The Charity Ball Donations Keep Rolling In

I'm overwhelmed with the support from businesses far and wide for the Latimer Hinks Charity Ball.

Most recently we've received (and I would love to win this) a luxury Audi for the weekend. The resulting publicity from this donation should greatly benefit Teesside Audi. The Ball provides a very targeted audience for Teesside Audi including local business men and high profile "movers & shakers" in the area.

The Audi will be displayed at the magnificent entrance to Wynyard Hall (the venue for the ball) a perfect setting for any car salesman!

All I need now to increase the value of this auction prize is perhaps.... a luxury hotel break!

If you wish to donate a weekend break for me to tie into the auction prize of the Audi please let me know. The more money raised on the evening the greater the benefit for Help for Heroes and St Teresa's Hospice

Social Media - How it can Work for You

I've just returned from a presentation for the ASSIST group by Jonathan Wheatley of MC Ware entitled - Social Media - How it can Work for You.


The presentation was targeted to small owner/managed businesses just starting out into the daunting world of social media and the social media "language".

For help understanding "some of this language" please check out my post In Plain English

The slides of the presentation (when i receive copies i will post a link) showed logos of social networking sites as well as a screen shot of what to expect once you have joined these sites. I thought this was a great way to introduce (to some attendees) this "alien" world.


Alien? ...it may be, but one of the greatest benefits of these sites is that they are FREE to use, so use them! Start a blog, post links from the blog to your website, post links/information/videos/images to Facebook, bookmark your webpages/blogs to bookmarking sites such as Digg, Reddit etc. Most importantly, regularly update. The more effort you put in the bigger the long term benefits.


LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogger, Google Buzz, Squidoo, Gather, Digg, Reddit, Stumble were a few of the sites covered.


As a result of the presentation I have given myself some homework - Squidoo, Google Buzz (soon to be launched) and Gather are social media sites which I have not yet looked into. This is my homework, if they are useful i will let you know

Great News! The Latimer Hinks Ball is Virtually a SELLOUT!

I must admit when given the task to organise a Charity Ball for 2010 I was more than a little worried.

The recession of 2009 took its toll on many local charity events. Balls were cancelled due to lack of guest numbers, donations for raffle and auction prizes rapidly dwindled....BUT I can now report that the Latimer Hinks Charity Ball should be a resounding success!

Almost ten weeks to go (May 21st) and only 20 tickets remaining out of a total of 270! Three of the companies taking tables decided to take two tables! Is this a sign that the recession is finally over?

I have also received a great number of donations:

• A £500 Pandora Bracelet from Bramwell Jewellers (already made up, but the winner can change charms/colours etc to suit)
• 10 bottles of champagne from Northumbria Water
• £400 worth of tooth whitening or facial aesthetics (botox to you and I) from Elliott McCarthy Dental Care
• A 12 day Spa Membership (over a year) from Headlam Hall Hotel
• Rounds of golf from 2 local golf courses in Darlington - Stressholme and Blackwell
• A meal for 4 at Stressholme, tickets for the theatre, signed Middlesbrough Football..... the list goes on - and i will update the list regularly

All I need to do now is organise entertainment (hoping for some form of military entertainment), a magician, a disco, a photographer... as before, the list goes on... and on

The Latimer Hinks Ball is in aid of Help for Heroes and St Teresa's Hospice (Darlington), plus smaller local charities.

Our thanks also go to HSBC for matching £1 for £1 up to £1500.

It should be a GREAT night - if you would like to donate a prize or an experience - a holiday, a weekend break, something money can't buy.... please feel free to contact me

What is the state of the North East Property Market?

The North East Property Forum meet again to discuss the state of the commercial, agriicultural and residential property market.

Check out what they are saying about unfair banks charges, the difficulty in closing deals and raising the finance for those deals.

North East Property Forum, February 2010

ASSIST - Social Networking & How it can Work for You

I believe i've mentioned before (a few posts earlier...) that I am on the committee of ASSIST (a support and networking group for professional ladies in the Tees Valley area).

For March, our event is entitled Social Networking and How it can Work for You

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs…..Social Networking is changing the way we market/promote business and we want ASSIST members to be aware and partcipate in these changes.

Jonathan Wheatley Managing Director of MC Ware Ltd & HD Forensics (sponsors of ASSIST), will give a short presentation on the benefits of Social Networking.
Jonathan will explain how social networking can help:

· build loyal customers with online communities
· market your product/service
· find partners to enhance your product/service and enhanced creditability
· find employees

The morning will start, as usual with a networking game to break the ice. ASSIST believe the networking game to be a unique selling point of the group. Many members have commented on how the games enable you to feel more comfortable and lessed "stressed" in a networking environment.

If you are a professional lady from the Tees Valley area and are interested in attending simply visit ASSIST and register. Places are limited