The Insider

Interested in a Graduate Placement?

Channel Chamber currently benefits from the employment of two young graduates –Aromal and Abbishek, who are helping us to deliver two separate business-related projects over the next few months. Their skills and expertise have already enabled us to make huge strides with our marketing programmes and, in return we are providing them with essential hands-on experience plus day-to-day contact with local business people at all levels.

We strongly recommend that Chamber members also consider taking advantage of a new graduate Internship scheme being launched by the University of Kent on Wednesday 10th February, at the Canterbury Innovation Centre on the University’s Canterbury Campus (5.30pm-7.30pm).

Up to 100 new graduate Internships are being offered to local business, all funded through the Higher Education Funding Council. The evening will feature presentations from companies currently engaged with the University of Kent. Cheese, wine and soft drinks will be provided in an informal setting along with plenty of opportunities for networking.

For more information please telephone 01227 827376 or book a place online www.kent.ac.uk/enterprise.

New Website Promotes Road Safety

A new website (www.kmscp.org) has been created by Folkestone-based Sagittarius Marketing aimed at changing people’s attitudes towards road safety in Kent. This follows four separate integrated campaigns they have helped design which drive home life-saving road safety messages to motorists across the region.

The website includes new educational areas on speed limits for different types of vehicles and also an interactive safety camera map showing every fixed camera location in the county.

Sagittarius Marketing will shortly be delivering a number of high-profile road safety campaigns starting with the Safety Cameras Save Lives campaign, which debunks the myths many people have about safety cameras.

For more information visit www.sagittarius-digital.com

Construction of New Strategic Main

A £1.4m scheme to build a new strategic main at St Mary’s Bay is being launched by Veolia Water. The work (involving 1.6km of pipeline) which is due to begin very shortly will improve security of supply in the area and is part of a wider upgrading of the mains network across Romney Marsh costing more than £33m.

Temporary traffic lights on the A259 at St Mary’s Bay will be needed to allow the work to be completed. An Enterprise helpline for enquiries on the work will be available tel: 0800 521660. The Veolia Water helpline is 0845 888 5 888.

Lydd Airport Corrections

Lydd Airport’s advertisement in the current edition of the Herald newspaper has shown some incorrect figures relating to future projections and they tell us that a correction will be published in the next edition.

The copy should have read: Research shows that the total revenue generated by visitors using the expanded airport would be £1.8 million each year for 300,000 passengers and £3.25 million for 500,000 passengers.

Grand Welcome to Robert Richardson

We have a new Manager at the Grand in Folkestone and Channel Chamber sends him our very best wishes on behalf of all his fellow Chamber members.

Robert Richardson has worked extensively throughout the hotel industry during the past twelve years and as part of his plans for 2010 he is focussing on Kent produce being served across his bars and restaurants, including the Keppels Bistro and Palm Court restaurant). Homemade scones and cakes, Chapel Down wines and Biddendens cider and apple juice are all being served and will complement a very busy ‘event’ programme being designed to attract locally-based customers in particular.

For further details of this programme including Art exhibitions, a bigger Charity Focus, Classic Car Rally, Real Ale & Wine tastings, Murder Mysteries, Theatre Shows, Wedding Fairs & Open Days please telephone Robert on 01303 222 222.