Accountancy & Tax Helpline (01242 252555)
Chamber members can receive up to 100 minutes of free face-to-face or telephone consultation on any accounting or tax related-related questions. Please call the number below and ask for Mark Minchella, a partner at Davis Mayers Barnett LLP and Chamber Executive Committee Member, who will be providing this service personally. Please give Mark your company’s name and Chamber Membership number. The Helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm. Read more.
Member Profile: Tim Barnes
IT Schools Africa (ITSA) is a charity that every business can get behind. Its effect is visible, impactful and lasting, and can add great value to any business’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.
Since 2004, ITSA has been providing computers to schools in a growing number of African countries. The computers are donated by companies and organisations here in the UK, which ITSA refurbishes and sends to deprived areas of sub-Saharan Africa. ITSA also works with schools, the unemployed and prisons in the UK to refurbish the computers, enabling those to develop IT skills and help find a job or re-enter society. To date ITSA has delivered over 40,000 computers to over 1,600 African schools, giving thousands of young people an opportunity of a better future.
Tim Barnes, Programme Director of ITSA, has led the charity since 2006, supported by a talented, dedicated team that has kept the faith through good times and bad. We caught up with Tim to ask him about his career, how he became involved and what keeps driving him and his team to deliver for Africa’s children. Read more.
New Association of Gloucestershire Chambers
and Business Groups
by Kevin Daws
“At last week’s meeting of Gloucestershire Chambers of Commerce and county-wide Business organisations it was agreed to set up the Association of Gloucestershire Chambers & Business Groups to allow businesses to speak with one voice on the ‘Big issues’” commented Michael Ratcliffe, Chair of the newly formed Association of Gloucestershire Chambers & Business Groups, “We have agreed a number of common objectives and would like to work in partnership with others in making Gloucestershire the UK’s number one destination for new business in addition to supporting local businesses across Gloucestershire.” Read more.
Climbing Kilimanjaro for Dad
and MacMillan Cancer Support
Maitland Walker Assistant Solicitor Vicky Salter and her sister, Rachel, will embark upon a challenge of a lifetime…a 9 day trek to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. In August 2014, the girls will depart for Tanzania and stand at the foot of the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. Vicky and Rachel are self-funding their trip in order to raise as much as they possibly can in memory of their father and Macmillan Cancer Support so that other families can be given the support that their family received during his illness.
Please visit their fundraising page for more info or to make a donation. To learn more about Vicky's trip and their cause , read more.
Boost Your Employability with Further Study
Whether you’re looking to change your career, acquire specialist knowledge or stand out from the crowd, the University of Gloucestershire can help you achieve your ambitions with one of our postgraduate or professional qualifications. We understand that mature students all have different requirements and commitments and we therefore offer programmes that provide flexibility and choice within a supportive learning environment.
Come and find out about the different options available by chatting with our course leaders at our Postgraduate, Professional and Short Courses Open Event, 4pm-7pm on Thursday 13th February. We will be holding the event across all our campuses: Park and Francis Close Hall in Cheltenham and Oxstalls in Gloucester. Please visit our website www.glos.ac.uk/pgopen for more information and to find out which campus you should visit.
To confirm your attendance, please contact us on 0844 846 4 846, email enquiries@glos.ac.uk or book online.
News from Willans LLP
New Business Partnership with Commercial Group
Shares Common, Environmental Ground
Cheltenham law firm, Willans LLP, has appointed Gloucestershire-based sustainability veteran Commercial Group to not only provide its office supplies, but also, to help improve its environmental programme.
Commercial began its own green crusade in 2006 and has, since that time, supported over 250 environmental projects with customers nationwide. For Willans, working with a local business that could provide that added, environmental, dimension to its service made all the difference. Read more.
New Face of the Litigation Team
Willans welcomes Nick Southwell to its chambers–rated litigation and dispute resolution department this week. Nick, who is seven years’ qualified, has broad commercial and property litigation experience. He is also an accredited civil and commercial mediator.
He joins a team which handles many high-value commercial matters ranging from complex High Court litigation to disputes involving commercial contracts, IT and IP related issues and commercial supply, distribution, franchise and commercial agency agreements. The department boasts a loyal client base from national companies to SMEs. Read more.
Fundraising for Insight Gloucestershire
This month we are taking part in the ‘Road to 2015 sponsored walk’ which has been organised by Gloucester Rugby Club on Sunday 9th February. Sixty percent of the money raised by Pitman Training Cheltenham will go to Insight Gloucestershire, who provide invaluable support for Partially Sighted and Blind People. The remaining 40% will be donated to the Gloucester Rugby CIC for the delivery of programmes to the community. Contact Kath or Kevin Daws at Pitman Training Cheltenham on 01242 228080. Read more.
The University of Gloucestershire and GFirst LEP have formed a new and innovative partnership in the county to boost the development of world-class companies, increase exports and fast-track entrepreneurial start-ups with high growth potential through a proposed new Growth Hub. The Growth Hub will be a new way of providing business support services in Gloucestershire that will act as a catalyst for a step change in driving economic growth in the county. Read more.
The Jockey Club Recruiting for
Gold Cup Festival 2014
Over a quarter of a million race goers attend The National Hunt Festival! We serve all the food and drink to these visitors. We need 2500 staff per day to fill over 10,000 shifts during the week. Do you know anyone who would like to work for us? We need people who can fill the following roles:
Bar / Restaurant Cashiers / Hospitality Waiting Staff / Restaurant Waiting Staff / Restaurant Runners /Tea Bar & Catering Assistants/ Washing up Staff / Kitchen Porter Staff / Porters / Table & Glass Clearing Staff
For further information about these opportunities, read more.
Quiz Night Success!
(photos: Brian Chaplin, Eurovideo)
The Chamber's Quiz Night was a sell-out event and, as always, a great social occasion. Above left, host Jon Leamon, (Deputy Chamber CEO), joins the winners ("Catriona and the Waves") Rod Harris, Pauline Harris, and Cartriona Murray (Colin Pilsworth not pictured) along with quiz master Diggory Seacombe.
Advertising and Sponsorship
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Members can secure advertising space at advantageous rates and participate in sponsorship deals which will be available on the new Chamber website and other areas. Make a smart move by including the Chamber in your marketing plans for 2014! Contact the Chamber office (01242 252 626) for details.
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Keep up to date on business in Cheltenham via Twitter (@CheltChamber), Facebook and
Chamber website.
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