e-bulletin - March 2006
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News & Events
Board appointments
The Board of Birmingham Forward meeting on 1 March decided unanimously to recommend the following candidates for election as Directors at the AGM on 28 March:
- Richard Edwards, Practice Senior Manager, Deloitte;
- Trevor Foster, Regional Head of Corporate Banking, Bank of Scotland;
- David Hastings, Regional Director, Royal Bank of Scotland;
- Mark Hopton, Senior Partner, KPMG;
- Sid Muir, Head of Corporate Banking, Allied Irish Bank and Perm Saini, Director, Claremont Group
Birmingham best in class
We’re delighted to learn that Marketing Birmingham won four awards at this year’s International Confex Awards in London last month.
Following on from success in the Best UK Destination, Best Exhibition and Conference Service and the Business Award categories, the judges were unanimous in awarding Marketing Birmingham the overall Platinum Award.
Congratulations also go to the ICC which won the M&IT Award for Best UK Conference centre.
Managing the business environment
Groundwork West Midlands and Business in the Community is currently compiling its fifth Index of Environmental Engagement in the West Midlands.
The survey aims to benchmark the environmental performance of businesses (management, performance and assurance) in the West Midlands for 2006. Firms can use the findings to demonstrate environmental performance to their customers and stakeholders and drive forward continual business improvement.
If you would like to take part in the survey, please contact james_dennison@groundword.org.uk
Tackling diversity in the workplace
Birmingham Future and Birmingham Professional Diversity will be tackling the issue of workplace diversity head on at a special event on 8 March.
Waqar Azmi OBE, the Government’s chief diversity adviser, will speak at the event. With diversity continuing its march up the boardroom agenda, the event will provide an opportunity for members to discuss the issues facing the sector and explore answers to some of the questions society is often reluctant to ask.
The event, which will be held at HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP, sold out in record time. Watch this space for future updates on the issue.
Individual membership category
Do you know a professional working in a non-qualifying Birmingham Forward firm? He or she could be the Financial Director in a manufacturing company, a senior legal officer with a public authority, or a Director of Communications in a local retailer.
If so, Birmingham Forward would like to offer them individual membership of our organisation.
We want to make sure that Birmingham Forward fully represents the true strength, range and depth of professional services in the Birmingham region.
For more information, please contact Membership Services Manager Joanne Sollom on 0121 632 2202 or jo.sollom@birminghamforward.co.uk
Casino vote reveals backing for NEC bid
The results of our Casino survey have now been received with results showing that 69% of respondents back the NEC’s Super Casino bid, as opposed to the Birmingham City Football Club bid.
Respondents believed that the NEC vision would be easier to deliver, the NEC team is more experienced, and the site itself is likely to attract more visitors from outside the area.
Technology Institute launches
A new technology training institute is set to open its doors in Birmingham, in partnership with the Technology Innovation Centre.
The New Technology Institute will provide IT training, video conferencing and tailored meeting facilities for up to 65 delegates.
A special launch event, including the chance to book facilities at a 50% discount, will be taking place on 28 March. For further details, please contact Merlinda Charlery on 0121 202 4800.
Making salaries go further
Five local charities have come together to form a new consortium to encourage SMEs to make greater use of payroll giving.
Five of Hearts launched in November last year and comprises Acorns Children’s Hospice, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Birmingham Foundation, Birmingham Focus on Blindness and St Basil’s.
For further information about the organisation and details of a £500 grant available to SMEs to cover the adminstration costs of setting up payroll giving schemes, visit www.fiveofhearts.org.uk
Crucial afterlife for used mobile phones
If you’re stuck for a use for your old company phones but don’t want to just thrown them away, a new scheme providing panic alarms for vulnerable members of the community may have the answer.
Fonesforsafety was launched as a pilot scheme in Birmingham in 2004 and encourages people to donate old mobile phones which are then reconditioned and made into personal alarms that are provided free of charge.
For further information about the scheme and details of corporate partnership opportunities, please contact Aterah Nusrat on 020 7740 6533 or email aterah@crispej.org.uk
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Telephone: +44 (0)121 632 2200 Fax: +44 (0)121 632 2201
