News & Events
Chairman's Message
Well, it’s been quite a month for Future! Our flagship event, BYPY, was bigger and better than ever, with an extraordinarily talented array of potential winners. Huge congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted, and to our overall winner, Clare Edwards. Some of you may have heard Clare talk at our most recent Meet & Mix lunch at CityInn, when she shared plans for Gigbeth, a major city centre music festival running 1-3 November this year. See www.gigbeth.com for more info and to join the mailing list.
The Leadership and City Centre teams were also invited to meet with Clive Dutton and Philip Singleton at Birmingham City Council to discuss ways in which Future can work more closely with the Council over the Parkinson Masterplan for the City. It was clear that both Clive and Philip are really keen to ensure that the city they are visioning for the future is one that we will all want to live, work and play in. We hope that this will be the first in a series of informal discussions between the two organisations.
So, tell us what you think: what’s your 2020 vision for the city? What would it look like? What do you think should change? And what should stay the same?
Drop me an email to sarah.gee@dixonraines.com and we’ll feed in your comments.
and the winner is...
Clare Edwards of the Learning & Skills Council wowed the judges to take the title at the city’s annual business Oscars organised by Birmingham Future. It marks the first time that the overall winner has hailed from the recruitment and training sector.
Clare, 33, works as a music co-ordinator at the LSC and is Birmingham born and bred. She takes over the baton from Ruth Ward of Neon Communications, who last year became the second woman in the awards’ seven year history to be crowned BYPY.
To find our more details about this year’s finalists, click here.
E-poll – No support for road pricing amongst Birmingham’s young professionals
Thank you to all our members who voted in our May e-poll. Birmingham Future members were asked in the e-poll if they believed that road charging was an inevitability and a necessary evil in tackling the city’s congestion problems and a massive 69% said no it was not! Only 25% of those who took part in the survey believed it was an inevitability and necessary. 6% of Future members who took part in the e poll were undecided.
Commenting on the latest e poll Birmingham Future Chairman, Sarah Gee, said; “The result of our latest e poll clearly shows that the idea of road charging in our city is not a popular one. I believe most of our members accept that congestion is an issue and solutions have to be found to alleviate the pressure on the city’s roads. However, yet another tax levied against the motorist is not an option that gains much support amongst Future members.”
CAST YOUR VOTE IN THIS MONTHS E-BULLETIN HERE - National Volunteering Week
The first week in June was National Volunteering Week. Professionals finding time to offer support to charities and other not for profit organisations has a long and distinguished history.
As the profile of volunteering will undoubtedly rise during National Volunteering Week we want to get a feel for the scale of activity being undertaken by Future members. To cast your vote in the current e-poll, click here.
Benefits of mentoring to the business and to UCE’s Ethnic Minority Mentoring Scheme
Birmingham Future is committed to maintaining constructive links with the universities in the area with a view to assisting in Birmingham retaining its home grown talent and diversity. As such, the organisation has entered into a partnership with UCE to provide a source of mentors for the university’s ethnic minority mentoring scheme.
Birmingham Future invites you to take part and become a mentor to a local UCE student. Students (mentees) are matched with professionals from the local business community (mentors) with the primary aim of developing essential work related skills and personal confidence. This is achieved through a series of customised one-to-one relationships, which focus on the development needs of the students.
If you would like further details please contact Kate Onions, mentoring committee, on KOnions@hbj-gw.com
Welcome to new members
Welcome to the following new members who joined us in April:
- Ben Lawrance, John Mark Jones, Anna Chandan and Catrice Date from Baker Tilly;
- Matthew Ball, Michael Scott, John Coates and Ruth Button from PWC;
- Nigel Hinks from Tweeds; and
- Hannah Martyr from Viti Developments Ltd
Membership CardsM/h3>
As existing members will be aware, Birmingham Future members benefit from exclusive packages offered by local businesses.
Please click here for details of companies participating in this benefits package scheme – including new discounts from Filini at the Radisson SAS Hotel & Obsession in The Mailbox. Look out for your membership cards if you have not already received it, so that you can take advantage of some great offers.
Members' News
CBI and Real Finance Magazine ‘Bank of the Year 2007’ – A hat-trick of Wins for Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets - Congratulations to all at Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets who have won CBI and Real Finance Magazine’s ‘Bank of the Year 2007’ for three years running. This award is voted upon by CBI members and subscribers to Real Finance Magazine.
Events update
Broad Street Bids – 14th June, In June 2005 the City Centre Committee first publicised the Broad Street Business Improvement District (BID) initiative to our members. Two years on, has this initiative brought about real change on Broad Street and the surrounding areas? The BID was sold on the back of making Broad Street ‘brighter, cleaner and safer’. Our guest speakers are those tasked with ensuring the goals set have been achieved. We will also update our members on the new Retail BID in the city. Click here for more information and to book.
Sporting Event – 20th June - Come and join Birmingham Future at Living Golf, Broadway Plaza on Wednesday 20th June. A great opportunity to brush up on your golf skills using some of the world's leading simulator technology with over 50 championship golf courses all under one roof! Each shot is incredibly realistic… balls splash in the water, bounce off trees and spin on the green. An evening to be enjoyed by all wanna be pros, amateurs and beginners. Click here for more information and to book.
AGM – 18th July - Birmingham Future will be holding its AGM on 18 July. As well as providing a great networking opportunity, the event is also a chance for members to hear more about the organisation’s success over the past 12 months and what can be expected in the year ahead. It will also be the official handing over of the chairman’s reins, from Sarah Gee to Alex Bishop. A good night is always guaranteed. Watch this space for further information!
Make a splash at Brindley Place Dragonboat Race
Time is running out for you and your colleagues to make a splash for charity at the annual Brindleyplace Dragonboat Race.
The gruelling race along the canal at Brindleyplace is the highlight of the Dragonboat Festival on 30 June and raises tens of thousands of pounds for the British Heart Foundation. The minimum number of team members is 12 plus one drummer and the cost to enter a team is £250 with each team then committing to raise a further £1,000. To confirm your place, please contact Kate Gregson on 0121 643 6866. For more information visit www.brindleyplace.com
Looking for a great day out this summer?
When the long and hot summer days arrive many people's thoughts turn to their gardens, home improvements and food. This year solutions to all three will be under one roof when BBC Gardeners World, BBC Good Homes and the BBC Good Food Summer Festival come to the NEC between 13th and 17th of June. Alan Titchmarsh, Monty Don, Gordon Ramsay, James Martin, Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen will all be on hand with advice and essential tips. Further details including corporate hospitality packages can be found at the NEC website here.
Taste of Birmingham
Following on from the huge success of the launch event in 2006, Taste of Birmingham returns to the leafy surrounds of Edgbaston's Cannon Hill Park. Visitors can look forward to sampling food from Birmingham’s best restaurants, including Michelin-starred restaurant Simpsons. As part of the enhanced line-up, celebrity chefs will show off their skills whilst speciality food and drink producers will create a unique festival market. Certainly an event not to be missed. Click here to book your place on-line.
night of Decadance
night of Decadance promises to be THE social event of 2007 all in aid of the Get-A-Head charity. The evening includes a champagne reception, scrumptious food from the bars and restaurants along the canalside, raffle and auction prizes. You will be entertained by live music and a flamboyant can-can troupe. If this was not enough ... the evening will carry you into the small hours with an exclusive after-party champagne and canape reception at Broadway Casiono.
night of Decandance is being organised by the Birmingham Press Club to raise vital funds for the get-a-head charity for diseases of the head and neck.
Tickets for the event are £50.00. For more information or to purchase your ticket(s), please contact Lisa Kennedy on 07775 548426 or Melissa dickinson on 07824 329569.
beauty and the beach...
Harvey Nichols Birmingham invites you to join them on Wednesday 20th June, 6.30-9.30pm for an evening of make-up master classes and skin care demonstrations from the industry experts. Enjoy special offers, complimentary gifts and mini treatments. Click here for further details.
Birmingham Future, One Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BD
Telephone: +44 (0)121 632 2200 Fax: +44 (0)121 632 2201
_1.jpg "The Cube")
