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

The Neville Trust Group, a fifth-generation family-run business, that consists of Neville Funerals, Neville Special Projects, Neville Trust and Neville Joinery, has embedded itself deeply within its regional communities for over 140 years, offering support well beyond its remit as a local enterprise. With nine funeral branches across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, and a range of construction sites across that area and wider, the business is committed to serving families during their time of need.

The Cloud Geeks Team are experts at delivering enterprise grade cloud solutions to the SME – and at the CNA awards this year, they received well-earned recognition for its solution provided to Carnevale Group.

It’s no secret that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have had more than their share of tribulations recently – Brexit, Covid, and now soaring interest rates and energy costs.

But whilst you may be feeling shell-shocked, now is not the time for desperation - it’s the time for preparation.

If you ready your business for the tricky times ahead, you might even turn adversity into opportunity.

With energy bills in the news, businesses of all sizes are keeping a close eye on how much they’re using day to day.

We know that small business owners are working flat out to keep their business running and might not think they have the time - or brain space - to start thinking about this. However, there are some simple hacks out there which can help businesses limit their energy usage.

The Government’s emergency budget – described by them as “The Growth Plan” – is the most radical in decades, and its low-tax agenda and high borrowing has raised alarm in some quarters.

But for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular, there are plenty of changes that stand to deliver new benefits, both to the business directly, and through more attractive conditions for employees.

Here’s what’s changed – and what it means to many of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s member businesses across the county.

As part of the airline industry’s post-pandemic recovery, Resource Group, Europe’s leading aviation skills business, is opening a new regional hub for Apprentice training at London Luton airport. 

The new Apprentice training facility, which is being launched in collaboration with British School of Aviation, will make a vital contribution in providing the aviation maintenance skills needed to sustain the industry in the years ahead.

Commenting on the Chancellor’s Fiscal Statement, Shevaun Havilland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“Businesses will welcome many of the measures announced today that should boost economic growth, relieve cost pressures and encourage investment.

For many UK small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the road is rough at the moment. We’ve spoken to our own expert members, and found some of the best resources on the web, to bring you these five tips for staying successful in a new and unpredictable world.

Newest product is designed with the commercial pharmaceutical market in mind

Peli BioThermal, the life science industry’s partner from discovery to distribution, announces its newest reusable, flexible temperature controlled shipping solution. Crēdo™ Go is designed to adapt to unique customer programs, as well as to help pharmaceutical companies reach environmental, social and governance goals, cost reduction targets and operational performance indicators.

**Please note that there is no budget defined to each competition round. Projects deemed fundable will be funded and, if the budget is used up in a given competition round, there will be no further competitions. Therefore, if you are considering applying for this funding, it is advisable to apply as soon as possible

Beds Chamber member, THSP, celebrated their 30th Anniversary on 2nd September.

But this was no ordinary milestone. Not only has it been 30 years since John Thoday and Adrienne Massey founded The Health and Safety People, but it is also one year on from the business becoming Employee Owned.

With the UK employment skills shortage extending across over 30 domains, according to the Government’s own figures, colleges and other institutions have a critical role to play in identifying where skills fall short and what needs to be done about it.

Reacting to the announcement of the new Prime Minister, Sarah Howard, Chair of the BCC, said: “We would like to congratulate Liz Truss on running a successful campaign to become the UK’s new Prime Minister.

“She must now take immediate steps to support the economy. The last few months have been difficult for everyone, time is running out and urgent action is needed to deal with the costs’ crisis.

This summer we’ve faced scorching temperatures across the UK and Europe.
The recent heatwave has had a real impact on businesses who have seen energy usage increase with the need for additional air conditioning and cooling equipment to keep staff, customers, and products fresh.

Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce and Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce are today confirmed as the Designated Local Employer Representative Body for the development of a Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for our region.

The government are giving companies up to £35,000 grant funding with a minimum 10% contribution (£3,500) to work with a partner, such as Cranfield University, to evaluate an innovative business idea. This is with a view to stimulating the demand for further innovation, collaboration and accelerating delivery by partnering with a knowledge bases such as Cranfield University.

Compare Your Footprint CEO and founder Will Richardson is on a mission to help smaller businesses measure their carbon emissions, in a partnership that sees ground-breaking carbon measurement software made available to Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce members at no cost.

Wyboston Lakes Resorts has delivered a record six months of Meetings and Events business for the first half of 2022, despite restrictions around events in January and February following the Omicron outbreak.

Business on the books at the six-month point is up by 47% on 2019 with a solid base already in place for 2023.

Whatever the size of your business, it is likely that at some stage you will face multiple challenges that can feel impossible to overcome. In fact, you will typically experience these at every stage of the business’s growth.

In this piece, we take a look at what we, as a member of the British Chambers of Commerce, offer to make it easier for business owners in our region to get advice and support when they need it most.

• Percentage of UK businesses reporting increased export sales remains flat for the 5th quarter in a row at 29%
• A quarter (25%) of exporters saw decreased sales, while 46% report no change
• Concerns over manufacturing recovery as exporters report unprecedented cost pressures and inflation worries

We’re all now familiar with the cost of living crisis - how households are struggling to keep up with bills and afford the rapidly rising cost of food, fuel and other essentials.

But there’s another crisis, similar to the struggle households are going through, which is dramatically hitting businesses, and that’s the ‘cost of doing business’ crisis. Firms across the country are being confronted by rapidly rising costs of vital raw materials, fuel, wages and, of course, energy.

Inclusion 365 owner and Chamber member Victoria Dale helps businesses champion Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), to improve employee wellbeing and business performance, and to help them become an employer of choice.

Read any report or study into how businesses can remain competitive today and you will come across the recommendation of ‘digital transformation’. Technology is now a growing part of our economy, attracting worldwide investment. According to the government, the UK tech sector attracted £6.3 billion in venture capital investment in 2018. It is therefore no surprise that they are keen for businesses to undergo digital transformation.

Director General of the BCC, Shevaun Haviland, is to urge the Government to take action to save the economy as the cost of doing business crisis continues to worsen.

Jaltek has increased its manufacturing space by 50 percent and is recruiting Production, Engineering, and Account Management, to meet increased demand for electronic assembly.

Commenting on the Office for National Statistics inflation figures for May 2022, Head of Research at the BCC, David Bharier, said:  
“The further increase in Consumer Prices Index inflation to 9.1% underscores the severe pressure that businesses and households are under.

On 6^th February 1952, Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne when the UK was exhausted from war and rationing. But on her watch, the economy soon began to boom. New shopping centres and housing were built, followed by the first motorway.

HM The Queen has been pleased to appoint Mrs Susan Lousada DL as Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Bedfordshire on the retirement of Mrs Helen Nellis on Tuesday 06 September 2022.

The John Bunyan Community Boat, a completely volunteer based group in Bedford have just been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.