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

Branch Line Training is launching a new nationally recognised Fire Risk Assessment NPORS course in the New Year.    The course is designed  to enable individuals carry out fire risk assessments and is aimed at health and safety officers, site managers, supervisors and fire wardens.

HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Helen Nellis, has paid a visit to Prologis Park at Marston Gate as part of her role as business ambassador for Central Bedfordshire.

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Bedford College is proposing to open a brand new Technical Academy in September 2015 focusing on specialist technical training in science, service and creative technologies.

As Bedford-based business, Conservation By Design, celebrates its 21st anniversary, it has also created a special birthday present to mark the centenary of the Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service.

The Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce is organising a Business Crime Prevention Conference on the 29th November. We are privileged to have Olly Martins, Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Colette Paul, Bedfordshire Chief Constable together with business experts from banking and IT fully supporting and leading the event. 

Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce member THSP (The Health and Safety People) is delighted to announce exciting changes to its Employment Law services which now includes an enhanced level of benefits for its clients.

Chamber members, Stoten Gillam Limited recently marked their 50^th Anniversary with a celebration at the Old Palace Lodge hotel in Dunstable. 

PopUp Dunstable is part of PopUp Britain, a national campaign that supports Britain's most promising retail entrepreneurs by providing access to sought-after High Street spaces so small businesses can trial physical retail without the long-term financial commitment, whilst raising their brand profile and carrying out market research. Four brilliant new businesses will share the space for a fortnight before a new group move in for the next fortnight, and so on until Christmas.

Conservation By Design (CXD) has celebrated its 21st Anniversary as the industry’s leading conservation storage and display expert by hosting a day of intimate and informal seminars at its Bedford-based manufacturing facilities.

The Incuba is an exciting new build business support and learning centre being opened by Central Bedfordshire College October this year in Dunstable. There are 20 incubation offices for up to 70 staff and four classrooms in addition to meeting rooms and conference space. 

Related Bedfordshire and Luton is a local independent charity entirely devoted to building stronger relationships. They are seeking to recruit a Board Member who is self-motivated and forward thinking to help drive their organisation.

Could you explain the benefits of employing an apprentice to other businesses?  Bedford Borough Council are looking for Apprenticeship Ambassadors as the area is currently experiencing relatively low numbers of new apprentice opportunities being created and are working hard to encourage local businesses to reap the benefits that employing an apprentice can bring

Bedfordshire African Community Centre is recruiting for three posts:  Project Adminstrator, Outreach Worker and Training and Development Officer.

Chamber member Acuigen,  a specialist customer feedback service company, is recruiting for a Business Development Executive. The key purpose of the role is to initiate and build business relationships that secure business.

As part of the on-going regeneration of the area and improvement to the road network in Dunstable, Bedfordshire Highways will be carrying out essential road works on Poynters Road.

Close to 100 Bedfordshire and Luton businesses completed a survey during Business Continuity Awareness Week this March about how prepared they are if disaster strikes. In a prize draw that accompanied the survey Bedfordshire business Kidatu Ltd won an iPad Mini and a free session with experts from the Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum (BLLRF) to develop its Business Continuity Plan.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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: