Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2020
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Edition 6 The magazine for Gatwick Diamond Business members
Jan & Feb 2021
Gatwick
Diamond
Business
Awards
2020
The winners
are announced
Storm12 turns 21
Exciting move for
Kreston Reeves
RPD Foundation
Covid-19 Recovery Initiative
Extech Cloud: Don't get
locked-in to a hybrid
cloud environment
#BuildingBusinessConnections Jeff’s Message Welcome to the first 2021 edition of sor, Avensys, who will be showcasing Diamond. a new conference platform developed We launched Diamond in March specifically for this event. This innova- last year with the first edition going to tion will enable us to build on the suc- press just before COVID struck. Looking cess of the Gatwick Diamond Business back at the 2020 editions, we can see Awards 2020. the roller-coaster ride we have been On behalf of the gdb team and your on together. And now, just when we Executive Council, I would like to say thought we were on the way up, we how much we appreciate the support have dipped again. The difference this you have given us over this challenging time is that businesses have learnt to period. Mutual support and sharing of adapt, as best they can, to survive and opportunity is what the gdb commu- we have an end in sight as the vaccines nity is all about. are rolled out. My thanks as usual to Creative Pod Even in more normal times we all for the design of Diamond and to all of need a boost around this time of year. you who have continued to contribute But as we enter 2021 our annual Re-En- inspiring stories and advice through ergise conference on 21 January is this roller-coaster ride. more important than ever. I hope you will be able to join us and the inspiring speakers we have lined up. To find out more and to book your place, please visit the events section of our website. My thanks to our Re-Energise 2021 Headline Sponsor, Thakeham Group, and our event sponsors Reigate & Ban- stead Borough Council and Southern Railway & Gatwick Express. A special Jeff Alexander, Chief Executive of thanks too to our AV Technology Spon- Gatwick Diamond Business Wide And Narrow Smokehouse expand to delivery Have you ever asked where can you get This banquet style food is a real treat from Thursday – Saturday between the flavoursome smokey authentic Texas and comes with a smokey style bbq gravy hours of 5pm and 9.30pm. BBQ? If so, the answer is closer to home (hot or cold) or sauce which binds every Jermaine says: “We want more people than you may think. element of the dish packing a punch and to be able to sample this great food and A new and unique venture seeks to creating that unique experience. tell their friends about Wide and Narrow. bring you this age-old American tradi- The story behind the business is in- The trailer has started to venture further tion of cooking meats using hot smoke teresting, however the idea of starting a afield to spread the word, and we have rather than flaming coals, and to be business during an economic downturn been seeking further investment for an- honest it’s a hard craft. is daunting. other smoke truck.” Colin Marshall, Jermaine Weeden and “We have had to rely heavily on our The Wide and Narrow crew has grown Graham McDonnell are three friends try- friends and family for tastings and to from the three founding members to ing to stay true to the tradition of this try and refine the menu. We have had to providing jobs for another 10 people in style of cooking, it is a meat feast, of create COVID-19 friendly environments and around the local area whose live- pork, chicken, beef, and sausage with in order to feed people and prepare the lihood has been affected by Covid-19. the deep south accompaniments of food,” Jermaine comments. corn, coleslaw and mac n cheese. They have recently started deliveries www.wideandnarrow.co.uk 2 Diamond Magazine
Diamond Magazine
drop kick your
it infrastructure
into touch
Managing IT Infrastructure should be seamless. Imagine
device uptime, easy provisioning of services, regular updates
that just automatically run in the background, leaving you to
focus on running your business.
This is why we created our Managed Services division, providing a flexible and
scalable approach to ensure your systems and applications are supported
and performing at their optimum to keep your business operational and
your teams productive.
Our company prides itself How we can help:
on the ethos and values we Budgeting for IT resource - Cover the
embrace as a company: maintenance of your technology and
infrastructure for a set monthly fee.
1 Teamwork - We work in close partnership
with our customers to understand their
demands and goals to ensure that the
Monitoring - Ongoing monitoring of your
devices, identifying areas for improvement and
solution we recommend will help them alerting when issues arise.
reach their targets. Ongoing maintenance - Applying all critical
2 Friendships that create lasting patches, fixes, and updates to your computer
relationships - Our clients are not just a systems automatically.
number. We genuinely care, our ethos is Preventative maintenance - Applied to
built on creating long term partnerships your devices and networks to ensure they’re
with our customers. protected.
3 A balanced team to get the best results -
We have a team of experts, the best in the
industry that can advise and guide you on
Remote support - The majority of work is done
remotely, providing greater flexibility.
IT best practice. Tracking - All work is tracked to ensure a
proactive support service.
4 Attention to detail - It’s the finer detail
that can make all the difference. Our team
take a strategic approach that will improve
efficiencies and your bottom line.
5 Performing under pressure – When it
comes to mission critical infrastructure
you need an urgent response and quick
turnaround. That’s why we provide
dedicated SLAs to ensure maximum
uptime, keeping your business
operational. Contact us today to
discuss how we can
help to transform
your business.
contact@itdsmanaged.com www.itdsmanaged.com 0207 101 0096
#BuildingBusinessConnections 3
#BuildingBusinessConnections
Sussex-based Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is once again voted ‘Best Airport
Parking Provider’ for 11th consecutive year at British Travel Awards 2020
Airport Parking and Hotels (APH), the Airport Parking and Hotels said: “This
award-winning airport parking operator year has been extremely challenging for
and retailer, has once again been con- everyone. However, it’s been particularly
firmed the winner of the ‘Best Airport tough for the travel industry, which has
Parking Provider’ category at the British unfortunately been one of the industries
Travel Awards, held on 14th December. most affected by the pandemic. To win
APH has now won this award for an im- the British Travel Award for Best Airport
pressive eleven consecutive years. Parking Provider during such a difficult
The prestigious British Travel Awards, time is truly an honour and is testament
renowned as the ‘Oscars’ of the travel to the hard work and high level of service
industry awards, is the largest inde- the APH team continues to provide to our
pendent awards scheme in the UK and customers. We would like to pass on our
the only purely consumer-voted awards gratitude and appreciation to all our loyal
programme for the travel industry, en- customers who voted for us.” to vote for their favourite airport parking
suring the winning brands are those Lorraine Burton, CEO of the British Trav- provider. This year, the BTAs as a whole
considered the best in the business by el Awards said, “APH is clearly a travel an- received fewer votes than in usual years
their customers. cillary product that people use time and however, we still managed to gather over
This year the British Travel Awards took again as it’s a product useful and relevant 240,000 votes from consumers, which
place as a virtual awards presentation cer- regardless of what type of holiday people is still the largest number of consumer
emony for the first time in its 12-year histo- are taking. The APH parking product is voters for any travel industry award – and
ry, with BBC’s The One Show presenter Alex something they will regularly use – and specifically for APH they received well
Jones virtually presenting Nick Caunter, the sheer number of votes APH receive over 10,000 individual verified votes.”
Managing Director of APH, the award from each year just shows how satisfied their
Boisdale Restaurant in Canary Wharf. customers are. The BTAs give consumers For further information on Airport Park-
Nick Caunter, Managing Director of a voice, and APH customers clearly want ing and Hotels (APH) visit www.aph.com
The Times right for recognition at DMH Stallard
Law firm DMH Stallard has been includ- great pride.”
ed in The Times Top 200 law firms in DMH Stallard was also recently rec-
the UK. ognised by Chambers, another leading
The leading south east law firm has authority for ranking the most outstand-
six offices across Sussex, Surrey and ing law firms and lawyers throughout
London and employs over 250 people. the world.
The Times 2021 list includes ‘the Richard added:
best lawyers for business, public and “There is no doubt the uncertainty
private-client law’ in England and Wales. we’re living with will continue for some
Richard Pollins, Managing Partner at time, despite the great news this week
DMH Stallard, said: about the vaccine trials.
“It’s quite an honour to be included “However long it takes to fully emerge
by The Times in its list of top law firms from the pandemic, we will continue to
and this is all thanks to my incredible follow the guidance, keep people safe
colleagues. At a time when the country and provide the exemplary service our
remains in the grip of a horrendous pan- clients expect.”
demic they continue to do a first class
job for all their clients. www.dmhstallard.com
“The response of the firm since the
Richard Pollins
first lockdown in March fills me with
4 Diamond Magazine
Diamond Magazine
Getting Productive During Lockdown!
Joe Cheal, from Imaginarium Learning as resilience, motivation, confidence, pur-
& Development, has a new book pub- pose, progression, success, happiness,
lished… ‘Driving Your Destiny: Taking achieving goals, networking, influence,
Control of Your Career and Living Goals’. success at interviews, finding work-life
He started writing his seventh book, balance and handling difficult situations.
‘Driving Your Destiny’, on 22nd March It has been described as “a book of
2020, not fully appreciating how rele- inspiration” and another reviewer say-
vant it would become. It is based on ing: “it felt like a warm reassuring hug
30 plus years of his own evolving tools, and at other times pushed me to the
tips, models, concepts, techniques, pro- edge of my comfort zone. The format
cesses, questions, thoughts, reflections, is brilliant too.”
philosophies, mindsets... inspired by Joe said: “As you can imagine, I’m de-
the strategies of the most successful, lighted that the book has been so well
motivated and happy people he has received. Now it’s time to get started on
encountered in his lifetime. the next book!”
In the book, there are 125 practical,
Joe Cheal
easy-read ‘pieces’ exploring such topics http://imaginariumdev.com/
Whitstable business opens during COVID-19 with support from a Start Up Loan
Let’s Do Business helped with process of the Start-Up Loan
From a start up to National Award Win-
ners, indulgent pizza eatery, Nomad
Pizza is not only surviving the COVID-19
economic crisis but is thriving as they
remain on track to exceed their first year
of trading.
Husband and wife team, Vicki and
Jon Crwys-Williams launched Nomad
Pizza in the colourful seaside town of
Whitstable, Kent with the support of a
Start Up Loan. The loan enabled the
couple to purchase vital equipment for
the kitchen.
Jon said, “We would not have been
able to start our business without a Start
Up Loan - that injection of funds was vital.
Our business is now thriving - despite
opening in the middle of a pandemic! And
we have just won a national award for our appreciate the faith that Lisa had in the Loan Company, Let’s Do Business Group,
pizzas - Best Independent Pizza Delivery viability of our business during turbu- have Start Up Loans available from as
at the Pizza & Pasta Industry Awards 2020! lent economic times.” little as £500 to £25k together with expert
Business Manager at Let’s Do Busi- As they head towards the future, the business advice.
ness Group, Lisa Young was very patient business is significantly ahead of sched-
and thorough, examining our plan and ule in pizza sales and revenue. Whilst If you are looking to start a business in
financial projections - but what made establishing themselves in Whitstable, the South East or East of England and
it easier was that she met us several Jon and Vicki aspire to open more loca- require funding.
times personally over a coffee so we tions across Kent in the future. Contact: info@ldbgroup.co.uk
could discuss our vision. We greatly As a Delivery Partner of The Start Up www.letsdobusinessfinance.co.uk
#BuildingBusinessConnections 5
#BuildingBusinessConnections
Wellbeing at work
a direct impact on absence from work, • Confidential reports for employers
performance and productivity. covering trends and issues in the
It is estimated that 141.4 million days are workplace.
lost per year due to staff absences, with • Body Composition Analyser used
the most common reasons including mus- in face to face appointments which
co-skeletal problems, long-term health measure not only weight and BMI but
conditions and mental health illnesses. also body fat, muscle mass, hydration
With a recent survey estimating that levels, visceral fat, bone density and
two-thirds of all businesses will put a gives an indication of metabolic age.
greater emphasis on workplace wellbe- (Will resume when safe to do so)
The Crawley Wellbeing Team offers a free ing post COVID-19, now is a great oppor- • NHS Health Check (heart health check
and confidential health and wellbeing tunity to make it a priority. including cholesterol and blood pres-
service to individuals and workplaces The Crawley Wellbeing Team offers a sure) for staff who meet the criteria.
in the town. tailored wellbeing package, including (Again will resume when safe to do so)
The service, funded by Public Health support with nutrition, weight man- Councillor Chris Mullins, Cabinet mem-
West Sussex, can support your work- agement, physical activity, sleep im- ber for Wellbeing said: “This is a great
place and employees to make positive provement, alcohol reduction, smok- opportunity for employers to improve
changes that will improve overall mental ing cessation, emotional support and the health and Wellbeing of their work-
and physical health. We have already stress management. place. Keeping staff healthy and happy
supported many members of Gatwick • One-to-one appointments via Micro- is an important component of any suc-
Diamond Business including Crawley soft Teams, on the phone and by email cessful workplace.”
Borough Council, Irwin Mitchell, Sofitel • Talks and presentations covering a wide
and Aurora Hotels, Eezehaul, Virgin At- range of health and wellbeing topics If you are interested in improving the
lantic and Varian. • Information stands – with visual and wellbeing of your employees, or want
Workplace wellbeing has become interactive props, leaflets and advice to find out more about our services,
widely recognised as an important from a Wellbeing advisor call 01293 585317, email: wellbeing@
priority of any business, especially as • Regular and continued support for crawley.gov.uk or visit crawley.westsus-
mental and physical health can have staff members. sexwellbeing.org.uk
Control Energy Costs announces the Net Zero Club
The Net Zero Club is for small to medium sized businesses who want to take
leadership on reducing their impact on the planet.
By joining the club, you become a net 1. Register and subscribe
zero carbon business and remove your Sign up for the Club and receive your Net
contribution to climate change. Once in Zero Club welcome pack. Congratula-
the club, in conjunction with our service tions you are on the Pathway to Net Zero emissions and reduce your footprint, so
partners Energise, we will work with you Carbon! that the offset cost is lower next year.
to reduce your impact on the planet, off- If you would like to learn more, please
setting your emissions on the way. 2. Calculate and offset get in touch. We would love to help you
Our solution has evolved from over a Working together, we calculate your Car- start your journey to net zero.
decade of developing an understanding bon Emissions and Offset them, you are
on what makes rising to the climate chal- now Net Zero. You have neutralised your Visit https://cec.uk.com/services/green-
lenge easier for businesses. Most busi- impact on Climate Change! hub/net-zero-club or contact phil.ager@
nesses don't have a member of staff who cec.uk.com
can work on this, so you need a simple 3. Membership - visit the Net Zero Hub
go-to solution. We have put together a On the Net Zero Hub you can access your
simple 3 stage process: membership benefits, check on your
6 Diamond Magazine
Diamond Magazine
Kindness is doing what you can, where you are, with what you have
None of us could have imagined the
year we’ve just had.
Like many charities, at St Catherine’s
Hospice we’re going into 2021 facing a
significant drop in income of around
£1.5 million.
However, our ambition to reach more
people facing death and bereavement
is still as strong as ever. Helping people
in our community who are facing the
very worst of times is everything to us.
But our care is only possible because
of the support of people like you.
For many families we’re caring for,
Christmas just gone was the final chance
for them to make precious memories
together - To share a home cooked meal,
laugh at a cracker joke, or admire the
twinkly lights on a Christmas tree. You are passionate, dedicated and your community this year.
If you supported St Catherine’s last brilliant.
year, you helped make Christmas spe- Last year, you helped us through one To find out how you can support us
cial for our patients and their loved of the most challenging years our hos- please visit: www.stch.org.uk or please
ones – That was a priceless gift. pice has ever faced, and as we continue contact me on suzannedavis@stch.org.
The people I work alongside at St to live alongside COVID-19, we need uk - I’d love to hear from you!
Catherine’s are professional, dedicat- your support now, more than ever. Thank you for being alongside us, and
ed, and, invariably, brilliant. But our We hope you will continue to support thank you for showing us how much
supporters are also all of these things. people living with terminal illness in you care.
Our Impact Journey: Transforming lives in digital
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic innovative and flexible throughout to recover.
Creative Process has welcomed more the pandemic, delivering high quality We’d like to thank all of the learners,
than 100 new young people onto our training online and exceptional levels employers and partner organisations
digital programmes, delivered over 50 of group and individual coaching and who choose Creative Process Digital
apprenticeship training sessions and mentoring. The 1-2-1 mentoring and as well as our amazing staff whatever
provided monthly employer briefing support makes the difference for each their role who make the difference and
webinars and recruitment sessions. individual learner on one of our pro- add value every day. Together we are
In addition, we have been delighted grammes. achieving more and are stronger for the
to work with increasing numbers of We are also working closely with ap- economic recovery to come.
larger employers such as the likes of BT prentices who have been made redun- Join us for our next Digital Appren-
sport, Thales UK, Sussex University and dant, or have had their working hours ticeship Briefing Event and find out how
Gatwick Diamond. As well as providing reduced, to help them continue their Creative Process Digital can be your stra-
them with tech savvy apprentices we learning and complete their appren- tegic training partner to help you flourish
also advise them on the training design ticeship. in this age of digital transformation.
and delivery. This is helping them max- Looking to the future our delivery of
imise the use of their apprenticeship high-quality digital apprenticeships and Philip Perryman
levy to recruit, upskill and meet their our accelerator programmes will be vital philip@creativeprocessdigital.com
workforce goals. to new job creation for young people www.creativeprocessdigital.com
Our trainers have been incredibly and adults as the UK economy begins 01273 232273
#BuildingBusinessConnections 7
#BuildingBusinessConnections
Scaramanga Agency partners with The Delegate Wranglers
The Delegate Wranglers is the event
industry’s most engaged community
with over 20,000 members worldwide.
The community is made up of events
organisers, planners, venues, hotels,
and industry suppliers.
The Delegate Wranglers approached
us to create two animated videos for
new community members to highlight
the dos and don’ts.
Neil and Di who own The Delegate
Wranglers are a delight to work with
and the people who work in the events
industry have shown themselves to
be resilient, kind and full of ideas so,
when they suggested that we become times. We hope to be able to support timely manner - brilliant!”
their creative partner we jumped at the the group going forward.
opportunity! Neil Thompson, founder of Delegate You can watch the videos we have cre-
The events industry has been hard hit Wranglers commented “Scaramanga ated on our website. Just go to https://
by the pandemic, and the community Agency are a real pleasure to work with. scaramanga.agency/articles and open
has gone out of its way to be support- They understood our brief and deliv- the second article on the listing page.
ive and caring during these difficult ered big time, in a really friendly and
safe hot drinks vending solutions
Prevent the Spread of Bacteria & Viruses with
COVID-Safe Vending Machines
Filled & managed by Westways
Why Choose Westways?
Self-contained hot drinks machine Specialists in fully managed
workplace vending
Media screen with anti-bacterial coating
Reactive service and response
times
Contactless payment tools
Incredible attention to detail
Huge range of superior quality drinks
Tailor-made vending solutions
Cold drinks & snack machines available subsidised and free vend
Family-owned and operated in
Accredited by the Sussex, Kent & Surrey
Automatic Vending Assosciation
Call: 01323 843797
Email: sales@westwaysvending.co.uk
8 Diamond Magazine
Web: www.westwaysvending.co.uk
Diamond Magazine
Employee Assistance Programmes – helping to make your workforce happier
and more productive by Verlingue Limited
In these unprecedented times of crisis, What is an Employee Assistance Pro-
people need support more than ever gramme (EAP)?
before. Many of us are grappling with An EAP is an employer funded benefit which
uncertainty about the future, potential provides employees with online and tele-
redundancies, precarious financial situ- phone support and information on a range
ations, homeworking and juggling family of work and personal issues including:
responsibilities, or even divorce or the • family and employment law
loss of a loved one. These worries can • financial management
all have a devastating impact on our • debt How to set up an EAP in your busi-
mental wellbeing, general happiness • telephone or face-to-face counselling ness?
and performance at work. Firstly, it’s important to understand the
Employers are exploring ways in which Why should an employer invest in benefits that you currently have in place.
they can support their employees’ men- an EAP? We speak to many businesses who al-
tal health and wellbeing to help them EAPs are a low cost yet effective way for ready have access to EAPs which they
through the pandemic, making them employers to support their employees. are unaware of.
happier and more productive both at Happy employees are productive em-
work and home. ployees. EAPs are recognised as a way To learn more about EAPs and how they
One of the ways they are doing this of reducing sickness absence and staff could benefit your business, please con-
is by introducing Employee Assistance turnover, and so there are benefits to tact Employee Benefits Consultant Pete
Programmes. both employee and employer. Roberts on 07484 093 251.
Gatwick based Data company mnAI collects more award wins!
UK Data Provider mnAI entered the market with growing its customer base but also in the internationally recognised Gold-
early in January 2020 with immediate high from peer nominated awards. en Bridge Awards for Start-up of the Year
praise for its rich data set, proprietary al- mnAI has now won 5 awards over the categories.
gorithms and its platform that holds 7.5bn course of 2020 including: Computing AI & With a successful first year, mnAI is ex-
data points on over 7million companies Machine Learning Awards for Outstanding cited for where the team is going in 2021
allowing for rapid identification of target Data Analytics Solution, SME News Awards and beyond.
UK companies. for Best Company Intelligence Platform,
Over the course of the last 12 months Corporate Visions Awards for Best Investor www.mnai.tech
the company has not only seen success Intelligence Platform and two award wins
#BuildingBusinessConnections 9
#BuildingBusinessConnections
Heron still flying high: Success in the face of Adversity
Early in the first lockdown I read this quote
‘They say what defines a business is not
what happens day to day but how it reacts
in adversity’, I realised that we would need
to adapt and embrace change.
With our core business from Airport con-
tracts on hold for the foreseeable future we
re-engaged with independent developers
and took on local domestic jobs which
we normally would not have been able
to accommodate. The work was varied
and interesting including refurbishing
the façade of several large warehouses,
intumescent painting for a boutique de-
velopment company, the external painting
of a small new housing development and
the internal decorations of several private a well-known, international consultancy or exponential growth but about wheth-
residences. and construction company who are ren- er you can adapt and keep going when
We also had the opportunity to enhance ovating a UK shopping centre and are things get tough. This is what we have
our portfolio of accreditations becoming pleased to say that we were successful succeeded in doing and we are very fortu-
part of the Government-backed Cyber in winning the painting and decorating nate to be able to continue working with
Essentials Scheme and joining Sedex, a contract for these works. many of our existing
global collaborative ethical data platform. It’s my opinion that the COVID-19 crisis
As for the larger scale contracts, we sub- has changed the definition of success. In E: yolanda@heroncontractors.co.uk
mitted several tenders including one to these times success is not about profit www.heroncontractors.co.uk
Irwin Mitchell: The new Use Class E: threat or opportunity?
D: leisure, assembly and institutions by landlords with empty units. What
A new Class E came into effect from 1 remains to be seen is whether these
September 2020. It encompasses retail, same landlords will provide a diversity
restaurants, financial & professional ser- of uses or be driven by the highest rent
vices and business, and also includes generating use.
indoor sport and fitness, medical or Of particular concern is the shift in
health services, nurseries, day centres, power from local authorities to land-
offices and light industry. Changing from lords to control the nature and occupi-
Sejal Patel one use within Class E to another will ers of units outside town centres. Uses
not require planning permission as the which were ordinarily controlled by
Recent changes to the Use Classes Order change would not constitute develop- planning and sequential tests can now
could have serious ramifications for high ment; although permission may be re- be allowed; a business park could, for
streets, employment areas and business quired for external changes. example, be converted to a retail park;
parks as we start to rebuild the economy. This deregulation intended to enable or an office building in a primarily resi-
The Use Classes Order 1987 groups the repurposing of buildings on high dential area could become a restaurant.
uses of land and buildings into “classes”. streets and town centres. The steady The opportunities of Class E are un-
The system, until recently, operated with decline of the high street, accelerated by doubtedly huge. Only time will tell how
the following main classes: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, huge the implications will be.
A: retail, food and drink, financial & has highlighted the importance of town
professional services centres having flexibility to diversify at Sejal Patel, Associate
B: offices, industry and places of work speed. Class E allows quicker reaction to Irwin Mitchell LLP
C: homes and residents changing demands and will be welcome https://www.irwinmitchell.com/
10 Diamond MagazineDiamond Magazine
i an exciting and inn ati e inte n hi and
t aining g a e ca which wi a w t
identi the i need and acce ta ented g ad ate
t he g w ine th gh fully funded six-
week internships.
The STEP-UP offer:
• xpert-led masterclasses on topics most in demand by
S s looking to recruit graduates
• hance to build lasting relationships with your local
universities and access talented graduates
• ccess to solution-focused peer-to-peer learning sessions
• pportunity to network and learn from other businesses
Step-Up is continually working to update our programme, in order to be as
flexible and accessible for businesses as possible at this challenging time. So
if you are interested in our training programme and/or getting a fully-funded
graduate intern, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your
needs and the options available.
The project is co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the 2014–2020
European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England. Grant
Reference: 04S18P02524
To find out more visit www.brighton.ac.uk/step-up
#BuildingBusinessConnections 11Featured Article
RPD Foundation “Sussex Angels”
Covid-19 Recovery Initiative
Richard Place Dobson (RPD), Crawley-based Chartered Accountants
and Business Advisors are pleased to introduce the RPD Foundation,
a Charity created by RPD.
The RPD Foundation, an extension of RPD’s long-standing work wanting to help. The Foundation has been working with several
in the community, aims to advise and support charities and partners, including Gatwick Diamond Business, developing a
not for profit organisations with financial know-how, strategy, coordinated, supportive, and collaborative response to the
governance, and controls. The Foundation also helps with impact of Covid-19 on employment across the region.
choosing suitable operating models for business development Matthew Tyson, Managing Director, RPD said: “A lasting im-
and fundraising. pact of Covid has been the number of people that want or
With a focus on promoting Corporate Social Responsibility, need help, and so many organisations are prepared to give it.
the Foundation advises individuals and organisations on char- The problem is making sure they can find each other with all
itable giving and support and helps encourage employees to the “noise” about. This project will be so valuable to so many.”
participate in skills-based voluntary work. Daran Bennett, CEO, RPD Foundation said: “We are pleased to
As the real impact of Covid-19 starts to hit home, not least have engaged so many key partners from a number of sectors
as business support schemes come to an end and with the who recognise the gaps we are looking to bridge from the not-
knock-on effects to individuals and communities, various or- for-profit, commercial and voluntary sectors, which begins in
ganisations are trying to pick up the pieces and there are those earnest with the C-19 recovery initiative to help individuals to
open new doors for the future”.
Supported by The Bolinti Trust and The Ernest Kleinwort Chari-
table Trust, The “Sussex Angels” project, driven by The Foundation,
has developed a website that brings solutions and opportunities
together, working with partners and signposting those that need
support and are looking for opportunities to organisations that can
12 Diamond MagazineFeatured Article
The RPD Foundation
advises individuals and
organisations on charitable
giving and support
provide them. Partnerships established will maximise exposure organisations and businesses as part of their own CSR aims or
and profile to help as many people as possible. individuals wishing to find a way of helping.
Tony Bolton, Chair of The Boltini Trust said: "A huge challenge Jeff Alexander, Chief Executive GDB said: “We are very pleased
facing Sussex will be the large number of people who have or to be supporting the RPD Foundation and the contribution it
will lose their jobs as a result of the pandemic. We hope the is making to our charities’ sector at a time when it is needed
RPD Foundation will be able to help a number of these find more than ever before. At GDB, we are proud to have RPD as
new outlets for their skills and The Boltini Trust is delighted to a long-standing member and active supporter of the Gatwick
help them achieve this." Diamond business community. The Foundation is an excellent
A growing army of volunteer mentors, our “Angels”, will sup- extension of the contribution the company already makes
port individuals on re-imaging their future, be that employment, including through its leadership of the GDB Charities Group.”
enterprise, charity work, or entrepreneurship, and how to apply Darren Harding, Chair, RPD Foundation said: “The Foundation
existing skills and or retraining for a brighter future. has only recently been formed but what better way for it to get
Steve Sawyer, Executive Director at Manor Royal BID said: to work on achieving its objects by housing a project that brings
“Crawley is expected to be badly affected by COVID than most. together the key organisations in the area to provide the best pos-
This is absolutely the best time for different sections of the sible opportunity to help those in need during these challenging
community to come together and find ways to help one another times. The effects of Covid-19 on all of us will not go away in a
by pooling the combined talent, skills, expertise, and energy hurry so this project is here to stay to help all those that need it.”
available on our doorstep.”
The initiative is constantly looking for more partners, op- For more information and to get involved:
portunities, and volunteers to support those in need, be that www.rpdfoundation.co.uk
#BuildingBusinessConnections 13#BuildingBusinessConnections Getting the Exporters Edge How the UK Government can support exporters in Surrey and Sussex. The challenges that businesses face in Export Finance (UKEF). Working hand- raising finance to support export ac- in-glove with the Department for Inter- tivities are many and varied. You may national Trade, its mission is to ensure have won a new, larger than normal that no viable UK export fails for lack contract, or have received an influx of of finance or insurance – providing a orders and need more finance to fulfil much-needed boost for UK PLC’s inter- them all. You may have negotiated an national sales. advance payment for which your buyer UKEF recently worked with Brighton requires an advance payment guarantee based Peopleforce Recruitment which nesses of all sizes across the country. or performance guarantee. provides specialist contract workers to Your local contacts are Richard Armstrong When exporting, the trade cycle is often organisations in the aviation and health- (Surrey) and Lisa Maddison-Brown (Sus- lengthened, and this payment delay can care sectors. sex) who work with exporters and busi- put a strain on working capital. These Peopleforce contacted UKEF for assis- nesses with export potential and can challenges coupled with the effect of the tance after its credit insurer withdrew provide information on: COVID pandemic are placing a consider- cover for a £2 million contract with an • payment methods and risks able strain on UK businesses looking to aircraft maintenance company in Esto- • the types of finance available maximise their export potential. nia after the outbreak of COVID-19. • trade finance (pre and post-export) Before going further, we need to ac- The company needed to ensure they • credit insurance knowledge that articles about finance had financial protection in place to cover Speaking to an export finance manager tend to have a limited audience. Ones advance payments to 50 contractors in can help businesses get a better under- about export credit finance especially so. Turkey and 100 contractors in Estonia standing of their export finance require- However, supporting businesses with the worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. ments and, where possible, identify an finance they need to continue operating A bespoke EXIP policy from UKEF helped appropriate solution to support export is top of the government’s agenda, and bridge the gap, ensuring Peopleforce transactions. exporters are among the most productive could continue to support their client of UK businesses it needs to help. and safeguard a significant revenue Please contact us on richard.armstrong@ That’s why it’s important to highlight stream for the company. ukexportfinance.gov.uk or lisa.maddi- the government’s solution for this: its UKEF has 26 regionally based export son-brown@ukexportfinance.gov.uk to award-winning export credit agency UK finance managers who work with busi- get the conversation started Westways Vending invests in training despite the pandemic Between late 2019 and early 2020, in The Company recognised that it would and all team members were able to re- response to business growth, Westways need to invest in these people with a turn to their roles by the autumn. Vending employed several new vending return to work program that revisited Westways Vending places great im- operators. They began their induction earlier training and included emotional portance on training and standards. and job specific training, and were mak- and physical support. As a family-owned business, company ing great progress until March, when Westways Vending is accredited by the standards and service are at the heart COVID turned everything upside down Automatic Vending Association. As part of their business and underpin the re- and interrupted their progress. of their Quality System, which is equiva- lationships they have built with their As a provider of managed vending lent to ISO 9001, vending operators are clients. Despite the challenges posed services, the Company continued to op- required to complete modules in food by working throughout a pandemic, all erate throughout the pandemic. Field- hygiene, health and safety, manual han- new team members completed their based staff worked on rotation, with dling and driving for work, in addition training and passed with flying colours! some long periods of furlough between to achieving the Company standards in working weeks. This was particularly vending machine management. To find out more about Westways difficult for short-serving team members Fortunately for the Company, a pro- Vending please visit https://www.west- who had only just begun their new roles. portion of their clients remained open waysvending.co.uk 14 Diamond Magazine
Diamond Magazine
Plenty more phish: Why employees fall for scams & what companies can do about it
Preventive countermeasures to phishing
emails may actually increase the likeli-
hood of employees falling for such scams,
a new study organised by the University
of Sussex Business School reveals.
Protective controls, such as email proxy,
anti-malware and anti-phishing technol-
ogies, can give employees a false sense
of security, causing them to drop their
vigilance because they incorrectly assume
such measures intercept all phishing
emails before they reach their inbox.
Employees’ sense of shame and fear
of work colleagues’ disapproval were
more effective deterrents from accessing and Marketing at the University of Sus- educational programme, incorporat-
phishing scams. To protect themselves sex Business School, said: “Security safe- ing phishing simulation exercises and
from costly phishing scams, companies guards alone will not protect a company embedded training for vulnerable em-
should put all staff through continuous from phishing scams. Organizations and ployees, needs to be established and
security training and educational pro- individuals substantially invest in security enforced in organizations.”
grammes, experts at the University of to protect the integrity, availability, and Effective staff training should inform
Sussex Business School and the Univer- confidentiality of their information assets. employees what security measures their
sity of Auckland recommend. However, our study supports other recent employer already has in place but also
Phishing scams are responsible for findings that these safeguards are not what security risks remain that could
almost one in three data breaches and adequate to provide full protection for be exploited by malicious attackers, the
the cost of ransomware to businesses sensitive and confidential information. academics conclude.
is estimated at over $8 billion globally. To prevent phishing attacks, a well-de-
Dr Mona Rashidirad, Lecturer in Strategy signed continuous security training and www.sussex.ac.uk
Kick off 2021 with a business plan in place to recover from lockdowns
ActionCOACH approach to successful will pay dividends to your business in
SME businesses, is that business own- the long run.
ers and their teams must set aside time Compared to larger enterprises, who
each quarter to review the preceding routinely make time for planning ses-
quarter and create a business plan for sions, small and medium sized business-
the following 90 day period. es have been hardest hit by the fallout
Your quarterly review will give your of Covid19. SME business owners will
According to the UK’s SME Recovery team a chance to discuss what is work- need to spend time working ON their
Tracker, a joint initiative of the Corporate ing for your business and what isn’t, business, not just IN their business, to
Finance Tracker and the Association of closely examine your financial state- ensure they can recover quickly. Creating
Chartered Certified Accountants, 65% ment, and set goals and action items, a business plan that documents your
of small and medium-sized enterprises together with an agreed date for com- vision and exactly how you are going to
in the UK don’t have a business plan or pleting these items, for each member achieve it is the best way to make that
financial forecasts in place as they head of your team. vision a reality.
into the New Year. Remember to include staff develop-
Considering the kind of year 2020 has ment in your planning. Does a member Visit www.horsham.actioncoach.co.uk
been, and the uncertainty that still lies of staff need training to make use of to book your free coaching session and
ahead, it is vital that SME business own- new technology that could streamline receive practical growth strategies that
ers strategize and plan for a resilient processes in your business? Any time or you can implement immediately to im-
future. One of the cornerstones of the money spent on developing your staff prove your business.
#BuildingBusinessConnections 15#BuildingBusinessConnections
COVID-19 has made working flexibly business critical
Five experts reveal reasons why the smart working revolution must remain, with a blueprint of how to embed it.
At Flexibility Matters November 13th
‘Action learning Group’, Emma Cleary,
founder of recruitment agency Flexi-
bility Matters, host, David Blackburn,
Chief People Officer for the FSCS and
four key flexible working influencers,
revealed how their businesses have
adapted and evolved in response to
COVID 19 regulations to propel remote
and flexible working to the point where
it is now a business driver, embedded
in their business culture and clearly
here to stay.
Here are the group's four very action-
able take-aways:
Smart Teams
• Empower teams to think creatively • Track results and outcomes, not Smart Workspace
about how to achieve what’s required hours, as the way to measure pro- • Re-define office spaces to be where
of them via a collaboratively born ductivity & performance. business collaboration takes place
team charter or pact. • Engage with employee’s ‘whole- and social connection happens, en-
• Nurture the smart working rene- selves’, allowing space to ask, and suring the remote environment is
gades, keeping them central, to in- mean – “Are you OK?” optimised for productivity.
fluence and continue to drive the
cultural change. Smart Technology At Flexibility Matters, flexible working is
• Optimise tech capabilities to be- at our core. Contact Emma on: emma@
Smart Management come a digital business in every way: flexmatters.co.uk.
• Recruit, retain, and train for man- E-rostering, plug and play facilities,
agement with a flexible mindset, cloud-based technology, boosted Wi
providing them with the emotional Fi, smart working learning portals on
intelligence needed to facilitate smart intranets, online meetings as default –
working from a position of ‘YES’. good for the budget and environment.
Are you locked-in to a hybrid cloud environment?
If so, you have a problem, says Extech Cloud.
Sussex based Microsoft Partner Extech of the latest Windows Virtual Desktop traditionally held on servers, like CAD
Cloud has stated that it can move any (WVD) and is working with Microsoft as and video editing, are possible in WVD.
server-based business-critical appli- part of its development programme.
cation into the public cloud. This is a The digital transformation that Extech For more information, call a friendly
significant step in the IT world, and one Cloud delivers is cutting-edge and re- member of the Extech Cloud team on
that will help the South’s professional moves the need for combined server +44 (0) 1444 443200 or email info@ex-
services gain competitive advantage and cloud solutions. The company re- tech.co.uk
through reduced costs, efficiency and ports that there are now no compel-
improved remote working. ling reasons why businesses should use
Extech Cloud is pioneering the use on-premise servers. Even workloads
16 Diamond MagazineDiamond Magazine
PVL recognised as UK Business Hero 2020
The Chamber network launched the ‘UK The completed visors were donated to
Business Heroes’ campaign In October NHS hospitals; Royal Surrey, East Surrey,
to recognise the incredible work that Great Ormond Street, St George’s and
UK businesses are doing, in the most Royal London to name a few. The first
challenging of years. batch went to Sussex hospitals.
PVL were delighted to be recognised “This is a great recognition by the
as a UK Business Hero for the contribu- Chambers of our team’s initiative to
tion they made during the pandemic in support the NHS; it certainly helped us
respect of the shortage of PPE. Earlier this focus and show how our strong core
year we went into full-scale production values brought us all together” Nick
and delivered over 20,000 visors within a Broom, CEO.
couple of weeks, providing the material
and labour totally free of charge. https://www.pvluk.com/
Here are 10 things you can do right now to Improve your Digital Marketing for 2021
Planning ahead is key to get the most social media platforms.
out of your digital marketing in the New 7. Assess your best social media posts
Year. Follow our tips to supercharge your for 2020 by reach and engagement
marketing efforts and reach more of your and iterate on them for 2021.
customers online. 8. Find the top 50 complaints, prob-
1. Create an editorial calendar for your lems, questions or pain points for
social media. your customers and solve or address
2. Brainstorm your core SEO keywords them using content.
and review your Website content 9. Survey your customers and ask them
against the list. what they want from you next year
3. Create content based on the gaps and what you are doing right and
from point 2. wrong this year.
4. Head to Google Trends to see what 10. Think about which actionable met-
is happening in your market. rics are important to your business
5. Review the marketing tactics of your and create dashboards for them in
top 5 competitors. analytics and on your ad platforms.
6. Follow your clients, partners, cus-
tomers and competitors across your www.BluebellDigital.co.uk
DMH Stallard: Selling your business - will higher capital gains tax in 2021 impact you?
In July 2020, the Chancellor requested and addressing boundary issues as be- and you are wanting the certainty and
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) tween CGT and Income Tax. benefit of the current Capital Gains Tax
to consider how capital gains tax (CGT) Given the Government finances have regime then you will need to sell before
distorts behaviour or fails to meet pol- been so strongly impacted by Covid-19 the budget in March 2021.
icy intent. with the budget deficit expected to bal-
The OTS published “Capital Gains Tax loon to £400bn, it is likely that taxes will If you want more information about buy-
review – first report: Simplifying by de- need to go up in the budget in March ing and selling your business please con-
sign” in November 2020. 2021, and the OTS report might pro- tact Chris.Simmons@DMHStallard.com.
The report made 11 recommenda- vide clues on what is going to be in Our corporate department comprises
tions including considering more closely the budget. 29 lawyers located in London, Gatwick
aligning CGT rates with Income Tax rates If you are looking to sell your business and Guildford.
#BuildingBusinessConnections 17Featured Article
Exciting move for Kreston
Reeves in Brighton
We wanted to find
something a bit
different to the
traditional office
that reflects our
culture and values
The team at Kreston Reeves will be moving from the Jubilee goals. Businesses based in and around Brighton tend to be
Street offices where they have been based for the last 15 years, very progressive, the way our clients are working has changed
into a new collaborative and innovative office space at the Plus X and we are here to support them as they develop and grow.”
Innovation Hub, Brighton from January 2021. The move will help Jake Standing, Partner at Kreston Reeves, adds: “We are
them take a step closer to being a carbon neutral business by really excited to be moving to the new Plus X innovation hub
the end of 2021, and to continue to support the UN Sustainable in Brighton. We’ve been lucky enough to call Brighton ‘home’
Development Goals that the firm are actively working towards. for a number of years already but with the rapid changes
gdb Member, Plus X offers sophisticated meeting spaces, and developments in technology and with agile and flexible
state of the art media suites and product prototyping facilities working becoming the norm, we wanted to find something a
and a business innovation programme called BRITE. There bit different to the traditional office, that reflects our culture
is a welcoming community and strong focus on wellbeing and values, and Plus X is perfect for us!
which aligns with the Kreston Reeves purpose, culture and “Although some businesses are moving to working from home
values. The new office space also offers team members the full time, it’s incredibly important to us to have a space where we
opportunity to be part of an innovative, entrepreneurial com- can maintain human, face to face interaction with our clients,
munity in a more collaborative setting. colleagues and communities. We’re looking forward to further
Alison Jones, Partner at Kreston Reeves, comments: “We are enhancing our ‘in person’ relationships with this move.”
proud to continue to be at the heart of this amazing community! Alexandra Young, Location Manager at Plus X, said; “Welcoming
Brighton has always been a great place to work and live, and we collaborative members who will enhance our growing community
can only see it getting better with a variety of exciting develop- is key to the Plus X formula. Kreston Reeves are a forward-thinking
ments and initiatives across the city. Brighton is full of amazing businesses who place great importance on adding value to their
minds and inclusive views and is brimming with innovation. clients and we know that approach will be very much valued by
“Our team will continue to focus on guiding our clients our members here in the Plus X Innovation Hub.”
to a brighter future. We help businesses, individuals and
not for profit organisations with more than just accounting, www.krestonreeves.com
business and financial advice, we help them achieve their www.plusx.space
18 Diamond MagazineDiamond Magazine
Managing your Team Remotely by Volt
There are significant benefits to manag- the right (digital) place at the right time
ing teams remotely, from being able to for collaboration to happen.
work with people all over the world to Create a standardised way of work-
having more flexibility. There are some ing - If you leave people to their own
simple ways to make this effective. devices when it comes to the way they
Track productivity – By tracking at- work you could end up with multiple
tendance, hours worked or whatever processes that don’t integrate well to-
measure of productivity works best for gether. Standardized your way of work- for people to connect remotely and for
your business, will provide you with clar- ing that you roll out for remote workers. responsibilities to continue to be shared.
ity on whether contractual requirements Avoid overload - Digital overload can Don’t give up on the business cul-
are being fulfilled. You’ll also be able to easily happen to remote teams if you’re ture - If your staff are not working in an
identify areas that need improvement, using email, chat and other forms of office every day, regularly share your
allowing a more tailored and effective messaging. Choose your communica- vision for the business, keep your staff up
approach to training. tion channels and stick to them so that to date about how the business is doing.
Balance consistency with being flex- people don’t start feeling overwhelmed. Ask for input and feedback and schedule
ible - Under the current circumstances, a Utilise tech tools - From screen shar- regular projects and events that anyone
degree of flexibility is essential. However, ing to collaborative editing and project can get involved in remotely.
this has to be balanced with consistent management software, there are lots of
performance and ensuring people are in tools out there that will make it easier www.voltinternational.com
Structured Communications and FASTSIGNS – a match made in heaven
With the crazy year that 2020 has been, it any guests to the building. many years now as suppliers and clients
has been great to work with our friends Mel came to the office and gave some of theirs we have really enjoyed bring-
at FASTSIGNS Crawley to help spruce up great insight and vision, to ensure the ing the vision they had for their new
our office environment here at Struc- desired effect came across visually, and offices to life. It's been great getting to
tured Communications. we are delighted with the results. know Terry on this latest project, he is
Having met Mel through Young Startup Terry Smith, Sales & Marketing Director a perfect fit to the Structured team and
Talent around 6 years ago, where we of Structured Communications, com- his enthusiasm and vision for what he
supported young entrepreneurs in the mented “I joined the Structured team wants to do in his new role is infectious.
area, we have always looked to work back in June, and it was evident early on, At FASTSIGNS we have always valued
closely together, and share business how proud the team were to work for the the importance of working together and
leads where appropriate. company, but equally, the customer and supporting fellow local businesses, es-
This has worked especially well with excellent effective service is what sets pecially in this strange time. We hold
both companies being members of Gat- us apart from our larger competitors, the relationships we have built over the
wick Diamond, as well as being main so I contacted Mel, and we got the ball years with companies like Structured
sponsors for local Football league team, rolling to get the office looking the part. Communications and through network-
Crawley Town FC. Mel and Alan were a pleasure to work ing regularly at gdb events in extremely
With us here at Structured Commu- with, and I look forward to us continuing high regard".
nications & Ghost Gamer Broadband to work together for many more years”.
moving into a new office just over 18 Mel Martinez, Owner of FASTSIGNS www.structuredcommunications.co.uk
months ago, it was key to get across our Crawley, commented “Having worked www.ghostgb.co.uk
key values for team members, as well as with Structured Communications for www.fastsigns.co.uk/854-crawley
#BuildingBusinessConnections 19You can also read
