Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce

Issue: November 2009

Export Documentation Help From The Chamber
Chamber Cash Flow Advice Line
Celebrate Christmas Day & New Year In Style At The Leicester Marriott Hotel!
Scam Emails offer Tax Refunds
Cooper Parry Finance News
Business Link Help & Advice
Supported Office Space Available
Network With The Creatives
East Midlands Connections Networking Evening
Bulgaria Market Visit Opportunity
Can Your Creation Impress the Nation?
Be Next Year’s Business News
Leicester’s First Food Festival
Celebrate Christmas
Get Active In Loughborough
Christmas At Ulverscroft Manor
Philharmonia Update
Forthcoming Chamber Events

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 on 0116 204 6618 to discuss sponsorship opportunities, preferential rates are available for Chamber Members.

CHAMBER NEWS

Has your company experienced problems getting letters of credit right and getting paid? Over 50% of all documents presented for L/C payment to the bank are rejected on the first presentation because they do not comply. Learn how to dramatically improve your company performance thereby retaining your hard won contracts and profits.

Book your place now on the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce Letter of Credit course to be held on 17th November 2009 at the Chamber offices. Course fee is £195 + VAT for Chamber members and £235 + VAT for non members.

For further details contact:
Kam Atker on 0116 204 6614 or email: atker.k@chamberofcommerce.co.uk
Jo Christian on 0116 258 7322 or email: christian.j@chamberofcommerce.co.uk

Collecting Outstanding Debts

When you’ve been chasing customers for payments that are past their due date, there comes a point when you may be considering legal advice to collect these.

However legal action doesn’t always guarantee payment of outstanding monies especially if the debtor has no assets left.

If you find yourself in this position, make sure that you explore all other options beforehand and seek professional advice.

Make enquiries

Find out if the debtor has any County Court Judgements against him for other unpaid monies. This shows that the debtor’s problems are quite serious. It is worth finding out more about what these debts are.

It’s also a good idea to find out whether the debtor does have any assets. Do you know if they own a property? Do they have other assets like fixtures and fittings or computer equipment that you can make a claim against?

Court fees
If you do decide to start legal action, there will be court fees payable in advance. If you win, and they pay, some of these could be recovered from the defendant.
Court fees will also be payable if you have to take further action to make the debtor pay if you win your case (this is known as enforcing the judgement).
If the debtor defends the claim, this will also incur additional court fees to take the case further.
If you want expert help and advice on the options available to collect your debts, call the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce Cash Flow Advice Line on 0845 3090 430.

OTHER NEWS

Relax and enjoy the festive season by joining us at the Leicester Marriott Hotel for your Christmas or Boxing Day lunch and New Year celebrations.

Christmas Day Lunch
Gather round the Christmas tree at 12.15pm for a welcome drink before being seated for a luxurious 6 course lunch served in the warm atmosphere of the Mixx Restaurant. Father Christmas will be joining us, delivering gifts to all children.
Only £59.00 per person (£23.00 per child)
For more information and the Christmas Lunch menu please click on link below:
http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotelwebsites/us/e/emalm/pdfs/RESTAURANT%20XMAS%20LUNCH.pdf

Boxing Day Carvery Lunch
After the excitement of Christmas Day you can enjoy a leisurely festive lunch with friends and family in our Mixx Restaurant. A carvery buffet will be served from 1pm, priced at £26.50 per person (£13.50 for children)

New Years Eve Dinner Dance
Celebrate the arrival of 2010 at one of our New Years Eve Dinner Dance events! Dine in Mixx Restaurant or join our New Year ‘Black Tie’ Gala Dinner Dance in the Grove Suite and celebrate the New Year in style! Dinner only and Dinner, Bed & Breakfast packages are available.

Grove Suite ‘Black Tie’ Gala Dinner
Welcome the new year in with a champagne reception followed by a fantastic 7 course menu and entertainment from our live band and disco
Dinner only - £68.00 per person
Dinner, Bed & Breakfast - £115 per person.
Dress code - black tie and evening dress
(over 14’s only)

Mixx Restaurant
Enjoy a fantastic 6 course dinner in the restaurant, then party away until 2am
Dinner only - £59.00 per person.
Dinner, Bed & Breakfast - £99.00 per person
Dress code - lounge suit (no jeans)
(over 14’s only)

See link below for more information on New Year packages
http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/hotel-deals/emalm-leicester-marriott-hotel/?offerInfo=455828

Christmas Party Nights 2009
It’s still not too late to book your office Christmas party! With prices from £19.95 per person for dinner and entertainment we can ensure you and your colleagues have a party to remember! If not, it’s never too early to think about Christmas 2010!

Contact Us
To make a reservation for any of the Christmas events at the Leicester Marriott Hotel please contact Helen Fairey on 0116 282 0110 or e-mail helen.fairey@marriotthotels.com and quote ‘CHAMBER’

A record 83,000 scam emails offering fake tax refunds were reported to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in September. The online attacks, known as ‘phishing’, have since continued with an unprecedented 10,000 reports of the fraud made to HMRC on one day alone.

The scam email tells the recipient they are due a tax refund and then asks for bank account or credit card details. Anyone who gives these details to the fraudsters risks their bank accounts being emptied and credit cards maxed to their limit. The victim also risks having their personal details sold on to other criminal gangs. The latest version of this scam originates from various different websites, which operate for 20 minutes before changing their domain name.

John Harrison, Head of HMRC Customer Contact Online, said: “We only contact customers who are due a refund in writing by post. We never use emails, telephone calls or external companies in these circumstances. I would strongly encourage anyone receiving such an email not to open it, send it to us for investigation at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete it from their computer.”

HMRC is taking action to disrupt these attacks and through co-operation with other law enforcement agencies in the UK and overseas a number of scam networks have been shut down.

HMRC strongly advises customers to:

Check the advice published at www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/index.htm to see if the email you have received is listed.
Forward suspicious emails to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete it from your computer/mail account.
Do not click on websites, links contained in suspicious emails or open attachments.
Follow advice from www.getsafeonline.co.uk
If you have reason to believe that you have been the victim of an email scam, report the matter to your bank/card issuer as soon as possible.

If in doubt, please check it out with HMRC at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/fraud-attempts.htm

Silver Lining Tax Seminar

Leicester business advisers Cooper Parry say that it’s time to act now before the new 50% rate of income tax comes into force in 2010. The 50% rate of income tax will affect all income over £150,000. This is being introduced a year earlier than planned and the rate is also 5% higher than originally anticipated. The personal allowance is also being abolished for those with income over £112,950, with a pro-rata reduction applying to those with income of between £100,000 and £112,950.

To rub salt in the wound, a further announcement revealed that from April 2011 pension tax relief will be restricted for those with income over £150,000. In fact this restriction of higher rate relief was introduced with immediate effect for anyone who now changes their regular pensions saving pattern in an attempt to beef up their funds over the next couple of years. This means anyone making larger than normal or irregular pensions contributions in excess of £20,000, and who have income in excess of £150,000, will find themselves stung earlier than they might have thought.

In order for individuals and employers to understand how they can mitigate their exposure and learn about Cooper Parry’s tips on avoiding the 50% income tax rate, Cooper Parry are holding a free breakfast seminar at their Leicester office on 18th November. Anyone interested in attending should contact Melanie Campbell on 0116 262 9922 or register online at www.cooperparry.com.

BUSINESS LINK HELP & ADVICE

East Midlands Development Agency’s (emda’s) has re-launched a key project to help local companies win more business from the £175bn UK public procurement market.

Winning Public Sector Business, delivered through the regional Business Link service, will extend emda’s support and advice to SMEs, helping them work out if this market is for them, and compete successfully within public sector supply chains locally, nationally or beyond.

The programme incorporates a range of specific events tailored to SMEs, guiding them through every stage of how to work alongside the public sector.
Taking place across the East Midlands, events and advisory sessions will give an excellent overview of the public sector and will feature procurement experts, as well as presentations by region-specific public sector bodies.

For more information visit: www.procurementem.co.uk Alternatively, please contact Business Link on 0845 058 6644

Many successful businesses have flourished at De Montfort University’s Innovation Centre.
What better place for yours.
The Innovation Centre is a vibrant place for new and emerging design-led, innovative, high-tech and knowledge intensive business ideas. It offers a supportive environment designed to maximise your businesses growth and development.
With 22 offices of various sizes, the Innovation Centre offers the complete base for start-up businesses with up to ten employees.
All offices are equipped with desks, chairs, telephone lines and high speed broadband. Access is also provided to free extensive on-site business support and advice to help your business grow.
The Innovation Centre isn’t just an office it’s a home to make your business ideas work.
For further information about office space at the Innovation Centre call 0116 207 8914, email incubation@dmu.ac.uk or visit www.dmu.ac.uk/incubation

On Thursday 19th November LCB Depot is inviting Chamber members to a free networking event, during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Cafe Creatif is a regular monthly networking session held in the relaxed and informal surroundings of the LCB Depot and is normally open to people working in the creative industries. In November it is opening its doors for a special event inviting business people from other networking groups and business associations to make new contacts with a range of local companies.

The event usually welcomes around 25 attendees from the creative industries including graphic and web designers, illustrators, authors, photographers, journalists and many more. The event runs from 11am to 1pm in LCB Depot’s café and you don’t need to book.

For more information contact Kate Cowan on 0116 261 6800, email kate.cowan@lcbdepot.co.uk or find Café Creatif on Facebook.

The fourth East Midlands Connections networking event will take place at The Peepul Centre, Orchardson Avenue, Leicester on Thursday 26th November 2009, starting at 6pm through to 9pm.
Business-Scene regularly run successful Connections events around the UK, bringing together many of the local business networking groups under one roof and offering a great opportunity for local businesses to expand their own business connections.

This evening offers you the opportunity to meet other high calibre business delegates, openly network in a relaxed and friendly environment, build strong business relationships and gain valuable information about the issues that most affect your business.
The entry fee of just £10 + VAT includes a welcome drink and a goody bag to take away with you. For more details please visit:
http://www.business-scene.com/event_detail.php?e=11574

Have you spent months or years trying to create something you believe is different, exciting or even practical and useful? Have you slaved away over a product which you dream could be the next big thing? Maybe it’s a new toy or game, a tasty twist on food or drink, a design sensation or something special for the home and garden? BBC1 would like to follow the people who think they have what it takes to make their dream come true. Are you up for a challenge? Can you impress top industry experts? If so this could be the opportunity of a life time.

For more information email: newbrands@twofour.co.uk or call 0207 438 1865.

Companies are encouraged to make the most of their achievements in business and society and ensure their slice of the free PR available by entering the Leicestershire Business Awards 2010.

The awards celebrate the achievements of businesses in the county and their invaluable contribution to Leicestershire’s business vitality and success. Since 1993 they have gone from strength to strength and are without doubt the most prestigious business event in the region. The extensive media coverage the awards raise directly benefits all participating businesses which means a greater profile for you. There could be a slice of £100,000’s worth of free PR with your name on it. If you never imagined winning an award, now’s the time to have a go.

Winner of the Leicestershire Business of the Year 2009, Bill Rumble of Mark Group, explained what impact his win has made to his business: “Morale is now sky high, our staff see it as their success, if you have a success story then shout about it. We are so pleased we made that simple step and applied.”

The awards have seven categories with all finalists being considered for the “Big One”, the Leicestershire Business of the Year. Deadline for entries is 20th November 2009. Winners will be announced at the thrilling gala dinner on Friday 23rd April 2010 attended by 700 of the top business leaders.

Entry is easy and free – to apply or for information on the 2010 awards sponsored by Tenon, Freeth Cartwright and Prospect Leicestershire, go to www.bizawards.co.uk or contact WOW Effect by email at info@woweffect.co.uk or call Katie or Lucy on 0845 130 2866.

Leicester City Council is proud to present Leicester’s first Food Festival which will be celebrating food and diversity in Leicester. The one day spectacular, free to attend, will take place at the city’s market on Sunday 22nd November and aims to bring together the unique qualities of Leicester’s food communities.

Local food producers are being urged to put the date in their diaries now, and to contact the council to book their place at this unique event.

Exciting live cook offs will take place in Market Square between local celebrities and restaurant chefs, with all ingredients sourced from the wide range of food at the market. There will be 200 stalls, including the world famous fruit and vegetable stalls and a selection of fish, cheese and fine meats from the indoor market.

Shoppers can take their taste buds on a culinary world tour, sampling and buying food from all over the globe. A huge section will be dedicated to Asian cuisine as well as ingredients and recipes from other regions, particularly Afro-Caribbean and African cuisine.

For more information and updates on who will be appearing at the event, visit the Leicester Market website at www.leicestermarket.co.uk

Anyone interested in booking a stall should contact Joe Harkin, Event Organiser and Market Development Manager on 0116 223 2371 or e-mail: Joseph.Harkin@leicester.gov.uk

Advent is the four week season leading up to Christmas during which Christians
reflect on their values and priorities. During Advent, the Sunday morning services
at Leicester Cathedral will focus on the theme of Judgement—God’s and ours.

Sunday 29th November 10.30 First Sunday in Advent
Preacher: The Revd Prof Richard Burridge FKC
The Dean of King’s College London & Professor of Biblical Interpretation

Sunday 29th November 17.00 Advent Carol Service
Traditional music with choir and readings for the season of advent

Sunday 6th December 10.30 Second Sunday in Advent.
Preacher: Revd Dr Joanna Collicutt McGrath
Lecturer in the psychology of religion, Heythrop College, London

Sunday 13th December 10.30 Third Sunday in Advent
Preacher: Revd Trevor Kirkman, Registrar of Diocese of Leicester & HM Coroner for Rutland & N Leics.

Sunday 20th December 10.30 Fourth Sunday in Advent
Preacher: Revd Dr Fiona Stewart-Darling
The Bishop of London’s Chaplain in the Docklands, London working especially with financial institutions.

Leicester cathedral will also be hosting the following festive services:

Wednesday 2nd December 18.15 Carols After Work
Join with local people and staff from businesses and offices to sing in the Christmas season.

Saturday 19th December 17.00 Christingle Service
Service for all ages but particularly under sevens celebrating the coming light of Christmas.

Thursday 24th December – Christmas Eve
17.00 Nine Lessons and Carols
A traditional service of reading and carols with choir

23.30 Midnight Eucharist Preacher: Bishop of Leicester
A service of Holy Communion in the presence of the Christ Child and the Crib

Friday 25th December – Christmas Day
07.40 Morning Prayer 08.00 Holy Communion
10.30 Festal Eucharist Preacher The Dean of Leicester

Cards for Good Causes will be selling cards during this period. Please consider buying your cards this way as charities receive a greater percentage of profit than with
shop bought cards.

To make a donation towards the work and ministry of Leicester Cathedral please go to www.cafonline.org and search for Leicester Cathedral. All donations most
gratefully received.

Netball is great fun and a fantastic way of improving fitness and agility. Back 2 Netball sessions, held every Wednesday from 6.30pm – 8pm at the Loughborough University Netball Centre, are non competitive and designed for those who have never played the game or played it a long time ago! Back 2 Netball sessions, priced at £3 per week, are run by qualified coaches and you can play every week or every now and then on a pay as you play basis – it’s completely flexible. For more information call 01509 226730 or just turn up, pay and play.

Back 2 Netball is just one of the activities on offer as part of Loughborough University’s Active Lifestyle programme, for more information visit www.loughboroughsport.com/active.

Chamber member and local registered charity the Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation will be hosting a special fund raising Christmas event on Monday 21st December between
10am and 3pm. As well as a selection of stalls and refreshments, there will be Christmas Carols and Santa will be making a special guest appearance at 2pm.
All children attending the event at Ulverscroft Grange in the Charnwood Forest will receive a small Christmas gift. Admission is priced at £2.50, children under 5 can access the event free of charge.

All profits will go towards the work of the Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation. For more information and tickets call 01530 244914 or email: admin@shuttlewood-clarke.org
For more information on the foundation please visit: www.shuttlewood-clarke.org

The Philharmonia Orchestra will be performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, under the baton of Lorin Maazel, at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester on Wednesday 2^nd December 2009 at 7.30pm. Alban Berg commented that the piece ‘expresses the extraordinary love of this earth…’ Arabella Steinabacher, noted for her impeccable technical command and depth of feeling, will also perform Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3.

Click here for more information and booking details.

Click here for information on Corporate Partnerships with the Philharmonia.

The Philharmonia Orchestra is proud to be a member of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce.

CHAMBER EVENTS

Come and watch a great game of football with fellow footie fans from the world of local business, thanks to the Chamber’s Football Networking Club, in association with Leicester City Football Club. The Fusions Restaurant at LCFC is the perfect place to enjoy good food before watching the match from luxury padded seats. Why not entertain your valued or prospective clients and use this as a corporate hospitality opportunity? Tickets are priced at £35 per person, per game and include food, interval tea and coffee and complimentary parking dependent on the number of tickets purchased.

Football Networking Club events for the next few months include the following matches:

Sat 21 Nov Plymouth Argyle
Tues 8 Dec Bristol City
Sat 9 Jan         Ipswich Town
Tues 9 Feb      Doncaster Rovers

Sponsored by Charles Street Buildings (Leicester) Ltd and Freeth Cartwright Solicitors
Date: 4 December
Venue: Walkers Stadium, Leicester
Time: 11:30am AGM. Luncheon 12:15pm – 4pm.
Cost: Chamber Members £55 / Standard £65
Table of 10 Chamber Members £520 / Standard £570
The Christmas season begins with the Leicestershire Chamber's popular Annual Luncheon - a great meal, superb entertainment and the chance to network with up to 600 fellow guests at this wonderful event. The guest speaker this year will be the comedian, author and radio and TV presenter Sandi Toksvig.

Sponsored by The Phoenix Partners Limited
Date: 14 December
Venue: The Hilton Hotel, Junction 21 Approach, Leicester
Time: 12:30 – 2pm
Cost: £15 plus vat per person
Integra, officially launched in November 1995, is Leicestershire Chamber’s Association of Women in Business and invites you to a wonderful monthly networking opportunity with these lunch meetings, each sponsored by The Phoenix Partners Limited.

Date: 21 January 2010
Venue: Spice of India restaurant, Syston, Leicester
Time: 6pm – 8.30pm
Cost: Chamber Members £25 / Standard £35

Leicestershire Chamber invites you to join us for a networking evening with an Indian touch at one of Leicestershire's well-known Indian restaurants. Spice of India will be providing a delicious buffet banquet, with several Indian starters and main courses, you can eat as much as you like and go back for more as many times as you want.

Later in the evening, business cards will be put into a hat and taken out at random, giving at least six guests a chance to give a short presentation on their business.
So why not join us, have a great meal and meet people from other businesses?

Date: 19 March
Venue: Leicester City Football Club, The Walkers Stadium, Leicester
Time: 7pm - midnight
Cost: £50 per person or £470 per table of ten. Price includes a four course meal. Discounted rates are available for finalists, their guests and local community groups.

Women are a crucial part of our social fabric and these awards and prestigious gala dinner seeks to bring local women together and award them for their achievements in business, at home and in the local community.

Nominations are now being sought for the awards, for more details and a nomination form visit: www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk and click on the WOA button

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.chamberofcommerce.co.uk and select What’s On/events