October special offer - promote yourselves for less with our help

A HUGE thank you to Libby Hill, of Small Talk for the following testimonial - we are thrilled with the results we helped achieve, and really pleased at what it has done for her business.

And with our October special offers, anyone hoping to repeat the success can now do so for less.

For October only, we are offering some great deals on podcasts and press releases.

Compton bereavement counsellor's major new book set to boost hospice

CONGRATULATIONS to Compton Hospice bereavement counsellor Dodie Gray, who has turned author to help others who regularly work with people who have lost loved ones, publishing a new book which will also raise money for the charity.

Mrs Graves has used her considerable experience in working with grieving relatives, having counselled for more than 15 years, to write Talking with Bereaved People – An Approach for Structured and Sensitive Communication.

As bereavement service co-ordinator for Compton, Mrs Graves recruits, trains and supervises a team of voluntary bereavement visitors, and has an excellent understanding of the approach and skills needed to deal with the delicate and often difficult subject of grief.

Double your giving in Compton Hospice Will Week

COMPTON Hospice is offering the chance to double the contribution you make during their Make a Will Week.

By taking part in the week, from Monday October 5 to Saturday October 10, you can get your Will written by a solicitor at a heavily discounted rate and provide funds to the Wolverhampton hospice at the same time.

During the week a dozen solicitors' branches across the Midlands will be offering to write a basic Will for just £60 and make a donation of £30 to the hospice for every Will completed.

"The Will week gives people the chance to make sure they are properly prepared for the future with a professionally drawn up Will at a bargain price and support a really good cause at the same time," said Karen Phillips, head of corporate funding at Compton Hospice.

For more details or a booking form see the Compton Hospice website.

Communities unite to help African children

Photo from Hands At Work on Flickr

SCHOOL, church and community groups from Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley are uniting to fund hands-on work by volunteers to help children affected by Aids in South Africa.

In July next year a group of volunteers including businessmen, mums, and churchgoers is set to visit South Africa to help two charities providing life-saving support for orphaned and vulnerable children.

Birmingham Post coverage brings boost for safety expert Leila

GOOD luck Leila!

Leila Kirk, right, from Workforce First who is holding the first of a series of new workshops about ventilation at work today.

Their profile got a great boost with an extensive, 'page lead' piece in the The Birmingham Post yesterday. This follows previous coverage in The Express & Star. So it's good to see our work paying off.

The day-long training sessions are aimed at giving advice about theory and practise to a range of staff in small or large businesses.

The first workshop is at the Metalforming Centre in West Bromwich and  further training is planned.

Leila also offers courses in safety policy which are designed to help managers from small businesses to write their own safety policy. 

 

Mamma Mia – spectacular Abba show set to boost Wolverhampton charities

A MUSICAL extravaganza dubbed ‘the world’s greatest live Abba show’ is set to bring in some Money, Money, Money for Wolverhampton charities.

The Mamma Mia Concert is at the city’s Civic Hall on Friday, September 11.

Abba dress is optional at the concert which starts at 7.45pm, with doors opening at 7pm. Dancing in the aisles is also optional – but expected!

Proceeds from the show will be divided between charities supported by The Rotary Club of Wolverhampton, with Compton Hospice a major beneficiary.

The Stage newspaper called the show: ‘Simply the best Abba show…bar none.’

Tickets cost just £15 and £16.50, with concessions for group bookings and charities. More details: www.wolvesabbamania.com

Top ten tips for mumpreneurs - expert pointers hit the right note

A MUM who has been in business for 20 years at the helm of a flourishing pre-school activity group has offered some expert pointers to would-be mumpreneurs.

Karen Sherr of Musical Minis offers the following no-nonsense advice:

1. Research the market and competition.

2. Start small, let the business grow as and when you can cope with expansion.

3. Have a clear idea what you want out of the business

4. Try to separate work from home. If your business is based at home (as all the Musical Minis administration is) have a second phone line fitted.

5. Have backup. If your child is ill what will happen to your business?

6. Know your limitations. For example if you have problems with accounts, get someone to help you.

7. If there are not enough hours in the day to do everything, do the bits you like (with both work and home life) and get help with the bits you don't.

Inspirational tsunami survivor scoops Go-Woman! business award

AN ENTREPRENEUR who set up her own jewellery business after her life-changing experiences as a victim of the Asian tsunami has been honoured at the Go–Woman! Women in Business Conference.

Michelle Mills-Porter from Bromsgrove set up Cherish Jewels after returning from Sri Lanka with her husband, Stewart, where the couple had been caught up in the horrors of the disaster in December 2004.

They had been holidaying in Hikkaduwa, celebrating a successful year for Michelle’s company, Fizz Bang Marketing, when the tsunami struck.

“We spent a week without a roof over our heads, wondering if we had enough water to survive, surrounded by people who had lost everything – it made me re-evaluate everything that was important to me,” said Michelle.

Returning home, she began making jewellery as a therapeutic hobby whilst she recovered from her injuries, which quickly developed into her own business. She uses gems in their natural form, and does her best to support small businesses in third world countries, and also produces charity bracelets for a number of causes.

Challenging times for Compton Hospice as the crunch bites

We were dismayed to discover that Compton Hospice has been forced to scrap a fund-raising challenge to Mount Etna as the credit crunch appears to be taking its toll.

A relunctance by people to commit to the trip has been mirrored by a general decline in fund-raising revenue in April and May, as more and more people are feeling the pinch.

Sue Chance, the hospice’s head of PR and fund-raising, said it was disappointing to have to cancel October’s Sicily trip, but hopes some good will come of it as the hospice now plans to start promoting its 2010 big challenge, to give people time to raise the £2,350 minimum sponsorship.

“We had lots of interest in the Etna trip, so we know that people are keen to fund-raise for us, and up for the challenge of something like scaling a volcano, but people just seemed hesitant in committing to raise the money necessary within the time-scales,” explained Mrs Chance.

Mincher Lockett Opticians looking good at 40

WE all know that we have to take better care of ourselves as we grow older.

Well that's a message that Mincher-Lockett Opticians in Stafford took on board in a business sense.

The eye specialists are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year after they first opened the doors of the Stafford Street practice in 1969.

As part of a series of celebrations to mark their birthday the opticians launched a health campaign, Look Good at 40, emphasising the importance of getting your eye check from aged 40 onwards

Pictured right with the practice optician Jan Goodwin and dispensing optician Sarah Edge are customers Tracey Henney, who has just turned 40, and George Hewson who has been attending the practice for 40 years.

The business has recently undergone a major refurbishment to update the image of its practice, so it taking the message on board in a business and health sense.