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AND FINALLY . . . THE OVERNIGHT BREAD THAT WASN'T

So the plan was to let the dough rise very, very slowly overnight in a cool room and it would be ready to be baked in the morning.  Just like those YouTube videos... A quick check just before bed and the dough had gone completely crazy and was about to overflow all over the place.  And so the bread went into the oven at midnight and then no-one was going to bed until it was "quality checked" with some butter at 1:30am . . .  Today a 16 kg bag of bread flour has arrived . . .John @...

LAND OF OAK & IRON

Did you know that the Derwent Valley once played in building wooden sailing ships, in particular, the supply of oak and ironware to the shipbuilding ports on the south coast of England and particularly Greenwich on the Thames. It is more than likely oak was provided from Chopwell Wood, as in the case of HMS Sovereign of the Seas, built for Charles I (1625 – 1649) launched in 1637.You can read more about this here on the Land of Oak and Iron Website....

Is Virtual Networking Any Good?

We've had to quickly adapt to different ways of doing business. The feedback from our virtual meetings has been really positive and several of our members have had business enquiries and leads following the meetings. So please don’t just assume that people have stopped buying at present. Let's remind ourselves why we network... 1. To make business contacts2. Build relationships3. Learn something new such as "how to..."4. Share news and information5. Reduce isolation and build communi...

WHAT HELP DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED RIGHT NOW? PLEASE LET US KNOW.

Businesses need lots of help and support at this difficult time. We're working with other networks and organisations to co-ordinate packages of vital support for our businesses. This week, we'll be speaking with MPs and local authorities about urgent help for our business communities. We want to ensure that it is effective and properly co-ordinated. It's really important that we understand what support will be the most useful to your business at present. For example: Rent / rates relief, help to...

TRAVEL & COVID-19

From Hays Travel for Business . . . We are using the attached images across our social media channels which we would be delighted if anyone can share. As this is a time of uncertainty not only for the travel industry but on a global scale for many, many companies. Airlines are following FCO advice and cancelling flights for the foreseeable. With this in mind, Hays Travel and Hays Travel for Business are encouraging all holidaymakers and business travel clients to amend their bookings f...

HOW DBN WILL SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS.

We're very concerned about the impact of the pandemic on our small business community and we want to do everything possible to support our members at this difficult time. We met up with some of our members this morning and agreed to take the following positive actions. From today, we will extend the membership period of all our current members by two months. We are doing this to give extra support to our local business community when they need it most. This means you will get two additional mont...

March DBN Meeting Postponed

Hello! As you know the situation has changed significantly since we contacted everyone earlier this morning. Clearly we can't run a DBN meeting in the light of the recent Government advice so we are postponing the meeting on Tuesday 17th March. We're very sorry about this but our priority must be to protect people and try to prevent the virus from spreading. People have still been booking to attend as late as 9pm this evening but we simply cannot run the risk of holding the event. We (the DBN Te...

Business as usual with DBN

Be a Business Star with DBN on Tuesday, 17th March 2020. Over the weekend some of our members were in touch asking if our meeting is still going ahead. We’ve decided to go ahead having given a lot of consideration to the facts (e.g. number of confirmed cases in the region) but we totally understand if people don’t feel comfortable in attending and would like to cancel. Please let us know. We're adding an extra item to our agenda tomorrow on business continuity planning and how our small busi...

Free expert business advice, support and mentoring for businesses in Chester-le-Street

If you run a small business, it’s important to get some extra help, guidance and support from time to time. From April 2020 DBN's Leading Businesses Programme will be delivering hands-on support to businesses in Chester-le-Street. We have experts waiting to give you the personalised, free advice you need. Get straightforward help, advice and mentoring with issues such as:Planning your future business journeyBetter social media and digital marketingSuccessful sales techniquesGett...

LAST CALL FOR MENTORS FOR OUR LEADING BUSINESSES PROGRAMME

CAN YOU INSPIRE BUSINESSES TO GROW IN CHESTER-LE-STREET? Leading Businesses is a growth programme managed by DBN to support businesses in Chester-le-Street. We will use the knowledge and skills of small business owners to lead other local businesses through a series of mini-workshops and mentoring. We have already delivered two highly successful Leading Business Programmes in the Derwent Valley and we're delighted that Chester-le-Street AAP is sponsoring the programme in 2020. Leading Busin...

NORIKO'S CREATOR'S DESK

A Japanese newspaper reporter got in touch with me a while ago and told me about their new column called ‘Creator’s Desk @ Artist’s Workplace.’ This column is aimed at teenagers to help them boost their dreams and goals, and they wanted me to appear in their first column. What an honour!The three items on this artist's desk are Sketchbooks, Coloured Pencils and a Treasure Map.You can read the full article by clicking here....

DIGITAL DRIVE COUNTY DURHAM - FAST TRACK APPLICATIONS LIVE

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IT'S ALL GO FOR JOANNE

I'm now booked up for commissions until September 2020!  I'm thrilled about that, it's fabulous that people love what I do enough to trust me with a drawing of their treasured pets. Once spaces are full, until Christmas, we'll move to a waiting list system which I'll open up if time becomes available due to drawings going faster than expected. I knew I needed to free up some more time from somewhere, to create more space to draw, so while I hadn't PLANNED to build a new website early t...

FOCUS ON A SPECIAL OFFER FROM PHIL

Talented photographer and DBN member Phil Benton is offering free delivery on everything ordered through his website with 10% discount on all orders over £25. And you can also buy direct from Phil at his upcoming events at Metro Centre, Gateshead - March 19 - March 22 and April 9 - April 12....

VIRTUAL OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE IN CONSETT AND CHESTER-LE-STREET

Many small businesses face the dilemma of how to best portray their business location. The advantages of working from home are balanced against the professional image that a dedicated business address portrays. Recognising the increasing demand for more flexible options CDC Enterprise Agency are now offering Virtual Offices in their Consett and Chester-le-Street locations. A low cost alternative to having dedicated space, the virtual office can be used as a mailing address, registered address or...

BUDDY BENCH COMPANY PLEDGES TO SUPPORT NSPCC IN ANTI-BULLYING BID

A DBN member that manufactures Buddy Benches for schools has pledged to raise £1,700 a year for children’s charity the NSPCC.  Marmax Products Ltd, which specialise in recycled products, will raise the money through the sale of their buddy benches to provide funding for the charity’s school services in the North East. Managing Director of Marmax, Jackie Robshaw said, “Our Buddy Benches are created to make sure every child has an opportunity to be included, breaking down the barriers ...

TAYLOREDFIT PHYSIO GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Tayloredfit Physio continues to go from strength to strength after moving premises less than 2 years ago. Based in Langley Park, just outside Durham, in a beautifully renovated and converted old baptist chapel, Tayloredfit Physio provide all things physio, health and wellness. They continue to increase their team and have been shortlisted for 3 awards this year! With the FSB, they are finalists in the micro business of the year and self employed/ sole trader of the year, and also with the N...

ANN ENGLISH PRODUCES A NEW DOODLE ABOUT DBN BUSINESS WISDOM AND NICKIE GOTT

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'Do Business' Network Newsletter - March 2020

Hot off the press!  Our March Newsletter can be read here!...

DBN at The Owl & Otter [18th February 2020]

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TWO USEFUL BLOGS FROM HARLANDS WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Get to grips with your pension this year Year End Tax Planning (a little goes a long way) If anyone has any questions regarding these blogs or needs some advice, please contact Gary Donnelly at HWM on 01207 581 717 or email gary.donnelly@sjpp.co.uk....

HAVE YOUR SAY

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service has launched a consultation on its plans for the next few years. The Service is seeking the views of the public to help it make decisions on how it uses resources to prevent and respond to fires and other emergencies. The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service Consultation runs for 12 weeks until 6th March 2020. Please click here to go to the dedicated website page or click on the logo below....

CAN KNOWING WHO YOU ARE AT THE DEEPEST LEVEL HELP YOU IN BUSINESS?

Colin, of All One Planet, says "Yes! During the past decade, I've been on many retreats to Awaken me to who and what I am. When I gained the experience (called a Satori in Zen Buddhism), my business began to change as I started to make decisions from a place of confidence, trust and decisiveness." Talk to Colin about how you can quickly get on trend and make decisions for your business (and life) from a place of certainty. Colin is offering a Heal With Bliss meditation retreat in April. Do you k...

BIOTOOLOMICS LTD EXPANDS AT NUMBER ONE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, CONSETT

Whittle Jones, agents acting on behalf of Northern Trust Company Ltd, are pleased to announce that BioToolomics Ltd have expanded their operations at the Number One Industrial Estate. Consett. BioToolomics have been occupiers on the estate since 2012 and approached Whittle Jones about taking additional space to complement their existing 1,550 sq ft laboratory facility. A 5 year lease was agreed on Unit 32B which takes their occupancy to over 6,600 sq ft. Chad Zhang, Managing Director at BioToolo...

DBN IS LOOKING FOR MENTORS FOR ITS LEADING BUSINESSES PROGRAMME

CAN YOU INSPIRE BUSINESSES TO GROW IN CHESTER-LE-STREET?Leading Businesses is a growth programme managed by DBN to support businesses in Chester-le-Street. We will use the knowledge and skills of small business owners to lead other local businesses through a series of mini-workshops and mentoring. We have already delivered two highly successful Leading Business Programmes in the Derwent Valley and we're delighted that Chester-le-Street AAP is sponsoring the programme in 2020. Leading Businesses ...