Brand new free 1-2-1 sessions & workshops

Our popular How to Start a Start-up boot camp is back in an all-new format of six daily two-hour sessions. This workshops series is open to anyone aged 18+ so if you know anyone with a business idea or who is facing redundancy or extended furlough - tell them to book a place. Click here to book. 

Our all-new Action Learning workshops also kick-off this month - if you own a pre-start or early-stage business, this is a brilliant opportunity to submit a topic to our business experts and then to discuss it with them live. These free sessions are open to a maximum of eight business owners - so book quickly! Click here to book

Our expert delivery partner, the Sussex Innovation Centre launches its Lead Out of Lockdown series of personalised 1-2-1 mentoring sessions and coaching interventions across a range of topics from Stress Testing Your Business Model to Media Training For a Noisy World. Click here to book. 

If you're looking for ways to fund your business, our Funding My Business workshop will show you the range of options available and coach you in how to get them. From July 20th we have an entire week of workshops dedicated to helping to improve your business finances delivered by the Dorset Growth Hub. Click here to book. 

Go green and cut costs with the Councils’ commercial waste service

Businesses and organisations looking to cut costs and go green are being encouraged to sign up to Adur & Worthing Councils’ revamped commercial waste service.

With many firms now coming out of lockdown, the Councils are looking to reach out to companies, charities and community groups to help them dispose of waste responsibly while saving them money and the environment along the way.

A new campaign highlights the benefits of the commercial waste service, namely that it is cheaper, greener and more trusted than alternative providers.

As the strapline goes: “It’s our business to help companies reduce waste and cut costs”.

One of those businesses already benefiting is ETI Ltd, which has three sites in Worthing and specialises in manufacturing digital thermometer probes for the food industry.

Thanks to working closely with the Councils’ commercial waste team, more than half of the waste now collected is recycling which has saved the business 40% in costs.

Debbie Bulled, of ETI Ltd, said: “All businesses, large or small, have a duty of care to ensure that their waste is disposed of safely and efficiently and Adur & Worthing Councils provide the means to do exactly that. 

“Recycling is, and will continue to be, an essential part of our waste management strategy and this service helps to meet our environmental objectives and reduce our associated costs at the same time.”

With more than 30 years experience, the Councils has an excellent track record of offering regular and one-off collections to thousands of organisations across the area.

There are no hidden costs, with fees coming in at 10% cheaper than national competitors. Plus they are VAT free for those based in the Adur and Worthing area.

For those companies looking to go green, the Councils offer a dedicated recycling service at reduced cost which could save local firms up to 40%.

With a locally-based fleet and optimised routes, organisations also know that the amount of fuel used is kept to a minimum.

All collections are compliant with UK and EU legislation meaning clients have peace of mind knowing their waste will be disposed of in a responsible way.

Cllr Emma Evans, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for Environment, said: “Our commercial waste team do an excellent job supporting local businesses and organisations across the district, providing a top-quality service that never lets people down.

“So if you know a business that wants to reduce waste and cut costs, I urge you to put them in our touch with our fantastic team.”

Cllr Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Digital & Environmental Services, said: “We know that lockdown has placed enormous pressure on local businesses and charities which is why our newly-revamped commercial waste service makes it easy, simple and cheaper for organisations to dispose of their waste.

“There are no hidden costs and we're fully compliant with UK and EU legislation. With most fees VAT free too, there’s no reason to delay getting in touch with us today.”

For further information visit www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/commercial-waste.

Kamelia Kids - Open For Business!

When we first went into lockdown, we genuinely believed this would only be for a few weeks! It is hard to believe what has happened around the world and the immeasurable repercussions this has had on people, families, businesses and lives.

Having cared for our key worker children and vulnerable children during lockdown, we were overjoyed to welcome back some of our children and families on Mon 1 Jun 20. We have undoubtedly seen unprecedented change and the requirement for constant flexibility in the Early Years sector in how we operate under government restrictions. Throughout this period, we have worked extremely hard to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our children and staff.

While working under restrictions and with staff furloughed, we managed to transform part of our outside area into a wildlife and beach garden, so that the children can experience the natural world. In addition, we are set to create another outside space into a sensory and wellbeing garden to stimulate their senses and to provide a calm place to be.

In September, we will be launching our new sensory room and providing access to the interactive ‘Magic Carpet’ a state-of-the-art floor projection system which will help take our learning, play and communication with children to an entirely different level. Creating this wonderful new space, the Magic Carpet will complement our existing programme for children to learn, play and develop new skills – all the while having great fun.

Throughout the lockdown, we have remained positive and are looking forward to welcoming more children, families and staff back over the next few months.  We understand that this has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone and we sincerely hope that you and your loved ones, are more connected and determined to seize the day and utilise the incredible freedoms and choices that we all possibly took for granted.

As we head towards the latter part of the year and all it might bring, we wish everyone to stay safe and well.

www.kameliakids.org.uk 

Charity Golf Day in aid of Disabled Veterans

A charity Golf Day is being held in aid of Worthing-based charity, Care for Veterans, at Ham Manor Golf Club on Wednesday 9 September. 
 
With the majority of events either cancelled or postponed, Care for Veterans has lost a vital source of income. The Golf Day is one event that can take place as participants can socially-distance safely. 
 
The Harry Colt designed course at Ham Manor Golf Club, Angmering is set in beautiful parkland, so golfers can enjoy the stunning views and fresh air as they play through each hole. 
 
Care for Veterans’ Senior Fundraiser, Christine Gillott, said, “We are extremely grateful to Ham Manor Golf Club for hosting this golf day again for us. Following the popularity of last year’s event, it promises to be a fabulous day with lots of good golf in beautiful surroundings. All those who participate will be helping us raise vital funds, so that we may continue to provide our first-class and award-winning care to our veterans, many of whom are facing the toughest battle of their lives.” 
 
A team of four costs £300 and includes coffee and bacon rolls on arrival, 18 holes of golf (shotgun start), a two course meal in the historic manor house, followed by a prize giving and auction. Teams can be all male, all female or mixed. For more information, or to register a team, call Care for Veterans on 01903 218444 or visit www.careforveterans.org.uk

Local business success story - Nordell

Regretfully, a lot of local & national business’s have had a really challenging year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nordell are a local Worthing business that has also been impacted as many of our customers have seen their sales decline; however we have adapted, and are now set for growth in a new market sector. We are currently recruiting an additional 10 roles locally to our current 80 strong team.

As a manufacturing company they continued to manufacture through the pandemic (as they were making essential parts for the medical and pharmaceutical sectors) and did not need to furlough staff. They immediately implemented measures to safeguard the team at work whilst those that could worked from home.

They have seen some of our large customers historical business decline as a result of Covid-19 which has impacted their like for like turnover.

Nordell have adapted by very quickly, seizing an opportunity to manufacture critical parts for the medical sector; parts used directly to fight Covid-19. These parts need to be produced in a Cleanroom, which Nordell didn’t have. Nordell took VERY rapid decisions to invest over £350K in new machinery and a cleanroom to meet the demand and will be operational within a few weeks. It has taken less than 8 weeks from concept to manufacture.

They employ 80 people in the local Worthing area. To meet the increased demand they will be employing a further 10 roles to increase the team to 90 (+12.5%)

www.nordell.co.uk

A New Name for a New Normal in Financial Planning

One of the south’s leading independent financial advisers is changing its name to reflect the growing depth of expertise being offered to local people.

From July, MHA Carpenter Box, based in Worthing, Gatwick and Brighton, is swapping ‘Wealth Management’ for ‘Financial Advisers’ to reflect the expansion of the services offered by the business in the 12 years since it was launched.

Complete with its new name, MHA Carpenter Box Financial Advisers will be guiding its clients through an uncertain personal finance landscape brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, and providing expert advice in areas such as taxation, later life and estate planning, pensions and investments.

“We live in uncertain times, but people still have plans for the future and getting expert advice on planning ahead has never been so important,” said Roy Thompson, Partner and Head of MHA Carpenter Box Financial Advisers.

“Over the last 12 years, we have expanded our team of professional advisers to cover investments, pensions, later life and estate planning, and personal taxation. This enables us to provide the personalised and holistic approach to financial planning that is called for in the current climate.”

To find out more visit www.carpenterboxfa.com.

University of Chichester introduces executive portfolio of online short courses

The University of Chichester announces its executive portfolio of on-line vocational, practical and in-depth short courses available from August 2020 onwards.

In these challenging times, some people may now be in very different employment circumstances.  Short courses can help them feel a sense of purpose, grow a new network and evidence what they have done to increase their skills and employment opportunities.

This exciting initiative is designed to provide learners who may already be involved in people management, marketing, event management or related careers with the opportunity to refresh and enhance their skills and knowledge.   

These short courses can be tailored to the needs of individual organisations and are designed to give learners the competence and confidence to further develop their skills.

You do not need any special entry requirements as the courses cater for all types of learners.

According to Paula Jenkins, one of the coordinators of the initiative, ‘Our lecturers have access to the latest thinking in their respective fields as well as industry experience working with a broad range of employers and are highly conversant with contemporary issues within different organisations”.

For further information, please visit our website at https://www.chi.ac.uk/business-school/our-courses/executive-short-courses and download our brochure.

Guide: Everything SMEs need to know about Furlough

The government has announced a number of changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – more commonly referred to as ‘furlough’. These changes start to take effect from 1 July.

As businesses look to getting back to some form of normal and start to ‘re-open’ they are faced with some crucial decisions.

This guide has been produced to help SMEs consider the implications for their business and guide them on the choices they have. It also provides practical guidance on how they can start to bring back employees from furlough, whilst ensuring they do things correctly and understand, and continue to get, the support they are entitled to.

Click here to view full guide

Worthing Theatres and Museum Restructure Consultation.

The global Arts sector has been hit incredibly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Having originally advised the public not to go to the theatre but not offering any closure orders, on 20th March 2020 the British Government finally ordered ‘theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close ‘as soon as they reasonably can, and not to open tomorrow.’ 

Since then no venues have been able to open their doors and the industry as a whole is still in the dark about when we will be allowed to hold live performances again or exactly what this will look like. Whilst we were thrilled to be awarded funding from the Arts Council England COVID-19 Emergency Fund, and have utilised the Government Job Retention (furlough) Scheme, without additional support from the Government we have no choice but to make the difficult but necessary decision to restructure and are currently in a process of consultation with employees.

The proposed changes include redundancies and reduced hours. WTM has a staff of 150 and we have sadly added 19 staff members, from across all departments but weighted towards public facing, to a redundancy consultation list. A further 29 staff members will be facing a temporary reduction in hours and pay. We have consulted with Worthing Borough Council, and BECTU on these changes with the input of WTM union representatives.

WTM became a charitable trust on Nov 1st 2019. Being ordered to close after only 5 months of operation is an incredibly challenging situation and we are doing everything we can to survive and to reopen our venues for the people of Worthing as soon as it is safe to do so. We were incredibly proud of our debut season as a new company with strong sales and an air of excitement about the future. This process has been absolutely heartbreaking to all of us at WTM. If we do not take this action then we fear we may never be able to reopen.

Amanda O’Reilly
CEO and Head of Programming
Worthing Theatres and Museum

South East businesses looking to international markets for post-COVID bounce, finds research from Kreston International

South East businesses are planning for increased international trade over the next 12 months looking for a post-COVID bounce, finds new research commissioned by Kreston International and accountants, business and financial advisers Kreston Reeves.

The research, conducted in May amongst 514 SMEs and published in a report Trading internationally in 2020 - a post COVID-19 perspective, found that whilst 55% of businesses have cancelled or delayed plans to export to overseas markets or trade internationally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 51% say their view on the importance of international trade has increased.

45% of businesses surveyed expect international trade to return within 12 months, suggesting they are expecting a v-shaped economic recovery. 40% of those surveyed also expect to see increased levels of import trade.

Headline findings:

• 71% of businesses in this survey told us that pre COVID-19 they were trading internationally.
• 55% of businesses have delayed or cancelled plans to trade overseas as a result of COVID-19.
• 51% of business leaders say their view on the importance of exporting has increased in a post COVID-19 world.
• 40% of business leaders surveyed expect to see import trade increase.
• 45% of business leaders expect international trade to return within 12 months, suggesting they are expecting a v-shaped recovery.
• Of those businesses that were not trading internationally before the outbreak of COVID-19, 34% say they are likely or very likely to expand internationally in the next three years.
• 39% of business leaders believe COVID-19 will provide opportunities for their business.

Andrew Griggs, Senior Partner at Kreston Reeves and board member of Kreston International, said: “Our research has shown that UK businesses are outward looking, generating considerable revenues from international markets. COVID-19 has, unsurprisingly, placed businesses under varying degrees of stress and temporarily halted much international trade – 80% of businesses told us that they are under a little or a lot of stress, and that 55% of them have delayed or cancelled plans to explore export markets or trade internationally as a result.

“But the research presents a much more positive picture. Over half (51%) of those businesses surveyed say that their view on the importance of international trade has increased in a post-COVID world, and that 40% expect to see import trade increase.

“What is particularly encouraging is that 45% of businesses surveyed expect international trade to return within 12 months, suggesting the much hoped for v-shaped recovery.”

In November and December 2019, Kreston Reeves surveyed 1,109 small and medium-sized businesses for their views on the reputation of the UK internationally and barriers to international trade as the UK looked to officially depart the European Union.

That survey found 52% of businesses believed the UK’s reputation on the international business stage had improved in the last 3 years, with 70% of businesses saying that it is the skills and expertise of entrepreneurs and businesses that drives our reputation. 79% of businesses surveyed in late 2019 believe that it is the actions of politicians and policy that threaten our international reputation.

Andy Wallis, Corporate and International Tax Partner at Kreston Reeves adds: “The first survey was due to be published in March this year but was delayed because of COVID-19. Yet as the UK looks to agree a trading agreement with the EU, its findings are still important and relevant.

“Our research found that the biggest concerns for businesses trading internationally are tax, VAT and duties (23%), currency fluctuations (20%), and tariffs and trade barriers (19%). Red tape (18%), the cost of international trade (18%), logistics (17%), and getting paid (14%) are all very real barriers to international growth. As we look to redefine our position on the world stage these remain live issues.

“We asked businesses what help they would most value when trading internationally, and, reflecting the complexity of international growth, there is no one single measure that would help more than others.

“Businesses told us that free trade deals (32%) would be the most helpful but would also want to see tax breaks (26%), financial incentives (25%), partnering opportunities (25%), less red tape (23%) and help in identifying customers (21%). A package of support is quite clearly required to help British SMEs take on the world.”

Businesses looking to trade internationally turn to many different sources of information for advice including professional or trade body (41%), Department for International Trade (39%), accountants or financial advisers (32%) and local chambers of commerce (31%).

Andrew Griggs concludes: “Brexit has changed the face of international trade for UK businesses, and that will bring both challenges and opportunities. We are encouraged by the outward face of SMEs, but government, professional and trade bodies, and their advisers, all need to play a greater role in helping secure the long-term international future of British business.”

A full copy of the report can be found here; www.krestonreeves.com/publications