news Archive 06/2010

Delivered by experienced tutors, this MasterClass Workshop will:
• Develop your presence through body, breath & voice exercises
• Improve your questioning & listening technique
• Help you understand personality styles and how to influence others
• Offer practice in building rapport in business

****Through the Knowledge Connect programme there is an opportunity to be awarded a £3K consultancy package with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for one-to-one communication skills related business support assistance tailored to suit your needs. However, this award opportunity is ONLY open to enterprises employing between 4 to 249 fulltime equivalent employees.****

This FREE MasterClass is open to London based SMEs who require assistance in enhancing their presentation style to improve their business impact and prospects

When and Where:
Thursday 8th July 2010
9am - 5pm

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
62-64 Gower Street
London
WC1E 6ED

Places are allocated on a first come first served basis. Registration is limited to one participant per business. If you wish to attend, please contact Iwona on 020 7164 2045 or at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Or book online at www.knowledgeconnect.org.uk

Do you want to know how you can increase your business efficiency to save your company time?
Would you like to pick up tips and ideas that can enhance your company’s energy efficiency and save your company money?
Would you like to hear how to make the best use of your company resources to maximize productivity?

Are you aware of the wide range of advice, guidance and funding available to help your business go GREEN?
By attending this free networking event, you’ll get access to all this valuable information, hear from expert speakers about practical ways of profiting through efficiency and meet other businesses who are keen to do the same. You will also have an opportunity to win £3k from Knowledge Connect to work on a bespoke ‘Go Green’ project with the University of Greenwich.

When and Where:
Tuesday 13th Jul 2010
5.00pm - 9.00pm

Queen Anne Building
University of Greenwich
Old Royal Naval College
30 Park Row
Greenwich
SE10 9LS

How to book:
Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you wish to attend, please contact Canmei at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or on 020 8331 7867
Or to register on-line please click on the link below
www.enterprise.gre.ac.uk

Calling all businesses and entrepreneurs in the borough!

Nominations are now open for the Mayor of Hackney’s Business Awards 2010.
The annual awards, now in their fifth year, celebrate and champion the diversity and excellence of small and medium-sized businesses in Hackney.
Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney, said: “A lot has changed in the past five years and I realise that businesses have faced very difficult times. However, what remains constant is the place small and medium sized businesses occupy at the heart of Hackney’s local economy. That is why I am committed to supporting and showcasing the best of the borough’s entrepreneurial spirit through these awards.”
Mayor Pipe added: “Last year, our judges commented on the extremely high calibre of all the shortlisted entries and I am sure that this year Hackney’s businesses will continue to impress.”
The judging panel, made up of seasoned business professionals who all have a connection to Hackney, includes Sinclair Beecham MBE, co-founder of Pret a Manger and owner of the Hoxton Hotel, Yvonne Thompson CBE, founder of Choice FM, Enzo Testa, Executive Managing Director, Archant London and Ian King, Deputy Business of the Times.
The closing date for entries is 5pm on Friday 9 July and all finalists will be invited to a reception on 14 September.

Go to www.hackney.gov.uk/mayorsbusinessawards for full details and to enter your business.

If you are looking to save money and help save the planet, go to the Green Grants Machine website at www.greengrantsmachine.co.uk where you can get information on all the latest funding schemes to enable your company to become more environmentally friendly.
A FREE website to help you find the funding on offer to boost your business’s bottom line by improving its environmental performance.

Search through the UK’s most comprehensive source of information on grants, loans, awards and other funds available to help businesses go green.

That’s easy money on offer to help you:

  * Cut waste
  * Slash energy bills
  * Improve productivity
  * Buy energy efficient equipment
  * Generate your own electricity
  * Develop innovative new low carbon products
  * Meet tough environmental regulations

Register for FREE now to find out what money is on offer to boost your bottom line

OK - I give in - I’ll go with the Football theme along with the rest of the world:

LOCOG are looking for suppliers of the following goods: Football goalposts, Football goal nets, side kick-boards for 5-a-side Paralympic Football, Football corner posts, Paralympic 7-a-side Football goalposts, and other assorted Football field-of-play equipment and furniture - but no vuvuzelas thank you very much…..

Click on the document below to see the full range of opportunities this week. You will need to register with CompeteFor to access full details and to apply for any of these opportunities: go to www.competefor.com

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), supported by Arts Council England (ACE), is inviting applications from experienced artists to undertake a 16 month residency at the ODA offices and Olympic Park construction site, resulting in an outreach programme produced in partnership with an experienced curator of their choice, focusing on the nature of culture-led regeneration, and communicating the artist’s research to a wide and diverse audience. The artist would be required to develop a cultural outreach programme in the five Host Boroughs (Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Greenwich)

Closing date: 10am, Monday 28 June 2010.

To apply for this opportunity please download:

- the application form

- the artist brief

- the draft contract

Charities, Social Enterprises and all Third Sector organisations can now hire a hot desk for only £20 a day from CAN Mezzanine.

No notice period or minimum contract.
No extra VAT or credit card charges.

For £20 you get a desk with PC, telephone and lockable pedastal, free teas and coffees, wireless broadband, access to the CAN Mezzanine third sector resource centre and other informal breakout areas and meeting rooms.

Book your desk online at www.can-online.org.uk

London Overground Ltd. is offering this unique opportunity to site a retail kiosk on the platform at Hackney Central Railway station.
The kiosk will be located next to the ticket office - so perfect for catching all those commuters looking for a great cup of coffee.
           
Building works will be required for the installation of the unit. Size and associated rent to be agreed. Applicants will be expected to obtain all necessary statutory consents, and all costs will be at the tenant’s expense and subject to Landlords approval.

Each party is to be responsible for their own legal costs incurred in any transaction.

For more information on this unique offer call Jonathan Ratnage of Lambert Smith Hampton on 020 7198 2132, quoting reference 12664048.

July 2010

Food, glorious food. What could be nicer than turning a love of food into a restaurant, café, new product or catering service?

But running a food business isn’t just about your cooking skills. There are lots of important questions to consider, both before you get started and once you’re up and running.

The Business & IP Centre can help. Throughout July they’re running special events exploring the key issues you’ll need to think about:

  * What makes you stand out from the crowd?
  * How will you choose suppliers?
  * Will you work from home or open a café?
  * The red tape: how will health and safety regulations affect you?

Meet a host of foodie entrepreneurs, including Richard Reed of innocent smoothies, and Oliver Peyton, Great British Menu judge and co-founder of catering company Peyton & Byrne.

Find out more about the ‘Cooking up success’ programme for food and drink businesses

It sounds so easy: turn your passion for food into a business and realise your dreams of entrepreneurial success. Restaurants, bars, delicatessens, fast food franchises and new retail brands can all appear great opportunities. But in such a highly-competitive market, every business needs a distinctive ingredient to survive and thrive.

On 27th July at the British Library Business and IP Centre on London, the ‘Inspiring Entrepreneurs’ event will bring together leading entrepreneurs from the food and drink market to share their secrets for success in a fast-moving world.

Who should attend? Entrepreneurs and small businesses
Place: British Library Conference Centre
Cost: £10.00 (concessions £7.50)
How to Book: Book your ticket online now or call the British Library Box Office on +44 (0)1937 546 546

Richard Reed is the co-founder of innocent, the No.1 smoothie brand in Europe. The business was started in May 1999 by Richard and two friends and has grown in less than 10 years to a turnover of over £100m.

Priya Lakhani had one aim in starting her company Masala Masala – to create truly authentic, fresh Indian sauces that could be found on the supermarket shelf. The products are now stocked in a range of shops including Waitrose and Harrods.

Jennifer Irvine is the founder of The Pure Package, the gourmet food service offering carefully tailored, freshly prepared and healthily balanced meals and snacks delivered daily to your door.

Eric Lanlard is a master pâtissier, with a reputation for inspirational cakes and amassing A-list clientele. In 2007 Eric launched Cake Boy – a retail emporium and cookery school. Eric has his own Channel 4 series, Glamour Puds.

Who should attend? Entrepreneurs and small businesses
Place: British Library Conference Centre The Business & IP Centre 96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB
Date & Time: 27th July 2010 18.15 - 21.00
Cost: £10.00 (concessions £7.50)
How to Book: Book your ticket online now or call the British Library Box Office on +44 (0)1937 546 546

With support from the Shoreditch Trust, Meanwhile Space are currently residing in the first Meanwhile Centre at 253 Hoxton Street, a drop-in advice centre for people to go and find out more about the Meanwhile Project and the tools they’ve developed to support temporary uses of vacant spaces that benefit the community. See www.meanwhile.org.uk
Meanwhile was created as a result of the Government’s ‘Looking after our town centres’ document, launched on 14 April 2009 including the empty shops revival plan to prevent high street decline.

The Hoxton Street shop is currently being used by projects as a test space in which to pilot their ideas. The latest project to use the Hoxton Street shop is The Bunting Factory, who will be in the shop this Friday, 4th June. This is your chance to make your own personalised bunting, for yourself, your mum, your mate or your neighbour! Click on the link below to find out more about The Bunting Factory event this Friday.