eHampshire and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are inviting local business people to the North Hampshire launch of the 2007/08 MATISSE Smarter Working Programme in Basingstoke:

‘Shaping the future through smarter working’

Date: 16th October, 9.45am until 2.00 pm
Venue: Basingstoke Golf Club, Kempshott Park, Basingstoke RG23 7LL

The eHampshire Partnership and Business Link’s innovation and e-business team have come together to present a series of MATISSE Smarter-Working seminars and workshops. The events will demonstrate how becoming the ‘employer of choice’ can achieve increased efficiency, improved service levels, reduced costs, more profit and lowered employee turnover.

When coupled with the growing demands of clients for 24/7 support, an ageing population, skills shortages and the changed expectations of those entering work for the first time, it is little wonder that an increasing number of organisations are beginning to realise that traditional 9-5pm office based working is increasingly inappropriate and inefficient.

This eBusiness MATISSE Smarter-Working seminar looks at how you can improve profitability, performance and competitiveness by implementing modern, flexible, working methods (Smarter-Working). Even the smallest organisations can become ‘employers of choice’ using smarter-working to avoid peak time commuting and by making efficient use of existing or planned office accommodation.

You’ll learn how such methods, piloted and implemented by an increasing number of successful Hampshire businesses can help:

• Reduce stress
• Reduce overheads
• Improve employee relations
• Attract and retain satisfied employees
• Reduce accommodation footprint
• Increase output by an average of 15%
• Help achieve a better work-life balance
• Reduce peak time congestion
• Reduce CO2 pollution

To book your FREE place simply call on 0845 606 6118, email info@ehampshire.org or visit www.ehampshire.org to book on line.

Carrauntoohil in County Kerry stands at 1039m (3414 ft) and is the highest point in Ireland. It is also home to the infamous ‘Devil’s Ladder’ – an uncomfortably steep gully that has prompted the most rescue attempts out of any area on the mountain. Undeterred and eager to meet the challenge, a team from Winterthur, based in Basingstoke, completed the epic 12km round journey in just seven hours.

This is the second time that the South West sales team has taken to the slopes for the Hampshire children’s hospice Naomi House; in 2006 they climbed Ben Nevis in Scotland, raising £11,200 for the Winchester-based charity, which relies on donations to maintain its palliative care for children and their families.

The two sponsored events together have generated over £22,000, which goes a long way towards the running of the hospice; it could pay for maintaining the hydrotherapy suite for seven months, running the multi-sensory room for 17 weeks or a respite care bedroom for 41 days.

Second time expedition leader and Winterthur Divisional Sales Manager Jon Haslam said:

The Carrauntoohil experience was even more intense than Ben Nevis, and the team worked incredibly hard. The sense of purpose that comes from supporting a cause such as Naomi House kept us all focused, even across Devil’s Ladder. Everyone involved is feeling extremely proud of themselves, and rightly so. We have already decided on next year’s challenge but we’re keeping that under wraps for now.

Naomi House’s Corporate Fundraiser Jill Livingstone is delighted with the donation:

Everyone at Naomi House would like to say a huge thank you to Jon Haslam and his team for their tremendous efforts. Many thanks also to all who supported them. All members of the team should be justifiably proud of this incredible achievement; both conquering the mountain and raising an amazing amount of money! It is support like this that enables us to provide crucial care services, free of charge, to children and their families at a time when they need it most.

Basingstoke Design Agency The Escape have recently been appointed as one of L&Q Groups lead agencies after an eight-way pitch. New Head of Communications, Chris Middleton was keen to reduce the agency roster to a more streamlined operation, only working with two or three agencies max and The Escape were invited to pitch their ideas to the UK’s largest housing organisation.

To become part of their preferred supply chain, The Escape were invited to pitch for the re-design of L&Q’s internal corporate magazine, Inhouse, with two other agencies, including the incumbent agency.

The pitch went so well, that the marketing department invited them back in to present their ideas to the Board of Directors as they didn’t feel they could do justice to such a well-presented and strategic concept.

Jonathan Wickers, Communications Officer from said,

The strength of their presentation, the designs, the concept on how the magazine should be written and read along with their point-of-sale ideas were substantially more polished than their competitors for the same pitch

Simon Calderbank, sales director from The Escape, added:

Going for any new pitch is exciting, especially to a prospect with such a large potential for our business. But, our creatives made the presenting bit easy with some great work and the client loved the ideas.

We hope to build on this success with L&Q and develop in-roads into more large organisations across the south as our creative capabilities continue to grow.

With the emergence of dominant competition from China and Eastern Europe, many companies are looking at ways of reducing lead-times of getting products to market, increasing profitability and reducing the capital and manpower costs associated with the global context of manufacturing.

The nature of using a supplier base operating across different cities, countries and continents continues to be a logistical challenge for businesses.  So, can good customer service be achieved without detriment to quality and customer satisfaction?

Entrepreneur and founder of the Magellan Group, Damian Hessian says an emphatic yes! He explains the rationale behind his businesses approach:

Magellan Group has developed a ’single source’ solution and encompasses a broad range of services which include: Product Manufacture, eCommerce and Web Store Internet Solutions, Commercial Print, Material Management, Design & Prototyping, Media Duplication, Merchandising, Packaging, Order Processing, Kitting, Assembly & Fulfilment, Warehousing and Distribution.

We have built the business model around solving the problems associated with the supply chain delivery.  By adopting an on-demand model this has enabled us to offer a cost effective approach to producing materials.

Our philosophy is ‘we take the risks so our clients don’t have to’ and so by maintaining stock levels and producing on-demand, we eliminate the potential overheads and thereby reduce wastage.

Magellan Group focus on maintaining long-term relationships with their clients and through proven business practices; they have been able to retain a loyal client base for more than fifteen years. They are based in Daneshill, Basingstoke.

Leading disability insurer, Unum, which is based in Basingstoke, has teamed up with RNID, the largest charity representing the UK’s nine million deaf and hard of hearing people, to launch the next phase of The Workplace of the Future (WotF) campaign. This initiative aims to raise awareness of tinnitus and other hearing related disabilities with employers and politicians.

Unum Chief Executive Officer Susan Ring (right) and Corporate Services Director, Joanne Hindle, launching the stand.

As part of the campaign and in an ongoing partnership now in its fourth year, RNID and Unum have created a new Workplace of the Future stand that will appear at the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative party conferences. MPs from all three main parties have been invited to the stand which has been developed in order to help raise awareness of the little known condition tinnitus with politicians.

This year the stand will feature special ‘tinnitus headphones’ which when worn simulate the effects of tinnitus – the medical term for noises inside the ears or head. There is also a high-tech interactive screen showing a virtual office, which is fully accessible to those with hearing loss. Features in the virtual office include examples of assistive technology such as flashing smoke alarms to alert deaf and hard of hearing people to an emergency. The stand aims to demonstrate what employers can do to help support those with tinnitus lead a full working life.

Brian Lamb, Acting Chief Executive RNID, said:

Tinnitus can be a debilitating condition for many people, leaving them feeling isolated and stressed. Unfortunately there is no cure, however with simple techniques and equipment the condition can be managed and sufferers can lead a normal working life.

RNID has also developed a dedicated tinnitus helpline (0808 808 0123) and area on it’s website which can provide expert advice and tips to help those with tinnitus live life to the full.”

Joanne Hindle, Corporate Services Director at Unum, said:

No one should underestimate the debilitating effects of tinnitus both at work and home. We are delighted to join forces with the RNID to increase understanding and treatment of tinnitus as well as encourage employers to understand what changes they might make to help employees with the condition stay in work.

The ‘tinnitus headphones’, available on the stand, are part of RNID’s campaign to raise awareness of tinnitus not only amongst the public but GPs as well. The need for greater awareness is underlined by research(1) performed by the RNID which shows that as many as 15% of people have suffered from the condition whilst at the same time showing that 70% of GPs have never received any training on the illness.

The school summer holiday now feels like a distant memory, but Basingstoke Bowlplex is keeping the fun going for local children by bringing the classroom to the bowling lanes!

Schools throughout the area are taking advantage of the Bowlplex education pack, which encourages children to learn a number of Key Stage subjects outside the classroom environment

Since the introduction of the Bowlplex education packs last year, the popularity of ten-pin bowling as a springboard to educational subjects has grown.

Bowlplex marketing manager, Simon Barnett said:

Bowlplex is the perfect environment for children to learn and develop their skills in a number of subjects, from maths to information technology and design.

The government’s ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’ Manifesto, which encourages schools to experience education in a new environment, backs Bowlplex’s aim, to provide children and young people with a variety of learning experiences in a fun way.

The popularity of school visits to Basingstoke Bowlplex has increased month by month and since the schools returned after the summer break this trend has continued and we have bookings throughout the year for classes from Year 1 right through to Year 9.

The great advantage of learning outside the classroom in a Bowlplex centre is the fact that it provides a stimulating and safe environment for children to learn, whilst being a lot of fun at the same time!

The Bowlplex educational packs include Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 lessons in science, geography, literacy, maths, information technology and design. For further information or to download the Bowlplex education pack visit www.bowlplex.co.uk.

On Friday 28th September, a Basingstoke venue’s contribution to country music here in the UK will be recognised when the legendary George Hamilton IV (pictured) presents a special award to The Academy live music venue on Worting Road at his live concert.

The award, sponsored by the leading country music radio station across Europe CMR Nashville Radio, and voted for by musicians themselves will be presented by Mr Hamilton, the International Ambassador of Country Music, “in recognition of The Academy’s development of an enviable live music venue at which country music artists from around the world are proud to perform”.

The Academy has hosted performances by leading UK artists such as Easy Rider, Henry J Smith’s Country Dreams, Cathy McManamon, Rachael Warwick and Brendan Quinn. In addition, top US country stars Hal Ketchum, Lisa O’Kane and Bobby D Sawyer have graced the stage of this unique complex which boasts a snooker & pool centre, sports bar as well as a popular Chinese restaurant.

CMR Nashville Radio station controller, country music TV and radio presenter Lee Williams, said:

The Academy’s support for country music has been received enthusiastically throughout the industry worldwide and is demonstrated by the ability of the venue to attract major acts such as Brendan Quinn, Hal Ketchum and Lisa O’Kane.

This was undoubtedly a result of the passion for live music held by The Academy’s General Manager, John Hicks. CMR Nashville Radio is delighted to have been part of this development but the award stems from the buzz within the industry which has generated considerable interest and excitement amongst performers who wish to support the work of the venue.

The presentation will be made at George Hamilton IV’s concert where he is being supported by one of the top UK country band led by Tony Goodacre, awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the UK Radio Awards ceremony in 2007 for his contribution to country music. Tickets are available at the venue or its website.

Basingstoke based Voller Energy Group PLC, a leader in portable fuel cell systems, today announced its preliminary results for the year ended 30 June, 2007.Highlights Include

• Maiden order from GenQuip for twenty 1kW fuel cell systems to be installed in welfare cabins
• Unipart Leisure and Marine appointed as fuel cell distributor
• Remain on track for commercialisation of systems
• Prototype systems installed in Cabin, RV and Yacht and trials underway
• Strong cash balance of £4.73m

Stephen Voller, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

Our progress to date has been very encouraging. Voller continues to lead the way in developing fuel cell generators running from alternative fuels. We are one of the first fuel cell companies worldwide to have products ready for commercialisation and first to have fuel cell systems running from LPG. We are delighted to have received our first order for our APU system called “Emerald” which will roll off our new production line in Basingstoke, United Kingdom in early 2008. We are cautiously optimistic for the year ahead.

Voller Energy is one of the world’s first commercial developers and manufacturers of portable fuel cell systems for use as battery chargers and mobile generators – ideal for anyone who has a need for reliable and versatile remote power. The company was founded in 2002 by Stephen Voller and Mike Clarke in Basingstoke.

The August meeting of the North-Hampshire Women In Business Group, scored a ‘hole-in-one’ with members as they networked ‘at speed’ to one another.

Held within the sumptuous grounds of Dummer Golf Club, the event tee’d off to a great start, allowing members just one minute each to profile their business to another listening member, rotating in turn to another member every couple of minutes.

Every year, one of the meetings is dedicated solely to networking and promoting businesses to fellow businesswomen in this way, which is designed to create maximum awareness of the diverse products and services available.

This annual event is always very popular and this year was no exception, with 40 women attending, which just goes to prove that ‘women who talk together do business together’.

An additional fun element was included making good use of the grounds at Dummer Golf Club, by encouraging members to putt a golf ball nearest the marker. Winner, Sarah Cardew from Penningtons Solicitors, was so impressed with her amateur golf skills that she is even thinking of taking up golf as a hobby!

Pictured: Ann Davies of Lamb Brooks Solicitors tee’s off at Dummer Golf Club

Scott Wilson Group plc, international consultancy offering integrated professional services in the transportation, property, environment and natural resources sectors, today announces the appointment of Sean Cummins as Finance Director Designate (pictured right).

Sean, aged 44, will become Group Finance Director on 1st October 2007. From 1999 to 2007 Sean was the Group Finance Director of Yule Catto & Co plc, a leading speciality chemical company. Sean qualified as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse (now Price Waterhouse Coopers), before joining Invensys plc where he held a number of roles including UK Finance Director of Hawker Batteries Group and Divisional Controller of BTR Power Systems.

Sean replaces Stephen Kimmett who has resigned from the Board and will leave Scott Wilson after the handover period to pursue other opportunities. Stephen joined the Group in 1997 and subsequently formed part of the team that completed Scott Wilson’s successful IPO on the London Stock Exchange in March 2006.

Commenting today, Geoff French, Executive Chairman of Scott Wilson Group plc said:

We are delighted to welcome Sean Cummins to the Board. We believe his wealth of experience will prove invaluable in the next stage of the Group’s development.

We would like to thank Stephen for his significant contribution to Scott Wilson. He has been an integral member of the Main Board and senior leadership team and has helped to build the business before, during and since the company’s IPO. We wish him well in the next phase of his career.