Latest updates and stories from Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and its Members

Plain Talking HR’s website spells its message out loud and clear. The hazard sign top and centre bears the legend ‘No Jargon!’

And for the last 15 years, this Luton-based HR specialist has been flying the flag for plain talking and simplicity across clients ranging in size from a handful of employees to 200, in industries as diverse as construction (a key focus), medicine, dentistry, accountancy, and many others.

We previously caught up with Steve Blythe, at Luton-based electronics manufacturer and Beds Chamber member Jaltek, back in 2022. So when we interviewed him again last month he had much to report – and the company’s platinum sponsorship of the forthcoming SME Bedfordshire Business Awards was high on the list!

Have you heard of the Bank of England’s Chief Economist, Huw Pill?

Would you like to meet him, and ask him some searching questions about monetary policy, inflation, interest rates, and all the other factors that impact on your business? Well, you can.

Currently celebrating its 40^th year, social enterprise Wenta is a remarkable resource for anybody considering starting a business, already running a business, or looking to grow their business.

Dispensing free, impartial business advice, CPD accredited skills training, templates and toolkits, accompanied by free hot-desking facilities, affordable workspace, sustainability advice and access to specialist early stage growth support and funding, Wenta is the helping hand every new and aspiring small business needs to know about – and through its sponsorship of the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards, it’s determined to get the message ‘out there’.

Aegis Support Services, the fast-growing security and facilities management services provider, has appointed experienced operations professional Darren Austin to its team as head of national operations.

One supplier, one invoice, one request – not for nothing is this the mantra of Luton-headquartered Aegis Support Services.

The company prides itself on being a one-stop-shop for all manner of services that protect people, buildings, and assets – from security and facilities management to hygiene and training, and much more besides.

The future of the economy may sound like an awfully big topic – and one you can’t influence. But in fact these conversations – and some great networking opportunities that go with them - are within your reach!

It was as a best business practices mentor in the early days of his career at Unilever, and later with Panasonic in Japan and Siemens AG globally, that Unisnacks CEO Hyder gained expertise in the areas that would underpin the start-up success of the company he now leads: food production and distribution, and Eastern food culture.

In 2006, Hyder envisioned Unisnacks to - as he puts it - “bring some excitement into the snack business by putting East Asian food in your corner shops, not just speciality stores. Global foods, locally!”

The Chancellor’s Spring Budget, delivered yesterday (7^th March at the time of writing) is, it’s fair to say, hardly a business game-changer.

That said, there’s perhaps more business benefit in it than initially meets the eye - and not least because it contains changes that we, through our connection to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), lobbied for.

Here’s a brief overview of what we believe are the Budget’s most important business takeaways.

More than half of London Luton Airport’s (LLA) supply chain spend went to businesses within a 25-mile radius last year, with an increasing number of local companies joining the airport’s supplier list.

•    Stagecoach wins A-rating from Carbon Disclosure Project, improved from ‘B’ last year.
•    Rating puts Stagecoach in Leadership band for climate change disclosure reporting.
•    Rating significantly above the average for the road transport sector.

Stagecoach, the largest bus operator in Bedford, has ranked higher than any other in the Road Transport group globally in the latest external assessment of company performance on addressing climate change.

There’s no denying it - the political and economic uncertainty of the past few years has contributed to challenging conditions for businesses, as multiple crises have converged.

One of the most important ways we bring these challenges to the attention of the policymakers in Government is through the Quarterly Economic Survey (QES).

Wyboston Lakes Resort is eagerly anticipating a strong year ahead after a successful 2023, marked by outstanding revenue growth and strategic achievements.

Neville Trust group of companies, a longstanding family business comprising of Neville Funerals, Neville Special Projects and Neville Joinery, is set to celebrate the 17th annual National Apprenticeship Week (Feb 5-11, 2024).

This week the UK is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week, and with this year’s theme focused on “Skills for Life,” it’s a great reminder that an apprenticeship can set you up for a life-long path of learning, development, and progression.

East of England based Streets Chartered Accountants, a top 40 accountancy practice, hosted their tenth annual Charity Golf Day raising a record amount of more than £8,000 for the Air Ambulance.

Streets Chartered Accountants is delighted to announce that the widely acclaimed tax specialist Andrew Cockman has joined its practice.

Nothing does a successful business justice like the recognition, publicity, and exposure of a high-profile award win. But there are hundreds of awards out there, and you can’t enter them all – so which do you choose?

If you’re a Bedfordshire business, the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards are surely a clear contender, but perhaps for more reasons now than you were previously aware of. Because this respected event, in its seventh year, is now completely organised and run by us at the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce directly.

National healthcare charity Sue Ryder is set to explore the theme of grief with a sensory garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024.

Joe Nellis, Professor of Global Economy at Cranfield University’s School of Management, has been awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in King Charles III’s New Year Honours List. The CBE has been awarded in recognition of Joe’s contributions to higher education, economics, business, and charity.

EVOLVE is a membership based organisation. A Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation initiative launched in 2018 by Chair Viviane Vayssieres.

Last year EVOLVE awarded bursaries worth £16,000, helping women to retrain, upskill and start a business.

Wyboston Lakes Resort has signed the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge, joining more than 600 leading conference and events industry organisations worldwide since its launch at Cop26 in signing it or expressing their support for the campaign.

One of Bedfordshire’s largest employer shares its community spirit story. As part of its community outreach efforts, giving back to the local community in which it operates, and where a large number of its employee population lives, Lockheed Martin UK’s Ampthill site has a dedicated STEM outreach, and local volunteering and charity / fundraising programme that is focused around making a difference to the lives of others.

Since the dawn of time, humans have formed groups, communities, societies, tribes. It helped them pool and trade resources, approach each other for help, and protect themselves against difficult conditions and predators.

And it’s really no different for businesses. Did you know, for example, that over 50,000 businesses in the UK are members of the British Chambers of Commerce, through their local Chamber (of which we at Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce are one)?

For Surinder Arora, Founder and Chairman of the Arora Group, the project to upgrade and improve Luton Hoo – the hotel, golf, and spa complex with a stunning 18^th century manor house at its heart – is much more than business as usual.

Driving through the gates for the first time, Surinder felt something that, even with his vast experience in the property and hotel sector, he’d never felt before – an immediate sense that the place was, as he puts it, “very special”. And so he bought it - as seen.

•    Gold Award for outreach scheme. 
•    Further Silver Award for outstanding Engineer. 
•    Finalists in three more categories, only weeks after winning a National Transport Award. 

•    Almost half (49%) of businesses say current customs checks and declarations are a barrier to exporting. This rises to 62% for manufacturers
 
•    Taxes and duties, due to tariffs, are the next biggest stumbling block for two fifths (40%) of firms.
 
•    Regulations, such as product certification, cause problems for a similar proportion of businesses (38%)

Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Central Bedfordshire Council, is proud to announce the launch of a targeted support programme aimed at assisting businesses engaged in, or aspiring to engage in, international trade.

Bedford Radio, the new local radio station for Bedford, formally opened its new studio on Thursday, 23rd November 2023.

Caraline Eating Disorder Services, a long-established charity dedicated to providing support and treatment for individuals living with eating disorders, proudly announces that it has received two prestigious Luton & Bedfordshire Community Awards in recognition of its outstanding contributions and commitment to the well-being of the community.