 February Networking Lunch with Seamus McDaid, Principal UWS
February's Lunch will be on Thursday the 24th at David Lloyd Renfrew and the speaker will be Seamus McDaid, Principal of the University of the West of Scotland. Read More |
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HR Forum with MacRoberts Solicitors
Katy Wedderburn of MacRoberts Solicitors will be facilitating an HR Forum on 1st March 2011.
The topics for this HR Forum will be Redundancy and Consultation.
The Forum provides HR professionals with the opportunity to listen to up-to-date legal commentary and thereafter take part in an open discussion about employment practice where questions can be posed to the speakers. Read More |
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Golf & a Curry Networking Night in partnership with
East Renfrewshire Chamber at Mearns Castle Golf Academy
Come along for a relaxed evening of golf, networking and food; Mearns Castle Golf Academy would like to welcome members of Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire Chambers on Thursday 3rd March. Starting at 6.30pm, you will receive an hour’s session on the range (2 people per bay) with the advice of a Mearns Castle golf Pro, then back inside for an Indian buffet (Mister Singhs) and more networking. Places are limited to thirty. Read More |
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Chamber Golf Challenge at Mar Hall, 7th June 2011
 The Earl of Mar Championship Golf Course, at Mar Hall Hotel & Resort is an 18 hole, 6500 yard par 70. With spectacular views of the River Clyde and the Kilpatrick Hills, designed by respected golf course architect, Dave Thomas, best known for The Belfry in England, plus San Roque and La Manga in Spain.
 - Breakfast rolls served with tea / coffee on arrival from 8am
- Registration on Event Scoreboard Management Service
- Nearest the Pin, Longest Drive & Beat the Pro competitions
- Full locker room attendant service
- Complimentary use of practice facilities from 8am
- Halfway House refreshment service available
- Lunch from approx 2pm with prizes awarded
- Complimentary trolley hire
- Shot Gun start 9.00am Read More
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Dates for your diary
Don't forget to reserve your place for our upcoming events
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Renfrewshire Chamber News |
Business Matters in Renfrewshire – B2B Event - Paisley Town Hall - May 19th 2011
The Chamber is organizing a B2B (business to business) full day event on 19th May 2011 in Paisley Town Hall. We have the whole building with space for 30 exhibitors in the main hall and all 4 meeting rooms for workshops / seminars and masterclasses. We are at an early stage of planning but if you are interested in being an exhibitor (cost £200) for the day and/or are interested in hosting a workshop / seminar or masterclass then please get in touch at bdavidson@renfrewshirechamber.com
. The event will be free to attend for businesses, have a café during the day and will be marketed by the chamber via website / press and leaflets in the run up to the event. Interest is already high with many stalls booked out (50%) and companies having requested a seminar slot (seven 1 hour slots booked). So I recommend if you are interested you don't delay. More information on the event will be released in due course. |
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Record Charity year for Chamber
Renfrewshire Chamber raised £16,000 for local charities in the last year, the most it has ever raised. Chamber President, Tom Johnston Head of Retail (Scotland) for Colliers International, born in Renfrewshire himself, having been raised in Inchinnan and now living in Bridge of Weir, recently presented our two charities of the year with their cheques. The money is raised from the ROCCOs, the Chambers Annual Business Awards held in November and the Chamber’s Christmas Lunch.
Erskine, founded in 1916, has provided nursing and medical care for former members of our Armed Forces through two world wars and the more recent conflicts and peace keeping initiatives. Tom presented the cheque to Linda O’Malley Area Co-ordinator with residents from Erskine - Irene Adams & Peter Wilson. Read More
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Business Mentoring
We helped 150 companies find a free business mentor between Feb10-Jan11. Linda Perry Business Mentoring Exec would be delighted to speak with you to see if you could benefit from a business mentor. The eligibility criteria are:
- In business for at least a year
- Ambitious / desire to grow
- Turnover > £100K or plans in place to achieve that
- 1 senior person per company
- Not involved in 1-2-1 mentoring for last year (but you can come from a group straight into a 1-2-1)
 We have 700 mentors across all sectors and industries. If you are at a cross roads, need someone to talk to, to bounce ideas off and use as a sounding board, or just benefit from an others experience – then mentoring is ideal for you.
Contact Linda Perry on 0141 847 5458 / lperry@renfrewshirechamber.com
More info about the mentoring programme, please visit http://www.renfrewshirechamber.com/BusinessMentoring.asp |
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Skills Development Scotland Training Grants
As you know, staff training provides an excellent boost to the productivity of our businesses. However, it’s not always affordable to all of our members. Luckily, there’s help available - the Flexible Training Opportunities scheme from Skills Development Scotland, supported by the European Social Fund.
Flexible Training Opportunities will fund up to £5,000 in training costs. Whether you are a sole trader or have less than 150 employees, the scheme will refund 50% of the cost of up to 10 training courses, at a maximum of £500 each.
For example, if the training costs £1200, £500 will be refunded. If it costs £300, £150 will be refunded. Effectively, it could double your training investment. Best of all, the money is a grant, not a loan – so they don’t have to repay it.
It’s a fantastic opportunity, I’m sure you’ll agree. The closing date for submission is 31st March 2011, although the training can take place up-to the 30 June 2011– and funding is limited, so members must apply as soon as possible.
To find out more, please visit http://www.renfrewshirechamber.com/FlexibleTrainingOpportunities.asp
Or alternatively complete the following and email to bdavidson@renfrewshirechamber.com
Name :
Company :
Email :
Tel :
No of courses / people :
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Your guide to a safe and healthy workplace
Healthy Working lives have developed a new resource ‘Safer Work Healthier Business’ to help small businesses manage health and safety. The guide is free and provides managers with the basic building blocks to help them develop their own management system.
Getting it right is vital and we realise that not every manager will have the competence and confidence to get started. The resource is intended to be used with Health Working Lives Adviser support, that way you get ‘one to one ’practical ongoing support.
If you are committed to developing a health and safety management system for your business, then request a workplace visit to see how "Safer Work Healthier Business" can help you and your business. Contact our adviceline on 0800 019 2211. |
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Unexpected Windfall as Paisley Abbey Secures
£11,000 Tax Rebate
 Paisley Abbey has received an £11,000 rebate on its gas bill after discovering it had been paying thousands of pounds a year too much in taxes.
The overpayment was uncovered when Glasgow-based energy management consultancy Orchard Energy was invited to assess the Abbey’s overheads and improve fuel efficiency.
“We started looking at their energy spend to find ways to save them money on their fuel bills and noticed they were being charged full VAT rather than the lower rate of five per cent that should apply to charities,” explained Keith Barlow of Orchard, who specialises in helping charities and trusts find ways to reduce overheads. Read More
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10% Chamber Member Discount on Computer and
IT Equipment Cleaning & Sanitising
Techclean Services has been carrying out specialist computer and IT equipment cleaning services since 1983.
Our high quality service and professional approach ensures that we provide you with tailored IT cleaning solutions backed up by a national network of 55 branches across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Our clients range from FTSE 100 companies through to smaller businesses and encompass all sectors of the market. Our service is adaptable for any job – big or small. Read More
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Dragons' Den - Series 9
After its record breaking series in 2010, Dragons’ Den is preparing to open for business once again, giving entrepreneurs from across the country the chance to realise their ambitions and make their business dreams come true. If you’re genuinely seeking investment for your business idea or invention, we’d like to hear from you.
Last year saw more entrepreneurs than ever before enter the Den and face the Dragons, with 17 businesses convincing the multi-millionaire investors that they were worthy of their cash. Read More
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Infiniti Test Drive Day
Join the Select Few for a Free Luxury Experience 5th & 6th March
It’s one thing to read about Infiniti, it’s another to experience it first hand. That’s why we’d like to invite you to take a test drive with us
Enjoy lunch with our compliments
As a thank you for your time and for sharing your thoughts on our range, we’d like to offer you and a partner lunch at the Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow after you’ve driven the Infiniti of your choice. The unique test drive event takes place on 5th & 6th of March. To reserve your Infiniti test drive experience, please call the booking line on 0844 579 0987 – quoting that you are a member of Renfrewshire Chamber. Click here to view an Infiniti Flyer
www.infiniti-glasgow.co.uk
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Princess Royal Visits Abbey Mill Business Centre to Open New Charity Offices
HRH The Princess Royal met with carers, volunteers, supporters and young carers when she opened the new premises of The Princess Royal Trust Renfrewshire Carers Centre at Abbey Mill Business Centre on Wednesday 26 January.
The centre moved to new premises at Abbey Mill Business Centre in Paisley in April 2010 and the visit of The Princess Royal, who is President of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers (The Trust), highlighted the wide range of services on offer to Renfrewshire’s carers and young carers. Read More
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Ideal Home Show Scotland - Member Offer
Exclusive offer for The Ideal Home Show Scotland at the SECC, Glasgow. 2 for 1 tickets available for chambers members until 25th Feb 11. Simply go the web, book and enter code CCFEB11 at the checkout.
www.idealhomeshowscotland.co.uk
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LeNETmobile monitoring system training course
When: Thursday 24th February 2011
Time: 9.00am - 5pm
Where: Innovation Centre, 1 Ainslie Road, Hillington Park, Glasgow, G52 4RU.
Logic Energy will be holding a training course on the 24th February 2011 covering the following areas:
Rules of wind site assessment and best practice
How to spec a monitoring system for new projects with a hybrid of renewable energy such as heat, solar, wind, hydrogen, hydroelectric etc.
Data management - running reports, understanding the data
How to install and set up LeNETmobile monitoring systems
Please note, there will be a small fee which we will confirm soon. The agenda will be finalised nearer the time. Email
lisa@logic-energy.com to register
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Keeping in touch…
 If you’re into social media, then follow the Chamber on the 4 main sites twitter / facebook / youtube & Linkedin. Links for each are on the right hand side of this enews. On these sites you can see events / photos / videos and engage with other followers and members. And it’s free. Plus don’t forget about our iPhone app – over 300 have downloaded it from iTunes for free http://www.renfrewshirechamber.com/iPhoneApp.asp
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 Next Issue of Business Matters
The next issue of Business Matters is due out at the end of March, so get all your Editorial / Adverts into Contact Publicity by the 4th of March to have them included. The themes for the next issue are airport / business support and 3rd sector.
0141 204 2042 / gina@contactpublicity.co.uk |
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Calling all Members!
 Any members who have any news to tell, send it to us and we'll include it in our next eNews! Whether it's a new contract, staff members, new office, send all your news to fallardice@renfrewshirechamber.com
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Government Compromise on Migrant Workers Welcomed
 Commenting on the announcement from the UK Immigration Minister that the rules for businesses looking to employ essential talent from outwith the EU are to be relaxed, Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:
“We welcome the fact that the UK Government has responded to our concerns about the restrictive nature of proposed immigration rules by announcing a relaxation for highly skilled, high paid workers and for scientists. Our member businesses across Scotland need to access the right staff with the right skills at the right time, and where we cannot source this talent domestically, we need to be able to recruit wherever it exists." Read More
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SCC Calls for Action on Air Taxes and Services
 Commenting on the publication of a report, commissioned by BAA’s three Scottish airports, that Air Passenger Duty could cost Scottish airports over one million passengers over the next three years, Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:
“Air Passenger Duty is a tax which unfairly hits Scotland because of our geography. Not only do we rely on air transport for international travel, we also depend upon it for d omestic journeys, with six million out of seven million passenger journeys between Scotland and London each year being made by aircraft. When compared with other parts of the UK, this makes Scottish travellers an easy target for this tax." Read More
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Fall in Unemployment Welcome, but Action to Support Business Growth Still Required
Commenting on the news that Scottish unemployment fell by 13,000 over the three months to December 2010, Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of  Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:
“This is another welcome sign that the Scottish economy is recovering and that our unemployment rate is falling back towards the UK average. One note of caution is that the Scottish economic cycle still appears to be lagging against the UK, and we are yet to feel the full effects of public sector cuts north of the border. This means that we are yet to face some serious economic challenges over the course of 2011." Read More
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SCC Welcomes Project Merlin as a Step in the Right Direction
 Commenting on today’s announcement by the Chancellor on the outcomes of Project Merlin, Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:
“It is welcome that the Government have secured a commitment from the banks for additional lending to business this year, and it is particularly important that the bulk of the extra lending is directed towards SMEs. However one of the main concerns for businesses in Scotland is the cost of borrowing and the sometimes onerous conditions attached to loans rather than the volume of lending." Read More
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Get Networking!
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