Hear4U – based in Leicester, Hinckley and Rothwell – are revolutionizing the way they do business. In the world of finance, long gone are the days when everything was written on sheets of paper, so why should the world of medicine be any different? For hundreds of audiologists up and down the country, the technology may have changed but the way they do business has remained the same for many years. In the pursuit of stability and reliability, audiology has tended to lag behind when it comes to the way they operate, relying on paper notes and outdated systems. A Paperless Future For Hear4U, that is all about to change with the addition of Blueprint Solutions’ celebrated, cutting-edge system. Boasting an entirely paperless format, this pure-digital method features a far more detailed interface which can track entire patient histories as well as their choice of medical solutions across time. Put simply, this means a far more patient-focused approach that perfectly reflects Hear4U’s own ethos. If patients want to receive a new pair of those same hearing aids they had a few years ago; if they need to access medical history for a home visit at the touch of a button and if they want a secure system with an intuitive client interface, this innovative new system has them covered. Indeed, Blueprint Solutions’ remarkable method is truly the next generation of patient/clinic interface. Not only is its extensive database available anywhere, but Hear4U will be implementing an online booking form, an automatic appointment reminder system and full cashless credit card processing so that you need never miss your timeslot again. Patient-Focused Approach In keeping up with Hear4U’s commitment to the very best in aftercare, they have opted to include three additional procedures in making sure that patients always feel that they have the support they need: Automatic reminders for arranged follow-up meetings, a full timeline for your hearing aids so that you know exactly how old they are and even a warrantee reminder for when your coverage is about to expire. On top of all this fantastic functionality, patients can look forward to a fully integrated experience with Noah software, the gold standard for audiometry. This means that you can have a full printout of your latest audiogram whenever you like for maximum peace of mind. Director Tyler Bennett had this to say: “I’m absolutely thrilled about the new system – it’s set to be a real boon, not only for our staff (but) our patients and clients as well. With this addition, we can solidify our position as one of the leading audiologists in Leicestershire”.

Anicca Digital is helping businesses raise Leicester’s profile as an engineering and STEM hotspot with a free event at Space Park Leicester on Tuesday 2^nd November. New Frontiers in Digital Transformation & Marketing will provide the city’s B2B and STEM companies with the fuel they need for growth in the digital landscape. The event will feature guest speakers William Wells, Commercial Director of Space Park Leicester, on Leicester’s new community of world-leading research, innovation and Pim van Baarsen, CEO of Silverstone Technology Cluster, which supports advanced engineering and other STEM businesses. There will also be talks from Anicca Digital’s own specialists, enabling attendees to benefit from the latest digital marketing insights across paid media, social media, search engine optimisation and content marketing. Talks are designed to help firms overcome the digital skills gap, providing practical advice they can utilise to improve their own online presence and audience targeting, to help increase leads and opportunities for growth. New Frontiers in Digital Transformation & Marketing will run as a hybrid event, with delegates able to attend in person or join via a live steam, with in-person attendance limited to just 50. The free event will also support Leicestershire charity Toys on the Table, with guests asked to donate a Christmas gift for children who might not otherwise receive anything. The full event line-up comprises:

• Welcome address from the Space Park Leicester – William Wells, Commercial Director of Space Park
• How the Silverstone Technology Cluster can help advanced engineering and other STEM businesses – Pim van Baarsen
• Introduction to digital marketing channels and useful stats and trends 2021 – Ann Stanley
• SEO and integrated content marketing strategies – Sukhjinder Singh & Amy Hayward-Paine
• Ecommerce strategies for B2B businesses using paid search and paid social advertising – Holly Kelly
• Panel Q & A – hosted by Thom Shardlow

Ann Stanley, Founder and Managing Director at Anicca Digital, comments: “We are excited to be working with Space Park Leicester to deliver this special event, which aims to support businesses in tech and engineering with fully utilising digital platforms. “The pandemic has underlined the importance of digital marketing, with businesses of every size across all sectors having to adapt their online presence in order to survive. “Regardless of industry, every business owner needs to be up to speed on the digital landscape and learn techniques to help grow their business.” Anicca offers free weekly webinars on a range of subjects, including PPC, SEO, Social Media and Analytics. Register to attend or watch the recordings.

A forced office move and reduced revenues due to the global pandemic meant Ashby de la Zouch-based business IT support provider UKBITS, faced an uncertain future last year. However, with the benefits to the environment caused by the lockdown coming into focus, the business developed an idea to not only do their bit for the planet but also develop another source of income. Microbusiness UKBITS was founded in 2006 by Simon Kilmister and Pete Rowell. Technician Tom Brecknell and Sales Coordinator, Helen Sutton make up the team of four. The IT company focuses on all aspects of business IT support, from desktops and laptops through to servers, cloud-based solutions and anything in between. The small team prides itself on offering a personalised service with no long-term contracts, supporting sole traders, charities and larger businesses across the East Midlands as well as international businesses with localised outlets. Since its inception, the business has had a close relationship with the Business Gateway Growth Hub, and values the advice and guidance offered. Helen commented: “Two of us were furloughed last year and although we retained our clients, many of them reduced their spend with us. Revenue was falling and although we looked into government Covid grants, we were ineligible for all of them as we didn’t pay business rates.” “It was during a regular catch up with Business Adviser, Aruna Bhagwan we found out about the Leicestershire Recovery Grant and our ideas began to formulate around a recycling project.” ‘Ashby IT Recycle’ was created after the team successfully received a £3,000 grant. It works on a repair, resell or recycle principle. When clients upgrade equipment, they often want to get rid of their old items. Ashby IT Recycle take these off their hands and repair them for resale or, after wiping them of any private data, break them down into components for recycling. This service along with IT advice is open to individuals as well as businesses, opening them up to a wider audience. The small grant has been used to set up a new recycling area in their warehouse with the purchase of a computer, label printer, camera and racking for storage. The project has gone down well, and the business will continue to offer this service going forward with the potential to create a new role in the future. Over the last 6 months Ashby IT Recycle has helped 105 new local customers and is establishing itself as the “go to” for securely recycling used IT equipment. Helen has also attended several Business Gateway and Digital Growth Programme webinars, both face to face and online, following advice from Aruna on which of these would be the most beneficial. She added: “It’s useful to keep learning and I’m a big fan of networking. The sessions keep you engaged, they are easy to watch and I always leave with something useful.” Now that Covid restrictions have eased, UKBITS is finding that most customers are reverting to their original monthly agreements and support hours. However, Helen says they continue to advertise and are running new sales campaigns. “Aruna gives us the confidence to drive forward. She has contact with other businesses and her feedback helps you realise that you’re actually doing well.” “Catching up with her regularly helps you focus. As a small business, we wear lots of different hats. It is easy to get away from my core role of sales, but I want the business to succeed and Aruna reminds me about what needs to be done to help us grow. We all need that from time to time!” Aruna commented: “I’ve enjoyed supporting Helen and the team. We’ve worked together to formulate new marketing campaigns and bounced ideas off each other. She is always willing to try new suggestions and it’s lovely to hear they have felt so supported, particularly during such a difficult period.” “I’m also pleased she has got so much out of the webinars, particularly the sales and social media sessions. It’s not always easy to identify what’s right for you especially when there are so many events out there, so I was happy to provide some guidance where I can.”

Sequestered carbon is too important for farmers to sell it easily or cheaply, warns the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV). With all the talk about carbon, the rise in carbon trading schemes has accelerated at pace as pressure mounts on all businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, and as farmers look to capitalise on their assets before losing Basic Payment. However, sequestered carbon is too important for farmers to sell it hastily as it’s likely it will matter more to keep it for their own businesses, explains Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the CAAV. “Not only is the value of the carbon stored in farmers’ soils and woodland likely to increase in coming years, signing up to selling it might unwittingly tie them into restrictive agreements,” he warns. “More importantly, net zero isn’t just a target for corporate organisations to achieve through offsetting.  Farmers will also need to find and use their own sequestered carbon to offset their own emissions.  Selling carbon early will make that harder for the farmer,” he says. “Very basically, the simple business of being a farmer is about managing carbon, and if you are in a position where you can’t touch the carbon you have sold, this will limit your ability to farm.” Farmers also need to consider what penalties might be included in an agreement if they are unable to meet the carbon sequestering goal, explains Mr Moody. “If you commit to plant trees or ensure a percentage of carbon in your soils in a legal agreement, and then the land is compromised by events such as fire, disease or flooding, what fines could you be subject to and what is your liability?” Farmers also need to consider how long they would be tied in for and the impact this could have on things like developing and selling the land. “Instead, it could be safer to enter into agreements where farmers are paid to manage land in a carbon friendly manner like improving their soils, rather than just selling the carbon,” he advises. Even if farmers are considering their options to manage or plant woodland to sequester carbon, there are things to be wary of. “At farm level, the price is not great,” says Mr Moody. “One hectare of oak woodland could have gained £2,000 worth of carbon after 80 years with one of the main woodland carbon schemes. There just isn’t a great deal of value to sell.” And any area of woodland farmers think they can sell the carbon from will be smaller than they anticipate, as part of it will have to be kept back as a buffer for contingency and risk management while vulnerable to failure, disease and fire. Farmers might also unknowingly get tied into conservation designations, meaning they can’t fell trees when or if they need to. In particular, woodland under schemes will have to be replanted, even if it could be felled. Plus, woodland won’t be properly offsetting carbon unless it’s there for 100 years, says Mr Moody. “If it’s felled before then, much of the carbon held in the tree will be lost. “However, it’s important that carbon is stored in one way or another on farm – helping the farm to be net zero – and it might be that it’s better through soils. “Selling soil carbon could help farmers in the short term, but fetter them in the medium and long term,” says Mr Moody. “The value isn’t as great as people assume and the constraints could be crippling. All that glitters is not gold.”

Technological innovation, artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming the UK’s agricultural industry and shaping the sustainable future of food produce. Lincoln Agri-Robotics at the University of Lincoln, UK, is the world’s largest academic research centre on agri-robotics. It is a centre of international and impactful research and facilities, it is now showcasing the technology which will shape the future of sustainable food production. In conjunction with the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), Lincoln Agri-Robotics is hosting an FPC Future conference session on Robotics and Automation in horticulture. The event is free to attend and will take place on 4 November 2021 at the Lincolnshire Showground. The packed schedule includes eight conference sessions covering pre and post farm robotics and automation, data driven technologies, plastics and packaging, supply chain waste, carbon supply chains, vertical farming and sustainability. Attendees will see how the world’s largest known robotic farm, ‘Robot Highways’ project, is shaping the future of UK and international farming and food production. The research aims to ensure industry sustainability by addressing labour shortages, the need for global food production and reduce the environmental impact of the farming sector. ‘Robot Highways’ is set to deliver a vision for the future of soft fruit farming, where robots will assist farmers by carrying out essential, energy intensive physical farm processes such as picking and packing fruit and treating crops to reduce critical pests and diseases, powered by renewable energy. Tours of the University of Lincoln’s Riseholme Campus will provide a fantastic opportunity for visitors to see these technological developments – including the robotic harvesting of strawberries, a state-of-the-art refrigeration unit and various other facilities supporting projects in artificial intelligence, robotics and engineering. An FPC Careers event will be running alongside FPC Futures. Young people are being invited to sample this exciting modern sector as attendees can find out about the ample career opportunities within the agricultural industry. This co-located event will connect today’s up-and-coming talent with the food and flower industry’s best businesses and employers. People aged 18-30 from national universities and colleges studying across all educational disciplines are invited to attend. Professor Simon Pearson, Director of the Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, said: “The University of Lincoln is at the forefront of the UK’s agri-tech and agri-food developments, with our research and teaching supporting innovation and developing workforce skills alongside partners across our food and farming sectors. “Never has it been more important for universities and partners across the sector to work together to deliver the skills, technologies and knowledge base that our agri-food industries require to adapt to a rapidly changing and uncertain landscape. “Therefore, we are delighted to be partnering with Fresh Produce Consortium for this inaugural agri-tech innovation exhibition and are looking forward to showing visitors the breadth of research being undertaken and specialist facilities here at our Riseholme Campus.”

Breaking through the traditional images of farmers and farming, comes a modern day, family-run salad-growing business based in Hinckley, Leicestershire. With the use of new technology, practices that protect the natural environment and a passion for healthy, high-quality food, the young team at Lockwood Salads are changing perceptions leaf by leaf. With an agricultural degree, followed by hands-on and management experience at farms in England and Canada as well as an exciting year in southern Italy growing spinach, Adam Lockwood (32) knew he wanted more. Realising there weren’t many people growing baby leaf salad, he began Lockwood Salads in 2019 with 50 acres of land. The business grows baby spinach, red lettuce, bull’s blood, red chard, land cress and wild rocket. As the business began to grow, Adam looked for support from the Business Gateway Growth Hub which is the one stop shop for Leicestershire businesses. Before COVID, the business operated in two ways – growing and packing its own branded salad bags for wholesale markets used by food service and catering businesses, and selling crops that went straight from the field in trucks to larger suppliers who washed, packed and distributed them to supermarkets. This was during their core season which runs from April to October. The rest of the year the team would import salad from Europe, pack and send it out giving the business an all-year supply. As hospitality businesses closed due to the national lockdown, this effectively ended the supply to this sector but when the supermarkets began to demand more with everyone staying at home, Lockwood Salads switched its focus to this side of the business. Its volume for supermarkets has risen massively from 15,000 to around 35,000 kilos a week but Brexit has also had a huge impact resulting in price wars with larger suppliers, so Lockwood Salads has not returned to importing salad on the same scale for the time being. The business has four employees, including Adam’s partner Alice, which increases to 15 people during peak season. Growth has been rapid and the business now has 300 acres to manage. Adam regularly calls on Business Gateway adviser, Aruna Bhagwan, for advice. He explained: “In the first year you are setting everything up – finding a farm, getting customers, growing a crop.  It wasn’t easy but I knew what I had to do. I was using a loan and my own money. The second year was much more difficult with a lot more outgoings like seeds and rent, and with no reserves, cash flow was an issue. This was made harder being a seasonal business where we are spending from February but have no income until June. I turned to Aruna to help me consider a growth plan. “She gave me advice on the different avenues of support and we were signposted to Hinckley and Bosworth Council’s Recovery Grant. Aruna helped me through the application process and we were successful in securing £15,000 towards a new robotic weeding machine, which is going to greatly improve efficiency.” He added: “I have to say Aruna has been absolutely fantastic. From the beginning, I’ve tried to surround myself with people that can listen and advise. I count Aruna as one of those people. I can pick up the phone anytime and have a chat, it definitely helps to get an external viewpoint.” Aruna commented: “This is such a positive team who are changing the way things are done. From using vegetable oil as fuel to reduce carbon emissions, to monitoring rainfall data to inform their decision-making. I’m so proud of what they’ve achieved. They are on an exciting upward trajectory, and it’s been a pleasure supporting them.”  

Leicester based, Industrial Wiper Company, collects unwanted second-hand clothing and fabric and creates cleaning wipers that are used across a variety of industries from food to janitorial services. Despite a turbulent year facing many market disruptions, as well as the personal and tragic loss of Managing Director, Mark Walters to cancer, this rag and bone business has not just survived but is starting to thrive once again. Mark’s father, Mike Walters established the business in the 1960s.  Back then a horse and cart were used to collect the waste fabric from Leicester companies.  These days t-shirts, sheets and towelling are collected from charities, hotels and factories right across the country and imported from Europe and Asia.  As in the past, the fabrics are then sorted, cut up, bagged and sold – mainly business-to-business – using distributors who sell the wipers on to the auto trade, powder coaters, sign makers, food producers and ventilation cleaners to name a few. When Mark became ill early last year, he called on the Business Gateway Growth Hub and his cousin David Burns for help. David had previously worked as Northern European Marketing Manager for Castrol and ran a capability consulting business. At the time, the business was facing several challenges.  David had come in but with little knowledge of the market or business. There was a shortage in supply of key fabrics, and they were losing significant sums of money a year, due to a combination of factors including inefficient internal systems and procedures, spiralling costs and an unsustainable pricing structure. In addition, their long-term bookkeeper left the company plus Covid-19 and Brexit struck which meant short term closure, a drop in demand for their products and further difficulties accessing the suppliers and the fabric needed to create the wipers.  The number of challenges facing the business, from both internal and external influences was unprecedented.  But by working in partnership with their Business Adviser at the Business Gateway, David was able to tackle every one of them. David said: “This was a time of real disruption and concern. But all the way through I found adviser Joanna Moore and the Business Gateway was the one place I could turn to – to ask questions, get support and find out how things were done locally. I was literally on my own with the team and she was the only person I could talk to, express concern and get help.” As well as providing David with an outlet to discuss problems and identify possible solutions, Joanna was able to offer practical help with several key challenges.  For example, she signposted David to the Leicester Employment Hub to help him quickly recruit a number of key positions within the organisation and access support from the private sector to develop their internal financial systems and processes.  David was also put in touch with one of the Business Gateway’s export consultants, Andrea Collins who understood the intricacies of Brexit and helped them locate a supplier partner to bring materials into the country. David continued: “We’ve also had help with grants. When the metal detected products we supply to the food industry started to come in short supply from Europe, we wanted to set up our own detecting facilities within our factory. Joanna helped us source and apply for an NBV grant of £1,500 towards some machinery giving us in-house capability.” They have also updated the website using a Small Business Recovery grant and Mark’s wife Kay, who is now working at the company, has taken advantage of the Business Gateway finance workshops to build her skills in this area. “It’s been a real partnership. Each time we’ve reviewed our capability we’ve come to the Growth Hub and said, ‘this has disrupted our market, we now need to do this, can you help us?’ And each time Joanna has provided solutions we could try. That’s what I like about it. It’s enabling and assisting to deliver on the opportunities from the disruption in the market,” added David. Joanna Moore commented: “I’ve really enjoyed working with David and Industrial Wiper Company. As an adviser, it’s lovely when you can work with a client, over a longer period.  It gives you the opportunity to really get to know the business and people involved and so it is extra rewarding when you help them to overcome whatever challenges they are experiencing at that time.” The great news is, with the help and support of Joanna and a lot of hard work and dedication from David and his team the business has managed to turn things around and is on target to move from a large loss to a net profit of £15,000 this year. The future is looking even brighter for the business.  Growth plans include working with a new partner, which processes 50,000 tonnes of clothing from their bins and shops, to secure and grow fabric supply.  New non-woven products have been added to the wiper range and a consultancy service has been launched to ensure customers can optimise performance and the cost of their wiping, cleaning, and polishing requirements.  Plus, all Industrial Wipers products and services can now be viewed and ordered via their recently rebranded and redeveloped website – www.industrialwiper.co.uk Finally, David added: “The Growth Hub has been a lifeline. The emotional impact of the support we’ve had is probably an area people don’t fully understand or value. In a small business with everything that goes on to have someone to turn to, bounce ideas off, talk about the market and get feedback: to have another rational voice there, that’s of amazing value.”