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PLEASE SUPPORT MACCINE'S MOONWALK

On May 11th I will be walking 26.2 miles through London at night in a decorated bra, yes really!! WHY? You may well ask... To raise money for FACT ‘Fighting All Cancers Together’. This is so important to me because my Mam lost her fight with cancer 24 years ago and our family had no support. FACT provides support to family, friends, work colleagues and anyone who is affected by cancer. FACT wants to build the UK’s first Cancer, Support, Awareness, and Education centre here in the North Eas...

NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGE?

Are you looking for a new volunteering challenge this year? Would you like to help the Derwent Valley Partnership (DVP) identify local issues, develop projects to help tackle these and have a say in where our funding is spent? If the answer is yes, then 2019 is the year that you can get involved! The DVP has two vacancies within its public representative category, this is an exciting opportunity for anyone living, working, studying or volunteering within the area, with a keen interest in their c...

VIDEO FROM DBN MEMBER BRENDA BEVERIDGE : 5 REASONS TO HAVE A WILL IN PLACE

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ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR BUSINESS ENERGY?

Do you wish there was a quick and easy way of finding out? Well Great Annual Savings bill doctor service might just be the answer! Too busy to talk now? That's fine with us. All you need to do is let us know when is best for you and one of our team of experts will give you a call to perform a full health check of your bills. If we find that you are being overcharged, we'll utilise our unique partnerships with some of the UK’s leading energy suppliers to present you with cheaper optio...

TANYA'S RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

At our networking event in February we handed out some jars of Amor Spice Hot Chilli Sauce, made by one of our members Tanya Smiley. We received lots of great comments about the sauce and we asked Tanya to tell us something about how she started her business. "Hot chilli was never my thing despite being of Afro-Caribbean descent! Then one day my dad made some homemade chilli which sparked an interest to make my own sauce and to adapt it to my own taste buds. Amor Spice was bo...

MEET ED FROM DURHAM PAT TESTING

Durham PAT Testing is one of the few portable testing appliance companies in the North East run by a qualified Electrician. Ed Gorman served a four-year apprenticeship at British Steel Consett Works before it’s closure and has been testing appliances since 1990. He set up his own company almost 11 years ago, and from a small beginning now tests for companies large and small all over Co. Durham. Some of his larger contracts now include companies such as Hitachi Rail and Thorn Lighting, as ...

BUSINESS LOANS AND GROWTH CAPITAL FROM NEL FUND MANAGERS

The North East Growth Capital Fund (supported by The European Regional Development Fund) backs ambitious businesses looking to realise their growth potential and create new jobs.Investments of up to £500,000Terms of up to 5 yearsUnsecured finance, without the need for Director's GuaranteesBespoke terms tailored to meet business needsThe North East Small Loan Fund (supported by The European Regional Development Fund) supports small businesses with big plans.Typical investment range £1...

DBN MEMBERS UP FOR FSB AWARD

Savvy Solos and Media Borne are both in the running for FSB North East Start-Up of The Year Award. Good luck  - we've got our fingers crossed for both of you. Nicola of Savvy Solos said "we are absolutely stunned and delighted" and Gavin of Media Borne said "We’ve been nominated for start-up business of the year and are now one of the 5 finalists! Thanks to everyone for the support over the last year it means so much to be nominated and would be unreal if with took this hom...

3 TIPS TO REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE SAYING WHEN TALKING TO CAMERA USING POST IT NOTES

We know that going live or recording a video is hard when you can remember what your saying. Here is an awesome and affordable way of remembering what you're saying during your video marketing attempts. Having a post-it note just above your lens allows you to write a couple of prompts so that if you go off topic you can quickly glance at the post-it note and remember what you're saying....

MOTHER'S DAY OFFER FROM IMAGO SKINCARE

In honour of all mothers everywhere, visit my website to get 20% off all skincare collections.  Choose from full size or travel size skincare collections, available for three different skin types, Helping Hands Collection, Revitaleyes Collection or Skin Booster Collection.  Lets show them how much we care with handmade, natural skincare gifts.  Starting from £18.40, there's a perfect gift for all those gorgeous Mothers out there. Please note, this is an offer only available from ...

HOW CAN DBN HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

What mentoring and training support does your business need in 2019?  We need your input please!  In recent years we have delivered mentoring and training to give practical, hands-on support for our members.  We'd like to offer more of this going forward but first we need to know more about the support you need. Please can you complete the short survey by clicking here or on the logo below before 19th March if possible please.  This will help us plan how we can...

DBN BLOGWATCH

Several of our members maintain excellent blogs filled with really useful tips and interesting information.  Here are our recommended blogs for March.  Please take a few minutes to read through them and let us know if you would like your blog to be featured in the next newsletter. Nathalie's Book BlogMedia Borne on Brand IdentityElm Marketing on Planning a new WebsiteVindomora Hagg Community Archaeology Project...

Department for International Trade - The Brexit Deal Explained

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is at the heart of EU Exit delivery. We are responsible for helping businesses export, driving inward and outward investment, preparing to negotiate market access and trade deals, and championing free trade.  To help the British public and businesses understand what the deal will deliver, Her Majesty’s Government has launched the ‘Brexit Deal Explained’ website. This website explains the Withdrawal Agreement, which sets out the te...

Preparing for Brexit

The North East Chamber of Commerce reported recently that 47.2% of businesses felt underprepared for Brexit, with most taking little or no action to prepare. With this in mind, and with the 29 March 2019 looming, it’s essential that businesses begin to make preparations. We’ve brought together business support and access to finance schemes, resources and events to help your business prepare for Brexit. Also, if you are a non-UK staff employer, please take our survey ...

OVER £4M OF TAX RECLAIM SHOWS INNOVATION BLOSSOMED IN 2018

Durham-based research and development (R&D) tax specialists, Lumo, are hailing 2018 ‘the year of innovation’ in the North East following a significant increase in successful tax relief claims for inventive projects and solutions across the region and beyond. The last 12 months has seen R&D tax relief claims handled by Lumo rise over 160 per cent, across diverse sectors, including life sciences, food and drink, science and technology and manufacturing. Local projects have included a waterfall...

ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR BUSINESS ENERGY? GREAT ANNUAL SAVINGS CAN HELP YOU.

Our main goal is to ensure you make savings in the easiest, simplest, hassle-free way. We understand that most businesses don’t have time to go through a long drawn out process and that is why our team of experts are here to do the hard work for you.  We possess more expertise across the spectrum of commercial running costs than any other cost reduction consultancy in the country. This includes energy procurement and management; waste management; telecoms; business insurance; water manage...

THE LABEL OF SUCCESS - CAN YOU HELP ROBSON PRINT?

2018 was a great year for Robson Print we invested in a new press which allows us to print white and create some pretty fancy finishing and we are continuing our growth for 2019. We are producing an increasing number of labels for our customers (that’s what happens when you have the amazing Fentimans on your doorstep) so we are looking to invest in a label printing equipment. To ensure we can satisfy the requirements of future customers as well as those we already produce labels for I am condu...

THE STEADFAST GROUP UNVEILED AS NEW SPONSORS OF CONSETT FC

The Steadfast Group has announced a sponsorship of Consett FC as the Northern League Division One side bids for promotion. The company is supporting the table-topping North West Durham side in what is hoped will be a successful season but is already in talks over a long-term commitment to the Steelmen. Steadfast’s business development manager Mike McGaun, believes the move will be important in raising the company’s profile west of the city of Durham. He said: “I come from out that way and ...

LINDA HAS DESIGNS FOR YOUR HOME AND BUSINESS

At a recent DBN meeting we asked Linda Lewis how she started her decorating and design business Decorelle. Linda told us, "I started my business in May 2008 after being persuaded and encouraged by family and friends. I had been interested in decorating and design as a hobby in my teens and helped friends, neighbours and colleagues over many years. I was lucky to do a City and Guilds course in Interiors in 1994 and really loved it. I can offer advice on colour schemes and budg...

PRODUCTS THAT ARE UNIQUELY YOURS

Designs Unique have recently invested in new state of the art sublimation printing equipment to expand their range of products to compliment their greeting card ranges. They are now offering this service to businesses, artists and individuals. The type of products that can be produced are mugs (ideal as business promotion or staff gifts), notebooks, wooden plaques, coasters, tote bags, hip flasks, cushions to name but a few. To view some of the products simply click on the image above. All ...

CONGRATULATIONS!

Huge congratulations to Nicola and Mike from all your friends at DBN.  The wonderful photo says it all! ...

BUILDING SELF-BELIEF LAUNCH IS A GREAT SUCCESS

Alongside their work in supporting schools, Christine and Peter Thomas recently launched Building Self-Belief, a charity which uses their skills in teaching to develop and deliver programmes where the arts, teaching skills and motivational techniques help to build resilience and self-esteem in young people. Christine told us "Our programmes are proving to be a great success and to celebrate this in full we organised a launch to ensure as many people as possible could share in our success. W...

IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO JUMP ON VIDEO - IT'S NOW. 2019 IS THE YEAR OF THE VIDEO . . .

From James Ibbitson at Visual Punch . . there has never been such a huge demand for video thanks to big social corporations rewarding businesses that use video with reach and clicks. Here’s why you should be using video in 2019: Video makes money – It’s an investment, not a cost. Video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80%. Imagine that. And get this… brands that use video marketing grow their year over year revenue 49% faster than brands that don’t.Getting video ...

CELEBRATE YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE FSB SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS

Last year DBN entered the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards and we won . . . so if we can do it, you can too! The Awards recognise the best small businesses and the self-employed from right across the UK, from every sector and industry and from businesses of all ages and all sizes. They are the leading celebration of small businesses, shining a light on some of the best, most innovative and most determined small businesses. This is why we choose to keep entries to the awards f...

CONGRATULATIONS TO BeeMyHome FOR WINNING PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

BeeMyHome picked up the Silver Award for Best Regional Agency at the prestigious Negotiator Awards at The Grosvenor, London in November.The Negotiator Awards is the UK's leading awards programme and an award from The Negotiator is the highest accolade an agency or property company can receive. With over 750 guests, made up of company directors, senior managers and business owners the event is growing in popularity and stature every year. The Negotiator Awards was held at the ...