Newark Business Club 
 
 
eg: Restaurant, School
NEWS FROM OUR LAST MEETING

Clean Sweep
It’s not every day you come across a “lucky chimney sweep” at Newark Business Club, especially when you meet in a tent (see below), but the May meeting saw a visit by Stan Hutchinson, alias Stan the Sweep, dressed in top hat, black tail coat, white shirt and scarlet scarf, plus chimney brush.

These are his working clothes, though not when he’s actually cleaning chimneys. Stan’s period dress is for officiating at weddings, where a chimney sweep is deemed to bring good luck.

The tradition apparently dates back nearly 300 years to King George II, whose life was in danger when a horse pulling his carriage was spooked, and a chimney sweep was the only man brave enough to step out and stop the carriage. Legend has it that the King then decreed that all sweeps were lucky.

Stan, a member of the Guild of Master Sweepers, was lucky too – in questions at the end he was able to lobby MP Patrick Mercer about the lack of legislation to cover the safety of solid fuel fires.

Marquee meeting
With the Newark and Nottinghamshire County Show taking place on the two days following, the club met in the commodious marquee known as The Ringside Club. Patrick Mercer spoke about a useful meeting between himself, a Business Club deputation, led by James Fountain and Bob Poyntor, together with the deputy leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council Roger Blaney and Jim Bamford of Nottinghamshire County Council to lobby Transport Minister Theresa Villiers for improved rail services between Lincoln and Nottingham.

Visionary idea
Sandra Cowley, a director of meeting sponsors Vision Apprentices, spoke fluently about how modern apprenticeships help both employers and young people to meet each other’s needs, how Vision Apprentices facilitate the process, and how not being sufficiently academic to want to go to university did not mean that school-leavers lacked ability or application.

Bravely admitting that she herself gained just one ‘O’ Level, Sandra was living proof of her point. Magnus School Assistant Head Yvonne Elsey spoke on a similar theme as she promoted the school’s Super Learning Day on June 27, when the timetable is set aside to give Year 10 pupils aged 14-15 practical knowledge of the world of work.

Pupils receive guidance on skills such as CV writing and interview techniques, and Yvonne would love to hear from 10 employers willing to give a morning of their time to help. Their task would be to supply a job specification to the school, interview a shortlist of applicants, and select a successful candidate. Employers don’t have to find the winners real jobs, though useful contacts might be made on both sides.

On show
The Advertiser’s Rachel Mosedale gave a polished presentation supporting a Chamber of Commerce event called Showcase Market and Sell, to be held at Kelham Hall on May 18. Options on the day include speed networking - “a bit like speed dating but not with the same outcome,” said Rachel.

PR benefits
Business Club press officer Graham Keal spoke about the benefits of PR and offered tips on how businesses could, with a bit of guidance, do their own.

Graham Keal /> Newark Business Club Press Officer

Next meeting: Friday, June 8, 2012 - 7am
at The Cedric Ford Pavilion, Newark Showground
FOCUS ON... Vision Apprentices
THIS MONTH'S meeting was sponsored by Vision Apprentices.

Skills shortages are recognised as the main threat to the growth of businesses in the UK.

To compete in today’s market, all employers need a motivated and highly-skilled workforce to achieve future business growth. But finding hard-working staff at affordable rates in this tough economic climate isn’t easy.

What’s the solution? Vision Apprentices.

Over 130,000 businesses have found the answer through apprenticeships, which is fast becoming the first option for employers looking to recruit.

We can help you recruit people who have chosen to specialise their training in your sector; employees who will fit into your organisation, become an integral part of your workforce and meet your specific future business needs.

A Vision Apprentice could be a young person who wants to train in your industry, a current employee who wants to develop their skills further or a mature person who wants to re-train for a new career – there are no limitations, we can provide the training, support and guidance for any ambitious candidate who has the potential to succeed.

Taking on an apprentice is about more than giving someone an opportunity to learn. Employers with the foresight to make use of the apprenticeship programme have long been aware of the benefits it can bring to their business.

Whether you want to recruit new people to address your skills gaps or need to develop your existing workforce, Vision Apprentices can offer you a bespoke approach to the development of your organisation without the excessive costs that come with recruitment and advertising job vacancies.
 
  
 
   

Disclaimer | Website Designed and Maintained by Advertiser Web Services

The Newark Advertiser Co Ltd website and the contents of its pages are © The Newark Advertiser Co Ltd. Reproduction in any form, printing or downloading of part or all of the contents is forbidden without specific written authorisation from the company. No part of contents of the Newark Advertiser Co Ltd website may be reproduced on or transmitted to or stored in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.