14 business focus
Let’s start with the big picture
Tech Nation’s recent report, Unleashing the Digital Economy, showed that both Reading and Oxford are firmly back on the cluster map
Tapping into the UK’s thriving digital ecosystem, Reading is placed at four and Oxford at nine out of 21 national clusters. Reading is leveraging its heritage at the heart of the telco and M4 corridor enterprise belt, with one in five businesses being tech firms and Oxford was recognised as being home to national centres of excellence with a growing specialism in EdTech and HealthTech.
For the ConnectTVT team, the message is clear. This is great news for the region and clearly the Thames Valley is heading towards a position of real cluster leadership. There’s still a huge amount of work to do to unlock the technology and start-up potential and talent we know lies in the region. Funding, grassroots support and nurturing entrepreneurship will
all be key to this. This is exactly what ConnectTVT is working towards through dynamic regional partnerships and, more immediately, GROW@ Green Park, our innovation hub.
How are we rising to the challenge? Firstly, we’re delighted to announce that GROW has moved into a vibrant new home – more flexible, personal and buzzing, we’re thrilled with the new space. We welcome all start- ups, innovators, creative, freelancers and developers to come and use our desks, co-work, collaborate and ultimately become part of our growing community.
Events will continue to be a key platform for ConnectTVT and GROW. We’re currently proud hosts of the Thames Valley Internet of Things, Big Data and Cyber Security special interest meet-ups.
Brayborne Facilities Services
supports local communities Working closely to support the local communities in which they are based is at the heart of the Brayborne caring ethos
Priding itself as a caring company, Brayborne Facilities Services, one of the leading contract cleaning companies, has some of the best conditions of employment for its staff in the industry and has established an enviable reputation as an honest, caring and trusted partner for its customers.
“Supporting the communities in which we work is an integral part of our caring ethos,” said Beverley Mason, business development manager at Brayborne.
In the building next to Brayborne’s head office in Wokingham is an award-winning charity called Building for the Future. ‘Our House’ is a place where disabled children and their families are able to meet, find support and information, access therapies, make friends, and have fun. Brayborne sponsors the chill-out room and the
www.businessmag.co.uk
photo shows Lorraine Gibson, MD of Brayborne presenting the cheque to Peter Wood, with Karen Woolford and Dan Woolford on the left and Kitty Holmes on the right.
Another Wokingham-based charity Aspire, has a centre for young people, which gives them the opportunity to gain a knowledge and understanding of the world of work while continuing in education as well as inspiring them to achieve their own potential. Brayborne provides a free regular cleaning service to the centre.
Another charity Brayborne are supporting is Against Breast Cancer and the company is sponsoring one of its events, a spinathon, which took place on February 26 at The Park Club, Milton Park, Abingdon. Brayborne staff became involved by entering
'Our House' at the Building for the Future charity in Wokingham
two teams for the event to raise money for this very worthwhile charity.
One of the founders of Brayborne in 1986 was Simon Berryman, who passed away suddenly in 2011. In his memory, and to raise money for various local charities, an annual golf day is held in May at Bearwood Lakes Golf Club.
“It is important for us to be actively involved in our local community,” continued Mason. “We support at a corporate level and also individual staff put time and energy into specific fundraising projects. Every Christmas we hold a raffle and raise money for Alexander Devine Hospice by not sending Christmas
The intention is to bring together innovators and disruptors from these communities to idea exchange, knowledge share and converge in collision networking with peers. We are looking to grow your community so if you’re looking for a new way to connect with your advocates and influencers, why not book an event in our amazing new space?
Looking ahead to spring, we’ll be launching our hardware and software development labs. For website, web and mobile applications, users can access Software Development Kits (SDKs) and testing environments, to harness more disruptive enterprises. Mobile devices, sponsorship and new technologies will be fundamental to making 'the lab' an exciting connected experience.
We’re also thrilled to announce the second Festival of Digital Disruption, running April 20-24. A digital-skills day, design-thinking day, developers workshops, hackathons and digital, creative and start-up collision events will all be part of this incredible week aimed at supporting, shaping and celebrating the future of Reading as a tech hub. It’s a festival you won’t want to miss.
Louize Clarke
Be part of the flourishing community at ConnectTVT, a smarter, fresher, more flexible way of working. We welcome all The Business Magazine readers and if you’re a start-up or tech company, bring your copy of the magazine for a free desk day (max one per person).
Details: Louize Clarke
louize@connecttvt.co.uk @connectTVT www.facebook/connectTVT
cards and donating the money we have saved.
“Our MD Lorraine Gibson sits on the local committee for the Chamber of Commerce in Wokingham supporting the local community. Gibson is also actively involved with Wokingham Council on a project to mentor local people who want to start a new business.
“We also take pride in going the extra mile for our customers to exceed expectations in the delivery of facilities services,” concluded Mason. “We carry this through to our support and involvement with our local communities and by supporting our customers through active fundraising. The caring ethos is a core value for all aspects of our business.”
Details: Beverley Mason 0118-9789428
beverley.mason@
brayborne.co.uk www.brayborne.co.uk
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MARCH 2015
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