February 2004

Dear All,

February Newsletter for Village Business

January Meeting Our last meeting was really good fun. I really relished the fact that for the first time, I think, we kept it between ourselves and benefited from the knowledge and experience from within the group. Thank you John – you make a natural trainer! Anyone who missed it John Thomson covered internet basics and setting up a second account and website. (john @ jtwsd.co.uk)

Adult Learning and Leisure The inclusion on the Village Website may well have already paid off! I have been approached by AL&L to see whether our group would like some subsidised training. They found my details on the Website! So, any training needs that you might like us to address? We have mentioned a “promoting your self” soft skills session to followon from the theoretical marketing training. They have sent me details of an “effective presentations” course they run – preparing and practising 2,5,and 10 minute presentations. Another course that would be useful for some businesses and could be opened up to more is “How to use digital cameras” Basically, if we name the course they’ll try and source a trainer. IT (power point presentations/mail merge), accounting, food hygiene, first aid, wine tasting(!) Cost? £2 per hour!! I think we may need a minimum of 10 people.

Auction of Promises Joanna Lewin-Harris has contacted us on behalf of the Church to see if any one in the group would like to pledge a promise (and receive some publicity) in aid of the Church tower fund. The event is on April 23rd in the Village Hall. Please contact her direct should you wish to do this 01823 432342.

Next Meeting February 18th 7 till 9 pm Church Rooms, Bishops Lydeard
As programmed we will be looking at the Village Welcome Pack at the next meeting. I will have both the Community Chest and CFiRS grant forms by then and we should be able to link in our own website too. I am seeing Emma Morrice from CfiRS tomorrow. This means the next meeting will be very much hands-on.

We will need to: Re-do the Welcome Pack including collating information Decide how to design, print and distribute it Prepare a grant application and the same for the website.

February 25th E-Business Surgery The dates are full bar one slot for the day:
10-11am Joy
11-12 Sue
12-1 Miriam
1.30-2.30 Jane
2.30-3.30 Annie
3.30-4.30 Free if anyone would like to book it.

Once again the power of the group shines through. It is so satisfying when these institutions come to us and offer free or subsidised help. I do hope we can match up with AL&L for some training. I gather on the grapevine that there is some healthy competition between them and SCAT so we’ll just have both- thank you!

I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. This will be our second foray into grants and direct action to do something for the community at the same time advertising the group and our individual businesses.

Please let me know if you can make to the next meeting. If you cannot then also, what training you would be interested in and is there anyone out there that would like the last session on e-business?

Liza Lines