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BEAMISH MUSEUM TO REOPEN ON 23rd JULY

We’re excited to announce that Beamish will be reopening its doors on 23rd July 2020!  We’ve missed you all and can’t wait to welcome you back to the museum. The safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers is our top priority as always and we’re working through the details of the Government announcement, and will be sharing more information soon about visiting Beamish. To keep everyone safe, we’re introducing additional health and hygiene measures across our 350-acre open air mus...

VISUAL MARKETING PROJECT - FEEDBACK

Sharron Skeen of Westwood Accountancy Ltd - "Fantastic session and very informative, gave me lots to think about. Thank you, ladies!" Jan Cook of Jan Cook Wills and Trusts - "Was a great session. Really enjoyed it. Well done for keeping us all going on that heat. See you for Part 2"Joanne Rowland of Joanne Rowland Art - "Was a fabulous session! Thanks everyone x"Ann English of Create Intrigue - "Thanks for enabling this fully-funded course to go ahead to support local SME's Business Durham ...

Do Business Local Campaign

We're launching our #DOBUSINESSLOCAL campaign to encourage everyone to support local businesses.  We especially want to help our Local Authorities to identify and place contracts with local businesses. Organisations like DBN are in a great position to give support to our Local Authority procurement teams as we have extensive knowledge of local suppliers and their capabilities.  We would like to extend the offer of help in supporting Local Authorities to identify good local su...

NORIKO'S LATEST CARTOON

Another brilliant cartoon from Noriko as she navigates the perils of lockdown....

STAFF WELLBEING AS STAFF ENGAGEMENT

Our resident blogger, Jane Anderson, specialises in staff engagement and wellbeing through values-based intervention.  Here she discusses how her Staff Wellbeing Framework Model is actually staff engagement in action. ...

GILLIAN'S TOP TIP THIS WEEK

This week's top tip from Gillian: "A small problem is not daft. It is still a problem!"You can watch Gillian's video here....

STEELCRAFT UNVEILS PROTECTIVE SNEEZE SCREEN LINE

Metalwork and fabrication company Steelcraft Ltd, based on the Drum Industrial Estate in Chester-le-Street, has turned its hand to manufacturing protective screens to help businesses return to work safely after the coronavirus crisis. The family-run company, which specialises in supplying architectural metalwork, is planning to design and produce sneeze screens suitable for desks, counters and walkways to help local firms get back to business safely. Steelcraft, which has been operating for 30 y...

IAN'S CREATIVE CAREER

I was recently invited to be a guest on the amazing Creative Ways Podcast, a brilliant collection of creatives sharing their work, life and motivations.  Hosted by the very talented Emma Isaacs Design this creative show is filled with inspiring interviews with many successful creatives...and then there’s me! If you’d like to listen to me talk...then talk some more about my career as a creative, then click here (interview dated 3rd June 2020: "What's truly important?&...

NOW'S THE TIME TO SELL OR RENT YOUR HOME WITH BEEMYHOME

Free listing on Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket and nothing to pay until your home is sold! Many of our vendors conduct their own viewings however, so we have put together this simple checklist to help you when viewing or showing a propertyMaintain safe social distancing measures – 2 metres is recommendedSanitise your hands before entering a propertyDo not touch – vendors should leave doors open and lights on, so there is minimal risk of visitors touching handles or switchesUse your own tr...

I'VE LAUNCHED A NEW VIDEO SERIES!

That’s right, ‘All Talk, No Waffle’ is kicking off this month - with its first episode LIVE on YouTube - and I couldn’t be more excited.  I’ve finally had the time to think about my own marketing strategy and put in place something that I know I’ll enjoy, but that will also help my online community.  I can’t wait, and I really hope to see you all there!The purpose of the show is to show you how to create your own video content and how with little tweaks and changes with e...

SHARRON ZOOMS TO SUCCESS

I did my first training session for a client last week via Zoom, training her how to use Xero.  It worked a treat, and I know I will be doing more sessions in the future as I've got some more new clients lined up to use Xero so they will need training too.  I'm happy to train non-clients as well!  Drop me an email at sharron@westwoodaccountancy.com.  Regards, Sharron of Westwood Accountancy...

HIGH STREET HOSPITALITY

We have missed you all, and are delighted to be able to tell you that we are reopening our doors on 4th July (as long as government guidelines don't dictate otherwise), and we can't wait to welcome everyone back! We've been busy planning exactly what we can and can’t do, and have been working on very detailed plans of how we will run now and for the future.  All our staff will be retrained to ensure we are following all government guidelines  - maintaining our excellent customer...

A HUGE THANK YOU TO ANN ENGLISH

A huge thank you to Ann English for delivering a fabulous masterclass covering the A-Z of Virtual Visual Marketing.  The feedback has been amazing.Starting on 24 June, Ann English and Gillian Fortune will be taking us on a virtual visual marketing journey over four consecutive weeks.  As we reopen, we can't go back to how things were before.  The Visual Marketing Project is aimed at giving you the marketing know-how to engage, attract and boost sales – just what every business n...

NORIKO'S NEWEST CARTOON

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FURLOUGH SCHEME HAILED A SUCCESS

Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, has welcomed the massive positive benefit that the Government's furlough scheme has had in North West Durham and across the North East of England. In North West Durham alone, 10,500 people have directly benefited from the furlough scheme.  The knock on effects of that have been colossal, helping other businesses keep going through the global Coronavirus pandemic by ensuring local families are supported. Across the North East as a whole almost 300,00...

HOW ARE YOU PLANNING YOUR RETURN TO WORK? BUSINESS DURHAM WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

The business economy is facing challenging times right now and organisations are required to make fast paced changes to adapt to the conditions around us.  By understanding the impact that the Covid-19 Pandemic is having on our business community and economy it will help us to understand the further work that needs to take place in supporting businesses, and develop a robust economic recovery plan. We are particularly keen to understand how businesses are planning and implementing thei...

OWN-WORKING (WITH FRIENDS)

So how do you stay sane, day in, day out, working on your own?  Or lock-downing on your own?This week Jane Anderson highlights the importance of friendships.  To read more, please click here....

A PUZZLING TIME FOR PHIL . . .

Hello everyone, I've just launched a new product... I'm now doing JIGSAWS! They are just £25.00 each + postage.  Available with one of my photos on, these are going to be A3 size, 300 pieces. I've just picked up my first order!  Check out my website to see all the photos.  You will also get an A4 print which you can frame along with the jigsaw if you wish.  Below is a photo of my 1st one the Highland Cow and Calf. If you are interested please here to contact me through ...

STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS!

The next top tip from Gillian at Feel Good C.I.C.: Stop comparing yourself to others!  Click here to watch Gillian's video on Facebook....

HOW R&D TAX CREDITS CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS!

If your business has diversified into offering new products and services (such as PPE), chances are you have been innovating.  Innovation simply means investing in new processes and products, or enhancing existing ones.  If this sounds like your company, your business might qualify for R&D tax credits.  Here is a helpful introduction to download from Lumo explaining R&D tax for business owners....

A TOUCH OF MAGIC AT BEAMISH GARDEN CENTRE THIS WEEKEND

We’ve kept this little project quiet for a while but we’re pleased to be able to now show you a little sneak peak from our new Fairy Garden cabins. Now open!Just click here for more details....

INSTRUCTIONS BOOKING AS PROPERTY MARKET BEGINS TO REGAIN HEALTH

Following an extremely hectic few weeks, BeeMyHome is delighted to announce that with lockdown measures being relaxed, our phones are now busier than ever! It’s hardly surprising really.  Mortgage rates are at an all-time low, people are longing for more space and the freedom of gardens and parks, many are eager to move closer to family (or perhaps further away?!) and everyone is looking forward to a healthier, happier life within the constraints of the new normality. One common question ...

THANK YOU FROM THE BOAT SHACK!

We saw this message posted on Facebook by our friends at the Boat Shack.  They make a very important point about supporting local businesses.  We'd like to echo their message and to let you know that DBN is currently launching a campaign to encourage everyone to do just that.THANK YOU FROM THE BOAT SHACK!Over this time it is never easy for a business, adjusting to ensure government guidlines are met. Staying afloat to make sure you're still open after COVID 19.And it’s all down to th...

PEEKABOO!

I'm so pleased to be able to share these 3 children's books that I illustrated recently and now published by Bookoli. Little ones will love lifting the soft, felt flaps as they explore each animals surroundings and meet new friends along the way! Huge thanks as always to everyone at Bookoli and Curious Universe and especially Karl Tall for art directing another fun project.Ian Worrall-Dutton, Creative Director at Hello Munki Ltd...

IS YOUR BUSINESS LOOKING GREAT?

Our website and social media MOT service is proving to be very popular.  So please feel free to book your online MOT with DBN. Here's how it works. We invite a couple of our members to meet with you online to chat about what you want your website and social media to do for your business.  Over a few days they visit your website and media pages as "shoppers" and then give you constructive feedback about what works and what could be even better.  We have a checklist of things to loo...