TIME TO GET VOTING FOR SUSSEX FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2020

TIME TO GET VOTING FOR SUSSEX FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2020

Public voting is now open for the Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2020 and organisers are calling all food and drink lovers across the county to vote for their favourite to win at www.sussexfoodawards.biz before they close on 18 January 2020.

The top ten finalists were announced this week for Sussex Food Producer of the Year sponsored by Southern Co-op; Sussex Farmers Market of the Year sponsored by Harvey’s Brewery; Sussex Butcher of the Year sponsored by RP Meats Wholesale Ltd; Sussex Eating Experience of the Year sponsored by Lloyds Bank Cardnet; Sussex Food Shop of the Year sponsored by Sussex Food & Drink Network; and Sussex Drink Producer of the Year sponsored by Natural PR.

Sussex is blessed with a wealth of amazing food and drink producers and over the last 14 years the Sussex Food & Drink Awards have helped enormously to support and boost local farmers, food and drink producers and the outlets that serve and sell this superb local fare.

A whopping 18,000 public votes were received for the awards last year and the expert judging panel, chaired by local dairy farmer and Nuffield Scholar, William Goodwin, is hoping that even more people will vote this year.

Said William Goodwin, “We say it each year, but what an exciting line up of finalists we have for

2020 and I’m delighted to see some new names as well as those more familiar on the list this year. The festive season is the perfect time of year to get out and about and sample the wonderful products from these amazing Sussex food and drink businesses and I would urge people to try out as many of our finalists as possible.

“The bar is raised higher each year in these unique awards, making the public vote a vital part of the judging process and who makes it through as a grand finalist. It only takes a minute or two and can really make a difference, so please vote for your favourite to win now.”

Entries remain open until 3 January 2020 for Sussex Newcomer of the Year category, sponsored by SRC-Time as well as Sussex Young Chef of the Year, sponsored by Blakes Foods and Young Sussex Farmer of the Year, sponsored by Natural Partnerships CIC in association with Farmers Weekly. The Grand Finalists for Sussex Street Food of the Year, sponsored by Horsham Foodies were revealed last month at the Live Finals and details can be found at www.sussexfoodawards.biz

As well as earning the huge respect and recognition that these awards now carry, Grand Finalists from all ten categories will be invited to attend a BAFTA-style ceremony on 29 April 2020 at the Amex Stadium in Brighton, where the winners will be revealed and guests will enjoy a seven-course Sussex produce banquet, hosted by awards patron Sally Gunnell OBE and Danny Pike from BBC Sussex.

VOTE NOW at www.sussexfoodawards.biz

Sussex Food and Drink Awards 2020 Finalists:

Sussex Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by Southern Co-op

Bangers Galore, Horsham, West Sussex

Boho Gelato, Brighton & Hove

Jengers Craft Bakery, Billingshurst, West Sussex

Latchetts Farm, Danehill, East Sussex

Noble and Stace Chocolatiers, Midhurst, West Sussex

Perfectly Preserved, Worthing, West Sussex

South Downs Honey, Lancing, West Sussex

Southview Farm Dairy, Pulborough, West Sussex

The Copper Pan Fudge Company, Chichester, West Sussex

The Sussex Biltong Co, Piltdown, East Sussex

Sussex Butcher of the Year, sponsored by RP Meats Wholesale Ltd

Archers of Westfield, Westfield, East Sussex

Bramptons Butchers, Brighton & Hove

C.L.Leppard of Mayfield, Mayfield, East Sussex

Cottenhams of Lindfield – Craft Butchers, Lindfield, West Sussex

Coughtrey’s Butchers, Pulborough, West Sussex

Cowdray Farm Shop Butchery, Midhurst, West Sussex

Michael Courtney Butchers, Midhurst, West Sussex

New Street Butchers & Deli, Horsham, West Sussex

Nick The Butcher, Hartfield, East Sussex

Tablehurst Farm, Forest Row, East Sussex

Sussex Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Harvey’s Brewery

Chichester Farmers Market, West Sussex

Forest Row Village Market, East Sussex

Hailsham Farmers Market, East Sussex

Horsham Market (Saturday), West Sussex

Lewes Farmers Market, East Sussex

Shoreham Farmers Market, West Sussex

The Great Little Farmers Market, Worthing, West Sussex

Sussex Eating Experience of the Year, sponsored by Lloyds Bank Cardnet

Crabshack, Worthing, West Sussex

etch. by Steven Edwards, Brighton & Hove

Into The Blue, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex

Restaurant Interlude, Lower Beeding, West Sussex

Semolina, Brighton & Hove

The Cat Inn, West Hoathly, West Sussex

The Earl of March Country Pub & Restaurant, Lavant, West Sussex

The Fig Tree, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex

The Pink Cabbage Produce Co., Mayfield, East Sussex

The Seahorse Cafe, East Preston, West Sussex

Sussex Drink Producer of the Year, sponsored by Natural PR

Bedlam Brewery, Plumpton Green, East Sussex

Bolney Wine Estate, Bolney, West Sussex

Brighton Bier, Brighton & Hove

Brighton Gin, Brighton & Hove

Chilgrove Spirits, Chichester, West Sussex

Drunken Berries, Chichester, West Sussex

Long Man Brewery, Litlington, East Sussex

Oxney Organic Estate, Beckley, East Sussex

Ridgeview Wine Estate, Ditchling Common, East Sussex

Wobblegate Crushed Fruit Juices, Bolney, West Sussex

Sussex Food Shop of the Year, sponsored by Sussex Food and Drink Network

Barney’s Delicatessen, Brighton & Hove

Cowdray Farm Shop, Midhurst, West Sussex

Eggs to Apples Farm Shop, Etchingham, East Sussex

Jeremy’s Two, Cowfold, West Sussex

Nick the Butcher Farm Shop and Deli, Hartfield, East Sussex

Park Farm Shop, Falmer, East Sussex

Rushfields Farm Shop, Poynings, West Sussex

The Fresh Fish Shop, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

The Seasons Forest Row, Forest Row, East Sussex

Veasey & Sons Fishmongers, Forest Row, East Sussex

Business support at the right time for those who need it

Business support at the right time for those who need it

Brighton’s business support programme Catch the Wave received a 100% satisfaction rating from attendees in 2019.

Run by Brighton Chamber and supported by leading businesses including Kreston Reeves Accountants and Eagle Labs.

Alison Jones, partner at Kreston Reeves, said:

“We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to support this excellent programme which helps businesses in the City launch and grow. Daniel Daly and Jamie Servante from our Brighton team have actively taken part in the workshops by hosting a Q & A on finances at each session and received some superb feedback.”

Catch the Wave includes workshops for those looking to start a business and for early stage start-ups.

Next in the Catch the Wave series is: Smart Bidding: How to win contracts. This panel event on 15 November offers help with bidding for public sector and private sector contracts. The panel includes Brighton & Hove City Council, the University of Brighton and Gatwick Airport.

Chamber CEO Sarah Springford said ‘These sessions are a joy to organize and deliver because they are led by local businesses and supported by local case studies who generously share their advice and lessons learnt.’

The start-up sessions, led by Richard Freeman of always possible, sold out and will be repeated again in 2020.

A recent attendee said “Richard's delivery was excellent. Topics were covered in depth but also delivered with humour! The workshop was honestly one of the best I've been to.”

Catch the Wave workshop attendees can also access a free 1-to-1 mentoring session with a business expert of their choice and have the opportunity to build a free one-page website with Create.net.

To find out more see https://www.brightonchamber.co.uk/catch-the-wave

Coast to Capital Launch Call worth £2 Million

Coast to Capital Launch Call worth £2 Million

Coast to Capital LEP is delighted to invite you to the launch of a new ESF Direct call, ‘Skills for the Future of Your Workforce’, worth £2 million ESF on Thursday 14 November between 10.00am and 12.30pm at Crawley College.

The event will be an opportunity for prospective applicants to hear more about the Direct Call, ask eligibility and match funding questions, make contact with potential partners and develop project ideas.

An agenda for the day will be circulated to all confirmed delegates closer to the event date. To register, please click here.

We strongly advise travelling by public transport as the Crawley campus is less than a 10-minute walk from Crawley train and bus station making it easily accessible by public transport. Parking is available in nearby town centre car parks, please check parking restrictions on the day.

Further information on the ESF Call can be found on their website.

Sussex's Festival of Social Science event hits city

Sussex's Festival of Social Science event hits city

Eight upcoming events will showcase University of Sussex projects and researchers as part of the Economic and Social Research Councils (ESRC) Festival of Social Science.

Come along to explore the risks that environmental defenders face, find out more about intergalactic superheroism in India and across the globe, and ask questions about life after Brexit. The Festival, which runs during the first week of November (2nd-9th), aims to promote and increase awareness of the contributions social science research makes to the wellbeing and the economy of UK society. These events were supported through the University of Sussex ESRC Impact Acceleration Account.

To find out more, visit the website or to view the events, click here.

Latest Valley Gardens Newsletter published

The latest newsletter from Dyer & Butler has just been published. Click here to find out more about progress on the scheme.

It’s everyone’s journey at Brighton & Hove Bus Company

It’s everyone’s journey at Brighton & Hove Bus Company

Brighton & Hove and Metrobus is backing the Department of Transport’s (DfT) campaign, ‘it’s everyone’s journey’, which aims to improve disabled people’s experience of using public transport.

Transport Accessibility Minister Nus Ghani visited Brighton & Hove this week (Monday) and experienced first-hand the accessibility features on the company’s buses, particularly the audio-visual information for passengers.

The Minister boarded one of Brighton & Hove’s 30 new extended-range electric buses, which travel in zero-emissions mode through the city centre on route 5.

Brighton & Hove and Metrobus’ Managing Director Martin Harris said: “Our entire fleet (440 buses) is made up of ‘talking buses’, where passengers can see and hear next stop and other announcements, such as diversions. We introduced them in 2016 after one of our visually impaired passengers told us she had alighted at the wrong stop several times and it was making her anxious.

“We're right behind the DfT’s campaign and we welcome it wholeheartedly. Everybody deserves to feel relaxed and confident while they travel and the best way to make buses more accessible is to keep listening to the experts: our passengers and our communities.”

He said the company worked with disabled passengers and community groups on bus design, ticketing and driver training. It also ran a travel buddy scheme with Brighton & Hove’s Grace Eyre Foundation, building up the confidence of people with learning disabilities on public transport.

Hangleton resident Graham Oulton is registered blind and used to worry about catching the bus by himself in Brighton.

Graham has volunteered with Guide Dogs UK since 2014 and helped Brighton & Hove Buses fulfil its promise of making 100% of its fleet becoming talking buses.

Graham said: “It’s tremendous getting on board a bus and hearing your stops. It’s amazing for me because it’s freedom. I can go anywhere.”

He said the company’s Helping Hand card, which tells a driver when a passenger may need extra help without them having to say anything, had also made him more relaxed and confident about catching the bus, assisted by his guide dog Bassey.

Brighton & Hove Guide Dogs branch helped design the Helping Hand card.

The company’s Accessibility and Communities Manager Victoria Garcia said disabled people accounted for one in five of the UK population but accessible buses were important for everybody.

Victoria said: “We’re all going to have an accessibility requirement at some point in our lives, whether that’s living well with dementia, becoming pregnant, carrying heavy shopping or having a short-term injury.

“Audio-visual technology is also great for people travelling at night or taking a route for the first time and really helpful for tourists and students.”

‘It’s Everyone’s Journey’ asks people to pitch in and make journeys better for disabled people; passengers and transport companies alike. That could mean moving out of a wheelchair space or a priority seat when needed, being patient when passengers board or asking if people need help before acting.

Editors’ notes - bus accessibility features

• All Brighton & Hove and Metrobus buses have audio-visual next stop announcements; hearing loops; lighter coloured, dementia-friendly floors; extra room for wheelchair users to board; a space for wheelchair users and manual ramps.

• More than 90% of the company’s drivers and customer service colleagues are trained dementia friends.

• All drivers receive Level 1 My Guiding training, run jointly with Guide Dogs UK.

• There are three Safe Havens in the company’s travel shops and head office, where people with dementia can sit and relax and get help.

• The company pioneered the award-winning Helping Hand card. Cards have useful phrases on them like: ‘please face me, I lip read’ and ‘speak loudly and clearly’ or they can have a bespoke design.

• There’s a Taxi Guarantee scheme where the company will book and pay for an accessible taxi for anybody in a wheelchair who is unable to board the bus for any reason.

• Discounted bus travel for carers.

• Large print timetables and information sheets on request.

Crunch launches new £5.5million software platform following four-year development programme

Crunch launches new £5.5million software platform following four-year development programme

Crunch, the UK’s first online accountancy provider, this month launches its new mobile-optimised digital platform to its 11,000 customers from all sectors and regions of the UK. The launch follows a four-year, £5.5million development programme to create a new secure, fast and reliable software service with a major focus on a simple, intuitive user experience.

The software and services firm that has been uniquely providing certified chartered accountants on-demand alongside accounting software for more than a decade, is launching the new platform, named ‘Ada’, in honour of the English mathematician and computing visionary Ada Lovelace. It will be available to Crunch customers in a range of new packages. The packages, to be phased in over the coming months, cover four different levels.

Launching today is Crunch Two, which is tailored specifically for the one person smaller limited companies, or personal service companies where the company owner works as a freelancer or contractor - this covers the majority (90%) of current Crunch clients. Also launching today is Crunch Three, a package including bookkeeper support designed for limited companies with up to four directors and ten employees. Both packages provide unlimited use of the new Crunch software and access to its team of expert accountants and client managers.

The ‘Ada’ platform currently provides 43 new, improved and unique features across Crunch’s range of packages, including Open Banking, which connects directly to many UK banks to enable easy bank transaction import and reconciliation. It also facilitates the automatic raising of dividends by calculating the maximum amount customers can take out and creating the official documentation at the click of a button - far simpler than the process in any other accounting software.

Crunch’s software also automatically creates the company Year End and CT600 return, as well as P11Ds for directors. Once a Crunch accountant checks all information is correct and tax-efficient and the client has approved them, the software files them automatically with Companies House and HMRC at no additional cost.

The new Crunch software also saves business owners’ time by allowing them to create recurring invoices and expenses and to record expenses on the go by simply taking a photograph of the receipt. Crucially, the software also enables MTD (Making Tax Digital) compatible VAT returns.

CEO and founder Darren Fell said: “Our new software offers a ridiculously easy way for contractors, freelancers and small business owners to easily manage their business finances. We’ve produced a new slick, efficient and intuitive platform with all of the crucial functions our customers need to run and grow their business. This new software platform is backed up by our unique software and service offering, meaning customers get unlimited access to our team of expert accountants and client managers, so they can focus their efforts on the business they love, not on the numbers.”

Today’s launch will be followed next year with a new software only product, and Crunch One, a renewed package for sole traders and the self-employed.

“As well as benefiting current customers, our new software also puts us in a position to be able to launch new packages early next year, introduce new features and open up Crunch’s services to a wider range of clients,” added Darren Fell.

Smart Bidding panel includes Brighton Council, University of Brighton and Gatwick Airport

Smart Bidding panel includes Brighton Council, University of Brighton and Gatwick Airport

Next in the Catch the Wave series is a panel and workshop event called Smart Bidding: How to win contracts.

On 15 November, this event is designed to help attendees learn how to bid for public sector and private sector contracts.

Chaired by Emma Mills-Sheffield of Mindsetup, the panel include:

• Julian Wood - Head of Procurement & Insurance Services at University of Brighton

• Cliff Youngman and Claire Hutchinson - Procurement Managers at Brighton & Hove City Council

• Karen Brown - Head of Procurement at Gatwick Airport

The session will cover:

• Finding out about where tendering opportunities come from

• Qualification - to bid or not to bid

• Navigating the supply chain and procurement maze

• An insight into procurement policies in the public and private sector - both large and small organisations

• Practical advice on preparing to tender, writing bids with impact and preparing for your pitch

• Q&A with procurement experts

To book Smart Bidding and to find out more about this event, head here.

To find out more about Catch the Wave visit the Chamber website here.

Smart Bidding: How to win contracts

Smart Bidding: How to win contracts

If you don’t know how to bid for public sector and private sector contracts (or even how to find out about them) this workshop will demystify the process. We’ll myth bust some of the reasons why you might win or lose with our panel of procurement experts.

This workshop will ensure you leave fully armed with the knowledge to start bidding successfully.

It will include:

• Finding out about where tendering opportunities come from

• Qualification - to bid or not to bid

• Navigating the supply chain and procurement maze

• An insight into procurement policies in the public and private sector - both large and small organisations

• Practical advice on preparing to tender, writing bids with impact and preparing for your pitch

• Q&A with procurement experts

Session hosts

The workshop will be run by Emma Mills-Sheffield, Mindsetup Ltd. Having spent the last 15 years in industry, Emma has led major proposals and pursuits, sales PMOs, managed programmes and process improvements then broadening into training delivery programmes for bidding, workshop facilitation and coaching. Across the financial services sector, creative and digital industries and engineering consultancy she’s experienced working with, and tendering to, public sector organisations, FTSE100 and Fortune500 companies, charities and start-ups. Although they all operate very differently, what they’ve all got in common is… people! Running an efficient bidding process is only a foundation; it’s how people perform and interact which determines success. Emma has since founded Mindsetup Ltd where she blends coaching, professional development and project management skills to help businesses become more efficient and productive with a purpose.

The panel will include experts with experience in awarding and winning contracts.

We have a small number of fully subsidised places for this workshop for those unable to afford a ticket. If this applies to you or someone you know, please contact bee@brightonchamber.co.uk

About catch the wave 2019

Catch the Wave is a new business support programme for anyone in the city who wants to launch and grow a business. It includes affordable workshops, useful resources and expert mentoring sessions.

Designed and delivered by Brighton Chamber, Catch the Wave includes practical, interactive sessions and runs from July 2019 to April 2020.

Catch the Wave is supported by:

For the full programme line up visit https://www.brightonchamber.co.uk/catch-the-wave

Arun joins the Greater Brighton success story

Arun joins the Greater Brighton success story

More than 5,300 businesses and 54,000 jobs have been brought into Greater Brighton after Arun District Council was welcomed as a member of the region.

The Council joins six other local authorities, influential business partnerships, two universities, Gatwick Airport and the South Downs National Park in forming a powerful collective aiming to increase investment and make its voice heard in Government.

The Greater Brighton Economic Board has now voted to have Arun join bringing another 159,000 people under its umbrella.

Leader of Arun District Council, Cllr Dr James Walsh, said: "We are delighted to become part of the Greater Brighton region and help contribute to the growing success it has had in bringing in funding for major projects and helping to create jobs and prosperity.

"Arun has plans for 20,000 new homes, 74 hectares of employment space and a good track record of delivery. We have a progressive approach to development and pipeline projects and firmly believe we can make a significant contribution to the economy of the city region."

Stretching for 86 square miles Arun includes the towns of Arundel, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton with key employment sectors including tourism, advanced manufacturing and horticulture. Companies in Arun include Rolls Royce, Body Shop and Butlins.

The addition of Arun increases the number of jobs in Greater Brighton by 12 per cent to around 529,000. However Arun has some development needs that being part of a city region can help such as low wages and low employment rates. More than 40 per cent of its workforce travels outside the district for work.

Greater Brighton works to attract investment for the entire region offering investors a wide range of opportunities, work skills and lifestyles. It has brought in £160m of funding for projects across the region.

The chairman of Greater Brighton, Cllr Daniel Humphreys, said: "I’m delighted to welcome Arun District Council to the city region. The Council was keen to join because they, like we, see the benefits of working together to improve the economies of our places because investment doesn’t recognise council boundaries.

"The addition of Arun adds to the offer we can make as a city region but we also have a lot in common with our mix of economies and our ambitions to create even greater opportunities for our residents to thrive. Greater Brighton has just got a lot stronger with an even more powerful voice."

Arun is just the latest organisation to join Greater Brighton following on from Crawley Borough Council and Gatwick Airport last year.

First Virtual Summit for Digital Transformation

First Virtual Summit for Digital Transformation

The organisation behind Digital Leaders Week, Digital Leaders has today launched the first virtual 5-day summit - Insight Live Week. In the first week of November users will be able to access over 50 expert live talks ranging on topics from artificial intelligence to tech for good - all from the comfort of their own desk!

Unlike physical conferences where you can end up sitting through content you just don't need, Insight Live Week is delivered entirely online.

3 September 2019 London, UK. Digital Leaders - The platform and programme for professional digital leaders promoting digital transformation and building the UK’s digital confidence across all sectors, is proud to announce the first virtual summit covering digital transformation and leadership - Insight Live Week

The week will give leaders the skills and strategies through experts talks on a wide range of topics under the digital transformation banner, across all sectors.

Accessible to anyone with an internet connection, from the 4th to 8th of November, over 50 webinars will offer 100,000 leaders free access to best practice; allowing them to build stronger networks and provide a better understanding of the need to adopt new thinking and embrace innovation.

Digital Transformation is essential for the future of the UK economy and especially crucial outside of a changed relationship with our European neighbours and in the context of a changing trading relationship with the rest of the world. The linchpin of this new world will be the quality of the nation's Digital Leadership and how these leaders drive outcomes inside government, enterprise, SMEs and of course, within the third sector.

Digital Leaders know that unless they were born in the 1990s, they are likely to be a 'digital immigrant' - someone whose ability to use a smartphone, tablet and interact via social media networks does not come as naturally as it does for 'digital natives'. As with any immigrant into a foreign culture, there are new languages, attitudes and mind-sets that must be learned.

Russell Haworth, Chair of Digital Leaders said, “It’s important to have an Online Week that reminds us all that Digital Transformation remains essential for a positive future for the UK economy and our transformation of government services. Digital Leadership and how our leaders drive outcomes inside government, enterprise and the third sector is an essential ingredient of success.”

Robin Knowles CEO of Digital Leaders added, “We are so pleased to be the first Digital Transformation Community to be using this latest technology that makes a virtual conference possible allowing our members free access to 50 talks, just like a large conference , but from the comfort of their desk.

For more information go to https://insightlive.digileaders.com/

Hear first-hand the stories that will inspire digital change through people, outcomes and personal accountability.

#digileaders #insightlive #insightliveweek