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Meeting
held in December 2011
Guest Speaker: Derek Holmes
Derek Holmes gave an interesting talk on the current shape of, and the challenges facing local media, in particular local newspapers. Derek is an award-winning media professional. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years and edited a group of weekly newspapers for ten years. These included The Oxford Times, which won a string of weekly newspaper of the year awards under his editorship. Derek also discussed the implications for local businesses.
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Derek Holmes
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Meeting
held in November 2011
Guest Speaker: Mask-arade
The Mask-arade story - from Dragons' Den to Harrods November’s meeting saw an entertaining talk, given by Dean Walton and Ray Duffy, two of the three "mask-ateers" of Mask-arade, the award winning party mask company that shot to fame on Dragons' Den.
The pair gave an overview of Mask-arade, from their humble beginnings featuring on a national television programme, through to the achievement of becoming a stocked item for the most famous department store in the world! Those attending were lucky enough to come away with free samples of the company’s masks, which will surely come in handy for the festive season!
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Mask-arade |
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Meeting
held in October 2011
Guest Speaker: Charles Dodwell - Fredericks Foundation
Fredericks Foundation, founded by Paul Barry-Walsh, is a charity and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that was set up in 2001 to provide finance for business start up or expansion to those unable to access finance through high street banks and other mainstream lenders.
At the October meeting, Charles Dodwell of Fredericks Foundation, gave a talk on what the Foundation does, who it helps and how. His talk also looked at Cherwell District Council's Trading Places initiative, which aims to get local prominent business men and women living off Job Seeker's Allowance for a full week.
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Charles Dodwell
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Meeting
held in September 2011
Guest Speaker: Gary Bricknell
In April 2012, BBBC's very own Gary Bricknell, along with some of his colleagues of St. James’s Place Wealth Management and a small climbing team, will trek to Mount Everest base camp with the aim of raising £500,000 for the St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation.
At the September meeting, Gary talked us through what will be involved, the selection process, training, the route itself and gave us an insight of what to expect, what can be achieved through good teamwork and how we can all make a big difference to other peoples lives.
To donate funds to Gary, please download the pledge form, fill it in and send it back to the following address:
Gary Bricknell
St James's Place Wealth Management
38 The Green
South Bar
Banbury
OX16 9AE
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Gary Bricknell |
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Meeting
held in August 2011
Guest Speaker: Mike Ames
Around 45 members met at August's breakfast club where alternative business coach Mike Ames entertained us with his talk on social media.
As we all know, social media is the key to moving your business forward and seems to be well and truly here to stay. Mike showed attendees how they could view social media differently, see the enormous potential that these tools offer and emerge with some simple actions that will help to exploit them.
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Mike Ames
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Meeting
held in July 2011
Our last meeting was held at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, where the catering students impressed us with their culinary talents! The special guest speakers were Banbury MP Tony Baldry and local businesses Prodrive and Jeffersons Business Centre, who shared their experience of engaging with young people and gave expert advice to help you consider how your business might also benefit. Guests learnt about the benefits of working with young people and heard from businesses how they have successfully involved local young people.
Great emphasis was placed on understanding how apprenticeships and how work placements can benefit businesses. The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to network with enthusiastic people all eager to promote skills in North Oxfordshire. |
Tony Baldry MP |
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Meeting
held in June 2011
Guest Speaker: Tim Binder
Our last meeting was held at Rye Hill Golf Club, where Greg and his
team provided us with the usual delicious Full English!
Tim Binder was the speaker, and he gave an inspirational talk on planning
for retirement. The presentation gave some pointers to help us plan
for the next, and some would argue, most rewarding stage of our lives.
Tim's career includes working in the Outward Bound School movement,
serving in the Royal Marines, overseas personnel positions in international
petrochemical engineering companies, and for the past 25 years in
career coaching with Penna PLC.
Five years ago he left full time work and realised one of his dreams
by becoming a published writer. In addition to being actively involved
in his community and church, he also helps people to view retirement
as a wonderfully fulfilling time (he would say it is the most fulfilling
time) when long hidden dreams and aspirations can be realised.
Tim also brought along copies of his book "Walk With The Wise", and
a few of us were lucky enough to depart with signed editions!
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Tim Binder
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Meeting
held in May 2011
Guest Speaker: Rob Allan, Manager of the Waley-Cohen Family Estate
Rob gave a presentation on the Estate and the various work that goes
on, down on the farm. Farming remains the principal activity on the
Estate and working in conjunction with the Wildlife Farming Company
(WFC), Upton Estate provides a ground for environmental trials on
behalf of companies such as DEFRA, Natural England and Centre of Ecology
and Hydrology.
Marek Nowakowski, who runs the Wildlife Farming Company, gave a presentation
on food, farming and wildlife and how farms such as Upton Estate can
find an effective balance between profitable agriculture and increased
wildlife delivery. Marek started as a research scientist in 1969,
and in 1976 became an agronomist. In 1999 he set up WFC dedicated
to the creation of new wildlife habitats. Guests were treated to bacon
rolls and coffee, plus a tractor and trailer ride around the Estate
and a tour of the biomass heating system. |
Rob Allen
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Meeting
held in April 2011
Guest Speaker: Grant Hayward, Business Partnership Coordinator
at Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA)
Grant gave a talk on ROBIN - the Responsible Oxfordshire Business
Involvement Network. ROBIN are a group of like-minded, cross sector
organisations that share skills and resources, and Grant uses his
wide range of experience and understanding of business to encourage
and support local businesses and public sector organisations in engagement
with voluntary and community groups, through ROBIN. Grant highlighted
some of the simple opportunities and significant mutual benefits that
everyone who is engaged derives from these increasingly important
collaborations, and showed how easy it is to get involved with very
little commitment.
For details on how to join the network, please
visit the OCVA website.
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Grant Hayward
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Meeting
held in March 2011
Guest Speaker: Nicola Menage - How to Power Up Your Business with
the Clarity of Your Words
There is power in the clarity of your words. Using the right words
help you to stay focused and achieve your goals by exciting and motivating
yourself and others. In Power Up Your Business Nicola explores how
what you think and say about yourself influences how people perceive
you and how changing just a few words can have a big impact on your
success.
You will then learn three simple strategies that can instantly make
you more focused, more in demand and more successful, by unlocking
the power of your subconscious mind. As a motivational hypnotherapist,
Nicola helps people increase their self-belief and self-determination,
enabling them to make long lasting changes in their lives. |
Nicola Menage
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Meeting
held in February 2011
Guest Speaker: Alistair Welford from Toybox
Alastair spoke about his charity Toybox and his travelling to Latin
America where the charity has projects in Guatemala, El Salvador,
Nicaragua, Peru and Bolivia working with street children and children
at risk of becoming street children. The Toybox vision ‘is of a world
where there are no street children, where families are restored, those
who are disadvantaged have choices and hope and all children have
a voice’. Toybox is currently working with over 11,000 children each
year. Alastair offered an insight into the way Toybox approaches its
huge vision.
To visit their website - go to: www.toybox.org.uk/red_alert_san_salvador.html
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Alistair Welford
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Meeting
held in January 2011
Guest Speaker: Sunil Bali - 'Mind, Set & Match'
Sunil Bali, author of the book 'Mind, Set & Match' spoke about how
to passionately inspire individuals to create their own future, by
helping them to unleash their innate talents and aligning them with
their purpose. Sunil’s corporate experience includes roles as Director
of Talent on behalf of Vodafone Group, Santander and Cable & Wireless
Europe. He has also run a multi-million pound recruitment business
and is a Non Executive Director.
Sunil’s first degree in Sports Science and Psychology fuelled his
passion for the psychology of human achievement and well-being. As
well as possessing an MBA, he is a qualified Psychotherapist and Executive
Coach. |
Sunil Bali
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Meeting
held in December 2010
Guest Speaker: Louise Findlay-Wilson from PrPro
Louise Findlay-Wilson of PrPro spoke about her service designed to
train and equip smaller businesses so that they can handle their own
PR. Louise shared PR secrets, top tips and techniques that any business
can use to become famous fast:
How to spot the news in your business
Techniques for creating news when none exists
How to sell in your story to the media
The art of becoming a media pundit
PR tricks for making your business look bigger than it is
How to be a social media superstar
Plus techniques for turning PR exposure into sales . |
Louise Findlay-Wilson
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