Monthly Archives: October 2023

News

College unveils suite of programmes to build sustainable workforces as UK moves towards ‘green economy’

COLEG CAMBRIA has launched new qualifications to build sustainable workforces and help future-proof organisations as part of the UK’s move towards a ‘green economy’.

The college’s Northop Business School unveiled a suite of Level 2 and Level 3 online courses designed to support the public and private sectors in their journey towards ‘net zero’.

Accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) – the largest professional body for environmental practitioners in the UK and worldwide, with up to 21,000 members – the Environmental Sustainability Skills for The Workforce and Environmental Sustainability Skills for Managers programmes have already generated interest across the region.

They aim to provide leaders and staff with an understanding of strategic constraints and opportunities that environmental sustainability can provide.

Lecturer Peter Laurence says given the national focus on companies lowering their carbon footprint, and wellbeing and health and safety, it is a natural next step for them to pursue these qualifications.

“The courses are suited to all sectors, as all sectors have environmental targets – to different degrees – and are trying to do more to become sustainable,” he added.

“These flexible courses will look at risk and impact, challenges and opportunities and help organisations shape their strategies long-term, whether that’s in a bid to achieve net zero status – given the UK Government’s target of being net zero by 2050 – or primarily to improve their current working practices.”

Modules also highlight the importance of resource efficiency; the impact of environmental sustainability across the value chain; the impacts of pollution, prevention, control, and environmental legislation in organisations, and how employees support environmental sustainability.

Peter said: “The courses are over one and two days so it’s a small commitment timewise for what is such an important factor for any industry. They are taught remotely but can also be held in person if requested.

“We will be running them throughout the year and are the only college in the area doing so, so we hope to see even more interest in the months ahead from individuals and organisations.”

The programmes are free to anyone eligible for PLA (Personal Learning Account) funding: over 19 years of age, self-employed, or employed and earning under £29,534 per year.

A YouGov poll commissioned by IEMA found that 56% of the British public had not heard of green jobs, with 62% not understanding what the term green skills meant, and 65% said they didn’t have any access to green skills training.

Sarah Mukherjee MBE, CEO of IEMA, said: “I’d really like to encourage people to sign up to these courses. To tackle the climate crisis, we must have a workforce equipped with the training to transition to a greener economy. We need green skills in every sector of the economy.”

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for more on the wide range of courses and qualifications available at Coleg Cambria.

News

South Wales job market set for injection thanks to ERS

With its business thriving, ERS, the specialist motor insurer, is making substantial investments in its Swansea headquarters. The company is set to fill 50 job vacancies in the coming months as part of a strategic initiative to support its continued growth and solidify its position as a prominent employer in the area.

The company already employs close to 500 people at its 33,000 sq ft site at Crucible Park, Swansea Vale, which it first moved to in 2015. That move was prompted by the London-based company taking a strategic decision to bolster its Swansea hub, originally set up in 1994, subsequently relocating many skilled roles to Swansea from London.

Since then, the company has grown steadily, as has its workforce in Wales. Now, the company has launched a renewed campaign to put it on the map as an employer of choice in the region, able to offer careers and continuing professional development in many skilled and technical roles previously seldom found within financial services in South Wales.

Some of its skilled roles span underwriting, claims, project managers, business analysts, and system testers as well as in niche specialisms such as technical IT, counter fraud, personal injury, risk, governance, and compliance. Within the insurance sector, many of these positions have traditionally only been available in London.

The company’s commitment to Swansea has been warmly welcomed, especially in light of other large employers operating call centres scaling down their operations in the area in recent years.

Operating through a nationwide network of insurance brokers and backed by Lloyd’s Syndicate 218, ERS provides coverage for a wide range of vehicles, including supercars, sports figures and celebrities, private cars, classic cars, vans, taxis, minibuses, fleets, agricultural vehicles, and special commercial vehicles, as well as motor breakdown protection. It will cover everything from combine harvesters to supercars through to unique events like the Gumball 3000 Rally.

Martin Hall, Active Underwriter at ERS, said:

“We have a long-term commitment to South Wales and are thrilled to be contributing to the local economy with this new recruitment drive. At ERS, we believe in nurturing local talent and providing career development opportunities to individuals of all ages. We encourage anyone interested in joining our dynamic team to explore the available positions and apprenticeship opportunities.”

ERS – the UK’s leading specialist motor insurer – has announced a major recruitment drive at its Swansea Vale office

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply via the dedicated careers page on the ERS website.

Business Software

4 Steps to Optimize Your E-commerce Marketing Strategy with WordPress

As an e-commerce store owner, you have likely invested significant time building your online product catalog and storefront. However, driving traffic and boosting sales requires ongoing optimization. The good news is that WordPress offers powerful tools to help improve your e-commerce marketing and get more customers to buy your products.

This article will explore four strategic steps you can take to increase conversions and revenue. Read on to start planning improvements that will delight customers and grow your online store.

Step 1: Install E-commerce Plugins

The first step to optimizing your marketing strategy with WordPress is getting the right e-commerce functionality onboard. This is where a professional WordPress integration agency can really help out. They can recommend top-rated plugins that align with your goals and advise on what customized development may be needed.

Some great free plugins to consider include WooCommerce—if you’re just starting, this one provides a solid feature set right out of the box. For more advanced stores, Ecwid is a flexible paid option.

Whatever you choose, look for elements like SEO-friendly permalinks, payment gateways, inventory management, and accessible admin interfaces. A plugin must enhance your customers’ experience, not burden you with a clunky backend.

Step 2: Optimize Your Product Pages

Now that you’ve set up your e-commerce functionality, it’s time to start selling your products! And the best place to start is by optimizing your product pages. These are the virtual storefronts for your items. So, you’ll want to make sure customers find them appealing and are compelled to click “Add to Cart.”

  1. Ensure each page has a catchy title and description that clearly communicates the key benefits of your product. Don’t be too vague–customers want specifics to determine if it meets their needs.
  1. Use high-quality images that allow them to browse your inventory visually. Consider adding image zoom features or multiple angles so they can inspect the product more closely online.
  1. Include reviews and social sharing icons to boost trust and engagement significantly. Plugins like Yotpo make it easy to display review snippets and collect unbiased feedback.

Test different layouts and page structures. Play around with elements like related products, bundled offerings, and video reviews. See what gets you the highest purchase conversion rates.

Step 3: Promote Your Products Onsite

Now that your product pages are in tip-top shape, it’s time to promote them throughout your site so customers know what you have to offer.

One quick win is to showcase featured products or collections on your homepage. Test different sections like “Top Sellers” or “Seasonal Favourites” to see what gets the most clicks. You can create unique content that promotes one item at a time.

Be sure products are also easily discoverable in your navigation and throughout the shopping experience. Consider implementing related products or cross-sells that appear as customers add things to their cart. Remember to leverage search functionality, too. Ensure product titles, descriptions, and tags are optimized so people can find what they need using interior site search.

Getting creative with promotional popups, exit intent banners, or review request overlays can further boost on-page visibility. Just be mindful not to overdo any single promotion method.

Step 4: Create Compelling Content Around Your Products

While optimizing your site and promoting inventory is important, you’ll also want to produce original content that educates site visitors. This is key for establishing yourself as an industry leader and increasing purchase intent.

SEO-Friendly Product Blog Posts

Try writing long-form, detailed blog posts about your most popular items. Explain their history, how they’re made, and customer reviews. This helps search engines recognize your site as an authority while providing readers with reasons to be interested. Don’t forget images and optimize posts with target keywords.

Customer Story Roundups

Another tactic is rounding up customer stories, testimonials, or examples of how people use your products successfully. Readers enjoy learning how others have benefited. Social proof increases the conversion rate.

Instructional Guides & How-To’s

If you offer more complex items, detailed instructions or walkthroughs help alleviate concerns for new buyers. Create helpful multimedia content like video tutorials to help customers easily understand your product.

Furthermore, leverage influencer and affiliate marketing by sending free samples to prominent voices who may organically feature your brand to their audiences. High-quality content provides the fuel to keep your e-commerce marketing engine running.

Conclusion

Implementing the marketing optimization steps above will help boost visibility, sales, and understanding of your products online. But the journey is never truly complete. Be sure to continually analyze web analytics, feedback, and industry trends so you can iterate on what’s working best and try new approaches. Taking a data-driven mindset will help you continually improve your WordPress strategy.

 

 

 

 

Customer Experience, E-Commerce, News

Blue Yonder Announces Intent To Acquire Doddle To Revolutionize E-Commerce Returns and Redefine Reverse Logistics

The London-based technology company will unlock new capabilities for Blue Yonder, allowing retailers and logistics service providers to generate superior consumer experiences

Blue Yonder, a leading supply chain solutions provider, today announced the signing of an agreement to acquire Doddle, a leading first and last mile technology business that was co- founded by Tim Robinson and Sir Lloyd Dorfman. Once completed, the deal will allow Blue Yonder’s already robust suite of supply chain management and commerce offerings to expand with full-circle expertise encompassing final mile, returns management and reverse logistics solutions.

With Doddle’s capabilities, Blue Yonder will be able to offer retailers and logistics service providers such as carriers not only a transformed yet simplified experience for their own customers, but also enhanced growth potential as they look to strengthen their businesses and build more sustainable supply chains. In addition, Doddle’s self-service return kiosks and pick-up, drop-off (PUDO) networks offer retail and logistics businesses an efficient, much-needed solution to today’s returns management challenges.

“Doddle has achieved what so few other companies have been able to accomplish: it has cracked the code of first- and last-mile together with omni-channel returns,” said Duncan Angove, CEO, Blue Yonder. “The beauty of Doddle’s solution is that they solve the returns problem end-to-end. From returns initiation, to returns rules, from in-store returns processing to self-service kiosks, right through to warehouse returns handling and back into stock. The proliferation of e-commerce — and, therefore, returns — has placed increased pressure on carriers, muddied the waters of inventory management, and created frustrations for shoppers. Doddle’s capabilities unlock a differentiated, superior customer experience and will help us to further our mission to transform the supply chain.”

 

While once an afterthought, companies are now recognizing the tremendous importance of robust and optimized delivery and returns offerings, and Doddle’s solutions offer customers a seamless way to reduce costs and inventory waste. In 2022, according to the National Retail Federation, consumer returned over $816 billion worth of products, and some estimates suggest only about 50% of returned products make it back on store shelves. Returns, in particular, are a huge pain point for retailers, carriers and consumers alike and returns management is among the biggest focal points of e-commerce globally in 2023 as the industry becomes increasingly aware of the impact returns can have on customer experience and overall profitability.

With Doddle, Blue Yonder will be the only company with a comprehensive suite from planning and execution to fulfillment and returns to build more sustainable and profitable, end-to-end supply chains. At close, Blue Yonder’s WMS, OMS, and TMS customers, including retailers, logistics service providers, and postal carriers, will be provided with the potential for growth in both scale and cost reduction, with a full-circle logistics experience. Doddle extends Blue Yonder offerings to fully orchestrate the network from customer engagement to stores, fulfillment centers, and logistics, completing the ecosystem needed to support reverse logistics, shipment consolidations, and inventory circularity.

 

“Today over 900 retailers and logistics providers worldwide work with Doddle to help manage the growing challenges in the first and last mile,” said Tim Robinson, founder and CEO, Doddle. “We knew, however, that in order to find the perfect solution to meet these challenges we needed to integrate our offerings with a strong supply chain planning, orchestration and execution solutions provider. Blue Yonder’s scale and deep expertise is the perfect alliance, and we’re looking forward to helping more businesses tackle these challenges – together.”

 

This deal is indicative of Blue Yonder’s momentum in the supply chain management space and will allow the company to continue to showcase its strength in the retail and logistics industries. The acquisition agreement was signed by Blue Yonder and Doddle on Oct. 11 and the transaction is expected to close in Q4 2023. The intent to acquire Doddle was announced jointly by Angove and Robinson at ICON London, Blue Yonder’s premiere supply chain conference.

 

About Doddle

Doddle was founded in 2014 by Tim Robinson and Sir Lloyd Dorfman, founder of Travelex. Doddle is the first and last mile technology platform for leading businesses in ecommerce logistics. Our solutions power delivery and returns for brands from Amazon to Australia Post, covering end-to-end returns management, drop-off automation and out-of-home network operation and management. Our goal is to make ecommerce more efficient and sustainable for parcel carriers and retailers, as well as a better experience for consumers. Each solution has been continually innovated upon and updated based on our learnings in the market with partners, so our user journeys are highly optimised and our technology is battle-tested.

Our expertise and technology is trusted by the world’s biggest and best logistics businesses, such as Australia Post, Yamato, Amazon and 100s of retailers worldwide. Headquartered in London, U.K., Doddle also has regional teams in the US, Australia, Europe and Japan.

 

About Blue Yonder

Blue Yonder is the world leader in digital supply chain transformations and omni-channel commerce fulfillment. Our end-to-end, cognitive business platform enables retailers, manufacturers and logistics providers to best fulfill customer demand from planning through delivery. With Blue Yonder, you’ll unify your data, supply chain and retail commerce operations to unlock new business opportunities and drive automation, control and orchestration to enable more profitable, sustainable business decisions. Blue Yonder – Fulfill your Potential™blueyonder.com

“Blue Yonder” is a trademark or registered trademark of Blue Yonder Group, Inc. Any trade, product or service name referenced in this document using the name “Blue Yonder” is a trademark and/or property of Blue Yonder Group, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of the companies with which they are associated.

Energy, Tech, Technology

Solar power is a renewable energy source that has the potential to revolutionize the way we generate electricity

Solar power is a renewable energy source that has the potential to revolutionize the way we generate electricity. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect. Solar power is clean, sustainable, and affordable, and it is becoming increasingly popular as a way to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

There are a number of new solar power technologies that are being developed, each with its own unique advantages. Here are a few of the most promising new solar power technologies:

  • Perovskite solar cells: Perovskite solar cells are a type of solar cell made from a material called perovskite. Perovskite solar cells are very efficient, and they can be made very thin and flexible. This makes them ideal for use in a variety of applications, such as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and rooftop solar panels.
  • Organic solar cells: Organic solar cells are a type of solar cell that is made from organic materials, such as plastics and polymers. Organic solar cells are very lightweight and flexible, and they can be manufactured using roll-to-roll printing techniques, which makes them relatively inexpensive to produce.
  • Quantum dot solar cells: Quantum dot solar cells are a type of solar cell that is made from semiconductor nanocrystals called quantum dots. Quantum dot solar cells are very efficient and can be tuned to absorb different wavelengths of light. This makes them ideal for use in multi-junction solar cells, which can achieve even higher efficiencies than conventional solar cells.

In addition to these new solar cell technologies, there are also a number of new solar power technologies that are being developed to improve the efficiency and reliability of solar power systems. For example, new solar panel tracking systems can help to increase the amount of sunlight that solar panels receive, and new solar battery storage systems can help to store solar energy for use when the sun is not shining.

These new solar power technologies have the potential to make solar power even more affordable and accessible and to help us reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. As these technologies continue to develop and mature, we can expect to see solar power play an increasingly important role in our energy mix according to Callum O’Neill from ONCO Specialised Electrical Services

Here are some of the benefits of new solar power technology:

  • Higher efficiency: New solar cell technologies, such as perovskite and quantum dot solar cells, are more efficient than conventional silicon solar cells. This means that they can generate more electricity from the same amount of sunlight.
  • Lower cost: New solar power technologies are also becoming more affordable to produce. This is due to factors such as improved manufacturing processes and the use of less expensive materials.
  • More versatility: New solar power technologies are more versatile than conventional silicon solar cells. For example, perovskite solar cells can be made very thin and flexible, making them ideal for use in BIPV and rooftop solar panels.

Overall, new solar power technology has the potential to make solar power even more affordable, accessible, and efficient. As these technologies continue to develop and mature, we can expect to see solar power play an increasingly important role in our energy mix.

 

Sport

How Live Streaming at UK Betting Sites is Taking Sports Fans Closer to the Action

For football fans, it can cost a small fortune to watch the English Premier League on television.

Combine the monthly cost of Sky Sports and TNT Sports – as well as the one-off cost of an Amazon Prime membership to watch the games they have the rights to – and you’re looking at an outlay in the region of £100 or more per month.

With costs rising all the time, you wonder how sustainable this is for customers – and how long it will take for them to source an alternative option for their sports fix.

One possibility could be the live-streaming channels provided by UK-licensed bookmakers…

Watch Along

One of the interesting things about streaming live sports via a betting UK site is that there are very low upfront costs for the spectator to pay. Generally, they need to either have a funded account – with deposits starting from £5 – or to have placed a bet within the previous 12 hours, with minimum stakes at many operators just £0.10.

As well as streaming action from around the globe, those who use bookmakers in this fashion can also access the latest odds – often wagering without needing to leave the stream, read sports betting tips and avail themselves of any promotions that are of interest.

It would be fair to suggest that most sports fans would rather watch the action on their television – the medium of choice for any sporting connoisseur. But the advantage of live-streaming services is that they are available anywhere, any time via mobile devices, with the quality of the viewing experience largely dictated by the strength of the WiFi or 4G connection that is available.

There are low barriers to entry for customers wanting to stream live sports via a betting site, as opposed to a costly TV subscription package. And while the bookies are yet to win the broadcasting rights to the English Premier League, they are still allowed to show action from some of Europe’s ‘big five’ football leagues, as well as horse racing from the UK and Ireland, tennis from the various tours and even major events like the Cricket World Cup.

The technology behind the live-streaming services is improving too. First introduced more than five years ago, the quality of those streams look primitive compared to the HD offering available today, while latency – the delay that determines how ‘live’ the stream is – has been reduced to ensure that those having a bet based upon what they are seeing can do so with more confidence.

Unsurprisingly, live streaming looks set to be one of the key battlegrounds upon which the sports betting industry grows both now and into the future.

Winds of Change

So while betting sites may benefit from the ‘loss leader’ that is acquiring live streaming rights, long term it’s the firms that can best cope with the winds of regulatory change that look set to sweep through the UK sector.

The government has produced a whitepaper designed to reimagine the gambling industry for the digital age, with a range of proposals having now entered the consultation phase. Among them could be the introduction of affordability checks when bettors reach specific monthly thresholds, plus a maximum stake imposed on slot games.

Those changes will have an impact on the industry, of that there can be no doubt, so renewed efforts to enhance customer acquisition and retention will be vital for online bookmakers seeking to navigate the regulatory waters ahead.

Live streaming is certainly one of the assets they can utilise in a bid to do exactly that…

Inverness, News

Distillery’s Role Hailed in Inverness Regeneration

The role of Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery in the wider rejuvenation of Inverness has been hailed, with over 3000 visitors heading through the doors in August.

Despite the new £7.5m facility opening for production of Highland whisky and craft beer in February, the visitor experience on the River Ness only formally opened for visitors in June.

Now it has celebrated its 4-Star grading from VisitScotland with initial visitor figures showing it is on target to welcome 50 000 visitors per year in Phase 1, prior to planned further development.

The early success has been hailed by new CEO of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA), Michael Golding, who believes the project can help propel the transformation of the highland capital as a must-stay destination.

Inverness has earned a reputation as a short-break or ‘dormitory’ city, with tourists often day-tripping before visiting landmarks such as Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle and the wider highlands.

However, £20m UK Government Levelling Up projects such as the redeveloped Northern Meeting Park allied with the opening of Inverness Castle Experience in Spring 2025, are set to change that.

And the establishment of the city’s first distillery in 130 years has a pivotal role to play in the highland capital’s transformation, according to the tourism chief.

“Part of the challenge in Inverness is we have a healthy stock of accommodation but we probably don’t have enough year-round, non-weather reliant attractions to encourage people to stay longer and extend the seasonality. Thankfully, that is changing.

“We used to have an under-utilised riverside. Now we have the new renewable energy centre further down the river. You’ve got the Highland Food and Drink Trail, underneath the Cathedral, which is massively increasing footfall.

“You have the Levelling Up projects and then the coming of the Castle in 2025, which will be an amazing visitor attraction. So, walking the riverside in 2025 is going to look a lot different than it did just a few years ago and Uile-bheist is perfectly positioned, both geographically and in terms of a unique experience, to be a major part of that change. It is a very exciting project.”

Despite being new to the Visitor Attraction scene, Uile-bheist owners Victoria and Jon Erasmus have been encouraged by the first recorded months of footfall at the distillery, brewery and tap room.

The project, powered by the waters of the River Ness, has supported 15-20 local jobs so far and detail changes are currently being made to bring the attraction up to 5-Star rating by Christmas.

A planned Phase 2 of the project, which will increase retail and tour space and integrate an on-site restaurant, is projected to double the visitors to 100 000 per year, when running.

“We have opened at a challenging time and effectively in mid-season but we believe in the product we have delivered,” said Victoria Erasmus.

“We are the first ticketed type visitor experience in Inverness but we hope to see, in a few years, Inverness becoming a cultural hub. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the wider area but, with what’s happening, they could also be staying longer in Inverness. With things like the Academy Street redevelopment, open top city bus tours and the Castle, we are beginning to see the emergence of a city economy and we are really proud to be a part of that.”

 

Employee Benefits, News

Howden acquires Italian Employee Benefits Service Provider Wide Care Services

With Wide Care’s advanced technology platform and proprietary software, Howden stands as a leader in brokering healthcare and supplementary pension benefits

 

Howden, the global insurance group, announces today that it has acquired Wide Care Services (Wide Care), a specialist Italian Employee Benefits service provider that has pioneered a proprietary platform for health and welfare management. This acquisition underlines Howden’s continued investment in expertise, talent, and data and technology for the benefit of Italian and multinational clients.

Wide Care has been leveraging its innovative technological solutions since 2006 and provides advanced administrative services for supplementary healthcare programs and pension funds.

This acquisition takes Howden to a headcount of over 500 Health and Benefits experts across 16 countries in Europe. The Health and Benefits market presents significant growth opportunities, and with Wide Care, Howden is perfectly positioned to expand its footprint in this growing market and provide clients with more choice.

 

Andrea Pozzi, Founder and CEO of Wide Care Services, commented: “At Wide Care we have dedicated years to developing an advanced platform for administrative management, delivery, and business intelligence of healthcare and pension benefits. Our mission is to integrate the public sector into the private system of healthcare provision, thereby improving waiting lists and facilitating a balanced utilisation of available resources. We share Howden’s entrepreneurial spirit and client-centric approach and look forward to leveraging their network to better meet market needs.”

 

Federico Casini, CEO, Howden Italy, said: “Our aim is to broaden our impact in a sector of profound social importance. By optimising processes involved in booking, utilisation, and coverage of healthcare services and seamlessly integrating private and public supply chains, we aim to enhance overall access to quality care. Wide Care is the ideal partner for Howden as we cement our position as the natural home for entrepreneurial talent looking for access to the expertise and specialisms of an international network within their local market.”

 

Glenn Thomas, Global Head of Employee Benefits, Howden, added: “The acquisition of Wide Care further strengthens our technological capabilities in Employee Benefits across Europe, and reflects our commitment to providing our clients with best-in-class solutions. The combination of Wide Care and our existing network of experts will greatly enhance our offering on a global scale, and particularly in Italy, with experts in 27 offices across the country providing tailored solutions to our clients. I look forward to working with Andrea and the team in this exciting growth journey.”

 

ABOUT HOWDEN

Howden is a leading global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart.  Founded in 1994, it provides insurance broking, reinsurance broking and underwriting services and solutions to clients ranging from individuals to the largest multinational companies.

The group operates in 50 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, employing 15,000 people and handling $35bn of premium on behalf of clients.

For more information, please visit www.howdengroup.com and www.howdengroupholdings.com

Business, News

BT renews partnership with Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid

BT and Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid have announced that they are continuing their digital partnership.

As a Corporate Partner of the Chamber, BT maintains its status as a member of an exclusive group that shares a special relationship with the Chamber, connecting with its members to provide support and resources to the Welsh business community.

BT is committed to supporting organisations to advance their digital transformation strategy in Wales through innovative technologies. The leading communication services company is keen to build collaborative partnerships to focus on harnessing digital technologies to deliver sustainable growth through responsible, inclusive and sustainable technology.

The Chamber shares its partner’s vision to reach wider audiences that enhances the understanding and accessibility of BT’s services throughout Wales, as well as nationally and internationally.

BT Group’s activities provided an estimated boost of £740m to the economy of Wales in 2022 and supported nearly 8,500 jobs in the nation. As a trusted service provider and advisor to private and public sector businesses across Wales, BT is at the forefront of driving technological change and innovation.

 

Paul Butterworth, CEO of Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid, (pictured above) said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with BT, working with one of the world leaders in digital transformation and innovation.

“Our partnership underlines the value of collaborative working that builds better connectivity and initiatives into Welsh businesses that support the growth aspirations to stimulate the economy for tomorrow.”

 

Samantha Toombs, BT’s Business Leader for Devolved Government, Local Government and Higher Education, said: “BT has worked successfully with the Chamber in Wales for a number of years, so we’re really pleased to be continuing this partnership.

“Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid plays a vital role supporting and connecting businesses in Wales. Given BT Group’s role as a major employer and connector of businesses and organisations in Wales, we’re looking forward to continuing to work with the Chamber, particularly on the power of digital technology to help transform business and services.”

 

For further information about the Chamber and BT, visit https://cw-seswm.com/ and https://business.bt.com/public-sector/regions-wales/.

News, Property, Property & Construction, Property Rentals

Soaring Number of Properties Being Impacted by Cases of Mould

NEW: Expert shares his advice on how to best deal with the problem which comes at the same time as rise in cases of bedbugs.

BRITAIN is in the grip of a new mould crisis, a leading property has warned.

Jonathan Rolande says he is seeing more and more cases of mould infestations inside properties.

And with Winter approaching, Mr Rolande, the founder of House Buy Fast, warned the problem is going to get worse.

His warning comes amid fears bedbugs are also becoming a rising issue for many homeowners and renters.

He said:“Damp and mouldy homes don’t just make life a misery – they put lives at risk. I fear the cost of living crisis is only making this issue more acute. I am seeing more and more cases of this at the moment in properties I am viewing and in pictures shared with me by colleagues in the industry.”

Explaining the main reasons properties suffer with dampness, Mr Rolande said: “Rain is a massive contributory factor. This can enter the home through a porous external wall or because of defective guttering or roofing. Once it has penetrated it soaks into insulation and plasterwork. This is a perfect environment for mould to grow. The UK is experiencing increasing amounts of torrential rainfall.

“Rising damp is a problem too. A more unusual cause as most properties built after 1930 have an adequate damp proof course (DPC)  to stop moisture from the ground from entering the home. However, the DPC can be breached if soil or paving is built up around the outside walls.

“Condensation often creates damp as well. We all experience condensation in our homes when cooking or after a shower. Good ventilation is key, moisture has to be allowed to escape. Many people don’t ventilate adequately in an effort to preserve warmth in the home.”

Property expert Jonathan’s advice on the topic:

“Act fast, dampness doesn’t fix itself. Try to establish the cause. Advise your landlord or get a builder/surveyor if you’re unsure of anything.

You should start by checking what kind of damp it is. Rising damp won’t go more than a metre above ground level. Rain can get in anywhere so check the walls for cracks, look at whether gutters and downpipes are clear. And check if there are any tiles missing. Joints around chimneys and flashing (usually grey lead) are common causes of damp too.

“Look at whether your home is too well insulated. Can fresh air get in? Can moisture escape? You may be causing condensation problems. Reduce it by opening windows, especially when cooking/bathing. Use lids on pans when you cook. Don’t dry clothes indoors. Check vents and chimneys haven’t been blocked. Use a dehumidifier and see how much is collected.

“To remove mould, wipe with a cloth and use a mild bleach solution but always investigate the reason it’s there. If you feel your landlord isn’t taking it seriously, put the issue in writing and include photographs. If you suspect condensation may be the issue, take steps to reduce it and inform your landlord of this as well – if the dampness persists, it is likely to be an issue with the building.

“In regard to other ways to reduce condensation so you’re not wasting energy, moisture traps work well and are cheap to buy. Some plants such as palms also absorb moisture and look nice too, but the effect is limited.

“Ensure there are no leaks from pipes, the roof or through the walls – defective pointing between the bricks is very common and can add to the problem. Consider positive input ventilation too, although it is pricey. Should you turn the heating on as well? I’d recommend it if you can. A heated home is certainly less damp.

“And finally remember though that any case of mould can be different. Although these steps will hopefully help, you could still experience issues. If that’s the case there may be a structural issue causing it – and you should seek professional advice. If your home is rented make sure you speak to your landlord. A sensible landlord will want to deal with the problem not just to make life better for you – but for the long term sake of the property they own as well.”