Santa run: We’ll be there… with spirits!

Nothing prepares you for Christmas more than seeing several hundred ‘Santas’ gallivanting around a frosty field on a cold December morning!

We’ve been involved with the Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley’s Santa Fun Run for the last few years. The Reindeer Recruiters have tackled the three mile course while the less energetic members of the team have served up mulled wine and mince pies to the finishers.

This year’s run around Burghley Park is on December 11 – the day after our Christmas party. Bearing that in mind, we’ve decided we’ll be far more use sticking to the refreshment area than trying to drag our feet, which will no doubt be aching from all that dancing, around the course.

So we’d like to wish everyone who is planning on taking part lots of fun and luck. And we’ll be there at the end warming the wine and handing out the pies!

ACR cook off for Children In Need

Rather embarrassingly, I won this year’s ACR Bake Off in aid of Red Nose Day!

I promise it wasn’t fixed. And while I admitted to setting my alarm early to get up and bake rocky road before breakfast, that was more to do with running out of time the evening before than a desire to serve up ‘still warm from the oven’ treats!

The whole idea started off as a bit of fun and a money spinner for charity.
Things quickly got very competitive – it was almost cook books at dawn!

We had everything from Delia’s finest to ‘Granny’s family recipe’ among the offerings. There were quiches and brownies, muffins, cakes, savoury snacks and biscuits. Every portion was sold for a donation to the charity which was, of course, the winner in the end.

On the side, there was the option for each taster to vote for their favourite. The goodies were donated anonymously so it really can’t have been rigged!

We have a few new members of the team this year who are an unknown quantity in the kitchen so today in the ACR office could be interesting!

I’ll let you know who wins – and how much we raise!

Charity gala dinner – what a celebration!

I was privileged to be at the Gala Dinner marking the 15th anniversary of the Peterborough Business Support Group of the NSPCC yesterday (November 10).

I’ve personally supported the Group since it started and I’ve managed to persuade the rest of the ACR team to get involved in various fundraising stunts over the years to help boost the Group’s bank account.

As a mum, any child-related cause is always going to feel like a worthy one. But what particularly appeals about the Peterborough Business Support Group is that all the money it raises goes to support vulnerable children in this area.

There are almost 200 children desperately needing supporting in Peterborough alone – the way I see it, that’s 200 reasons to do something.

The event, held at Peterborough Marriott Hotel, felt like the celebration it was.

There was a draw for a Mulberry handbag, some amazing auction prizes including use of a Florida villa and a ‘money can’t buy’ evening at the opera with Penny Smith which went for an incredible £3,500.

Penny Smith was the special guest and gave an after dinner speech recalling her time as a cub reporter on the Peterborough Evening Telegraph and spilling some secrets from the GMTV sofa.

I think the high point of the night though was the tribute paid by a representative of the NSPCC to the Group’s Chairman Chris Collier. I’m proud to know Chris and he is one of those incredibly humble people who will fight tooth and nail for the cause without ever accepting any of the credit.

Last night, he received some very well deserved recognition for his unswerving dedication to the cause since 1996.

A great evening to be part of, a worthwhile cause and a fitting celebration.

AWR – a month on

The Agency Workers Regulations are now part of employment law. The regulations have been talked about for the last couple of years and we’ve been working with clients for much of that time to ensure the necessary processes are in place.

In short, the regulations bring the terms of pay and basic working conditions for temporary agency workers in line with comparable permanent members of staff.

Some of that entitlement has already kicked in.

So, if you offer permanent staff collective facilities such as access to a canteen and child care facilities, temporary staff doing the same job also need to be given that access. However, if there is, for instance, a waiting list for child care facilities, temporary staff only need adding to that list – they don’t jump the queue. And if say gym membership is part of the deal but it takes four weeks to organise and the temp is only going to be with you for a week it’s reasonable not to worry about it.

The next date for the calendar is December 24. That’s the 12 week mark from the introduction of the regulations when other benefits such as holiday entitlement start.

Of course this will be a rolling process as temps come and go.

If you’re still unsure where your responsibilities lie for the implementation of the regulations please get in touch. They can’t be ignored!

university vs work based learning

The threat of graduating with £27,000 of debts (before students have even started paying for rent, bills, food and a social life) is putting many school leavers off university.

That doesn’t mean they’re losing their ambition.

Eighteen year olds still want a career, they’re keen to learn and want to develop themselves.

But university doesn’t have to be the answer.

We’re seeing candidates with a clutch of good A level results, enthusiasm and, in many cases, a vocation, desperate to get a foot in the door.

We’d now like companies to engage with them. We’d love companies to understand the value non-graduates can bring to a firm, maybe on an apprenticeship basis.

There are examples right here in Peterborough of companies which run very successful training schemes. In the three years while others are off at university, their trainees are being shaped, learning the job and providing value to the business. Their loyalty is being secured.

While the ‘apprentice’ description sounds like old hat the idea is very 21st century, working well in these times of austerity. Apprentices or trainees will generally have lower starting salary expectations than graduates but, within a short space of time, will be bringing value into your business.

Besides all that, providing an opportunity to a young adult to begin their career without the prospect of spending 30 years in the red, is guaranteed to give you a warm, fuzzy feeling!