Business News


Get your business ready for the Clean Air Zone


Ploughing on: David Chappell and Peter Alderslade (rear) at the USA ploughing championships


Chamber’s help for ploughmen


Birmingham Chamber has helped a group of British ploughmen cut their own furrow in the United States. The ploughmen – from England,


Wales and Scotland – needed documents known as carnets to take their tractors and ploughs to the States for an international ploughing tournament. A carnet is a temporary


passport for goods. They are widely used by car


firms who want to take vehicles abroad to make promotional videos. They are also in demand from touring pop and rock bands, so amplification and lighting equipment can be moved around. The USA tournament was the


66th World Ploughing Contest held at Baudette, Minnesota. Taking part were English entrants


David Chappell and Peter Alderslade, Andrew Mitchell from Scotland and Rhodri George from Wales. Andrew Mitchell won his event,


the ‘Conventional’ category, where he was judged on such points as uniformity and straightness of furrows and weed control. The Welsh and English entrants


finished eighth, ninth and 12th. The Society of Ploughmen, who managed the English team, explained they did not have experience of sending tractors and equipment overseas. “David Harris at the Birmingham Chamber was a great help to us – nothing was too much trouble and his advice about the carnets was simple to understand,” they said. Chamber documentation manager David added: “We were contacted initially by entrant Rhodri George, who was so impressed with the service that he recommended us to the other entrants. “It was an unusual request for


help, but one that we are increasingly used to dealing with these days.”


38 CHAMBERLINK October 2019


A kit to help businesses prepare for the Birmingham Clear Air Zone will be launched by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) in January. The zone itself was due to be


introduced around the same time, but has been postponed until summer because a vital vehicle checker tool needed for it was not ready on time. This tool was being provided


by the Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JACQ), and was supposed to be ready by this month. JACQ confirmed the


technology would not in fact be ready until the end of year, leaving only a few weeks before the zone was due to go live. The Clean Air Zone will cover


all roads inside the A4540 ring road (not including the road itself). Petrol cars built before 2006 and diesel cars built before 2015 will have to pay £8 per day to enter the zone, while HGVs will be charged £50 a day. The Chamber will be running a


series of events to help firms prepare for the introduction of the zone and to put steps in place to minimise disruption. Raj Kandola, senior policy and patron adviser at the GBCC, said:


Delay makes sense: Raj Kandola


‘The Chamber will be running a series of events to help firms prepare for the advent of the zone’


“The decision to delay in the introduction of the Clean Air Zone makes sense in light of developments at Westminster. With the Government


grappling to secure an orderly withdrawal for Brexit, it’s perhaps no surprise if domestic priorities


are put on hold. “In particular, we need the


launch to be as smooth as possible to minimise levels of disruption and there’s no point sticking to the original timeframes if essential technology is not ready.”


On a mission – The Dietologist By John Lamb


Van Patel (pictured) is on a mission to change the mindsets of people who want to shed a few pounds or need aftercare following weight-loss surgery. She is the owner of a company called The


Dietologist, based in Solihull, which she set up after working in the NHS for 27 years. A qualified dietician, Van also undertakes mindset


coaching after qualifying as a Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner. This allows her to change the mindsets of people struggling to adjust their eating habits. She left the NHS in order to devote


more time to people who had undergone weight-loss surgery abroad and were deprived of adequate after- care. Van is also an accredited BDA (British Dietetic Association) Work Ready Dietitian. Van said: “Patients who have


weight-loss surgery abroad are usually attracted by low prices which include only limited or no aftercare. I also take on NHS and private patients who are out of aftercare.


“Patients might also need to gain weight in a


measured way after weight-loss surgery and some require support for food intolerances. “I am totally passionate about providing correct care


and do not limit my time as severely. Aftercare includes nutrition and mindset coaching, blood screening. “I use online webinar education and provides supplementation /medication advice for pre- and post- weight loss. “The company also focuses on corporate health and well-being, weight management, healthy eating, family health, food intolerances and gut health.


“My Asian upbringing has helped me to


give advice about a balanced, nutritious diet.


“For instance, some solutions are


quite simple. Someone who is fond of curries, could cook their own healthier version rather than getting takeaway.” Van, 49, goes into businesses and


schools with her advice on diets and also has clients world-wide who she treats through Skype.


Visit: www.thedietologist.co.uk


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