Local Employers Wanted
Enthusiastic local employers are being sought by Pent Valley Technology College and the Marsh Academy to help with the design and delivery of a new Diploma IT programme.
Throughout the next two years course students aged 14 – 16 years will be applying their practical ICT skills into business contexts and preparing themselves for the job market of the future.
Local employers and their staff are needed to become involved in a range of activities including work experience programmes and visits to the company premises.. Visits to the schools will also be encouraged using business scenarios that are based on the company’s’ history and performance or using standard business document as exemplars.
If you feel your business can support this new Diploma programme please contact Katy Tibbles at Katy.Tibbles@pent-valley.kent.sch.uk
Cultural Journeys: The Arts, Higher Education and great expectations?
University Centre Folkestone is hosting this free conference on and is inviting a host of organizations to attend including creative and performing arts practitioners, academics, tutors from schools and Further and Higher Education, and those interested in issues around regeneration, entrepreneurship, the arts and education.
Topics for discussion and debate include why and how the arts can regenerate communities, how art changes lives, the X Factor Generation and expectation management and the arts practitioner as entrepreneur.
Places are limited and any interested Chamber members are urged to book soonest at business.services@canterbury.ac.uk or ring 01227 782196.
Folkestone Quaterhouse –Autumn Season 2010
The Quarterhouse in Folkestone are delighted to present their autumn programme packed with a fantastic mix of top comedy acts, live music, theatre, family shows, free family workshops, films and the Folkestone Book Festival.
If you visit Quarterhouse to pick up a copy of their new brochure you can collect a wristband that will entitle you to 10% off tickets for any event in the autumn season and 10% off your bill from the Quarterhouse bar & restaurant.
Introducing 'Meet Smart' Conference Facilities
The Holiday Inn Express adjacent to the Channel Tunnel Terminal in Folkestone have launched their new conference facilities with four state of the art suites that can accommodate up to thirty delegates. These are perfect for training sessions, small events, networking functions, conferences, meetings, product launches, recruitment interviews and courses.
For further details please visit their website at www.hiexfolkestone.com
A Taste of Shepway this Summer
For details of activities, events and entertainment for all ages and interests this Summer in Shepway please visit - www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk
Channel Chamber Breakfast at the Grand 11th August 2010
Our networking breakfast does "exactly what it says on the tin", it gives members and non-members an opportunity to network, to meet many other businesses in a relaxed, fun yet business environment.
We meet from 7.30am onwards for open networking, with breakfast being served at 8.00am, We have a ten-minute speaker slot, followed by a quick round the room introduction, there is never any pressure to give referrals or to speak in public if you don’t want to.
Good humoured and inclusive, and you are bound to feel at ease, and able to sell yourself and your business. Remember to bring your cards!! To avoid disappointment please contact Tracy Reynolds on 01303 270022 or email info@channelchamber.co.uk
Tuesday 27 July 2010
Tuesday 20 July 2010
The Insider
First onsite tour of the new Turner Contemporary Gallery
London 2012 Cultural Olympiad campaign ‘Discovering Places’ is being launched this coming weekend with a host of exciting, free public events throughout the South East, including the first opportunity to visit the building site of the new Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate.
Discovering Places aims to encourage communities to get out and explore the hidden gems on their doorstep, from historic castles to contemporary townscapes, woodland trails and local wildlife. Many of the Discovering Places events are run on a voluntary basis and all will offer free entry to anyone interested in discovering more about their local environment
The following Discovering Places events will take place in the South East over the weekend of 23-25 July. Full listings of the Discovering Places events can be found at: http://www.london2012.com/get-involved/upcoming-events/index.php
Labour Market Statistics
Our colleagues at the British Chambers of Commerce have been studying the latest quarterly figures and we’re told there are some welcome headline improvements, such as rising numbers of people in work and 34,000 fewer unemployed on the books. But these statistics mask some altogether more worrying trends:
Underemployment: recovery so far has been driven by part-time work. Nearly 1.1m people now report that they can only find part-time jobs, despite the fact that they’d rather be working full-time. This means that businesses will be more likely to turn to their existing labour forces as demand grows again - rather than create huge numbers of new jobs.
· Long-term unemployment: 32% of the unemployed have now been out of work for twelve months or more. If the Government expects businesses to hire these people, it will have to ensure they are ready to work – and that they are not ensnared by the sticky problem of the benefits trap.
· Earnings: while narrower, the gap between public-sector and private-sector pay awards is still there, and it’s still significant. The Chamber movement has made it clear to Ministers that it expects public-sector pay restraint as a part of wider austerity measures, and will continue to do so.
The Government’s economic projections for the next few years are based on very ambitious levels of business job creation. So the Chambers message to ministers is clear: the private sector will do its best to generate economic activity and jobs as the recovery continues. But business expects the Government to sweep away the barriers to growth – by investing in infrastructure, removing unnecessary regulation, and helping more companies trade overseas.
Win a Free Trip to the European Parliament
On the 14th October, over 700 entrepreneurs will descend on the European Parliament to put business at the top of the agenda.
The 2010 European Parliament of Enterprises (EPE) brings together 775 business men and women from across the European Union to debate and vote on hot business issues. Sitting in the Parliament’s hemicycle, will be national delegations from across the EU’s 27 member states. The British delegation will have the opportunity to take part in a Q & A with the BBC’s European correspondent, Gavin Hewitt and lunch with the UK ’s most senior official to the EU, Kim Darroch.
One lucky entrepreneur will have all their travel and accommodation covered by the BCC as all participants will be automatically entered into a prize draw
For further details, or to register, click here or contact Kieran O’Keeffe
Do you Want?
- 6 ways to get repeat visitors to your website
- Top tips for turning emails into sales
- Working from home - how to get more done
These tips and much more are offered in Business Link’s regular Online Newsletter. If you’re not receiving your copy simply email : info@businesslinksoutheast.net
Free online directory and mapping service for Kent based creative businesses
The ‘I Am Local’ mapping service at www.iamlocal.net provides a free online creative index and social network for artists, venues and organisations across the region. The organisation promotes the map as a live online resource that will continually grow and expand with new information and listings. In conjunction with its online site ‘I Am Local’ is distributed as a paper version at key venues throughout Kent , defining the growing network of arts culture both locally and nationally.’
Oriac House Learner Centre invites you to a series of Computer Skills Open Days
Whether you are already using a computer and various applications or whether you are a complete novice to computers and the internet, we have a training course for you. On Monday 19 July 2010,Tuesday 20 July 2010 and Wednesday 21 July 2010 you can come into the centre and sample the learning courses ABSOLUTELY FREE!
For anyone from 19-99 who doesn’t know how to use a computer or how to ‘surf the Net’ Oriac House Learner Centre in partnership with UK Online can give you access to free online courses and teach you how to use them FREE during the Open Days. For further information Phone: 01303 278418 email: training@oriac.co.uk
Channel Chamber Breakfast at the Grand 11th August 2010
Our networking breakfast does "exactly what it says on the tin", it gives members and non-members an opportunity to network, to meet many other businesses in a relaxed, fun yet business environment.
We meet from 7.30am onwards for open networking, with breakfast being served at 8.00am, We have a ten-minute speaker slot, followed by a quick round the room introduction, there is never any pressure to give referrals or to speak in public if you don’t want to.
Good humoured and inclusive, and you are bound to feel at ease, and able to sell yourself and your business. Remember to bring your cards!! To avoid disappointment please contact Tracy Reynolds on 01303 270022 or email info@channelchamber.co.uk
London 2012 Cultural Olympiad campaign ‘Discovering Places’ is being launched this coming weekend with a host of exciting, free public events throughout the South East, including the first opportunity to visit the building site of the new Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate.
Discovering Places aims to encourage communities to get out and explore the hidden gems on their doorstep, from historic castles to contemporary townscapes, woodland trails and local wildlife. Many of the Discovering Places events are run on a voluntary basis and all will offer free entry to anyone interested in discovering more about their local environment
The following Discovering Places events will take place in the South East over the weekend of 23-25 July. Full listings of the Discovering Places events can be found at: http://www.london2012.com/get-involved/upcoming-events/index.php
Labour Market Statistics
Our colleagues at the British Chambers of Commerce have been studying the latest quarterly figures and we’re told there are some welcome headline improvements, such as rising numbers of people in work and 34,000 fewer unemployed on the books. But these statistics mask some altogether more worrying trends:
Underemployment: recovery so far has been driven by part-time work. Nearly 1.1m people now report that they can only find part-time jobs, despite the fact that they’d rather be working full-time. This means that businesses will be more likely to turn to their existing labour forces as demand grows again - rather than create huge numbers of new jobs.
· Long-term unemployment: 32% of the unemployed have now been out of work for twelve months or more. If the Government expects businesses to hire these people, it will have to ensure they are ready to work – and that they are not ensnared by the sticky problem of the benefits trap.
· Earnings: while narrower, the gap between public-sector and private-sector pay awards is still there, and it’s still significant. The Chamber movement has made it clear to Ministers that it expects public-sector pay restraint as a part of wider austerity measures, and will continue to do so.
The Government’s economic projections for the next few years are based on very ambitious levels of business job creation. So the Chambers message to ministers is clear: the private sector will do its best to generate economic activity and jobs as the recovery continues. But business expects the Government to sweep away the barriers to growth – by investing in infrastructure, removing unnecessary regulation, and helping more companies trade overseas.
Win a Free Trip to the European Parliament
On the 14th October, over 700 entrepreneurs will descend on the European Parliament to put business at the top of the agenda.
The 2010 European Parliament of Enterprises (EPE) brings together 775 business men and women from across the European Union to debate and vote on hot business issues. Sitting in the Parliament’s hemicycle, will be national delegations from across the EU’s 27 member states. The British delegation will have the opportunity to take part in a Q & A with the BBC’s European correspondent, Gavin Hewitt and lunch with the UK ’s most senior official to the EU, Kim Darroch.
One lucky entrepreneur will have all their travel and accommodation covered by the BCC as all participants will be automatically entered into a prize draw
For further details, or to register, click here or contact Kieran O’Keeffe
Do you Want?
- 6 ways to get repeat visitors to your website
- Top tips for turning emails into sales
- Working from home - how to get more done
These tips and much more are offered in Business Link’s regular Online Newsletter. If you’re not receiving your copy simply email : info@businesslinksoutheast.net
Free online directory and mapping service for Kent based creative businesses
The ‘I Am Local’ mapping service at www.iamlocal.net provides a free online creative index and social network for artists, venues and organisations across the region. The organisation promotes the map as a live online resource that will continually grow and expand with new information and listings. In conjunction with its online site ‘I Am Local’ is distributed as a paper version at key venues throughout Kent , defining the growing network of arts culture both locally and nationally.’
Oriac House Learner Centre invites you to a series of Computer Skills Open Days
Whether you are already using a computer and various applications or whether you are a complete novice to computers and the internet, we have a training course for you. On Monday 19 July 2010,Tuesday 20 July 2010 and Wednesday 21 July 2010 you can come into the centre and sample the learning courses ABSOLUTELY FREE!
For anyone from 19-99 who doesn’t know how to use a computer or how to ‘surf the Net’ Oriac House Learner Centre in partnership with UK Online can give you access to free online courses and teach you how to use them FREE during the Open Days. For further information Phone: 01303 278418 email: training@oriac.co.uk
Channel Chamber Breakfast at the Grand 11th August 2010
Our networking breakfast does "exactly what it says on the tin", it gives members and non-members an opportunity to network, to meet many other businesses in a relaxed, fun yet business environment.
We meet from 7.30am onwards for open networking, with breakfast being served at 8.00am, We have a ten-minute speaker slot, followed by a quick round the room introduction, there is never any pressure to give referrals or to speak in public if you don’t want to.
Good humoured and inclusive, and you are bound to feel at ease, and able to sell yourself and your business. Remember to bring your cards!! To avoid disappointment please contact Tracy Reynolds on 01303 270022 or email info@channelchamber.co.uk
Thursday 15 July 2010
The Insider
The UK ’s first Interactive Online Business Directory for Offshore Wind
The portal, Kentwindenergy.co.uk has now gone live and if you’re interested in doing business in one of the UK ’s fasteet growing sectors you are invited to sign on NOW for Free !
This interactive online business directory is dedicated to supporting the growth of the offshore wind industry in the Thames Estuary and southern North Sea and has been developed through the Backing Kent Business campaign and its Chamber partners – including Channel Chamber.
£1 Million Plus Investment at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
News has reached us that Chamber member – Port Lympne Wild Life Animal Park is planning a massive investment in developing a new restaurant facility.
Open since the mid seventies this Park now attracts more than 220,000 visitors per annum. In addition to the rare and endangered species from around the world that visitors come to see, the Park has also developed a very successful wedding and banqueting business, built up at Port Lympne mansion with annual sales in excess of £500k.
The new restaurant facility will therefore add significant value to East Kent ’s foremost visitor attraction and Channel Chamber will be voicing its full support to Shepway’s planning team when the application is submitted later this month
New ‘Health for Work Adviceline’ for small businesses
For the UK ’s millions of small and medium-sized businesses, the impact of employee absence through illness can be huge. That’s why the free ‘Health for Work Adviceline’ has been created by the NHS. The adviceline provides small business owners and managers with the expert advice and support they need to help team members being affected by ill health.
f you’re losing working days because of employees with back pain and work-related mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression, this new NHS service could be invaluable.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
As SEEDA (the South East RDA) disappears it appears to be making way for more bottom-up economic development arrangements and your Chamber believes that business has a unique opportunity to set a stronger vision for local growth.
The timescale for these changes is short. and ahead of this summer’s Regional Growth White Paper, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is wasting no time making it clear to ministers and civil servants that LEPs must have a narrow focus on private-sector growth – and that the local business community AND the BCC Accredited Chambers must sit at the very heart of strategy-setting and decision-making.
If you’re interested in these developments and want to play an active part in the emrging LEP plans please contact Peter Hobbs on 01303 270022 or email: peter.hobbs@channel.co.uk
Cultural Journeys: The Arts, Higher Education an Great Expectations?
On Friday 10 September (9.30am - 4.00pm) University Centre Folkestone is hosting this free event for creative and performing arts practitioners, academics, tutors from schools and Further and Higher Education, and those interested in issues around regeneration, entrepreneurship and the arts. Topics for discussion and debate include why and how the arts can regenerate communities, how art changes lives, the X Factor Generation and expectation management and the arts practitioner as entrepreneur.
Speakers, all experts in their field, are drawn from the arts, business and academic community.
Places are limited so BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment. For more details and to book a place, please contact business.services@canterbury.ac.uk or ring 01227 782196.
Army Fun Day
An ‘Army Assault Course’ fund raising day in aid of Rifles Charities – Care for casualties is being held at the Folkestone Invicta Football Ground on Saturday 31st July 2010. Any members wishing to take part will need to report to the grounds at 9am sharp for an ‘army style’ warm up!
The grounds will then be open to the public, who will be welcome to come & cheer the teams on, participate in the excitement and help raise more money for this very worthy charity (only registered teams will be able to take part in the assault course).
There will also be….
· Laser clay pigeon shooting
· A penalty shoot out
· A raffle – with some fantastic prizes kindly donated from local businesses.
· Refreshments & much, much more!
In order to ensure your place in this event we will need to have final names & numbers ASAP. The teams need to consist of 10 people (individuals must be 18 or over for insurance reasons). For further details please contact Rebecca King – rebecca.king@saga.co.uk or bexlk@btinternet.com
Lydd Airport Prepares to Fight Public Inquiry
The airport’s senior management team is now busy preparing to fight the public inquiry which has been called by the Government Office for the South East without Jonathan Gordon, their Managing Director who announced his resignation last week . After an overwhelming vote from Shepway District Council in March in favour of the two planning applications, the airport team are determined to continue with their long-term airline development plans based at Lydd.
The portal, Kentwindenergy.co.uk has now gone live and if you’re interested in doing business in one of the UK ’s fasteet growing sectors you are invited to sign on NOW for Free !
This interactive online business directory is dedicated to supporting the growth of the offshore wind industry in the Thames Estuary and southern North Sea and has been developed through the Backing Kent Business campaign and its Chamber partners – including Channel Chamber.
£1 Million Plus Investment at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
News has reached us that Chamber member – Port Lympne Wild Life Animal Park is planning a massive investment in developing a new restaurant facility.
Open since the mid seventies this Park now attracts more than 220,000 visitors per annum. In addition to the rare and endangered species from around the world that visitors come to see, the Park has also developed a very successful wedding and banqueting business, built up at Port Lympne mansion with annual sales in excess of £500k.
The new restaurant facility will therefore add significant value to East Kent ’s foremost visitor attraction and Channel Chamber will be voicing its full support to Shepway’s planning team when the application is submitted later this month
New ‘Health for Work Adviceline’ for small businesses
For the UK ’s millions of small and medium-sized businesses, the impact of employee absence through illness can be huge. That’s why the free ‘Health for Work Adviceline’ has been created by the NHS. The adviceline provides small business owners and managers with the expert advice and support they need to help team members being affected by ill health.
f you’re losing working days because of employees with back pain and work-related mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression, this new NHS service could be invaluable.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
As SEEDA (the South East RDA) disappears it appears to be making way for more bottom-up economic development arrangements and your Chamber believes that business has a unique opportunity to set a stronger vision for local growth.
The timescale for these changes is short. and ahead of this summer’s Regional Growth White Paper, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is wasting no time making it clear to ministers and civil servants that LEPs must have a narrow focus on private-sector growth – and that the local business community AND the BCC Accredited Chambers must sit at the very heart of strategy-setting and decision-making.
If you’re interested in these developments and want to play an active part in the emrging LEP plans please contact Peter Hobbs on 01303 270022 or email: peter.hobbs@channel.co.uk
Cultural Journeys: The Arts, Higher Education an Great Expectations?
On Friday 10 September (9.30am - 4.00pm) University Centre Folkestone is hosting this free event for creative and performing arts practitioners, academics, tutors from schools and Further and Higher Education, and those interested in issues around regeneration, entrepreneurship and the arts. Topics for discussion and debate include why and how the arts can regenerate communities, how art changes lives, the X Factor Generation and expectation management and the arts practitioner as entrepreneur.
Speakers, all experts in their field, are drawn from the arts, business and academic community.
Places are limited so BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment. For more details and to book a place, please contact business.services@canterbury.ac.uk or ring 01227 782196.
Army Fun Day
An ‘Army Assault Course’ fund raising day in aid of Rifles Charities – Care for casualties is being held at the Folkestone Invicta Football Ground on Saturday 31st July 2010. Any members wishing to take part will need to report to the grounds at 9am sharp for an ‘army style’ warm up!
The grounds will then be open to the public, who will be welcome to come & cheer the teams on, participate in the excitement and help raise more money for this very worthy charity (only registered teams will be able to take part in the assault course).
There will also be….
· Laser clay pigeon shooting
· A penalty shoot out
· A raffle – with some fantastic prizes kindly donated from local businesses.
· Refreshments & much, much more!
In order to ensure your place in this event we will need to have final names & numbers ASAP. The teams need to consist of 10 people (individuals must be 18 or over for insurance reasons). For further details please contact Rebecca King – rebecca.king@saga.co.uk or bexlk@btinternet.com
Lydd Airport Prepares to Fight Public Inquiry
The airport’s senior management team is now busy preparing to fight the public inquiry which has been called by the Government Office for the South East without Jonathan Gordon, their Managing Director who announced his resignation last week . After an overwhelming vote from Shepway District Council in March in favour of the two planning applications, the airport team are determined to continue with their long-term airline development plans based at Lydd.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
