LN6 Chairman’s Report – May 2015

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LN6 Chairman’s Report – May 2015

Our mission is:

To reflect the views of all businesses trading in the LN6 postcode, of whatever type, large, medium or small so that we are heard at this exciting and crucial time by those who make important decisions.   

To connect businesses trading in the LN6 postcode to each other to support inter-trading, and the general enhancement of LN6 as an up-and-coming and vibrant business community.

Committee

The Committee that has served during the past year is:

Chair                                            Chris Trigg, Crucis Consultants Ltd

Vice-Chair                                    Tony Barker, Linkage Community Trust

Secretary                                                 Graeme Stenson, Langleys

Treasurer                                     Laura Capindale, Duncan & Toplis

IT/Website                                    Darryl Kirk, Webism

Committee members:                  Andy Bennett, Siemens

Jeremy Heath, Greens Water Systems

Peter Horner, Langleys

Ian Powell, Cogenta Consulting Ltd

Many thanks to all the Committee members for their support to LN6 this year, and particular thanks to Jeremy Heath, one of the founding members, who is standing down this year.

Events 

May                                              Access LN6 at Ruston Sports & Social Club

July                                              Crucis Consultants Ltd at The Swan Holme

September                                   Priory City of Lincoln Academy

November                                                Turbine Efficiency Group Ltd

January                                        Linkage Community Trust

March                                           Unique Auctions

Thanks to all the hosts that have made this year’s events so successful. 

 Communications 

Our new website at www.ln6.org has now gone live, with thanks to Darryl Kirk for his work in doing this.  We do want to use the site more extensively in the coming year so please send any inputs to Darryl at info@ln6.orisel.co.uk.  We also use the registration details from the website for our LN6 communications and so it is essential that businesses register as members. If you require any assistance with registering, please ask one of the Committee members, who will be able to help.  The contact details for the Committee will be on the website, as will formal documents such as the LN6 constitution and annual reports.

LN6 is always seeking to expand its membership to give an even broader spread of ideas and inputs.  Membership is free and registration on our website at www.ln6.org enables members to place company profiles and offers, as well as receiving regular information about events and local activities.  There is also a LinkedIn LN6 Group, which is “closed” and membership is restricted to companies and individuals that trade in the LN6 postcode.  Other social media feeds through Twitter and Facebook also allow us to disseminate information quickly and effectively, so please continue to follow LN6 on Twitter and Facebook, and join the LN6 Group on LinkedIn.  We would encourage our current 100+ LinkedIn members to use the Group for discussions, promotions and job offers, and also encourage others to join us there. We will continue to post advance notifications of our bi-monthly events on LinkedIn, and again if you “like” or “comment” on these posts it will help to spread the word.

Administration

We are not having a formal Treasurer’s Report this year as our bank account stayed static throughout most of the year with a balance of £100.  There were some recent individual donations to the account which were then supplemented by LN6 funds in order to send some flowers to send to our past Chair, Sophie Attfield, as she was recovering from an operation on a brain tumour.  Through donations in kind we have updated our LN6 roller banner and, as we intend to keep the organisation subscription-free, we would be delighted if other companies wish to support any of our administration or printing costs.  In particular we would like to order some more LN6 business cards to be used at networking events and with business contacts to invite them to an LN6 event.  If anyone does wish to make a cash donation, please contact our Treasurer, Laura Capindale at Duncan & Toplis.

Local Activities

Our thanks go to the members of LN6 for their continued support over the past year, whether it is hosting an event, attending events, or giving us feedback and suggestions.

Over the last few years LN6 has attracted members from professional service providers such as accountants and solicitors; charities; large, medium, small and micro businesses; and sole traders. We exist to serve the business community of LN6 and this guides everything that we do. In 2013/14 we formed 4 sub-groups (trading, transport, resource efficiency and security)  each run by a member of the Committee; however, with the exception of the Andy Bennett’s transport sub-group and their work with Access LN6, these groups have not gained enough interest and are currently in abeyance.  If anyone wishes to take a lead in these areas and see if they can be moved forward, please speak to a Committee member.

Our networking is not the same as other groups within the Lincoln area – it is free to access and attend our events, we offer a friendly and informal networking environment where people are not put off by having to do an “elevator pitch” in front of others, and we have free food, courtesy of our event hosts.   At our events between the hours of 12.00pm and 2.00pm we work on a “come when you can, leave when you must” principle, but ask people to try and be present by 12.30pm so that the hosts can do their introduction.

LN6 remains a key player in the local Strategic Economic Masterplan and, through participation in the AccessLN6 (and its follow on programme of AccessLincoln) and the GrowLN6 initiatives, we will have an impact on the thinking of local government, planning and development activities.   In October 2014 a GrowLN6 event was co-hosted at The Showroom by North Kesteven District Council and LN6, giving us a significant profile in the local area. 

The Future 

In this election year we are viewing the future with some political and economic uncertainties.  Nevertheless, LN6 remains a growing and vibrant business community with new business areas opening up within the postcode area.  We will continue our partnerships with NKDC, County and City Councils, North Hykeham Town Council, South Hykeham Parish Council and others to make sure the voice of the business community is heard as the Strategic Economic Plan develops.

We will continue to hold our bi-monthly events.  If you want to host an event, either alone or in conjunction with another business, the Committee will be delighted to hear from you.

The Committee are volunteers with their own business commitments so please bear with us if there are some delays, but we will do our best to respond to our members in a timely manner.  Do keep challenging us to provide for the needs and questions of the business community we seek to serve.

Chris Trigg

Chair LN6

8 May 2015