click here to see past results

This year, Safe in Sussex is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign

The Christmas Challenge helps UK-registered charities to raise funds for their projects by doubling donations when the campaign goes live on 29th November. You can find full details on theBigGive.org.uk.

They are hoping to raise vital funds for the project Finding Freedom From Abuse – Funding a Refuge Support Worker. They want to use funds raised to pay for a Refuge Support Worker in one of our 4 refuges (total cost £10,600 per annum). They provide essential assistance and empower the people we support to rebuild their lives free from abuse.

As part of their application, they need the public and key supporters to donate online during the week beginning 29th November and ending 6th December. They have been lucky enough to secure pledge and match funding through the Women and Girl’s fund, so anything we make up to £5,000 will be matched. Your donation will be doubled – something that would be incredible for Safe in Sussex. Anything after the £5,000 cap will still go towards our cause.

Donations must take place during this week and be made directly to our online campaign page here: https://donate.thebiggive.org.uk/campaign/a056900002ND6PVAA1

They would love to be in a position as the week starts to already have secured promises of donations from some of the key companies and businesses Safe in Sussex has a relationship with already. Is this something you would be willing to do?

Please let Debbie know your thoughts and don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions about the Christmas Challenge. You can contact her on debbie.west@safeinisussex.org.uk

Adur & Worthing Business Awards supports Guild Care as its 2022 Charity Partner

Guests who attended the prestigious Adur & Worthing Business Awards on Friday 4^th November were invited to enter a fundraising draw during the evening to support local charity, Guild Care. Guild Care is Worthing’s leading social care charity, supporting people to live well, enjoy life, and love every day. In addition to their three not-for-profit care homes, they run a wealth of community services that support older people, people living with dementia, and children and adults with learning disabilities.

The draw raised an incredible £2,058 which will go towards vital equipment and resources. Alex Brooks-Johnson, CEO at Guild Care commented “We were delighted and very proud to be the charity partner this year for the Adur & Worthing Business Awards and would like to thank everyone involved in organising the event as well as all the nominees. We would also like to sincerely thank everyone who attended the awards ceremony and who gave so generously to support our work in reducing social isolation and social stigma. The money raised during the evening will help our charity to continue to support vulnerable, lonely, and isolated people in our community”. 

James Stoner (Business Development Director at JSPC/ AWBA Vice Chairman) and Tracie Davey (Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce CEO / AWBA Judge) recently visited the charity to present a cheque. James said, “It was great to support a charity that provides such outstanding care to so many local families. I would like to personally thank everyone who donated so generously on the night”.

Photo L-R Tracie Davey (Worthing & Adur Chamber CEO / AWBA Judge), Alex Brooks-Johnson (Guild Care CEO) and James Stoner (Operations Director at JSPC Computer Services / AWBA Vice Chairman).

Economic Update From George Square Independent Financial Advisers

The budget nobody wanted to deliver

When Jeremy Hunt moved to the dispatch box this week his predecessor had both cursed and blessed his budget.

The curse of course was the contribution made to an enormous fiscal hole which could only be filled by handing out pain across the country.

The blessing? Rarely have expectations for good news been so low. If Hunt was able to pull even the most ragged and dejected rabbit from the hat it would be greeted with joyous rapture. Some bedraggled creatures did emerge such as more money for the NHS.

Yet overall, Hunt was forced to propose a £55 billion package of tax rises and spending cuts aiming to fix the country's public finances and restore its economic credibility.

In a clear reversal from his predecessor the tax plans were focused on wealthier people bearing much of the burden but accompanied by real pressure on those on benefits at a time of ultra-low unemployment.

The announced tax changes came as expected, with main measures including cutting the threshold for the top rate of income tax of 45% to £125,000 and freezing of allowances and thresholds for income tax, national insurance, and inheritance tax for a further two years.

The budget aims to slash the dividend allowance to £1,000 from £2,000 next year, and then to £500 in April 2024.

Pensions and benefits will increase in line with inflation and there will be additional payments on top, to the poorest next year to help with the cost of living.

From April, the Energy Price Guarantee will run for another 12 months at £3,000 a year for the average household up from £2,500.

Corporation tax will rise to 25% from 19% from April. The oil and gas sector will face an expanded windfall tax of 35%, up from 25%. The Chancellor also announced a new 45% tax on low-carbon electricity generators, which would be temporary. The two taxes together would raise £14 billion next year.

The Chancellor offered a sour outlook for growth, saying that the economy will shrink by 1.4% in 2023, compared with a forecast for growth of 1.8% published in March.

None of this is good news of course and there can be little doubt that there is pain to come.

However, every action, as the law goes, has an equal and opposite reaction. The benefit of taking this pain should be felt in lower inflation. As inflation comes down, the Bank of England is able to raise interest rates by less. This starts to ease the pain being felt in the real economy. Ultimately as inflation falls, the Chancellor may well find he has more scope to help households than is implied by this budget.

Yet for the moment he knows he must hold his nerve and wait for the pain to pass.

As investors, this budget comes as conditions generally improve. Bonds have stopped falling in price as the market begins to believe it has the measure of how far interest rates will need to rise. Added to this, the rate of US inflation has begun to slow markedly. If US inflation is falling this will drive falling inflation around the world. These factors have created a better environment to invest and can be welcomed alongside the higher expected returns implied by today’s bond and share prices.

Whilst the economic pain may still be felt, we can take comfort that the stock market has already taken much of its pain and hope for a recovery.

Join Chichester College Group’s Skills Advisory Panels!

Chichester College Group is looking for experts to join its Skills Advisory Panels. The panels play a key role in ensuring that the Group is meeting the local and regional skills needs.

The group will meet online three times a year online and will support us by:

•  validating our curriculum offer and identify new course opportunities
• reviewing and challenging market intelligence data - labour and skills
• ensuring CCG is meeting employer needs locally and regionally

We also hope you benefit from joining by:

•  meeting and networking with like minding colleagues – sharing challenges and best practice
• gain a greater understanding of the skills landscape locally and regionally
• learning more about the range of government funded and non-funded programmes
• influencing CCG policy and practice

If you are interested in finding our more, please contact Paul Rolfe – Associate Principal paul.rolfe@chichester.ac.uk

TeachAllAboutIt Tuition Launches New eLearning ICDL Courses in Worthing

TeachAllAboutIt Team becomes Worthing’s only ICDL Accredited test center for the BCS internationally recognized qualifications

TeachAllAboutIt, who have been supporting students locally in Worthing and around the UK with Computer Science and ICT tuition since 2017, announced today an expansion to offering the well-known International Computer Driving License qualifications to both young people and local businesses alike.

After the ICT GCSE and A Levels were withdrawn, a skills gap was left with many young people entering the workforce with fewer office skills than their predecessors. By offering the ICDL online courses and exams, TeachAllAboutIt aims to help our learners and local businesses keep their skills up to date and get the most out of the technology in our offices and homes.

Fabian told us, “My ICT course really helped at college. No-one else knew how to use master slides for their presentation!” 

Since remote working became mainstream, professional exams have become accessible through remote invigilation and our ICDL courses are no exception. Learners can sit their exams in the specialist mini-IT suite at the TeachAllAboutIt Tuition Centre in Tarring Road or from  

from the comfort of their own home or office through remote invigilation.

About TeachAllAboutIt:

Founded in 2017 by Holly Billinghurst, TeachAllAboutIt Tuition has focused on access to education for all. Initially created for Computer Science tuition, TeachAllAboutIt has expanded to supporting students in a variety of subjects through private tuition and online distance learning – if you no longer need our help by the date of the exam, then we’ve done our job well!

TeachAllAboutIt was shortlisted as Small Business of the Year in 2021 by Worthing & Adur Business Awards, and awarded Sussex New Business of the Year in 2020 by Sussex University Business School.