Join us at Business Scene Slough
Join us with our friends at:
http://www.business-scene.com/event/slough-connections-free-launch-event
Footsteps is Refer-On’s chosen EVENING charity
Footsteps, http://footstepscentre.com/footsteps-foundation, based in Dorchester-on-Thames was created by Pip and Christian Hoyer Millar following their search for an intensive and successful therapy for their daughter and other children they knew who had cerebral palsy. Having found the unique “Spider” physiotherapy in Poland, they determined to make it available to all children in need of it. To date, the incredibly professional and dedicated therapists have changed the lives of hundreds of children with neurological disorders. Footsteps Foundation supports low income families with children and young adults who need this intensive physiotherapy programme to meet their potential. Help is also given with the cost of specialist equipment so that the disabled child can progress and develop between sessions with a tailored home-care plan.
Tim Halfhead, a member of Refer On, is a trustee of Footsteps Foundation and says “The results of the work done by Footsteps are incredible to behold. Like almost all small charities currently, income is harder to come by than for many years. We’re always delighted to receive donations but are also adept at putting together longer term business relationships and sponsorships where the benefits should be mutual”.
Sue Ryder, Thame Sprint Triathlon
Oxon, RG9 5DF
Holiday In Cornwall
Hi there,
My friend is thinking about renting her cottage out in Bude in Cornwall this year. Please let me know if you would be interested in staying . It is a fantastic part of the world especially for children and surf. Let me know if you would like to know more.? ?Here’s the info on the place, please forward on to anyone who you know may be interested. Thanks for your help. We have collated some information a bout the place.
Bedrooms: 3 Sleeps: 6 Pets: Yes
WHERE IS IT??Detached cottage in the small, friendly village, which has two great pubs and village shops and a superb butchers. Nearby Bude has a large, safe, sandy beach, perfect for those lazy days, a tide-washed open-air pool or cliff top walks. There are many sporting opportunities from surfing the Atlantic breakers, canoeing, kayaking and abseiling and great fishing. Nearby attractions offer a chance to explore the natural beauty inland. Atlantic Escape is ideally placed where virtually anywhere in Cornwall or Devon is good for a day trip. VISIT, BOSCASTLE, TINTAGEL, WIDMOUTH BAY, DUCK POOL, HARTLAND QUAY AND CLOVELLY.
HOW MUCH ROOM DO I HAVE?Side entrance into small hallway. Downstairs toilet and wash hand basin. Fully fitted kitchen. Lounge with dining area. Second lounge with open fireplace. Stairs lead to master bedroom with a king-size bed. Twin bedroom,(with a double and a single bed). Double bedroom with a king size bed with a wash hand basin. Family bathroom including bath with separate shower, wash hand basin and toilet. Patio garden with decking and garden furniture. Parking for 2/3 cars.
WHAT BITS AND BOBS DO I HAVE?Facilities: 2 Colour TV’s. DVD player. Video. Electric oven and gas hob. Fridge/freezer. Washing machine. Tumble Dryer. Dishwasher. Microwave. Open fire. Guests can bring their own travel cot. Bed linen and towels included, please bring your own beach towels. Garden furniture. Well behaved pets welcome by arrangement. Shop 20 yds. Pub 20 yds. Beach 10 mins drive. Golf and horse riding nearby. Smoking in the garden area only please.
Energy Pricing and Delusion
On Saturday I met a Conservative MP whose primary message was that things in our teetering economy are improving. The media just choose not to report them. As evidence, he cited the February new cars sales increase (7% year on year) and falling unemployment figures. When asked what the Government was doing to help the consumer, he made much of the commitment to hold down energy prices for households (there was no mention of business).
Yesterday gas prices hit a 13 month high. 5 coal fired power stations are being closed in the next few months to satisfy EEC environmental regulations, taking about 17% of the capacity out of the National Grid. The head of Ofgem has said that these will have to be replaced by gas fired stations over the next few years because any increase in nuclear capacity is at least 7 years away.
Wind farms are costing us, not saving us and as we all know only contribute when the wind blows.
Add the falling value of the pound, the necessity to import increasing amounts of gas as North Sea supplies dwindle, the unlikelihood of fracking contributing anything to national supplies in the foreseeable future, if ever, and the rising green taxes imposed by politicians and what we have is a scenario where I find it impossible to predict anything other than prices rising strongly for years.
If the government really thinks it can hold back prices for domestic customers, the only way this could be done is through subsidisation. By whom? The consumers themselves, as taxpayers? Business? Certainly not the energy industry as that would bring the urgently needed investment in new power generation and infrastructure to an instant halt.
So what is a business or organisation to do in these circumstances? My advice is to engage an expert such as an Auditel consultant to do two things for you.
Firstly to secure the best possible deal for you out there dependent on your circumstances. We know where to find these and following analysis of your needs and consumption patterns we are able to advise on length of contact and other issues. For instance, last week I negotiated a gas price of 3.802 pence per kWh for a 12 month contract for a client. He was inclined to take it until I pointed out that a 2 year contract at 3.845 pence, just 1.12% more than the one year price, was a screaming bargain as long as you believe that gas prices will rise by more than 0.75% a year.
The second thing an expert will do for you will be to assess how to reduce your energy consumption and whether you can generate energy for yourself. Some of this can be really simple and inexpensive while other actions will require investment but all are designed to achieve payback within your specified time frame.
Gas prices in the US have fallen by 40% over the last few years as a result of the extraordinary contribution made by fracking, delighting consumers and massively enhancing the competitiveness of their manufacturing sector. That ain’t going to happen here but someone who knows their stuff can make a massive difference to your prospects by securing you best value in the energy market and helping you to use significantly less of the stuff in the future.
Networking Truth
Our Chairman, David Knowles-Leak says:
“ The basic networking truth is that those who invest in developing high quality and sustainable relationships do better that those who do not, and if you are enterprising you benefit from belonging to groups outside those immediately connected with your business. You only consistently get these relationships from where you are committed to the membership of a group over an extended period and you meet the group members regularly. Free networking has its place but there is no such thing as a free lunch.”
Supporting our Chairman and The FSB
David Knowles-Leak, our Chairman, is running for Chairman of FSB. We are supporting this important move, as he is promising even more focus on business and making sure that the government is aware of it’s responsibility to all of us which own businesses.
If you want to talk to David about his beliefs:
dkl@dk-l.com
07795 613 358
A Press Release from our Chairman
0026, 26 February 2013
Press Release from David Knowles-Leak
Chairman ReferOn – The Unconventional Network
Bringing Unconventional Entrepreneurs into the Unconventional Network
Refer-On is one of the Thames Valley’s longest established and successful networking groups, and it has always sought to do things differently and even unconventionally and it has sought to both, get the basics right, and also to bring something new that adds value by capitalising on its heritage.
As difficult as the economy has been, something positive is happening in the Thames Valley with many businesses reporting increased activity, there is an also a gradual emergence from the weariness of gloom, life has to go on and people are getting on with it come what may.
The basic networking truth is that those who invest in developing high quality and sustainable relationships do better that those who do not, and if you are enterprising you benefit from belonging to groups outside those immediately connected with your business. You only consistently get these relationships from where you are committed to the membership of a group over an extended period and you meet the group members regularly. Free networking has its place but there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Refer-On will continue to run, expand and develop its existing hubs as it has always done, but it will also connect with Unconventional Entrepreneur project which will go live later this week. We think that entrepreneurs are those who are in business, or contemplating going into business where there is an ongoing search for a business model that works whilst you are sleeping. Those who are in business also recognise that if they don’t do something different they probably won’t survive, they have to do something unconventional.
How do you become part of the Unconventional Entrepreneur stream of Refer-On? Have ambition, go to www.theunconventionalentrepreneur .com and log on to tell your story. Be in the web magazine, be in the book to be published later this year, search out mentors that will work for you and be prepared to be a mentor.
For those who want to improve their effectiveness by more than leveraging their connections, check out the Unconventional Academy, it’s not conventional.
Great and funny quotes
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”~ Arthur Ashe
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” ? Dalai Lama XIV
Why not?
While networking: Don’t sell.
Because you could be selling to the wrong person-They may not want you or your product Ask them about what they do and be genuinely interested. They will want to ask about you and your business, because we are curious animals
Join us on…
