open for business may 2015

May 2015

OPEN FOR BUSINESSSouth Cambridgeshire

In this edition

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P7Join our business register to access even more support and information. www.scambs.gov.uk/businessregister

To unsubscribe from this mailing, email ‘unsubscribe’ to [email protected]

Register for our Community Pubs event

Issue 9

Getting the most out of your bank

Thinking of starting a social

enterprise?

Free Webinars - top tips for

improving your business skills

Our Business Rates team is available to offer advice and answer your questions at [email protected]

Are you entitled to Business Rate relief?From 1 April 2014, we’ve been able to consider discretionary relief for rate payers in the retail sector and some service providers whose rateable value is £50,000 or less. The total amount of relief available for each property was £1,000 for 2014/15 and is £1,500 for 2015/16. The scheme will run to 31 March 2016 only. Entitlement to this relief is subject to meeting retail criteria and making a State Aid declaration,you can find out more in the Business Rates section of our website, plus details of other relief schemes that are currently available.

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South Cambridgeshire - OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Welcome to the May edition of Open for Business. We have news on how you can find out whether you are entitled to claim business rate relief, where to check to see what support is available for your business and how to access two free webinars that include top tips for improving your business skills. You can also find out how to register for our Community Pubs event at the CAMRA award winning Plough at Shepreth on Wednesday 10 June. If you like chocolate we have the right case study for you. Sawston based Harry Specters share their inspirational story of how they have combined their passions for chocolate and supporting people with Autism into a successful social enterprise business. There is also news on how you can get your business involved with Wacky Races 2015, learn how to get the most out of your bank and find out whether your business could benefit from a mentor. Please keep your feedback coming by emailing [email protected] your comments help shape each edition and ensure we cover the local business issues important to you.

Cllr Nick WrightCabinet member for planning and economic development

Welcome

Community Pubs EventWednesday 10 June 2015The Plough, Shepreth

10:10 The Plough: a story of rejuvenation Nick Davis10:30 Pubs and Permitted Development Rights (New legislation relating to Assets of Community Vale; Article 4 Directions) SCDC Communities team10:40 Pubs and Business Rates - how SCDC can help - Trudie Mann, SCDC

10:00 Introduction - Welcome and introduction

09:30 - Registration and coffee

- chance to look around

The Plough

Coffee

11:00 Raising your pub’s profile(Digital marketing: using social media for your business, building aneffectiveonline brand and e-business skills) Joanne Christy, Stir Up Media 11:30 Destination Digital: Vouchers for broadband connection Nicole Kritzinger, SCDC11:45 Help out there for free Bernard Lee, Companion of the British Institute of Innkeeping (runapub.com)

12:30 Workshop 1 13:00 Workshop 2 13:30 Networking,coffee14:00 Closing comments

Lunch

Community pubs event Grow your pub’s business with the help of our Community Pubs Event on Wednesday 10 June. The event will run from 10am to 2pm at The Plough in Shepreth, recently awarded Most Improved Rural Pub by Cambridge and District CAMRA. There’ll be updates on the changes in legislation affecting pubs listed as Assets of Community Value, the help we can give through reductions in business rates, news about free broadband connection vouchers for pub businesses - worth up to £3,000 - and a masterclass on how to utilise social media to market your pub. Nick Davis, co-owner of The Plough, will share the story of how he has revitalised his pub, which stood vacant for some considerable time before being re-opened for business. For those contemplating running a pub, either as an individual or through a community buy-out, there’ll be a session from Bernard Lee from runapub.com Workshops will also be offered with Terry Stork from Pub is the Hub and, for those interested in community investment, Nicole Hamilton from the Plunkett Foundation.

For more information speak to Clare Gibbons on 01954 713290To book a place email [email protected]

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Wacky Races 2015- it’s back!Milton Country Park, Saturday 11 July 2015 This renowned canoe relay challenge will see local businesses battle for the coveted title of Wacky Races champions 2015. The race will take place at Milton Country Park, where fantastic new land and water based activities are guaranteed to float your boat. Wacky Races will be raising money for Arthur Rank Hospice once again, and they are excited to tell you all about their new building, opening in September 2016. If 16 teams sign up for July’s competition, they can raise more in one event than in the last three years combined! The money will go towards making the new hospice as comfortable as possible, as it can pay for up to four patient beds.

If you think your team is good enough to knock Cambridge News off the top spot, and you want to help Arthur Rank build for the future email Ryan Cullum at [email protected] or call 01487 849924

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Thinking about starting a social enterprise?Social enterprises comes in all sizes, from small community cafes to international organisations. Setting up a social enterprise - or transforming a charity, public sector or private business into one - can be a daunting, exhilarating and challenging experience. Sawston-based Harry Specters makes award-winning chocolates, but there’s a higher aim behind the company, providing employment opportunities for people on the autism spectrum. The company was inspired, and named by, founder and managing director Mona Shah’s teenage son, who is himself on the autism spectrum. On a visit to a chocolate shop during a family holiday to Scotland, Mona had the idea to combine two passions - chocolate and making a positive impact for people with autism. According to the National Autistic Society only 15% of people with autism of working age in the UK are in full-time employment, with 61% of those currently unemployed looking for work. Harry Specters employees are assured of a safe and supportive environment, with the freedom to use their strengths. As a social enterprise, for every £1 of profit made, 60p is set aside to further the social aims of Harry Specters, providing social activities for employees and opportunities for personal development.

Mona explains: “Our main target segment is corporate customers and within that space, we do not have any competition”. Shaz Shah, co-founder and director of strategy, adds: “We offer a great product for a great cause at a premium and customers buy from us in order to improve their Corporate Social Responsibility credentials”. Harry Specters has featured in the Financial Times and was a finalist in both the Social Enterprise Awards and PwC awards for Social Enterprise (Sustainability Category) in 2014. This year, Mona has also been nominated for a Daily Mail Mumpreneur award. The company is a multiple Great Taste Award winner and

scooped the Guardian Social Enterprise award in 2014 for the best Easter egg. Find out more about Harry Specters and their products at www.harryschocs.co.uk If you’re interested in starting a social enterprise, or finding out more about them, Social Enterprise UK has produced a guide to starting your social enterprise. The guide takes you through the essentials from finding investment and funding to deciding on the most suitable legal structure for your social enterprise.

Find out more about starting and running a social enterprise by visiting:

Inspire2Enterprise: www.inspire2enterprise.org Social Enterprise East of England: www.seee.co.uk Social Enterprise UK: www.socialenterprise.org.uk UK Government website: www.gov.uk/set-up-a-social-enterprise

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Get the most out of your bankA new online resource is available to help businesses find and access the finance products they need. The ‘Working with Banks’ hub at www.greatbusiness.gov.uk pulls together a range of information and support, including a business banking insight survey to help SMEs identify the best financial products and services on the market, plus information on how to switch your account/s to a new provider. The site also offers online business support live chat with advisors between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday and you can sign-up to the Great Business email newsletter.

Visit the hub on the GREATbusiness website at www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/working-with-banks

Could your business benefit from a mentor?

Joint Applications for Connection VouchersGroups of businesses and charities can apply together for connection vouchers to provide superfast broadband for an entire office or business park.

Find out about joint applications at www.destinationdigital.info/joint-applications

Get personalised advice to help your business grow. The Mentorsme scheme, backed by the Department for

Business, Innovation and Skills, provides free access to

experienced mentors. Thousands of businesses work with a

business mentor, and 9 out of 10 business people who have

used a mentor have seen a benefit. Find your mentor today at mentorsme.co.uk

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at Milton Country Park

All courses and tasters led by Level 1 qualified Paddle Boarding Instructors. Minimum height 1.3m

Paddle Boarding

Prices start from £10 per person for a 45 minute session All size groups catered for

Email: [email protected] call Helen Stepney on 01954 713362

Book a team

building event with a

differenceAvailable

May - September 2015


Editorial informationThis newsletter is produced for local businesses by South Cambridgeshire District Council.Editorial enquiries should be emailed to [email protected] The opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of South Cambridgeshire District Council. All data is accepted in good faith at the time of going to press.

What business support is available for you?Answer a few questions to get a report of resources and schemes to start or support your business. www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/mybusinesssupporttool

Free Webinars - Top Tips for improving your business skills.Pick up valuable business tips without leaving your desk by viewing our archived business support webinars. Focusing on business planning and growing a profitable business, the webinars were held as part of our ongoing business support programme, providing practical and hands on advice that you can use in your working day. Webinars are a great way to access professional development at a time and place that suits you. They could help you take your business idea to the next level or provide you with an immediate solution to a problem. To view the webinars, follow the links below and enter your name and email address.

Business planning - an introductionhttp://bit.ly/1Ev4a3l

Business planning - growing a profitable businesshttp://bit.ly/1FdCgum

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open for business may 2015

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