Solihull
All the latest news, advice and events for the Solihull business community
Contact: Joan Smith T: 0121 678 7488
Small businesses in Number 10 takeover
A thriving Solihull lingerie business had the chance to reveal its wares at one of the world’s most famous addresses recently – No10 Downing Street. Sipsey owner Sukhy Nijjar was invited to a
special ‘Small Business Saturday’ event at Downing Street, which gave her the opportunity to showcase her lingerie products.
‘Not to have a High Street would be such a shame’
The visit was part of this year’s Small Business
Saturday campaign, which put the spotlight on 101 businesses from around the country in the 100 days leading up to Small Business Saturday, which took place in December. Small Business Saturday UK encourages
consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities. Sipsey was chosen as one of the 101 independent retailers, and Sukhy said the campaign had been a great way of raising
Calls for businesses to help local children
Solihull businesses are being asked to step up to help vulnerable children in the borough. Solihull Council’s children’s services team says
that assistance from local businesses is vital in helping to steer young people with challenging backgrounds towards gainful employment. Simon Rushall, assistant director of children’s
services at the council, said businesses could play a vital role in this, through such activities as mentoring, work experience and even guaranteeing interviews for jobs. He said that the initiative was being fully
backed by Solihull Chamber, which is set to encourage member firms to help out. Solihull Chamber director Joan Smith said:
“Solihull Chamber is delighted to support the Children’s Service with our board and other chamber members. These young vulnerable children lose out so much on normal living that most of us take for granted. “They may have difficulty in later life securing a
job as they may not have had access to a proper education due to their commitments at home. “Our Chamber members have been fantastic in
offering them days out with amazing experiences. Some have offered mentoring to assist with their career choices in planning their future.”
For any business that can offer help, Simon Rushall can be contacted at
simon.rushall@
solihull.gov.uk
30 CHAMBERLINK February 2017
awareness of small businesses on the High Street, but much more needed to be done. She said: “If we don't support our local
business in the long term, the local economies will suffer in various ways, and we have seen that in many places further up north. “Online has its place but, for example, for
future generations not to have a High Street would be such a shame. “In my sector it’s sad to see the High Streets disappearing, due to high rates, and hence more needs to be done to support a new business that is starting out. “I think it’s great that Birmingham has the
biggest number of start-ups in the UK and this is something the government should continue to support and grow. “The Small Business Saturday campaign
should be repeated next year – it is in its fourth year and each year it has grown and grown. There are over five million small businesses in the UK and we need to see that increase as it encourages entrepreneurship and lots of other opportunities.”
Famous front door: Sukhy Nijjar on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street
Accountancy is primed for Chamber patronage
A long-established accountancy firm, with two Midlands’ offices, has become the latest patron of Solihull Chamber. The firm is Prime Accountants Group, which
can trace its roots date back to the 1950s, when Pilley & Florsham began trading in Coventry. In 2006, Pilley & Florsham merged with Solihull-based Raftery & Co to form Prime. Further expansion came in 2009, when Prime acquired Coventry sole practitioner Chaplin Hall. Today, the firm maintains offices in
Coventry and Solihull, and acts for more than 3,000 clients in the West Midlands and further afield. The firm has a staff of 75, and acts for many small to medium enterprises (SMEs) for whom it provides a range of accountancy and advisory services. Prime managing director Kevin Johns
said: “We are excited to become patron members of Solihull Chamber. “Prime has always valued its
membership with Solihull Chamber and having been Premier and 1813 member for a number of years, patronage provides the perfect platform to further our involvement and add value back to the Chamber.”
New patron: Prime’s Kevin Johns with Joan Smith
Solihull Chamber director Joan Smith said:
“I am delighted that Prime Accountants have made the decision to upgrade to patronage with Solihull Chamber with our other patrons. “It is advantageous to all our patrons to have
a representative in each sector to share knowledge and skills with each other. I am looking forward to raising Prime Accountant’s profile even further, at this level of membership.”
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