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

Alcoholism in the Workplace - how to help your business and your employees

Coronation Street is currently running a storyline on alcoholism in a work environment.

Peter Barlow who has a history of alcohol problems opens a new wine bar (not the best idea in the world) and once again he begins drinking.

Being drunk will eventually create:

• loss of productivity and poor performance;
• lateness and absenteeism;
• safety concerns;
• team morale and employee relations problems;
• bad behaviour or poor discipline;
• adverse effects on company image and customer relations.
  
  And, as Peter is the owner/manager untold problems will unfurl - which is exactly what the writers for Coronation Street want!
  
  However, for a more serious point of view Nick Poole of Latimer Hinks explains what to look out for and how to deal with these problems from a legal perspective - Alcoholism in the Workplace
  
  There is even a blog dedicated to this subject Raise the Bottom.
  
  HSE produce a leaflet Don't Mix It - A Guide for Employers on Alcohol at Work
  
  Alcoholism is a serious problem, please take relevant advice from professional advisers

Latimer Hinks Charity Ball - Donations and Relationship Building!

Summer Charity Ball 2008 - drinks
Originally uploaded by fiveto8priestgate

Every two years Latimer Hinks organise a charity ball and this year it is to be held once again magnificent Wynyard Hall, Tees Valley on May 21st 2010.

I can hardly believe it's been two years since the last ball!

The 2008 Ball raised £10,000 and we would like to think that we can increase the amount we pass on to the charities who, like so many, have been affected by the economic downturn.

For 2010 our main charity is going to be “Help for Heroes”. No-one can fail to be impressed by the courage of the armed forces and we feel that “Help for Heroes” and all that the charity does should be supported. We will also still be supporting a number of local, smaller charities including St Teresa’s Hospice..

In 2008 we raised nearly £10,000 and intend to dramatically increase the figure for 2010

How?

1) HSBC have very kindly offered to match £ for £ monies raised on a fundraising menchanism (up to £1500). Their generosity is greatly appreciated.

2) A Charity Auction. If you feel you could donate an auction prize - perhaps a weekend break, use of a luxury car, a holiday.... etc etc we would of course be extremely grateful AND your support will be promoted in all literature, press releases, blogs (where we can also direct people to your website). We have already received a donation of tooth whitening or facial aesthetics (botox to you and I) from Elliott McCarthy Dental Care- thank you.

3) Tombola. Everyone enjoys a tombola, it's a great fundraiser and anyone can take part. Donations, again, would be greatly appreciated.

UPDATE: Our thanks go to Compugift for supplying a number of quality items for the tombola - your help and support is gratefully acknowledged!

4) Backward Bingo. Fun game, everyone can take part. Guest can purchase a bingo ticket, numbers are called out. If your numbers are among those called, you sit down. Last three standing win a prize.

5) Networking Contacts. Hopefully I can call on contacts made throughout the year through networking events in the hope that they will support/sponsor the ball. Mike Challands of MT Print has also offered to provide the design and print of tickets, program etc in return for a few tickets to the ball! Mike will benefit from exposure to around 300 high net worth business representatives at the event and will obviously have his quality print work on show and acknowledged AND we can pass the money saved on print to the charities.

This is what relationship building/networking is all about - we don't necessarily need to give business on every occasion but we can provide opportunities to expose new contacts to our networks.

If anyone reading this would be interested in sponsoring/supporting the charity ball, please let me know.

If you or your business would like exposure/ackowledgement at this prestigious black tie event, talk to me (you can use comments) and i will call you to discuss suggestions further.

Don't forget it's all for good causes!

The Art of Networking - a talk

I believe i've mentioned before that I am on the committee of ASSIST (a support and networking group for professional ladies in the Tees Valley area). At the moment I am helping to organise an event entitled "The Art of Networking".

The event is going to be held jointly with Women Into the Network, a group dedicated to supporting, connecting and promoting women in business.

Wendy Parvin - owner manager of Conversations with Purpose will be facilitating

The session is for anybody who:

• needs to make new contacts
• join new groups
• meet new people
• wants network confidently and effectively.
• 
  The presentation will cover :
  Making networking work for you
• Understanding networking and what it is
• How to recognise networking opportunities
  

We'll also hold a networking game to "break the ice"

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

First Published Deal of the Year

Business success stories/commercial deals always go down well with the press. Particularly, when all around us businesses are finding it difficult to cope with the economic downturn.

A recent Latimer Hinks success story gained coverage almost immediately. In previous times (before the economic downturn) this type of press story may have been passed over as not being "big" enough. We believe all of our press stories are worthy of press attention!

Jill and Paul Jackson bought a freehold rural pub which had been empty for 2 and a half years.
Latimer Hinks Expertise Helps Re-open Historic Pub

Well done the Jacksons! and well done Nicola (partner at Latimer Hinks) for ensuring that the Jackson's dreams have a good start!

New Year, New Us

Latimer Hinks was originally established in 1892 and last year it was decided that the Latimer Hinks image required an update, a new corporate identity. I believe that this is only the third image change in nearly 120 years! Hopefully you can tell from the photos that the left image is previous signage.

A modern, fresh, clean image which would sit well with our private as well as corporate clients was required. This was the easy bit - the hard bit was having 10 very different partners agree on an image!!

The challenge was on! Everything was due to roll out on the 4th January 2010. Partners evetually agreed on a logo and we were off!

All the stationery, pop up displays, folders etc were delivered in the run up to Christmas ready for use on the Monday we returned to work.

The shop front and reception signage was to be replaced during the Christmas holidays by Signs Express in Darlington. Whilst on Christmas leave I heard an announcement that Priestgate (the street on which Latimer Hinks sits) had been closed due to a hole appearing in the road!! Luckily our contractor liaised with the council and managed to "get the job done."

So far so good - but the job still continues! I will keep you updated on the rest of our ptomotional update!