Lichfield & Tamworth Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons
Contact: Marilyn Castree T: 0845 603 6650
In Brief
One of Drayton Manor Park’s oldest residents has left for a new home in Wales, where he will live out a peaceful retirement. Toto, a chimpanzee who has been at
Drayton Manor since 1968, has moved to the Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary, after much deliberation by vets at the zoo. The Wales Ape and
Monkey Sanctuary is in the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales, and has an excellent track record of caring for apes and monkeys, and also integrating lone male chimpanzees with others of their kind. Chris Mitchell, Zoo manager at Drayton
Manor Park, said: “The happiness and welfare of our animals has and will always be our number one priority and we always kept Toto’s living situation under continual review. It was a very difficult decision to move Toto but we strongly believe that this solution offers the very best welfare outcome for him.”
The George Hotel in Lichfield has been awarded an internationally-recognised gold award by the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS). The Green Tourism Business scheme
evaluates businesses in areas such as energy and water efficiency, waste management and environmentally friendly purchasing policies and it recognises companies that have taken significant steps to minimise the environmental impact of their activities. The George has introduced many energy
saving measures to reduce the waste of resources and promote sustainable business practices, including installing a biomass boiler and changing bulbs to light emitting diodes (LED).
Thousands of pupils are getting the chance to create their own company and develop their business skills as part of a project by Staffordshire County Council. The project is ‘Young Enterprise’, a charitable enterprise that helps young people to develop their personal and business skills. Pupils work alongside teachers, business mentors and employers in school and take part in practical, engaging activities that introduce them to the world of work and enterprise. Ben Adams, cabinet member for learning
and skills at Staffordshire County Council said: “These young entrepreneurs of today will be the business leaders of tomorrow, so it’s vital that they get the insight to how business works.”
32 CHAMBERLINK February 2017
From Lichfield to Latvia (from left): Birmingham’s Lord Mayor Rice, Baiba Braže, Lichfield Chamber director Marilyn Castree and Karen Tracey
Piece of Latvia to be found in Lichfield
By Jon Griffin
There’s a piece of Lichfield which will now forever be Latvia – thanks to a prestige international appointment for West Midlands businesswoman Karen Tracey. Karen, who runs Dunelm Business Consultants in
the Staffordshire location, was ‘amazed’ to receive a phone call from business contacts asking her to be Latvian Honorary Consul for the West Midlands.
‘We will be flying the Latvian flag outside the office in Lichfield’
The sky’s the limit for raising the profile of the
small Eastern European state according to ex Royal Air Force servicewoman Karen, who says the Baltic country has much to offer Western Europe with business and cultural opportunities. Karen had established links with Latvia during
a previous spell as executive director with the Midlands World Trade Forum – and is now a ‘de facto diplomat’ proudly flying the flag for the Baltic country in the West Midlands. “It is an amazing honour – I do not think you can
say that we are quite on Latvian soil as we would be in an embassy but we will be flying the Latvian flag outside the office in Lichfield,” she said.
“I got a call from a contact, Guntis Rubins from
the Latvian Development and Investment Agency, who said ‘Could you talk to the Ambassador because he wants to talk to you about the Latvian Honorary Consul to the West Midlands? “It came completely out of the blue – I was
really honoured and thrilled to be asked. My job is to promote business and cultural links between the two nations and work with the Embassy to promote Latvia.” Karen has already fostered valuable links with
Latvia after visiting the country twice, including trade missions to the capital Riga and the port of Ventspils. “One of the things that Latvia does offer
business is that it is a gateway for exporters. It is also a really lovely holiday destination and Riga is an amazing city destination. It is a very cosmopolitan and sophisticated city with brilliant transport and logistics links. Latvia as a whole is very serious about heightening its profile and what it has to offer as a country and is just as interested in understanding British business and culture.” Karen’s prestige accolade was marked at a
special presentation event at Birmingham Town Hall attended by civic dignitaries and guests, including the city’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Carl Rice, and Latvian Ambassador Baiba Braze.
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