IN THE MARCH GOOD MORNING LEICESTERSHIRE
- Making A Healthy Difference
- Chamber Website Promotes Export Communications Review
- Log On To Chamber HR
- EnterpriseEurope Network
- The Art Of Being Brilliant
- Invest Leicestershire Leads On Three Universities For Business
- The Cost of Illiteracy
- The Musical Interlude
- Charity Golf By The Sea
- Business Link Update
- Doing Business With Russia
- Explore Motor Sports Market in Beijing & Shanghai
- International Opportunities For Design In Built Environment
- Forthcoming Chamber Events
GET INVOLVED
If your company would like to help the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce continue to provide this informative e-newsletter Good Morning Leicestershire and raise the profile of your own business at the same time then please talk to Sharon Jeffrey on 0116 204 6618 to discuss sponsorship opportunities, preferential rates are available for Chamber Members.
MAKING A HEALTHY DIFFERENCE
Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce is one of many chambers nationwide that has adopted Westfield Health’s Chamber Primary Health Plan as a service for its members. The Chamber Plan, which can help your business to reduce absenteeism and improve staff recruitment and retention,offers three levels of cover - £1.10, £2.20 or £3.45 per employee, per week and provides 100 per cent reimbursement on all cash benefits, up to set limits.
In return for employer-paid weekly premiums, employees who are permanent UK residents can claim tax-free lump sums towards the cost of everyday healthcare including dental, optical, therapy treatments and specialist consultations. What’s more, the plan also includes access to a 24-hour freephone counseling and adviceline and up to six face-to-face counseling sessions. AGP telephone consultation helpline, which provides employees with access to telephone consultations with a GP 24 hours a day, every day, wherever they are in the world, is also available on the plan, along witha health club concession benefit and an online health information facility.
For more information about the Chamber Plan contact Westfield Health on Tel: 0845 602 1629, visit: www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber or email: businessenquiries@westfieldhealth.com
CHAMBER WEBSITE PROMOTES EXPORT COMMUNICATIONS REVIEW
The latest addition to the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce website involves a new scheme to help companies who hope to export to formulate a strategy to help them communicate effectively anywhere in the world without necessarily having to learn a new language!
Any company doing business overseas will almost certainly come up against language and cultural barriers. How you tackle them could mean the difference between success and failure.
The British Chambers of Commerce provide Export Communications Reviews on behalf of UK Trade & Investment through a national networkof accredited consultants. Through the scheme, hundreds of companies have changed the way they trade with overseas markets and improved their export sales.
While all exporters can benefit from a review of their communications with overseas customers, companies have been known to benefit considerably when they have had a review at the time they were considering entering a new overseas market, launching a new product overseas or undertaking a new overseas promotional strategy such as attending a trade show or organising a mail-shot to the market. Another good time is when you are encountering a downturn in an overseas market or having communications difficulties with one of your overseas representatives.
For more information on this scheme and to find out whether you’re eligible just visit the Chamber website www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk and see the Export Communications Review page under the International section.
LOG ON TO CHAMBER HR
Due to the increasing burden of employment legislation and the proliferation of “no win no fee” solicitors, dealing with employment issues is becoming increasingly difficult, time consuming and costly.
As a result Leicestershire Camber of Commerce has teamed up with Qdos Consulting, based in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, to provide ChamberHR, a human resource solution free as part of your membership benefits.
ChamberHR is a comprehensive human resource service delivered through the ChamberHR website and a dedicated 24 hour advice line. The advice line provides fast and accurate guidance on all questions of human resource and health & safety to help you comply with the law. The website provides over 160 downloadable HR policies, documents, procedures and forms, you will be able to download relevant documents that are required to provide a complete audit trail. The website is constantly updated.
Log on to: www.chamberhr.co.uk today. Or call the 24 hour advice line on Tel: 02920 349614.
If you have not received your website log in details or you are a new member and would like to register to use the service please contact the membership team by email: leics@chamberofcommerce.co.uk or call: 0116 247 1800
For those members that require additional support, The ChamberHR System upgrade is available, providing those members that subscribe with all the benefits of ChamberHR along with additional on-site consultancy which can include: an on-site audit and report, evaluation of contracts of employment and employee handbook review as well as employment representation, employment awards and health & safety prosecution cover with no excess.
We believe that ChamberHR is a truly invaluable member benefit and recommend you make full use of the service, a representative from Qdos Consulting who provide the ChamberHR service, will be contacting all members over the coming weeks to ensure that you can access the website and to answer any questions you may have regarding the service as well as offering you the opportunity to book an appointment to discuss your current HR arrangements and the upgrade services that are available.
For further information contact Qdos Consulting on Tel: 01455 852028 or email: chamber@qdosconsulting.com
ENTERPRISE EUROPE NETWORK
The European Commission has recently awarded a contract to provide an easily accessible European business information and support service for the East and West Midlands to the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, along with the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Coventry University Enterprises.
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber in Partnership with the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is part of a network of over 600 partners in 40 countries across Europe and beyond. It combines the previously separate support networks including European Info Centres and Innovation Relay Centres and was established by the European Commission to assist SME’s with policy matters and trade within the EU.
The EEN is the local access bureau serving businesses in theEast Midlandsand is ideally placed to handle enquiries on issues such as:
- Economic & MonetaryUnion
- EU legislation
- Institutional matters
- Market information
- SME policies
- Social policy
- Sources of EU funding
- Research initiatives
The EEN receives a constant flow of information onEuropeand has access to a range of EU databases to assist businesses with trade matters. As well as general information the current specific programme includes:
- Tenders Electronic Daily - the on-line database containing details of invitations to tender for public contracts throughout Europe.
- Business Co-operation Service- opportunities for companies seeking new contacts abroad to advertise a trading request via links across the EU and beyond.
- Interactive Policy Making– feeding problems with trade in Europe due to EU legislation back to the Commission to action.
For further information simply contact the EEN on Tel: 01159 33 00 31/33
THE ART OF BEING BRILLIANT
Business Builder, part of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce group, are running a series of dynamic, thought provoking workshops designed to give you practical tools and techniques for developing your business and improving your competitive edge.
The workshop, The Art of Being Brilliant, is taking place on 20th March at Charnwood Court, New Walk in Leicester. The aim of this course is to raise expectations as to what is possible and inspire delegates to transform the way they think about work, life and relationships to create a positive climate to change. The principals can be applied to our whole lives - in and out of work. The workshop uses concepts of emotional intelligence and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) to explore how you can be you, brilliantly.
This workshop is priced at just £150 inclusive of VAT for Chamber members and £175 inclusive of VAT at standard rate.
For more information please contact Jackie Ledger on Tel:0116 258 7354 or email: info@bizbuild.co.uk
INVEST LEICESTERSHIRE LEADS ON THREE UNIVERSITIES FOR BUSINESS
The three Leicestershire-based universities have announced a major new initiative to boost engagement with local and regional businesses. Invest Leicestershire has coordinated the new ‘Three Universities for Business’ initiative with the support of the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and Leicester Shire Economic Partnership (LSEP) with the three universities of Leicestershire.
For the first time in the East Midlands, Three Universities for Business brings together the complementary professional and technical expertise, and wide range of specialist services from De Montfort University, Loughborough University and the University of Leicester. This will enable local and regional companies to easily identify opportunities for engagement with the universities to support their business performance.
The initiative was successfully launched with a major dinner at the Marriott Hotel Leicester, attended by the universities and around 70 key local business people. A new Three Universities for Business guide has been produced by Invest Leicestershire to accompany the launch of the initiative and discussions are taking place with the universities and local business leaders to develop further campaign activity. To source copies of the guide, detailing all of the services available from the three universities for businesses, please call Invest Leicestershire at Leicester Shire Promotions on Tel: 0116 225 4071 or email: invest@l-p-l.com
THE COST OF ILLITERACY
Up to 14.6 million adults in the UK admit that their inadequate literacy skills have lost their company money; 5.2 million of these adults are at or below the literacy standard expected of an 11 year old – a fact that is annually costing the UK economy £10 billion. A key to saving the economy is to address the problem of writing skillsnow, according to Heather Ker, creator of Better Writing: Better Business, a web-based solution designed to improve writing skills in business.
Research by Basic Writing Skills (UK) Ltd has revealed that poorly written communication is a major consideration to employers when employing staff; as many as 4 in 10 employers are disappointed with the basic literacy skills of today’s school leavers. Lost orders, bad communication and poor product quality, all of which cut into business profits can be traced to poor literacy and it is estimated that 50% of jobs are effectively closed to individuals with a minimum level of basic skills.
In response, BWS (UK) Ltd will shortly be launching Better Writing: Better Business. This unique web-based programme is self-paced, which means there is no need for users to leave their place of work and business disruption is absolutely minimal – saving time, reducing stress, and paving the way for increased productivity and business efficiency.
In association with Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, BWS (UK) Ltd is currently undertaking a nationwide survey of literacy levels in the workplace. To take part in the survey and see how good your literacy skills are click below.
CHARITY GOLF BY THE SEA
A charity gala dinner and golf tournament will be held in Mablethorpe on Saturday 5th April to support the Leicester Children’s Holiday Centre in Mablethorpe. This event, which includes four course dinner with top entertainment, prize presentation and overnight accommodation, is just the latest in a series which are being organised to raise funds for this important local charity.
Leicester Children's Holiday Centre has been providing free seaside holidays for the children of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for over a century and now provides a much needed opportunity for over 250 disadvantaged local children who otherwise would not be able to have a summer holiday.
The charity is entirely independent of any other organisation and relies solely upon donations to meet the annual costs to continue this work. If you are able to support this event, in whatever way, please contact Keith Rawson on Tel: 07801 902330 or email: keith@keithrawson.com
THE MUSICAL INTERLUDE
Strauss's final and most poignant work Four Last Songs will be performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra under Maestro Sir Charles Mackerras on Tuesday 8 April 2008, 7.30pm. The evening's programme will also include Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 and Strauss' Don Juan Overture.
Click here for more information and booking details. Lord Mayor’s Concert.
The Philharmonia Orchestra is proud to be a member of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce.
COMPETE FOR LONDON 2012 CONTRACTS
A groundbreaking ‘business dating agency’ has been launched to help companies based in the East Midlands compete for business opportunities helping deliver the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and London Organising Committee (LOCOG) expect to allocate over £6bn of work as part of an estimated 75,000 future business opportunities covering direct contractors and their supply chains over the coming years.
For more information visit:
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=5000953803&site=140
EVALUATE AND ADDRESS YOUR DEVELOPMENT NEEDS
If you are the owner or senior manager of an East Midlands business, Mentoring For All could be for you.It's good to get a good to get a fresh perspective on your business and this is where Mentoring For All helps. It gives you access to the knowledge and expertise of another business leader to help develop your own skills, solve problems and grow your business.
For more information visit:
PROFESSIONAL ONLINE PRESENCE WINS CUSTOMERS
A Microsoft survey found that over half of all respondents felt a well designed website would generate more business for smaller firms. Nine out of ten respondents claimed they would be more likely to choose a local supplier that used a business email address. In addition, website design could portray positive business attributes such as greater accessibility (53 per cent of respondents), professionalism (41 per cent) and greater clarity (51 per cent) on what the business offers.
For more information visit:
DOING BUSINESS IN RUSSIA
1st April
The Yew Lodge Hotel, Kegworth
Russia is the largest country in the world and fast becoming a major competitor with the economies of China and India. With the recent establishment of a consumer economy and with real potential for long term growth, Russia has become a prime location for businesses wishing to expand overseas.
Although existing trade relations have seen UK products and services remain in high demand the challenges associated with entry into the Russian market should never be underestimated. Therefore, through a combination of in-depth background information and hands-on practical tips, this seminar will help you:
- Discover how you can do business with Russia
- Find out the business opportunities available
- Learn about the business culture and environment
- Understand the political, legal and financial issues
- Hear from your peers who already do business with Russia
- Networkover lunch with all the speakers
Register at: www.eventsforce.net/business-in-russia2008 or alternatively if you would like to discuss this opportunity in further detail, please email:
events@uktiem.co.uk or call: 0845 052 4001.
MOTORSPORT VISIT TO BEIJING & SHANGHAI
Beijing & Shanghai, China
19- 23 May
Significant business opportunities exist in Shanghai as a result of a shift in commercial policies by the Jiushi Corporation. This visit offers a unique opportunity to have face-to-face meetings with the Shanghai International Circuit (SIC) management to discuss how you could be involved in the future development of the circuit - an excellent opportunity to meet some of the key players in Chinese motorsport.
For more information contact Claire McQuillan on Tel: 01332 826433, email: Claire.mcquillan@uktiem.co.uk or visit: http://www.emids.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/events/viewevent.asp?viewEvent=516
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR DESIGN IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
20th March
Pride Park Stadium, Derby
UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and the East Midlands Centre for Constructing the Built Environment have brought together a range of leading experts who will deliver an invaluable overview of the support and expertise available to help you explore the numerous construction opportunities overseas. This conference will cater for any company with experience in delivering solutions linked to design in the built environment who are looking to grow and develop business opportunities overseas.
The seminar will also provide delegates with specially commissioned market intelligence reports worth nearly £3000, covering the five key construction markets of China, India, Ireland, Qatar and Poland. Book online at www.eventsforce.net/built-environment
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2008
Date: 14 March
Venue: Leicester City Football Club,Leicester
Time: 7pm - midnight
Cost: £50 per person / £470 Table of ten
Price includes a four course meal. Discounted rates are available for finalists, their guests and local community groups.
This unique celebration is designed to capture the achievements of women in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The gala dinner evening will commence with a wine reception, followed by a sit-down dinner, special guests include Kay Alexander and Jennie Bond.
AREA LUNCHEON WITH DAVID TAYLOR MP
Date: 4 April
Venue: PricewaterhouseCoopers Offices, Pegasus Business Park, nr Castle Donington
Time: 12 noon – 2pm
Cost: £25, one price only, includes buffet lunch
As part of the ongoing series of area lunches around the county the Chamber is delighted to welcome North West Leicestershire MP David Taylor as the guest speaker for this event.
LEICESTERSHIRE MEETS NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - NETWORKING EVENT HOSTED BY STANFORD HALL
Date: 22 April
Venue: Stanford Hall, nr Lutterworth
Time: 6pm - 8:30pm
Cost: Chamber members £25/ Standard £30
Leicestershire Chamber is keen to encourage members to network, linking business of all sizes and sectors together to enable them to meet, exchange views and identify potential new business. Hosted by Stanford Hall this event gives members an opportunity to network and exchange company literature with fellow attendees over a glass of wine as well as participating in tours of this wonderful venue.
BREAKFAST SPEED NETWORKING
Date: 13 May
Venue: Westfield House Hotel, Blaby
Time: 8am - 9:30am
Cost: Chamber members £25 / Standard £35
Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce has organised another of its popular breakfast speed networking events sponsored by The Business Booster. Looking for new contacts? Want to raise your business profile? Then bring along your business cards and join us for this event, which aims to bring together the business community to enjoy networking opportunities with a full English breakfast in the comfortable surroundings of the Westfield House Hotel.
CHAMBER GOLF DAY
Date: 16 May
Venue: Kibworth Golf Club, Kibworth Beauchamp
Time: 8:30am – 4pm
Cost: Chamber Members £49.50 / Standard £59.50
This year's corporate hospitality golf day will take place at Kibworth Golf Club and includes a superb days golf along with breakfast and lunch. Players will be arranged into teams of 4 with a chance to win both individual and team prizes, with Sturgess kindly sponsoring a car for a lucky hole in one winner, all other prizes are sponsored by QDOS Consulting.
THE GLIDING EXPERIENCE
Date: 20 May
Venue: The Gliding Centre, Husbands Bosworth
Time: 9.30am – 2pm
Cost: Winch Package £45 /Aerotow Package £65
Experience the spectacular views of south Leicestershire in silent flight from the cockpit of a modern glider - an exclusive, discounted opportunity for Chamber members to take the ‘Gliding Experience.’
Networking events organised by the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce are sponsored by The Business Booster.
For more information on these Chamber events please call Kam Atker on Tel: 0116 204 6614, email: atker.k@chamberofcommerce.co.uk or alternatively you can visit the Chamber website at: www.chamberofcommmerce.co.uk and select What’s On/events