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BUSINESS WEST MEMBER NEWS MEMBER NEWS


The latest news from Business West Chambers of Commerce members. To update us on your news, email membernews@businesswest.co.uk


MESSAGE FROM MEMBERSHIP


BY PHIL BRIDGEMAN HEAD OF MEMBERSHIP AT BUSINESS WEST


It’s been a busy few months in the Chamber. We’ve had fun making a new film,


About the Chamber,which was filmed at the May Bristol Chamber networking breakfast. To see the film, visit:


www.businesswest.co.uk/chambe rs/join A big thanks to the members who


took part in creating a testimonial vlog: • Sandeep Roychowdury, SME Innovation


• Sian Thomas, Integrow Sales Solutions


• Sam Piper, Dale Carnegie • Greg Cooper, Front of Mind Coaching


• Jo Haywood, Skylark Media • Mike Cuttle, Bristol Energy


We will be releasing some of these testimonials shortly via social media – watch this space! We’ve had great attendance at


our networking events recently and it seems that alternating the events between Leigh Court and a city centre venue is working well. The city centre is proving popular in Bath too with a sold out event at The Ivy in June. We are also planning many more


exciting new developments to come including working with a new partner to create a fresh, modern magazine! Please note there will be a break on the magazine for a few months. As usual, please get in touch with any questions or queries.


Tel: 0800 980 2789 Email: membership@businesswest.co.uk


Event will celebrate our sustainable businesses


The Future Economy Group have launched the Festival of Sustainable Business, a one-day event taking place in Bristol on 17 September 2019. Set to be the largest day of celebrating environmental business in the Bristol and South West region, the festival comprises a free exhibition, a sustainable food zone, a sustainable transport zone, 10 seminars and a gala dinner. Alan Bailey, director of The Future Economy


Group, said: “The Festival of Sustainable Business will help organisations progress their sustainability thinking; showcasing innovations in sustainable technologies and services and facilitating key networking and knowledge sharing opportunities. The Future Economy Group is delighted to be able to bring this to the city, helping Bristol lead the way in achieving its carbon neutrality goals.”


Tim Bowles, regional mayor, said: “The region is


already leading the way in the green agenda and The Festival of Sustainable Business will showcase the wealth of talent, technology and services we have here. I am proud to support this event.” Katherine Piper, director of sustainability and


network director, added: “The Festival of Sustainable Business will demonstrate that as a region, we are committed to achieving against our carbon neutrality targets and are leading the way in demonstrating that sustainable business models are commercially viable and the only fair and ethical choice.”


For details about The Future Economy Group, please see www.thefutureeconomygroup.co.uk and for information on the Network, see www.thefutureeconomynetwork.co.uk


Uncertainty still surrounds Maxing Tax Digital reforms


HMRC has warned businesses across the UK that the registration process for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT can take seven working days. This means that VAT-registered businesses turning over £85,000 or more need to register more than seven days before submitting their first MTD VAT return if they want to pay their bill by direct debit. The quarterly nature of MTD


Filming the Chamber video


10 insight JULY/AUGUST 2019


for VAT returns means that the first quarterly submissions will not actually become due for most until at least July 2019. Registering involves setting up a Government Gateway user ID and ensuring compatible software is in place.


Sarah Jenkins (pictured), general practice partner at Milsted Langdon, said: “We have seen a number of queries raised regarding the date by which businesses should be registered for MTD, which shows that there is still a degree of uncertainty surrounding this new regime. “We are already helping hundreds of businesses prepare their records for MTD and can help them with the registration process.” To help businesses register on time and report their information correctly our team have also put


together a set of useful calendars that can


be found at: www.milsted-langdon.co.uk/making- tax-digital-what-happens-now


Credit: Rosscam


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