First For Business April 2015

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A GLIMPSEOF THEFUTURE

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CONTENTS First For Business APRIL 2015

www.ffb-online.co.uk

Editor Chris [email protected] Editor John YatesChief Feature Writer Julie Farmer

Chief Sub Editor Richard AbbeySub Editor Richard Smith

Operations Director Jillion WoodPublishing Manager Mandy [email protected]

Studio Manager Chris BrierleyDesign Dan Wray, Steve LeversNew Media ManagerTerri Moore

Regional Magazine Company 6 Broadfield Court Broadfield Business Park Sheffield, S8 OXFTel: 0114 250 6300

Email: [email protected]: www.ffb-online.co.uk

CONTENTSAPRIL 2015

AGENDA 8Forget I Robot and Chappie, robots and

autonomous systems are already in our homesand set to transform the way we live, make

things, and grow old

BACK ON THE BIKE 13Last years Grand Depart was excellent news forbusinesses, particularly those working in tourism,

hospitality and cycling. Excitement has nowturned to the Tour de Yorkshire and businessesare encouraged to make the most of the event

DREAM TEAM 14As part of new government legislation, employersmust enrol staff in a pension scheme. Our Dream

Team look at the steps your business needs totake or you could face penalties

GIVING IS GOOD 20As well as the financial boost to charities there are

plenty of reasons why giving is good for business

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 24Creative Sheffield figures show that the banking

and finance sector is one of the regionsbiggest and it is growing bigger every year

HOW TO... 28Host a conference

HOTEL & CONFERENCE GUIDE 29Our pick of the regions best venues

COMPETITION 41Win tickets to an upcoming meeting at

Doncaster Racecourse

MAXIMUM BREAK 44Julie Farmer looks at the impact of the WorldSnooker Championship and discovers how it

came to be in Sheffield in the first place

OLYMPIC LEGACY 46The site of the former Don Valley Stadium is ahive of activity and the resulting developmentcould secure Sheffield a worthy place on the

global map

WORK & PLAY 48Round-up of news, achievements, celebrations

and new faces

10 THINGS... 50That ultra-endurance running has in common

with business, by Chris Heaton, group managingdirector of Osl Group Ltd

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FRONT COVER:Sheffield RoboticsBy Mark Rodgers

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This month in First For Business wetake a glimpse into the future withhelp from Tony Prescott, thedirector of Sheffield Robotics. It is easyto view robots either with ridicule(remember the mechanical dog thatused to rattle around to no specificpurpose on Doctor Who?) or fear(theyre coming for our jobs and oneday they will take over the world).

But yesterdays science fiction isbecoming science fact and pioneers likePrescott can foresee a future whererobots (built by humans, of course) canhelp mankind in areas such as increasingthe healthcare of an ageing populationand improving safety and performance inmany aspects of daily life. That is whycompanies like Network Rail andCostain are showing interest.

We sent consultant editor John Yates tomeet the team at Sheffield Robotics.Despite the playful image on the frontcover of this issue, they havent built arobot capable of sitting down andreading a magazine yet. But what theyare doing might have a significant impacton how we all aspire to live our lives inthe future.

One invention that seemed straight outof sci-fi not too long ago was the electriccar, but this sleek, silent eco-friendlymachine is making a big impact on ourdaily lives.

The Electric Vehicles Inmotion! Schemehas proved popular with businesses

across the region and the sale of electriccars and other plug-in vehicles continuesto increase. The charging network isgrowing all the time, making it easier fordrivers to charge their electric vehicles.

Getting behind the wheel of an electriccar is also a great way of showing offyour green credentials, both as anindividual and as a company. Chieffeature writer Julie Farmer takes a closelook at the latest developments.

One thing that plays a vital part in ourregions economic wellbeing is Sheffieldsreputation as one of the countrys topconference cities. With new facilitiesconstantly being unveiled at major hotels,educational establishments, footballstadia and restaurants, delegates areflocking and many who like what theysee will return to spend their touristcash in our area.

With two high profile outdoor eventsalready secured for 2015 theEuropean Outdoor Summit and theInternational Adventure TourismConference we examine what makesSheffield such a popular city for business-minded visitors.

The World Snooker Championshipsreturns to Sheffield later this month,another important money-spinner forthe local economy. Local hotels andrestaurants will be anticipating a bumperfew weeks as the worlds best players, alarge media presence and thousands ofsnooker fans, will flock to the city.

PREVIEW

PREVIEW First For Business APRIL 2015


@

CHRIS WILSON, EDITOR

Facebook: Regional Magazine CompanyTwitter: @FFBmagRMCLinkedIn: First For Business magazineEmail: [email protected]

But why Sheffield, and could thesebattles on the green baize ever takeplace anywhere else? We tracked downMike Watterson, the man responsible forbringing the event to Sheffield for thefirst time in 1977, in search of answers.

From long distance walks to sponsoredcar washes, more companies are findinginventive ways to raise cash for worthycauses. Corporate social responsibility(CSR) certainly comes high on thebusiness agenda these days, which isexcellent news for charities. But giving isalso good for business when it comes tokey areas such as networking, marketing,media coverage and staff morale. Welook at how giving generously can have apositive return for your business.

Along with news of the Tour DeYorkshire cycle race, the latest plans foran Olympic Legacy Park on the site ofthe former Don Valley Stadium, andmore sound business advice from ourDream Team, that is just a taste of thisedition of First For Business. Let us knowwhat you think by tweeting us at@ffbmagRMC.

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No sooner had Tony Prescottreturned from an official trademission to Japan that theprofessor of cognitive neuroscience wassprinting back to Sheffield to host anevent aimed at bringing high-techbusiness leaders and roboticsresearchers together to form a powerful,collaborative nationwide network.

If the exchange of business cards andintense conversations taking place inbetween the formal presentations wasany guide, the national symposium onfield robotics at the AdvancedManufacturing Park in Rotherham was ahuge success.

For Tim Embley, group innovation andknowledge manager at Costain, and oneof the days keynote speakers,collaboration between his company anduniversity research teams is vital to thefirms continued success. Costain, he said,had spent a century and half pouringconcrete into holes in the ground, buttoday it was an engineering solutionscompany whose customers range fromnuclear energy, motorways, railways,aviation, water, utilities, and construction.

Our customers want innovation, andthat doesnt mean turning up to workwith a bigger spade, Tim told the morethan 100 delegates gathered at theAMPs Knowledge Transfer Centre.

He pointed out that AndrewMcNaughton, chief technical director ofHS2, is demanding the industry provideinnovative solutions for the biggestinfrastructure project since theconstruction of the M25. That means3D printing and other novel

technologies such as robotics that willmake civil engineering works all butinvisible to rail travellers.

But where will those innovations inrobotics and autonomous systems comefrom? Long-term partnerships betweencompanies such as Costain and theircustomers may provide the incomeflows needed to invest in research anddevelopment, but they dont provide thecapacity or the capability to carry outthe research. That must be sourcedelsewhere. Which is where ProfessorPrescott and his team come in.

A psychologist with a deepunderstanding of the ethical,philosophical and computational aspectsof robotics and artificial intelligence,Professor Prescott, with his youthfullooks and Paul McCartney Beatles-eramop, may seem an unlikelyentrepreneurial partner. But he is one of

the new breed of academics who are atthe forefront of Britains industrial,innovation revolution.

Such academics recognise that thebenefits of working closely with industry improved funding streams, sharing ofideas and facilities, the development ofmore rounded and work-ready post-docs do not require the sacrifice ofintellectual independence or investigativerigour. On the contrary, companies likeCostain and Network Rail wantinnovations that are grounded infundamental research.

While it remains vital for academics likePrescott to publish learned articles inpeer reviewed Journals one of hislatest has the pithy title Strategy changein vibrissal active sensing during ratlocomotion he is equally at homediscussing his ideas on Radio Four,penning think pieces for The NewScientist, or commenting through socialmedia @tonyjprescott and blogs. Thisability to communicate at all levels is alsoa defining feature of the new generationof market-facing academics. And, forsomeone operating in the potentiallycontroversial field of robotics, it is a vitalskill.

As the director of the recently formedSheffield Robotics what he calls acollaborative enterprise betweenSheffields two universities ProfessorPrescott is out to show that roboticsand autonomous systems are not somedistant, science fiction dystopia, but arapidly emerging technology that willhave a significant and positive impact onnearly every market sector within thenext decade. >>>

DYSTOPIAN DREAMFORGET I ROBOT AND CHAPPIE, ROBOTS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMSARE ALREADY IN OUR HOMES AND SET TO TRANSFORM THE WAY WE LIVE,MAKE THINGS, AND GROW OLD. JOHN YATES MEETS THE DIRECTOR OFSHEFFIELD ROBOTICS WHO IS AT THE HEART OF THAT TRANSFORMATION.

First For Business APRIL 2015 AGENDA


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PROFESSORPRESCOTT IS OUT TO SHOW THATROBOTICS ANDAUTONOMOUSSYSTEMS ARE NOTSOME DISTANT,SCIENCE FICTIONDYSTOPIA, BUT ARAPIDLYEMERGINGTECHNOLOGY.


We need to be aware of publicconcerns, to engage with the public andexplain what we are doing. Most of thedystopias are science fiction rather thanfact, but we have a duty to engage andbring people along with us, he said. Butthe benefits of robotics, he argues, havethe potential to transform and rebalanceour economy.

The latest Innovate UK report into thiscountrys robotics landscape agrees:This economic impact is not just relatedto an expansion in the market forrobotics technology but to the significantimpact robotics technology will have oncompetitiveness and service provisionacross all economic sectors fromagriculture to healthcare.

One clear direction that emerges fromthis landscapei s that robots will nolonger be confined to use withinmanufacturing. Robotics will extend itsimpact into almost every human activity.

But the role of robotics in advancedmanufacturing and hazardousenvironments will become ever moreimportant. And that is why ProfessorPrescott and his team, currently based inthe heart of Sheffield, also want todevelop a test bed facility out on the ever-expanding Advanced Manufacturing Park.

This combination of research labs in thePam Liversidge Building and fieldenvironment facilities alongside theAdvanced Manufacturing Research Centre(AMRC) would enable Professor Prescottand his team to offer a full spectrum ofresearch capability to its partners.

Within both industry and academia,there is much talk today of technologicalreadiness levels, a term derived from theUS Department of Defense and NASAto describe just how close a particulartechnology is to production andimplementation.

The lower levels, say one through tofour, involve research that ranges fromsolving basic principles through to proofof concept and validation in the

laboratory. While the higher levels, sayfrom six to nine, would involveproduction and testing of prototypesthrough to manufacturing andoperational readiness.

The success of the AdvancedManufacturing Research Centre, forinstance, has been to harness theengineering and materials skills of itsresearchers at the higher end of the TRLreadiness scale to meet the needs ofsome of the most technically demandingindustries aerospace and nuclear. Thismeans research projects withturnaround times much faster than thosefor fundamental science projects.

But the AMRC also understand thatcompanies have aspirations beyond theirimmediate and medium term needs:hence their interest in the fundamental orbasic research that is happeningelsewhere in the university at the otherend of the TRL readiness scale. ProfessorPrescott understands this too. SheffieldRobotics will be the link between researchand innovation from fundamental researchright up to the TRL levels where industrygets involved, he said.

Immediate plans are in train to take overa disused aircraft hangar on the oldSheffield airport site which would be atemporary home for a large, test bedfacility. Its a space our partners coulduse to simulate the target environment,whether thats a deep mine, or a searchand rescue mission without the risk anddanger, he said. Our ambition, however,is to create a reconfigurable spacewhere we can do the testing of robotsin realistic but controllable conditions.

Professor Prescott revealed plans for astate-of-the-art facility to be built nextdoor to the AMRCs Factory 2050,which is currently being erected on theold airport site. Theres a close synergybetween what the AMRC is doing andwhat we want to achieve, he said.

But Professor Prescotts own interest inrobotics lies more in the role roboticswill play in the healthcare of anincreasingly older population an issuehe found was having a profound impactin Japan.

Addressing this challenge is at theforefront of a lot of Japanese R&Dplanning, with assistive robots one of thekey technologies they are looking todevelop. Here in the UK we face asimilar issue, but are only just beginningto wake-up to the scale of the challenge.We have much to learn from theJapanese who have been thinking aboutthis challenge for well over a decade.

Prescott argues there is now a growingconvergence between these challengesin what he calls service robotics and thechallenges facing the use of robots inindustry. Industry is looking at robotsworking much more closely with people,working in human robot teams, toproduce efficiencies and savings with noloss in quality, he said.

Take aerospace, for instance. Ratherthan having one big static robot doing ajob, you might want to have a small teamof robots moving around a fuselagedoing different jobs but also working inteams with human engineers. Thischallenge is the same as that faced in the

First For Business APRIL 2015


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service sector, such as hospitals and thecare of the elderly how do you getrobots working closely and safely withpeople?

The solutions to those challenges arewhat motivate Professor Prescott andhis team. By working with industry andresearchers in other universities acrossthe UK he argues Britain could leadthe world in aspects of this rapidlyemerging economy.

The message I brought home fromJapan is that Britain is much betterpositioned than we might think. We havereal critical mass in various aspects ofrobotics and autonomous systems bybringing people together, by pooling ourtalents and resources, we can make surethat critical mass is translated into realimpact, he said.

Kevin Blacktop, research anddevelopment specialist with NetworkRail, agrees. His video presentation ofwhat the rail network could look like inthe near future showed a heavy relianceon autonomous systems and robotics toimprove safety and performance.

Such systems range from theobservation and inspection of the railinfrastructure to identify potential faultsand failures enabling a move awayfrom find-and-fix, towards predict andprevent through to the use of big datato better manage the movement ofpeople, goods and trains across thenetwork improving capacity andefficiency.

Innovate UK sees robotics andautonomous systems as having theirgreatest impact in three areas theproduction of goods, the provision ofservices, and the delivery of goods andresources. Which is a long-winded wayof saying that will impact on just abouteverything.

Professor Prescott, and those aroundhim, understand that. They also

understand that the pace of change isaccelerating and that time is of theessence. We have some great small andmedium-sized enterprises working at thecutting edge of robotics. But if we are toscale-up to meet the internationalchallenges and opportunities, academiaand industry will need to work closelytogether, he said.

Happily, his recent trade visit to Japan,where he met fellow researchers, policymakers and business leaders, made itclear that there is the willingness, andnational infrastructure, to do just that.

Perhaps it wont be too long beforeProfessor Prescott and his colleagues inSheffield Robotics are moving out oftheir aircraft hangar and portakabin, andinto accommodation more fitting totheir global ambition.

AGENDA

THE MESSAGE I BROUGHT HOME FROMJAPAN IS THAT BRITAIN IS MUCH BETTERPOSITIONED THAN WE MIGHT THINK.

PROFESSOR TONY PRESCOTT

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In an increasingly competitivemarketplace showing off your greencredentials can be an easily-achievableway for businesses to create that allimportant good first impression.

Going green not only helps theenvironment, but it can also pay off onthe bottom line. Plenty of researchshows that eco-policies can reduce acompanys costs and improve customerperceptions, ultimately leading to moresales.

Its not surprising, therefore, that theElectric Vehicles Inmotion! scheme hasproved popular with businesses acrossthe region. In fact, across the boardelectric vehicles are making animpact. The number of ultra-low emission vehicles onBritish roads rose notably atthe end of 2014 and thesale of electric cars andother plug-in vehiclescontinues to increase.

Inmotion! recentlyannounced additionalfunding for 2015-16,meaning companies inour region can takeadvantage of the electricvehicle grants until at leastMarch 2016. And to make thenews even better, the Office for

Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) hascommitted to increase plug-in car andvan grants from 25 per cent to 35 percent from 1 April 2015, resulting inlower costs for some electric vehiclemodels.

Inmotion! is the first scheme of its kindto make use of government grants (incollaboration with certainmanufacturers) to offer a subsidisedlease on a plug-in vehicle and aworkplace charging point. Leases range

from 12 to 48 months and start fromunder 200 per month.

The vehicles available include theRenault Zoe, Renault Twizy, RenaultKangoo, Nissan Leaf, Nissan eNV200van and BMW i3. All are available fortest drives and can even be borrowedfor a week to assess suitability.

Inmotion! has put together a pricecomparison between the Nissan Leafand a 1.6 TDi VW BlueMotion Golfwhich would cost around 5,000 less tobuy and taking into account factorssuch as employers NI, finance rate, leaserate and fuel costs, the potential saving

of using the Leaf over a 48-monthperiod would be 38.52 per cent,

at an average 34p per milecompared with 56p per mile

in the Golf.

The charging network isdeveloping all the time,making it easier fordrivers to charge theirelectric vehicles.

Regional locationsinclude Meadowhall,Doncaster town centre,

Rotherham centre,Sheffield Business Park and

Sheffield city centre.

ELECTRIC VEHICLESCHARGING SOUTH YORKSHIREBUSINESSES AHEAD

WITH NEWS THAT THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES INMOTION! SCHEME HAS BEENEXTENDED FOR ANOTHER YEAR, JULIE FARMER BELIEVES THERE HASNEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME FOR BUSINESSES IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE TOMAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL.

TRAVEL/TRANSPORT First For Business APRIL 2015


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First For Business APRIL 2015 TRAVEL/TRANSPORT


In January, Councillor Jayne Dunn,Cabinet Member for Environment,Recycling and Streetscene at SheffieldCity Council, launched two new fastcharging points in Sheffield at ParkersLane in Broomhill and Carver Lane inthe city centre. Both charge vehicles injust three to four hours and are free touse.

Speaking as she unveiled the chargingpoint at Parkers Lane, Cllr Dunn said:We recognise the need to have cleanervehicles on our streets to reduce airpollution and carbon emissions, and I ampleased to announce more chargingpoints for drivers of electric cars andvans in Sheffield.

The charger in our car park at ParkersLane in Broomhill is great for visitors tothe citys hospitals and universities, andthe one at Carver Lane is centrallylocated for visitors to the city centre.

I hope that this increase in the provisionof chargers will encourage more peopleto consider going green and usingelectric vehicles.

Mark Daly, Sustainable DevelopmentOfficer at Sheffield City Council, said:This project is helping to not onlyestablish publicly-accessible electricvehicle charging in our region, but also tohelp businesses in South Yorkshire tolease an electric car or van. Through ouradditional funding, we are able to add2,500 on top of the government

subsidy towards the lease of a vehicleand provide money off installing a chargepoint at their premises.

We are installing fast charging sites inSheffield, Meadowhall, Rotherham towncentre, Barnsley and Doncaster.

Well also be installing at least threemore rapid chargers across the region,which can charge a car in as little as 20minutes.

Working on this project has led me tosee the benefits of electric cars for theenvironment and my wallet. I bought myown electric car almost a year ago andhave just completed 10,000 miles in it, so along with the growing numbers ofelectric vehicle drivers I welcomethese new charging points.

Locating charging points is simple.Through the Electric Vehicles Immotion!website drivers can access the Zap-Mapwhich shows charging points across theUK, with tailored information for eachpoint including the full address withpostcode, supply information, type ofsocket and any parking/charging fees.

The Inmotion! partnership is made up ofrepresentatives from South YorkshirePassenger Transport Executive (SYPTE)and the four South Yorkshire localauthorities of Barnsley, Doncaster,Rotherham and Sheffield.

The Electric Vehicles Inmotion! scheme islooking to work with businesses across

South Yorkshire to trial the lease of anelectric vehicle of their choice with agrant of up to 10,500 towards thelease of a van and 7,500 for a car.

Reflecting the success of the scheme andSheffields commitment to go low is therecent news that Sheffield has beenshortlisted by the government to be oneof 12 UK cities which will share35million of funding to promote ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs). The GoUltra Low City Scheme will reward citiesthat demonstrate most potential toachieve exemplar status becominginternationally outstanding examples forthe adoption of ULEVs in a local area.

I admit to having a number ofpreconceptions when I was invited totest drive the electric Nissan Leaf. It

would probably be quite slow, prettybasic and expensive to buy.

First impressions were good itlooked just like any regular vehicle.

In fact it felt noticeably chunky,the steering and pedals felt

sturdy and solid, theseats were

comfortable andthere was plentyof space.

I was surprisedat the lack ofnoise when Iturned thecar on (at thetouch of abutton) and

even when I put my foot down. Ithink the only sound the vehiclemade during my 15-minute test drivewas when I used the indicator.Building up speed in silence did seemstrange and actually made mequestion the reading on thespeedometer. How could I betravelling at over 40mph having notheard any sound?

In the space of my short test drive Ibecame rather fond of the Leaf. Ihadnt expected it to be so nice todrive, for it to feel so luxurious andfor it to be quite so nippy.

For those who havent tried one Iddefinitely recommend having a testdrive. Youll probably be surprised.

PUTTING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE TO THE TEST

For more information or toarrange a test drive visit thededicated electric vehiclewebsite,evinmotion.co.ukor get intouch at, [email protected]

Julie tries theNissan Leaf

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The Grand Depart of 2014s Tour deFrance had a significant impact onour economy. The financial boost for Yorkshire wasapproximately 102million, althoughadditional spending associated with theevent will continue into the future.Tourism was enhanced, the InternationalBusiness Festival showcased companiesto visitors from overseas andinvestments were made into the cyclinginfrastructure.

Now, in just a few weeks time, we willwelcome the inaugural Tour de Yorkshirewhich, although on a much smaller scaleto the Tour de France, is expected toattract hundreds of thousands of visitorsto our region.

The event, run by Welcome to Yorkshireand Amaury Sport Organisation (whichoperates the Tour de France) andbacked by British Cycling, will take placefrom 1-3 May and will include parts ofthe county that the Yorkshire GrandDepart didnt visit.

It will be one of the most exciting cyclingevents held in Europe in 2015 and willbe broadcast in the UK, and on

Eurosport, to 70 countries around theworld, showcasing the beauty ofYorkshires landscapes to an internationalaudience, growing the profile of Yorkshireas a destination for fans of world-classcycling.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcometo Yorkshire, said: This new officialinternational cycle race heralds the startof a world-class event for Yorkshire thatwe want to see grow over the comingyears to become known the world over.We already have a huge amount ofinterest thanks to the Yorkshire GrandDepart, which captured the imaginationof millions of people globally and theTour de Yorkshire will be a fitting legacy.

Stage one will take riders fromBridlington to Scarborough, stage twofrom Selby to York and stage three fromWakefield to Leeds. There will be over500km throughout Yorkshire wherepeople can choose to see the race overthe three days.

The Tour de Yorkshire will also feature awomens race on the York circuit on 2May. The race will be held over four lapsof a 20km circuit around York with the

same infrastructure being used for theTour de Yorkshire later that afternoon.

Bob Howden, President of BritishCycling said: This is a fantastic newaddition to the calendar and a greatshowcase for womens racing. The Yorkcircuit is set for huge crowds and asuperb atmosphere, so we look forwardto an action packed day.

The first ever Tour de Yorkshire Festivalhas already been launched to celebratethe countys arts and cultural sceneahead of the cycle race. The Tour deYorkshire Festival began on 1 April andwill conclude on 3 May. Theatres, concertvenues, festivals, galleries and museumsacross the county are taking theopportunity to promote their work withover 200 events expected in theprogramme.

Mark Fielding, Tour de Yorkshire Festivalproducer, said: This month-long festivalfeatures some first class performances atleading venues right across the county,and with the programme already shapingup well, it promises to be a wonderfulshowcase for Yorkshires arts andculture.

LAST YEARS GRAND DEPART WAS EXCELLENT NEWS FOR BUSINESSES,PARTICULARLY THOSE WORKING IN TOURISM, HOSPITALITY AND CYCLING.EXCITEMENT HAS NOW TURNED TO THE TOUR DE YORKSHIRE ANDBUSINESSES ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE EVENT.

CYCLING First For Business APRIL 2015


BACK ON THE BIKE

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ROB MOORERECOVERY EXPERT ANDPARTNER ATTAYLOR&EMMETTYour new duties under the pensionreforms will apply once you have passedyour staging date. According to thelegislation, employers with fewer than 50workers in their largest PAYE schemewill be staged between 1 June 2015 and1 April 2017. Regulation 4 (EmployersDuties (Implementation) Regulations2010) contains a table which breaksdown the exact staging dates accordingto PAYE reference numbers. So the dateyou need to implement the changesnecessary to comply with your newduties is fast approaching.

As the enrolment legislation applies toworkers (not just employees), youshould look at the contractualrelationships which you have with theindividuals who are working for you toensure you are clear about who is aworker and therefore caught by thelegislation.

Also look at your PAYE record whichshould help identify the number ofworkers you have. Not all workers willbe on the PAYE scheme and so they

need to be identified and included whenestablishing your staging date.

As the staging date cannot be contractedout of, it would be advisable to actexpediently to make sure auto-enrolmentis implemented, or you will be in breachof your duties as an employer. In worstcase scenario you may face enforcementaction by the Pensions Regulator.

If breaches of employer duties are notremedied and notices given by thePensions Regulator are repeatedlyignored then two types of penalties canbe issued; Fixed Penalty Notice and anEscalating Penalty Notice. A FixedPenalty Notice provides for a flat-ratepenalty of 400 for failure to observenotices from the Pensions Regulator toremedy the breach. The EscalatingPenalty Notice, for more serious andpersistent breaches, can range from 50a day to 10,000 a day depending onthe size of your organisation.

As you have around 20 employees, youstill have adequate time to implementauto-enrolment. Once you havecompleted the auto-enrolment processyou have five months to register yourcompliance and you will need to re-register your compliance every threeyears following the initial registration.

PROVIDING FORRETIREMENT

AS PART OF NEW GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION, EMPLOYERS MUST ENROLSTAFF IN A PENSION SCHEME. OUR DREAM TEAM LOOK AT THE STEPS YOURBUSINESS NEEDS TO TAKE OR YOU COULD FACE PENALTIES.



DEAR DREAM TEAM:As a small business owneremploying around 20 people, Iwas brought up short recentlyby a newspaper storyregarding auto-enrolment forworkplace pensions.

I know all employers, nomatter how large or small,must offer their staff apension scheme, enrol all staffwho dont choose to opt out,and make a contribution ontheir behalf, and that thissystem is being introducedover a six-year period.

The story in question statedthat many of Britains smallbusinesses have beendragging their feet and maynow miss legally bindingdeadlines and face penalties.

I suppose this is my wake-upcall! What do I do, and howmuch time have I got?

RobMoore

LisaLeighton

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DREAM TEAM

By establishing when your staging date isas soon as possible this will allow you toplan for the months ahead, to organisewho within your workforce is eligible forauto-enrolment, and what informationyou need to provide your workers. If youwant more time, you should identifywhether you can take advantage of theexception which allows small employersto modify the staging date.

LISA LEIGHTONPARTNER AT BARBER,HARRISON & PLATTWe would suggest that you planbetween 9-12 months prior to yourstaging date. Heres what to do:

Confirm your staging date(www.tpr.gov.uk/staging-date).

Provide a point of contact to ThePensions Regulator(www.tpr.gov.uk/nominate-contact).

Develop a Project Plan. Dont leave ituntil the last minute. If you do, it couldbe more costly and complex to prepare.

Assess the workforce for eligibility. Youwill need to know the costs of

contributions; will you phasecontributions in, or will you postpone?

Choose payroll/pension/third partysoftware. Payroll software will help youkeep track of the ages and earnings of allyour staff and will tell you what youneed to do for each of them. You needto make sure your software supportsautomatic enrolment and you shouldtest it well ahead of your staging date.

Choose a pension scheme. If you havean existing scheme for your workforceyou should check with your pensionprovider to see whether it is a qualifyingworkplace pension you can use forautomatic enrolment. Dont leave it toolate. Its important that the scheme youchoose provides good governance andoffers good value for money for you andyour staff.

Enrol employees. At your staging dateyou will need to identify which membersof staff to automatically enrol and whichwill have a right to join your pensionscheme on request.

Communicate to all employees. Youhave a mandatory requirement to writeto your staff.

Complete Declaration of Complianceand Certification. This confirms to us that

you have fulfilled your legal duties. Itmust be completed up to five monthsfrom your staging date

Maintain Records. You must keeprecords. This will include the informationyou sent to your pension provider, andcopies of any opt-out requests youreceive.

Ongoing Responsibilities. Automaticenrolment is not just something thathappens at your staging date it is anongoing duty.

Its against the law to take any actionto induce anyone to opt out. Examplesof this could include persuading orforcing staff to opt out by offering thema cash bonus to do so, or by withholdinga pay increase until they opt out.

CHALLENGE OUR TEAM. The team will respond to oneselected question in each editionof First For Business.

Send your questions [email protected]. Name withheld on request

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Corporate social responsibility isnothing new. Its just the namethat we have for it and the factthat were told we should be doing itthat is relatively recent.

Way back in the 1800s we haveevidence of companies demonstratingtheir corporate social responsibilities bygiving back to their local communities.These days we live in a world ofacronyms and we prefer to talk about CSR.

You might not realise you are doing it

CSR is about the engagement, not just ofa company but also of its employees, inthe community. Plenty of big companiesdo it and do it very well. Many SMEswouldnt particularly put a CSR tag on it,but are doing some great things withintheir communities.

At Wosskow Brown we work with someincredible small companies doing someamazing things in their communities, butmany of them dont shout about it. Its

just part of their make-up to do thesethings and they dont expect recognitionfor it.

Of course, there are some organisationswhich do it as part of a box-tickingexercise and which chase accreditationsin various areas. But that doesnt alwaysmean they do things well. If you are aright-minded company you dont have totick the boxes; you just choose to dogood things because it makes sense.

EARN RESPECTDuring the LA riots of the 1990s therewere areas where every store had beenburnt to the ground other thanMcDonalds. The rioters didnt targetMcDonalds because the company hadalways put a lot back into thecommunity through sponsorships andvarious other means. The community felta connection with McDonalds and didntwant to destroy it.

Of course, this is an extreme examplebut it shows that being active in the

SOME COMPANIESEMBRACE IT; OTHERS

FEAR IT. BUT THEREIS NO NEED TO GET HUNG UP

ON THE WORDS CORPORATE SOCIAL

RESPONSIBILITYEXPLAINS

WOSSKOWBROWNS HRCONSULTANT JIM LAWSON.

DONT BE AFRAID OF CSR

Use yourcompanysexpertise togivesomethingback to thecommunity and marketyour businessat the sametime

16


lLEGAL

Charities areultimatelycommercialorganisations withcharitable objectives.They are often setup by people whoare very passionate

about a particular issue and whodeliver the service brilliantly butthey dont have the commercialawareness and get themselves intotrouble by not looking at the legalities.We have had people come to see uswho have been to the CharityCommission and have been told tosee a lawyer because they are notdoing things correctly.

These days it is crucial for charities tooperate commercially. Now thatfunding from local and centralGovernment is really depleted,

charities have to really look for theirown areas of funding and have to besustainable.

New charities should forgerelationships with companies as earlyas possible. It is all about networking.Network with lawyers, accountants,property companies, surveyors itsnot what you know, but who youknow. Form a bank of mentors whocan help you and who you can phoneup for advice.

CSR is a hot topic and companies arebecoming more aware of theircorporate social responsibilities. It is agreat time for charities to tap into thatby picking up the phone and sayingthis is what we deliver, how can weengage with your organisation, howcan we utilise your services and whatpublicity can we give you for helping?

community lets people know about yourbusiness. In some ways your businessbecomes their business.

REAP REWARDSRecently we did some work withVoluntary Action Barnsley, anorganisation which links employees fromlocal companies with local projects suchas rebuilding a wall or planting trees.One of the valid ways companies usethese activities is to bond peopletogether and demonstrate teamworkoutside of the office. They are not onlydoing good in the community but at thesame time their employees who mightnot usually work together are gettingto know each other, working as a teamand building valuable skills they can takeback into the workplace.

Could you provide the core service ofyour business to the community? AtWosskow Brown we speak 16 languagesand there are people in the communitywho can benefit from that.

MAKE THE TIMEPeople who say they dont have time togive something back are a bit short-sighted because in the long term givingback to the community can have acommercial pay-back.

If there are 15 accountancy firms andone of them does work in thecommunity which one will members ofthat community think of when they areactively looking for an accountant?

It is about marketing your business. If youlook at the classic interpretation ofmarketing it is about letting people knowwhat you do. Why wouldnt you go outand do that?

STILL UNSUREHOW TO HELP?The recently-launched Wosskow BrownFoundation is the ideal place to start ifyou are unsure where your skills couldbe utilised. We are building a bank ofmentors for the foundation so yourcompanys CSR could be giving yourtime to the Foundation or collaboratingwith us on a local project. These activitiesmake you stand out from yourcompetition and we have found thatcompanies which are active in CSR orsimply in giving back are the ones thattend to grow.

Email [email protected] learn more about the Foundation.

I moved to thiscountry fromPakistan in 2001,became a solicitor in2004 and became apartner at WosskowBrown in 2013.Throughout this

term I have worked with differentorganisations, helped schools inPakistan with things like getting cleandrinking water and worked with localschools and charities.

I present a radio show, Imaan 103.1FM where people can call in for legaladvice and I also present a TV show,Sheffield Live TV (on Virgin MediaChannel 108, Freeview Channel 8 andonline) where I am joined by adifferent guest each week. I have alsobeen writing for two local newspapersfor the last few years.

My next aim is to work with local lawstudents who would like to shadowsolicitors at work. Being from a Third

World country, I feel it would beinspirational for them to see what canbe achieved with hard work. Myschool was very basic and in myprimary years, me and my classmateshad no building and had to sit on amat on the ground. I believe sharingmy positive story could encourageother young people and inspire them,in turn, to give back to those lessfortunate in society.

I was recently presented with theTrade Union Councils CommunityRecognition Award by Bob Jeffery,Senior Lecturer in Sociology, CampusConvenor UCU Sheffield Hallam andthe High Sheriff of Sheffield, inrecognition of the community work,pro bono media work and charitablework Ive done.

It is wonderful to have recognitionfrom the community. It is nice to knowpeople have looked at the work Ivedone, seen it as positive and taken thetime to thank me for it.

IN THE LAST YEAR, WOSSKOW BROWNS TREVORBIRD HAS ADVISED AROUND 15 LOCAL CHARITIES

WOSSKOW BROWN PROPERTY PARTNERMOHAMMED NAZIR WAS RECENTLY PRESENTEDWITH AN AWARD FOR HIS WORK WITH LOCAL ANDINTERNATIONAL CHARITIES

17


018 FFB Apr15 23/03/2015 16:43 Page 1

MONSTERSUCCESSYORKSHIRE DRINKS COMPANY ISLOOKING FORWARD TO A BUSY SUMMERWITH THE HELP OF PORT OF TYNESFLEXIBLE LOGISTICS SUPPORT.

LOGISTICS First for Business APRIL 2015


The Port of Tyne is one of the UKsfastest growing major deep-seaports and it is helping a Yorkshire-based soft drinks company make a splashwith its products

Yorkshire based Gourmet Water isgearing up for a busy and thirsty summer, with the aid of some littlemonsters and the Port of Tyne.

The two-year-old soft drinks companycentred in Harrogate secured the licenceto produce its Moshlings range of drinksbased on the hugely popular childrenscartoon characters Moshi Monsters.

Moshi Monsters is a website with morethan 80 million registered users in 150countries around the world. It has grownfrom being a website game tomerchandising and a magazine.

Gourmet Waters Moshlings Magic Waterhas joined the companys range of vitaminwaters made from natural ingredientssweetened with natural fruit and stevia.Moshlings Magic Water, along with thecompanys other soft drinks, aredistributed around the UK to majorsupermarkets, high street bakeries andpub chains.

Gourmet Waters Andy Clarke said: Witha little help from the Port ofTyne, our logistics partners,we are getting ready forsummer which is our busytime with family holidays,days out, kids parties andpeople just enjoying thesunshine. Weve beenproducing MoshlingsMagic Water for just over12 months now. Itsproving to be extremelypopular and we are sure

its going to be another bighit this year.

Gourmet Waters productsare made in Sunderland andare distributed all over theUK by Port of Tyne logistics,which handles around fouror five trailer loads a monthfor Gourmet Water.

Andy added: We have forged anextremely useful relationship with Port ofTyne which is enabling our businessdevelopment. They are very reliable andalways flexible. We drop things on themat the very last minute because ourcustomers tend to drop things on us, butthe Port always come through for us andhandles our last minute deliveries.

The Port of Tyne is one of the UKsfastest growing major deep-sea ports and is a vital trading gateway toworldwide markets.

Investment of over 120m in the past 10years has created the infrastructure todeliver continued growth of the Portsdiverse businesses and has culminatedin the Port being named UK Port

of the Year in the 2014 NationalTransport Awards.

The Port of Tyne bulkand conventionalcargo businesshandles coal, wood-

pellet, grain, scrap,steel and othercargoes, but it isthe volume ofimported coal,which hasincreaseddramatically fromzero in 2003 to

4.9 million tonnes in 2013, that hasearned the Port its place as the UKssecond largest coal importer.

Port of Tyne Logistics offers customers anintegrated package of container handling,warehousing and distribution, with manycustomers already experiencing theadvantages of using the Tyne rather thanbringing their goods through Felixstoweor Southampton and trucking them allthe way up country. Not only does it helpreduce the carbon footprint, it also offerscost efficiencies.

In addition to cruise and ferry, otherbusiness areas include car terminals,developed by the Port of Tyne to supportmanufacturing giants Nissan and VW, andEstates, which manages a growingportfolio of commercial properties andland holdings.

The port is also leading developments inrenewable energy and with its asset baseand geographical location, is well placedto meet the needs of the emergingoffshore oil, wind and gas industry.

CONTACT: Port of Tyne HeadquartersMaritime House, Tyne Dock,South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE34 9PTTel: 0191 455 2671www.portoftyne.co.uk

Port of Tyne CEO AndrewMoffat with Paul Stephenson,MD of South Bay CivilEngineering Ltd

19




Dress down days, quiz nights,sports events, 10Ks, battle of thebands, car washes these arejust some of the ways companies acrossthe region raise funds for worthy causes.

Just recently Master Cutler David Greylaunched the annual Master CutlersChallenge, prompting imaginativeemployees to come up with outlandishways of turning 50 into as much aspossible for charity. There are even prizesfor the most innovative and most funways of raising funds.

The fact that the Challenge gets biggereach year is a clear reflection of theincreasing willingness of individuals,groups and organisations to give up theirtime and effort for those in need.

And it appears that this is a trend that isreflected across the UK. In the last fiveyears the UKs biggest companies havealmost doubled their donations tocharities with the FTSE 100 giving2.5bn to good causes in 2012compared with 1.3bn in 2007.

Interestingly, the public is largely unawareof the commitment. A report carried outby the Charities Aid Foundation(Corporate Giving by the FTSE 100)found that consumers think 36 per centof the FTSE make donations to charityevery year while in reality 98 per cent ofthem do.

The report also highlights howimportant corporate giving is from acustomer perspective, particularlyyounger customers. Almost two-thirds(65 per cent) of 18-24 year olds said

GIVING IS GOODIT IS EXCELLENT NEWS THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF COMPANIES AREHAPPY TO GET ON BOARD WITH RAISING MONEY FOR GOOD CAUSES, BUTAS WELL AS THE FINANCIAL BOOST TO CHARITIES THERE ARE PLENTY OFREASONS WHY GIVING IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS. JULIE FARMER REPORTS.

20


CHARITY

In todays world, corporate socialresponsibility (CSR) comes high onthe business agenda. And for more and more companiesthis involves going beyond complianceand beyond the interests of theorganisation itself to engage in activitiesthat benefit the local community.

This is excellent news for charitiesand communities but of coursethey are not the only ones to benefit.Giving is inevitably good for businessand there are many reasons why.

NETWORKINGWorking with charities and localorganisations offers a regular platformfor networking, introduces you to newcontacts many of them influential and gives you a shared interest fordiscussion. Teaming up with other localbusinesses to support events andgood causes can also lead tocollaboration in the future.

MARKETING Sponsoring local charity events canbe a great way of getting your nameout there in the community. This canbe particularly worthwhile if thecharity aligns well with the nature ofyour business. Consider who yourtarget market is and think about thetypes of fundraising events thesepeople might take part in.

MEDIA COVERAGEWhether you are donating productsto a local food bank or hosting afancy dress day, if you take a pictureand send out a press release youhave a good chance of securing localmedia coverage. This not only getsyour name out but shows yourcustomers and potential customers you care about the localcommunity. The wackier yourfundraising event the more coverageyou are likely to obtain!

STAFF MORALEMany surveys show that employeesvalue their companys charitableactivities. Boost morale by gettingemployees involved in organisingevents and consider rewardingthem for their efforts with a prize oran afternoon off.

DOUBLE PUBLICITYIf you work regularly with one charityyou should publicise that involvementin marketing materials such asnewsletters, advertisements and signs.You could also ask the charity torecognise your efforts by includinginformation about your company onits website. Utilise the charitysexisting network of contacts byadvertising your products in theirpublicity materials (with a percentageof your profits going to the charity)or offering discounts to peopleassociated with the charity.

GIVING MAKES GOOD CORPORATE SENSE

they were more likely to buy a productor service from a company that makesdonations to charity, compared with 51per cent of the general public.

It seems younger people also take intoaccount a companys charitable activitieswhen selecting places to work. While 45per cent of people said they would bemore inclined to work for a companythat donates to charity, this increased to61 per cent among 18-24 year olds.

The report also showed:

n 73 per cent of people thinkcompanies should be more open andtransparent about their corporateresponsibility

n 61 per cent say corporateresponsibility is just a PR exercise

n 69 per cent think that businesseshave an obligation to support the localcommunity in which they operate

n 44 per cent think that businesseshave an obligation to donate tocharitable causes.

The report calls for a more consistent

way for companies to report andmeasure their giving so they can beclearer and more vocal about theirwork for charities. It also asks them tointegrate a clear social purpose into thecore of their business and increase theirparticipation in employee givingschemes.

John Low, chief executive of theCharities Aid Foundation, said: The way

businesses work with charities and theirlocal communities is becomingincreasingly important, especially asyounger generations are influencedmore and more by the way in whichthey operate.

I often hear stories that hopefulgraduates look into the charitable workof a company directly after browsing thejobs pages this is becoming anincreasingly important factor when itcomes to career choices.

Weve seen a growing number ofbrands putting their ethical aims andvalues at the heart of their businesses,and many have been hugely successful,particularly among a younger age group.

We now need all companies to bemore transparent and vocal about thegreat work theyre already doing forcharities across the country. Why notshout louder about the remarkablegrowth in corporate charitable giving inspite of difficult economic conditions.

This will begin to restore public trust inbusinesses after so many setbacks.

Master CutlerDavid Grey

21


L&TA Office Furniture, one of theUKs leading suppliers of office deskseating and storage systems, has seenturnover treble in the last 12 monthsthanks to forward thinking and the abilityto meet customers every need when itcomes to office furniture.

The company, which has been trading for25 years, is the natural choice for localbusinesses and corporate customersseeking new or used office furniture tofurnish or update their workspace,whether they are looking for a low cost budget solution or high- endluxury equipment.

L&TA provides a complete service,including design advice and layoutplanning. It supplies to customers ina range of sectors includingbusinesses, charities, schools, colleges and universities.

Regional clients include Sheffield CityCouncil, Sheffield Hallam University, The

University of Sheffield, Sheffield UnitedFC, ITV, The Motorpoint Arena, First,ASDA and Tesco. L&TA is also now amajor supplier for one of the worldslargest providers of engineering services,which has a turnover of 36bn and 650offices wor ldwide. L&TA suppliesbetween 100-300 desks per site andtakes care of every aspect of eachinstallation, from design through to thefinished project.

The companys furniture ranges includedesks, modular meeting tables, andpersonal storage, dividing screens andhuddle pods.

In todays modern offices end-of-deskpersonal storage lockers are being usedto replace the traditional mobilepedestals.

Removing drawer pedestals allowsbusinesses to make use of beam system



SHEFFIELDS LARGEST RETAILER OF NEWAND USED OFFICE FURNITURE HAS HADITS MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR TO DATE.

GROWINGSUCCESS

22


desking, which gives total flexibility for anymember of staff to work at any desk inthe office.

All L&TAs beam system desks aremanufactured using the new elevatebeam design, which means the desks canbe height adjusted to suit clients needs,now or in the future.

End-of-desk personal lockers have beendesigned to contain special steel trays tohold lap-top computers and personalitems. These trays simply hook on to themanagement rail screens fitted to eachdesk, meaning any free desk can be used

as a hot desk.

In addition tosupplying furniture,L&TA also offersclearance services.Customers benefitfrom an efficient andcost effective movewith minimaloperational

downtime and a smooth transition tonew facilities.

Office furniture and equipment isrelocated back into the marketplace, withL&TAs client base for used and recycledfurniture encompassing the length andbreadth of the UK.

Cleared furniture is always redistributedwherever possible and, in instances whererecycling is not feasible, items aredismantled and reduced to base materialsvia chipping machines.

Not only does the recycling service

benefit the environment, but it can assistcustomers with their own environmentalefforts.

Managing director Terry Askew said: Weprovide carbon footprint reductionservices for both businesses andorganisations and are committed tohelping those which are serious aboutreducing the amount of products sent tolandfill.

By actively reducing the quantity offurniture and office products that wouldotherwise be diverted to landfillorganisations can become moreenvironmentally responsible and reducetheir carbon footprint.

Our policy is zero landfill so we provideclients with a full report on furniturerecycled, giving details on how productshave been utilised, whether they havebeen relocated, donated or evenshredded for heating.

One tonne of waste deposited intolandfill produces between 200 and 400cubic metres of landfill gas. Landfill sitesreleased 32 per cent of the UKs methaneemissions in 2009. Methane isapproximately 21 times more potentthan carbon dioxide. Allowing methane toescape into the atmosphere hassignificant implications in terms of theglobal warming problem that the Earthfaces.

By recycling more unwanted items,traditionally deemed as 'rubbish', that inturn means that less waste is sent tolandfill, said Terry. This leads to therelease of less methane into theatmosphere, resulting in less of an impactin terms of global warming, and lessleachate seeping into the earth anddamaging our already fragile eco-system.

As well as households andmanufacturers, all businesses have a roleto play in protecting our environmentand in reducing the level of waste that isproduced and discarded. Our aim thisyear is to divert over 20,000 tons ofsurplus office furniture away from landfilland our office clearance and officefurniture recycling services will helpachieve this.

OFFICE FURNITURE

CONTACT: L&TA Office Furniture,Unit 2-3 Stevenson IndustrialEstate, Stevenson Way, Sheffield, S9 3WZTel: 0114 242 5511www.ltasheffield.co.uk

23


CREATIVE SHEFFIELDFIGURES SHOW THATTHE BANKING ANDFINANCE SECTOR ISONE OF THE REGIONSBIGGEST AND IT ISGROWING BIGGEREVERY YEAR.

First For Business APRIL 2015 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES


The professional services sector isinterlinked with all other sectors.People working in a range ofprofessional service occupations provideessential support to businesses of all sizesacross all industries.

In March, TheCityUK announced its latestreport, Key Facts: UK Financial and RelatedProfessional Service which highlights theimportance of the sector to the countryseconomy.

It showed that during 2013, financial andrelated professional services employedover 7 per cent of the UK workforce,produced nearly 12 per cent of totaleconomic output, contributed 66bn intaxes and generated a trade surplus of67bn. Since 2007 foreign companieshave invested around 100bn into the UKfinancial services sector more than inany other sector.

The report also indicated that across theUK over 2.1 million people work in thesector, with two-thirds of these employedoutside London. The average GVA per

financial and related professional servicesworker is close to 85,000, compared toa UK average of 50,000 for othersectors.

Particularly interesting is that no regionhas financial services GVA per employeelower than 61,000, indicating that highvalue jobs are spread throughout the UKby the professional services sector.

The most recent local sector statisticscompiled by Creative Sheffield show thatthe sector is one of the largest in the area,employing 12.7 per cent of the workforce(117,100 people).

Sheffield has a particularly strong bankingand finance sector, employing over 18,900people. HSBC is one of the largest privatesector employers in the city, employingover 4,500 people in a variety of functions,

including a global IT shared service centre.

The region is also home to BancoSantander, BDO, Grant Thornton, LloydsBanking Group, Nationwide, PWC and RBS.

In the area we also have a sizeable pool ofhome-grown international legal talent.Names such as DLA Piper, Nabarro andIrwin Mitchell sit alongside niche firms anda wealth of patent attorneys. In addition,insurance and pension employers includeAviva, Aon Hewitt, Capita, LombardDirect and Westfield Health. Sheffield alsohas key strengths in life and pensionsadministration.

As a low risk location for doing businessits not surprising that our growingprofessional services sector attracts newbusinesses of all sizes each year.

HART SHAW CORPORATE FINANCE TEAM EXPANDSHart Shaw has expanded its Corporate Finance team to enable the department todeal with an increased portfolio of work in 2015.

Joshua Greveson has joined as corporate finance executive and will be focusing ondelivering the departments strategic services to clients.

Patrick Abel, Corporate Finance Partner said: This year we have seen an increase inactivity for business disposals and acquisitions, and for companies looking for additionalfunding to achieve their long term goals. The MBI and MBO markets are alsobecoming more active which is creating new levels of demand not seen in recentyears.

Joshua brings some much needed support to the department as we look to growour added value services to our current client base and beyond.

FINANCIAL BOOM

24


Stacey Pocock is the new Head ofthe Commercial & Civil Litigationdepartment at Best Solicitors. A dispute resolution specialist dealingwith all aspects of civil and commerciallitigation matters, Stacey has representedclients in court proceedings, first tiertribunals and mediations.

She is keen to point out that lawyers arenot only there for the bad times infact, they can play a huge role inpreventing the bad times fromhappening at all.

Some people think that lawyers are justthere for when something goes wrong,said Stacey. Solicitors can actually helpyou get things right from the beginning.This is one of the reasons Ive alwaysenjoyed working with start-upbusinesses. It is important to me thatnew businesses get the advice they needso they can be certain they are startingout on the right footing and are able toenjoy a positive future.

Stacey regularly supports clients withbusiness activities such as drawing uppartnership agreements, writing termsand conditions of business, reviewingcontracts with suppliers and reviewingexisting documents for those buyingother businesses.

As a civil and commercial litigator Staceyis there to support businesses whenthings do take a turn for the worse. Sheregularly advises clients in relation to

disputes, debt recovery matters,arbitration and adjudication matters.

Property law is of particular interest andStacey offers advice to landlords new tothe rental market or to clients who areconsidering purchasing properties torent out, to ensure they are fullyinformed and aware of their obligationsto their tenants.

Acting on behalf of landlords with thepreparation and service of statutorynotices is common practice for Stacey.As well as possession proceedingsStacey has a commendable success ratein obtaining possession orders for clients.She works regularly with commercialproperty landlords and tenants inrelation to a wide range of mattersincluding dilapidation claims, rent reviews,service charge disputes andenfranchisement.

As head of department, Staceys role atBest Solicitors will involve overseeing thework carried out by other members ofthe Civil & Litigation department. In herprevious role in Doncaster Stacey had agreat deal of involvement withDoncaster Chamber and its DoncasterSkills Academy. Through the delivery ofworkshops in schools she helpedencourage the younger generation intothe professional services industry.

Stacey is keen to undertake similaractivities in Sheffield and to dispel themany myths surrounding the profession.

As well as the idea that lawyers are justthere for the bad times I think manypeople have the preconception thatlawyers are a bit scary! Im keen to getacross the message that, actually, lawyersare a form of business support. Anothermyth is that lawyers are always veryexpensive but that is not the case. Wecan offer cost-effective solutions tailoredto a clients needs. We dont necessarilywork on a set hourly fee; we can offerone-off advice, have a very limited minorinvolvement and be really flexible as tothe support we give.

Many of the services Best Solicitors offerare on a fixed fee basis. Alongside thehead office Best Solicitors also has awalk-in centre open six days per weekso Saturday appointments are availablefor people who cannot attend duringthe working week.

If you have a question about yourbusiness or any property matter feel freeto email Stacey directly [email protected] go online to see the other servicesoffered by Best Solicitors.

STACEY POCOCK JOINED BEST SOLICITORS AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH ANDIS KEEN TO DISPEL THE MYTHS SURROUNDING THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

LEGAL First For Business APRIL 2015


CONTACT: Best SolicitorsHead office: Broughton House,48 West Street, Sheffield, S1 4EXWalk-in Centre: 26 PinstoneStreet, Sheffield, S1 2HNTel: 0114 281 3636www.bestsolicitorsonline.co.uk

BEST SOLICITORSAPPOINTNEW HEAD FORCOMMERCIALLITIGATION

25


First For Business APRIL 2015 FEATURE


A&B Cranes is reaching new heightsfollowing the purchase of ClaytonHoists Ltd. The takeover adds further value to theSheffield-based company, which wasstarted just five years ago and which hassince become one of the most recognisedcompanies supplying new and used cranesthroughout the UK and worldwide.

Clayton Hoists has been manufacturinghoists and cranes since 1949.Thousandsof units have been installed throughoutthe world, with over 20,000 used byBritish industry alone.The Clayton wirerope hoist has proved to be an extremelyrugged and reliable workhorse, earningthe universal respect of end users andother crane manufacturers, many ofwhom have installed the Clayton hoistinto cranes under their own brand name.

Many units are still giving trouble freeservice after operating for over 30 years.Over time, the Clayton hoist has beenimproved and upgraded to keep it at theforefront of current safety standards but itstill offers the same solid reliableengineering that has made it famous

throughout the world.

The addition of Clayton Hoists to A&BCranes further boosts the companysportfolio of products and services. Itcarries a large stock of new and usedoverhead cranes and gantries including fullGoliath cranes with double cantilevers,semi-Goliath cranes with a single leg, jibcranes, underslung cranes, lightweightcranes and gantry cranes.

All second-hand cranes and liftingequipment are serviced, reconditioned,LOLER certified and covered by warranty.

Add-on items are also available, ensuringcustomers can get everything they needunder one roof. The range includes loosetackle such as chain hoists, lifting eyes andchain slings; supporting steelwork such asA-frames and runway beams, vacuumlifting equipment, PVC flat cables, drumhandling, Arc radio control and electricalpower feed systems.

A&B Cranes managing director DominicMurphy said: Im delighted to announcethe acquisition of Clayton Hoists which isa well-established business that has thesame ethos as ours a focus on customer

understanding and quality service. Thisinvestment has been made to furtherenhance the services we provide andstrengthen our position in the market.

Clayton Hoists will continue operating asnormal from its Liverpool depot, managedby Kevin Hague.

A&B Cranes servicing departmentincludes both routine and emergencyservicing with 24-hour, 365-daybreakdown assistance.

The professional and expert team at A&BCranes supplies and installs cranes forevery type of business from engineeringand logistics to gas, oil and coal andalways at a price to suit your budget. Givethe team a call today with any questionsand one of their experts will be happy tooffer help and advice.

CONTACT: A&B CranesTinsley Park Close, Sheffield, S9 5DETel: 0114 243 9612Email: [email protected]

ON THE WAY UP!A&B CRANES EXPANDS WITH TAKEOVER OF CLAYTON HOISTS LTD.

www.abcranes.co.uk24 HOUR SERVICE AND REPAIRS

7 DAYS A WEEK 52 WEEKS A YEAR

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27

Airmaster Air Conditioning LimitedWetherby House | Parkhill | Swallownest | Sheffield S26 4UN

Tel: 0114 288 9911 | Fax: 0114 288 9922 Email: [email protected] | Web: www.airmaster.uk.com

Design Commissioning Maintenance Installation Servicing Energy Assessment

Bringingcomfortto your

environment

Lesley McNeill has worked forAirmaster Air Conditioning since2005, joining the company as aservice co-ordinator. Her enthusiasmand dedication to customer serviceearned her the role of office manager in2009 and most recently she has beenpromoted to maintenance manager.

For Lesley, everything she does revolvesaround providing the best servicepossible for customers and resolvingqueries promptly and efficiently.

Her day to day tasks include quoting,renewing maintenance contracts,obtaining feedback from customers,invoicing and overseeing two office staffand a team of six engineers, includingtwo apprentices.

Lesley is also a qualified internal auditor,has undertaken the SEATSenvironmental awareness training courseand is currently working towards aNEBOSH qualification.

I have always been committed to

delivering service thatgoes beyond customerexpectations, saidLesley. My new role asmaintenance managerwill provide greaterscope for interactingwith maintenancecustomers, obtaininguseful feedback anddeveloping ways ofbuilding on the strongcustomer relationshipswe already have.

At Airmaster, customerrelations have alwaysbeen of upmostimportance. Establishedin 1992 the companywas founded on adesire to provide a reliable, first-classservice based upon honesty, quality andvalue for money.

Resources director Lisa Pogson said:Lesley really is a great advocate of

excellent customer service. At Airmasterwe have an ongoing policy to review,invest and improve and Lesley is at theforefront of ensuring our customerservice reflects this commitment.

AIRMASTERS NEW MAINTENANCE MANAGER KNOWS CUSTOMERSERVICE IS THE HEART OF A BUSINESS.

AIR CONDITIONING First For Business APRIL 2015


027 FFB Apr15 24/03/2015 17:09 Page 1

THE BASICSLocation, Location, Location. Have youconsidered how your delegates will betravelling? If its by public transport thenperhaps a city centre venue would bemost suitable or if everyone is drivingthen choose a location close to majorroad networks. Is there car parking andis it easy to find?

Consider the purpose of the event, theduration, number of delegates and layoutof the room. Do you requireaccommodation? Are workshops goingto be included and will you needadditional meeting room space for this?

You often get a good feel for a venue byhow well they respond and show aninterest in your enquiry.

THE MONEY POTIts all very well enquiring to the Ritz ifyou have a three-star budget and thereare certainly times when deals can bestruck but be realistic about your budgetwhilst receiving the best value for money.

Be very clear in your enquiry to avoidadditional unexpected charges post-event.

THE IMPORTANT BITSFor every conference you book youshould be issued with a contract. This isto protect you, the organiser and the

venue. Read it carefully before you signand dont worry if it has to be amendedtwo or three times; it needs to becorrect.

THE NITTY GRITTYEverything is booked, now time for thefiner details.

Know who you are inviting and create alog (spreadsheet) to record responses.Sometimes its not always possible butplease do try to give your delegatesplenty of notice. The informationincluded in the invitation is crucial toensure everyone turns up on the rightdate, at the right time and at the rightlocation. Take it from me; it is possible toarrive at the wrong venue.

Do you need to send conferencematerial to the hotel in advance? If so,ensure it is marked clearly so it does notget mixed up with other conferenceswhich might be taking place.

THE LUNCH BOXThere is a theory that if the food andcoffee breaks have been a success thendelegates will tell you what a greatconference it was; if they are not, all theywill remember is that the food was awfulrather than how good the conferencewas, making it a waste of money andtime. Important points to consider are

how much time you have for lunch andhow delegates should be seated. Arethere any dietary requirements, and theall-important question, whats forpudding?

CONFERENCE DAYArrive early! You will be able to meet theconference team at the hotel and oncemore go through the details of theevent, general housekeeping rules e.g.fire procedures, toilets etc. Please thencheck the following:

n Is the meeting room set up correctly?

nWill all your delegates be able to seeand hear the speakers?

n Does the audio equipment work?

By this point you should have thoughtabout who is going to meet your guests,planned conference packs and producedname badges all of which should beset up on a registration table.

THE FINALEIts important your delegates not onlyenjoy the conference but they gather allthe necessary information from the day.Request feedback from delegates as itwill help in the smooth organisation ofyour next event. Above all I hope you asan organiser enjoy the experience ofhosting your event.

YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE JOB OF ORGANISING A CONFERENCE BUTWHERE DO YOU START? THE SHEFFIELD METROPOLITANS BUSINESSDEVELOPMENT MANAGER RACHEL LAWTY OFFERS SOME TIPS TO MAKEYOUR NEXT CONFERENCE RUN SMOOTHLY.

First For Business APRIL 2015 CONFERENCES


HOW TO... HOST ACONFERENCE

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HOTEL &CONFERENCEGUIDE2015

First ForBusinessProduced by


01226 [email protected]

Tankersley ManorChurch Lane, Tankersley, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S75 3DQ

- 12 conference and meeting rooms for up to 400 guests, with vehicle access

- Exclusive conference and events centre

- 98 spacious bedrooms

- Superb leisure and spa facilities

- Brasserie & Bar (private dining available)

- Free Wi-Fi throughout

- Tesla Car Charger- 256 complimentary car parking spaces

-

and1minute from the M1

- Leeds Bradford airport 27 miles

Tankersley Manor is a charming 17th century manor house which oozes character, yet has state-of-the-art conference and business facilities. It is located on the doorstep of some of the countrys most picturesque scenery, yet only minutes from the M1.

The hotels facilities make it an excellent choice for business. With 12 conference and meeting rooms for up

cater for any event, from large conferences and award dinners to small board meetings.

The hotel offers 98 bedrooms, each stunningly decorated, superb leisure and spa facilities and a fantastic bar and brasserie. With all this youll agree with us, this hotel is truly a Yorkshire gem.

2014 - 2015

2014 - 2015

Your First Choice for BusinessTankersley Manor

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HOTEL & CONFERENCE GUIDE 2015 WELCOME//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

With dazzling venues,plentiful accommodationand great visitorattractions, Sheffield isone of the UKs top

conference capitals. During 2014 the city significantly

developed its portfolio of conferencevenues. A brand new Hampton by HiltonHotel opened complete with MarcoPierre White restaurant and we also sawthe reopening of Sheffield Cathedralwhich has been tastefully modernisedfollowing a 4million renovation.

Both of the citys universitiesunveiled new facilities. Sheffield HallamUniversity opened its new Heart of theCampus, an open, energy-efficient threestorey building with cutting edgefacilities including informal meetingspaces, a caf, rooftop garden, 220-seatlecture theatre and a courtroom formock trials.

Meanwhile The University ofSheffields 20million investmentproject saw the creation of six newmeeting spaces for up to 250 delegatesand a flagship restaurant, Inox Dine. Inlate 2015, the University will unveil TheDiamond, a new highly sustainablebuilding with six floors of state-of-the-art facilities incorporating flexiblelearning spaces, lecture theatres,teaching rooms and study spaces. TheDiamond will be an open building tothe people of Sheffield, its design astatement to celebrate the citysengineering excellence and heritage andan exciting new venue for businessevents.

Over at Bramall Lane, SheffieldUnited FC completed a substantialinvestment in facilities, transforming thehospitality suites and boxes which alloverlook the pitch. The oldestprofessional football ground in theworldnow incorporates five mainfunction suites, 28 executive boxes, one

Super Box, a ground floor exhibitionspace, a restaurant and sports barfacility. It also has a new AmbassadorsSuite, known as the TC10Restauranton a match day, which canhost up to 220 guests and features themodern facilities of a conferencecentre. The International Bar canaccommodate up to 400 guests, idealfor parties, events or smallerexhibitions.

Most recently, Saxon Hotels Ltd, acompany 100 per cent owned by GregDyke, the chairman of the FootballAssociation and former DirectorGeneral of the BBC, acquired the citycentre Best Western Cutlers Hotel andimmediately announced substantialinvestment plans.

Speaking about the investment,Greg, who already owns the BestWestern Plus hotel Mosborough Halland Whirlowbrook Hall, said: Thesimple truth is I believe Sheffield has avery positive future, it is a great citywith warm, friendly people and aninnovative, entrepreneurial almost edgybusiness and civic culture. I believeSheffield is a city whose time has comeand, given that, it is not a difficultdecision to invest.

With such an active conferencingindustry it is no surprise that Business

Tourism has maintained a steady yearon year increase in Sheffield. The sectorwas most recently valued at117million (Events Market TrendsSurvey 2013), which has positionedSheffield as a regional frontrunner inthis area.

Marketing Sheffields ConferenceAmbassador Programme in particularhas proven a success and continues togenerate a healthy amount of eventleads. The Programme alone has nowgenerated over 13.5million worth ofconference and events to the localeconomy.

On the back of Sheffield beingnamed Outdoor Capital City of theUK, two high profile outdoor eventshave been secured for 2015 theEuropean Outdoor Summit and theInternational Adventure TourismConference.

Medical events are also high on theagenda, with the British Elbow andShoulder Society Annual Conference2015 (BESS), British Society PaediatricEndocrinology & Diabetes AnnualConference 2015 and British ScoliosisSociety Annual Meeting2015 all beinghosted in Sheffield this year.

Other key events include Doc/Festthe International Documentary Festivaland MADE: The Entrepreneur Festival.

SHEFFIELDS REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE COUNTRYS TOP CONFERENCECAPTIALS CONTINUES TO GROW, WRITES JULIE FARMER.

THE TIME IS NOW

INFORMATION OF SHEFFIELDS MAJOR EVENTS PROGRAMME CANBE FOUND AT WWW.WELCOMETOSHEFFIELD.CO.UK/ CONFERENCE


HOTEL & CONFERENCE GUIDE 2015/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Atruly stunning space in theheart of Sheffield city centre,the Winter Garden really is avenue unlike any other.One of the largest city centre

temperate glasshouses to be built inthe UK during the last hundred years,the Winter Garden has created anenchanting green world in the heart ofthe city, guaranteed to wow visitorsand provide an elegant backdrop toreceptions and business gatherings.

Situated in an enviable location, it ison Sheffields Gold Route linking thetrain station with the Peace Gardens,the Millennium Galleries and theMercure St Pauls Hotel and Spa.

Close to Sheffield Hallam Universityand Sheffield Theatres and withinwalking distance of more than 1,000hotel rooms, the Winter Garden makesa great addition to a multi-venue eventor offers that wow factor for astandalone occasion.

The venue can be hired inconjunction with the MillenniumGalleries or the Mercure St PaulsHotel, both of which are interlinked, toincrease capacity or include an extraelement to your event such as a bar orseated dining.

The Winter Gardens forte is thepre-dinner drinks reception as well asgatherings for drinks and canaps andhas been host to some of the citysmost prestigious events including theG8 meeting, the BBC World Snookerreception, the Vivienne Westwoodexhibition, a Light Night Show and a

host of other corporate clients.Alternatively, why not use the

venues superb subtropical planting andaward-winning architecture as abackdrop for commercial brochures,which will give an additional element toyour brand or product?

Conveniently located on SurreyStreet, the Winter Garden is just a fewminutes walk from the train station,bus routes and a secure Q-Park carpark.

Whatever event you choose tohost at the Winter Garden, City CentreManagement can support youthroughout and award-winning CityCentre Ambassadors are also on handto provide help and supportthroughout your event.

AN ENCHANTING GREEN WORLDTHE WINTER GARDEN CONTINUES TO WOW VISITORS, AND COULD BETHE PERFECT VENUE FOR YOUR UPCOMING CONFERENCE ORRECEPTION, WRITES JULIE FARMER.

AN AWARD-WINNINGSPACE: n Best Cultural Attraction in Sheffield

Exposed Magazinen RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered

Surveyors) Pro Yorkshire Award forDesign & Innovation

n RIBA (Royal Institute of BritishArchitects) Award [with theMillennium Galleries]

n The Variety Club of Great Britain Best Regeneration Award

n Royal Fine Art Commission JeuDesprit Building of the Year Award

n British Guild of Travel Writers Commendation

n Green Flag Award


WINTER GARDEN//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

A VENUE TOIMPRESS GUESTS: nThe Winter Garden wasofficially opened by Her MajestyThe Queen accompanied byHRH The Duke of Edinburgh on22 May 2003nThe Winter Garden is 70metres long, 22 metres wide andthe enormous wooden archesare nearly 21 metres highn It is large enough toaccommodate 5,000 domesticgreenhousesn More than 2,100 squaremetres of glass, 900 cubic metresof concrete and 80 tonnes ofsteel were used in its creationn Its one of the largest gluelaminate or Glulam buildings inthe UK (Glulam is made byforming and gluing strips oftimber into specific shapes)nThe wood used is larch, adurable timber which will, overtime, turn a light silvery greycolour. The larch, derived fromsustainable forests, requires nopreservatives or coatings. Thisreduces the use of solvents andalso avoids the use of chemicalsthat could kill the plantsn It has an intelligent BuildingManagement System whichcontrols fans and vents to makesure the plants are cooled insummer and kept warm inwinter. The system will learnyear-on-yearn It is home to more than 2,000plants from all around the worldnThere are 150 species ofplants, including big palms fromCentral America, Madagascarand Chinan Before being planted in theWinter Garden the plants werehoused in an acclimatisationglasshouse in south-east Englandfor almost two years. This was togive them ample time to adjustto light and temperature levelssimilar to those of the WinterGarden

THE WINTER GARDENS FORTE IS THE PRE-DINNER DRINKS RECEPTION AS WELL AS

GATHERINGS FOR DRINKS AND CANAPS.

Angela GowerSheffield City CouncilCity Centre Management & Major Events,Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield, S1 2HHTel: 0114 273 6003Email: [email protected]


Its all about location, location, location and weve got it. Outstanding facilities in /GCFQYJCNN4QVJGTJCOCPF5JGHGNFUVCTVKPIHTQOCUNKVVNGCUcRGTFGNGICVG Spread over three locations, The Source is your local conference centre. We are the preferred independent conference and meeting room provider in South Yorkshire. Our experienced professionals have years of know-how to assist your event planning and we ensure your delegates have a superb experience. Your dedicated conference team will be on hand to assist with any requirements you may have prior to and throughout your event.

Theres room for youConference, Event and Meeting Spaces at The Source

To book or for more information call us on 0114 263 5643 or email [email protected]

information e for morbook or o Tor email bookings@thesourceac

.thesourceacademywww

us on call information 0114 263 5643.co.ukademybookings@thesourceac

o.uk.c.thesourceacademy

0114 263 5643

The Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel, Blonk Street, Sheffield S1 2AUTel: 0114 220 4000 Email: [email protected]

Web: www.bespokehotels.com/sheffieldmet

A hotel conveniently located close to city centre & train station for visitors attending events

Ideal for business, conference and leisure guests

Two ground floor air conditioned meeting rooms

111 spacious stylish bedrooms Picasso Restaurant & Bar Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout

the hotel for all guests Fabulous service On site car parking

034 FFB Apr15 23/03/2015 16:48 Page 1

Production Microphones Projection LightingAutocue

www.av-hire-shef eld.co.uk T 0114 245 4484

Shef elds leading AV hire service

Quality Audio-Visual equipment hire

Technical support

Full conference service

CVC event services Ltd The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Shef eld S9 4WG E [email protected]

For business presentations and prestige conferences in the Shef eld city region

067 FFB Dec13 04/12/2013 11:20 Page 1

THE OLDRECTORY

Conference & Meeting Room Hire

402b Handsworth Road S13 9BZtel 0114 2692537www.orh.org.uk

email: [email protected]

- Close to junction 33 of the

M1 Sheffield

- Free car parking for 36 cars

- 5 Meeting rooms available

to hire

- Rates from 10 per hour

- Full catering

service

If you are looking to advertise inFirst For Business

Tel: 0114 250 6300Email: [email protected]: [email protected]

please contact:

Mandy Ogle or Jillion Wood

Whirlowbrook Hall, Whirlowbrook Park, Ecclesall Road South, Sheffield, S11 9QD

[email protected]: 0114 321 0209

www.whirlowbrook.co.uk

9 conference and events rooms

036 FFB Apr15 24/03/2015 15:04 Page 1

Conveniently situated in a secluded position just off the A61 atWadsley Bridge, Sheffield, Niagara Conference & Leisure is superblyequipped and offers flexible accommodation to meet all yourbusiness and social requirements:

Choice of rooms for meetings, conferences and social events of 2 to 300 plus

High quality facilities including

Documents

First For Business April 2015