News

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce would like to congratulate our board members, Hannah Ault and Josie Morris MBE, on being appointed Deputy Lieutenants for Staffordshire by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Mr Ian James Dudson CBE KStJ.

The Deputy Lieutenants commenced their roles on Wednesday 3 May, with a formal commissioning ceremony taking place later in the year.

Speaking about the appointments, Mr Dudson said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome Staffordshire’s new Deputy Lieutenants. They have all been selected because of their roles within their communities and I am sure they will do an excellent job.”

Hannah said: “It’s such an honour to be asked to support Staffordshire in this way.  I have a huge sense of pride for my city and great county and feel grateful to be able to contribute to my community with other local individuals.”

Josie added: “I am proud and excited to become a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire.  I love this area and am committed to ensuring I use this honour for the betterment of the area and those in it.”

The full list of new Deputy Lieutenants are as follows:

Miss Hannah Ault

Mr Lee Bates BEM

Mr Simon Davies RRC VR

Ms Karen Dobson OBE

Lt Col Toby Gaddum

Mr Ian Greaves

Mrs Reena McCourt

Mr Julian Mitchell

Miss Josie Morris MBE

Mrs Judy Scott-Moncrieff

Mr Will Simkin

Mrs Alison Wedgwood

People can find out more about the Lord-Lieutenant by visiting the Lieutenancy Website at http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/yourcouncil/civicoffices/lieutenancy/lieutenancy.aspx.

As I write this week’s blog only Stoke-on-Trent and Tamworth have declared results in the local council elections with Tamworth seeing a Conservative loss with no party majority and Stoke-on-Trent seeing a Labour gain from a no party majority.

At the hustings event at the Chamber last week Labour’s Cllr. Jane Ashworth, who is set to be the new Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader, said that if Labour form the new administration, she wants to be able to look back on the four-year term and say what happened was transformative for the relationship between them and business in our city.

Jane went on to say that she wanted to see us with a high wage, highly skilled workforce, and for this area to be leading the country, particularly in various forms of digi-tech.

Cllr. Ashworth said: “One of the things we need do immediately is create a proper business support network that can help businesses that are likely to be in trouble because of the cost-of-living crisis.”

She also called for a review of the council procurement strategy and said she would work closely with other significant agencies and employees in the city to make it easier for local businesses to win contracts from the city, adding: “About a third of contracts stay within the city but it should be vastly more than that.”

“Last year the distribution value of contracts was £1 million inside the city, £19 million outside the city. That is not ok. It means we are haemorrhaging money.”

All the sort of messages we want to hear, and I hope whoever takes control of the other councils in our county will have business at the top of their agendas. You can be assured that Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce will be making the necessary representations to councils to ensure all the above and more actually happens.

We are expecting results from other councils later today and our Daily Focus newsletter will have a special 4pm edition, rounding up the results at that time. Check your inbox or view online: Daily Staffordshire Business News – Daily Focus (daily-focus.co.uk)

We will also keep you up to date on election results via our social media channels.

Co-working

Earlier this week several Chamber members took part in took part in a research project investigating the potential of co-working spaces to contribute to geographically distributed (digital) manufacturing activity and levelling up.

We were one of three UK locations taking part in the research, the others being Thames Valley and North Devon.

The project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Made Smarter Network and undertaken by the University of Bath School of Management.

As a bridge between the formal workspace and home, co-working spaces offer a space where you can network, build relationships, share knowledge and ideas and collaborate. And when you consider the millions of self-employed and micro start-ups in the UK, co-working offers flexibility, affordability and collaborative opportunities that were not available up until recently.

Originally an urban phenomenon they are increasingly appearing in semi-rural and rural areas.

The reason for the research is that despite their rise, especially post-pandemic, in the UK they are absent from regional policy discussions.

We certainly know the value of co-working spaces here in Staffordshire where a range of co-working spaces have opened their doors over the past few years. Our universities, private providers and other places such as the Foxlowe Arts Centre in Leek, all offer a range of co-working options.

Our own Members’ Lounge here at Commerce House on Festival Park opened in 2019 and post lockdowns it has become increasingly popular with scores of members who utilise it to work, hold meetings, interviews and as a place to network and surround yourself with likeminded businesspeople. You can view a 3D tour of our Members’ Lounge here: The Members Lounge – Staffordshire Chambers

Similarly in Stafford, Chamber members can use the open plan area on the ground floor of Shire Hall Business Centre, for hot desking on an ad-hoc basis, free of charge. Upstairs, there is a dedicated co-working area with segregated pods available at a small charge.

Shire Hall Business Centre – Staffordshire County Council

We invited regular Members Lounge users to take part in the research and we also had the centre manager from flexible space provider BusinessLodge Stoke, which also opened in 2019, and as well as providing everything from a desk to a fully serviced large office, they also have a co-working space, breakout space and a gym for their clients.

Those who attended the session with the University of Bath team spoke in glowing terms of the benefits of co-working; having the right environment for work, the opportunity to meet new people and build relationships and the positive benefits on mental health and wellbeing.

We have created a welcoming environment with tabletops, a high counter-style desk and sofas, to cater for working on a laptop to meeting informally over a coffee – from our excellent fresh bean coffee machine!

The Members’ Lounge feature of local art on the walls and only two weeks ago we previewed our first ever solo-artist exhibition featuring local artist Terry Shave in conjunction with our newly launched design forum.

It will be interesting to see if this research does conclude that co-working spaces can contribute to manufacturing activity and regional levelling up in the UK.

I would like to see more people involved in manufacturing using our spaces as a breakout from the factory environment and this will be something our manufacturing forum will play a role in facilitating.

I look forward to sharing the findings of the research later and hope that we can use the results to persuade politicians to make co-working spaces a priority.  In the meantime, if you want to find out more about co-working opportunities in Staffordshire contact us using the details below.

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

After a hugely-successful AGM and Spring Lunch last week, Staffordshire Chambers is delighted to confirm three new Finest and Future Finest events to mark the networks’ 20th anniversary.

Finest Coffee Morning, Friday 19th May at 9:30am – 11:30am

Join us at Commerce House for the return of our hugely-popular coffee morning!

Enjoy a cuppa and a catch-up with the county’s leading professional services network and call in to see us any time between 09:30-11:30.

Whether you are a new member, or thinking of joining the network, join us at Commerce House to enjoy a casual and relaxed approach to business networking. Book your free space here.

Finest distillery tour and gin tasting, Thursday 8th June at 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Join Finest for an unforgettable networking experience that will not only connect you with other professionals but also indulge your senses with a distillery tour and gin tasting.

Staffordshire’s largest professional services network will be adventuring through the world of craft distilling at SIXTOWNS Gin, Barlaston, with a fully immersive tour on Thursday 8 June from 5:30pm.

Join us for the perfect opportunity to expand your business connections and build meaningful relationships with other professionals in a relaxed environment. Book your space here.

Finest and Future Finest End of Summer Drinks, Thursday 21st September at 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Save the date – we’ll be heading over to the QUARTER at Potbank, Stoke, for our end of summer drinks on Thursday 21 September.

Our end of summer drinks offer the perfect chance to enjoy an evening of refreshments and networking while you catch up with some familiar faces. Guests will be welcomed with a drink on arrival, followed by delicious canapes. Book here.

It is a well-known adage that a society should be judged not by how it treats the most advantaged but by how it treats the least advantaged. And I think it is fair to say that the Chamber community makes every effort to look after, and provide opportunities for, those with least advantage.

So, you can imagine how delighted and incredibly excited I am to announce that we have received The King’s Award for Promoting Opportunity.

This prestigious award specifically recognises social mobility programmes that help people from disadvantaged backgrounds, into successful working lives.

Those of you who know me, and Staffordshire Chambers well, will know that our focus is on community and the belief that business is the bedrock of that community.

And so, I must thank the whole Chamber community, members, patrons, board, council and forum members, our team, stakeholders, and partners. You have all won this award!

Our businesses employ people, empower people, educate people and work within the community to ensure opportunity for everyone, especially the most disadvantaged and vulnerable and I am proud that Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is at the heart of this.

This direction comes from our Board of Directors based on their own forward looking and inclusive business cultures within their organisations.

And I think most, if not all our members, give of their time and resources to support the community in some way through volunteering, fundraising, mentoring, providing opportunities to the disadvantaged and countless other ways.

And of course, the fantastic team at the Chamber have always embraced this culture of inclusivity and gone above and beyond what is expected to ensure we deliver on inclusivity.

We were the first Chamber nationally to establish a Social Value Forum as a place to develop and extend the impact of the social value agenda across Staffordshire. The forum is made up of partners from across public, private and third sector who are looking to promote social value and corporate social responsibility and it has been key to influencing and developing initiatives aimed at the more vulnerable communities due to partners knowledge of, and the support they can offer to, those who are most in need.

Our Boosting Women in Business programme, which empowers women to take back control of their lives through self-employment and the Positive Pathways scheme, which helps refugees into employment and self-employment, are just two examples of targeted tailored support to groups that we feel need that extra support in building confidence and obtaining the skills to be able to start a business which will then provide for them whilst fitting around their lifestyle needs.

Both schemes have helped create dozens of new businesses and the support does not stop there. We then encourage and nurture theses businesses by bringing them into the membership at a subsidised rate to enable them to build their networks and take advantage of all the membership benefits aimed at making business simpler.

If you would like to get involved with our Social Value Forum or find out more about what they get up to, perhaps by attending the next meeting please contact Sarah Colclough: sarah.colclough@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

And once again – well done and thank you to you all!

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

Award-winning video production company, Reels in Motion, has made an exciting addition to their team with the hiring of a new content creator.

The new hire, Savanna Mae, will help with the adaptation to modern marketing through digital and social media content.

Savanna said: “I am so excited to be the new content creator here at Reels in Motion. Having studied journalism at university and worked in production for several years, this role brings my two passions of digital marketing and film production together.

“I will be running the social media accounts of the renowned production company and their film studio, Stoke Studios. I am thrilled to be joining a team who are excelling in their craft as creatives”.

Matt Hubbard, the company’s director, added: “The internet and social media have revolutionised marketing and so much attention can be generated from a simple post.

“In digital marketing, video content is performing the best since the domination of social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

“It is very exciting then, that Reels in Motion are video specialists! The possibilities are endless to the fun we can have in producing unique content for brands across the world.”

Savanna will be focused on growing Reels in Motion’s digital presence by showcasing their talent on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube

The Band of The Mercian Regiment are set to perform on Saturday 03 June 2023 in support of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. Joining the band will be The Corps of Drums of Staffordshire ACF and Pipers of the Scots Guards Association from Manchester.

This concert, which takes place in The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery from 6:30pm, aims to raise funds for the charity, which provides support to soldiers, veterans and their families in Staffordshire and across the UK.

Chris Plant, Deputy CEO of Staffordshire Chambers, said: “This is the perfect opportunity to not only enjoy a wonderful evening of entertainment, but also to make a meaningful difference in the lives of soldiers, veterans, and their families.

“By attending this event and contributing to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, we can ensure that vital support reaches those who have served our country.”

Last year, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity made grants to veterans in Staffordshire amounting to £40,500, while only raising £12,000 in the area. This highlights the importance of events like the ABF Concert in generating much-needed funds to support veterans in need.

For those looking to make the most of this special evening, there is a VIP package available, which includes a reception with a light buffet and wine or soft drinks. The dress code for the evening is lounge suits, and VIP guests will have access to a reserved seating area. The VIP package is available for £26.50 and can be booked by emailing westmidlands@soldierscharity.org

The ABF Concert promises to be an incredible evening of entertainment for a great cause, with The Band of The Mercian Regiment providing a fantastic musical performance.

Book your tickets, here.

The Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards has received an overwhelming response this year, with a record number of applications from local businesses across the region.

Widely recognized as one of the most prestigious events in the region’s business calendar, the awards ceremony, set to take place on 13 July, will celebrate the achievements and successes of businesses in the Staffordshire area.

This year’s application process has received a record-breaking number of entries, with businesses from a diverse range of sectors submitting applications.

A shortlist of businesses will be exclusively received in Daily Focus following the conclusion of the judging process.

Staffordshire Chambers CEO, Sara Williams OBE, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the response we have had to this year’s Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards, receiving over 300 applications from a real range of businesses.

“The number and quality of entries we have received are a testament to the strength and diversity of the business community in Staffordshire.

“We are proud to be able to celebrate the hard work and achievements of local businesses and we look forward to recognizing their success at the ceremony in July.”

For more information about the Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards, please visit the Staffordshire Chambers website.

The guest speaker at the Chambers’ Council meeting on Wednesday of this week was Jason Lancaster, Director of Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Institute of Technology, Newcastle & Stafford Colleges Group – and that’s a long title!

There are only going to be 21 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) in the country, and they form a key part of the Government’s biggest shake up to technical education in a generation.

I suppose you could view IoTs as the new polytechnics – an institute to equip the people and employers of Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire with the higher-level technical skills we need now and, in the future, to enable our area to become a hotspot for innovation and success. Our IOT is due to open its doors in September 2024.

And although it is great that we have an IOT, it is needed because we lag behind the national position in the acquisition of higher-level skills qualifications and our industries are the ones which will need more of these technical skills in the future as we modernise, automate and digitise. To be successful, a focus on delivering these skills in priority sectors through full-time, part-time and apprenticeship programmes will be key.

It is well documented that this area scores poorly on attaining Level 3 qualifications (A Level or equivalent) and Level 4 qualifications (HNC) with Stoke-on-Trent being a sobering 11.6% and 14.6% below national average respectively.

IoTs will concentrate on four main areas namely digital, STEM, construction and health sciences. In each case teaching will be built around modern methods weaving in new digital skills and sustainability and drawing on the businesses who have, and will, sign up as partners. There are already big names including Keele University, Dell, Hitachi, MOOG (aerospace), Siemens, Axia Solutions and St Modwen Logistics.

Qualifications and apprenticeships will range from Level 3 (A level, T level, BTEC) right up to Level 7 MSC and MEng qualifications. And delivered primarily from a brand-new 4000 square metre IoT hub building in Stafford and with centres in the colleges in Stoke, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Swadlincote.

So, lots to look forward to and hopefully IoTs can deliver the relevant high level technical education we need to secure our economic future and see the impact it has on higher level skills attainment.

Also, it is essential that there is not a gender imbalance in any of the skills we promote. We need to do more to make careers in engineering, manufacturing and construction appealing to young women. Perhaps some of the language and culture around these sectors needs to change to appeal to girls, as well as boys, at an early age.

We had a very lively discussion around this after Jason’s presentation and it was interesting to hear from a Council from different backgrounds and experiences – from a leader of the voluntary sector working with families where parents are often not working, and English may not be the first language, to a leading accountant and high profile business consultant – all of the Council who are elected from the membership. We agreed that we cannot and must not as a responsible community give up on young people from difficult backgrounds who are just as much a part of our future as those fortunate to have support to achieve their aspirations.

We must also consider opportunities for neurodiverse people. As one large employer noted, neurodiverse employees were playing a key role in his organisation in jobs that demanded a high level of detail, particularly in IT and some aspects of engineering.

If you would like to find out more about Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Institute of Technology or find out how your business can get more involved, you can contact Jason Lancaster: jason.lancaster@nscg.ac.uk

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

Staffordshire Chambers is thrilled to announce the release of the Spring 2023 edition of its highly anticipated Focus magazine, which is now available to read in full online for free.

Headlining the latest edition is journalist, author and broadcaster Caitlin Moran – who recently appeared as keynote speaker at Confidence Live. Joining Caitlin is Staffordshire Chambers CEO Sara Williams, who discusses her OBE, and former Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic who talks life in business beyond football.

Focus magazine is the official business magazine of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and, launched in 1952, has a long, proud history in the local business community.

Speaking about the release, Staffordshire Chambers Deputy CEO Chris Plant, said: “We are delighted to present the latest edition of Focus magazine that provides an interesting and insightful read for businesses of all sizes and sectors.

“It was great to see the print version of the publication officially unveiled at Confidence Live, which has had some fantastic feedback after it took to the King’s Hall, Stoke.

“Focus Magazine’s themed issues provide an in-depth look at issues important to our membership; from environmental sustainability to economic updates and business features. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have!”

Click here to read Focus in full.