Imagine the scene. You’re a super fan of creative, independent and local business. You love locally brewed beer too and love to share the very best about your local area. Then you notice that local artists, makers and creatives need support, a network and somewhere beautiful to sell their wares so you set up pop up shops, markets and a flagship store to do just that!

This is the story of Andy and his wife Laura, the heart and genius behind Keep It Local, an award winning business showcasing the very best of local talent. I visited their pop up store in The Potteries Centre and was immediately struck by the sheer quality and range of gifts, clothes and more on sale. Beautifully merchandised, with help from team at JAGG Design, the store stands tall compared to any trendy city centre store you might more easily associate with a visit to Manchester, Sheffield or London.

With a cool, understated vibe, the store is cleverly curated to take you on a journey from tiny hand made earrings to denim clothes and hand poured candles. Better still, Andy is on hand to tell you the story of any of the makers on show, with his obvious passion and dedication to each of his members. This local knowledge and understanding, really adds depth to the shopping experience, as you discover the ideas, stories and journeys of those who have displayed their makes.

How did I feel? Inspired that there are quite so many talented creatives right here in Stoke on Trent. Excited to see something new and uplifting in the Potteries Centre and finally, so much clearer about why a visit to Hanley is a refreshed and positive experience. Keep It Local’s Potteries Centre Pop Up is open until the end of April but they have also announced that they will be back from October to Christmas 2024. The perfect opportunity to shop local, handmade and artisan.

Here’s a little back story… It started in 2021 when Andy started to take and post pics from his love of a local beer when he became aware just how much support and spotlight local businesses needed. He was talking to local makers and creatives about the challenges involved in making their businesses full time or find places to sell their products in an affordable, sustainable and attractive way. 1 Andy says that the biggest challenge for many a talented maker is to do enough business to make a living full time. Although online selling is clearly an easy option from a tech point of view, it’s not an easy pathway to a full time income. Andy also says that it’s a real challenge to work alone to make, package & sell your designs without help and support, both from fellow makers who might share your journey and customers who want to easily find you and buy from you.

Keep It Local has now worked with 150 makers from across the city and county through network events and selling their wares in their flagship store in Longton, and now their pop up shop in The Potteries Centre in Hanley. Recognised in the 2023 Potteries Centre Awards, their mission is to change the shopping habits of those visiting their stores by diverting some of their spending power to local creative makers. In fact, Andy goes one step further and says that 2024 will see more pop up opportunities and create a ‘hub of hope’ for local artists, makers and designers. Alongside his son Harry and father in law, Andy and Laura are developing a winning team to see their vision and passion for Stoke on Trent continue t go from strength to strength.

How can you get involved and feel the positive vibes of Keep It Local, while offering your support?

• Make a plan to visit Hanley by the 28th of April to visit Keep It Local.
• Enjoy a happy mooch around the store, learn more about creative Stoke and maybe even make a purchase.
• You can follow this up with a delicious coffee at one of the many indie coffee shops in town
• Follow Keep It Local on social media to make sure you don’t miss out on their next adventure or new maker launch
• Share your positive experiences with everyone you know so that together we can change the narrative about the city centre from one of gloom, to one of an exciting future.
  
  For more information about Andy, Laura and Keep It Local, please visit their website www.keepitlocalshop.co.uk

Staffordshire’s biggest party is returning this Wednesday, 1 May.

Staffordshire Day is an annual celebration that showcases the rich tapestry of history, culture, and natural beauty that defines this charming county through a series of events and initatives.

Marking the anniversary of Josiah Wedgwood’s historic pottery company establishment in 1759, Staffordshire Day has become a beloved tradition, honouring the county’s heritage and accomplishments.

This year’s festivities promise to be bigger and better than ever, with a diverse lineup of events catering to all interests. From film festivals spotlighting local talent to exhilarating walking tours through picturesque landscapes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

For those eager to show their support on social media, a free Staffordshire Day toolkit is available for download, featuring graphics and various iterations of the Staffordshire Day logo. The toolkit can be downloaded here.

Whether it’s exploring the breathtaking countryside, experiencing the thrills of renowned theme parks, or delving into the rich history and heritage, Staffordshire Day offers an opportunity for all to revel in the unique charm of this beloved region.

Find a full line-up of themed events via the Staffordshire Day website, here.

Stafford-based technical PR agency Stone Junction has been shortlisted for no fewer than six categories in the PRCA DARE Midlands awards.

Categories include the B2B Award, Event/Launch of the Year, Integrated Campaign of the Year Award, Purpose Award, Rising Star of the Year and Large Consultancy of the Year, and follow an impressive twelve months for Stone Junction, which saw it win new twelve new clients, generate over 7,000 pieces of media coverage and reward staff with a combined £75,714 in pay rises.

“Stone Junction has been a valuable partner for the last few years in our Lab Innovations and Advanced Engineering campaign,” explained Charlie Taylor, marketing manager at Easyfairs. “Its integrated approach blending traditional PR with digital strategies has driven remarkable results.”

In the agency’s shortlisted B2B campaign, Driving sustainability and efficiency, Stone Junction helped Brazilian engineering company WEG communicate a significant EU regulatory change for electric motor efficiency, securing an impressive 480 pieces of coverage in global trade press. Furthermore, the team’s efforts resulted in a substantial growth of 4,774 new followers on WEG’s LinkedIn page.

Stone Junction was also shortlisted for the Purpose Award, for its client Katrick Technologies. Here, the team’s strategic campaign successfully positioned Katrick as a Greentech disruptor, achieving 211 pieces of trade media coverage, including a five minute segment on BBC Click in December, 2023. This helped Katrick win the Energy Innovation Award at the National Sustainability Awards, 2023, and be invited for a meeting at 10 Downing Street.

“A key objective for us is to change the ways business market themselves,” explained Richard Stone, managing director of Stone Junction. “The results the team achieved last year, especially on the shortlisted campaigns, shows our joined-up PR campaigns are delivering meaningful results for our clients in terms of media coverage, social media engagement and web traffic.”

Leah Elston-Thompson Chart.PR, account director at Stone Junction and a member of the agency’s management team, is shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year. Elston-Thompson became the agency’s fourth CIPR chartered practitioner in 2023 and leads a team of five PR consultants that manages a significant amount of annual business.

Finally, Stone Junction is nominated for Large Consultancy of the Year following a year that included moving into a new, larger Stafford-based headquarters and establishing its presence overseas.

Celebrations are in order for Staffordshire-based Internet Service Provider, Internet Central, who have relocated their business to a larger premises.

Amy Byrne, the companies Sales Director, said: “At Internet Central, our customers are our primary focus. They are the driving force behind everything we do, and their support is the bedrock of our expansion.

“In recent years, our customer base has flourished, enabling us to enrich our service offerings with dedicated leased line connectivity solutions and comprehensive network solutions.

“This relocation is a tribute to our customers’ loyalty and our steadfast resolve to meet the escalating demand for dependable and innovative internet services.”

Since its inception, Internet Central has fostered relationships to facilitate business connections through cutting-edge technology. Today, they stand as a trusted partner for businesses, both local and national, alike.

Amy added: “We believe that business continuity hinges on uninterrupted connectivity. This journey is brimming with exciting milestones, and our new premises will accommodate the future growth of the Internet Central family.

“It positions us to consistently deliver unparalleled connectivity and support to our clients. As we embark on this next chapter, we eagerly anticipate continued growth alongside our valued customers.”

Midlands Marketing and Public Relations consultant Tillymint Communications has made the finals of a prestigious industry award – for the third year running.

The company, run by Alison Gallagher-Hughes, has been shortlisted in the Independent Practitioner category of the CIPR Excellence Awards 2024. T

he awards represents global recognition from the world’s only chartered PR organisation – the Chartered Institute of Public Relations – and attract a huge number of entries.

Tillymint is one of six contenders – the winner is selected following a rigorous panel interview with judges  – and will be announced at a glitzy awards ceremony, at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, on 26 June. This year, the ceremony, is being hosted by comedian Axel Blake.

Alison founded Tillymint Communications in 2020. She was previously Head of PR for a full-service agency and has spent much of her career working ‘in-house’ primarily within the public sector: policing, social housing and further education. She moved into PR following a career in newspaper journalism.

She decided to set up her own business in the wake of the Covid crisis.

“The pandemic brought many businesses to their knees but as the threat lifted, there was a growing need for them to ‘get back in the game’ and actively promote their products and services, so it seemed like the ideal opportunity to start a new chapter by founding Tillymint.

“I look back over the past four years and marvel at how rapidly the business has grown. Our first project was a one-off piece of work for an organisation who soon after became a retained client and they remain with us today. That is incredibly rewarding because the more we work with a particular client the more that trusted relationship develops and we become an outsourced member of their team – always on hand to support and add value to their organisation.

Alison said that she was delighted to be “in the mix” for this year’s CIPR Excellence Awards.

“To be shortlisted in this category is a very great honour. As a Chartered Practitioner, I know how hard CIPR works to establish and maintain professional standards and I am very humbled to be a finalist for a third consecutive year alongside some very worthy contenders.”

Amid growing fuel poverty numbers and its impact on employee morale, energy experts Residential Energy Services (RES) has successfully launched the new Workplace Energy Advice programme.

Sponsored by The Department of Energy Security & Net Zero and Midlands Net Zero Hub, this programme is designed to provide flexible employee access to energy support, to help improve energy use both at work and at home.

This programme is a fully-funded initiative, providing free, flexible access to energy advice in the manufacturing, production and retail sectors, or anywhere a large workforce may struggle to gain access to community advice, due to unsociable shift patterns, or limited access to technology and resources.

The advice service is also tailored to individual businesses and employee work patterns, to eliminate the cost of removing employees from the shop floor. “Drop-in” workshops and consultations, or pop-up services in communal areas are designed to blend seamlessly with the working day.

The programme provides guidance on how to save energy and reduce waste, an overview of energy saving measures such as insulation and air source heat pumps, followed by one to one sessions to check funding eligibility, EPC’s and answer any queries the employee may have on how to make their home more energy efficient.

Sarah Parry, MD of Residential Energy Services, said: “This unique service from RES empowers employers to provide tangible guidance and support to employees to drive forward their commitment to sustainability”.

Since 2014, RES has provided energy subsidy awareness and advisory services to over 20,000 individual households in the UK. RES specialise in educating householders on energy saving measures, and manage the customer journey from initial advice through to installation.

You may have seen the news that I have taken on a new role as Lead Director for Business Community Support at the Stoke-on-Trent Business Improvement District.

Holding values that align seamlessly with our mission here at Staffordshire Chambers, the BID work tirelessly to help improve our city centre, making it a more attractive place to live, work and do business.

Having worked for the City Council and other local regeneration bodies in the past, I am really looking forward to utilising my experience to support the City Centre BID team, helping the city to unlock its potential and creating realistic, achievable and ambitious plans that we can set in motion.

I live in Staffordshire and am proud to do so. I believe that it is absolutely vital that we champion and celebrate these kinds of initiatives to help the area prosper, and for residents to feel proud of where they live.

Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) latest

Staffordshire Chambers’ Policy Adviser, Declan Riddell, penned a fantastic policy update on Monday that revealed the results of our latest QES.

The survey paints a picture of the business landscape across Staffordshire and beyond, acting as a vital barometer of business confidence and economic performance.

I was pleased to see that 42% of Staffordshire respondents had reported an increase in domestic sales during the last three months, which is up on the national average of 36%.

It’s mixed results on the investment front, with 11% of Staffordshire businesses reporting an increase in plant or equipment investment during the last three months and 82% reporting no change. The increase is slower than the national average of 24%, but there are less firms reporting a decrease in investment.

My ask to businesses is that when the next survey is out you spend a couple of minutes completing it. It’s really valuable to have the data so that we can compare trends over time as well as with other parts of the region. It helps us identify issues which  we can raise on behalf of businesses to senior politicians to help influence policy.

You can read the result in full in Declan’s policy update here.

Inflation

I was relieved to see the data confirming a positive trajectory in inflation which is steadily moving in the right direction. This is welcome news for both consumers and businesses.

Notwithstanding that, significant uncertainty persists among the companies we engage with.

Almost half of firms expect their prices to increase over the next three months. Labour costs are cited as the main driver but increasing political and global uncertainty is becoming a key factor. 

Businesses are waiting to see how this data translates into changes on interest rate policy.

Manifesto

We are now putting the finishing touches on our Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce manifesto. The previous one was published in early 2022, but as we all know, there have been huge changes to our economy in the last two years.

Energy prices soared in late 2022. Inflationary pressures have rocketed and only recently started to subside. Most businesses as well as individuals have felt the impact of Interest rates rises. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East continue to create so much uncertainty.

Once completed, this manifesto will help to inform Government of the needs and asks of Staffordshire businesses as we work toward a better economy for local businesses.

There is help available to Chambers Members with Energy costs.  As Chamber members, you get a free energy audit from our partners, Troo. There has been some brilliant success stories, including Leek Golf Club who saved an incredible £14,544 on their energy costs, and Abbey House Dental Practice who have saved almost £12,000 per year – a 60% reduction on their original costs. Find out more, here.

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, including funding, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

No fewer than 12 Staffordshire businesses have benefitted from grant funding ranging from £1,000 – £5,000 during the first three months of the Promoting Innovation Pathways programme (PIPP) – and more funds remain up for grabs.

PIPP, overseen by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, is helping to foster innovation across Stoke-on-Trent by providing grant funding to support new products, processes and services.

The grants, which are fully-funded, are available to businesses under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Sam Thorne, Innovation Project Manager at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “We have had a fantastic reaction to the programme since it launched earlier in the year.

“So far we have worked with SMEs of all sizes, from businesses with a couple of staff members, up to firms with hundreds of employees.

“Primarily focusing on digital and manufacturing innovation, the grants disbursed thus far have underwritten an array of groundbreaking projects. These initiatives range from the development of cutting-edge software, including AI-centric applications, to pioneering advancements in manufacturing techniques, such as enhancements to 3D printing methodologies.

“With grants ranging from £1,000 to £5,000, PIPP is helping to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder the pursuit of innovation.”

Tom Nadin, Head of Projects and Business Services, has urged businesses with an interest in innovation to get in touch.

He said: “Grant funding is still available for businesses looking to drive new innovative processes.

“The application process is fast and free, and could help your business drive forward with a new project of service.”

If your business is interested in innovation funding through PIPP, please email PIPP@StaffordshireChambers.co.uk