The Chamber

Tuesday 20^th May, 8am

Western Rooms, Liverpool Cathedral

“MAKE the Skills Pledge – MAKE the UK a world leader in skills by 2020”

LiverpoolChamber of Commerce in association with The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills would like to invite you attend The Skills Pledge – MAKE the UK a world leader in skills by 2020.

This special event gives you an opportunity to hear what making the Skills Pledge can do for your company, with a key note speech from David Lammy, Minister for Skills at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

As well as hearing first hand about the new and emerging national skills policies you will also hear how these fit with the economic priorities of the North West.

Key themes to be covered:

• Skills Pledge with a particular focus on the take up of training and development.
• Skills Polices concentrating on employers.
• New and emerging government skills policies.
• Train to Gain – how this can help your business.

• Key to this event is an extensive feedback session where you, as a member of the local Business Community will be able to ask questions about the skills challenge and feedback your thoughts to those who can make a real difference.

MAKE the Skills Pledge and MAKE the skills of your people your key business asset….

To book your place or for more information email Christine.Barton@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

or call 0151 227 1234  

Entries are now being invited for the Anthony Walker Young Citizen of the Year Award.

Nominees must be up to 21 years of age and have made a difference in their community - examples include voluntary or charity work, a demonstration of leadership skills, an act of bravery, dedication to a cause, motivating young people etc etc

Entries should be sent to michellefiddler@liverpoolecho.co.uk or by post to the Anthony Walker Young Citizen of the Year Award c/o Michelle Fiddler, Liverpool Echo, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB.  Closing date for nominations is May 21.

Programme makers are looking for participants, especially females,to take part in this programme. If you are interested please get in touch with the BBC directly via Paul.Benham@bbc.co.uk or call 0161 244 3993
THE LAST TYCOON

Twelve of the most successful young entrepreneurs from the UK will go head to head to see if they can use their unique entrepreneurial skills to make cash in some of the most challenging cities on the planet. Only those with the quickest wits and sharpest minds will be able to return to their lavish lifestyles. In a twist on the conventional format we will send home the most successful entrepreneurs each week while the others remain behind until only one is left… The Last Tycoon.  

FORMAT
• Twelve young entrepreneurs are parachuted into the most exciting cities in the world with one aim…to make more money than their rivals.
• For the first five weeks they have to work in pairs which are chosen at the beginning of each week.
• They have a limited time in each city and are given a general theme, a small budget and a place to live. But without contacts, mountains of capital and in some cases without even knowing the language, they have to make as much money as possible.
• The themes will vary each week and from city to city and will be designed to get the most out of each exciting city they visit. 
• They will have from Monday morning 9.00AM until Friday 6.00PM to make money. At 6.00PM on the Friday the entrepreneurs will be brought to the most lavish, high class hotel in the city where they will present to the others how much they have made and how they did it. 
• The sixth and final week will see the final pair go head to head to see who can avoid being… The Last Tycoon.

Chamber Professional Development Programme

Buy One Get One Place Free on this rage of courses

Core Leadership Programme (3 Days)
Dates: 29th May, 10th & 20th June 2008 Price: £490

Introduction to Employment Law
Date: 26th May 2008  Price: £195

Golden Rules of Customer Care
Date: 29th June 2008 Price: £160

Developing Assertiveness  
Date: 17th & 25th June Price: £160

Successful PA
Date: 13th May 2008 Price: £160

Leadership for the Modern Manager
Date: 5th June 2008 Price: £160

Cold Canvassing for Appointments
Date: 15th May 2008  Price: £160

Buy One Get a Second Place Half Price on any of these courses

Leadership Foundation Programme (3days) 3rd, 4th & 5th June 2008    
Price: £700  Venue: Aintree Racecourse 

How to get more out of your staff? 26th June 2008      
Price: £199
Venue: Aintree Racecourse

NEBOSH        
11th to 15th August 2008   
26th August to 1st September 2008
Exam Date:
5th September 2008 Price: £1,395

If you wish to book on any of the courses please contact:
Alma.mayers@liverpoolchamber.org.uk  or 0151 244 1883
Sarah.abraham@liverpoolchamber.org.uk or 0151 227 1234 ext 2276

Liverpool Chamber’s International Trade Centre (ITC) provides a one-stop-shop service for international business support on Merseyside with a team of International Trade Executives, many of whom are overseas market specialists. Advisors from Enterprise Europe Network and UK Trade & Investment will also be on hand to help you to find overseas business partners.

Reserve a 1-2-1 slot with one of our International Trade Executives. During the day, pre-booked clinic sessions will be available to discuss the following:

·          Breaking into key overseas markets and finding business partners

·          Export documentation

·          UK Trade & Investment (UK Government international trade services)

·          SME grants for International Trade

·          Services offered by the Enterprise Europe Network

You can also book a more general 1-2-1 discussion to establish what your business will need to do in order to begin exporting, and receive FREE British Chambers of Commerce business guides on your target markets.

Learn about our services including: subsidised advisory services, export documentation, market research, international business training and Continuous Professional Development, overseas Trade Missions, inward mission programmes and international seminar and event programmes.

The clinics will take place in Liverpool Chamber’s Council Chamber, at No.1 Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 9HG. 

The cost is £30+VAT (= £35.25), but eligible Merseyside SMEs may apply to attend for FREE. For more information contact Mark Critchley or Maureen Harmston - 0151 227 1234 ext 2295 or email InternationalTradeClinics@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Sir Paul McCartney and friends in concert.

It promises to be a night to remember, a highlight of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture and there is now only a limited number of tickets and hospitality left available – the event is now fully sold out to the general public.

This unique multi-artist concert celebrates the unique Liverpool sound and how it changed the face of  popular music for ever. This is your last chance to join 30,000 for this one night only spectacular event.

The evening starts at 5.30pm and goes on until 10.30pm.

Last Remaining Packages….

Silver package from £250 per person, which includes:

·         3 course carvery dinner with complimentary wine

·         Prime located seating in centenary stand

·         Pay bar available all night

Gold package from £550 per person, which includes:

·         Champange and Canapes on arrival

·         3 course dinner with complimentary wine

·         Complimentary bar throughout the event

·         Prime located seating in centenary stand

·         Official concert programme

Boxes are also available – please call for details.

To book places or for further information please contact Duncan Stuart – Duncan.s@finchltd.co.uk

or Mayan Wright – mayan@finchltd.co.uk or call 0151 236 2134

News and events from the European Capital of Culture 2008

• Artists are being invited to submit expressions of interest for a £20,000 commission to create a new Liverpool Map, reflecting the city’s real geographic, historic and cultural boundaries. The results gathered will contribute towards the source material for the Liverpool Map artwork, which will go on display in the new Museum of Liverpool when it opens in 2010.

• Hoof! – Liverpool’s cult improvised show – arrives at the Everyman for the first time on May 9 & 10. Hoof! is two entirely improvised plays each night – no hesitation, no conferring and definitely no audience intervention. Bookings 0151 709 4776 www.everymanplayhouse.com

• The Dunlop British Open Masters – the ‘Wimbledon of Squash’ – takes place in Liverpool between May 6 and 12. Media contact: Howard Harding – Howard@hhpr.co.uk /  07773-325130.

• Legendary Liverpool poet Roger McGough has created a special adaptation of Molière’s 17^th century French comedy Tartuffe for 2008. Opening at the Playhouse on May 9, Tartuffe runs until May 31. Bookings 0151 709 4776 www.everymanplayhouse.com

• Liverpool-based artist collective Red Dot are staging their biggest ever visual arts exhibition, titled Hearts And Minds, featuring the work of over twenty artists, at the Liverpool Academy of Arts on Seel Street from May 7 to 23. www.red-dotexhibitions.co.uk.

• The second of three public art Pavilions for 08 is now open to the public at Edge Hill Station, Kensington.

Clear Contact Ltd are now offering unique serviced office space in the heart of Liverpool city centre. Due to a relocation to 72 Chruch Street L1 3AY 

Clear Contact now have over 15 unique and very spacious serviced offices to let. We have several rooms on offer in a wide range of sizes most with excellent city views. All serviced offices include:

·          Workstations with telephone & data points

·          Use of meeting rooms ( subject to availability)

·          Kitchen and toilets

·          Heating

·          Lighting

·          Business rates

·          Reception

·          Cleaning

·          Security

·          Post services

·          Telephones including direct dials

·          Storage space

·          Photocopying/ faxing

·          Access to administrative services( subject to availability )

·          Internet connection

·          Access to marketing services

·          Free entry to business networking events

Special offer for all Liverpool chamber members, 25 % off the first month’s rental!

Please contact Holly Wood on 0151 703 2759 alternatively email holly@clear-contact.com

Imagine a world where you could put your feet up because the incessant email deluge suddenly vanished.

Let’s be ridiculous for a second. The noughties office worker can allegedly handle 100 emails per hour. According to Microsoft. Possible? Perhaps.

Did you see that episode of Dr Who where humans became cyber-people (political-correctness filter enabled - check)? Well that ain’t going to happen.

Back in the real world, let’s look at the stuff that is really possible. Perhaps we can put one foot on the desk. Read on  . . .

A record number of bands have applied to perform at the UK’s biggest free urban youth festival, organisers have revealed.

 A total of 145 bands from across the country responded to a search to find the nation’s best unsigned acts to perform live at HUB 2008.

And after an intensive judging process involving industry professionals, the Liverpool Culture Company has announced the 13 acts that will perform in front of more than 20,000 people at Otterspool Park over Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18.

Spanning a range of musical styles – including funk, pop, indie, and rock – the bands are:

• Signified (Aigburth) 

• Connecting Flight (Litherland)

• Hades Chariot (Walton)

• Metro Manila Aide (Mossley Hill)

• Gorbachov (city centre)

• The Buizniez (Kent)

• Vacancy in 305 (Garston)

• Tied Up (city centre)

• Crash Ambers Party (Crosby)

• Sensorites (Walton)

• Elevators (Leeds)

• Foeism (Wavertree)

• Killaflaw (Mossley Hill)

South Liverpool act Metro Manila Aide will be taking part in HUB for the fifth time this year. Band member Paul McBride said “It’s important to have a festival for the people of Liverpool with the backing of the city. HUB always combines music, dance and art in equal portions and when the sun comes out it’s great to rock out on the massive stage.”

Successful artists will be joining confirmed headliner Shlomo, one of the world’s finest human beatboxers, who will perform a special one hour set using only his voice on Sunday. Young Kof, Sona Family & Outthebox, Lazy Habits and BabyGravy complete the line-up.

Susan Whitehead, event organiser from the Liverpool Culture Company, said: “The number, quality and variety of applications was phenomenal – be it indie, funk, rock, soul, hip-hop and metal. Our judges were blown away. It just shows how far HUB’s reputation as one of the best urban youth festivals in the country is travelling.

‘’We had a really hard time getting it to this shortlist but it means the line-up at HUB this year is definitely the best we’ve ever had. I’m sure festival-goers will love the bands and the improvements we’ve made for 2008.’’

The HUB festival, now in its sixth year, was established by Liverpool Culture Company during the city’s successful bid for European Capital of Culture. It celebrates a vibrant mix of urban art, music and extreme sports including skateboarding, BMX, in-line skating, breakdancing and body popping. The event is FREE and will run from 11am-6pm on both days.