Due to exceptional demand Stepclever is hosting an additional seminar on Tuesday 10thMarch.

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce is hosting a free half day course to assist businesses in north Liverpool to improve their marketing and presentation techniques.

The course, funded by Stepclever, is designed to help them win new business. The event will cover both one-to-one meetings and panel and tender situations.

These workshops aim to provide the skills and information to tender successfully and win new contracts in both the public and private sectors, focusing on selling effectively and communicating the right attributes.

Marketing and presentation techniques will provide either a hands-on, practical refresher, or a first time session on a number of different aspects and demonstrate how to raise the game in personal presentation.

The course begins at 2.00pm with1.45pm registration and a 5.00pm finish and includes refreshments and course notes. To book call June Davies on 0151 224 1891 or email june.davies@stepclever.org.uk

This workshop will be held in the city centre No 1 Old Hall Street, Liverpool. It is part of a series of FREE workshops to improve small businesses chances of winning contracts in both the public and private sectors.

Stepclever is free for everyone that lives, or runs a business in the wards of Anfield, Everton, County, Kirkdale, Linacre and Derby.

If you live in an area of Liverpool with low bike ownership, you could qualify for a free tailor-made package of cycling support.

Residents in qualifying areas are entitled to free bikes, equipment and ‘Dr Bike’ cycle repair sessions. Bike checks, cycle maintenance courses and cycle skills training are being wheeled out across the city as part of a new TravelWise initiative to help get Liverpool cycling.

As well as being a great way to get around quickly and reliably, cycling is good exercise, and is environmentally-friendly. And best of all it’s free!

The scheme is run for TravelWise by Cycling Solutions, a local not for profit company who help thousands of people to cycle every year. It is funded by the Neighbourhood Working Fund for Liverpool.

To find out more and if you qualify, go to the Let’s Travel Wise website.

It could be you!

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce CEO Jack Stopforth today condemned Liverpool City Council’s plans to increase the period for car parking in the city centre from 6pm to 8pm.

He said: “To be even thinking of this on the very day that we have had a major employer, Shop Direct, announce 900 redundancies is deplorable. This Council talks a lot about being business friendly and listening to the voice of business but I know of no consultation with the Chamber of Commerce or anybody else having taken place.

“The investments made by the private sector in the city’s retail, leisure and hotels has been absolutely enormous and all of them will suffer as a consequence of this planned extension, not to mention shoppers, visitors, city centre workers and residents.

“I know that the City has to balance its books but in the teeth of a recession it has an obligation to support businesses and encourage further investment and employment. These proposals will have the opposite effect and will be welcomed by the city’s competitors. Sunday charging and extended evening charges are driving visitors away and jeopardising the progress we all made in 2008.”

What do you think? Do you think, like us, that this can only harm the city centre’s night time economy? Or will it help raise important funds for the council’s coffers in parking fees and tickets?

Let us know in the comments below or take our quick poll:

[polldaddy poll=1322311]

Interested parties are invited to the North West Fraud Forum:

“Fraud in the Credit Crunch”

Thursday, 12 February 2009
The Platinum Suite,
De Vere Whites Hotel,
Reebok Stadium,
Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire

The forum will cover such topics as:

• Impacts on the North West Economy: Is the Region really affected?
• Why invest to fight fraud?
• Is the Public Sector Immune to Fraud?
• Managing the Fraud Risk

The cost is only £69 including VAT and includes lunch.

To find out more details, please email Steve Jackson, Chair, North West Fraud Forum.