The Sky'sthe Limit
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BUSINESS Better together. Working together, achieving more. focusOfficial Magazine of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce Spring 2021 The Sky’s the Limit for Bedfordshire businesses in 2021 with news that air shows are set to recommence at The Shuttleworth Collection this spring Find more news from Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and its members inside Connect. Global. Voice. Discover more at www.chamber-business.com Welcome Business is done The previous 12 months presented businesses with the most challenging period they have faced in a generation. What started with uncertainty over EU Exit negotiations was soon overtaken by the biggest test businesses have faced BusinessBusiness is is done done since the global financial crisis of 2008. better together. Local businesses have remained resilient in the face of a tremendously difficult environment. Many companies have been profoundly affected by the crisis and betterbetterAs a Bedfordshire together. together. Chamber of Commerce have had to make difficult decisions, through no fault of their own. We hope the early part of 2021 will continue to be a recovery period for those businesses and member, you’re never alone. employees most affected. As Asa Bedfordshire a Bedfordshire Chamber Chamber of Commerceof Commerce Businesses will also need to navigate the changes that have resulted from the end of the transition period. The UK has now exited the customs union and are member,member, you’re you’re never never alone. alone. seeing major changes when it comes to cross border trade. Many businesses are struggling to get to grips with the additional requirements to move goods Now more than ever, it’s time for businesses to come in and out of Europe and have discovered that the details of the Trade and Cooperation agreement have left them with unexpected tariffs due to the rules together and support each other. At the Bedfordshire BUSINESS of origin. NowChamberNow more more than of than ever,Commerce, ever, it’s time it’s we time for create businesses for businesses connections to come to comewithin our togethertogether and andsupport support each each other. other. At the At Bedfordshirethe Bedfordshire Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce continue to be here for all businesses, ever-growing peer network to enable business growth. regardless of size or sector, to provide support, advice, or any guidance you focus may need to navigate this testing period. ChamberChamber of Commerce, of Commerce, we create we create connections connections within within our our ever-growingever-growing peer peer network network to enable to enable business business growth. growth. Official Magazine of Bedfordshire Looking forward to the rest of the year we will see the return of our ‘Meet the Chamber of Commerce Buyer’ event, giving members the opportunity to connect to local supply chain opportunities and develop long term relationships. Keep a look out for details to follow in the coming weeks. Our Partners With the recently announced Skills for Jobs White Paper, we remain committed to taking an active role in the local skills agenda and supporting the ambitious plans to put the skills needs of businesses at the heart of the further education system. We will also continue to expand our Global Trade services to support businesses not only to overcome the new complexities in trading with the EU but to help them seek new opportunities with the rest of the world. Editor Paula Devine 2021 will undoubtably be a challenge but one that could Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce be full of opportunity. [email protected] #workingtogether #achievingmore Design and Print #businesstogetherness Treacle Factory (JNB Publishing Ltd) Webinars Member2Member Support 01582 416171 Justin Richardson www.treaclefactory.co.uk Chief Executive Stay connected and informed with offers & advice WebinarsWebinars Member2MemberMember2Member SupportSupport © Copyright 2021 Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce our series of online webinars hosted Get access to Legal, HR Our extensive knowledge of local Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce Stay connectedStayby our connected members, and informed and covering informed with topics with offersoffers & advice& advice Hart House Business Centre, or Financial support through business means we’re a trusted Kimpton Road, Luton, our seriesourfrom seriesof HR online toof Finance,online webinars webinars to hostedMarketing hosted Get accessGetour memberaccess to Legal, to to Legal, HRmember HR Our extensiveOursource extensive of knowledge support knowledge and of advicelocal of local for Bedfordshire LU2 0LB 01582 522448 by ourby members, ourand members, Health covering & coveringWellbeing. topics topics or Financialor Financialemergency support support through helpline. through businessbusiness meanscompanies means we’re we’relikea trusted yours. a trusted focuscontent from HRfrom to HRFinance, to Finance, to Marketing to Marketing our memberour member to member to member sourcesource of support of support and advice and advice for for Business Focus is an open forum for members of the Chamber. Your news, and Healthand Health & Wellbeing. & Wellbeing. emergencyemergency helpline. helpline. companiescompanies like yours. like yours. 4 CHAIRMAN’S VIEW views, features and other items for Richard Cooper, Chairman of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce possible inclusion are most welcome. Views in Business Focus are not necessarily those 5 CHAMBER NEWS of the Chamber, the publishers, their staff or News and updates from Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce “We have unquestionable associates. Let’s work together. While every care has been taken in compiling this 7 ECONOMIC REPORT publication, and the statements contained herin Our quarterly financial report review confidence in Bedfordshire are believed to be correct, the publishers and the “We“We have have unquestionable unquestionable Visit www.chamber-business.com promoters will not accept responsibility for any Chamber of Commerce and Let’sLet’s work work together. together. inaccuracies. Reproduction of any part of this 8 MEMBER NEWS confidenceconfidence in Bedfordshirein Bedfordshire Email [email protected] publication without express permission from the Bedfordshire Chamber members share their news and developments count on them as a supportive VisitVisit www.chamber-business.com www.chamber-business.com publishers is strictly prohibited. 16 PROFILES ChamberChamber of Commerce of Commerce and and Call 01582 522448 Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and the MEMBER extension of our team.” EmailEmail [email protected] [email protected] publishers make no recommendation in respect Learn more about our recently joined members countcount on themon them as a as supportive a supportive of any of the advertisers and no recommendation may be implied by way of the presence of their 18 MEMBERS Devi Kolli, CEO and co-founder of AI Solve Call CallFollow 01582 01582 522448 us on 522448 social media advertisement. NEW extensionextension of our of ourteam.” team.” New businesses that have joined Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce Devi Kolli,Devi CEOKolli, andCEO co-founder and co-founder of AI Solveof AI Solve FollowFollow us on us social on social media media Working together, achieving more. www.chamber-business.com | 03 265x340mm Business is done better together advert.indd 1 17/07/2020 09:48 265x340mm265x340mm Business is Business done better is done together better advert.indd together advert.indd 1 1 17/07/202017/07/2020 09:48 09:48 Voice Better together. Working together, Chamber News achieving more. The Chairman’s View RECOGNISING Here we are, my second contribution to the Bedfordshire Chamber Business Focus magazine and the business CHAMBER OF COMMERCE outlook remains very fragile and challenging. In my preparation for this article my dilemma was, do I continue with truly horrid facts around the economic performance, UK BUSINESS HEROES 2020 or do I focus on looking forward and consider the more positive journey that has started with the roll out of the The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been truly seismic not only in terms of its health and wellbeing Covid 19 Vaccine? implications, but on the fundamentals of our economy, on the relationship between the state and private enterprise and on the very attributes required for businesses to succeed. In times of great turbulence, it is Well, I have decided to go with the latter and start by congratulating the truly brilliant work carried out by the UK’s researchers, natural, perhaps, to focus only on the challenges – and there certainly have been many of those that we’ve scientists and technicians in not only developing vaccines to all faced and are still facing. Yet, COVID-19 has also shown that in the face of adversity, companies and the Richard Cooper fight against this terrible disease, but also developing a range of people that work within them can come together to make a real difference to the place they do business. Chairman of Bedfordshire life saving treatments. We, of course, have to acknowledge the work carried out by our very own NHS, a feature in our lives that Chamber of Commerce we have maybe taken for granted, has stepped up and tirelessly British Chambers of Commerce alongside worked to support us when we are at our most vulnerable. We the local Chamber network, launched a should also remember that the NHS are themselves supported by campaign to recognise the incredible work local businesses, providing products and services, many of which UK businesses have been doing to support are SMEs. local communities, innovate and meet new demands during the Coronavirus pandemic. I have also taken the opportunity to look back at copies of the “We should also Focus Magazine over the last twelve months and, despite what we The UK Business Hero stamp was created have all been through so far, there has been some really positive to pay tribute to those businesses and remember that the stories to shout about. We have seen awards for Dunster House, individuals that have gone the extra mile and NHS are themselves Bedford College Group and Triple gold success for Wyboston made a vital contribution in these difficult Lakes Resort.