March 2013 Issue 04www.torfaenbusinessvoice.co.uk

@TorfaenBizlinkd.in/torfaenbiz

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Torfaen Digitial Festival Events

Membership Renewal Now Due!

Torfaen's New Business Directory

Cwmbran Big Event Sponsorship

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FROM THE CHAIRMANI hope you are all looking forward to the next TorfaenBusiness Voice event at the Rhymney Brewery inBlaenavon on the 23rd April at 6pm this is part ofTorfaen's Digital Festival. This looks to be anotherunmissable networking event with a unique opportunityto see Torfaen’s newest visitor attraction.

The festival will be held in various locations throughoutthe Blaenavon Heritage Town on 22nd and 23rd April andwill celebrate the digital partnerships, technologies andcompanies emerging from Torfaen.

For new members we have our renowned Business Voicehospitality – friendly and informal regardless of whatbusiness you are in; as well as a chance to tour thebrewery for all attending. “That’s not a chance you getevery day”. I am sure that there will be many likemindedsouls who will wish to undertake the tour.

Whilst on the subject of good news -Torfaen BusinessVoice can also announce that this year’s membership feesremain fixed for another year, which for many is awelcome bonus as membership renewal for this year isnow due. For Torfaen Business Voice to remain strongand maintain these opportunities such as the above; weneed a committed membership. In the current difficulteconomic times it is often difficult to justify expenditure,but membership of the business club gives you a bit morethan often recognised - see the membership form forfurther details.

We regularly maintain an attendance of 60+ at ourevents. No need to talk to yourself; and you can avoidme.

Are you aware there is an opportunity for your businessto be included in the Torfaen Business on-line directory?More details are included in this newsletter see page 4,don’t miss out it’s free to register your details.

Inclusion in the Torfaen Business Voice group on Linkedin(open to all) provides yet another opportunity to networklocally whilst finding out business club information. Manyindividual members have clients amongst themembership, you can develop similar relationships.

And last but not least our speakers; we have diversespeakers who have knowledge of a myriad of subjects.“Many subjects I have never heard of before” howeverhave gone away with food for thought, so you learnsomething new as well. You never know when an obscurebusiness subject will come in handy for your business.

We would like you to share this news with all the businesscommunity in Torfaen and beyond, if you are a B2B pleaseinform your customers of what is happening withinTorfaen business club. Did I mentionthe Hog Roast?

See you on the 23rd...

Best Wishes,Dennis Ricketts Chairman,Torfaen Business Voice

CONTENTS:

Page 3: Next Event - Digitial Conference for Businesses

Page 4: Membership RenewalTorfaen Business DirectoryLast Event

Page 5: Digital Festival - Vision of Enterprise Event

Page 6: Digital 2013 - Event

Page 7: Cash Incentive for Youth EmploymentLeadership & Management

Page 8: Cwmbran Big Event Sponsorship OpportunitiesBridges into work

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2013:All meetings will be at Greenmeadow Golf Club:

Thursday 27th June, 6.30pm

Thursday 26th September, 6.30pm

Thursday 5th December, 6.30pm

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All information contained in this newsletter is based on copy supplied bycontributors and is believed to be accurate by the publisher.PDF E-Newsletter by Marshall & Hicks Print Media - 01495 750143 -www.marshallandhicks.co.uk

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MEMBERSHIP RENEWALFOR 2013-2014 NOW DUEMEMBERSHIP PRICES HELD FROM 2012!

We hope you have enjoyed your Torfaen Business Voice membershipover the past 12 months and found it beneficial and worthwhile. Thebusiness club is growing with a continual stream of businesses joiningand we are grateful for the help and support of all our members.

We believe that membership of Torfaen Business Voice will continue torepresent exceptional value for money during the coming year,especially as our fees are staying fixed.

£50.00 Companies with 1 – 4 employees£65.00 Companies with 5+ employees£30.00 Companies under 1 year of trading

You will still be entitled to 2 free places at the quarterly meetings,which provide excellent networking opportunities and a chance tomeet and hear some inspiring speakers. In addition, your membership entitles you to afree e-mailed copy of the quarterly newsletter, a free and vetted e-mail information service and advancenotice of Torfaen County Borough Council business events – including free business breakfasts. Inaddition, your company details will be added to the Torfaen Business Voice website.

To continue your Torfaen Business Voice membership from April 2013 until the end of March 2014 or tojoin Torfaen Business Voice for the first time, please use the MEMBERSHIP FORM attached to your e-mail.You’ll be a member of one of the best and well supported business clubs in South Wales (in ouropinion!!)

TORFAEN’S NEWBUSINESS DIRECTORYAre you a business in Torfaen? If so, you need toregister your details to be part of Torfaen’sBusiness Directory.

Registration, along with the facility to update andamend an entry is completely FREE to businesses.The Directory will be launched on our newwebsite at the Torfaen Digital Enterprise Festivalin April 2013.

The benefits of this on-line directory, is to providea practical, easy to use reference tool for bothsuppliers and purchasers of goods and services inthe Torfaen area.

If you would like a Business Directory form,please email liz.crowley@torfaen.gov.uk

LAST EVENTOn Thursday 6th December weheld our annual Christmasevent, which gave TorfaenBusiness Voice members theopportunity to carry out theirusual networking in an evenmore relaxed format!

Our speaker for the evening was the fantasticMark Evans, who kept the packed roombuzzing with his world-renowned baritonevoice, amusing anecdotes and tales of siblingrivalry.

It was great to see such a fine turnout for themost social event in the Torfaen Business Voicecalendar, so thanks to all those members whomade it along. It is good to see that thenetworking opportunities around the festivebuffet were still resulting in the exchange ofbusiness cards and contact details - a sure firesign that there remain opportunities to expandyour business network during these tougheconomic times.

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Springboard

Vision of Enterprise

London

South West

Midlands &The North

A470

A483

A48

A4042

A40

A49

A465

A465

WestWales

North Wales

Brecon

AbergavennyRoss-on-Wye

Gloucester

Newport

Bristol

Bath

Swansea

Hereford

CARDIFF

A470

A483 BuilthWells

A483

Llandrindod Wells Worcester

B r i s t o l C h a n n e l

BLAENAVON

A40

A449

A40

8

M50

M5

M4

M5

18

2425A

32M4

43

49 13

A4043

NORTH ST

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CHURCH RD.

PRINCE ST.

ESTATE RD.

IVOR ST.

KING STREET

LION ST.WAUN ST.

UPPER

DUKE ST.CR

OSS

ST.BUFORD ST.

GEORGE ST.

COMMERCIAL ST.

Big Pit

MARKET ST.

BAKERT ST.

OLD WILLIAM ST.

QUEEN ST.

RHYDYNOS ST.

from Brynmawr(B4248) B4246

from Abergavenny

B4246from Varteg

A4043fromPontypool

HIG

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GILCHRIST THOMAS INDUSTRIAL ESTATE

BLAENAVONWORLD HERITAGECENTRE

RHYMNEY BREWERY VISITOR CENTRE

BLAENAVONWORKMENS HALL

BLAENAVONTOWN CENTRE

Date: Monday 22 April 2013Time: 1.30pm - 5.00pmVenue: Blaenavon World Heritage

Centre, Blaenavon, Torfaen NP4 9AE

Torfaen County Borough Council is pleased to invite you to “Vision

Marketing Lead, Logicalis

Managing Director, Spectrum Internet

We will also run a limited number of website advice sessions through our one-to-one Google Juice bars and web design Seminars. Places are limited for this event. Book your place for speakers and workshops by visiting: http://DigifestVisionofenterprise.torfaen.gov.uk

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CASH INCENTIVE FORYOUTH EMPLOYMENTClaim a cash incentive of upto £2,275 and make adifference to youth unemployment.

Wage Incentives could be yours when you employ an18-24year old.

HOW IT WORKSIf you take on a young person for 16 hours or moreeach week in a job lasting more than 26 weeks thenyou could claim an incentive. There are two rates:

• for part-time work between 16 and 29 hoursa week – £1,137.50

• for full-time work of 30 hours or morea week – £2,275

This will be paid 26 weeks after the employee startswork. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employeescan claim a part payment 8 weeks after the employeestarts work.

WHO CAN CLAIM?Wage incentives are available to private, voluntary andcommunity sectors and social enterprise employers.Central government departments, their executiveagencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs)will be excluded from claiming them, however thewider public sector such as NHS trusts, will not.

For further information please contact:Rachel Evans on 01633 203168 or email: cwmbran.torfaenateam@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

www.lmw.org.ukfind outmore at

Think again.

Think you’re too smallfor leadership and

management training?

www.lmw.org.ukfind outmore at

DID YOU KNOW?Private sector businesses in Wales canaccess up to 70% funding* tosupport leadership and managementdevelopment training under theEnhancing Leadership and ManagementSkills (ELMS) programme.*Funding is part funded by the European Social Fund(ESF) delivered through the Welsh Government

Business?

Boost your leadership andmanagement skills to take

your business to the next level

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YOUR BUSINESS COULDBE PART OF CWMBRAN’SSUMMER HIGHLIGHT...Many of you will have attended the Cwmbran BigEvent over the past couple of years but you maynot be aware that over 10,000 people attendedthe event so it has become a huge hit with thepublic.

On Saturday 8th June, Torfaen residents of all agesand abilities will be able to participate in a hugevariety of events, from football to art and crafts.

Could your business take advantage of this uniqueopportunity to be a potential sponsor of theCwmbran Big Event?

For as little as £700 you can add your businessname to one of our four activity zones.

This local bespoke opportunity can offer you notonly a large public audience, but also enhancethe profile of your business in the local area bysupporting this significant community-focusedevent.

For further details contact Jo or Cherylon 01633 648644 or e-mail:joanne.john@torfaen.gov.uk orcheryl.williams@torfaen.gov.uk

BRIDGES INTO WORK

WORKING SKILLS FOR ADULTS

Our Employment Support Officer Paul can assist with recruitment and selection, by advertising vacancies across our contact network that includes hundreds of potential employees. We can pre-screen CVs and conduct initial interviews, in order to build up a profile of potential applicants and to provide an employer with

Within our centres, we are able to provide facilities and venues for both our training and interviewing.

We are also available to support the existing workforce through training and learning, this can be through

specifically tailored training in line with employer needs. All of our work is financed through the European Social Fund and is provided at no cost to businesses

The Bridges into Work and Working Skills for Adults projects offer local employers support through our Employment Support Officer, Paul M Roberts.

Paul can be contacted on: Tel: 01633 647743

Email: Paul.Roberts@torfaen.gov.uk

Employers will only need to view applications from suitably experienced and qualified applicants. Paul can work alongside recruitment agencies or independently.