Newsletter - Gwynedd Business Network

gwynedd business network
Issue 7, Spring 2013
Gwynedd Co-operative Wins
£50m Contract
YouTube Channel Gives Added
Dimension
A dairy co-operative in Gwynedd is
celebrating a new £50m cheese contract to
run over three years. South Caernarfon
Creameries, which employs 110 workers,
has begun the process of supplying Adams
Foods Limited, the UK’s largest supplier of
pre-packed hard cheese. The first batch of
cheese has been matured and graded by flavour and strength, and
is now ready for dispatch.
A young entrepreneur is soaring to success having
diversified the business. Gwion Llwyd’s Dioni Cottages is an
online booking service showcasing a superb range of selfcatering properties in Snowdonia. The company’s success has
attracted a host of satisfied customers from across the UK and
further afield. Now, with an on-going expansion into social
media, Gwion aims to gain advantage in a crowded market.
With the launch of a dedicated YouTube channel, high-quality
videos of these top North Wales holiday cottages are
available online.
The produce will be sent to the Adams Foods centre in Leek,
Staffordshire for packing and distribution to retailers nationally.
The new contract will involve various brand names but the
familiar ‘Dragon’ brand will continue to be produced. As a result
of the new contract the creamery has announced plans to build
a new cheese making production facility by 2016 at their site in
Chwilog near Pwllheli.
Founded as a co-operative by 63 producer members in 1938, the
company has grown throughout the years, and with its recent
good news, is now in a position to recruit new dairy farmers. There
are currently 125 suppliers on its books, with two new members
having just signed up as part of the on-going recruitment
process. South Caernarfon Creameries is a farmer owned
co-operative, so all member farmers who supply milk also own a
share in the company.
Said Mark Beavon, Operations Director: “This is excellent news
for the creamery coming out of a difficult period. Going forward,
the new contract gives us the opportunity to increase future
employment, gain new members and thereby safeguard the
future of dairy farming on the Llŷn Peninsula and in North Wales.”
Gwion started the
business from his family
farm in the hills above
Harlech. He created
www.Dioni.co.uk, a
website highlighting
a range of quality selfcatering properties in
Snowdonia. Alongside the accommodation listings of
premium North Wales holiday cottages, there’s a wealth of
useful information about the region.
Says Gwion: “Being a small company with a community ethos
gives us an advantage in the new world of social media. It’s
not about who can shout the loudest any more, it’s about
talking to people and creating relationships.”
Some of the more unusual properties featured by Dioni
include a Grade II listed building on the outskirts of
Dolwyddelan, an impressive detached stone farmhouse
near Bala, a converted 19th Century Calvinistic Chapel in
Maentwrog, and a former coach house to the Buckley estate
near Dinas Mawddwy.
The new Dioni YouTube channel gives a new dimension
to the advertising mix for cottage owners. The channel is
already racking up increasing numbers of hits as more
and more people share and enjoy Gwion’s professionally
produced videos. They’re a great way to get a feel for these
self-catering cottages, and Gwion makes the ideal host as he
walks and talks the viewer through each property.
www.sccwales.co.uk
www.gwyneddbusnes.net
To see Gwion’s videos visit:
www.youtube.com/user/gwionllwyd10/
To find out more visit: http://dioni.co.uk/
or email: gwion@dioni.co.uk
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Wales Leads the Way on Food Hygiene Ratings
Wales is set to be the first country in the UK to introduce a mandatory scheme requiring food businesses to openly display their
hygiene rating. The Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Bill has been passed by the National Assembly for Wales and is now nearing the
end of the legislative process. The next stage is for the Bill to receive Royal Assent and become an Act.
Under the scheme, businesses will be rated with a score between 0 and 5, with 0 meaning urgent
improvement is necessary and a 5 rating meaning hygiene standards are very good. The rating will
be based on criteria including food handling standards, how the food is prepared, cooked, cooled
and stored, the condition of the premises and the procedures in place to ensure the production of
safe food.
Businesses will be required to display their rating in a prominent position, such as at the entrance to
their premises, or face a fine. Following consultation on the proposals last year, the Bill includes
provisions enabling the scheme to be applied to businesses that do not deal directly with
consumers but supply food to other businesses.
There is also a new duty on food businesses to verbally inform customers of the food hygiene rating
for their establishment if requested, and an associated offence if they refuse to do so. This will allow
people with impaired vision or enquiring by telephone to establish the hygiene rating of an
establishment before deciding whether to buy from there.
If the Bill becomes law, it is expected the earliest a mandatory scheme will come into operation will be late 2013, to allow businesses
to prepare. The right to appeal is also enshrined within the Bill.
To examine the Bill as it currently stands, visit: http://tinyurl.com/welshfoodhygiene
Superfast Broadband Benefits Business
Business Minister Edwina Hart has good news for the Welsh business sector. In a statement to Assembly Members, Mrs
Hart unveiled details of the Government’s Superfast Cymru programme, aimed at delivering high speed fibre broadband
the length and breadth of Wales. Preparations for the roll-out of the scheme are already underway in selected unitary
authorities and Gwynedd is at the top of the list.
Mrs Hart said: “The Superfast Cymru programme is set to transform the
broadband landscape in Wales and to promote economic growth and
sustainable jobs. It will ensure we are at the forefront of the global digital
economy and help to champion Wales as a great place to live, work, invest and
visit.” European Regional Development Fund structural funding worth
£80million has been allocated to the programme, and the Government’s
programme partner BT is engaging with planning and highway authorities over
installation of the new network.
The first communities to benefit when roll-out begins in 2013 will be in Bangor, Caernarfon, Dolgellau, Ebbw Vale, Menai
Bridge, Porthmadog, Pwllheli and Tredegar. Roll-out will be underway in all Wales’ unitary authorities by 2014/15.
The new fibre broadband will deliver a significant uplift in performance, ensuring Wales has access to broadband speeds
of up to 80Mbps, with ultra-fast broadband providing even faster speeds should businesses need it. As a result, when
combined with private sector activity, 96% of premises in Wales will have access to world class broadband speeds.
For details, updates, and to register your interest, visit: www.superfast-wales.com/home
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www.gwyneddbusnes.net
Businesses Enabled
Art Around the World
Over 50 Gwynedd businesses benefited from grants totalling
a quarter of a million pounds during last year. The Enable
project encouraged both new enterprise ideas and existing
organisations who wished to develop new products or services.
Funds ranging from £500 to £50,000 were available from the
scheme with grant contribution up to a maximum of 50% of
the total project cost.
A local artist is gaining an increasingly high profile
international reputation, as her work is being exhibited in
galleries around the world. In the month of February alone,
Sonja Benskin Mesher’s art was being viewed in countries
including Australia and Canada, the USA, Poland and Spain,
not to mention here in North Wales. Sonja moved to
Gwynedd in 1993, setting up her studio in a medieval
longhouse in Llanelltyd. Often using the natural enviroment
as inspiration, her work
is varied, from mixed
media paintings of the
Celtic landscape, large
abstract canvases, to
intimate or energetic
drawings, and sensitive
contemporary portraits.
Three dimensional work
is also undertaken, from sculpture, environmental art and
installations.
John Bowden from Rhiwlas owns Depth Productions, which
hires PA systems, sound and audio equipment as well as
installing permanent sound equipment. Through Enable John
has been able to purchase stage lights, a lighting desk and
other equipment suitable for events such as concerts and gigs,
shows, dramas, and ceremonies. Depth Productions has also
expanded to provide facilities for TV companies to record
content for programmes such as Bandit, Nodyn and Uned 5.
Another beneficiary of
the project is Dolgellau
photographer Erfyl Lloyd Davies.
Erfyl felt that it was essential for
the business to diversify and
make full use of new digital
media such as videography.
The Enable grant has now been fully allocated but business
support and advice is still available, as is financial assistance
through the Farming Families Fund.
Sonja’s early work included a design for British Airways, which
received an award and was featured in the Sunday Times. She
is currently accepting commissions for
illustration work, and recent briefs have
included work for The Tabernacle, The
Museum of Modern Art Wales, and a
children’s illustrated storybook. Sonja
also runs art workshops for groups
or individuals, and Master Classes for
abstract work and art work practice.
Altar piece three
www.sonja-benskin-mesher.com
E-mail: enable@annog.com or call: 01766 514057
Prize for Local Campaigners
Harlech and Ardudwy Leisure were thrilled to receive £5,000 in the Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards in a ceremony
that took place at Carden Park Hotel, Chester, in November last year. Anwen Barry (pictured, left of photo) was pleased to
accept the award on behalf of the group, for runner up in the Best Entrepreneurial Charity or Social Enterprise category.
This recognition comes as a new chapter in a remarkable story. A community group
was first formed as a result of Gwynedd Council’s decision to close Harlech Pool
in 2007. Since that time, Harlech and Ardudwy Leisure have managed to
successfully apply for grants from different bodies, including the Welsh
Government and the Big Lottery, towards a total project cost of £842,000. The
funding has enabled major improvements to be carried out at the facility which
were completed during the early part of 2012. A new climbing wall and a dedicated
bouldering room next door have been constructed; the pool area and its facilities
have been refurbished; there’s a new reception and fifty-seater café complete with
external sun terrace. www.harlechpool.com
www.gwyneddbusnes.net
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Busy Start to the Year for
Inigo Jones
Authentic Taste of Wales at Corris
William Roache, the actor who plays Ken Barlow in Coronation
Street, unveiled a slate plaque in January to commemorate
the recent redevelopment of St David’s Hospice, Llandudno.
Supplied by Inigo Jones Slate Works, near Caernarfon, the
plaque marks the completion of a work programme, which
started in 2011, cost £1.3million and was paid for by the
Helping Hands appeal. There’s now improved patient privacy
with the conversion of six existing beds into single-bedroom
accommodation, three additional bedrooms, new relatives’
day lounge and a refurbished Day Care Unit. Roache was
educated at Rydal School in Colwyn Bay, and is Honorary
President of the Hospice. A local charity, St David’s provides
end of life care, free of charge, to adult patients from across
North West Wales and supports those closest to them.
Building on the success of a new Welsh food and drink shop
opened in summer last year, the proprietors of Bwtri Y Crochan
are now pleased to extend its product range. The Easter
holiday will see the launch of a special selection of hand-baked
biscuits, joining the new Y Crochan Bara Brith, freshly baked on
the premises using the finest local ingredients.
Bara Brith Baked on the Premises
The new lines have been possible due to the purchase of
state-of-the-art catering technology including a combination
oven, with regulated ambient temperature and ample shelf
space for the batch production of delicious biscuits and cakes.
Presentation and storage are enhanced by a new chilled display
cabinet. Says Natalia Mascaro, Manager of Y Crochan café and
Bwtri Y Crochan: “Our message could not be clearer; the café
has its own larder of fine Welsh ingredients, which are used by
the café to bake delicious biscuits and cakes, which in turn are
also sold in Bwtri Y Crochan for our visitors to enjoy at home.”
© Charles Ward Photography: www.charlesgward.com
At another ceremony in January the foundation stone was
laid for the new Bangor-based arts and innovation centre by
Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Education and Skills.
The £44m centre is set to offer state-of-the-art facilities that
meet the needs of local communities and businesses. It will
provide a theatre, studio theatre, cinema, design and
innovation studio, together with teaching and learning
facilities. Mr Andrews said: “I am confident that this
significant development – which the Welsh Government has
supported – will provide a major boost to the arts and to
innovation, not just within the University, or in Bangor, but in
the region more generally.” Inigo Jones engraved and
supplied the foundation stone which is in Jura marble.
Production of this range of delicious produce has been enabled
via a grant received from the Local Investment Fund, which
awards capital grants of up to 40% to local businesses. Bwtri Y
Crochan is next door to Y Crochan café and is part of the Corris
Craft Centre complex. Its shelves are stocked with
appetizing produce which has been grown, reared and
produced in Wales. On offer are a selection of Welsh cheeses,
preserves, patés and fresh farm meats. A range of Welsh beers,
wines and liqueurs together with Welsh chocolates, biscuits,
fudge and cakes are also stocked. Bespoke Hampers are
available all year round.
The deli is only open during weekends up
to Monday 18th March, after which both
Bwtri Y Crochan and the café will be open
seven days a week.
www.corriscraftcentre.co.uk/cafe/index.php
www.inigojones.co.uk
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http://tinyurl.com/GwyneddLIF
www.gwyneddbusnes.net
Opportunities for Community Groups
Business Supporting Communities (B2C) is a new three-year venture, launched in 2012 to encourage partnership between
businesses and the third sector. Backed by the Big Lottery fund, Anglesey and Gwynedd is one of the three North Wales regions
to benefit from a grant of £810,000 to undertake mutually beneficial initiatives.
One such scheme is B2C Share, encouraging business owners to share resources such as meeting rooms and spare training course
places. Then there’s the B2C Community Card, allowing participating members to access discounts on local goods and services from
businesses in the B2C Business Directory. A series of workshops will also be on offer, as part of the Professionals initiative. A number
of experts in various fields have been sourced to speak to volunteer groups on specialist subjects and scheduled events include:
• Master Class, Trustees, Getting it right, 17th April, Bangor
• Advice Session, Community Accounts, 1st May, Dolgellau
• Master Class: Approaching Businesses, date and venue to be confirmed
There will also be a networking session in the summer, providing community groups with a chance to meet local businesses in an
informal environment.
Contact B2C Project Officer Emily Williamson on 01286 672626 or email: emily@b2cwales.co.uk
PAYE in Real Time
From April 6th 2013 employers will have to start reporting PAYE information to HMRC in real time. The data must be supplied
every time an employee is paid and at the time of payment. This “real time information” or “RTI” will need to be relayed by using
appropriate computer software in order to allow electronic transmission.
Pwllheli based Cambrian Software (UK) Ltd are now in the process of releasing the latest version of their ‘Camsoft Payroll’ software,
which can be used by employers to create payslips and convey the correct data to HMRC. With a track record spanning over
twenty-five years, the team at Cambrian pride themselves on producing software that is simple to use, backed by exemplary
customer service if help is needed.
www.cambriansoftware.co.uk
Success in the Air for Tech Company
The New Year brought good news for Caernarfon based PPM Technology with the announcement
of a new contract in Shanxi Province, China. Via Science International, PPM’s main distributor in the
country, the company has successfully tendered to supply equipment to facilitate health inspections.
The “Formaldemeter”, a tool which measures the concentration of formaldehyde in the air, is used to
ensure new health and safety standards in industry, the workplace and homes are properly enforced.
The contract is to supply 119 Formaldemeter Htv units, the latest 3-parameter instrument from
PPM which measures airborne formaldehyde concentrations as well as ambient temperature and
humidity levels. Formaldehyde is a colourless gas, the toxicity and volatility of which pose significant
health risks in relatively small concentrations.
China has always been a major market for PPM and with the continued support of their best-selling
distributor Science International the company are confident this will continue for years to come. Contracts with the Far East have
now exceeded £100,000 in value, and the company exports to thirty different countries globally. PPM employ ten workers at their
plant on the Cibyn Industrial Estate. www.ppm-technology.com
www.gwyneddbusnes.net
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In Brief
Share your Experience
Boatshed Sails Off with International Award
Gwynedd Businesses are being asked for their views on the
availability of funding for Small and Medium sized Enterprises
(SMEs). The Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and
Science has asked Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, University
of Wales, to examine how effectively Welsh businesses can
access existing sources of private sector funding. Your views are
requested by Friday 29 March on:
Boatshed North Wales.com, the used yacht brokerage based
in Pwllheli Marine Centre, has managed to retain its title and
has been awarded the prestigious Boatshed.com Broker of the
Year award for the second year running. The presentation
took place at a ceremony in London on 16th January 2012.
• The main problems faced by your business in accessing
finance during the last three years
• The relationship you have with your main lender and
whether this has changed during the last three years
• Whether you have successfully accessed funding through
new programmes such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee
and the Funding for Lending Scheme, and how they are
helping your business
• How the Welsh Government can support lending for
business
Please submit your views to:
AccessToFinanceReview@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Calling All Arthurs
For this year only King Arthur’s Labyrinth is
offering a very special deal with just one condition
– you have to be an Arthur! The Corris based
tourist attraction celebrates the myths and
legends of the mighty Arthur Pendragon, and
throughout 2013 all Arthurs have the chance to
visit free of charge. King Arthur is a legendary
British leader of the late 5th and early 6th
centuries, who, according to medieval histories
and romances, led the defence of Britain against
Saxon invaders. Legend has it that he will return one day at his
country’s hour of greatest need. This saga and many more
unfold, as you explore the vast underground caverns and
winding tunnels of the Labyrinth. Everyone who shares Arthur
Pendragon’s first name just needs to present a valid
photographic driving licence or passport to receive a free
underground adventure.
www.kingarthurslabyrinth.co.uk
GBN Gala Dinner
Be sure to leave some free space in your diary for the week
commencing 20th May – Gwynedd Business Week. Thursday
23rd of May is the night of the Gwynedd Business Week Gala
Dinner, which will be held this year at the Management Centre,
Bangor. One of the highlights of the glittering evening is the
awards ceremony when three awards will be given, including the
coveted Gwynedd Business Person of the Year. Further details
will be circulated in the run-up to the event.
Caroline and Andy Topham Boatshed North Wales
http://northwales.boatshed.com/
GBN Thank You
Gwynedd Business Network would like to thank Parker
O’Regan Tann & Co, the Bangor accountants, for their continued
support in preparing the accounts for a nominal fee.
www.port.ac
Any Comments
We hope you have enjoyed this, our latest Gwynedd Business
Network Newsletter. We would greatly appreciate your input.
If you have any comments, or ideas on ways in which we can
improve it, then please don’t hesitate to let us know.
E-mail Editor Jacquie Knowles on:
Jacquie.Knowles@btconnect.com
To join (membership is FREE) or to find
out more about the Network visit:
www.gwyneddbusnes.net
© 2013 Gwynedd Business Network
Written and edited by: Jacquie Knowles
Design by:
Please note that the publishers cannot be held
responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions therein.
www.gwyneddbusnes.net
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