ITV Westcountry Tonight films at West of England School and College for young people with no sight

Chartered Accountants Haines Watts based in Southernhay Exeter selected West of England School & College for young people with little or no sight based on Topsham Road as their first Charity of the Year in 2011. Through a series of small networking events and fundraisers they raised £2k at the end of the year. Ben de Cruz Senior Partner for Haines Watts asked the school if they could look at a project or something tangible for these funds. The WOEC created a new sensory room out of what used to be the old Braille room. The £2k covered the refurbishment and a new wheelchair access created as well as all the equipment.

Ben de Cruz joined Caroline Burkie Head of Fundraising and PR and Sara Cross Occupational Therapist together with three of the young learners to view the new facility.

Sara Cross, Occupational Therapist, West of England School and College

“We are thrilled to have this new facility to allow increased access to sensory integration assessment and therapy for School pupils.

The current room that is used is highly subscribed to and is within the college and therefore the school pupils are regularly without a much needed slot in the sensory room.

Due to the Haines Watts money we now have another room equipped for this purpose for the younger learners which is fantastic.

During each moment of everyday we all take in a continual stream of information simultaneously through our different senses; vision; hearing; touch; taste; smell and also the sense of balance and movement (vestibular) and where we are in space (proprioception).

Sensory Integration is the process which “puts it all together” allowing us to sort out and use this information so that we can engage in everyday life easily and automatically.

Often our learners have difficulty processing these sensations and that is where the use of sensory integration therapy comes in.

Learners are assessed and a “sensory diet” is developed. A sensory diet is a carefully designed personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input that a person needs to stay focussed and organized throughout the day.

Just as you may jiggle your knee or chew gum to stay awake or soak in a hot bath to unwind children need to engage in stabilizing, focussing activities too.

The great thing about ‘sensory diets’ is that their effects are usually immediate and cumulative

Activities that perk up the child or calm him down are not only effective in the moment they actually help to restructure the child’s nervous system so that with frequent access to these activities he is better able to:-

• Tolerate sensations and situations that he finds challenging
• Regulate his alertness and attention span
• Limit sensory seeking and avoiding behaviours
• Handle transitions with less stress
• This room is incredibly important and will enable the younger pupils at WESC to have their own “indoor playground” to carry out their sensory diet
• I very much hope that Haines Watts will be pleased with this conversion as without it the sensory integration room would not exist.

EQUIPMENT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE WITH HAINES WATTS MONEY:

• Weighted blankets – Feels like a warm hug and helps to increase proprioception and helps to calm
• Chewellery and Chew noodles – for children who explore with their mouth- this kit is used to increase awareness of the mouth and provide additional proprioception to the jaw
• Great lumps ball and giant stress ball and squeezy fidget toys – heavy and squeezy, calming and a fidget toy. Sometimes a child is better able to concentrate if they have a small toy in their pocket to fiddle with to help them stay focussed – just as we might doodle or play with a paperclip
• Soft pressure brush – to use with children to provide tactile stimulation
• Stretchy fish tunnel – A stretchy material tunnel to crawl through providing opportunities to strengthen through hard work – improve core stability, breathing, focus and attention
• Stretcheze in two sizes for bigger or smaller people - provide body awareness and increased proprioception, pushing against the resistance of the stretchy materials provides opportunity to improve co-ordination and strength as well as being calming and organising
• Spinning cone – this is great fun and generates and encourages balance, co-ordination and mobility
• Physio mat – to provide a soft surface for some floor activities
• Large physio roll – to use with a weighted blanket and increase deep pressure, playing games such as human hot dogs!”

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Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell - www.onthemarkphotography.co.uk

The Future is bright for electrical contractor celebrating first anniversary in new premises

A rapidly expanding South-Devon based electrical contractor, ‘Shout for an Electrician’ celebrates the first anniversary of the opening of its Newton Abbot Appliance Repair Centre and Showroom on Brunel Industrial Estate with the delivery of four new vans. The new business premises were opened by owner Andy Shout in January last year following the merger of outlets based in Torquay, South Brent and Exeter.

The company which has 11 staff, has enjoyed excellent business growth over the last 12 months and is not just surviving but thriving in the current economic climate having increased turnover from £250k for the last 12 months to £400k for 2011 – 2012. It has been an exciting 12 months of positive changes for entrepreneurial local businessman Andy Shout which includes registering the business as a limited on company on 1st February and taking delivery of four new vans from Vehicle Save Contract Hire & Leasing which have been sign-written and fully fitted-out with ply-lining, bars, pipe carriers and trackers.

Andy Shout Director - ‘Shout for an Electrician’ says “It has been a very exciting year and the business is growing rapidly. We are getting more and more work in and as a result I am looking to take on more staff and further increase our fleet of vans. We have an established long-term relationship with Vehicle Save and I trust them; it’s not all about cost but the ongoing advice and after sales service they offer. The vehicles are very economical and the fuel savings we have made has already paid for one of the vans. The trackers are proving invaluable and I can accurately measure an increase in performance by 20%. We know where workers are and can divert them to emergency jobs if required which offers an efficient and prompt service to our customers. In addition by having contract hire I have a fixed budget with no hidden costs such as punctures or new tyres and I know exactly how much each van costs me by the hour! The other benefit is that I replace the vehicles after a three year period so the vans are always in good condition which reflects the quality of our brand, image and the service we provide, which is a very important factor.”

Jane Knight General Manager, Vehicle Save Contract Hire & Leasing says “We are a truly independent local business delivering a tailored service to SMEs in the South West for both leasing and daily rental. As a result we are well placed to offer customers totally unbiased guidance on the selection of the right vehicles for their business and within their budget, demonstrating flexibility and a bespoke service to our individual client’s requirement. The vehicles provided to ‘Shout for an Electrician’ are economical and improves the efficiency of the business by reducing downtime and fuel consumption. By having trackers installed, Andy can offer great benefits to his customers. He knows exactly where his engineers are located and how long they have taken on each job so there is no chance of overcharging so his customers get accurate billing. His business is going from strength to strength and we wish him every success going forward.”

www.shoutforanelectrician.co.uk

PR company unveils new brand to local business community

High profile Exeter based PR company Glen King PR/Marketing established in 2005 unveiled its new re-brand and website to 90 local business people at the Business Network (SW) lunch held at Lord Haldon. The new brand created by Architects Design Group who have recently set up an Exeter base, has a fresh and contemporary feel in keeping with the professional image of the company.

Founder Director Glen King with nearly 20 years’ experience in the sector and a former media spokesperson for Camelot the operators of The National Lottery, specialises in the construction industry. In addition Glen looks after a large and diverse portfolio of clients predominantly small and medium enterprises in Devon & Somerset and across the South West as a whole. Current retainer clients include Haines Watts Chartered Accountants; Devon in Sight; Vehicle Save Contract Hire & Leasing; Queenstreet Carpets & Furnishings and R G Spiller Building Contractors.

Glen King Director of Glen King PR says “The new re-brand came about as I have been in business for over 6 years and felt it was the right time to get a completely new look and feel to my logo and website. I chose ADG Architects as they are a client of mine who have an excellent reputation and I am always impressed with their work ethics and creativity. Chris Band from the Graphic Design team quickly understood my brief and I am delighted with the results. It was also a great opportunity to launch the unveiling in front of valued clients, business contacts and associates at the Business Network (SW) lunch headed up by Sean Humby.”

The many and varied services provided by the company include press releases; editorial; networking; client facing marketing and event management. The most recent event organised by the company was for independent hearing specialist Broom Reid Harris held at the Rougemont Hotel on 17th October to celebrate their 170th anniversary which included celebrity guest Bill Pertwee MBE of Dad’s Army fame.

Curtis Alcock, Broom Reid & Harris says “It has been a joy working with Glen and without her boundless energy and attention to detail the event wouldn’t have been half the occasion it was. It was highly successful and exceeded all my expectations with innovative ideas and creative format. Glen gained a full PR mix including live links to Exeter FM and high profile coverage on ITV Westcountry Tonight during prime time news.”

Glen says “I have had the privilege of meeting and interviewing some iconic celebrities including Darren Baker the Royal Artist; Bill Pertwee, Alvin Stardust and Dave Hill of Slade. I thrive on variety and really enjoy everything I do in representing and promoting a wide range of clients and sectors from Wine Bars to Rock Stars!”

Accountants adopt new charity of the year

Southernhay based Chartered Accountants Haines Watts specialising in the owner managed business sector and their sister company Haines Watts Financial Services hosted a special fundraising networking event to launch their new charity of the year, Families for Children Adoption (FFC). Attracting over 100 guests from the local business community the event held at the Exeter Audi dealership during National Adoption Week raised £1500 for the charity.

The evening ‘kicked off’ with special guest appearance from Welsh squad Rugby player Craig Mitchell of Exeter Chiefs. Mark Tyler, former sports commentator of ITV Westcountry, new co-owner of Exeter FM and Vice Patron of FFC talked about his own experience of adoption in Exeter. He then carried out a live interview with Craig Mitchell on his World Rugby Tour experience followed by a lively Q&A session with the audience. Local businessman, Nick Agg-Manning volunteered his time as auctioneer and there was also a charity raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. One of the main auction prizes was donated by Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue for a day out for six people with visits to the fire stations including the Airport and hands on fire training.

Senior Partner at Haines Watts Ben de Cruz says “We chose Families for Children as our new Charity of the Year following a visit to their offices located in the grounds at Buckfast Abbey. Caroline Davis the CEO and her team gave an emotive presentation. We also had the chance to meet a family who had adopted three siblings who were very passionate about the charity and their ongoing support. The launch event was highly successful and everyone had a wonderful night at the prestigious Exeter Audi dealership with some fabulous top of the range cars on display which proved very popular. We have so many people to thank who gave up their valuable time on the night including Nick Agg-Manning, Mark Tyler and all the businesses who made such generous donations for the charity raffle and auction. Craig Mitchell was a great draw and we have had really positive feedback from our guests.”

Allison Colton Fundraising & Publicity Co-ordinator says “Families for Children are delighted to have been named as Charity of the Year for Haines Watts and it was great that they chose National Adoption Week to hold their first fundraising event for us. Thank you to everyone who attended and donated so generously. Haines Watts use the strap line Local Matters, National Strength - we are a local charity placing children from all over the UK with loving adoptive families in the South-West - so for us too that has real meaning.”

For further information please visit www.hwca.com/exeter

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Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell - www.onthemarkphotography.co.uk

Business professionals offer their expertise to help local charities

Experts from two Southernhay based firms join forces to help local charities and not for profit organisations get a better understanding of the legal and financial implications in delivering contracts, sub-contracting or entering into partnerships and consortia. The interactive workshop for voluntary and community sector staff was supported by Exeter CVS in partnership with the Devon Consortium VCS commissioning project - part of the Stronger Communities Programme funded by Devon County.

The event, held at Wonford Community Centre on Remembrance Day, was led by partners from Chartered Accountants Haines Watts LLP and Tozers Solicitors LLP offering extensive expertise in financial and legal matters to 15 representatives from Devon based voluntary and community organisations.

The partners from each practice hosted surgery sessions on key questions posed by charity delegates. These covered a range of issues including the implications of VAT when sub-contacting; different legal forms of partnership; various types of contracts and TUPE.

Ben de Cruz senior partner of Haines Watts Exeter specialising in the owner managed business sector, is also a non executive director for charitable and not for profit organisations.

Ben de Cruz says “With my background and the services we offer as a Practice to this specialist sector, I felt it important to support local charities in this complex process. The areas you need to look out for when entering into a sub-contracting relationship can be very labour intensive and complicated and I was more than happy to offer my time and expertise to help.”

Tozers LLP are regular presenters at charity, schools and employment seminars and based at Broadwalk House, Southernhay West.

Head of charities at Tozers LLP, Richard King, comments “We were delighted to be able to offer those working in the voluntary and community sector some guidance on the legal implications of contracts. My focus is advising charities and social enterprises on their legal responsibilities; Stephen Jennings who is a fellow partner and solicitor at Tozers LLP, is particularly expert on employment and contracting issues.”

The leading force behind the event was Exeter CVS and the Devon Consortium bringing together experts from the business sector to support charity skills and growth.

Deborah Fisher CVCS Commissioning Officer says "It is great that local firms are willing to give their time and skills to support voluntary and community sector groups get to grips with very difficult and complex issues. This type of specialist, focused support can really help build the capacity of local organisations to successfully adapt to the changing environment."