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

Do you have employees who find it hard to get to work, education or training due to lack of transport or difficulties with public transport? Wheels2Work is a scheme that helps people in the Central Bedfordshire area (focusing on Houghton Regis, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard) to get a loan for a bike or scooter, allowing them to get to work and get fit.

Commenting on the new Small and Micro Business Assessment, which has been announced by Michael Fallon today, Dr Adam Marshall, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

The e-FM Network of Finance Directors & Specialists have been shortlisted in the FSB Business Awards 2013. The company which provides flexible financial management resource to SMEs up to Finance Director/ Non Executive Director levels will be celebrating this achievement with stakeholders and other successful companies at a prestigious awards dinner on the 6th of June at the Luton Hoo Luxury Hotel.

Local fitness instructor Jackie Neufville and her fitness company Fittville UK Ltd are organising a charity Spin-a-thon consisting of 6 hours of spinning on bikes to raise money for Luton’s homelessness charity NOAH Enterprise. Participants will be spinning for between one hour and potentially the whole day!

A student from Luton is making a great start in the world of engineering, thanks to the generosity of a local company.  

A group aimed at sharing the experiences and concerns of businesses in Dunstable and Houghton Regis was launched at the Holiday Inn Express, Dunstable this week.   Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce held the inaugural meeting of the Dunstable and Houghton Regis Business Group, chaired by Chamber director Richard Cooper of ASA Business Consulting, at the hotel which was recently voted Dunstable Hospitality Venue of the Year 2012.

Having recently completed a £3.5 million facility investment across its two specialist venues, Wyboston Lakes has announced a significant new space for training events, the Willows Conference Suite.

Whether you're new to exporting or an old hand, we can help you. Our Export Documentation team are on hand to process your documents, advise and assist.

Commenting on the labour market statistics, published today by the ONS, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

The Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Provider Network are keen to hear views from employers across Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire about 16-24 Youth Unemployment and how you feel about Apprenticeships.

The University of Bedfordshire’s Knowledge Hub has teamed up with Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council to launch an innovative leadership and management training programme aimed at business professionals looking to develop their skills set.

If you want to be be well-connected, then you need our events. Take a look at our events diary, see what's coming up this month and join in.

Chamber Membership brings with it a whole host of benefits aimed at helping you save money, raise your business profile and develop and grow your business.

Commenting on the government’s decisions today on National Minimum Wage rates from 1 October 2013, Dr Adam Marshall, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

UltraVision CLPL is taking the manufacture of contact lenses to the next level and in support of this has employed Clinical Director, Lynn White MSc FCOptom and Engineering Manager, Nick Stonehouse.  With a strong clinical and manufacturing team, UltraVision is poised for growth and ready to ensure the future development of the next generation of contact lens technology.

What does singer Adele have in common with Flitwick based fuel card business i-fuelcards Ltd? The answer is they’ve both trademarked their names. Nigel Webb, Business Development Manager at i-fuelcards Ltd, knew that in a competitive market it was essential to protect a brand that was establishing a great reputation. 

From October 2013 all newly built commercial property completed between 1st October 2013 and 30th September 2016 will be exempt from empty property rates for the first 18 months (up to the state aids limit).

• BCC’s Quarterly Economic Survey for Q1 2013 shows progress, with almost all major balances improving compared with Q4 2012. 
• British businesses are resilient, but many balances are still below pre-recession levels and growth remains too low.

• John Longworth: “These results provide a glimpse of the as-yet-distant sunlit uplands of recovery. Businesses up and down the country are working hard to drive the economy, create jobs and export, but they cannot accelerate this process alone.”

Tax cheats who become insolvent to dodge their companies’ tax obligations face up to five years’ scrutiny from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

This is an ideal opportunity for local football players to play at STADIUMMK (UEFA Elite Stadium) and for businesses to showcase their brand.

South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) has named Daniel Charles Mouawad its newly appointed Chief Executive.

Do you own your own company?   Do you need to attract more customers?  Would you benefit from some marketing advice?  A new documentary series about SMEs wants to hear from you.

Commenting on the Chancellor’s Budget speech, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

Chamber member Luton Family Law has secured the national Law Society's law management quality mark, Lexcel.

Commenting on the Government response to Lord Heseltine's Review, No Stone Unturned, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: "Chambers of Commerce welcome the government's commitment to localise some funding and decision-making around transport and skills in order to unleash the enterprise and growth latent in local communities across England.

Bedfordshire Chamber welcomed its youngest member since 1877 as young entrepreneur Henry Patterson received his honorary membership certificate.  Henry, aged just nine, runs his own online sweet retailing business selling sweets aimed at children. Not Before Tea is Henry’s third business with previous enterprises including selling manure and an online shop selling unwanted toys.

There's still time to enter the East of England's Local Impact Awards with Business in the Community.  This year BITC have seven categories open to companies based or operating in the region.

The latest workplace absence figures published in 2012 show that musculoskeletal problems such as back, neck, shoulder and knee pain are still proving to be a huge issue for people across the UK, blighting the lives of millions.

If you've ever complained about conditions for business and felt no one's listening, now is your opportunity to be heard.  The British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey is a highly respected snapshot of conditions for business but the BCC don't do it alone.  They need your input to help them present the most accurate picture in a survey which is taken very seriously by central government and the Bank of England and is reported widely in the press.

Two thirds of Bedfordshire businesses have no plan in place should they suffer a major catastrophe like fire, flooding or severe weather, research released by the Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum (BLLRF) has found. This means their competitors could profit from their problems if disaster struck. However help is at hand during Business Continuity Awareness Week (18-22 March 2013) and creating a plan is simple and quick and would help local companies to keep in business and protect jobs.