IoD Spring issue 2011

spring 2011www.iod.com/suffolksuffolk

enterprising society...

IoD suffolk spring 2011 1

Our front cover features the James

Heir Building, the fifth floor of

which is home to The Eastern

Enterprise Hub. To discover more

read our article on page 27

Photography and visualisation ©2Cs

All Rights Reserved

PublisherTilston Phillips Magazines [email protected]

Printed byHealeys Print GroupUnit 10 – 11The Sterling ComplexFarthing RoadIpswichSuffolk IP1 5AP

1 contents

2 IoD events

3 thoughts from the chair

5 - 11 across the region

12 IoD members

13 - 14 IoD news

15 corporate news

16 - 17 Olympic developments

18 a word from the accountants

19 enterprise

20 - 23 the big society

25 corporate news

26 sponsor profile

27 enterprise

28 - 29 motoring

30 corporate events

32 IoD events

34 charities

35 leisure

37 commercial property

38 business books

39 business start-up

40 IoD Committee and

new members

All rights reserved. Reproduction, in part or in whole, without the prior consent of thepublisher is strictly prohibited. The content of thismagazine is based on the best knowledge andinformation available at the time of publication. All times, prices and details of events were correctat time of going to press. The views expressed bythe contributors are not necessarily those of thepublishers, proprietors, the Institute of Directorsor others associated with this production.

© Tilston Phillips Magazines Limited 2011

20 - 23

16 - 17

contents

With all the talk about the big

society and the new

enterprise culture, you would

think that Britain had become a world of

dazzling opportunity for businesses of all

levels, but is this the case?

In this issue we delve a little deeper into what

‘the Big Society’ means to local business

people in Suffolk and North Essex and how

we are responding to ‘this great idea that is

struggling to get out’.

With unemployment standing at 7.9% and

business start-up failures at an all time low

we look at the support on hand for business

people of the future.

One fascinating idea is ‘The Y Factor’, a school’s

based initiative to provide an inspirational spark

for young people to ensure they are equipped

with the right skills for business.

We also have local support for budding

entrepreneurs with the opening of The School

for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) in Ipswich.

We will be following Tracy Bose, one of the

first cohort, as she starts up a new business

’Got to Read’ with the support of SSE.

It’s salutary to note that large established

corporations continue to struggle in our

present climate; perhaps it has never been a

better time to be a SME.

Consumers now want accountability and the

ability to communicate quickly with a

business that is responsive and has local

knowledge, rather than struggling with an

amorphous global brand.

Local business, it seems, is the key.

Jonathan Tilston

IoD events

2011 programme is kindly sponsored by:

To help Suffolk Branch members to plan ahead and organise their diaries, this programme summarises the forthcoming events in 2011. We hope thewide variety of our events gives you ample opportunity to entertain partners and guests and to get full benefit from your branch membership.

All events are open to IoD members and non-members. For further information regarding our events visit www.iod.com/suffolk or call Caroline Kearney, SuffolkBranch Administrator on 07917 699498 or alternatively email: [email protected]

The Referendum – ‘What do electoral

reforms actually mean for individuals,

businesses, politics and the economy?’

24/3/11 18.45 – 23.00

The West Wing at Ickworth House,

Bury St Edmunds

The forthcoming referendum on voting reform

is hitting the headlines, but what are we

actually voting for, what are the options and

the implications? How will individuals,

businesses, local and national politics and the

economy be impacted? Guest speakers will

outline the options and debate the likely

outcomes as we move ahead with further

political reform.

The Annual Conference and Annual

Members’ Meeting – ‘Achieving

excellence through team spirit’

7/4/11 10.00 – 14.30

Ipswich Town Football Club, Ipswich

See panel opposite.

The Importance of the Port of Felixstowe

12/5/11 14.30 – 17.00

Port of Felixstowe

Join us for a rare opportunity to visit the Port

of Felixstowe and gain an insight into the

importance of the Port to our local and

national economy as well as our standing in

the international trade arena.

Question Time Dinner

16/6/11 18.45 – 23.00

The Angel Hotel, Bury St Edmunds

The Question Time Dinner, introduced more

than five years ago, has become a premier

event in the IoD Suffolk event calendar. Enjoy

lively debate between eminent Suffolk

business and political figures as they are

questioned by the audience on topical issues.

Book early to avoid disappointment, this event

is always a sell out.

The Aldeburgh Festival

June 2011 (exact date tbc) 18.30 – 22.00

Snape Maltings, Suffolk

Join us for an evening experiencing an event

within the Aldeburgh Festival programme.

With refreshments and the opportunity to

meet the professional performers.

IoD Suffolk members are urged tosign up now for this year’s Annual

Conference, which takes place on

April 7 from 10am until 2.30pm in the

Sir Bobby Robson Suite at Ipswich Town

Football Club, with a tour of the

stadium following the event.

The Suffolk IoD Annual Members’ Meeting

will precede the conference, starting

at 9.30am.

The conference, which will be facilitated by

Suffolk IoD Chairman Paul Winter, will focus

on the importance of good leadership skills

and team spirit which will help you to achieve

your business goals. Top motivational

speakers Les Duggan, from Developing

Potential, and Claire Sandbrook, CEO of

Shergroup, have been signed up for what

promises to be an inspirational few hours.

Similar to last year’s lively event, delegates

will have interactive keypads to give feedback

on hot topics of debate.

Les Duggan, managing partner of Developing

Potential, was sales director for Cadburys

before taking responsibility for all their sales

training and recruitment and development.

His experiences in managing Cadbury’s talent

pipeline spawned the idea for Developing

Potential which he founded in 1997 with

Olympic Gold Medallist Dr David Hemery CBE.

In the past 10 years Les has worked with

multiple organisations in business, education

and sport with the aim of fostering high

performance and achievement.

Claire Sandbrook is the CEO of Shergroup, a

law company created from the Sheriffs of

London dating back to 1780. Today Shergroup

provides a full range of collection, litigation

and enforcement services for court users who

want to recover their money or land from the

courts throughout England and Wales.

Appointed by the Lord Chancellor, Claire is

one of only 69 Authorised High Court

Enforcement Officers in England and Wales.

She was admitted as a solicitor in 1989 and

became a partner, having started at her law

firm as an audio typist. Claire has set up

teams in the UK and India for Shergroup and

will talk about her experiences.

To book your place please contact branch

administrator Caroline Kearney on 07917

699498 or email [email protected]

Top speakers lined up for 2011Annual Conference ‘Achieving excellence through team spirit’


welcome

The debate over whether or not the

Bank of England should raise its

Base Rate goes on and on. It

seems that the only reason to do it, is

not one of economics, but all about the

Bank’s reputation on the control

of inflation.

The media seem convinced that an increase is

essential but the fundamentals of the economy

would suggest no increase is required. There

still seems to be plenty of spare capacity in

industry and a significant part of the current

rate of inflation is either indirect tax increases

or world commodity prices. An increase in

interest rates will not affect either of these.

My view is that the Bank should hold its nerve

and keep rates unchanged for the time being.

Economic activity in Suffolk seems to be

holding up well although the possible increase

in unemployment may influence growth for

the next year or so. However we continue to

see arrears in Suffolk which are not

prosperous and it is unfair the incentives

being offer by the Chancellor are not available

due to Whitehall’s view of the prospects

of the whole of the East of England.

As far as IoD Suffolk is concerned we have

started our new year’s activities with a sold

out Economic Breakfast and a very successful

evening for new and prospective members.

Details of forthcoming events are set out

elsewhere in this magazine. This year we have

also launched a new venture- our Creativity

Clubs. This is an innovative approach to

problem solving which we hope our members

take advantage of. The branch will continue

to look for ways in which we can add value

to membership.

The support of our sponsors is essential to the

branch’s progress and I would like to thank

thoughts from the chair

Ensors, Jackaman Smith and Mulley and

Leema Risk Management for their continuing

support and welcome Fresh Ways to Work as

a sponsor.

Paul Winter

Chairman

J a c k a m a n S m i t h & M u l l e y

s o l i c i t o r s

• commercial property

• corporate

• employment

• litigation

• partnerships

Offices at

IPSWICH 01473 255591 • FELIXSTOWE 01394 279636 • DISS 01379 643555

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across the region

Corporate and independent women from

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex,

Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk are invited

to nominate themselves or others in the East

of England Businesswomen of the Year

Awards 2011.

The awards, run in association with the

Institute of Directors Eastern Region, were first

launched by the Cambridge Businesswomen’s

Network in 1989. This year there are two new

awards - Rising Star of the Year and Start-Up

Business of the Year.

EEBW Chair, Jane Cox commented “The

awards celebrate the achievements of

successful businesswomen as well as helping

to encourage younger women to pursue a

career in business and winning one of the

trophies gives the chosen woman and her

company widespread recognition for their

hard work and determination in business.”

Entrants can register their nominations online

at www.eebw.co.uk. The closing date for

entries is 9am on Monday, April 4. Judging

will begin on April 11, followed by visits to

the finalists in the week commencing April 18.

The winners will be announced at the awards

ceremony on May 26 at the West Wing,

Ickworth House near Bury St Edmunds.

High flyers urged to enter prestigious business awards

Coes has announced the first phase of

redevelopment at its Ipswich shop.

The multi-million pound investment will see

the flagship store in Norwich Road

transformed into a new retail environment.

Many of the existing departments

will be upgraded, bringing the total space

to more than 40,000sq ft over three floors.

Work will be phased to minimise

business disruption.

The addition of a womenswear department in

2002 means that Coes now offers

merchandise to men and women. It also has a

comprehensive sports shop.

The business was founded in 1928 and is now

run by William Coe, the third generation of

the family to do so. It has shops across East

Anglia, employing more than 180 staff.

Coes has also now extended into online shopping

and ships goods to all parts of the world.

60th birthday forSeckford hotelNew look as Coes grows

Michael Bunn, owner of Seckford Hall

in Woodbridge, is celebrating 60 years

at the hotel.

As a boy, he explored its rambling Tudor

frame, watching builders as they converted

the family home into a hotel. He knows every

nook – it is all he has known as a home

– but still finds the building and grounds

a constant source of inspiration.

Like their predecessors stretching back over

five centuries, Michael and his wife, Christine,

treat the building as a living entity, and have

gently developed the hotel over the years.

The building has a fascinating history.

The hall is grand and stately in the best

traditions of a Tudor mansion, but it’s the

details – often the product of extension over

the centuries – that make for such a

fascinating hotel.

In 1940 the hall was claimed by the MoD

and it was not until nine years later that it

became a hotel. Michael’s father bought

it in 1951.

The 32-bedroom hotel, which employs 100

staff, has seen changes over the years. In the

past year, a refurbishment and bedroom

upgrade paid dividends when it achieved four-

star status by both the AA and Visit Britain.

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across the region

The employment market for university

leavers is showing signs of improvement

for the first time since the start of the

recession with an 8.9 per cent annual

increase in graduate jobs, according to

recent survey figures.

At University Campus Suffolk (UCS)

students are reflecting this improvement

with four recent graduates securing work

after their involvement in a summer

internship scheme.

UCS launched the internships programme in

2008, in conjunction with local businesses and

it has grown ever since.

Chantalle Hawley, head of student support,

said the programmes usually consist of six to

Jobs boost for graduates

eight weeks of full-time work, designed to

enhance the employability of graduates.

“They support undergraduate career

development and we have been keen to draw

in elements of the recruitment process to offer

valuable experience at every stage.”

UCS also holds an annual careers fair which

allows students to identify employment

opportunities as well as expanding networks

and gathering company information.

This year it will be on March 17

(11am-3pm) in the Waterfront Building.

It is open to all local graduates.

Quantrills, the specialist employment law

solicitors and HR advisers, in 2011 are

celebrating 10 years in practice, and according

to managing partner Simon Quantrill, it’s been

a period of rapid change for employers:

“During, the last 10 years we’ve been busy

helping organisations large and small to keep

up with the constantly changing demands of

employment legislation. Having access to

specialist advice in a fast and cost-effective

manner is essential for HR Managers and

business owners alike.”

“The last 12 months alone has seen the

introduction of the Equality Act 2010 which

consolidated disjointed discrimination

legislation. Then there has been the

introduction of ‘fit notes’, and significant

changes to sick pay and holiday case law.”

10 years on… the pace of employment lawchanges continues to accelerate…

But what does the future hold?

Simon Quantrill has few doubts: “Just focusing

on the coming 10 months – never mind the

next 10 years – there will be major changes for

employers resulting from the abolition of the

default retirement age from April this year, and

new rights for agency workers.

“Then there is the possible extension of

flexible working rights for all, plus maternity

and paternity leave changes! But at the same

time government is consulting on

reintroducing a two-year service rule before an

employee can claim unfair dismissal, plus it

wants to reduce the impact of ‘TUPE’.”

“I’d recommend for anyone involved with

managing employees to take advantage of

the regular updates we provide on all

these issues.”

Simon Quantrill and Julie Temple, partners of Quantrillsemployment law solicitors and HR advisers, who celebrate

their 10th anniversary this March

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across the region

East Anglia will play a key role in

the £200 billion project that will revolutionise

the nation’s energy supply, according to

Energy Minister Charles Hendry.

During a visit to the £10 million OrbisEnergy

hub in Lowestoft, home to companies

specialising in offshore renewable energy, he

said: “East Anglia is one of the most exciting

places in the country for energy and is doing

some of the most important, inspiring work

in renewables.

“The OrbisEnergy wind turbine, Gulliver,

should be a guiding beacon for the potential

of the renewable energy sector in East Anglia.

“There are now huge opportunities for local

businesses to re-invent themselves and to take

advantage of this opportunity.

“This country is now facing one of the most

extraordinary challenges as, over the next

decade, we must build or rebuild our whole

energy infrastructure.

“What is especially exciting is that OrbisEnergy

brings together people with ideas and

enthusiasm and helps them get established.

This is exactly the sort of groundbreaking

work we need, bringing all the links in the

chain together.”

Region’s key role in power project

With one in 10 university leavers

unemployed nationwide, Essex-based

equipment manufacturer Pacepacker has

expressed disappointment that a successful

intern scheme – which had led to it employing

a local graduate – is being scrapped.

Pacepacker Services, designers and

manufacturers of automatic packing systems,

took part in the University of Essex’s graduate

internship scheme, part of a nationwide

initiative launched by the Government.

By joining the scheme, local businesses could

benefit from an injection of new talent,

providing recent graduates with opportunities

to work in and around Essex.

Pacepacker’s managing director, Dennis Allison,

said: “Government’s decision to scrap a scheme

which helps businesses to successfully address

their employment needs is ludicrous.

“It is difficult to find talented individuals

through the usual employment routes of

advertising, whereas this scheme gave you

access to a pool of prospective individuals and

helped speed up the recruitment process.”

‘Ludicrous’ to scrap internship scheme

‘Don’t delay’over bribery

As industry and commerce waits for

more detailed guidance from the Ministry

of Justice (MoJ) on how the forthcoming

Bribery Act will affect businesses, Suffolk-

based adviser and accountants Grant

Thornton is warning companies not to

wait until the Act comes into force.

The Act, which aims to provide a more

effective legal framework to combat

bribery across the private and public

sector, was due to come into force last

April but was postponed for a year.

The MoJ has now said it will not become

legislation until three months after

publication of the long-awaited final

guidance. When it does become law the

UK will have the most stringent anti-

corruption legislation in the world.

Chris Clements, of Grant Thornton

East Anglia, advises businesses to

assess their risk to possible anti-corruption

practices; carry out due diligence on their

customers, suppliers and employees; put

in place policies and procedures ensuring

records are kept; ensure procedures are

implemented effectively and proactively;

have board-level ownership and establish

the right culture for compliance and to

monitor and review, preferably using an

external body.

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across the region

The head professional at Ufford Park has

become director of golf. Stuart Robertson has

been involved with the golf club since the

hotel opened in 1992.

Colin Aldous, owner and chairman of Ufford

Park Hotel, Golf & Spa, said: ‘’ I have relied

heavily on Stuart over the years for his golf

expertise and detailed knowledge of the game,

and it was this that gave me the courage to

develop the whole golfing product particularly

in the last five years.

“Having recently reached the official

retirement age, I wanted to reduce my

involvement in the everyday decision-making

process and Stuart, I feel confident, can fill

that potential void, and take golf at Ufford

Park to an even higher level.”

Stuart added: “For years I have sought to get

more children into golf by teaching at primary

and secondary schools. Golf was always

looked upon as an elite game, which only the

wealthy could afford – but since Tiger Woods

burst on to the scene in the 1990s that has

changed the culture of the game, opening up

opportunities that did not exist before.”

He said that, as director of golf, he is hoping

to make a real impact on the local and

regional golf scene.

Getting youngsters into swing of golf

Artists heading for Aldeburgh

International art will be coming to

Aldeburgh this summer, starting with

aldeburghART in the last week of May.

Royal Academicians Peter Blake, Eileen

Cooper, Stephen Farthing, Anthony

Green, Nigel Hall and John Hoyland are

among those taking part. Avant-garde

artists Joseph Beuys and Marina

Abramovic will inspire performance art

on the beach, guest-curated by the

legendary Richard Demarco.

Building on the strong cultural heritage

of Suffolk, aldeburghART’s aim is to

complement the profile of the

Aldeburgh Festival, known internationally

for its innovative and classical music.

During the festival in June, Mat

Collishaw and Ryan Gander, two younger

internationally-acclaimed artists, will be

making works specially for the

Aldeburgh Beach South Lookout.

Also planned are exhibitions, plays,

discussions, films and projects plus visits

to private collections and studios,

lunches, dinners and music, all relating

in some way to visual art.

Open to the public late last year, Lifehouse

is a day and stay spa set within 130 acres

of beautiful grounds and 12 acres of historic,

listed gardens. Guest rooms boast views of the

surrounding gardens or courtyard and facilities

include 35 treatment rooms, gym, outdoor

fitness circuit, exercise studio, swimming pool,

thermal spa area, relaxation areas, manicure

and pedicure stations, makeup bays,

a hairdressing salon and a spa boutique.

This contemporary spa is the new benchmark

for a holistic spa experience with intelligent

life-enriching spa and wellbeing programmes.

Dedicated experts, specialising in key areas

such as fitness, life coaching, nutrition, spiritual

awareness, weight loss, alternative and holistic

therapy and horticulture have been recruited to

ensure highly-personalised, specialised and

tailor-made programmes to suit every guest’s

needs and help them to achieve their goals.

The range of spa treatments available at

Lifehouse use BABOR products, made from

plant-based ingredients to enhance natural

beauty. BABOR offers a unique concept to

offer both male and female guests effective

results in harmony with nature. None of the

products or ingredients are tested on animals.

As part of the Weekly Activities Programme,

Lifehouse also offers regular complementary

classes such as Boot Camp as well as talks on

a wide variety of topics such as detoxification.

Put simply, the Lifehouse proposition is

a serious one; focusing on ensuring the

best results for the individual and improving

guests’ habits to enhance general wellbeing

for the long term.

A spa-rkling success

IoD members

Penny Arbuthnot, director of

public relations agency Project PR,

joined the IoD in November 2010.

She has steered her company through

several stages of development and

growth, culminating last year in winning

Outstanding PR Consultancy of the Year

in the Chartered Institute of Public

Relations Pride Awards for East Anglia.

She says: “I joined the IoD to enjoy the wide

range of benefits including the wonderful

business facilities in London which I’ve already

used as a meeting venue with clients

and journalists.”

Penny was elected to the committee of Suffolk

IoD in January and her first tasks include helping

to promote the Creativity Club as a new and

innovative service for Suffolk IoD members.

Penny continues: “I am looking forward to

helping the branch raise its profile as a voice

for the county on business issues and as an

excellent forum for directors to enjoy meeting

at business and social events.”

Paul Winter, chairman of Suffolk IoD,

commented: “We are very pleased that

Penny accepted our invitation to join the

committee and bring her PR and business

skills to the team.”

Penny has a joint honours degree in English

and Italian from Warwick University and

a post graduate diploma in public relations.

She began her PR career in London before

moving to Suffolk where she established

Project PR in 1996. In 2010 Project PR was

named the fourth most awarded PR agency

outside of London by Drum Magazine.

For further information about Suffolk IoD

membership please contact branch



new PR co-ordinator for Suffolk IoD

More than 30 new and

prospective members of the

Institute of Directors’ Suffolk

branch enjoyed a private drinks

reception held at the exclusive Milsoms

@ Kesgrave Hall on February 10.

The Suffolk IoD committee hosted the invitation-

only event to welcome more than a dozen new

members who have joined the IoD in the past

year and to talk to local business people who

have shown an interest in finding out more.

The event was sponsored by Leema Risk

Management, Ensors Chartered Accountants,

Jackaman Smith & Mulley Solicitors and new

sponsor ‘Fresh Ways to Work’, the EU-funded

sustainable transport campaign in Suffolk

which is encouraging people to bike, bus,

car-share, use the train or walk to work, rather

than drive alone.

Paul McIntee, from Obsidian Consulting,

spoke about the benefits of membership and

Christopher Johnson, from Nuffield Hospital

and a Suffolk IoD committee member,

introduced the Creativity Club to be launched

in March for IoD members. Charlie Baxter

from the Prince’s Trust, gave an overview of

the charity’s work with young people.

Diary Date

The next ‘New and prospective members’

evening takes place on May 24 (5.30pm –

7.30pm) at The Angel Hotel, Bury St Edmunds.

For further information please contact branch



Peter Lee (left), leader of the ‘Fresh Ways to Work’ campaign,

new sponsors of the Suffolk IoD 2011 calendar of events

along with Leema Risk Management, Jackaman Smith &

Mulley and Ensors. He is pictured with Paul Winter, chairman,

Suffolk IoD and chief executive, Ipswich Building Society.

new and prospective IoD membersenjoy Kesgrave Hall


IoD news

It’s 8.30am and we have just onehour. There’ll be no meeting notes,

action points or follow up

(so that’s a relief then) and we’re told

we can put on our insane, out-of-the

box creativity hats for the next 60

minutes. Sounds fun.

The ‘Creativity Club’ is born. It’s a home-

grown concept which IoD Suffolk has

nurtured with David Hall, its inventor, who as

chief executive of HFL Sports Sciences has

used the techniques to achieve some startling

results in a culture-change programme for his

own organisation.

The essence of the Creativity Club is to

stimulate creativity and innovation by getting

the right hand (creative) side of our brain to

connect with the left hand (logical) side,

which is when the magic will start to

leap out…

In our group of six this morning there’s the

problem ‘owner’ who’s hosting the session,

two work colleagues, two ‘volunteers’ from

outside businesses (including myself) and

Christopher Johnson (general manager,

Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital), who’s

our IoD ‘Creativity Club’ trained facilitator

for the session.

Our aim for the next hour is to avoid the

blockages our minds are programmed for and

instead, tune into a new way of thinking.

We do five minutes of warm-up during which

Christopher shows us how our minds are pre-

set naturally to think ‘inside’ rather than

‘outside’ the box. We’re also briefed about the

‘Creativity Club Charter’ which, put simply, is

that everyone’s equal and anything goes.

We then redefine the business problem

presented to us by the ‘owner’ and break

down the words and phrases to get really

under its skin and pinpoint the burning issues.

It’s now 8.55am and Christopher wants us to

use reverse logic – we think of the opposites

of what the problem owner wants to aim for.

It then gets more bizarre when we’re

challenged to think of the impossible.

We enter the ‘insane zone’ when ideas such

as putting children in charge, running the

business from the Moon or jailing everyone

spin out naturally from the group. Taking

three of these crazy concepts we play with

them, answering questions such as what do

we need to run the business from the Moon

and why? g

‘Get out of the box with Creativity Club’ – showing (left to right) Paul Winter (Chief Executive, Ipswich Building Society and Chair, Suffolk IoD) with Ian Johnson

(Director, Select Office Furniture) and Leigh Bendall (Managing Director, Herbert Partnering Solutions Ltd) who are both Creativity Club trained facilitators.

get out of the box for new Creativity ClubBy Penny Arbuthnot, IoD Suffolk PR Co-ordinator

In these challenging times, it is more important thanever to market your business, so excellent serviceand �� are crucial.

Contact Paul Newman or visit our website to find outhow we can help take your business forward.

01359 240202www.alanbrannandesign.co.uk

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COST EFFECTIVE CREATIVEDESIGN WHATEVER YOUR SIZE OR TYPE OF BUSINESS

CORPORATE IDENTITY BROCHURES ADVERTISING MAGAZINES PACKAGING EXHIBITIONS SIGNAGE WEBSITES

It’s 9.07am and we’re flowing. From our

impossible and insane thoughts there are

some kernels of ideas which we throw into

imaginary ‘buckets’ which Christopher has

drawn on the flip chart alongside the words

and phrases which defined our problem.

Bizarrely we’re starting to use some of the

impossible ideas to solve what we set out to

do. Breaking the rules and injecting colour

and fun into things (as children would), or

creating noise and energy (like a moon rocket)

aren’t such bad ideas after all.

Fifty minutes through and it’s time to land the

rocket and recap about whether our problem

owner has found their solution: “I have got a

new and clearer perspective and I know what

the next steps should be” and “we’ve achieved

more in one hour than a typical half-day

workshop would do”, were how our problem

owner and colleagues summed it up. Job done!

We conclude with two minutes of

‘re-energising’ when only statements are

allowed in a two-way conversation and no

questions. Sounds easy? Try it!

Christopher Johnson, who’s one of six IoD

Suffolk committee members trained by David

Hall to facilitate a ‘Creativity Club’ session,

says: “We are jailed by our view of how things

can be done because our minds are

conditioned into set patterns. This is a fast

and fun way of coming up with some fresh

thinking and new ideas to solve a problem.”

‘Creativity Club’ is available to IoD members

only. If you have a problem you’d like to

address, or if you’d like to be part of a pool

of ‘volunteers’ to take part in a session,

please contact Caroline Kearney,

IoD Suffolk Branch Administrator.

Email [email protected]

CREATIVITY CLUB FACTS

Available only to Suffolk IoD members.

Six IoD Suffolk committee members have

each undergone 8 hours training with

David Hall, the creator of ‘Creativity Club’.

Each session has an IoD facilitator, a

problem ‘owner’, 2 - 4 of their colleagues

and/or 2 - 4 ‘volunteers’ from other

businesses (no more than 4 - 5 in total).

The problem ‘owner’ will be able

to approve the ‘volunteers’ in advance

so there’s no conflict of interest

or competition.

Problem ‘owner’ hosts the session at own

premises or books another venue at their

own cost.

The facilitator has a portfolio of 14 Creativity

Club ‘tools and techniques’ which can be

used, depending on the problem.

IoD news


This year Quantrills is celebrating

10 years in practice as a specialist

firm of employment law solicitors

and HR advisers. Being the managing

partner has given me plenty of insight

into the rewards but also the challenges

of running a small successful business.

I understand the demands placed on business

owners and directors, like you, on your time

and business skills. You’re expected to be your

own expert in sales, marketing, finances and

managing staff, plus you have to juggle

conflicting priorities and make it all happen.

If you have responsibility for the HR role for

your business, it can cause you more

uncertainty and worry than any other aspect of

running your business. This is not surprising

when employment law demands on businesses

are so great, regardless of how many

employees you have. And employment law has

the unhelpful habit of always changing.

Keeping up to date with the detail of new

employment law can be tricky even for me!

But when it is not your key activity, you can

quickly get out of date.

It is easy to get caught out. You’re busy

focusing on trying to grow your business and

keeping your customers happy. But

sometimes, even with all your hard work and

the best of intentions, an employee-related

problem can crop up when you least expect it.

If this happens, Quantrills can provide you

with the right level of advice and guidance

whatever the problem. And we make sure our

advice reflects your unique business

circumstances and your business goals.

At Quantrills we talk your language. You’ll

appreciate our jargon-free plain speaking

advice, and we do not shirk from telling you

what you may not want to hear – but it

means we will keep you out of trouble, and

minimise the risk of you ending up at the

employment tribunal.

The 10 years running Quantrills and 10 years

helping clients like you, means there is very

little I or my team have not seen or handled!

Using Quantrills will let you have more time

to concentrate on making profits, safe in the

knowledge your HR issues are being

correctly handled.

Solving HR problems with less expense

This affordable fixed-cost solution provides

you with unlimited advice, guidance and

support for all day-to-day HR and

employment-law questions and problems.

We don’t have stock answers or scripted

advice to stop you taking action.

We understand you have a business to run,

and in the real world you have to take action

and avoid unnecessary delay. You will like our

speed of response.

Timely, pragmatic and best-practice advice and

supporting letters and documents from

experienced and qualified professional advisers

ensures you have the knowledge, confidence

and reassurance to deal fairly and successfully

with each employee problem. For me and my

team this is all in a day’s work.

Would you like to know more?

Simply call us on 01473 688100, and we’ll

send you full details of our fixed-cost services.

Also, visit our web site www.quantrills.com

to view our hrlegal news library of articles and

briefing notes which will help you prepare for

new changes in employment law, such as

the 6th April abolition of the default

retirement age.

Simon Quantrill

Quantrills Solicitors

[email protected]

01473 688100

how to remove the uncertainty and worry of managing staff

Simon Quantrill

corporate news

As the clock ticks down to the

start of the London 2012

Olympic and Paralympic

Games, the Suffolk IoD magazine

catches up with some of the latest

Games-related news.

Suffolk tourism businesses urged to get

‘2012 Ready’

Brigit Parker, marketing manager for Choose

Suffolk, explained:

“When people buy tickets for the Games they

also start planning where they are going to

stay and the places they want to visit. We

want people to think of Suffolk as a

convenient base from which to attend the

Games and enjoy a holiday.

“Suffolk’s hotels, tourist attractions, travel and

retail businesses need to start preparing right

now to promote themselves as offering a

superior customer experience.”

Suffolk’s On Our Marks campaign aims to

encourage local businesses to improve their

customer-service skills by training staff and

taking on trainees.

Dee Crowe, head of training and adult skills at

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, says: “We want

as many businesses as possible to sign up now

for customer-service apprenticeships and other

courses with local colleges and trainers.

“Suffolk needs to be well-prepared to

welcome visitors – including the media – from

all over the world at Games-time and beyond.

We need to be recognised as ‘2012 Ready’ for

our customer-service skills, which will give us

an advantage over other counties.”

The campaign makes it easier for businesses

to find out about – and take up – customer-

service training locally with an email,

telephone contact point and website:

www.onourmarks2012.co.uk; email

[email protected]

telephone 01473 694818.

Tickets

Tickets for the Games go on sale shortly – on

Tuesday, March 15 – and on Friday, September

9, for the Paralympics. A total of 8.8 million

tickets will be available for the Games, with

another two million for the Paralympics.

Applications for Olympics tickets close on April

26. Oversubscribed sessions will be allocated

by ballot. Applications can be made at any

point during the six-week period – it is not

a first come, first served process.

Details of the application process for

Paralympics tickets will be announced later

this year, with news of the prices due in May.

Full details at

www.tickets.london2012.com.

Suffolk company to help build Olympic

water polo arena

Ipswich-based Jackson Civil Engineering Group

has been chosen to help build the Olympic

water polo arena.

The 5,000-seat temporary arena will be one of

the last venues to go up at the Olympic Park.

Jackson will undertake the substructure works

of the venue, which will be distinguishable by

its silver wrap and inflatable roof made from

recyclable plastic.

The arena, which will contain a 37m

competition pool and a slightly smaller warm-

up pool, will stage the men’s and women’s

water polo competition.

The venue will be built at the main eastern

entrance to the Olympic Park, next to the

Aquatics Centre, in what will be one of the

most compact areas of the 500-acre site.

To make the best use of space, a number of

back-of-house facilities will be shared between

the two buildings.

After the Games, the venue will be taken

down and elements reused elsewhere in the

UK, including incorporating materials available

through the rental market to promote reuse

and reduce construction waste.

The place to hear about Games-related

contract opportunities is

www.competefor.com.

Starting gun has fired for jobs created

by London 2012

Pre-registration for the official London 2012

Job Board has opened. Anyone hoping to join

the army of people needed to make ‘the

greatest show on earth’ the best yet can

register at www.jobsforthegames.co.uk

The London Organising Committee (LOCOG) is

predicting that tens of thousands of jobs will

be created by sponsors, suppliers and other

businesses staffing up around the Games.

Run by Adecco, the official recruitment services

provider of the Olympic and Paralympic

Games, www.jobsforthegames.co.uk will

feature an array of jobs. Opportunities range

from catering, cleaning, security and

administrative support to media, hospitality,

tourism, sport, leisure and customer services.

Some professional and technical posts will

be available.

Roles created as a result of increased footfall

are expected to be as diverse as receptionists,

who may be employed by local businesses to

clock ticking for the greatest show on earth

olympic developments

help with the surge in visitor numbers, to

security guards, who may be brought on

board as businesses increase security at such

a busy time. Kitchen staff, waiters and bar

staff will also be needed as existing hotels and

restaurants take on staff to deal with the

demand and new establishments open.


QUICK FACTS

A year-long exhibition documenting

Suffolk’s Olympic and Paralympic

heritage will open at Moyse’s Hall

Museum, Bury St Edmunds, in July

this year.

Ipswich-based DanceEast has secured

one of 13 major new London 2012

Cultural Olympiad commissions

celebrating arts and culture by disabled

and deaf artists.

A new volunteer project has been

established in Suffolk to capitalise on

the enthusiasm created for volunteering

by the Games, including the

establishment of a volunteer

events team.

Ipswich Building Society, Adnams,

Customer Service Direct, Prettys, Ufford

Park Hotel and Mark Harrod Ltd have all

adopted a Suffolk 2012 hopeful and are

supporting them on their journey to

the Games.

Brian Pring, regional partner

what should you do when times are troubled?

Take positive action is the answer,

and Larking Gowen Chartered

Accountants has taken this to

heart with its recent move to new

regional offices in Suffolk and Essex.

The firm has also joined up with five other

independent firms across the UK to become

founder member of the MacIntyre Hudson

Association (MHA) to help it continue with

its growth plans.

The corporate and private client teams of

Larking Gowen’s Suffolk offices have

combined in a new office on the outskirts

of Ipswich.

“This enables us to give comprehensive services to

all our clients,” says Brian Pring, regional partner.

“We can now provide assistance for businesses of

all sizes, from start-up to PLC status, and our link

with MacIntyre Hudson widens that scope to

national and potentially international coverage.

“As well as the mainstream accounting and

tax services, we can assist with corporate

finance, business turnaround, specialist tax

and VAT advice. Other specialisms include

agriculture, the not-for-profit sector and

professional firms, to name but a few.”

Ideally placed just off the A14, easy access for

clients and staff, who number nearly 40, was an

important factor in the firm’s choice.

There is extensive parking for staff and visitors.

Larking Gowen is very positive about the future in

Suffolk and is certain that the private sector will

take the lead in driving the economy into

recovery. Anyone wanting to explore this

positivity further should contact Brian Pring

or David King on 01473 833411 for a

free consultation.

Larking Gowen

Unit 1, Claydon Business Park

Great Blakenham IP6 0NL

www.larking-gowen.co.uk

Larking Gowen is registered to carry out audit workby the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England& Wales. Authorised and regulated by the financialservices authority.

a word from the accountants


The question of whether young

people have the right skills for

business – and how we ensure

they acquire them – is a hot topic,

especially given the recent changes in

government policy for education.

Local companies are constantly seeking young

people with the self-confidence and

intellectual ability to work in a rapidly-

changing business environment. Yet we are

still losing our best talent to other parts of the

country. This is clearly a major drawback for

our community as a whole and the region’s

future economic prosperity.

Suffolk Young Chamber and Andrea Davies of

AED Leadership Dynamics Ltd have developed

‘The Y Factor’ programme, an exciting

initiative being piloted with Year 9 and 10

students in a number of schools. The aim is to

help youngsters connect with the world of

work and explore their own abilities. It is

designed to enhance the core curriculum and

support the students with vital GCSE studies

and beyond.

Working individually, in pairs and in teams the

students take part in a series of fun,

interactive sessions to enhance their

capabilities by:

Discovering their own skills, ambitions

and abilities

Exploring potential roles that would

play to their strengths

Encouraging effective team working

Introducing and developing business and

planning skills

This could provide an ideal opportunity for all

business sectors to identify potential early on,

to nurture it and help keep talented

individuals in Suffolk, for their own workforce

– saving on recruitment costs. At present,

it is targeted at young entrepreneurs, with

the aim of accrediting it and linking to

the Eastern Enterprise Hub’s Young

Entrepreneurs Diploma.

The first pilot was at Copleston High School,

with 16 specially-selected students, all with

a range of interests and abilities; the

programme culminates in a Dragons’ Den

event when each student and team put their

new skills into practice by presenting their

business ideas in a presentation pitch. The

Dragons were so impressed that they awarded

funding to each team to take their ideas to

the next level.

The Dragons who generously gave up their

time were Celia Hudson, chief executive of the

Eastern Enterprise Hub, Harry Berry, chairman

of the Enterprise Hub, and Dr Steve Barnes,

Suffolk Business School

The programme helps young people at a key

stage in their development to gain self-

confidence, self-awareness, a better

understanding of business, and to acquire

foundation knowledge of highly-valued skills.

It will allow budding entrepreneurs

to progress to real career paths and

businesses and to understand the

opportunities available locally.

It will also enable companies to:

raise awareness of their industry

promote specific skill requirements

and competencies

spot talent early on.

It is an ideal opportunity to feed the talent

pool for Suffolk businesses that depend on

a skilled workforce.

The programme and pilot will be showcased

at the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce Business

Breakfast at Copleston High School on March

28. Contact [email protected] for

more information.

providing a spark to inspire youngpeople to develop their confidenceand entrepreneurial skills.

enterprise

the big society


your countyneeds you!We’re seeing radical changes to life as we know it, happening at national, regional and local level.

With fresh-ish faces in

Downing Street, a raft of

new policies, budget cuts,

emergence of the Big Society ideal and

more, the sands are shifting. Locally,

we’re seeing the demise of familiar

structures like EEDA and cuts of £110

million (28 per cent) over four years in

Suffolk County Council’s funding.

It’s clear that tough times are ahead – in our

business and personal lives.

On our doorstep, the county council is widely

hailed as a ground-breaker.

The Economist article (January 22, 2011)

“Where Thatcher feared to tread” singled out

Suffolk for comment. It said: “Some cash-

strapped local authorities are being more

radical still: Suffolk, a Conservative fief in the

east of England, is handing over a majority of

its services, from libraries to children’s

facilities, to the private sector.”

It says: “Across much of the public sector –

from health and education to local authorities

and prisoner rehabilitation – the provision of

public services is increasingly being farmed out

to private suppliers.”

County chief executive, Andrea Hill, might

argue with “farmed out”. She is keen to

emphasise the plans are to “divest” rather

than “outsource”.

While the first phase includes libraries and

children’s services, in the longer term much

more is up for grabs. Part cost-cutting and

part Big Society, the plan is for money to be

saved, a reduction in the size and complexity

of the council, a more localised feel to services

and a growth in community capacity. This

echoes David Cameron’s words and ambitions.

Such cutbacks, she argues, are essential to

balance the books. At a presentation to

business on January 24, 2011, she said that

“Big Society” rather than “Big Government”

was the future (again echoing David Cameron)

and that many facilities and services might

well be delivered by social entrepreneurs,

charities or commercial enterprises.

Two projects were cited as examples: The

Bridge Project in Sudbury was set up in 1995

as a local charity to assist disadvantaged

adults in the community. The Wilford Demand

Responsive Scheme provides “transport on

demand in a rural community” in the

Melton/Woodbridge/Orford area.

In both, volunteers play a key role.

The new strategic direction

Andrea Hill freely admits – as does David

Cameron – that the Big Society has not been

clearly explained.

So, the council’s “The New Strategic Direction

Explained” says: “Suffolk County Council’s

NSD is about people coming together to get

Suffolk through the crisis that will be

generated by public-spending cuts. It is also

about developing a different way of working

that will see the role of the council change in

the long term.”

The publication continues: “Big Society

(Smaller Government). Giving communities a

bigger say and a greater part to play in

delivering services. It is less about the county

council determining what services people need

and more about individuals and communities

deciding what they need and having the

resources to achieve it.”

Writing in The Guardian last summer,

commentator, Jonathan Freeland said: "The

most common reaction to David Cameron’s

Big Society idea is mockery. Even the Tories

can’t resist. The Prime Minister had barely

launched the project on Monday when Boris

Johnson seized the chance to take another

pop at his arch-rival. ‘We must tackle the

scourge of obesity, or the Big Society,

as it’s sometimes known,’ smirked the

London Mayor. g

the big society

“That was polite compared to the senior

Conservative who, during the election

campaign, said of the idea that could come

to define Cameronism: ‘The Big Society

is bollocks.’”

But Jonathan Freedland believes there is the

germ of a good idea at its heart and Labour,

too, should be wary of dismissing an idea to

which it “has a decent claim of paternity”.

He says: “To find it, it’s worth digging into

Labour’s roots. There you will find the

Co-operative movement, friendly and mutual

societies, as well as the trade unions, out of

which Labour was forged...

“What those Labour pioneers understood was

that more was at stake than providing services

efficiently; that there was an extra, human

value in people coming together and working

for the common good. The sociologists speak

of the ‘social capital’ that accrues when

people form such connections with each

other...

“There is no reason for people on the left to

be opposed to a society made up of

neighbours who don’t wait for the council to

clean up a needle-strewn park, but do it

themselves...”

More than political expediency?

But, is the Big Society no more than political

expediency in times of dramatic cuts? Few

would argue against cutting waste, wherever

it might occur, and at all levels of government.

Similarly, greater social responsibility and

participation is an attractive ideal.

But Labour-controlled councils are lining up to

make their feelings about cutbacks known.

Manchester City Council has announced

sweeping – the cynical might say deliberately

controversial – plans to cut its funding to

leisure facilities, swimming pools and even

plans to close all but one of its public toilets!

The option of running these as community

projects or social enterprises is, however, still

under consideration.

Liverpool City Council has written to the Prime

Minister, withdrawing its involvement from

the Big Society.

But closer to home, Conservative-led Tendring

Council in Essex is taking its place in working

with the Department of Communities and

Local Government and will receive £500,000

to give to community groups.

As central government cuts local authority

budgets, grants to voluntary organisations are

also being hit hard. Dame Elisabeth Hoodless,

retiring from Community Service Volunteers

after 36 years, has spoken out saying that a

lack of funding would threaten even the

voluntary sector. Her view is shared by Citizens

Advice Bureau chief executive, Gillian Guy.

But if divestment is on the cards, funding to

the voluntary sector being reduced, money

tight in all sectors, jobs under threat and hard

to come by, rising food and commodity

prices, increasing VAT et al, is the Big

Society workable?

Will individuals step up to the plate?

In general terms charitable donations and

volunteering are in decline. It may get worse.

As Jonathan Freeland says: “If you’ve got two

jobs to survive, how are you going to have the

time to be a school governor?”

And if individuals are going to struggle to play

their part, can Suffolk’s business community,

historically very generous, do its bit?

Suffolk businesses playing their part

Keven Mulley retired from solicitors, Ashton

Graham, after 35 years. He is now doing his

bit in retirement administering the Suffolk

branch of ProHelp, a thriving organisation of

32 members which was set up 12 years ago.

It rallies and organises local businesses into

meeting the needs of the charity and non-

profit making sector.

In recent months, surveyors, architects,

PR experts, lawyers, accountants and other

professionals have supported Fornham St

Martin Village Hall, The Romany Theatre Group,

The Long Shop Museum in Leiston and Bealings

Village Hall. There have been many more non-

profit making organisations to benefit from

their pro bono work over the years.

He said: “Professional businesses are no

different to others in finding difficult economic

times challenging, but still seem to find the

resources and energy to help organisations on

specific projects on a pro bono basis. What

they won’t do is help with organisations who

do have the ability to pay!”

Fair enough.

But he adds: “Similarly, they will not want to

take on projects where holes have been left by

government or the local authority unless

proper funding is in place to get the project

off the ground.”

Active ProHelp member, Needham Market-

based IT company, CPW Computing, has won

awards for its community efforts. In recent years

it has provided IT equipment for Ormiston

Family Centres and the Waterfront Project,

which provides support for young unemployed

and ex-offenders. In the latter case, CPW

networked the IT, using it as a training exercise

for a young employee. Managing director,

Christine Lock, shares Keven’s misgivings about

how much more the business sector can give.

She said: “Some will step up but many, I think,

will be increasingly resentful over having to

help when they see it as maybe something

that should be provided by local government.

“It’s almost an abdication of responsibility

as many of the services we’re asked and

encouraged to think about supporting are the

very things that we pay taxes to fund.”

And will it change the face of Suffolk?

“I think that it will undoubtedly, but hopefully

not irrevocably.”

Another award-winning, Suffolk-based business,

Ipswich Building Society, is similarly committed

to community and charity involvement. It has a

staff volunteer programme which enables

members of staff to take paid work time off to

assist the community.


Chief executive, Paul Winter, is also chairman

of IoD Suffolk. Like Christine, he believes that

business should play its part. He also believes

that there are sound business benefits in

doing so.

“Big Society is a big ask for business, but there

are benefits for any business that takes its

corporate responsibility seriously,” he says.

“Allowing an employee regular time away

from the office to give their skills and expertise

to the board of a local charity, for example,

benefits both the community and the

employee, who gains in confidence and is

motivated in their work.”

But how far should business go?

Speaking specifically about Suffolk County

Council’s divestment plans, he says:

“The strategy presents new opportunities for

the private sector, in particular for those

smaller local companies who have previously

been unsuccessful in tapping into public

sector contracts.

“But this is a whole new approach, so

innovation and creativity in how you can work

in partnership with the voluntary and

community sectors will be important.”

Creating opportunities for some

One businesswoman who has successfully

seized the opportunities is social entrepreneur

Belinda Bell. She runs Suffolk Circle, a

membership organisation in Bury St Edmunds

for people over 50 years of age. It is an

enterprise that has been co-designed by local

residents.

She said: “The Circle provides practical help

with life's everyday tasks through a network of

helpers of all ages, and links members together

to get out and about and learn new things.

“Our income is generated through

membership fees and also charged-for events

and services. We have an initial contract with

Suffolk County Council. However over three

years the Circle will grow to be entirely

financially sustainable.

“Some people might call this the Big Society

but we call it common sense – to develop new

solutions with the people who will use them

and to put in place sustainable business

models,” she said.

“As social entrepreneurs we enjoy utilising an

enterprise model to create these social

outcomes. A social enterprise has all the same

challenges as a mainstream business, plus

more on top, because we are interested in far

more than just the bottom line,” she added.

“Financial sustainability is necessary for us to

have the impact we want to have – but it isn't

the end purpose.”

Is this the best of both worlds maybe?

The new, changing face of Suffolk?

While there may be strong opposition and

concerns voiced by many sections of the

community, from trade unions to

educationists, library users to

environmentalists, both local and national

governments have been democratically elected

to carry out the will of the people.

Admittedly at the general election only

10,706,647 actually chose Conservative, with

6,827,938 voting Lib Dem. Of the entire voting

population just over 65 per cent (29,653,638)

voted at all. But our democratic system is as

it is.

Change is under way as a result. Lives will be

transformed and there will be winners and

losers. But is this a change too far? Four or

five years down the road, will it be “all

change” again?

As for now, we have David Cameron – and

indeed Andrea Hill – continuing to try to sell

the Big Society idea to a sceptical public.

He said recently: “It is a good thing to try and

build a stronger society, whatever is

happening to public spending”.

And a better, stronger, more cohesive society

is hard to argue against. But will that be the

actual outcome? Only time will tell.

Belinda Bell

CPW Computing managing director, Christine Lock

Keven Mulley

Paul Winter, chief executive Ipswich Building Society, and chairman of IoD Suffolk

Ipswich Building Society staff at Foxburrow

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As our economy becomes ever

more dependent on knowledge-

based industries, intellectual

property rights may constitute an

important asset of a business and

should be fully considered in any

business sale and purchase.

Intellectual property rights (‘IPRs’),confer on

their owners a raft of rights which prevents

others doing certain things without the

owner's consent, usually given by way

of licensing.

Some IPRs are registerable and their value is

at risk unless ownership is duly lodged at the

appropriate registry. These include patents,

registered trademarks and registered designs.

On a sale of business assets, the transfer of

such IPRs needs to be promptly registered,

since any subsequent buyer of those rights,

acting in good faith and without knowledge

of the earlier sale, will buy free of it. Where

banks are assisting with funding for an assets

purchase by a limited company which includes

IPRs, their security instruments need to be

recorded both at the relevant IPR register and at

Companies House.

Unregistered IPRs, including copyright, moral

rights , know-how and confidential information,

are not capable of registration but, like

registered IPRs, should be transferred in writing

along with other business assets in the asset

purchase agreement.

Appropriate due diligence is needed to find out

what IPRs a seller actually owns and how

transferable these really are. The retention of key

employees of the seller, who have a working

knowledge of a product or process may be more

important than the registered IPR itself. Where the

seller is retaining some intellectual property rights,

it may be necessary to have a licence back of some

of those rights on completion. Where third

parties, such as directors of the selling company,

may have an interest in any of the IPRs, they

should be required to join in the sale agreement in

order to transfer or waive that interest.

intellectual rights and wrongs

Any buyer of IPRs should seek an assignment

of those rights with full title guarantee and,

ideally, an agreed form of the transfer

document attached to the sale agreement.

It should also insist on confirmation that the

seller has sole ownership of all rights in the

intellectual property and that the seller will do

all it reasonably can, at its own cost, to give

the buyer the title it purports to give. The sale

document should also include an assignment

of the right to sue for infringements by third

parties and the right to retain monies owing

in respect of such infringements.

Generally, it is vital to remember that these

most intangible of business assets will not

transfer across to a new owner automatically.

Their existence, ownership and value need to

be identified, evaluated and assigned with

appropriate care and precision.

For more detailed information or for advice.

tel: 01473 230033

email: [email protected]

www.blockslegal.co.uk

by Andrew Fleming, Partner, Blocks Solicitors Andrew Fleming

corporate news

ADVERTISE WITH US

IoD Suffolk Magazine is the premier business to business magazine in the Suffolk and North Essex region, published quarterly as a highquality A4 format publication.

The magazine is mailed directly to key business leaders and has a high profile presence in businesses across the region.

To view a digital version of this magazine visit:www.tilstonphillips.com

To advertise please call 01473 268155 or email [email protected]

Leema Risk Management (LRM)seek to make your businessmore secure and realise your

company’s true potential.

Enterprise risk management, business

resilience and business continuity are

increasingly applicable to all businesses

whatever their turnover either as corporations

or small to medium enterprises.

Often risk management can be the difference

between those companies that fail or are

merely able to ride out a significant business

disruption or indeed the current economic

climate and those that are truly robust and

will reap the benefits of many new

opportunities that are arising.

LRM are independent client side advisers

and implementers in:

Business resilience

Business continuity management

Business recovery

Enterprise risk management

Security risk management

Learning and development

Our services are provided to clients

through three core overlapping services:

Advisory and technical consultancy

Capacity building through implementation

Learning, development and training

Encompassing:

Risk profiling and risk assessment

Strategic business planning

Programme and project management

Leadership, management,

coaching and team building

Training, workshops and exercises

Information security to BS 27001

Data centre and workplace recovery

Testing ICT systems and software to

establish recovery times

realise your company’strue potential

sponsor profile

Lee Weavers

managing director

Lee has extensive

experience at executive

and management level

and been responsible for delivery of business

resilience and continuity programmes and

change-management projects to business

clients in the UK and Internationally. He has

successfully led a raft of projects around the

world and has particular expertise in

business resilience risk management, security

and safety. Recent programmes have

involved worldwide corporate

implementations and the attainment of five

British Standards including BS2599 for

a Middle Eastern client in the UK.

John Coyle

John is a highly

experienced and skilled

consultant. He has

trained as an assessor

in the EFQM business excellence model and

completed courses of study with the Institute

of Risk Management. John covers Essex and

Suffolk and has been involved with a range

of clients providing risk management and

business continuity services. This has involved

creating incident response and crisis

management plans, together with wider-

reaching business continuity plans for major,

multi-tenanted sites in London, Europe and

US and Asia.

Alan Pawsey

Until recently Alan was

the risk manage for

Suffolk County Council.

In this enterprise risk

management (ERM) role he worked across

the organisation and responding to strategic,

operational and emerging risks. We are

delighted to now have him working with us

as part of the local team, bringing as he does

extensive risk and continuity management

experience in the Suffolk area. In addition,

Alan has a strong training background which

is invaluable in the delivery of workshops

and exercises designed to enhance people’s

confidence in dealing with significant

business interruptions.

Miriam Burrell

Miriam is our business

manager and a highly-

experienced trainer in

business resilience and

risk management. She is also a qualified

coach with the Institute of Leadership and

Management (ILM) and an accredited

practitioner in neuro-linguistic

programming (NLP) providing work and life

mentoring and coaching to our clients

adding another set of key learning and

development skills to the Leema team.

Our Suffolk team

Leema Risk Management Ltd

Halyards Business Centre, 1 Wherry Lane Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 1LG

01473 254666 www.leemarisk.com

Our core values of integrity, reliability and quality underpin

everything we write, say, teach and do.


Ipswich: the hub of enterprise and entrepreneurs

Although many people see the

present economic climate as

doing little to inspire

entrepreneurial spirit, for a large

number the opposite is true.

Indeed, the Eastern Enterprise Hub has

committed itself to boosting the number of

entrepreneurs and start-up businesses in the

East of England this year.

Offering training and support, the Hub aims

to provide a central focus for enterprise in the

east. It hopes to promote the region’s

strengths in areas such start-up businesses

and social enterprise while broadening the

east’s economic base.

Celia Hodson, director of the Hub, explained:

“We want to establish the right environment

to foster enterprise responsibility, drive

entrepreneurship and develop skills, with high

impact across the East of England, for the

benefit of the region’s economy.”

One of the Hub’s main goals is to overcome

youth unemployment while encouraging

business start-ups and growth. The Hub will

deliver four strands: the National Enterprise

Academy, the School for Social Entrepreneurs

– Suffolk (SSE), the 5th Floor Business Club

and Wider Enterprise Support.

The National Enterprise Academy is the

brainchild of Peter Jones, from the Dragons’

Den TV programme. This course aims to

deliver educational programmes that will

equip the younger generation with skills such

as how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset,

creating a business plan, brand development

and creativity.

The programme is built around supporting,

setting up and running a micro business for at

least four months.

The academy, based in Ipswich, will be taking

on this vision, offering a one-year, full-time

course for 16 to 24-year-olds that allows

students to take a business idea from

conception, through stages of development to

a final, concluding point.

The level-3 BTEC in Enterprise and

Entrepreneurship begins in September and is

delivered with partners Suffolk New College,

Suffolk One and South Essex College.

The School for Social Entrepreneurs is a

nationally-run initiative that aims to provide

people of all ages with training and

opportunities to use their entrepreneurial and

creative skills for social benefit.

This will help entrepreneurs create

“community-engaged, community-shaped”

organisations. The programme is practical

rather than academic and requires no

minimum qualifications. The School for Social

Entrepreneurs – Suffolk is a franchise of the

national school and has 20 students who

started in January. Their time consists of

undertaking various activities, learning from

other social entrepreneurs, visiting projects

and resolving issues.

The 5th Floor Business Club is focused on

enterprise responsibility and is a platform for

local leaders to get involved with

entrepreneurs at the Hub. Celia Hodson

describes enterprise responsibility as “ensuring

that your actions have a positive impact on

the entrepreneurs of tomorrow and the long-

term future of the region’s economy”.

Several businesses are showing their

commitment to the 5th Floor –including

Prettys, Adnams, Archant and 2Cs

Communications – and are supporting

students in different ways.

Finally, the Wider Enterprise Support strand

hopes to ensure there will be a co-ordinated

approach across the region for enterprise

support. It will develop relationships with

different regions, guaranteeing

a comprehensive support package

for entrepreneurs.

Celia Hodson said: “We are a dynamic

enterprise hub in the heart of Suffolk,

bringing together business leaders and

budding entrepreneurs to offer a unique

learning style.”

If you would like to get involved in the Hub

please contact [email protected]

enterprise

motoring

There’s no stopping Audi. In

addition to all the A1s, A3s, A4s,

A5s, the forthcoming new A6

and the A8s, not to mention the S, Q,

TT, R and RS models, there’s now a

blistering A7 on sale, or more

specifically, the A7 Sportback.

With the introduction of the A7 Sportback,

Audi creeps ever closer to occupying every

conceivable market niche but, more important

for the discerning consumer, the A7 Sportback

is, in Audi’s words, “an unashamedly luxurious

yet also distinctly driver-oriented five-door

performance coupe”.

Now it could be argued that the existing A5

Sportback already fulfils that role very capably,

but with a longer wheelbase and an extra

length, the A7 Sportback affords passengers

valuable additional interior space. The A7

Sportback is also built on the chassis that

underpins the all-new A6, due later this year,

while its aluminium and steel body is about

15 per cent lighter than an all-steel equivalent.

Much of the technology on show has trickled

down from the A8 – for example, its

retractable multi-media interface monitor,

touchpad control, internet capability with

Google Earth mapping and in-car wi-fi – the

A7 Sportback does showcase Audi’s new

head-up display system for the first time.

Paul Newman, owner of Alan Brannan Design,

was on hand to test-drive this impressive

vehicle and was immediately won over by its

sleek lines and responsive handling.

He drove an SE 3.0 TDI 204 PS Multitronic in

a commanding midnight blue livery. The car

manages 0-62mph in a brisk 7.2 seconds and

is equipped with fuel-saving stop/start

technology and the super-smooth, quick-

changing seven-speed gearbox (with an

almost superfluous manual mode), and can

effortlessly dispatch motorway miles at

seriously high speeds.

As Paul commented: “The A7’s ride, steering,

grip, agility and general handling is very hard

Audi’s latest heart-stopping executive coupe…

to fault, and the build quality isn’t just hard to

fault, it’s effectively impossible! All the interior

leathers, plastics, metals and woods are to an

impeccable standard, as are the paint, chrome

and alloy finishes of the exterior. The A7 is

impressively quiet and refined, and if you’ll

pardon the tired clichés, it really does feel

‘hewn from solid metal’ and ‘state of the art’.”

During the drive I was sitting next to Paul and

in terms of interior passenger space, the A7

offers almost the room of the standard

wheelbase, top-of-the-range A8, or in other

words, there are acres of space in the front

with generous legroom and in the back.

It almost goes without saying that the

SE spec A7 comes extremely well-equipped

with safety features like light and rain

sensors, ESP, front and side airbags with

curtain airbags, Xenon and LED lights

and tyre pressure monitoring.

What is new is Audi’s forward-thinking

approach to online services, with the top

phone prep option installed (£400) the A7 can

provide Google news and weather. Drivers can

also plan detailed routes in advance on a

computer elsewhere, upload them to an Audi

server and then download from there to the

car’s sat-nav system. This internet connection

also loads 3D images from Google Earth

which appear in a bird’s-eye view on the

screen, with the car’s navigation data and

software filling in the roads.

One feature that caught Paul’s attention is the

A7’s in-car hotspot that can simultaneously

connect as many as eight wi-fi enabled

laptops, tablets, smartphones etc to the web.

We easily hooked Paul’s iphone to the car’s

wireless network and it worked like a dream

as if we were accessing the internet from

a static location.

The A7 Sportback range starts at £43,755

(3.0 TDI SE) and rises to £49,860

(3.0 TFSI S line Quattro), excluding the

options detailed above.

If you’re in the market for a sleek and

luxurious but practical car, then the highly

desirable A7 Sportback is a tempting

proposition. In fact … make that

very tempting.

Ipswich Audi

2 Bath Street

Ipswich IP2 8SG

01473 556300

Photographed at Ravenwood Hall Hotel

In a world where news travels fast,you want your message to travel

even faster, and with digital signage

your message can keep up with the pace

of hectic modern business life.

Digital signage provides the ultimate flexibility

in keeping your message up-to-date, with

real-time monitoring and updating. And what

is more, because digital signs can be put in

any place, you can get your message across

while your customer is simply walking about.

On average, digital signage solutions deliver

an 18 per cent increase in sales, not counting

the many intangible benefits of a better

customer experience, better service and brand

awareness. The applications are endless and

so are the opportunities.

Digital signage technology can drastically

change and improve the way your

organisation interacts and communicates to

all while reducing your costs and increasing

your revenue at the same time.

Whether your market is hospitality, healthcare,

retail, banking and finance, gaming and

leisure or travel and tourism, to name but a

few, there will be a use for digital signage.

The more familiar ones we see all around us

are screens to help passengers find their way

around when travelling, promotional

information in trains, buses and planes to

inform customers and screens giving local

information and details of latest offers in

shopping malls.

But there is no limit to where up-to-date

information may be required – in the

emergency operations room of a power

supply company, at a charity silent auction, in

a call centre or in the canteen of a hospital for

off-duty staff.

cutting-edge communicationimproves business results

corporate events

LOGISTICS LOGIC

A recent example of using digital

signage in a manufacturing environment

occurred when Ransomes Jacobson,

precision craftsmen in the worldwide

turf maintenance industry, wanted to

improve their internal communication of

key business intelligence. They had a

strong database system but the

information it contained was not easily

shared in a useful way.

AV Unit installed a system which

interrogates the Ransomes Jacobsen

database to pull out key information

(KPIs) and then display this on a series of

screens. Each of the four teams within

the parts department now sees the

information that is pertinent to them,

and it continues to update, so real-time

information is achieved. It has been

proven that people are more likely to

achieve their targets if they are visible

to them.

Dominic O’Brien, warehouse and

inventory manager at Ransomes

Jacobsen Ipswich, explains: “Instead of

information being held locally by an

individual, it is automatically tailored and

displayed to the relevant teams. Thanks

to AV Unit, the information is now

literally available at a glance and, what’s

more, it is always current and correct as

it is digitally linked to our systems. This

improved transparency of information on

orders, stock controls, sales and more

has led to better business results for us.”

Adam Clark, managing director at AV

Unit, comments: “This project is a good

example of the benefits of taking key

business information, sharing it in an

appropriate way, and seeing business

performance improve.”

SOUND ADVICE WITH VISION

www.avunit.com

AUDIO VISUAL BEYOND EXPECTATION

DELIVERING INNOVATIVE AV SOLUTIONS

At AV Unit we provide an innovative approach to your audio visual requirements. Our experienced team of experts deliver accountable results every time. Our services include:

Call 0845 678 0390 Email [email protected]

salthouseharbourhotel

Dine in our boutique restaurant where Simon Barker and his teamprepare modern British food sourced locally.

Wherever you sit you can enjoy the hotel’s collection of contemporarypaintings, sculptures and interesting nic-nacs.

In summer, dine alfresco and watch the harbour from our courtyard.Book a table now and enjoy.

Reserve by telephone 01473 226789.

www.salthouseharbour.co.uk

Stimulate your senses

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Baker Tilly , Abbotsgate House , Hollow Road Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk , IP32 7FA

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how are we going to generate cashand accumulate funds? how will we manage the risks ofdriving the business? do we have a clear strategy for the creationof value (and eventual succession and exit)? is our team strong enough for today andwill it be tomorrow? how will we monitor and manage ourincreasing wealth?

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The fundamental principles of growthmanagement apply to every kind ofenterprise. Ambitious businesses andorganisations wanting to grow, improveand become more profitable needto consider:

More than 50 Suffolk business

leaders attended a sell-out

‘Economic Breakfast’ event,

organised by Suffolk branch of the

Institute of Directors.

Guest speaker was the IoD’s chief economist

and director of policy, Professor Graeme Leach

and after breakfast guests sat on the edge of

their seats to hear his take on how Britain’s

economy will develop this year. The fiscal

squeeze (and the chances of a double-dip

recession) as well as a possible rise in interest

rates (on everyone’s minds) were the main

focus of the talk.

Professor Leach said: “It’s a knife-edge

decision and there’s huge pressure on the

Bank of England, but I believe there’s a strong

argument for not raising interest rates. If we

exclude the effects of indirect taxes then

inflation is 2.4% rather than 4 per cent.

“Wages are not spiralling up and unit labour

costs pressures are flat. Another key reason is

that broad money supply growth is negative.”

Professor Leach said that household income

is likely to decline in real terms this year but

a double-dip recession was unlikely. He said:

“We’re seeing a slower, weaker recovery but

that is to be expected after the financial crisis

– we’ve come through the economic and

financial turmoil of the past few years

relatively unscathed.”

Looking towards the Chancellor’s next

budget he urged Government to protect

infrastructure spending while being more

aggressive on spending reduction in other

areas. He called for the 50 per cent tax rate

on Britain’s highest earners to be abolished

because it was having a detrimental impact

on perceptions of the UK among foreign

investors, as well as increasing the numbers

of business leaders moving out of

the country.

The event was sponsored by Leema Risk

Management, Ensors Chartered Accountants,

Jackaman Smith & Mulley Solicitors and new

sponsor ‘Fresh Ways to Work’, the EU-funded

sustainable transport campaign in Suffolk.

For further information about Suffolk IoD

membership please contact branch

administrator Caroline Kearney

on 07917 699498 or email

[email protected]

Professor Graeme Leach, The Institute of Directors chief economist and director of policy, who spoke at the Suffolk IoD Economic Breakfast

“raising interest rates won’t help the economy”says IoD chief economist at Suffolk breakfast event

IoD events

Seckford HallHotel & Restaurant

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charities

Suffolk digital marketing agency

Itineris raised £2,210 for a

children’s charity by competing in

a 24-hour karting fundraising challenge.

The Copdock-based agency, which specialises

in website design, development and email

marketing, raised the money through personal

donations for Camille’s Appeal, a charity that

helps young children fight the long-term

effects of treatment for brain tumours.

As part of their treatment, the youngsters are

likely to undergo chemotherapy, surgery and

radiotherapy and this can leave them with

disabilities, making an independent life

difficult. Camille’s Appeal aims to help with

the rehabilitation of such children.

24-hour drive raises £2,000

Matt Horsup, head of sales and marketing, led a

team of 10 from Itineris who drove a go-kart for

24-hours at Anglia Indoor Kart Racing in Ipswich.

He said: “This cause is extremely close to my

heart as I personally know the parents who

originally founded their charity, and their

daughter Camille, who has a brain tumour.

The race was pretty gruelling as we had to

keep driving continuously in shifts but was for

an extremely worthwhile cause.”

More information about Camille’s Appeal can

be found at www.camillesappeal.co.uk.

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leisure

build relationships to build your business Stuart Robertson

Although it is a tough timefor businesses right now, we are all looking at how to

maintain or increase our share ofthe market.

The more successful companies will have

already trimmed some of their expenses and

looked at ways to reduce overheads and will

now be looking to develop further the

relationships they have with suppliers

and customers.

Now, more than at any time, it is vital that

your business finds ways to enhance the

working relationships it has with all staff and

clients. How is your business doing that?

While telephoning and sending email is great

for certain parts of your business, it can be

very cost-effective to spend time, in person,

with some of your major suppliers.

Customers will still buy from people they like,

even if their product is not the cheapest. It is

the relationship between seller and purchaser

that is so important.

What is your company doing

to enhance that?

It is harder to refuse someone if they are

standing right in front of you. Invite your

customers or suppliers out for a day to

something that would interest them. This

might be to a motor sports event,

horseracing, shooting or for a round of golf.

Four hours on a golf course, walking and

talking with your clients without the

interference of a telephone, can be very

beneficial to both parties.

You may also find out a lot about their core

beliefs when you see how they approach and

overcome certain obstacles on the golf course.

Although it has often been said that there is

no place for friends in business, now would

be a great time to renew or build new

relationships to take your business further.

Stuart Robertson

Head PGA Golf Professional

01394 383480 [email protected]

the New Wolsey Theatrepresents Guys and Dolls – a musical fable of Broadway

Premièred in New York in 1950, Guys and Dolls is a landmark in

musical theatre. It broke new ground in its portrayal of Broadway's

underworld – a world of gamblers, petty criminals, hoods and

hustlers who haunted the bars, card games and pool halls around

Times Square.

Considered by many to be the greatest of all Broadway musicals,

the story begins when Sky Masterson hits town and falls for a bet

with Nathan Detroit, a small time gambler, that he can take any

girl he wants to Havana.

When Nathan names Sarah Brown, a beautiful leader of the

salvationists at the Save-a-Soul Mission, as the girl he must win,

the sparks begin to fly…

Tickets can be booked online at www.wolseytheatre.co.uk or

by calling the New Wolsey Box Office on 01473 295900. This is

one production you don’t want to miss!!

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1 0 14:19

FACTORSFACTORS

01473 610 192

ask for advice

www.angliafactors.co.uk

visit us online

34 Gloster Road

Martlesham Heath

Ipswich IP5 3RD

BESPOKE KITCHENS, BATHROOMS, BEDROOMS,

HOME OFFICES, HOME CINEMAS & MORE


www.penncommercial.co.uk 01473 211933 for a personal and proactive service

commercial agency • property management • lease renewal • rent review • valuation • epc assessment

Electric House, Ipswich

Penn Commercial looks forward with new initiatives

commercial property

Penn Commercial enjoyed high-

profile success in its third year of

trading, winning the prestigious

Archant Commercial Property Team of

the Year 2010. In January of this year it

added to that the accolade of Estate

Gazette's seventh most active agent in

the East of England.

The latter, in particular, came down to

numbers. Penn Commercial achieved a very

creditable 65 transactions in the year. Those

ranking higher were – almost entirely –

competitors with multiple offices or with

national coverage.

There’s no standing still for managing director,

Vanessa Penn. For 2011, growth is her

watchword. Having consolidated a position in

Ipswich and East Suffolk, Penn Commercial is

expanding on several fronts, making new

connections, adding new faces and widening

its geographical spread.

Penn Commercial’s reputation for pro-active

service has built flourishing relationships with

national agents and receivers who value local

knowledge and expertise, and local/regional

lawyers who require a results-led service for

their clients.

London contacts have introduced instructions in

Felixstowe, and in Enfield for a 60,000 sq ft

warehouse site, and others have brought

instructions for Triton House in Bury St Edmunds

and the 8.2 acre Stanton Europark in Harwich.

More recently, Penn Commercial has been

instructed to acquire a site for a 25,000 sq ft

office in the Ipswich area for a major

international client, a rarity in the current market.

In the Ipswich area Penn Commercial

continues to punch above its weight, acting

for two of the most interesting projects in the

town in years. The Archant site in Lower Brook

Street is to be redeveloped to retain a home

for the long-established publishing business,

but at the same time “The Link” site will be

promoted as a mixed use scheme suitable for

hotel, retail, leisure and offices. Wrenbridge is

the joint venture partner.

Elsewhere, the landmark Electric House, sold

by Penn Commercial in just weeks, has just

received the go-ahead for a stunning facelift,

with plans for rooftop restaurant, offices,

retail and leisure use.

The newest face – Mike Simpson FRICS –

further strengthens the team. Mike joined

earlier this year following 30 years with

Framlingham- based chartered surveyors,

Clarke and Simpson.

Mike, a fellow of the Royal Institution

of Chartered Surveyors, brings a wealth of

practical experience and will complement

the services of existing consultant Paul

Iacobucci MRICS in providing marketing

advice and Energy Performance

Certificate assessments.

Penn Commercial is also teaming up with

Green EU Energy specialists in solar panel

heating, eco-cooling and infra red systems

to encourage landlords to lower energy costs

and meet carbon credit levels in accordance

with the new feed-in tariff scheme.

Triton House, Bury St Edmunds

Vanessa Penn

business books

business books

For many people today, the notion of success is

now set against a range of other wants and

desires which are not necessarily to do with

having a large bank account or sports car.

Instead, work needs to form part of what

Are you searching for your next challenge?

Are you tempted to go to business school?

Before you do, save your money and read "The

Personal MBA". Getting an MBA takes two

years of your life. And most of it is spent on

From Dubai to Amsterdam, Memphis to South

Korea, a new phenomenon is reshaping the way

we live and transforming the way we do

business: the aerotropolis. A combination of

The Personal MBA:

A World-class

Business Education

in a Single Volume

By Josh Kaufman.

Published February

2011, Viking, £12.99

PowerPoint presentations and outdated

financial models, rather than learning what it

takes to run a real business. "The Personal

MBA" distils the most valuable lessons of the

finest business schools and the best business

books of all time into simple, memorable

ideas and tools. It covers concepts such as The

Iron Law of the Market, The 12 Forms of

Value, The Pricing Uncertainty Principle, and

The 4 Methods to Increase Revenue. This book

is all you need to learn the fundamentals of

business quickly, and discover exactly how to

apply them to transform your career.

Aerotropolis: The Way

We'll Live Next

By John D. Kasarda,

Greg Lindsay.

Published March 2011,

Allen Lane, £14.99

giant airport, planned city, shipping facility and

business hub, the aerotropolis will be at the

heart of the next phase of globalization.

Drawing on a decade's worth of cutting-edge

research, John Kasarda and Greg Lindsay offer a

visionary look at how the metropolis of the

future will bring us together - and how, in our

globalized, 'flat' world, connecting people and

goods is still as important as digital

communication. Airport cities will change the

face of our physical world and the nature of

global enterprise. "Aerotropolis" shows us how to

make the most of this unparalleled opportunity.

Get a Dog, Don't Work

Like One: Think

Differently About Your

Work-Life Balance

By Jim Banting

Marshall.

Published January 2010,

Cavendish, £12.95

Social media can be an incredibly powerful

marketing tool that brings a company or

organization huge rewards. But for beginners

in this new world, the potential risks are also

high. Consumers are particularly passionate in

the online world; the most active social

networkers are poised to be your brand's

gushing fans - or your most scathing critics.

Both multimillion-dollar profits and self-inflicted

PR fiascos are possible via social media. This

guidebook begins by defining 'social media,'

'social networking,' and other terms that may

be ambiguous, then details what recent market

research reveals about the scope and growth

rate of the social media landscape. Real-world

examples of both large and small organizations

who have successfully implemented social

media strategies are showcased, and the hype

and failed promise of famous flash-in-the-pan

social networks are examined. The author

outlines a comprehensive strategy for success

with social media, including practical

information on watching metrics, establishing

beachheads, determining your driver, building a

checklist of driver 'amplifications,' and

combating the 'what now?' factor. Tom Funk is

vice president of marketing for Timberline

Interactive, a web development and online

marketing consultancy, and former web

manager of Vermont Teddy Bear Company.

Funk has been involved in e-commerce and

web publishing since 1995. He is a frequent

speaker in the United States and abroad.

Social Media Playbook

for Business: Reaching

Your Online Community

with Twitter, Facebook,

Linkedin, and More

By Tom Funk.

February 2011, Praeger

Publishers, £31.95

makes us happy. This book is about making

people more successful and happy, by getting

them to think differently. Packed with real-life

experiences, case studies, anecdotes and

stories, James Banting provides 101 advice and

tips to redesign parts of your life in order to get

a life. This includes using technology to get

ahead of the curve, learning from failure,

delegating, how to say No , evaluating people

differently, and ultimately, how to become self-

sufficient.For those who find climbing the

career ladder is not the one and only goal in

their life, this book will be an inspiration to an

alternative, balanced life.

Please join us at our

WHOLE SCHOOL

OPEN MORNINGSaturday 12th March 2011 and

Saturday 14th May 2011 9.30am - 12.30am

A co-educational Independent Day School for 2-18 year olds with boarding facilities.Scholarships and bursaries up to 100 per cent of fees available.

A Christian School in the Lasallian Tradition.Belstead Road, Ipswich, England, IP2 9DR Tel: 01473 6980281

[email protected] www.stjos.co.uk


business start up

last word...

Hi I’m one of 20 students in the

first cohort at the School for

Social Entrepreneurs Suffolk

(SSES), and I’ve started on an exciting

journey: to establish a social enterprise

called ‘Got To Read’.

Research shows that one in six adults in the

UK cannot read well, which for Suffolk

translates to potentially 60,000 adults. If you

struggle with reading, you are less likely to

have a good job, live in good housing, be

healthy or participate in democracy. I’m

convinced that the impact of poor reading

skills is a long-term drain on individual

wellbeing, our communities and

our economy.

The ‘Got To Read’ approach will offer literacy

awareness training and will work with

partners locally and nationally to bring

resources into Suffolk to deliver reading

promotions. But, most important, it will

involve and mobilise communities themselves

to decide what approaches work best for

them, how they can best support each other,

and how to have fun with and get enjoyment

from reading along the way.

So, why take the route of being a student with

the SSES, using one precious day a week for a

year to be ‘at school’, rather than setting off

independently as with any other new company

start-up? For me, with a background of

developing computer systems for commercial

profit, the main answer is about the key

difference of being a social entrepreneur and a

traditional entrepreneur; setting up a project

with social aims, and the recognition that I’ll

need to develop a further set of skills and

knowledge to make this really work.

How does the SSES support this? Well, it

organises Witness Sessions, where existing

successful social entrepreneurs are generous

with sharing their stories and learning.

There are also essential practical advice

‘lessons’ led by local business experts who

support the school’s aims.

For example, this week’s lesson was invaluable

to me as it covered company legal structures,

courtesy of Prettys solicitors. Previous

experience may have taught me about limited

companies: but for ‘Got To Read’, does it

need to be a Charitable Incorporated

Organisation, or will a Community Interest

Company provide more flexibility? Would a

mutual or a co-operative approach be a better

fit for the company’s aims?

Finance, as always, will be a key issue: and

against a background of recession and

austerity, how will the new company get

established and become sustainable? I’m

predicting a revenue stream from delivery of

training, and expecting membership fees: but

will I also be able to convince trusts and

funds, national bodies, local government and

local businesses that this is a good investment

- that supporting ‘Got To Read’ will actually

boost the local and national economy? Each

student has a dedicated tutor: in this case, his

independent review of my financial strategy

will be very welcome.

Another part of being at the school is sharing

all of these practical challenges with the other

students, who have an amazing range of

backgrounds and experiences between them.

Action Learning Sets are in place to help us

work through the issues which are part of

social entrepreneurship.

So, four weeks in, and I’m thriving on being

part of the energy and creativity at the SSES,

and on driving forward a business in which I

believe so passionately. I’m enjoying the blend

of practical advice from the school, support

from the other students, and then ‘getting

on and doing’ – which means things

are moving quickly.

I’ll be reporting back here on progress over

the year. If you would like more information

about ‘Got To Read’ or about the SSES

student experience, or if you would like to be

involved in any way, I would love to hear

from you.

[email protected]

You can learn more about the School

for Social Entrepreneurs Suffolk at

www.sse.org.uk/suffolk.

introducing the IoD committee

new members to suffolk branch

Leigh-Ondrea BendallBranch Treasurer

tel 01440 711400email [email protected]

Ian JohnsonBranch Membership Officer


Dawn Carman-JonesEducation Liaison Officer andRegional Professional DevelopmentCo-ordinator


Dean WillinghamVice Chairman


IoD SuffolkMembershipBenefits

•IoD Travel Services

• IoD Car Rental

• IoD Director’s Liability

Insurance

•IoD Professional

Indemnity Insurance

•IoD Home and Contents

Insurance

•IoD Health Plans

For a complete list of the currentaffinity member benefits, please seewww.iod.com/speciallynegotiated

Neil PrenticeMarketing and Magazine Liaison Officer


IoD Pall Mall, London

To find out more about joining IoD Suffolk branch...Please call Caroline Kearney, Suffolk Branch Administrator mob: 07917 699 498 email: [email protected]/suffolk

Institute of Directors Suffolk Branch, 25 Wilding Drive, Grange Farm, Kesgrave, Ipswich IP5 2AE

Chris JohnsonSponsorship Officer


Paul WinterChairman


Catherine ChambersEducation Liaison Officer andRegional ProfessionalDevelopment Co-ordinator


Caroline KearneySuffolk Branch Administrator

mob 07917 699 498email [email protected]

Graham Lee Consultancy

Graham Lee

Healeys Printers Ltd

Philip Dodd

Itineris Ltd

Tim Butcher

MLM Consulting Engineers Ltd

Stephen Beales

PER International Electronics Recruitment Ltd

Jacqui Grimwood

Project PR & Marketing Ltd

Penny Arbuthnot

Pro-Tec Systems Ltd

Geoff Marchant

Regroup Media UK Ltd

Scott Muir

Richard Jackson Ltd

Richard Miall

Stepstone Solutions

Robert Symons

Topicas Ltd

John Cheshire

University Campus Suffolk

Brendon Noble

Penny Arbuthnot Public Relations Co-ordinator


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