Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce

Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce

BELONG. CONNECT. PROSPER

Bond themed ‘Live & Let Dine’ Dinner – a full immersive theatrical dining show at KeyWest Restaurant on Bournemouth Pier!

A Bond Themed ‘Live & Let Dine’ Dinner show is taking place at Key West Restaurant on Bournemouth Pier on Friday 9th July. 

It’s described as a fully immersive dining show where you will be transported into a slapstick, cartoon style parody of James Bond.  Featuring the much-loved characters in an adventuresome romp through the cliches of the movies adored by millions. Any fans of ‘Naked Gun’, ‘Aeroplane’ and ‘Austin Powers’ will love this! With 4 actors playing 15 characters; expect lots of laughs, LOADS of costume changes and buckle up for the smallest car chase in history!

The iconic Bournemouth Pier has gained a fantastic reputation for its themed dinners and its packed summer programme of dinner shows kicks off with the ‘Live & Let Dine’ Dinner in July, followed by a ‘Faulty towers’ Dinner Show and a ‘Sheerluck Holmes’ murder mystery Dinner.

Marketing Manager Sarah Hunter advised, “Key west has been accredited the Visit England ‘We’re good to go’ mark so you can be assured that all relevant government and public health guidance is adhered to, ensuring you have a safe and memorable experience. It’s great to be back open and doing what we love doing, which is providing quality, fun entertainment in an enviable and stunning location!”

To find out more and to book tickets, visit online www.keywestbournemouth.co.uk/whats-on/

 

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care scholarship launched for Bournemouth University​ Adult Nursing students

Adult Nursing students at Bournemouth University, with an interest in end of life care, will receive funding and support from the Dorset-based charity, Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, thanks to a new scholarship.

Students interested in the hospice care sector will be able to apply for three scholarships on offer for the September 2021/22 academic year.

The successful applicants will receive £3,000 and a range of support from Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, which could include travel costs, online learning or conference opportunities, and the chance to shadow a Lewis-Manning Hospice Care nurse.

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care is a charity, helping to care and support local people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across East Dorset and Purbeck.  It offers a range of services, including day hospice (in person and virtual), lymphoedema and better breathing respiratory clinics, bereavement and family support, which are run by their expert and specialist clinical team. Their aim is to help as many local people as possible, who are dealing with a life limiting illness, to live their lives well.

Clare Gallie, CEO at Lewis-Manning Hospice Care advised, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Bournemouth University on this fantastic new scholarship opportunity and open new doors for students interested in hospice care.  We see the value of investing in student nurses to encourage their interest in palliative and end of life care and have ambitions to develop more collaborative educational partnerships into the future. We are keen to help, support and nurture the talent from Bournemouth University and encourage student nurses into end of life care and be able to show them what an interesting and rewarding career pathway this can be.”

The scholarships are available for Bournemouth University students who are progressing into the final year of BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing or MSc Adult Nursing and have kindly been supported though a gift to Lewis-Manning from the Burdett Trust for Nursing.

Dr Sue Baron, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing said: “Nurses in end of life and palliative care make a real difference to patients and their families when they most need support, providing care and kindness during difficult times.

“This scholarship will enable students who have an interest in palliative care to develop their knowledge, skills and practice, alongside their BU degree.

“The opportunity to learn directly from Lewis-Manning Hospice Care staff and receive assistance with professional development activity is invaluable and will support the successful applicants in their future careers helping people when they need it most.”

To find out more about the scholarships and the application process, visit:www.bournemouth.ac.uk/lewis-manning-scholarship

 

About Lewis-Manning Hospice Care 
Lewis-Manning Hospice Care is a charity established 29 years ago, providing extraordinary care to patients and their families facing a life-limiting illness across Poole, Purbeck and East Dorset. We offer a range of free hospice care services aimed at helping people to live well through their illness, closer to home.

These include:
– Day hospices, virtual and in person
– Creative arts & wellbeing support
– Lymphoedema clinic for cancer patients
– Better breathing clinic
– Bereavement & family support

Every year we support nearly 500 local people and we develop new services, based on patient need and identified gaps in the area.
To do this we need to raise over £1.6m every year. Without these funds we could not exist. Our important work increases people’s physical and social well-being, reduces isolation and loneliness, supports people to stay in their homes longer, and alleviates the huge pressures on family and carers.
Registered charity no. 1120193

 

About Bournemouth University
 
Bournemouth University inspires learning, advances knowledge and enriches society worldwide, through our research, our education, and in the impact of our staff, students and graduates.
 
In 2020, BU was named among the top 100 young universities, and 56th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2021. BU’s teaching excellence has been recognised with a TEF Silver Award.
 
For more information please visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk.

✅ Apply for ‘We’re Good to Go’

A message from BCP Council!

This is a reminder to say that if you haven’t already applied for the ‘We’re Good to Go’ Visit Britain Accreditation. Please do so! – if you have applied you may want to add the #SafeTravels mark (see above).

It’s absolutely essential to show your customers that you are adhering to the required COVID-19 standards and guidelines when welcoming them back.

We know you are working hard and doing an amazing job to adapt and be ready for the summer. So let’s show our potential visitors the hard work you have done.

Get accredited and show the world you are ready to welcome visitors safely back to Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole.

For more information and to apply, click here.

 

Step 3 restrictions to remain in place

The government has announced a four week pause at Step 3 in the roadmap out of lockdown. You should continue to follow the national guidance on what you can and cannot do. It is expected that England will move to Step 4 on 19 July, though the data will be reviewed after two weeks in case the risks have reduced.

As a reminder, key rules for Step 3 include:

  • You can socialise indoors in a group of up to six people or two households, including for overnight stays
  • Up to 30 people can meet outside
  • Pubs, theatres and other venues can open indoors
  • Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can open for people on holiday
  • You should work from home if you can.

Click here to find out more.

BCP Council: Funding community projects in Bournemouth and Poole

£1.2 million in Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Neighbourhood Portion Funding is available for local community projects across Bournemouth and Poole.

The funding is open to bids from residents, businesses and community groups and can range from a couple of hundred pounds to over £100,000, in exceptional circumstances. Projects must improve, benefit and shape the development of the community for the future.

Bidding is open until 5 July 2021.

For more information, click here.

Have your Say on Homelessness in the BCP area

The You Are The Media community is working with Bournemouth University on an initiative to address homelessness within the area. A focus group is starting this week and input from those who work within the Bournemouth town centre would be invaluable.

If you work within the Town Centre, please consider participating. You will receive compensation for your time.

For more information and to participate, follow this link https://www.getfeedback.com/r/Mk2q9zkk/

BCP Council: Business grants and innovative project funding update

This week we announced that business support organisations, groups representing the retail, hospitality, leisure and welfare sectors and local Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) will collectively receive around £700,000 in grants for innovative local projects. This follows a competitive application process for ARG Stream 3 discretionary grant scheme.

Currently, we are working hard to process hundreds of applications for our Bounce Back Challenge Fund. This has brought to light a huge array of imaginative projects and creative ideas that will drive long term growth across the area. We’ll be sending out letters to all applicants informing them of our decision over the next few weeks.

All those who applied for the Exceptional Circumstances Fund are being notified of the outcome of their applications. Today we have started issuing around £768,000 in grant support to businesses that have not received any other grants so far.

Read more here on Financial Support for businesses from BCP Council. 

‘Angel Investing is a team sport’ – wisdom shared by CEO of UKBAA at Dorset Business Angels ‘A- Z investor event’

Dorset Business Angels (DBA) hosted a brand-new event with the aim of encouraging more women into Angel investing.  The webinar entitled, the ‘A-Z of Angel Investing’ was hosted by UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA) CEO Jenny Tooth OBE, who shared many golden nuggets of wisdom and experience from her years on the investing scene.

UKBAA is the trade body for Angel investing across the UK and Jenny has been CEO since 2012. Jenny gave insight into the network, which has over 200 member bodies from across the industry:  84 Angel Groups with over 15,000 Angel represented by these group, 30 Venture Capitalist Funds, 17 Online platforms, 25 Accelerators and 62 Associates.

Jenny explored what a Business Angel is and the opportunities. An Angel investor profile was described as someone investing their own capital and making their own decisions, using either spare wealth or financial resources, taking shares in return for providing equity capital but also providing support, advise and expertise to their investee business.  “A lot of men and women investing nowadays do alongside their day jobs, it’s not just something to do in retirement.  It’s not always about the money that is being invested, it’s about the value added and seeing what you can do to help and make a difference to the business.

“Angel Investing can be fun, exciting and sociable.  I would always recommend doing with others and joining a syndicate, never invest alone.  There is a level of altruism in that very often it’s the opportunity to make a real difference to your local economy and the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint – it can take between 8 – 12 years to get a return and a business success. Build a portfolio of investments and make sure it’s mixed, don’t put  all your investments in to one particular niche or field. Your investment does not need to be huge, with opportunities starting at around £5,000. Start small and build and grow.”

When asked what to look out for in a business Jenny advised, “The people in a business make all the difference.  Do they have the necessary commitment, the passion and drive?  Is the business scalable, does it have the right business model to be able to build and grow? How innovative or disruptive is it in its niche? How far will your money help it to stand out?”

Joining Jenny for a discussion was seasoned Angel Investor Bridget Connell, who started investing after a corporate career including stints at logistics giant DHL and mobile phone operator Telefonica. She sits on the advisory board of the Angel Academe syndicate and works as a mentor and executive coach. She is listed as a UKBAA’s top 20 women angel investor and describes her investment lens as ‘female founded tech businesses’ with an interest around teams and people.

Bridget described her journey into Angel investment. Her advice was clear as she described how she found her 1st deal. “I went to a few different investment syndicates to get a sense of what they were like and how it worked – I eventually settled on one that made me feel very comfortable and I liked the people involved. I learned that Angel investing is a team sport!  I also did some courses, I read and I attended different pitch events. I wanted to understand, learn and explore before engaging with Angel Investing, it was certainly an education. I would suggest sitting through due diligence in your syndicate, look and learn, hold your nerve and remember, you don’t always have to invest.”

“Angel investing has been fascinating and so enjoyable and has led to me meeting all sorts of interesting people.”

DBA Chairman Don McQueen said, “We are thrilled at the success of our event.  We had over 40 people attend and the feedback we have received has been excellent.  We are really hoping to improve and encourage more women on to the investment scene, younger investors too. Videos of the event are available to view online and we would urge anyone interested in Angel Investing to take a look. Our new pitch event takes place on 14th June and registrations can be made online www.dorsetbusinessangels.co.uk

·       The main presentation: https://youtu.be/nsws6JHyN08

“We would like to offer thanks to our event sponsors, Saffery Champness Accountants Partner Liz Brierley, Ellis Jones Solicitors Partner Kate Brooks and Senior Investment Director Hannah Dampney and Financial Planning Director Amanda Cook from Investec Wealth & Investment. Each shared their relevant professional and financial areas of expertise to support the Angel investing process. The success of the event was certainly a team effort!”

About Dorset Business Angels
DBA was formed in 2013 with the aim to bring investors and entrepreneurs together to accelerate the growth of early- stage businesses. DBA provides quality, private equity investment opportunities to local high net worth (HNW) and sophisticated investors (SI).
Four times a year companies are invited to attend an event at which they pitch their business to the savvy Angels in a Dragon’s Den type scenario. Angel investment might come from a single investor or it could be 2 or 3 Angels pooling funds together to support a company. Any investments are in the form of an equity investment and not a debtor’s loan. Investments are made across all sectors.

Businesses reopening from Monday, 17th May

From next week, we’ll be entering the next stage of the government’s roadmap for easing restrictions. This will allow for further businesses and indoor venues to reopen with COVID-secure measures in place.

From Monday 17 May:

    • Restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes can welcome customers indoors
    • Holiday accommodation, including hotels and B&Bs can reopen
    • Indoor entertainment and attractions such as cinemas, theatres, concert halls, bowling alleys, casinos, amusement arcades, museums and children’s indoor play areas will be permitted to open

To ensure you are prepared to safely welcome customers back, check the latest guidance online.  To support the NHS and break the chains of COVID-19 transmission, certain sectors are required to request and record the contact details of customers, visitors and staff.

Venues in hospitality, the tourism and leisure industry, close contact services, community centres and village halls must:

    • Ask every customer or visitor (over the age of 16) to provide their name and contact details
    • Keep a record of all staff working on their premises and shift times on a given day and their contact details
    • Keep these records of customers, visitors and staff for 21 days and provide data to NHS Test and Trace if requested
    • Display an official NHS QR code poster so that customers and visitors can ‘check in’ using the NHS COVID-19 app as an alternative to providing their contact details
    • Adhere to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

Chamber hails “great coup” as Bobby’s returns

Multi-million pound plans to restore what was once the home of ‘Bobby’s’ department store to its former glory have been hailed as “a great coup” for Bournemouth.

Jacqui Rock, President of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, was speaking after Verve Properties announced that it was restoring the prominent building in The Square.  It was due to lie empty when the current occupier, Debenhams, closes its doors for the final time on May 15.
Many of the building’s original features will now be reinstated, including the original 1933 front entrance, or uncovered.

Jacqui told Dorset Biz News: “This is a great coup for Bournemouth.
Very much a ‘wow’ retail shopping experience, which is just what we need as people’s expectations become higher.  Bobby’s is something that is not only iconic to us locally, it is wonderful to launch the town as we re-emerge from lockdown. I, for one, can’t wait to visit.”

In a press release, Verve Properties, the development company which recently transformed the nearby Avenue Centre, said that it was “focused on securing local, independent, and socially conscious brands to work with, to ensure that the regeneration reflects the changes the pandemic has accelerated in social and shopping patterns.”

Plans are in place for the first parts of the store to reopen in mid-July this year, with more elements opening all the way through the year and into 2022.
First to open will be Bobby’s Beauty Hall, a traditional ice cream and coffee parlour, an art gallery, and a dog café in the Lower Gardens.

The beauty hall will have local, sustainable, and conscious brands sitting alongside the big brands.  As an independent beauty operation, Bobby’s Beauty Hall will offer products and brands not previously available at Debenhams.  There will also be a Sushi and plant-based Poke Bowl Bar, a nail bar and treatment rooms for female and male grooming.  The watch repairing station ‘In Time’ will be retained.

On the first floor the large windows overlooking the Square will be opened up, new balconies installed, and the floor will house a food and market hall.
This will include street food outlets including plant-based food, a deli, a bar and speciality retail market pods.  Spa facilities are in the planning stages and, it is hoped, will open in 2022. The second floor will house an art gallery with more details to be revealed in coming weeks.

Accessed from Terrace Road, old buildings at the rear will be reorganised to create a garden area and a micro-brewery and craft ale smokery bar. Following that, plans are in place to open a 4th floor restaurant and bar and roof terrace bar. – all with a key focus on the local community.
There are also plans in place, due to be announced soon, for a very special collaboration with the Bournemouth-bred artist Stuart Semple, which will involve memories of the town.

Bobby & Co opened in 1915 in The Square in Bournemouth and remained under that name for more than 50 years. It was rebranded in 1972 as part of the Debenhams group.

For the complete article visit Dorset Biz News here.