Author: Alan Shaw

Despite receiving many ungenerous comments about its architecture, the Lichfield Garrick has a full and very active programme of events for the foreseeable future. The main theatre is currently showing Sheridan’s “The Rivals” but on our normal Club night a select few of our members went to watch the Lichfield Players giving us their version of “Rough Justice” - a courtroom drama where a well-known local celebrity admitted to having killed his own severely disabled son. The plot portrayed lots of stuffiness in our judicial system and courtroom protocols, and the real twist in the tail, of course, was that the man did not do it at all. Unfortunately, in the course of trying to convince everyone that he did do it, he rather got up the judge’s nose and was made to pay anyway. Hurrah for the Lichfield Players who made a thoroughly professional job of their performance.

August Social
In August we plan to hold a joint social evening with Burton Business Club and we shall be hosting the event. Unfortunately, we have drawn a blank on several of our possible activities for one reason or another. We are currently looking for a venue in or near Lichfield where we could stage a hosted event that could include a mixture of pub games. Does any member know of such a place? If so please contact Warren or Alan with details so that we can look into it. Many thanks.
Different by Design
This is a project specific to Staffordshire that was launched in November 2003. It is 50% funded by Advantage West Midlands and is facilitated by Staffordshire University. If you are interested in finding out more about how you can access expert help for design and product development at a fraction of its real cost, contact Bruce Wood, Project Director on 01782 343892 for an initial chat, or visit the web-site at www.dxd.org.uk. There are currently 33 firms involved with this project, with room for just another 17 - why not you?
Chair & Membership Secretary - Debbie Baker- Thomas 01543 308621
Vice Chair and Treasurer –Chris Edwards - 01543 263915
Newsletter and Club Programme –Alan Shaw - 01889 584147
Social Secretary – Sandra Booth - 01785 353808
Member – Andy Laverick – 08707 456280
Secretary – Warren Bradley – 01543 472747

Lichfield Garrick Theatre…

Other Information

Despatches

2004 Club Programme
5th May - De-clutter your life, put a zing in your day! Liz Wilson, Columbus Coaching
2nd June - Computer Tips & Tricks Surgery, including file management, security, spam and searching the Internet
7th July - Developments in Staffs Business Link (TBC)
4th August - Social with Burton Business Club (see main body of text)
1st September - Personal Development
6th October - Business Topic
3rd November - AGM plus Lichfield Festival
1st December - Social - Xmas Party

Lichfield District Business Club Newsletter

April 2004

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

Club member and social secretary, Sandra Booth, has recently been promoted to the post of Enterprise Director for Knowledge Transfer at Staffordshire University.
Knowledge Transfer (KT) is all about making the University more economically productive and relevant to the needs of industry by creating links between Higher Education (HE) and Business .This aspect of HE work, alongside teaching and research, is increasing in importance for the Government, the local economy and the University’s researchers. See www.hefce.ac.uk/reachout
KT provides an opportunity for industry to partner with Staffordshire University and to exploit our new knowledge, technologies and expertise within your business. This could be via student placements, contract research or consultancy. Increasingly the direct transfer of knowledge capital via the sale or assignment of intellectual property directly into business via licensing or the formation of a new business to exploit the industrial applications of research generated technology has become popular. In the last 12 months the knowledge transfer team has set up 7 new companies, filed 19 patents and negotiated 2 licence agreements with local manufacturers in order to commercialise the University’s industrially applicable research. See www.staffs.com/ip
In order to promote the benefits of University and business collaboration KT is supported by a variety of DTI, AWM and Business Link schemes for example the Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme See www.ktponline.org.uk
If you want to know how partnering with the University might benefit your business contact Sandra on 01785 353808 or by email Sandra.booth@staffs.ac.uk
.

Lichfield Business Village
The Friary
Lichfield WS13 6QG

Lichfield District Business Club Newsletter

Phone: 01543 308620
Fax: 01543 308622
Email: hawthornes@lichfield.biz

Promoting interaction in local business

In a nutshell … Club members’ businesses

Peter B. Jackson MLIA(dip) is a trained Financial Services Consultant and a Member of the Life Insurance Association by Diploma.
The business currently operates in two spheres.
Debt management for private individuals who have incurred a level of debt that they can no longer service on their own.
2. Financial and Business Protection for both individuals and businesses The areas covered are comprehensive and include life assurance, director and share protection, Pension Planning, Investments & will writing. I also can place all types of liability insurance.
All policies are tailored to meet the client’s requirements. The business is usually conducted on client’s premises or in the home as appropriate and convenient.
Tel: 07802-987282
Keith Peace is retired but is considering involving himself in a commercial enterprise. He currently does volunteer work for charities and has produced a number of 'bespoke' databases to ease daily admin. A database can be very effective in the running of a business; it provides the opportunity to analyse data, or to complete a specific task, and you only need to input details once. He is currently working on a 'Company Management System', which deals with the administration of a business. It includes Sales, Purchases, Invoices, VAT, Profit and Loss, Budgets, Projects, Analysis, Reports, plus much more. If someone would like to test this (for free!), please contact Keith on: Tel: 01543 264344
Small businesses ignore the environment
More than 75% of small businesses have made no effort to reduce their impact on the environment, a study by the Environment Agency has revealed. The survey, which included more than 8,000 small and medium-sized enterprises from a range of sectors, showed that only 24% of respondents had any environmental policy in place. A further 82% of businesses could name no environmental regulations relating to their industry. The only small firms with any working knowledge of their environmental impacts were those required by their larger customers to have at least a workable policy and at most a full ISO 14001 certificate.
To see the full survey results, go to:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/

The Club is sponsored by Lloyds TSB, Barclays, SULC and Lichfield District Council

Despatches

Business Topic of the Month - Knowledge Transfer

Visit your Club web-site at
www.lichfieldbusinessclub.com - it exists to help you

www.lichfieldbusinessclub.com

Did you know…