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businessupdate News…


Legally speaking


Up to 15 young jobseekers from Blaenau Gwent will have the opportunity to gain experience and qualifications in food management thanks to an initiative by youth charity The Prince’sTrust and food firm Tillery Valley.


‘Get into Food Management’ is atwo-week


programme aimed at young people from 18 to 25 who are unemployed. The Prince’sTrust course, which is free, will


be run by food production company Tillery Valley in Abertillery and will provide afull programme of job preparation activities including interviewing skills, CV writing, and health and safety training. Attendees will also have the opportunity to complete an accredited food safety


qualification and will spend time in arange of different departments across the site to gain on the job experience. Tillery Valley provides meals to the public


sector across the UK, delivering daily to schools, hospitals and local authorities. Its advanced production plant in Abertillery has the capacity to produce one million meals per week, and the site employs 350 people from the local area. Rick Libbey, director of The Prince’sTrust


Cymru, said: “We run the ‘Get Into’ programme, in partnership with employers, to give young people who are work-ready ahelping hand by giving themamix of vocational skills, practical training and hands-on experience, then supporting them as they look for work.


Tuesday March 20, 2012 Firmoffersyoungstersfree training “We are delighted that so many businesses


are supporting our young people by offering work placements for this programme.” Ataster session will take place on Tuesday


March 27 at the Tillery Valley site in Abertillery for anyone interested and the course begins on Monday April 2. Site Director at Tillery Valley Phil Hall said:


“This programme provides young people with a great opportunity to improve employability skills and get some real insight into the way a large food management business operates.” To be eligible, participants must be aged


between 18 and 25, live in Blaenau Gwent and not in education, work or training. For further information contact Paul Jenkins on 02920 437031 or 07717 488539.


By Sion Tudur, Partner, RDP


Business relationships can be like personal ones. All’swell to start with but the honeymoon period can soon disappear, and the parties fall out over issues which seemed so clear and simple at the outset. It means that it’svital to put your


intentions in writing, whether you are dealing with acommercial contract, an arrangement with clients or for services, or ashareholder or partnership agreement. You must protect your interests and minimise the risk of loss in the event of a disagreement. The reasons for dissent may vary.


It could be you are trying to enforce your rights or perhaps avoid an obligation. The existence of written terms will help you prove what was intended when the deal was first struck.


There are three elements which


constitute acontract: •Offer and acceptance •Consideration (money or money’s worth) •Anintention to create alegal relationship That’sall there is to it! The


document doesn’teven need to be signed. Even if the contract is only in draft form and unsigned, providing both parties perform its terms then there is deemed to be an agreement between them. If the agreement contains an obvious error, the mistake can be corrected to reflect the parties’ intentions during negotiations. Contracts are all-important. An


investment in legal advice in the short term will pay dividends over time, should you need to recover or enforce the intentions created within a contract.


Topsoldiercommands anaudienceatnetwork T


he commanding officer of Chepstow- based army regiment, The Rifles, took to the stage at aNewport


business event where he spoke of the challenges faced by British troops in Afghanistan and his integral role as leader of the infantry battalion.


Lieutenant Colonel James


de Labillière who, assumed control of infantry regiment in 2010, spoke to more than 180 guests from the South Wales business community at the first M4 Business Network event of 2012.


De Labillière, who was


awarded an MBE following service in Bosnia, spoke of his time leading the Rifles on a recent seven month tour of Afghanistan during which they saw extensive combat action. Lieutenant Colonel De


Labillière explained how the role of British forces is not to fight the Taliban but to work alongside local security forces. He also spoke of the


James de Labilliere and M4 chairman Steve Sulley


importance of the building of positive relationships between communities in guaranteeing objectives are successfully met, something he likened to that of the business world. De Labillière said: “The biggest part of our


role is to win the hearts and minds of the local people and stop them sympathising with the Taliban, if we can do this then our involvement in the process has been asuccess.” He explained that following the announcement of the withdrawal of International Security, Assistance, Force (ISAF)


from Afghanistan, mission objectives have been re-focused to smaller-scale, more achievable objectives, aimed to produce alasting positive impact when the troops withdraw. The Lieutenant Colonel also praised the


support from the Chepstow community in supporting families of soldiers and ensuring the tour was asuccess, de Labillière added: “The tour was atesting time both for troops in Afghanistan as well as the families left behind in the Chepstow barracks, the support of the local community during that time played ahuge part in the success of our operation and Iwould like


to pass on our thanks to the community."” De Labillière’sspeech was the first event in


the 2012 calendar for the M4 Business Network, which promotes best practice to south Wales businesses while providing networking opportunities. The M4 Business Network sponsors include


the South Wales Argus. The next event is being held at the Celtic


Manor Resort on Tuesday May 15 at 7.30am. For more information about the M4 Business Network or to join call 01633 213318 or visit www.m4businessnetwork.org.


The Robert Davies Partnership LLP Commercial Lawyers


www.rdplaw.co.uk


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