e-bulletin - September 2007 | Birmingham Forward

Welcome to our September E-Bulletin. For some of us it is a long time since we left full-time education, although our lives still seem to revolve around the three core terms of the academic year.

This means for many of us September is a time of planning with regard to business development, networking and lifelong learning. So what an ideal opportunity to look at the forthcoming programme of events we have organised for the remaining months of the year and ensure you have reserved a place before they become sold-out.

We look forward to seeing you over the coming months.

Richard D Brennan, Chief Executive

News & Events

Members Survey

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey during the summer.

This triennial event is of critical importance as it helps both the Board and the Executive of Birmingham Forward ensure we are delivering the events and lobbying agenda you require. We have completed the analysis of the results and are working on an Action Plan as a result of your feedback. The survey results and Action Plan will be circulated once it has received Board approval in October.

Patrons 2008

As we approach the end of the current year we are aware that we will have one or two opportunities for new patrons from January 2008. As our current Patrons will attest this is an ideal way for your business to raise its profile with the senior decision makers who comprise our membership. If you would like to have an informal chat or get more information about these opportunities please contact Jo Sollom or Richard Brennan on 0121 632 2200.

Business Improvement District (BID)

We are now moving forward on this space. We have forged a strong alliance with City Centre Partnership (CCP) who have helped to steer the two established BIDs through their formative process and who now provide a range of support services to these BIDs.

Jenny Inglis and her team are providing both personnel and financial support to our BID and are exceeding our expectations with their input. We are now refining the geographic area to be covered, looking to appoint our BID Champion to lead the process on our behalf and starting to engage with a wide range of relevant stakeholders.

Birmingham International Airport (BIA)

We are shortly expecting to hear about the Masterplan for the next phase of the development of BIA. We recently had Joe Kelly, the Acting Managing Director, address one of our Patron’s Dinners and he gave us a foretaste of the direction the Airport is going.

We are all aware of the strategic and economic importance of having the right level of connectivity both for inward visitors and for our members as they do business around the globe. We expect to fully endorse and support the BIA team in their development.

Forthcoming events…

Bookings are now being taken for the following events;

Thursday 4th October - The New Breakfast Connection with Guest Speaker Nick Thomas, Chairman of the Qdos Entertainment Group. Places are available at £20.00+vat. Bookings can be made by clicking here.

A Match Made in Heaven? Wednesday 10th October - Following the outstanding success of the first of these events there is another opportunity for our members to get directly involved in the Arts by actually investing in specific projects being promoted by the sector. Using a “Dragon’s Den” format the next event at The Custard Factory on Wednesday 10th October is your chance to go along, see what’s happening in this vibrant area and, if you want, get directly involved. Further information and booking is available on the website here.

The ICC will play host to Birmingham Forward’s Gala Dinner flagship event on Friday 9th November. We are pleased to welcome former MP and political columinist Matthew Parris as our after dinner speaker. Tickets are available at £80.00+vat. Book on-line here or by e-mail to Isabel@birminghamforward.co.uk. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for this event, please e-mail Isabel Drabble for more details.

Forthcoming events…

Monday 15th Oct – Keynote Lunch with Ian Pearson, Minister for Innovation, Universities & Skills. Sponsored by one of the UK's largest commercial law firms Hammonds, the last few places are available at £35.00+vat. Book on-line here or by e-mail martina@birminghamforward.co.uk

Recent events…

Cocktail Evening
The chic and stylish Bar at the Radisson hotel welcomed over 90 members at the Summer Cocktail Evening last month. Who thought networking could be so much fun! Members started their weekend unwinding with unlimited cocktails mixed to their own taste whilst listening to the cool music from the DJ. The next event is due to be held on 26th October … watch this space for more information.
Meet & Eat - San Paolo

Members enjoyed Italian cuisine in the rustic surroundings of San Paolo restaurant in Ludgate Hill at the first Autumn Meet & Eat lunch. Cain Leathem - one of Britain's leading Exercise and Nutrition Consultants was guest speaker. He spoke about health within the workplace and offered advice on how to best maximise efficiency through the wellness and vitality of employees. He explained how important Zinc was for the immune system and measured the levels of some volunteer members, with results showing that their levels were way below the average needed!

You're Hired - Graduate Apprentice 2

Jason Norris, 22-year-old BA Hons Business Management graduate from Durham University, has been named Graduate Apprentice 2007 and takes over the helm from Darvinder Kang.

Jason who will start his Apprentice year on September 17th and will enjoy three diverse environments within the city’s business community. The first of the three four month placements will kick off with one of the big four, Deloitte in Birmingham, followed by property management company LMM and the third and final placement will be with creative agency, 3form.

We wish Jason the best of luck as he embarks on his Graduate Apprentice year and will keep you informed of his progress.

Would your company like to play a part in helping divert young people away from crime.

If so, Building Blocks, registered charity of the West Midlands Police was established eight years ago to support such projects. Working with a number of business partnerships across the city it aims to ensure that engaging positively with young people helps to create real social inclusion around the Midland region.

To learn more about the scheme and how you can get involved, a breakfast meeting is being held by Pertemps People Development Group on Monday 24th September at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. To register your details please contact Julia Wright on 0121 450 8304 or by e-mail to Julia.wright@ppdg.co.uk

Want to Export from the UK? Market Visit 11-14th Nov

If you are a small to medium sized business looking to increase your knowledge and experience of exporting overseas, the forthcoming UKTI supported visit to Copenhagen provides an opportunity to research the market place, develop new partner relations and win new business.

Denmark has a strong interest in the free exchange of goods and services with other countries. It is an excellent market for UK companies because of its strong purchasing power, ease of access and widespread use of English.

For further information on this visit please contact Robert Lawley on 01782 224407 or e-mail robertlawley@nscci.co.uk

Thrive! Little steps … Big Change!!

We kicked off last month with some simple actions for you to consider and do your bit towards a better world. Here are two more, in association with Thrive, The Birmingham Post and we are what we do (WAWWD), a movement inspiring people to use their everyday actions to change the world. Thrive's next event on Tuesday 9th October at the Birmingham REP will feature WAWWD director Eugénie Harvey. Contact marktriggs@armadillo-pr.com for details.

ACTION 26 - Start a car pool. What we're suggesting is that you help the environment and make life a bit friendlier by figuring out how to share lifts to and from work. www.liftshare.org helps people find drivers and passengers online. Who knows? You might find some new friends while saving the planet. FYI: Every day 10 million seats go empty on the road
ACTION 27 - Find out where your lunch has come from. Kiwi fruit from New Zealand travels 12,000 miles to be part of your lunch, and that kiwi fruit creates five times its own weight in greenhouse gases getting here. Which might lead you to imagine that the little fruit spent the entire trip farting. But it's just the fuel employed in getting it here. Still... if the image of a farting kiwi fruit makes you think twice about eating stuff flown in out of season, maybe it's a useful one.

Birmingham… Did you know?

Birmingham's Worldwide - Our Birmingham is the largest and the oldest and is one of 29!… and there’s the one on the Moon. Crater 357 is officially called Birmingham and lies inside another crater called, er, “Hell”. Not as good as our Birmingham though. No atmosphere…

History of City Tours - City tours were first introduced in 1966 where the tourists were heavily outnumbered by the locals, something which has been a feature of Birmingham tours ever since.

Information courtesy of Ian Jelf who is a professionally-qualified 'Blue Badge' tourist Guide for the Heart of England, specialising in Birmingham tours.

Patrons