NEW CHAIRMAN
Local businessman John Day has been appointed as Chairman of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce and Business Link Leicestershire Boards.
John, who has been the Managing Director of his own marketing consultancy JDMA Ltd since 1998, became Chairman last month when he took over from Michael Kirk. Prior to his appointment John was the Deputy Chairman of the Leicestershire Chamber and the Chamber’s President between 2001 and 2003. Previously Director of Marketing for the Alliance & Leicester and Marketing Director for one of the largest law firms in the UK, John is also a Non-executive Director of the Leicestershire Education Business Company, the Leicester Theatre Trust and the Leicestershire Business Awards. In addition to this he is Independent Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee for the Hinckley and Rugby, the largest building society based in Leicestershire.
John's involvement with charities includes being Treasurer and a Trustee of Home-Start South Leicestershire, a member of the fund-raising committee of the Sir Andrew Martin Trust and a founder member of ProHelp, which provides free professional advice to charities and voluntary organisations throughout Leicestershire. John was born in Leicestershire, educated at Lutterworth Grammar School and lives in Frolesworth in the south of the county.
ONLY ONE LEFT
Whether you want to promote your company in general or start the New Year with a sales push for a particular campaign or offer you can get your message out to 1600 Chamber members for less than the cost per company of a 1st class stamp.
Pay just £250 +vat for a single sheet A4 flyer insert in our Chamber News newsletter and we will mail 1600 of your flyers out for you- that works out at less than 19p per flyer- cheaper than a first class stamp plus you’re saving on envelope costs and staff time too! We currently have just one space available for flyers in the February edition of Chamber News so if you’d like to find out more or reserve space please call Suzanne on Tel: 0116 204 6609 or email: farmer.s@chamberofcommerce.co.uk
REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON EMPLOYMENT SKILLS
This regional consultation has been launched for the Employment Skills and Productivity partnership (ESP), which is following a vision of getting “more people into better jobs deployed more effectively by employers.”
This vision embraces three main challenges – to drive up demand for skills, raise aspirations of people and employers in the region and create improvements in the skill supply. It also aims to be a one stop shop for businesses, employees and community groups in offering support and advice on improving productivity. This initiative builds on the success of the Framework for Employment and Skills Action (FRESA) and comes in response to the Government’s National Skills Strategy. The consultation runs until the end of January and invites comments on what should be the main priorities and how they should be implemented.
A full version of the consultation is available on the web site : www.emfresa.org.uk.
CONSULTATION PAPER ON AMENDMENTS TO THE CURRENT CARRIAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS
This consultation has been issued by the Freight Logistics Section of Department for Transport. The closing date is 26 January 2005.
The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Regulations 2005
DATA PROTECTION UPDATE
HR and line managers can access sickness records without breaching the Data Protection Act 1998 according to the final piece of guidance issued from the Information Commissioner.
The fourth piece of guidance " information about workers" aims to help employer comply with the Act and covers issues such as collecting and keeping sickness records and drug - testing employees. The guidance has been amended after consultation on the draft guidelines earlier this year revealed it would not be practical for only occupational health professionals to hold information on sickness. The draft guidance had said that HR and managers could access absence records but not details about the sickness causing the absence.
BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENING SPONSORED BY WILSON BROWNE SOLICITORS
Date: 25th January
Time: 6pm-8.30pm
Venue: TA Centre, Loughborough
Cost: Place only: £25 Members / £35 Standard; Place & space for a display stand: £55 Members/ £65 Standard
Hosted by the East Midlands Reserve Forces this event gives members an opportunity to reserve space for a stand and exchange company literature over a glass of wine and delicious buffet. During the evening delegates will be invited to place their business cards into a hat after which several will be selected, allowing the card holders the opportunity to give a short presentation on their business.
EMPLOYMENT LAW SEMINAR
Date: 9th February
Time: 7.30am-9.00am
Venue: Leicester Tigers Ground, Aylestone Road, Leicester
Cost: £25 Members/ £35 Standard
This seminar will look at a number of employment law matters including long term sickness absence and how best to deal with employees on long term sick leave, "Without Prejudice" dismissals and what you can do to encourage unwanted staff to leave your business without having to constructively dismiss them and an update on the latest developments and legislation in the legal minefield of employment law.
ADVANCED WEB STRATEGIES WORKSHOP
Date: 21st February
Time: 8.30am-1pm
Venue: Leicester City Football Club, Leicester
Cost: free of charge
In a fast-moving and competitive world successful businesses need to adapt and change. Those who fail to exploit the Internet’s full potential g=face the prospect of losing out to competitors who use it as a driver to reduce costs and boost their sales performance. This half-day event is designed to give you all the tools, ideas and inspiration you need to being business growth through your website and Internet strategies.
LEICESTERSHIRE WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2005
Date: 4th March
Time: 7.30pm-midnight
Venue: Leicester City Football Club, Leicester
Cost: £40 +vat, £375 +vat for a table of ten
The presentation evening for the Leicestershire Women of Achievement Awards will include a three-course meal, guest speakers and the awards ceremony itself. This prestigious event is supported by LCFC, The Phoenix Partners, Jobcentre Plus, PKF, Leicestershire County Council, The Leicester Mercury’s The Business, Leicestershire Learning & Skills Council and hopwood.
Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce networking events are
sponsored by Wilson Browne Solicitors
CHARITIES WANT YOUR OLD PHONES
If Santa brought you a new mobile phone for Christmas, don't forget you can put your old one to good use - you can recycle it for charity.
Some of the UK's leading charities have teamed up with specialist recycling company The Recycling Appeal to run eco-friendly fundraising appeals, meaning every mobile you donate can generate vital funds for your chosen cause. The phones are refurbished and resold, with a substantial portion of the proceeds going to charitable organisations. All you have to do is choose which charity you want to donate to - Marie Curie Cancer Care, the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, The Royal National Institute of the Blind, The Children's Hospice Association Scotland or Northern Ireland Hospice Care.
If you have a mobile phone to donate, simply call 08712 50 50 50 or visit www.recyclingappeal.com, state which of the five charities you'd like to support, and ask for a freepost envelope. Then all you have to do is pop it in the post, simple as that.
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A SLICE OF MADEIRA
The Madeira International Business Centre (MIBC) was established with the full support of the European Commission as a priority European development region and given significant tax advantages. Since the MIBC was set up, several thousand jobs - many in higher-qualified business sectors - have been introduced and Madeira has one of the fastest growing economies in the EU.
Trading companies established in the MIBC can take advantage of fiscal benefits including very low taxation and access to a wide range of double taxation agreements and full compliance with CFC rules. There is also the opportunity to establish a holding company which, by virtue of the EU parent/ subsidiary directive, exempts from taxation the income received from EU affiliated companies.
The Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce is hoping to organise a trade mission to the island of Madeira in 2005, if you would like to register your interest please contact Bridget Hankers on hankers.b@chamberofcommerce.co.uk
HUNGARY 4 FOR YOUR BUSINESS
East Midlands Development Agency and UK Trade & Investment are inviting local companies to explore trade opportunities in Hungary. A three-day visit to Budapest has been arranged for 1-3rd March to discover what this rapidly developing market can offer your business. Companies joining this visit will benefit from:
• Connections- market experts will put you in contact with potential business partners
• Advice & Support- discover real opportunities for your company at a briefing held by all major in-market specialists
• Opportunities- network with local companies and key commercial staff at an embassy reception
• Promotion- raise your company’s profile in Hungary at an East Midlands Showcase event in Budapest.
For further information email: hungary@myb-group.co.uk or Tel: 01332 548118
BREAKFAST BRIEFING
The first in a series of Breakfast Briefings organised by the Women In Business At The Chamber (WiBAC) initiative will take place on February 8th at Portcullis House in London.
The briefings are very much in the philosophy of WiBAC and aim to develop an exchange of knowledge of the highest quality to promote trade and investment with the Arab world. The event will focus on the opportunities, regulations and developments in the banking and financial sector in the Middle East with a programme designed to deliver optimum information whilst taking only a little time out of your working day.
For more information contact Layla Derraz on Tel: 020 7201 9454 or email: layla.derraz@abcc.org.uk. Bookings should be made by February 2nd