Business Action | February / March 2020

usiness 

ACTION 

north enterprise 

devon 

growth 

innovation 

news & views 

Wake up a winner 

Enter Business Action Awards 

Business events 

From advice to training 

Data protection 

Easy ways to comply with regulations 

Be Ready, be accessible 

Boost disabled employment and sales 

business-action.co.uk | February / March 2020 | @businessactionm

CONTENTS 

Virtual Business Partners 

Because running a business 

can be a lonely journey! 

Why work with a Virtual Business Partner? 

What’s the Benefit? 

If you are a solopreneur, entrepreneur or SME we can help 

you to: 

• Consolidate your position - stabilise or expand, depending on the 

health of your business 

• Streamline your business, across - processes, procedures, systems 

and people 

• Invigorate and energise your reasons for starting this journey - 

through coaching and collaboration 

How do we do this? 

• By listening - to what’s working and what’s not, and to your end 

goal vision. 

• By offering practical advice and actually doing what’s needed - we 

are not just all talk, we are not gurus, we actually do the work. 

With the added potential benefit of virtual assistance. 

• By bringing extensive experience and a proven track record to the 

table. 

Are you ready to take your start-up or SME to the next level? 

If so, contact us to discuss whether working with a Virtual Business 

Partner is right for you. 

Contact details: email: info@virtualbusinesspartners.co.uk 

tel: 01271 603078 or 07788 181419 

www.virtualbusinesspartners.co.uk 

Web site | business-action.co.uk 

Online version | business-action.uk 

Vol 2 Issue 1 – February / March 2020 – distribution 2,500 

You have to be in it to win it............................................................................ 1 

Independent food firm expands UK reach................................................ 2 

Award win for manufacturer........................................................................... 2 

New year, new office for design agency.................................................... 3 

Business group’s new chairman.................................................................. 3 

Flower shop blooms under new ownership............................................. 4 

Bring Your Dog to Work Day sponsor........................................................ 4 

Be Ready to attract more Purple Pounds................................................. 5 

BBxpo earlybird exhibition stand offer...................................................... 5 

Privacy: sorting fact from fiction.................................................................. 6 

Business Action advertising plans.............................................................. 7 

Making accurate sales predictions.............................................................. 7 

Healthy life, healthy business........................................................................ 8 

Business directory – find products and services................................. 9 

Business Action Awards 2020....................................................................... 10 

Headline sponsor................................................................................................. 11 

Awards categories and sponsors................................................................. 12 

Top tips on winning business awards........................................................ 17 

In the hot seat: Jason Sharman of Atlas Packaging............................ 18 

Are you still typing invoice data into your accounts?......................... 19 

From £10 to £1 million #10to1m.................................................................... 19 

Hotel events support local food producers............................................. 20 

Petroc: technology centre launch, business drop-ins 

and apprenticeship event................................................................................. 20 

Devon Chamber Access to Finance Fair................................................... 21 

International trade training ............................................................................. 21 

© Need it Find it 2020. All information in this magazine is published in good faith. 

Any views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher, Need it Find it. 

Readers are strongly recommended to seek advice from an appropriate professional 

before taking any action on any topic discussed in the magazine and to check full 

terms and conditions of any products or services promoted in advertisements. 

Set Your 

Business 

Apart 

The UK’s Largest 

Trading Standards Run 

Business Approval Scheme 

ii 

Backed by more than 50 local authority 

Trading Standards Services nationwide, 

Buy With Confidence supports honest 

and trustworthy businesses, setting your 

company apart from your competitors 

Find out more: www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk 

business action | February / March 2020 | business-action.co.uk

ENTERPRISE 

business 

ACTION 

You have to be in it to win it 

On Thursday 5 December 

2019, Alan Williams and 

Robert Zarywacz shared 

copies of Business Action with 

businesses from across the UK 

at Small Business Saturday’s 

House of Lords reception for its 

#SmallBiz100 winners. 

Business Action was only 

able to win because we entered. 

We won in 2019, so which 

North Devon business can win 

in 2020? We’ll only have another 

winner if you enter. 

That is why we have 

launched our own business 

awards – to encourage more 

North Devon businesses to 

seek recognition by entering 

the many sector and regional, 

national and international business 

awards programmes. 

If you haven’t ever entered 

an award or think that you 

have no chance of winning, you 

need to do two things: 

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY #SMALLBIZ100 

Robert Zarywacz 

Editor, Designer & Publisher 

t: 07971 176044 

e: robertz@business-action.co.uk 

@robertz 

1. Enter the Business Action 

Awards – 11 categories 

covering every type of business 

– see page 10. 

Alan Williams 

Advertising, Distribution & Publisher 

t: 07970 671192 

e: alan@business-action.co.uk 

2. Read Denise O’Leary’s 

book ‘WINNING – How to 

Win Business Awards’ – see 

page 17 to read Denise’s top 

tips on entering awards and 

a review of her book. 

In the spotlight 

We hope our awards will 

inspire you to put your business 

in the spotlight, locally 

and further afield. 

At the same time, we will 

continue to feature businesses 

across the area in this magazine 

and look forward to even more 

stories of achievement in 2020. 

We think what makes Business 

Action different is that we 

include all businesses, from 

individuals just starting out to 

bigger, established business. 

We don’t charge for editorial 

coverage, as we believe in 

publishing stories that deserve 

to be told. 

That is why we are so 

grateful to all our advertisers 

who enable us to publish Business 

Action for you. 

BUSINESS 

DIRECTORY 

BUSINESS 

SUPPORT 

Many businesses are worried 

about the implications of 

employing an individual with 

a disability when they can 

often be the most committed 

employees, needing less 

practical adjustments in the 

workplace than imagined. 

Devon’s ‘Be Ready’ 

Employer Hub is launching in 

April to help employers take on 

more people with disabilities 

for the benefit of both. 

It will also help businesses 

tap into the Purple Pound – the 

£249 billion a year that disabled 

people, their families and 

friends spend with businesses. 

Read about how ‘Be Ready’ 

can help your business. 

>>> PAGE 5 

Promoting your business 

without spending a fortune is 

what many businesses seek, 

especially when starting up. 

We’re now developing our 

business directory in this 

magazine, which gives you 

a listing including contact 

details for six issues (over one 

year) for £50. 

Businesses also receive a 

listing at needitfindit.uk as 

well as a copy of each magazine 

mailed direct to their 

address every two months. 

All our promotional 

packages are designed to be 

affordable so that any business 

can promote themselves 

throughout the year. 

>>> PAGE 9 

Awards offer an opportunity 

to promote your business more 

widely and the Business Action 

Awards offer 11 categories for 

you to enter. 

These are outlined in this 

section so that you can see 

which awards are suitable for 

you to enter. Businesses based 

in or operating in North Devon 

can enter as many categories as 

they like. 

There are also profiles of 

our generous awards sponsors, 

without whom these awards 

would not take place. 

Plus there’s tips on entering 

awards if you have never put 

your business forward before. 

Good luck! 

Development is vital for every 

business and there is a wide 

range of events and training 

available from a number of 

organisations. 

This issue we focus on food 

and drink events hosted by the 

Carlton Hotel in Ilfracombe 

to increase support for local 

foods producers. 

We also feature two Devon 

Chamber initiatives covering 

finance and international 

trade training. 

Plus there’s a number of 

events at Petroc, including 

the launch of its new Cotie 

technology centre, its apprenticeship 

event and regular 

business drop-in sessions. 

>>> PAGES 10 – 17 >>> PAGES 20 – 21 

@businessactionm | February / March 2020 | business action 1

NEWS 

Finding Jobs for People and People for Jobs 

Temporary & Permanent recruitment solutions throughout North Devon! 

01237 439500 

Independent food firm expands UK reach 

Family-owned food 

wholesaler Philip Dennis 

Foodservice has invested £1.5 

million in a new transport 

and warehousing depot in the 

West Midlands. 

With depots in the South 

West, Oxfordshire and 

Midlands, the business has 

invested heavily in its infrastructure 

and people over the 

last year to support its ambitious 

growth plans. 

The purchase of the new 

premises on Shaw Road, 

Dudley comes as the company 

is seeing a significant increase 

in its foodservice business 

particularly across pubs, 

restaurants, hotels, schools 

and coffee shops. 

Lisa Vermeulen, Philip 

Dennis Foodservice regional 

sales manager for the 

Midlands, says: “This is a very 

exciting time for the business. 

Ilfracombe-based TDK- 

Lambda UK was named Tech 

Company of the Year at the 

recent Tech South West Awards 

2019, which celebrate the 

region’s fastest growing sector. 

TDK-Lambda won the 

award in the category for 

companies with a revenue of 

more than £5 million per year, 

beating competition from 

fellow finalists Amdaris and 

Open Bionics. 

The company was 

commended for its commitment 

to developing its 

Ilfracombe facility. Following 

recent investment, the site has 

a £1.2 million EMC centre, 

which enables the company to 

carry out essential EMC testing 

in-house in order to provide 

customers with an even more 

comprehensive service. The 

www.simplerecruitmentltd.co.uk 

Philip Dennis Foodservice’s Midlands sales team: (from left) 

Jacob McCathie, Kim Smith, John Bateman, Lisa Vermeulen and Steve Redding 

We’ve invested heavily in this 

new depot as we’ve seen a 

large increase in demand for 

Philip Dennis products within 

the area. The business has 

experienced rapid growth in 

recent years, and we wanted 

company has also recently 

invested in new equipment, 

including a state-of-the-art 

Yamaha 3D optical inspection 

a base in the West Midlands 

that would allow us to offer an 

increased level of service to 

our customers.” 

The location of the new 

premises also offers easier 

access for the company’s 

Award win for manufacturer 

Tech Company of the Year 2019: (from left) Martin Coates, engineering project 

manager and Alex Knill, product performance manager, TDK-Lambda UK 

system, to further enhance 

product quality. 

Geoff Wilby, managing 

director at TDK-Lambda UK, 

Follow us: 

distribution fleet. Philip 

Dennis Foodservice logistics 

manager Lyndon Didlock 

adds: “We’re always looking 

to improve the level of our 

delivery service and with the 

central location of the new 

depot we can now manage our 

fleet much more effectively.” 

Philip Dennis Foodservice 

is a member of the Caterforce 

buying group and supplies 

a full range of foodservice 

products including groceries, 

frozen and chilled food, as 

well as a range of non-food 

items such as cleaning solutions 

and environmentally 

friendly food cartons. It also 

offers bespoke butchery and 

fishmonger services through 

its Dennis Family Butchers 

and Dennis Family Fishmonger 

companies. 

■■Details 01271 864 136 or 

philipdennis.co.uk 

says: “We are honoured to 

receive this award, and see it as a 

testament to the work we’ve put 

into developing our operations. 

In the past year, we have made 

significant investments not only 

in new technology but also in 

our facilities, for example, by 

installing 90kW solar panels to 

improve sustainability. 

“We have also been 

actively involved with local 

STEM initiatives, such as the 

recently announced South 

West Institute of Technology, 

to help nurture future talent 

for the local industries. The 

technology landscape in the 

South West is seeing rapid 

development, and we are 

proud to be part of this vibrant 

community.” 

■■Details 01271 856600 or 

uk.tdk-lambda.com 

2 


New year, new office 

for design agency 

The Federation of Small 

Businesses has appointed Lee 

Nathan as the new regional 

chairman of its local teams 

across the South West, from 

Cornwall to Gloucester. 

Lee’s creative design agency, 

Studiovine, has offices in 

Plymouth and Bristol. 

The FSB is Britain’s biggest 

business representation group 

and the 35-year-old sees his 

role as vital to ensuring the 

needs of small businesses 

throughout the South West 

region remain firmly on the 

radar of the powers-that-be. 

term client relationships built 

on customer service. 

“Some of our clients have 

been with me for over 20 years 

now. It’s like working with 

friends,” says Frank of Clevera’s 

clients, “and makes coming to 

the studio a real pleasure.” 

This approach is very 

important to Frank, who loves 

running his own business and 

living in North Devon. Being 

happy, satisfied and providing 

for family are key motivations, 

and the resulting working 

atmosphere generates work 

for Clevera through repeat 

business and referrals from 

contented clients. 

The new offices are also 

creating new opportunities 

and forging a closer working 

relationship between Clevera 

and Kameleon Digital, who 

are moving to the top floor 

of the Workhouse to make 

collaboration even easier on 

projects combining print and 

digital activities for shared 

NEWS 

2020 has already brought big 

changes for Barnstaple-based 

design agency Clevera. After 

closing the doors to their 

old office for the Christmas 

break, in January they opened 

the doors to their brand new 

offices at the Workhouse, 

Brannam Square. 

Owner Frank Stone has 

lived and worked in Barnstaple 

since early childhood and the 

new premises mark the 20th 

anniversary of him first setting 

up in business, leading to the 

formation of Clevera in 2012. 

With a team of four focused 

sharply on all aspects of design 

and print, Clevera has worked 

steadily to build up its clientele, 

which includes local organisations 

such as Webbers Estate 

Agents, Castle Hill Estate and 

Savona Food Service, as well 

as international brands such as 

Drayton Controls and ITT inc. 

This reflects the outlook 

of quietly-spoken Frank, who 

believes in developing longclients. 

With meeting facilities 

providing space for working 

on concepts together, Frank is 

looking forward to the shared 

environment boosting creative 

output even further. 

Now entering his third 

Business group’s new chairman 

Clevera’s multi-level creative workspace at the Workhouse, Brannam Square 

decade in business in North 

Devon, Frank welcomes clients 

old and new to discuss their 

design requirements at Clevera’s 

new home. 

■■Details 01271 346759 or 

clevera.co.uk 

Lee says: “I’m delighted to 

have been appointed to this 

key role and I hope the fact 

that I am in my 30s sends a 

positive and clear sign that 

the FSB is a forward-thinking 

organisation determined to do 

everything to help and support 

our members whatever their 

background or business. 

Lee was the youngest 

person to hold senior FSB 

member positions in Devon 

and is now the youngest FSB 

regional chair across the whole 

of the country. 

■■Details fsb.org.uk 


Retirement is a major challenge 

the retail sector needs 

to overcome. Many of our 

finest shops have been run for 

decades by owners who eventually 

need to retire. Either 

they have to find a buyer to 

continue the business or else 

close. Sadly, many good shops 

close when new buyers cannot 

be found. There is a need to 

inspire more younger people 

to come forward and continue 

the great tradition of highquality 

independent retailing. 

This situation occurred 

recently when the owner of 

Exmoor Flowers, Stephanie 

Kingston, decided to retire 

after running the shop as a 

newsagent and than as a florist 

since 2005. Staff member 

Laura Dyer was devastated 

at the thought of not dealing 

with flowers anymore and 

ended up buying the business. 

“I’d never thought about 

running my own florist,” 

says Laura. “I never had the 

confidence to but, after a bit 

of persuasion, guidance and 

a good old confidence boost, 

in September 2019 I bought 

Exmoor Flowers and relocated 

to 42 Lee Road, Lynton.” 

Many of Laura’s family 

had lived in Lynton for years 

before her parents moved 

there in 2006. She followed 

and completed her degree in 

theatre and performance at 

Plymouth University and was 

planning to return to London 

Canine Cottages, operated by 

The Travel Chapter in Bideford, 

has been named headline 

sponsor of national Bring Your 

Dog To Work Day on 26 June. 

This year the campaign will 

be raising money for All Dogs 

Matter and Animals Asia. 

Simon Lockyer of Canine 

until she married and had two 

children. Her introduction 

to Exmoor Flowers was as a 

part-time assistant covering 

a member of staff ’s sick leave, 

but four years later she was a 

full-time member of staff with 

experienced knowledge of all 

things floristry. After countless 

weddings and funerals, Laura 

loves her work so much that 

she decided to buy the business 

so that she could continue 

doing what she loves. 

“It was a massive step 

for me. I was always used to 

working for other people, but 

with help and marketing from 

NEWS 

Flower shop blooms 

under new ownership 

Laura Dyer of Exmoor Flowers, Lynton 

my husband, who works next 

door to me, I slowly started 

to grow more confidence and 

get into the swing of being a 

business owner. 

“I knew that one of the 

keys to success was social 

media and from day dot I’ve 

put almost every bouquet, 

arrangement, wedding and 

funeral tribute on my Instagram 

and Facebook pages and 

the clients came flooding in. 

“My flowers come from a 

wholesaler called St Mellion 

Flowers based in Saltash, 

Cornwall. They come to North 

Devon several times a week 

Bring your dog to work day sponsor 

Cottages says: “We’ve been 

taking part in Bring Your Dog 

To Work Day for a number of 

years now and are thrilled to 

be the headline sponsors for 

2020 to support the important 

work of the two charities. We 

specialise in taking dogs and 

their humans on holiday, but of 

course we can’t be on holiday 

all the time, so the next best 

thing is to be able to take your 

dog to work.” 

■■bringyourdogtoworkday.co.uk 

with the freshest of flowers 

from all over the world, but 

mainly Holland and the UK. 

“Red roses for Valentine’s 

come from Colombia. They 

are soil grown, not factory 

produced, so they aren’t cheap, 

but are exceptionally beautiful 

and long lasting. 

“I have a varied range of 

customers from local hotels 

and restaurants, to recurring 

customers, local and 

non-local.” 

Laura adds that trends 

change fast and that currently 

English-grown flowers are 

popular: “Bohemian/botanical 

wild flowers, hedgerow, bushy 

and plenty of foliage especially 

eucalyptus – it’s everywhere 

and every bride wants it! 

“I’m constantly trying 

to think of new and quirky 

floristry ideas . . . pumpkin 

arrangements at Halloween 

were a massive hit – locals 

went crazy for them. It was a 

messy job, however.” 

Laura works by herself, 

although is supported by 

her cousin for deliveries and 

is delighted that Stephanie 

helps her out when she needs 

floristry advice. 

“I have amazing friends and 

family that are always around 

for constant support. It’s hard 

work getting the people in, but 

I’ve never felt so happy.” 

■■Details 01598 753 322 or 

exmoorflowers.co.uk 

Beautiful candles – Handmade in Devon 

SHOWROOM & STUDIO 

Lyn Candles . Lynton . N. Devon . EX35 6BS 

Tel: 01598 753321 www.lyncandles.com 

e-mail: lyncandles@btopenworld.com 

4 


NEWS 

The Carlton, Ilfracombe 

• 24 hour delegate rates available 

• Fully catered team building 

• Michelin dining experience 

• Participative courses 

• Business facilities 

Call today for our training 

packages, price & information 

01271 862446 ilfracombecarlton.co.uk 

Be Ready to attract more Purple Pounds 

Devon’s ‘Be Ready’ Employer 

Hub service is preparing its 

formal launch around the 

county with an event planned 

for Barnstaple in April when 

North Devon businesses, charities 

and social enterprises are 

invited to find out how it can 

help them – watch for the date 

here in Business Action. 

The ‘Be Ready’ Employer 

Hub aims to help employers 

understand how they can 

provide meaningful employment 

opportunities for people 

with a disability or long-term 

health condition. Along with 

practical assistance (via online 

info hub and telephone helpline), 

learning opportunities 

(disability awareness training) 

and networking opportunities 

– all free – it will share facts and 

figures to overcome the misconceptions 

about employing 

people with disabilities. 

Did you know? 

➤➤According to the Government’s 

2018 Family 

Resource Survey, there are 

13.9 million disabled people 

in the UK (ie individuals 

who reported they have 

a disability, which means 

the actual number will be 

higher). In the South West, 

20% of the population are 

disabled (just slightly below 

the UK’s 21%). 

➤➤In 2019, 7.6 million people 

of working age (16-64) 

reported having a disability 

– 18% of the working age 

population. BUT disabled 

people have a much higher 

rate of unemployment (8.0% 

in January-March 2019 

compared with 3.3% for 

people without disabilities). 

The majority of disabled 

people want to work. 

➤➤83% of disabilities are 

gained while of working age. 

➤➤By the year 2030, 40% of 

working age adults will have 

a long-term health condition. 

If you think your business 

would have to make big 

changes to employ a person 

with a disability, think again. 

What do you think of 

when the word ‘disability’ is 

mentioned? Most of us think of 

someone in a wheelchair – but 

less than 10% of disabled people 

are wheelchair users. 80% of 

disabled people have invisible or 

hidden disabilities (eg hearing 

loss, Crohn’s and Colitis). And 

often the changes needed are 

minor – just as adaptations are 

made for anyone joining as a 

new employee. 

Are you missing sales? 

How well do you know your 

customers? If a fifth of the UK 

population has a disability, 

how many of your existing 

customers have a disability? 

The ‘Be Ready’ Employer 

Hub will also show businesses 

how to access the ‘Purple 

Pound’ market. This is the 

spending power of disabled 

people, their family and 

friends, worth £249 billion a 

year. By ignoring the needs of 

disabled people, businesses are 

losing money without knowing 

it. For example, how accessible 

is your web site? Up to 75% of 

potential customers who are 

disabled have walked away 

from shops or clicked away 

from web sites because of the 

barriers put in their way. 

Want to know more? 

Get in touch with Debbie Stafford 

(debbie.stafford@devon. 

gov.uk) or project co-ordinator 

Sue Windley (susan.windley@ 

devon.gov.uk). 

■■Details readydevon.org.uk 

Biggest local B2B 

event returns on 

Thursday 29 October 

➤➤Where can you discover 

new businesses and make 

new contacts? 

➤➤Where can you see a 

showcase of products and 

services of value to your 

business? 

➤➤Where can you find the 

advice and support you 

need to grow your North 

Devon business? 

Now in its third year, Bideford 

Business Expo is North 

Devon’s business exhibition 

combining presentations, 

promotion and networking to: 

➤➤build business relationships 

➤➤create new opportunities 

➤➤provide business advice 

➤➤support business growth 

Earlybird stand prices 

Exhibitor stands available now 

at early bird prices – £75 and 

£125 – when booked and paid 

before 30 April 2020. 

■■Book at bbxpo.uk 

Friendly, Reliable, Affordable 

• Accounts 

• Bookkeeping 

• Limited Companies • VAT 

• Tax 

• Payroll / CIS 

Over 20 years experience - Free initial meeting 

mail@garethpollardaccountancyservices.com 

T: 01409 254817 M: 07811 164428 

The Old Orchard | Holsworthy | Devon | EX22 6LT 

Sunday Carvery £10.95 

(£14.95 including desert) 

01237 473399 

49 Torrington Street, East the Water, EX39 4DP 

www.theriverbankbistro.co.uk 

email@theriverbankbistro.co.uk 


PRIVACY 

Privacy: sorting fact from fiction 

Some 18 months after the 

introduction of new data protection 

legislation – General 

Data Protection Regulation 

(GDPR), Data Protection Act 

2018 and Data Protection 

(Charges and Information) 

Regulations 2018 – on 25 May 

2018, North Devon-based 

data protection practitioner 

Nigel Hellewell AMBCS is not 

surprised that the myths surrounding 

them are still ‘doing 

the rounds’. 

So what are some of the 

common myths and how does 

he respond? 

The GDPR replaced the 

Data Protection Act 

With reference to the 

updated guidance from the 

UK supervisory authority’s 

(ICO) web site, Nigel says: 

The Data Protection Act 

2018 (DPA2018) sets out the 

framework for data protection 

law in the UK. It updates and 

replaces the Data Protection 

Act 1998, and came into effect 

in May 2018. It sits alongside 

the GDPR, and tailors how the 

GDPR applies in the UK – for 

example, by providing exemptions. 

It also updates the level 

of some of the likely offences 

from civil to criminal offences. 

The data protection 

legislation doesn’t apply to 

sole traders 

It applies to all organisations, 

including sole traders and 

micro businesses: there are no 

exceptions. In fact, the ICO 

provides a self-assessment 

checklist that will help sole 

traders and self-employed 

individuals to assess their 

compliance. They may also 

have to pay the data protection 

fee – part of the Data 

Protection (Charges and 

Information) Regulations 

2018), although there are 

exemptions to this. 

I’ve only got a small web 

site with a contact form 

and email address. Surely 

it doesn’t apply to that? 

The data protection legislation 

applies to any business activities, 

whether operating a web 

site or otherwise ‘processing 

personal data’. 

Nigel adds that, for many 

people starting their business, 

the data protection 

and privacy legislation was 

never at the forefront of their 

minds: “I’m well aware that 

the topic can quickly send 

people to sleep and/or lose 

focus, but it’s vitally important 

to get to grips with as 

there can be consequences for 

non-compliance.” 

Looking at the myths in 

reverse order, Nigel believes 

that cost-effective web site 

development and hosting can 

definitely help those starting 

their business. Opting for free 

software packages including 

the very popular WordPress 

content management system 

(CMS) can assist even more. 

However, having been a developer 

in his previous career, he 

knows that WordPress, like so 

many ‘out-of-the-box’ CMSs, 

is not necessarily compliant 

with the legislation and needs 

additional security measures 

and must be maintained and 

updated regularly. 

Guide to privacy and 

WordPress 

Nigel has written an e-book 

guide ‘WordPress and the 

Data Protection & Privacy 

Legislation (Including Direct 

Marketing)’ to help with compliance 

for those considering 

using WordPress or already 

using it. It introduces the legislation 

to readers, then looks 

at applying it to WordPress. 

Online training 

Similarly, being a sole trader 

himself, Nigel knows that 

there’s never enough time to 

attend seminars, seek advice 

or find specific training on 

data protection and privacy 

when starting or running a 

business. This is especially 

common now that the ‘hype’ 

surrounding GDPR is dying 

down and many of the online 

options concentrated on 

GDPR and ignored the Data 

Protection Act 2018 and other 

legislation. 

For sole traders and smaller 

SMEs, Nigel has developed 

an online learning web site. 

There’s no need to complete 

courses in one go and learners 

can stop and start whenever 

they need so they can progress 

at a pace that suits them. 

Training for employees 

The courses are also available 

to larger organisations for new 

starters (who need training 

within one month of starting, 

according to the ICO’s guidelines) 

and for refresher training 

(which should be undertaken 

every two years or less, depending 

on the individual’s role). 

Results can be reported and 

kept with training records as 

part of the GDPR’s ‘accountability’ 

principle. 

Privacy in the future 

Returning to the first myth, 

Nigel simply states that GDPR 

is simply about “Getting Data 

Protection Right!”. 

With Britain having left the 

European Union, Nigel will 

be keeping abreast of privacy 

developments, ensuring that 

he will be a knowledgeable 

source for North Devon businesses 

needing practical advice 

on remaining compliant with 

privacy legislation. 

■■Nigel’s e-Book is available at 

wpdataprotection.com 

■■e-Learning courses available 

at enaychlearning.co.uk 

Cranford Business 

Services Limited 

WE OFFER ASSISTANCE WITH: 

Valuations 

Cost Management 

Bills of Quantities Tendering 

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CALL TODAY for an informal chat: 

01271 603053 

futuredimensions.uk 

info@futuredimensions.uk 

www.accountsindevon.co.uk 

Old Stone, Cranford, Bideford, Devon, EX39 5QW 

07896 204 857 

Does your accountant... 

Listen to you and act on your needs? 

Explain your accounts in terms you understand? 

Arrange meeting at your convenience? 

Leaving you free to concentrate on what you do best! 

6 


FORECASTING 

Promote your business all year round with our 

Business Action Plans 

All plans include 

➤➤6 adverts (if selected) 

➤➤6 magazine listings 

➤➤online listing 

➤➤6 mailed magazines 

➤➤plus more 

Select plan 

£50 Business Action Plan – 6 magazine listings 

£150 Business Action Plan – 6 business card adverts 

£275 Business Action Plan – 6 banner adverts 

£400 Business Action Plan – 6 quarter page adverts 

£750 Business Action Plan – 6 half page adverts 

£1,375 Business Action Plan – 6 full page adverts 

Payment options 

Pay in full or by 

12 monthly instalments – 

with no extra charges. 

Put yourself in front of 

North Devon businesses. 

Book online at business-action.co.uk/plans or call Alan on 07970 671192 

Making accurate sales predictions 

The seasonal nature of many 

Devon businesses, especially 

those in the food and drink 

sector, can introduce considerable 

uncertainty. How can 

you accurately predict sales 

demand, understand consumer 

trends and manage supply, 

distribution and service 

expectations? Foresite SPA, 

a cloud-based software tool 

developed in Devon, aims to 

provide the answer. 

With its headquarters 

in London and its development 

base in Devon, Foresite 

SPA was established by chief 

executive Brian Hawkes, who 

has a successful track record 

of designing and prototyping 

business development software 

with international blue-chip 

clients in the USA and Scandinavia. 

With these clients 

outperforming competitors and 

markets in sales growth, Brian 

joined forces with Chris Mellor 

in 2004 to bring these tools to 

small and medium-sized businesses 

in the form of Foresite. 

“It was Brian’s brainchild 

Foresite SPA sponsored the Taste of the West ‘Ready Meals’ Award 2019: 

Foresite’s Colin Slade (left) and Chris Mellor (right) 

with winners Natural Branscombe 

and he came up with the 

concept, having done this for 

multinationals,” says Chris. “I 

was the project manager for 

turning the concept into a sellable 

product. 

“Foresite provides visibility 

into the sales pipeline, helping 

the people driving and 

growing businesses to achieve 

their goals.” 

Foresite was always going 

to be web-based and Chris’ 

move to near Crediton 13 years 

ago presented the challenge of 

operating over a broadband 

connection with speeds of 

under 0.5Mbps. This turned 

out to be a great benefit as 

Foresite has been optimised 

to maintain high performance 

where connectivity is poor, 

meaning that it is ideal for 

rural businesses based in 

remote locations. 

As chief technical officer, 

Chris completed the mathematics 

calculations for Foresite 

from scratch and, now enjoying 

a much a faster broadband 

connection of 300Mbps, he is 

focusing on increasing product 

take-up. Foresite already has 

customers in Germany, Italy 

and Scandinavia in a number 

of sectors and, with his base in 

Devon, Chris is keen to help 

local businesses with their 

demand planning, especially 

the food and drink sector. 

A meeting with Colin Slade, 

who retired after a long career, 

including roles with South 

West Business Expo and the 

Best of Exeter, brought him 

back as the face of Foresite to 

build contacts, network and 

explain the benefits of the 

software to local businesses. 

This has included exhibiting 

at events and sponsoring the 

Taste of the West Awards 

‘Ready Meals’ category in 2019. 

Keen to support businesses 

in Devon, Chris and Colin are 

always enthusiastic to discuss 

the challenges businesses 

face here and to explore how 

Foresite can help with these. 

■■Details 020 3858 9650 or 

foresitespa.com 

Looking for independent financial advice? 

Call us on 01237 426450 

for a free initial consultation 

contact@dscottfinancial.co.uk 

https://dscottfinancial.co.uk 

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. 


FITNESS 

Healthy life, healthy business 

Just the mention of the word 

‘gym’ can strike terror into 

anyone who has had a bad 

experience, perhaps long ago 

when they were in school. 

Kula Fitness in Ilfracombe is 

on a mission to resolve this 

by breaking down barriers to 

exercise and enabling anyone 

to adopt a healthy lifestyle. 

Founder Russell Port has 

22 years’ experience of the 

fitness industry, but his love 

of sport began as a child when 

his mum was a PE teacher and 

his dad was a footballer. In 

1993, he played for the England 

Rugby Development squad and 

joined Cardiff Blues as a young 

aspirational player, and studied 

sports science at Cardiff 

University. However, Russell’s 

promising rugby career stalled 

when injury hit him. Thinking 

that joining a health club would 

help him regain the level of 

fitness needed to play rugby at 

the highest level, it redirected 

him on to an entirely new 

career path. 

Over 20 years, Russell 

worked across the UK for one 

of the world’s biggest chains of 

health clubs. He oversaw the 

management of 96 clubs and in 

2002 won the ‘Health Club of 

the Year’ award at the Fitness 

Industry National Awards. He 

has managed clubs in Ireland 

and Malaysia and reached a 

point where he was driving 

50,000 miles a year for business. 

This led Russell to realise 

it was time to achieve two 

long-held ambitions of running 

his own business and living 

in North Devon where he 

had holidayed as a child. First 

coming down to rent accom- 

modation as a trial and then 

leaving his employer, Russell 

decided to go back to his roots 

as a personal trainer, working 

direct with clients. He started 

Kula Fitness in September 2017. 

“It has probably been more 

stressful managing this than 

big health clubs,” says Russell. 

“After having 400 personal 

trainers in a team, I started all 

alone, trying to learn about 

being off the beaten track.” 

No nonsense approach to health and safety 

H&S 

JI Health & Safety Consultancy 

H&S Audit 

H&S Training 

Tailored H&S Management Systems 

Assistance with SSIPs Accreditations 

Risk Assessment / Risk Management 

Jane Bass 07732 328222 

DipNEBOSH jinnes2@sky.com 

Kula Fitness, Ilfracombe: (from left) Emily Shreeves and founder Russell Port 

Russell was soon joined 

by partner Emily. Russell’s 

qualification include Personal 

Fitness Trainer and Certificate 

in Understanding Autism and 

he is also a qualified children’s 

fitness instructor, England 

Boxing coach, Rugby Ready 

coach, Boxercise Ltd instructor 

and suspension training 

instructor. Emily is a certified 

Level 3 personal trainer and 

nutrition advisor. 

Together they provide oneto-one 

training (or two-to-one 

maximum) in the privacy of 

their fully-equipped studio in 

Ilfracombe High Street. 

“We set the studio up to be 

private and non-intimidating,” 

says Russell, understanding 

that clients need to feel 

comfortable when coming in 

to train. 

As well as removing 

barriers to fitness, such as 

poor childhood experiences, 

Russell realises that time is also 

an issue for busy people. To 

address this Kula Fitness offers 

flexible appointments, even 

starting at 6am. 

The aim of making fitness 

available to everyone is demonstrated 

by the age range of 

clients, starting at five years old 

and rising to 72 years. Russell’s 

qualifications enable him to 

provide appropriate training 

for different age groups, which 

differ considerably. 

Russell also works with 

individuals with disabilities 

and long-term health conditions, 

and is especially keen to 

work with those with special 

needs such as autism. This has 

led to working with an Exmoor 

school involving children with 

special needs. 

Emily has an interest in 

working with women, especially 

mothers who want to 

regain their fitness. 

When starting the business, 

Russell selected the Sanskrit 

word ‘kula’ as its name, because 

of its meaning: community. 

This reflects the aim to 

encourage everyone to achieve 

and maintain fitness, whatever 

their present condition or 

circumstances. 

The first step for a new client 

is a free consultation at which 

they can satisfy themselves 

that they feel comfortable 

for Russell and Emily to map 

out their path to a happier 

and healthier lifestyle. Next a 

personal programme is tailored 

to meet their individual needs 

and aspirations. This is also 

designed to educate the client 

about the right exercise and 

lifestyle changes that will help 

them achieve their fitness goals. 

While Kula Fitness focuses on 

one-to-one training, it has links 

with other professionals and can 

organise group classes, family 

classes and distance support if 

that’s what a client wants. 

This approach continues to 

attract new clients who achieve 

their personal fitness goals with 

Kula Fitness. It is a big change 

to managing multiple health 

clubs across different countries, 

but Russell believes Kula 

Fitness is making a difference 

to the health of the community. 

■■Details 07923 142 457 or 

kulafitness.co.uk 

8 


DIRECTORY 

ACCOUNTANTS 

Glover Stanbury 

Barnstaple & Bideford 

t: 01271 375271 / 01237 471881 

w: gloverstanbury.co.uk 

ADMINISTRATIVe SERVICES 

Exmoorfern 

South Molton 

t: 01598 740210 

w: exmoorfern.co.uk 

ARCHITECTS 

Sam Nolan RIBA Architect 

North Devon & UK 

t: 01271 325 236 

w: northdevonarchitects.com 

Brewery 

GT Ales 

Chivenor 

t: 01271 267420 

w: gtales.co.uk 

Business Advisor 

Susie Kevern 

North Devon 

t: 07801 199671 

w: poundlane.co.uk 

Commercial Property 

James Doble Commercial 

North Devon 

t: 01237 424053 

w: jd-commercial.co.uk 

Copiers & Printers 

Clarity Copiers North Devon 

Barnstaple & North Devon 

t: 01237 374061 

w: claritynorthdevon.co.uk 

Copywriting & communications 

Zarywacz 


t: 01271 879100 

w: z2z.com 

Counselling & Psychotherapy 

North Devon Counselling 

Barnstaple 

t: 07872 501606 

w: northdevoncounselling.co.uk 

HealTh & SAFETY 

JI Health & Safety Consultancy 

Combe Martin 

t: 07732 328222 

Hotels 

The Carlton 

Ilfracombe 

t: 01271 862446 

w: ilfracombecarlton.co.uk 

Human Resources 

Fitzgerald HR 

Barnstaple, Exeter, London & 

Wellington 

t: 01271 859267 

w: fitzgeraldhr.co.uk 

Right Way HR Services 

Highampton 

t: 07825 090782 

Hypnotherapy 

New Life Hypnotherapy 

South Molton 

t: 01769 57471 

w: newlifehypnotherapy.org 

Insurance 

Towergate 

Bideford 

t: 01237 429978 

w: towergate.com/locations/bideford 

Together Insurance Solutions 

Barnstaple 

t: 01271 347147 

w: togetherinsurancesolutions.co.uk 

Locksmiths 

MJS Locksmith 

Bideford 

t: 07532 139388 

w: northdevonlocksmith.co.uk 

SW Locksmiths 

Holsworthy / Bude 

t: 01409 255533 

w: swlocksmiths.com 

Networking groups 

Business Networking in Barnstaple 

Barnstaple 

t: 0843 289 1339 

w: bnibarnstaple.co.uk 

Devon Partnerships 

Devon 

t: 07393 149855 

w: devonpartnerships.co.uk 

North Devon Networking Group 

Barnstaple 

w: northdevonnetworking.co.uk 

Rise 

Barnstaple 

e: martin@duchyifa.co.uk 

Torridge Business Network 

Westward Ho! 

w: torridgebusinessnetwork.co.uk 

Office Supplies 

South West Office Supplies 

North Devon 

t: 01271 889337 

w: swofficesupplies.co.uk 

BUSINESS LISTINGS 

Photography 

Tarkatography 

Westward Ho! 

t: 07977 414798 

w: tarkatography.co.uk 

Printing 

Jamaica Press 

Buckland Brewer 

t: 01237 452333 

w: jamaicapress.co.uk 

Recruitment 

Cooper Golding 

Barnstaple 

t: 01271 349745 

w: coopergolding.co.uk 

Simple Recruitment 

Bideford 

t: 01237 439500 

w: simplerecruitmentltd.co.uk 

TRAVEL AGENT 

Clare Flint – Travel Counsellors 


t: 01271 828990 

w: travelcounsellors.co.uk/clare.flint 

Web SITES & DIGITAL 

Itseeze North Devon 

North Devon 

Tel: 07890 633458 

Web: itseeze-northdevon.co.uk 

Peak Online 

Bideford 

t: 01237 721256 

w: northdevon.peak-online.uk.com 

Welding & Sandblasting 

Nott’s Welding 

Ilfracombe & North Devon 

t: 07706 595955 

Wills 

Wills at Home 

West Yelland 

t: 01271 860105 

w: wills-athome.co.uk 

List your business all year! 

£50 Business Action Plan 

The £50 annual Business 

Action Plan promotes your 

business throughout the year 

in this magazine – see listings 

above – and online in our 

needitfindit.uk directory. 

➤➤Magazine listing, including 

name, business type, phone 

number, web site and 

address, printed in 6 issues. 

➤➤Online listing including 

name, business type, phone 

number, web site and 

address, description and 

logo for one year. 

➤➤6 issues of magazine mailed 

direct to your UK address. 

BOOK YOUR LISTING NOW AT 

business-action.co.uk/plans 

Call 01271 326694. 

info@boomboomedia.co.uk 

visit www.boomboommedia.co.uk 


AWARDS 

business 

ACTION AWARDS 

2020 

North Devon’s independent business awards 

Celebrating North Devon enterprise 

The inaugural Business 

Action Awards, celebrating the 

outstanding achievements of 

businesses based or operating 

in North Devon, are now open 

for entries. 

Independent & transparent 

The awards are fully independent 

and transparent to attract 

entries from as many businesses 

as possible of all sizes, 

from all sectors, from all areas 

of North Devon. 

Sponsors and judges are 

separate and neither will enter 

the awards. This guarantees 

complete impartiality and 

establish essential credibility. 

Why enter? 

The awards are free to enter 

and offer promotional opportunities 

and prizes, including 

advertising, to businesses 

selected as finalists or winners. 

The winners will be announced 

at a major awards event 

combining food and drink, 

theatre and networking. 

In addition, every business 

entering the awards will have 

the chance to win an advertising 

package worth £150. 

Awards categories 

Businesses based and operating 

in North Devon can enter as 

many categories as they like – 

deadline for entries is 23:59 on 

Monday 9 March 2020. 

The winner of each category 

will go forward for the judging 

of the overall North Devon 

Business of the Year Award. 

Judging and finalists 

The finalists for each category 

will be announced in April on 

➤➤Best Employer 

➤➤Best Retailer 

➤➤Business-to-Business Excellence 

➤➤Consumer Service Excellence 

➤➤Digital and Online Achievement 

➤➤Excellence in Construction 

➤➤Excellence in Hospitality & Tourism 

➤➤Highest Achieving Learner 

➤➤Made in North Devon 

➤➤Outstanding New Business 

➤➤Young Entrepreneur 

➤➤The winner of each category above will go forward to the 

judging of the North Devon Business of the Year 2020 

ENTRY DEADLINE: 23:59 MONDAY 9 MARCH 

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: APRIL ISSUE 

WINNERS EVENT: THURSDAY 4 JUNE 

business-action.co.uk/awards 

our web site and in the April 

issue of Business Action. 

Winners 

The winners will be announced 

on Thursday 4 June 2020 at 

AWARDS CATEGORIES 

the Business Action Awards 

event at the Landmark Theatre, 

Ilfracombe, which will include 

networking, buffet and an 

exciting presentation in the 

theatre auditorium. 

ENTER NOW 

➤➤Free to enter 

➤➤Finalists will be featured in 

the April issue of Business 

Action and in the awards 

event souvenir programme 

+ online publicity 

➤➤Award winners will enjoy 

being in the spotlight at 

the awards event + extensive 

coverage in the June 

issue of Business Action 

and online publicity + 

advertising prize + awards 

certificate, online and print 

winner’s logo and promotional 

material + more 

prizes 

➤➤Every entrant will be 

entered in a prize draw for 

a £150 Business Action 

advertising package 

■■business-action.co.uk/awards 

Sponsors 

We are grateful to the generosity 

of each of our sponsors, 

without whom these awards 

would not be possible. 

There are still sponsorship 

opportunities available, which 

include advertising, editorial 

and online promotion. Contact 

us if you want to snap up one 

of the last remaining slots. 

Celebrating enterprise 

The aim of celebrating enterprise 

means that we invite 

entries from all businesses in 

the area, from sole traders to 

large companies, from start-ups 

to established firms, and from 

every sector. We look forward 

to receiving your entries. 

■■business-action.co.uk/awards 

10 


Philip J Milton & Company Plc 

We are delighted and proud 

to offer a fully independent 

financial and investment 

planning service and we advise 

upon all aspects of clients’ 

financial affairs. 

The company continues to 

expand its operations and also 

offers an Accountancy and 

Taxation service along with a 

Will Writing, Trusts, Estates 

and Probate Department. 

The company is authorised 

and regulated by the Financial 

Conduct Authority (FCA) 

and is one of the largest and 

longest established Independent 

Financial Advisers in 

North Devon. 

We are regulated at one of 

the highest available categories, 

being one of a very few 

authorised to undertake 

discretionary investment 

management and to hold client 

money. Consequently, we are 

required to maintain sizeable 

and very strict financial 

resources at all times. 

The company’s accounts are 

subject to thorough independent 

audit and full accounts 

are published and submitted 

AWARDS 

NORTH DEVON BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2020 

The winners of each of the 11 

award categories will progress 

to judging for the overall winner 

of winners title where one 

will be named North Devon 

Business of the Year 2020. 

This headline award is 

being sponsored by Philip J 

Milton & Company Plc. 

Philip Milton says: “As the 

managing director of Philip J 

Milton & Company Plc, independent 

wealth managers and 

financial advisers, I am very 

to the FCA regularly. Also, 

the Financial Ombudsman 

Service and Financial Services’ 

sponsored by 

pleased to sponsor this year’s 

Business Action Awards and 

to celebrate the showcasing 

of the marvellous variety of 

successful businesses here in 

North Devon. 

“I look forward to congratulating 

each of the category 

winners and nominees on 

their excellence and for 

providing our young people 

with aspirations of a bright 

and lucrative future right here 

on their doorstep.” 

Compensation Scheme apply 

to enhance investor protection 

against financial loss. 

With well over three decades 

of experience, we also boast 

some of the highest financial 

services’ qualifications in the 

country. Staff are encouraged 

and sponsored to achieve qualifications 

beyond the industry 

standard to ensure that we 

continue to deliver an excellent 

service to clients. 

Success can be attributed 

largely to the company’s 

uncompromising commitment 

to clients, including ongoing 

assessment and management 

of investments, a thorough 

understanding of financial 

markets, prudent management 

and long-term financial 

stability. 

We do not simply ‘sell 

products’ – we provide a 

comprehensive and longlasting 

service to individuals 

and their families. This is an 

important distinction and an 

approach that is rare in today’s 

fast-moving landscape. 

This has led to many clients 

recommending family and 

friends to seek our advice – the 

ultimate endorsement of the 

quality of our services. 

■■Visit miltonpj.net 


AWARDS 

EASY TO ENTER ONLINE OR BY EMAIL 

Businesses based or operating in North Devon can enter as 

many of the 11 categories over the following pages as they like. 

Enter using the online form for each specific category or 

download, complete and email the Word entry form for that 

category. Please write your entries in a word-processing app in 

advance and copy into the online form to avoid losing text. See 

more awards tips on page 17. 

■■Visit business-action.co.uk/awards 

Cooper Golding is a local, 

independent provider of highquality 

recruitment services. 

With three offices based in 

North Devon and Somerset, 

our aim is to help candidates 

find rewarding work opportunities 

locally and further 

afield. We strive to support 

our clients in finding talented 

individuals to drive their business 

success. We work with 

many leading companies both 

locally, regionally and nationally, 

across our core sectors 

– manufacturing, engineering, 

industrial, sales and marketing 

and business support. 

We are a group of experienced 

business and recruitment 

specialists here at Cooper 

Golding. Professional and 

passionate about helping our 

candidates and clients on their 

recruitment journey. Honesty 

and integrity and people first 

are part of our core values, 

offering an approach which 

is transparent and respectful, 

knowledgeable and innovative. 

Having been part of the 

local community for the past 

eight years, we understand 

the struggles that clients face 

while trying to find the perfect 

candidate. We offer a range of 

tailored recruitment services 

to help our clients find the best 

available talent. From permanent 

to temporary staffing 

solutions, we collaborate with 

companies to understand their 

culture, vision and goals as 

well as with our candidates 

to ensure we make the best 

suited match. We use the latest 

The ‘Best 

Employer 

Award’ seeks 

to recognise 

employers based 

or operating in 

North Devon 

who are committed to providing 

a fulfilling environment in 

which their employees thrive. 

Many of us spend a large 

proportion of our time at 

work and working in an environment 

which is safe, healthy 

and where we feel happy is 

technology and data, coupled 

with the personal touch 

which makes our service fast, 

efficient and bespoke to each 

individual client’s and candidate’s 

needs. 

Cooper Golding is 

committed to helping candidates 

find their ideal job 

by providing honest career 

advice, conducting CV health 

checks and offering interview 

tips to ensure candidates are 

promoting themselves in the 

best light. 

We are sponsoring ‘The 

BEST EMPLOYER 

sponsored by 

very important. 

The Best 

Employer Award 

seeks to recognise 

employers 

in North Devon 

who realise this 

and who achieve exceptional 

standards of care for their 

employees. 

The Best Employer Award is 

open to any business in North 

Devon which employs people, 

from one member of staff to 

hundreds or thousands. 

Best Employer Award’ this year 

as we believe it is important 

to highlight the qualities that 

make a good employer. As a 

local recruitment agency, we 

see a range of skill shortages 

within different markets every 

day and believe it is increasingly 

important that candidates 

have a choice in who they work 

for. Employers should work 

towards creating a great and 

positive work ethic and environment 

to attract and retain 

the best talent. 

■■Visit coopergolding.co.uk 

The Independent Corrugated 

Cardboard Packaging Specialists 

Passionate about our Community and supporting 

our Charity of the Year 2020. 

Roundswell Business Park, 

Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 3TT. 

+44(0)1271 

344 055 

sales@atlaspackaging.co.uk 

www.atlaspackaging.co.uk 

12 


AWARDS 

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS SERVICE EXCELLENCE 

sponsored by 

The ‘Businessto-Business 

Excellence 

Award’ recognises 

North 

Devon businesses 

who 

provide important B2B 

services to other businesses. 

Every business needs essential 

business services to operate 

successfully. While it can be 

easy to consider accountancy, 

legal or other B2B services 

solely as costs, effective 

accountants and lawyers add 

value to improve the productivity, 

sales and 

profitability of 

their clients. 

The Businessto-Business 

Excellence 

Award is open 

to any business in North 

Devon providing B2B services 

to other businesses, such as 

accountancy, administrative, 

advertising, finance, healthcare, 

health and safety, insurance, 

law, marketing, sales, 

training, as well as advice on 

everything from employment 

to outsourcing. 

CONSUMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE 

The ‘Consumer Service Excellence 

Award’ recognises North 

Devon businesses who provide 

services direct to residents and 

the public. 

Each of us relies on a 

number of consumer businesses 

in our life, from 

hairdressers and barbers to 

cleaners, gardeners, fitness 

instructors, health practitioners 

and dentists, and more. 

The Consumer Service 

Excellence Award is open 

to any business in North 

Devon providing services to 

consumers. 

From entertainment to 

sport, leisure, healthcare and 

beauty, the Consumer Service 

Excellence Award highlights 

businesses in North Devon 

whose services support 

consumers and the community. 

Zero7 

Zero7 provides expert business 

telecoms and technical support. 

We know that every business 

is different and so are their 

needs, which is why we provide 

bespoke managed services to 

suit every requirement. 

Whether you are a single 

line and broadband user with 

one mobile or have multiple 

users and large-scale telephone 

systems, we can tailor and build 

a solution for your business. 

We work with the biggest 

network providers in the 

The ‘Best Retailer Award’ recognises 

North Devon retailers 

who provide the best shopping 

experience and service. 

Shops are the lifeblood of 

our towns and villages, yet 

our retailers face huge challenges 

with little support from 

government and councils. 

Those stores who address the 

needs of their customers, especially 

independent shops, are 

driving a resurgence in high 

street retailing based on the 

growing appreciation of their 

BEST RETAILER 

industry including Openreach, 

EE and O2 so we can assist with 

infrastructure and installations, 

from a single line and broadband 

to large-scale projects 

such as commercial builds and 

Gigabit Internet connections. 

We believe in a customer 

service-focused approach, 

offering competitive pricing 

and technical expertise. Our 

in-house billing and customer 

support teams are on hand 

to help your business get 

connected. 

■■Visit zr7.co 

personal service, willingness 

to offer what customers want 

and the value they give to the 

community. 

The Best Retailer Award is 

open to any retailer in North 

Devon. From village stores on 

which residents depend for 

essentials to specialist retailers 

offering eclectic ranges of 

high-quality goods, the Best 

Retailer Award highlights 

retailers who make the shopping 

experience in North 

Devon the best in the country. 


AWARDS 

EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION 

sponsored by 

The ‘Excellence 

in Construction 

Award’ aims to 

recognise excellence 

throughout 

the North Devon 

building and 

construction sector. It highlights 

exceptional standards 

of built environments, which 

provide high quality of life for 

work, home, and play. 

The Excellence in 

Construction 

award is open to 

all businesses in 

the sector based 

or working in 

North Devon. 

From sole 

traders and SMEs to large 

companies, this includes 

trades such as building, decorating, 

carpentry, electricity, 

plumbing, heating, and 

landscaping. 

DIGITAL AND ONLINE ACHIEVEMENT 

The ‘Digital and Online 

Achievement Award’ recognises 

North Devon businesses 

who are developing the full 

potential of online and digital 

technologies and the internet. 

Technology is transforming 

business. When used effectively, 

it can create opportunities 

for innovation, increased 

productivity, greater profitability 

and better working 

conditions. Technology also 

offers businesses in North 

Devon tools that can compensate 

for the area’s remoteness, 

which can create barriers to 

reaching new markets. 

The Digital and Online 

Achievement Award is open to 

any business in North Devon 

working with digital and 

internet technology, either as 

a creator or user. This includes 

building web sites, creating 

content and using social 

media for marketing and 

selling, as well as integrating 

cloud technology or other 

online systems into business 

processes to improve efficiency 

and customer experience. 

RGB Building Supplies 

We are one of the leading independent 

builders merchants in 

the South West, operating out 

of 20 locations across Devon, 

Cornwall and Somerset. At 

our branches you’ll find a wide 

array of high-quality products 

in stock, including landscaping, 

plumbing and heating, heavyside 

and lightside, decorating, 

and general building materials, 

as well as dedicated kitchen, 

bathroom and bedroom showrooms 

in many locations. 

Our branch teams are highly 

knowledgeable and are on hand 

to offer necessary technical 

assistance, recommend products 

from our extensive stock, 

and assist with any projects 

you’re undertaking. Whether 

it’s our knowledgeable staff, 

great range of products, or 

authenticity and reliability, we 

aim to go that extra mile. 

We have been independent 

since 1850, and feel that our 

family roots and community 

focus are at the heart of 

what we do. We understand 

that customers’ needs are 

constantly changing, so we 

work hard to evolve with the 

times, and make sure dealing 

with us is as easy as possible. 

Our stock profile includes 

a wide variety of products, 

enabling us to fulfil your 

requirements whether you’re 

building, maintaining, renovating 

or repairing. 

Our local branches deliver 

to our local communities, 

providing quality products 

from our trusted suppliers, 

while overcoming any logistical 

challenges that sites may 

face. For these reasons, our 

customers always trust us to 

deliver, when and how we say 

we will. 

We are open to all, 

welcoming both the trade and 

public, no matter how big or 

small the project. We’re proud 

to have been building our local 

communities for the past 170 

years, and look forward to 

serving you in one of our 20 

branches throughout Devon, 

Cornwall and Somerset soon. 

We’re delighted to be 

involved in recognising a 

local hero in the construction 

industry, a sector very relevant 

to our business. 

■■Visit rgbltd.co.uk 

Visit ideaengine.co.uk to see all the 

brands that we have brought to life 

online, in print, outdoors and in a 

whole host of other ways. 

ideaengine.co.uk 

01271 324594 or 07974306711 

Web, Brand, Advertising, Design, Literature 

14 


AWARDS 

EXCELLENCE IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM 

sponsored by 

The ‘Excellence 

in Hospitality 

and Tourism 


businesses 

who attract 

visitors to North 

Devon, offer the warmest welcome 

and provide experiences 

to last a lifetime. 

The North Devon landscape 

is so beautiful and offers so 

many activities and experiences 

to visitors that it is a 

natural holiday destination. 

The experiences visitors have 

here determine what they 

tell their family and friends 

and whether 

they will return 

again. That 

is why businesses 

in our 

hospitality and 

tourism sector 

are of vital importance to 

North Devon’s reputation as a 

visitor destination. 

The Excellence in Hospitality 

and Tourism Award is 

open to any business operating 

in North Devon that works to 

attract visitors and provide 

hospitality services, from 

accommodation to dining, 

leisure activities and travel. 

HIGHEST ACHIEVING LEARNER 

sponsored by 

The ‘Highest 

Achieving 

Learner Award’ 

recognises the 

achievements 

of individuals 

working in businesses 

in North Devon who 

are currently or have recently 

completed training or skills 

development. 

Learning and skills are 

essential both to developing 

the full potential of individuals 

so they enjoy satisfying 

careers and also to creating 

a skilled and productive 

workforce for North Devon’s 

businesses. 

The Highest 

Achieving 

Learner Award 

is open to 

nominations 

of individuals 

of any age or background 

working in North Devon who 

are currently taking or have 

recently completed workrelated 

training. This ranges 

from courses to improve 

numeracy and literacy to 

traineeships, apprenticeships, 

graduate courses, vocational 

courses and specialist professional 

qualifications. 

Marsdens Devon Cottages 

Marsdens Devon Cottages 

is an independent family 

business, started in 1973. 

We’ve grown a lot since the 

early days of letting our first 

self-catering holiday cottages, 

but our promise to provide the 

very best service – as well as a 

fantastic range of great places 

to stay – hasn’t changed one 

bit. As every year goes by, our 

experience continues to grow. 

With over 400 holiday cottages 

across North Devon and 

Exmoor, Marsdens Devon 

Cottages understands how to 

get the most from letting your 

holiday property. 

Our local team offers a 

professional, personal and 

friendly service, plus all our 

properties are graded by our 

own Quality Assessment Team 

to give guests confidence. 

■■Visit marsdens.co.uk 

Atlas Packaging 

Atlas Packaging is the UK’s 

leading independent cardboard 

box company. 

Our main aim is to provide 

our customers with the best 

bespoke corrugated packaging 

and to do this we have our own 

design and production service. 

This means that at every step 

of the process it’s conducted 

accurately whilst keeping our 

prices highly competitive. 

We understand that long 

waiting times, costs and poor 

quality can harm the impression 

of your businesses. At Atlas 

Packaging we have the advantage 

of housing both design and 

manufacturing facilities on site 

which allows us to fast-track 

the process of making your 

corrugated packaging. We keep 

our prices fair and competitive 

to ensure that the highest 

quality standards are maintained 

throughout the process. 

And with constant reinvestment 

and consultation we are able to 

offer state-of-the-art printing 

and manufacturing services to 

maintain quality is at its very 

best every step of the way. 

■■Visit atlaspackaging.co.uk 

01271 370707 www.zr7.co hello@zr7.co 

LINES AND CALLS 

BUSINESS BROADBAND 

VOIP TELEPHONE SYSTEMS 

BUSINESS MOBILES 

4G CONNECTIVITY 

WI-FI NETWORKS 

ISDN AND PBX 

CABLING AND INSTALLATIONS 

LEASED LINES AND GIGABIT 

IN-HOUSE BILLING AND INVOICING 

LOCAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT 

The Fox at Fremington 

Bar, café, pub 

Sunday Carvery £10.95 

(£14.95 including desert) 

Booking advisable 

01271 344161 

Church Hill, Fremington, Barnstaple, EX31 2NT 

facebook.com/thefoxfremington 


AWARDS 

The ‘Made in 

North Devon 


North 

Devon manufacturers 

and 

producers whose products are 

enjoyed locally and exported 

across the UK and internationally. 

North Devon has a long 

history of manufacturing and 

production. Its manufacturing 

ranges from traditional goods 

and products to hi-tech 

The Sign Maker 

The Sign Maker manufactures 

high-quality signs and 

memorials to suit all budgets, 

offering a huge choice in 

materials, fonts and images. It 

also provides a massive range 

of standard safety signs, posters 

and equipment. 

We make so many different 

signs just the way you want 

them – house signs, home 

signs and name plates, door 

numbers, memorial plaques, 

business signs and wheel 

covers. 

MADE IN NORTH DEVON 

sponsored by 

equipment and 

materials used 

in aviation, 

medicine and 

other sectors. Its 

food and drink 

products range from meat and 

fish to speciality ciders, wines, 

beers and marmalades. 

The Made in North Devon 

Award is open to manufacturers 

or producers of physical 

products, including materials, 

equipment, food and drink. 

Our main workshops are in 

North Devon, but we send our 

signs all over the world. We 

know we are lucky to be situated 

in the country – and on 

our web site you can learn how 

we Care for our Countryside. 

If you need advice with any 

of the signs, plaques, business 

signage, memorials or gifts, do 

call us on 01769 561355. And 

visit our web site to see the 

huge variety of signage we offer. 

You can place orders by phone, 

email or via our online shop. 

■■Visit sign-maker.net 

OUTSTANDING NEW BUSINESS 

The ‘Outstanding New Business 

Award’ recognises the 

success of new North Devon 

businesses as they establish 

themselves. 

New businesses are 

essential to the success of the 

North Devon economy as 

new technology causes some 

older industries to disappear 

and the natural cycle leads to 

experienced business people 

retiring. New businesses are 

always needed to replace 

The ‘Young Entrepreneur 

Award’ recognises successful 

North Devon business owners 

and directors aged 30 or 

under. 

The business world is 

changing faster than ever 

before which makes it more 

difficult for young people to 

predict how their careers can 

develop. The small population 

in a large geographical 

area also limits the number 

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR 

old ones and to develop the 

economy for the future. Due 

to its remoteness, running a 

business in North Devon is a 

big challenge and maintaining 

a business here is a major 

achievement. 

The Outstanding New 

Business Award is open to 

any business in North Devon 

started on or after 1 January 

2018. This includes businesses 

acquired by and transformed 

by new owners. 

of opportunities available 

to young people. The Young 

Entrepreneur Award recognises 

the achievements of 

young people who start their 

own business or who progress 

through existing job roles to 

own or lead a business. 

The Young Enterprise 

Award is open to any North 

Devon business owner or 

director aged 30 years or 

under on 31 March 2020. 

business-action.co.uk/awards 

You are invited to the official launch of our new Centre of Technology & Innovation 

Excellence (Cotie) on Friday 7 February 2020. Cotie is here to provide North Devon 

businesses with the tools to create their own future. 

Our innovation centre is built to inspire collaboration and creativity, and contains 

everything from: 

• an expertly-equipped development zone with 3D manufacturing technology 

• a relaxed yet professional conferencing area 

• open-plan hot desks area complete with high spec and fully loaded PCs and Macs 

• a state-of-the-art cleanroom 

• two crisply modern design pods 

OFFICIAL 

LAUNCH 

7 FEBRUARY 2020 

8-10am 

The event will run from 8-10am with a welcome address from Sean Mackney, Petroc 

Principal & CEO at 8.30am. Refreshments will be available. 

We look forward to welcoming you on the day. 

PLEASE REGISTER YOUR ATTENDANCE: 

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cotie-official-launchtickets-90301396909 

Petroc 

Old Sticklepath Hill 

Barnstaple 

Devon 

EX31 2BQ 

INNOVATION LAUNCHPAD

AWARDS 

Top tips on winning business awards 

Always wanted to win a 

business award? Don’t know 

where to start or what you 

should include in your entry? 

Winning an award can also 

boost team morale, drive 

competitive advantage and 

secure trust in your business. 

Multi-award winner Denise 

O’Leary of Purpol Marketing 

explains how to consistently 

win business awards for your 

business and leverage the great 

PR opportunities they present. 

What do you want to be 

known for? 

When trying to decide which 

award or category of an award 

to enter, you need to consider 

the relevance that the award 

can have to your business. If 

you have limited resources, 

then target the one you really 

want, find out the structure and 

then the entry can be tweaked 

for any additional submissions. 

Promote your USP: 

Unique Selling Point 

Every company will be different 

– you have got to determine 

what your company USP is – 

this is the Unique Selling Point 

that makes you stand out and 

makes your business memorable. 

This is the content you 

need to focus on to make your 

entry impactful. 

Evidence is essential 

– get client testimonials 

Award entries give you the 

opportunity to document 

your achievements, but if you 

haven’t done yourself justice 

on that entry form, they can’t 

give you the credit. If someone 

outside the business has been 

prepared to say how great you 

are, it is far more powerful. 

Tailor your entries for 

ultimate success 

Each award is likely to be 

judged individually, so we 

would always recommend that 

you tackle each award independently. 

The entry criteria need 

to be evaluated and matched 

against your individual and 

company attributes and then 

displayed on the entry form. 

Visualise that win 

Understand why you want to 

win. When you know this, you 

can target the awards to enter. 

Build an Award Calendar – 

this will make it easier for time 

planning. 

Be honest 

Always be honest with your 

entry. Don’t lie, make up 

figures or avoid mentioning 

something that the general 

business community will know 

about you. The judges are 

usually experienced business 

owners, investors and experts 

in their fields. Being sincere 

and explaining your challenges 

is very powerful as it shows you 

are constantly learning. 

You can find more awards 

tips in Denise’s new book 

‘WINNER – How to Win 

Business Awards’ available at 

winnerhowtowin.com 

■■Details 01249 481411 or 

purpolmarketing.co.uk 

What value is there in entering and winning 

awards? asks Business Action editor 

Robert Zarywacz. 

Well, in 2019 we entered Business 

Action in the Small Business 

Saturday competition to be one of its 

#SmallBiz100 – 100 businesses from 

across the country selected to represent 

the campaign. Not only were we chosen 

as the only business in Devon, but we 

joined the Small Business Saturday 

alumni, a group of all the #SmallBiz100 

winners since the campaign began. It 

was through this that I connected with 

Denise O’Leary – whose business had 

been selected in 2017 – on LinkedIn. 

Denise told me that the book she had 

written on entering awards would be 

published in early 2020, coinciding with 

our own awards. We kept in touch and 

Denise sent me a copy to review here. 

We had already realised we wanted 

to publish some tips for our awards and 

Denise’s book covers every topic we 

identified, from recognising that your 

business very likely has the ability to win 

awards to selecting the most suitable 

awards for your business to enter. As 

an experienced organiser and judge of 

awards myself, I agree with Denise’s practical 

suggestions, including composing 

your award entries offline (so you don’t 

lose hours of work when an online entry 

form crashes) to understanding what 

judges are looking for in your entry and 

how to satisfy that. 

Our aim in organising the Business 

Action Awards is not only to recognise 

the achievements of North Devon businesses, 

but also to encourage more to 

enter and win other industry, regional 

or national awards. If you want your 

business to be an award winner, I recommend 

you read WINNER – How to Win 

Business Awards. 

If we hadn’t entered the #SmallBiz100, 

we wouldn’t have benefited by connecting 

with winners including Denise. 


IN THE HOT SEAT 

Jason Sharman of Atlas Packaging 

1. What was your first job? 

My first job was working 

in an insurance office as an 

administrator for the claims 

department. It was where I first 

discovered how creative people 

can be with the truth! 

2. What is the best 

business advice you’ve 

ever received? 

The best advice I have received 

in business is ‘Do the right 

thing’. 

3. What do you enjoy most 

about business? 

What I love about business is 

meeting a myriad of personalities 

and getting an insight into 

various industries and how 

they operate. 

4. What essential 

technology could your 

business never be without? 

There is no way we could 

operate without computers, 

the thought of that gives me 

the shivers! 

5. Describe your business 

management / style 

My management / business 

style is one based around 

teamwork and collaboration: 

you can achieve so much more 

as a group. 

6. How do you go about 

personal development? 

I gain personal development 

by reading, staying abreast 

of current affairs and sharing 

experiences with friends 

throughout the industry. 

7. Is there anything about 

yourself that you would like 

to change? 

If there was one thing I wish I 

Each issue we put a North Devon business personality in the hot seat 

and ask them 10 questions. This issue we asked Jason Sharman, 

managing director of Atlas Packaging in Barnstaple 

could change it would be to be 

more considered. I tend to go 

from heart rather than head a 

little too much. 

8. Social media: yes or no? 

Preferred network? 

Social media for the business, 

but not for me personally. My 

data is my data, although I do 

have a LinkedIn profile. 

9. How do you wind down 

when not working? 

I like to run whilst listening to 

music as a way to wind down, 

currently listening to ‘Bicep’ 

and ‘Hot Since 82’ for some 

great up-tempo tunes. I also 

try to read but often failing as I 

tend to fall asleep two pages in! 

10. Do you have a motto or 

favourite quotation? 

My favourite motto has to be 

‘The standards you walk past are 

the standards you accept’ – you 

can probably tell that I’m a clean 

freak and I love nothing more 

than a sparkling shop floor. 

ATLAS PACKAGING 

Atlas Packaging Ltd was 

founded in 1983 and has grown 

from strength to strength to 

become a market leader in 

the packaging industry. Atlas 

has an outstanding reputation 

for diversity, reliability and 

superior customer service; 

this has been gained through 

a dedication to training, heavy 

investment in modern facilities 

and a company-wide drive to 

deliver an exceptional standard 

across the board. 

This on-going commitment 

to achieving the company’s 

aspirations for development 

has embedded design and 

innovation into the core of 

Atlas Packaging. From basic 

designs through to innovative 

marketing campaigns, Atlas 

is able to design and manufacture 

an almost unlimited 

range of bespoke packaging 

solutions. As well as being able 

to offer bespoke design and 

manufacturing solutions, we 

also have a range of standard 

industry-specific products 

available to order. 

Because you can’t provide 

a top service without a top 

team, all Atlas employees are 

brought on board for their 

enthusiasm, skill and spirit. 

In return, everyone is offered 

a welcoming, enjoyable and 

supportive working environment. 

The success of the Atlas 

team is built on collaboration 

and support, and this 

has created a strong sense 

of community among our 

employees. 

■■Details 01271 344055 or 

atlaspackaging.co.uk 

01271 267420 | info@gtales.co.uk 

18 


Are you still typing invoice 

data into your accounts? 

While entering all purchase 

invoices into accounting 

software is necessary, there are 

downsides to this. 

Kevin Salter, chartered 

accountant and chartered tax 

adviser with Glover Stanbury, 

specialises in the application 

of IT in business and 

offers some helpful hints on 

improving productivity: 

Disadvantages 

Manual entry is labour 

intensive – many invoices now 

arrive in an electronic format, 

eg a PDF attached to an email. 

What happens to these? They 

are printed out, approved and 

passed for rekeying data into 

the accounts software before 

being filed away. 

It is expensive – what 

is the direct labour cost 

and other overhead costs – 

employer’s NI, pension, etc 

– of employing someone to do 

the boring, repetitive task of 

processing purchase invoices? 

It is prone to error – while 

these are often picked up later 

in the accounting process, 

it can be time consuming to 

track down and correct them. 

Common errors include 

posting invoices twice, posting 

to the wrong supplier account 

or miskeying figures. 

Inconsistent analysis – 

last year the expense may 

have been coded to ‘sundry 

expenses’, but this year 

recorded in ‘subscriptions’, 

only to go back into ‘sundry 

expenses’ next year. 

There may be delays in 

Small Business Saturday 

passed in December, but we 

need to support our small and 

local businesses all year round. 

When Business Action was 

selected as a #SmallBiz100, 

we started our ‘From 10 to a 

million’ campaign to persuade 

more people in North Devon 

and Torridge to switch £10 

of spending from an online 

giant or national company to a 

processing the invoices – they 

can mount up when bookkeeping 

staff go away on leave. 

Printing and storage costs – 

add up all the costs of printing 

them out, filing them away 

and storing them for six years 

– printer toner or ink, paper, 

files, racking or filing cabinets, 

rent of storage space, etc. 

What is the alternative? 

The alternative is electronic 

processing and data extraction: 

Paper invoices coming in 

are scanned or photographed 

and uploaded to a web site. 

Those received electronically 

can simply be forwarded to an 

email address. 

Data is extracted – invoice 

number, supplier name, date, 

gross, net, VAT etc. The transaction 

can be allocated to an 

expense code (or split between 

multiple codes in fixed sums 

or percentages). This allocation 

can be ‘remembered’ for 

future similar transactions. 

The data is downloaded in 

a format suitable for import 

straight into the accounts 

software. No more keying in. 

The paper invoices can be 

thrown away – really! The 

scanned versions are readily 

available and searchable 

within the software. 

If this can help your 

business, Kevin would be 

happy to discuss how you 

can start processing invoices 

electronically. 

■■Details 01271 375271 / 

01237 471881 or 

gloverstanbury.co.uk 

local business. If everyone did 

this on just one day, it would 

keep more than £1 million in 

the local economy to support 

businesses and jobs here. All 

we have to do is pause before 

we make any purchase and 

consider whether we can buy 

from a local business. 

And when we do buy locally 

to share it with the #10to1m 

hashtag. Let’s do it! 

ACCOUNTS 

Attract customer 

Attention! 

with your marketing, PR 

and communications 

u business journalism u technical writing u 

u case studies u blogs & online content u 

u magazine production u campaigns u 

u events u project management u 

Call Robert Zarywacz on 

01271 879100 

25 years of business communication 

Z 

A 

R 

Y 

W 

C 

COMMUNICATE IN SPEECH, PRINT & ONLINE 

Wills Property Trusts (in will) 

Children’s Trusts (in will) Funeral Plans 

Probate Lasting Powers of Attorney 

A 

Wills: £70 Single / £105 Joint 

Z 


SUPPORT HEADER 

Hotel events support local food producers 

The Carlton Hotel in Ilfracombe 

is hosting two events to 

support local food producers. 

On Monday 24 February, it 

is hosting a members, prospective 

members and guests 

evening for Food and Drink 

Devon. Producers, suppliers, 

retailers, and café and restaurant 

owners are welcome to 

attend to find out more about 

the benefits of ‘keeping it local’. 

Attendees can enjoy a welcome 

drink and light supper while 

networking. This trade event is 

open to local farmers, butchers, 

bakers, processors, retailers of 

any size and any outlet category. 

To book, email membership 

@fooddrinkdevon.co.uk 

On Friday 28 February, the 

Carlton is teaming up with 

local farmer Chris Lerwill to 

host a Foodie Friday Steak 

Night in the Brasserie as part of 

Exmoor Food Fest. 

Chris will be talking about 

his family’s traditional methods 

of farming, including sustainable 

animal husbandry and the 

benefits this brings. 

Guests will enjoy the finest 

Exmoor Park beef from cattle 

selected from breeds that 

would have traditionally grazed 

on the moors. Generally slower 

to mature, they are still raised 

in small herds on small family 

farms as they have been for 

generations. The Lerwill family 

have been raising beef on 

Exmoor since the 12th century. 

➤➤How to make the most of 

your levy and the transfer 

options available 

➤➤Tour of the college facilities, 

including conference 

and meeting rooms 

➤➤How to join Petroc’s Advisory 

Groups 

➤➤T-levels, Traineeships and 

Work placements 

➤➤Information about available 

funding to upskill your 

workforce 

Book sessions by contacting 

business@petroc.ac.uk 

Apprenticeship event 

Petroc is holding an apprenticeship 

event to support local 

and national employers with 

apprenticeship vacancies on 

Thursday 5 March at its North 

Devon Campus. 

The aim of the event is to 

raise awareness of the benefit 

of becoming an apprentice and 

to provide an opportunity for 

employers to promote specific 

apprenticeship vacancies, 

All their cattle are hand 

reared using non-intensive 

methods and benefit from a 

high biodiversity structure 

and varied diet. The incredibly 

short journey from gate to plate 

keeps Exmoor Beef ’s carbon 

footprint of to a minimum 

compared with intensive 

livestock farms and maximises 

sustainability with the smallest 

environmental impact. 

■■Details 01271 862446 or 

ilfracombecarlton.co.uk 

Technology centre launch, business drop-ins and 

apprenticeship event 

North Devon businesses are 

invited to the official launch 

of Petroc’s new Centre of 

Technology & Innovation 

Excellence (Cotie) at its North 

Devon Campus in Barnstaple 

on Friday 7 February. 

Cotie aims to provide local 

businesses with the tools to 

create their own future. The 

innovation centre is built to 

inspire collaboration and 

creativity, and its up-to-date 

facilities include: 

➤➤an expertly-equipped 

development zone with 3D 

manufacturing technology 

➤➤a relaxed yet professional 

conferencing area 

➤➤open-plan hot desks area 

complete with high-spec 

and fully loaded PCs and 

Macs 

➤➤a state-of-the-art cleanroom 

➤➤two crisply modern design 

pods 

There will be a welcome and 

address from Sean Mackney, 

Petroc principal and chief 

executive officer, at 8:30am, 

although businesses are 

welcome to drop in at any time 

between 8:00am and 10:00am 

Petroc is hosting a number of events of interest to businesses 

including the launch of its new technology centre, regular drop-in 

sessions and an apprenticeship event 

when refreshments will be 

available. 

■■Register at eventbrite.co.uk/ 

e/cotie-official-launch-tickets- 

90301396909 

Drop-in sessions 

This session is part of Petroc’s 

Business Development Team’s 

series of regular drop-ins 

where businesses can discuss 

everything about skills and 

training solutions. 

The team have experience 

of supporting employers 

across the South West to set 

up and maintain a learning 

culture that will enhance 

productivity and help businesses 

grow. Topics covered 

can include: 

➤➤Information, advice and 

guidance on upskilling your 

workforce 

➤➤Short courses and bespoke 

training solutions to meet 

your business needs 

➤➤Recruiting apprentices 

(Level 2 to Degree level) to 

grow your future workforce 

acting as a recruitment event. 

Petroc will be inviting: 

➤➤Parents/carers and pupils 

from local secondary 

schools – Year 10, 11 and 

sixth form 

➤➤The general public 

➤➤Current Petroc learners – 

from both North and Mid 

Devon Campuses 

➤➤In addition, parents/carers 

of Petroc students will be 

sent an invite as they can 

play a big role in guiding 

careers choices and many 

know little of the fantastic 

opportunities apprenticeships 

offer in the area 

Businesses wanting to exhibit 

at this event can email marcus. 

coyle@petroc.ac.uk to confirm 

their space. 

If you would like to talk to 

a member of Petroc’s Business 

Engagement Team about the 

various apprenticeship options 

that might suit your business 

before this event, Marcus can 

arrange for a team member to 

visit you. 

■■To keep informed of the 

full range of events Petroc 

hosts for local businesses, visit 

petroc.ac.uk/events 

20 


Devon and Plymouth Chamber 

is hosting a free Access to 

Finance Fair on Wednesday 

25 March from 8am to 3pm at 

Dartington Hall, Totnes. 

Challenges of finance 

Accessing finance is one of 

the single largest issues facing 

ambitious businesses and 

social enterprises in the South 

West. And ensuring your business 

plans are ready to apply 

for investment successfully is 

often the biggest hurdle. The 

world of finance is complicated 

and often overwhelming. 

Event aims 

This event aims to unravel 

some of the complex routes 

to commercial investment 

through a series of educational 

and impartial seminars 

throughout the day, as well as 

information and advice from a 

wide range of exhibitors from 

across the finance and investment 

sectors. 

Event supporters 

The Heart of the South West 

Local Enterprise Partnership 

(HotSW LEP), Devon 

County Council, Plymouth 

City Council and the Devon 

and Plymouth Chamber of 

Commerce recognise the 

importance of accessing the 

right financial support and 

information and are all supporting 

this fair. 

New funding routes 

Historical funding routes have 

changed, with high street banks 

operating under new lending 

guidelines and new entrants 

offering a range of viable 

alternative options. However, 

the market can still be very 

confusing to businesses. 

SUPPORT 

Devon Chamber Access to Finance Fair 

As the percentage of businesses 

with appropriately 

qualified finance directors is 

small, it has been increasingly 

difficult for smaller growing 

businesses to identify appropriate 

sources of financial 

investment, with the financial 

articulation of requirements 

and projection of impact 

falling largely upon third 

parties, such as accountants. 

Event sponsors 

The event is sponsored by 

Western Union and run 

by Devon and Plymouth 

Chamber of Commerce and 

partners, who are providing a 

platform for key professionals 

from the finance, investment 

and accountancy sectors to 

educate and inform businesses 

on how to source finance in 

today’s economy. 

Exhibitors 

Exhibitors will include US 

global financial and communications 

company Western 

Union, which will be hosting 

a seminar; South West-based 

commercial finance broker 

Start Point Finance, which will 

also be presenting; Barclays, 

which provides a range of 

banking and financial services 

for businesses of all sizes; 

SWIG Finance, which provides 

viable SMEs and start-ups 

with access to finance through 

dedicated business loan funds 

in the South West; and Balance 

for Business, a Plymouthbased 

commercial financial 

broker which has sourced £200 

million for clients in the past 

five years. 

■■Entry to this event is free. 

Contact 01752 220471 or visit 

devonchamber.co.uk/events 

In response to feedback from 

North Devon members, Devon 

and Plymouth Chamber is 

hosting a series of six special 

skills and international trade 

training courses in Barnstaple. 

The courses will support 

businesses trading internationally 

or wanting to develop trade 

internationally and, accredited 

by the British Chambers of 

Commerce (BCC), cover the 

critical steps for any new or 

existing international trade. 

Courses and dates 

The courses scheduled are: 

➤➤Introduction to International 

Trade – 13 February 

➤➤Customs Procedures and 

Export Documentation 

– 12 March 

➤➤Incoterms 2020 – 30 April 

➤➤International Trade Payment 

Processes – 21 May 

➤➤Product Classification & 

Rules of Origin – 25 June 

➤➤Special Customs Procedures 

& Customs Audit Preparations 

–16 July 

Each course passed will be 

certificated and success in 

obtaining six credits will lead 

to a Foundation Award in 

International Trade, certified 

by BCC, which is equivalent to 

an NVQ2 qualification. 

Hobart Manufacturing 

The export training sessions 

are hosted by chamber member 

Hobart Manufacturing in its 

Barnstaple factory board room. 

International Trade Matters 

Training is provided by local 

independent company International 

Trade Matters. 

Who are these courses for? 

These courses will suit 

anyone involved in importing 

and exporting goods and 

services, arming you and your 

employees with the knowledge 

to trade internationally. 

The people who attend 

courses include owner/proprietors 

of small businesses who 

manage their own import and 

export services through to 

employees working in import/ 

export departments in larger 

organisations. Some will attend 

all the courses, others just 

attend those relevant to their 

specific role. 

Training your staff to deliver 

your products or services right 

first time, every time, will lower 

your costs and improve the 

experience you deliver to your 

customers. Choosing an export 

training provider such as 

Devon and Plymouth Chamber 

of Commerce and International 

Trade Matters, who both 

understand about making a 

profit internationally, can really 

help your company take off in 

your export markets. 

Full details of Devon 

and Plymouth Chamber’s 

international trade training 

programme are available 

at devonchamber.co.uk/ 

international-trade-trainingprogramme/ 

■■Details 01752 220471 or 

devonchamber.co.uk 


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Business Action | February / March 2020

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