Can you support Link to Hope Charity's Shoebox Appeal?

Local charity and chamber member, Link to Hope (www.linktohope.co.uk) is running its 2022 Shoebox Appeal.  This is when organisations, businesses and individuals fill an empty shoeboxes with gifts for an impoverished family or elderly person in Eastern Europe.  The appeal has been going for 31 years and over a million have been sent out. 

The charity has education and social care projects in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine and particularly want to send as many shoeboxes to those communities this year.  In light of the Ukraine war they want to show support not only to the people of Ukraine but to many of the Ukrainian refugees who are still living in the surrounding countries. 

The charity runs this appeal nationally and the closing date is the 4^th November.  However for local people shoeboxes Link to Hope will be open for shoeboxes to be delivered to their five shops or offices in Ferring until the end of November. 

So if you are thinking about getting involved please register on their website and leaflets and posters will be sent out to you. Please help send as much joy as possible to people in Eastern Europe and particularly Ukraine this year.

Please see their website at www.linktohope.co.uk for more information.

Sussex LSIP Procurement Tender Invites

Sussex Chamber has been designated by Department for Education (DfE) as the employer representative body to take forward the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, and West Sussex. 

We are now finalising our delivery plans to continue the work started during the LSIP Trailblazer.  The plans will include a refresh on the data analysis and intelligence, undertaking deep dives into our key sectors and formulating the skills priorities and solutions identified within the Future Skills Sussex Improvement Framework into a three-year action plan.  

To enable us to delivery on our plans we are seeking to put together a strong project team and therefore are looking to procure several individuals, either as consultants or on a paid secondment basis. 

We are inviting applications for the following roles: 

Stakeholder Engagement Leads x3 – consultants or paid secondments to engage with a range of stakeholders effectively and undertake Key Sector Deep Dives to inform the refreshed LSIP report. We are ideally seeking experts in the business community and/or skills community with strong networking skills. 

Strategic Expert – a senior professional to provide high level strategic insight and support with the development and action planning of Future Skills Sussex Improvement Framework and LSIP report. 

For further details and information on how to apply, please find attached the full procurement briefs for these opportunities. 

The deadline for applications is noon on Friday 28 October 2022. 

 If you have any queries regarding these opportunities, please email skills@sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk 

Adur and Worthing Business Awards October Newsletter

The Adur & Worthing Business Awards have become the feature business event across the area, showcasing a thriving and successful business community and we are delighted to receive such fantastic support once again.

This year’s awards have attracted a bumper crop of entries and nominations from local businesses and individuals. As always, selecting a shortlist for each category was a difficult task for our judging panel and much deliberation took place at Worthing Town Hall on Thursday 28^th September before our 2022 finalists were confirmed.

Peter Webb MBE DL, Chairman – ETI Ltd, judge and category sponsor said: “We’ve had entries from a broad range of businesses from all over Adur and Worthing and it’s fantastic to see so many quality submissions. It demonstrates that despite recent and current challenges, businesses are thriving, and these awards acknowledge and celebrate this.”

Tracie Davey, Chief Executive – Worthing & Adur Chamber, judge and category sponsor commented: “There are some high calibre candidates this year that have displayed real business acumen. The challenge as a judge was drilling these down and deciding our finalists in each category. Those who have secured a place on the shortlist should be proud of their achievements and I’m looking forward to congratulating all the finalists and winners at the awards ceremony in November.”

The organisers are delighted to reveal the finalists for the Adur & Worthing Business Awards 2022.

Best Food – Sponsored by Worthing Town Centre Initiative (TCI)

• ·         Bayside Social
• ·         Crabshack
• ·         Perch on the Pier
• ·         Pitch Restaurant

Best Drink – Sponsored by Bennett Griffin LLP

• ·         Blend Coffee Co.
• ·         Coffee Me
• ·         The Old Bike Store
• ·         The Park View (Worthing) Ltd

Building & Construction - Sponsored by Gardner & Scardifield Ltd

• ·         ECE Group
• ·         Pilbeam Construction
• ·         Roberts Miller Redshaw Ltd
• ·         Shear Architectural Design Ltd

Business in the Community - Sponsored by Egalite Care Ltd

• ·         Gardner & Scardifield Ltd
• ·         James & James Estate Agents
• ·         Seaside Creative Ltd
• ·         South Downs Leisure
• ·         Worthing Theatre Trail

Business Personality - Sponsored by Time for Worthing

Announced on the night!

Customer Service - Sponsored by Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce

• ·         Bennett Griffin LLP
• ·         Cedar Garage Ltd
• ·         Flux Piercing Studio
• ·         James & James Estate Agents
• ·         The Egremont Bar & Restaurant

Hospitality Tourism & Leisure - Sponsored by Adur & Worthing Councils

• ·         Level 1
• ·         Our Eating House Ltd
• ·         Ropetackle Arts Centre
• ·         The Great Little Farmers Market CIC
• ·         Worthing Theatre Trail

Innovation - Sponsored by Kreston Reeves

• ·         AD Fuels Ltd
• ·         Cedar Garage Ltd
• ·         Cube Controls Ltd
• ·         Flare Audio Ltd
• ·         Level 1

Large Business - Sponsored by Babble

• ·         Classic Collection Holidays
• ·         ECE Group
• ·         FermionX Ltd
• ·         Gardner & Scardifield Ltd
• ·         Pyroban Ltd

Lifetime Achievement – The Martlet Partnership LLP

Announced on the night!

Manufacturing & Engineering - Sponsored by Carpenter Box

• ·         Boom Sauce
• ·         Cube Controls
• ·         FermionX Ltd
• ·         Flare Audio Ltd

Medium Business - Sponsored by Allergy Therapeutics PLC

• ·         always possible
• ·         Cedar Garage Ltd
• ·         Flare Audio Ltd
• ·         Investment Solutions Wealth Management Ltd
• ·         Our Eating House Ltd

Retailer - Sponsored by Rubix VT

• ·         A M Trophies & Engraving
• ·         Flux Piercing Studio
• ·         Guild Care
• ·         Sewsilver
• ·         Terre de Sienne

Small Business - Sponsored by AWBP

• ·         Inspire You
• ·         James & James Estate Agents
• ·         Mocha Furniture Ltd
• ·         Molokini Marketing Ltd
• ·         Rose Petal Cake Company

Start Up Business - Sponsored by Warnes Projects Ltd

• ·         CRE Communications Ltd
• ·         JG Care Management Ltd
• ·         LQS Healthcare Services Ltd
• ·         Pooch Pawfect Ltd
• ·         The Sweat Box Worthing

Sustainable Business - Sponsored by QED Sustainable Urban Developments

• ·         Ashes to Blooms
• ·         CRE Communications Ltd
• ·         ECE Group
• ·         Fins & Forks
• ·         South Downs Leisure

Training & Development - Sponsored by ETI Ltd

• ·         Bennett Griffin LLP
• ·         Browns Natural Pet Store
• ·         Nordell Ltd
• ·         Pyroban Ltd

Young Achiever - Sponsored by Nordell Ltd

• ·         Dani Jurgelewicz – Scorpio Digital
• ·         Lara Cusack – Piglets Pantry
• ·         Oliver Cooper – Gemini Print Group
• ·         Will Gordon – Consortium More Than Marketing

Overall Business – Sponsored by JSPC Computer Services

Announced on the night!

Huge thanks to our sponsors, partners, and supporters

The Adur & Worthing Business Awards are only made possible by the support of our fantastic sponsors and supporters, all of whom represent successful Worthing & Adur based businesses and organisations. We're so lucky to have such a supportive business community in our area.  Enormous thanks to them all!

Awards night!

Join up to 380 local business representatives to find out which of this year’s finalists will be crowned the winners of the Adur & Worthing Business Awards 2022! 

The black-tie Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony will take place at The Pavilion, Worthing, on Friday 4^th November 2022.  On behalf of all our sponsors, partners and supporters, the organising committee and judging panel would like to wish all shortlisted businesses and individuals the very best of luck!

Take a look at the splendid menu Harding’s Bar & Catering Services have prepared for the Awards night!  The entire team at Harding’s work extremely hard to establish their reputation as one of the south coast’s premier caterers.

We look forward to celebrating with you all on 4^th November but in the meantime, feel free to join in the conversation or like and share content on the AWBA Facebook  Twitter and LinkedIn pages!  Don’t forget to use the hashtag #AWBAwards

Can your business support the Worthing Tuition Sponsorship Program?

Worthing Tuition Centre was established in 2004. We tutor children after school hours  in English, Maths, Science and primary education from the ages of 6- 16 years (GCSE). We have 8 qualified teachers and currently have 40 children who attend the centre.

We have received queries from parents who want their child to have tutoring, as the child is struggling in  school with their education. However they can't start as they do not have the means and are looking for funding. We also had some students who had to stop tutoring due to financial reasons. Sadly we had to turn them away. 

We felt strongly about this and started the Worthing Tuition sponsorship programme in July 2022.

Our aim is to ask local businesses if they could sponsor a child to attend the centre for 12 months for £99 per month. In return the businesses would receive 3 progress reports , which they could use for marketing/ corporate social responsibility. 

We are pleased to announce Austin Gray property management in Brighton  and Ian Hart funeral services in Worthing have signed up to the programme and because of this 2 children are receiving tutoring and the children have excelled and gained so much confidence since attending the centre. 

We would be delighted if you  shared our vision and came on board. We believe, to make a big change you have to start locally which we are trying to achieve through education. 

Please email Sajed@worthingtuition.com for more information 

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