Chocolate and great conversation was the order of the day as We Are Wakefield members enjoyed an intimate networking event at The Nostell Estate.

Welcome drinks were provided by The Nostell Estate and a varied and somewhat unusual selection of chocolate was handed round for tasting by the wonderful Mark Simpson of Oh My Ganache.

Following a round of introductions, attendees took the taste challenge and had to guess the mystery ingredient in 10 different samples of OMG chocolate.  There were some unusual combinations from bacon to bee pollen and the most in tune tastebuds belonged to Bethannie O’Connor of Parson’s Chartered Accountants who took home the bottle of Prosecco.

The raffle in the interval raised £66 for Wakefield Hospice and the happy winners were Adrian and Jane Hogarth of SPC Cars.  The prize was a rather hefty box of chocolate treats including dipped strawberries and a selection of OMG creations.

The winning didn’t stop there, with Mint HR‘s Tracy Carpenter taking the goody bag in the business card draw!

There were lots of laughs and wonderful conversations running throughout the event that could have continued long after time!

Thanks to all who joined us:

Mark Simpson – Oh My Ganache!

Gayle Summers – The Nostell Estate

Ali – Carruthers-Illingworth – Purple Pebble People

Nicola Roberts & Christine Edge – Working Carers Champions

Jennifer, Adam & Bethannie – Parson’s Chartered Accountants

Lorna Blackett – Crest Commercial Finance

Katie Wilkinson – KW Accounting Solutions Ltd

Katie Forrester – Riqueza Group

Adrian & Jane Hogarth – Sports Prestige and Classics Ltd

Diana Holden – Bid Writing Service

Mark Harris – Eitex 

 

Check out all the photos from the event here:

Event Gallery 2023-04-19

 

 

Martyn Sales is a fully qualified Financial Planner based in Huddersfield looking after clients all over West Yorkshire helping individuals, business owners and trustees maximise their income and manage their wealth.

“People often think financial planning is all about money. But I think it’s all about you. Good financial planning is about your life goals and your future plans, and the things you love to do from day to day. It’s about your career and your home life, about your family and friends, and about what you’d like to achieve over the years and decades to come.

Money, of course, can help make good things happen – but with an effective plan, you can achieve so much more. So when we meet you, we won’t start by adding up the money you have in the bank. Instead, we’ll chat about the life you have and the life you want – and about how we can help bring your aspirations to life.

This client-centric approach is commonly referred to as Lifestyle Financial Planning.

I work with my clients to help them create and ‘get’ the life they want and then help them to protect and enjoy it.

At the core of our service is financial forecasting, which empowers clients to see how they can get “the best return on life.” My advice covers all areas of Wealth Management, including; Retirement Planning, Wealth Protection, Estate Planning and Investment Planning.

I’ve recently worked with a few WAW Wakefield members who have seen lots of benefit from having a conversation with me. I’m finding the networking events great for making new connections and have found there is a really strong community wanting help each other. I’m grateful to be part of that.”

 

National Compliance Solutions was set up by Kerrell Cronly to challenge the consulting industry that existed in the area. Having lots of experience with ISO and H&S consultants as a customer and as an auditor, Kerrell recognised what worked well for people and what didn’t and wanted to raise the bar.

The National Compliance team have a wealth of experience in QHSE advice and support, from front line to management level and also specialise in information security. They aim to give a full spectrum support service to their customers to meet minimum legal and regulatory requirements and those optional extra certs like CHAS, ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and 27001

They have customers in all sectors, from print management to software development to physical security.

“Our aim is to be honest, reliable and realistic. We don’t provide off the shelf plug and play docs as that doesn’t work for everyone, and we don’t put square pegs in round holes – forcing policies and procedures will never work so we just don’t try. We want to work with WAW to share our knowledge with other members and raise awareness about health and safety in the main. We want to dispel the “health and safety gone mad” myths that fly around and help businesses put in practices that work for them and their staff and ultimately keep employees and business safe. We also want to support people looking to take the next step and get their business accredited, or even help with keeping existing accreditations.”

Make sure you say hello to Kerrell at a WAW event or get in touch at:

[email protected]

Please welcome new We Are Wakefield members, Studio j Architects.

“We understand how important your property is to you, and we share your excitement when it comes to improving your lifestyle through great architecture.”

Studio j Architects are a small RIBA chartered architects practice based at The Junction in Horbury, with projects throughout Yorkshire and the north. Since being founded in 2009 they have worked on over 600 projects. Specialising in private residential projects, from small extensions to luxury new build houses and listed properties. Along with smaller scale commercial developments and properties for independent businesses.

Managing Director, James Butterworth (pictured) will be attending the next WAW event in May, so please make sure you say hello!

 

In Episode 2 of the We Are Wakefield Podcast, we meet Rachel Smith of Clutter is the Enemy and Claire Roberts of Rutley Clark Unique Homes. We explore the challenges faced by two businesses that were born during the COVID19 pandemic.  Rachel and Claire discuss property, mindsets and how they’ve collaborated to great effect.

Meet Shadowfax Funding Solutions Limited, a commercial finance brokerage which supports businesses who require funding for scaling up, cash flow, business purchases, property purchases and the unexpected business bills.

Shadowfax understands that every owner has a different business model and unique motivators. With that in mind, they look at every funding proposition from the perspective of the client.

They take a continuing relationship approach and partner with their clients for the long term. They are not transactional but consultative and put the long term value of clients at the centre of everything they do.

Shadowfax Funding Solutions Limited was set up by Andy Bissett in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.   Ali Bissett joined the business a year later in July 2021.  Steve Smith joined the business as Head of Property in July 2022.  Together, they have nearly 50 years of combined experience working with company owners to scale their businesses and overcome hurdles by using creative finance.

Steve Smith: “We have been members of We Are Wakefield for nearly a year now and we have seen it grow incredibly fast, every event gets bigger and busier.  Everyone is open to speaking which gives all the events a really friendly feel.

We will have a stand at the next WAW networking event at The Weston on the 3^rd of April, why not drop by and speak to us.”

Pictured L to R: Steve Smith, Ali Bissett, Andy Bissett.

Check out the website for more information:

www.shadowfaxfunding.com

Please meet our latest We Are Wakefield members, Purple Pebble People Ltd, a People Development Consultancy based in Clayton West, Yorkshire.

 

• Founded by Ali Carruthers in 2011, they exist to create a world full of connected, inspired and relationship focused individuals, who have a desire to focus on how they are ‘being’ not just what they are ‘doing’.

 

• They offer you life changing leadership development programmes, coaching, team working, and people strategy consultancy.

 

• Their ethos is grounded in neuroscience, and organisational development theory which means you will feel we are working with the whole of you or system you are connected to – inside and out!

 

• Past clients have worked with Purple Pebble People to boost performance through the way people collaborate, lead and interact.  Others have also worked with them when they felt stuck, struggling to find purpose or wanted to enhance key relationships.

 

• They also offer a raft of personal preference assessments including Strengthscope, DiSC, Insights, Hogan and so many more, which they use on 1:1 or a team basis – hello! fun team working session.

 

Words used to describe Ali include: Positive, Creative, Intuitive, Brave, Challenging, Bright and Quirky. Nature lover, brew maker, music addict, Mum to an adult, dedicated friend, and daily dog walker with Sherlock the Beagle!

Make sure you say “Hello” at the WAW event at Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Monday!

On Tuesday 28th March we collaborated with Working Carers Champions and Carers Wakefield & District to deliver a very informative event on how employers can support members og their team that also have responsibilities to care for family members or companions who have special care needs.  This could be an elderly relative, a child with special care needs, a neighbour that has no one to support or a partner with an illness.

We explored the definition of a “Working Carer”: Carers are employees with caring responsibilities that have an impact on their working lives. These employees are responsible for the care and support of relatives or friends who are older, disabled or seriously ill who are unable to care for themselves.  We then discussed what support is available for working carers and what an employer can do to put measures in place to support and retain there staff who have these extra responsibilities and duties.

It was a very emotive event with lots of personal stories shared in honest, open conversations.  We definitely felt that a whole morning just wasn’t long enough as conversation flowed, we shared, we listened and we learnt!

Thank you to all that attended and shared their experiences.

If you would like any further information about the support that is available for individuals or for employers, please get in touch with Christine Edge at Working Carers Champions: Working Carer – Working Carers Champions

 

The Wakefield Business Lunch puts Wakefield on the Map – 15^th March 2023.

Wakefield College played host to the first Wakefield Business Lunch, which saw 80 diners come together to celebrate putting Wakefield on the map!  This wonderful event was delivered by We Are Wakefield and The Yorkshire Society with collaborative support from We Are Wakefield members,  Elis, Rhubarb Radio and Chris Whittam Photography.

Wakefield College catering and hospitality students gained hands on experience as part of their learning as they prepared and served welcome drinks, canapes and a stunning three course lunch to attendees from across West Yorkshire and beyond.

President of Wakefield Civic Society, Kevin Trickett MBE had the audience gasping at wonderful stories of how Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain here in Wakefield, and why we should always think of Wakefield when we see a rainbow.

Sir Rodney Walker then took guests on a journey of how an ordinary boy from Wakefield became a Knight of the Realm and continued to offer support and opportunities within the District by inviting local marketing companies to work within his latest exciting business venture.

The event was broadcast live on Rhubarb Radio with interviews from the attending businesses and organisers of the event.

The event photographs by Chris Whittam Photography can be viewed HERE

 

Thank you for supporting this event:

All Attendees

Sir Rodney Walker

Kevin Trickett MBE and Wakefield Civic Society

Wakefield College – Heart of Yorkshire Education Group  

Chris Whittam Photography

Elis

Rhubarb Radio

 

                                                   

                     

DAK TRAINING is managed by Dave Kitson, and created out of 30 years operational, training and managing experience with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and 13 years as an educationalist at an FE college.

DAK Training’s portfolio of training courses is expansive and growing. Courses include mandatory First Aid, Mental Health, Manual Handling, Fire Safety, Safeguarding, Food Safety,  and Health and Safety including IOSH Managing Safety.

Dave is an expert in all aspects of training, and he believes in sharing his skills and knowledge with delegates on his courses using first hand examples from his years with the emergency services.

Corporate events can also be organised by Dave which can include Navigation, Bushcraft, Archery, Axe Throwing, Shooting, Team Building activities, Zip wire, Low Ropes and High Ropes.

Make sure you catch up with Dave at the We Are Wakefield events!