Diary Dates

Havering Business Network Events

Thursdays at 5.30pm, venues to be confirmed:          

• 22 September - funding   and investment in skills
• 8 December - celebrating Havering businesses
  
• 2 March 2017 - sales and growth for local businesses

Networking in Havering

Networking is a proven way to build good relations with other businesses, which can lead to referrals and new business. There are a number of networking groups in Havering including those listed below.

BNI Evolution Chapter meets each Wednesday morning at Maylands Golf Club, Colchester Road, Harold Park,  RM3 0AZ from 7am – 8.30am.

BNI Valour chapter meets each Tuesday morning at Thames Gateway YMCA, Rush Green Road, Romford, RM7 0PH from 7am - 8.30am.

The 4N networking group meets every fortnight at Liberty Bell, Mercury Gardens, Romford, RM1 3EN on Thursdays from 8am - 10am.

The ebn Upminster and Hornchurch group meets at Manor Hotel, Berwick Pond Road, Rainham, RM13 9EL from 8am - 10am on alternate Tuesdays.

The Forum of Private Business meets on the second Friday of each month at YMCA, Roneo Corner, Rush Green Road, Romford, RM7 OPH, from 7.30am. More information: Gerry Goldner

Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry is holding a seminar on time management on Wednesday 14 September 7.30am at CEME in Rainham.

NELE (Networking in East London and Essex) meets at the CEME Conference Centre in Rainham from 12.30pm - 2.30pm on Tuesdays.

Please check group websites for latest information. 

Pension enrolment

Auto Enrolment is a Government initiative that means employers are legally required to help employees save for retirement. All eligible employees automatically become members of a qualifying pension scheme with a high enough level of contribution. Sage has produced a guide for employers which can be downloaded here.

Keep customers safe Safety First is the Havering Council email update which contains information on Food Safety Alerts and Product Recalls. Click the relevant link to receive your copy each month.

Got something to say?

If you have a news item for a future edition of Business Briefing, please send it to Jolly Choudhury.

Business Support

Havering Council offers a range of advice and help to support your business. More details are on the website which is regularly updated. Get full details here.

Book site visits 24/7

If you are a builder or developer who needs a site visit from a Havering Council Building Control officer you can now book that visit at any time 24/7 using our online booking service. Book online before 10am and your site can be visited the same day.

There are also many Building Control forms you can complete online here. Havering Council also issues a Building Control Briefing email update, which you can get free of charge here.

You can see previous editions of Business Briefing here.

Wednesdays from 5.30pm at Havering College, Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch, RM11 2LL, on:

• 19 October - dispute resolution
  
• 25 January 2017 - skills, apprenticeships and training

Entries for the Havering Business Awards 2016 are now closed and judging is underway. Finalists will be announced on Friday 29 July.

Tickets are available for the glittering gala awards ceremony at £80 (+VAT). For more information visit the awards website or call 01708 432047.

Recruiting staff? If your business is looking to recruit staff why not book a free stand at the Recruitment Event planned for Monday 25 July, 2pm – 5.30pm at myplace, 343 Dagnam Park Drive, Harold Hill, RM3 9EN. Get more information by email.

Calling all entrepreneurs If you are self-employed or looking to start your own business The Workary at Rainham Library could be just right for you. Havering Council is sponsoring an initial six-month trial to provide a room, with wi-fi, where you can work, meet clients and discuss issues with other local entrepreneurs and experts from Wimble Tech, which has set up similar centres in other London Boroughs. Kitchen facilities will also be available. Email here for more details.

Food courses to boost business Havering Council, has partnered with professional trainers 'Health Works' to offer a one day food hygiene course with an exam at the end. The course leads to a Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Level 2 Award in Food Hygiene and Catering courses are run at Havering Museum​, 19-21 High Street, Romford, RM1 1JU. Book your place for the next course held on 14 September here.

Put your business in front of 45,000 people at the Havering Show ... Each year Havering Council is proud to deliver a range of popular events within the borough, including the Havering Show which attracts crowds of up to 45,000 visitors over the August Bank Holiday weekend, Sunday 28 and Monday 29 August, and offers exciting sponsorship opportunities. If you would like further details of how you can promote your business and engage with the local community, please contact Joanne Yeomans.

Get seen by 116,000 email newsletter subscribers Havering Council's email updates are proving popular with almost 116,000 subscribers, including around 9,000 business subscribers, now receiving one or more of the 43 bulletins produced each month. Some are weekly, others are monthly and they cover news and information from most of the Council's service areas. You can see the full list of email updates here. If you want to find out about the competitive advertising rates for our email updates please email Joanne Yeomans.

Now open in town

Havering is proving an attractive place for new businesses, which bring with them jobs for local people. Among those firms which have recently invested in Havering are Clean & Green. This eco dry cleaning business opened in Station Road, Upminster on 31 May. The directors live locally and this is their second dry cleaning business following the opening of another branch in Epping last year. For more information visit their website here. 

CEME strikes gold

Not only has CEME Conference Centre retained its Meeting Industry Association AIM Gold status for ‘Accredited In Meetings’ but Events Manager, Ranjith Kumar, has been shortlisted in the Conference and Events People category at the Association's awards this year. The CEME Conference Centre continues to be the only venue in East London and Essex to achieve AIM Gold status. AIM is the industry recognised mark of distinction, with Gold showing a venue is at the peak of service excellence.

Congratulations to Romford solicitors Mullis & Peake who have been commended at a national industry awards event held in Liverpool. Mullis & Peake were Highly Commended for Client Care at the Modern Law Conveyancing Awards 2016.  

Thanks to all of the sponsors for this year's Havering Business Awards including...