BUSINESS REPORT A CHAMPION OF EDUCATION


Dr Julie Mills is the CEO and group principal of Milton Keynes College and highly respected in the areas of education, skills, social justice, and diversity. Julie was recognised with an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List last summer, specifically for her work in forging successful partnerships between business and education. Julie is the current Principal of the Year as named by the National Centre for


Diversity (NCF) and is chair of the Helena Kennedy Foundation and Women Leaders UK. A passionate champion for all things Milton Keynes, she is an ardent fan of the Milton Keynes Dons and a trustee of the MK Dons Sport and Education Trust. A director of the Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership, Julie is also a co-


‘A PASSIONATE CHAMPION FOR ALL THINGS


owner of Border Engineering Limited, a prototype and production sheet metal engineering company based in Luton. She is the driving force behind plans for an Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park, bringing together a consortium of global and local businesses; her vision for the new institution is to see business drive and shape the curriculum, ensuring that those who learn there are work-ready with the skills companies need today. Her tenure as principal of MK College has been marked by significant growth in collaboration with businesses of all sizes and types, with a parallel expansion in apprenticeship programmes for which the College has been widely praised. Milton Keynes College’s decision to join the Chamber


MILTON KEYNES’


comes alongside a reshaping of its employer-facing team. Anna Clarke, who previously headed up the college’s business engagement for apprenticeships has now moved to lead on employer engagement across the whole campus as director of employer engagement. The move is designed to ensure that businesses have a single team through which they can access services as wide-ranging as training, work experience and even briefing in projects, as well as emerging digital programmes as part of the Institute of Technology.


Contact: anna.clarke@mkcollege.ac.uk


ROTARY MK RAISES OVER £25,000 FOR LOCAL CHARITIES


Rotary MK held their annual sponsored Swimathon in early February, an event hailed by the club and its beneficiaries as even more fortuitous than in previous years, owing to the Covid-19 shutdown that has seen other events cancelled. It raised in excess of £25,000, money which will be sent to benefit seven


local charities: Willen Hospice, MK Safety Centre, MK Hospital, MK Dons SET, Dogs for Good and CAB, as well as Rotary MK for its own Community Assistance fund, which sent a large donation to Food Bank MK in March. The Rotary MK Swimathon has been held each year since 1993, raising a


massive £600,000+ for local charities during this time. Swimming participants represent a varied cross-section of the local


community, including teams from the benefitting charities, local businesses – including fellow members of Chamber MK – scout groups and schools. People of all ages and abilities took part this year, with everyone taking


great pride in the staggering amount raised at this truly inclusive event. Six-year-old twins, who had been swimming most of their lives, even swam the first 15 minutes on their own, as the rest of their Dogs for Good charity team had been held up due to a traffic incident. They were delighted with their well-deserved medals. Vice President of Rotary MK, Wothaya Johnstone, said: “Now we are members of Chamber MK we’re hoping to encourage more businesses to join in the fun next year; Saturday 20 February 2021 at the Wolverton Pool. “Chamber members, get


involved next year! Teambuilding without all


the arranging and expense; fun with a capital F, while raising money for worthwhile, local charities.’’


Email: info@rotarymk.org JUNE/JULY 2020 inbusiness 11


CHAMBER LAUNCHES £100,000 FUND TO SUPPORT MEMBER BUSINESSES


A £100,000 fund has been launched to help firms across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire continue to access vital business support services in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The Membership Relief Fund has been created


to enable Chamber members to get a rebate on their Chamber membership fees. Milton Keynes Chamber chief executive


Paul Griffiths (pictured) said: “These are extremely challenging times for all our businesses and we need to work together to get through the challenge. “We understand cash flow issues may become


a challenge for businesses until restrictions relating to coronavirus are lifted and markets recover. We anticipate that, as a result, many businesses would be unwillingly forced to leave Chamber membership, which would separate them from the very mechanisms designed to support them at times like this. “Local businesses need, more than ever, the reliable, trusted support


of a well-connected and influential business group like the Chamber. We have reserves, so it’s only right in this time of need that we use them to our members’ best advantage.’’ The fund will be allocated as a rebate on a company’s Chamber membership fees for a specific period of time for a sum up to 100% with members being able to apply for a 50% or 100% rebate on their membership subscriptions for the next three months. The process to apply for the rebate is simple; members just need to


tell the Chamber what the impact of Covid-19 has been on their business and confirm whether they are applying for 50% or 100% fee relief. If the application is successful their membership account will be credited with the appropriate sum followed by refunds or suspended payments, as appropriate for the next three months.


To apply for the Membership Relief Fund please fill in your details via: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MKMembershipRelieffund


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