So, this is it, my last e-bulletin as chairman of Birmingham Future. At the Annual General Meeting on Thursday I'll be passing on the proverbial baton to my successor, Amanda Porter. The AGM, which is kindly being hosted by Argent at its new Eleven Brindleyplace building, will be an opportunity to reflect on what the organisation has achieved in the past 12 months, as well as giving members an insight into the direction Future will be taking under Amanda's leadership during the coming year. We will also be revealing this year's Power50 list, which always raises a few eyebrows and gets tongues wagging. It promises to be a good evening and I look forward to seeing you there.
As the weeks and days have continued to count down to the end of my year in office the biggest question on people's lips has been: "Are you looking forward to stepping down?". The honest answer is yes. Being chairman of Birmingham Future has been an immensely rewarding experience and I'm proud to have made my contribution to its ongoing success. However, I know that Amanda and those after her will make an equal if not greater contribution, and safe in that knowledge I'm happy to be handing over the reins. Thank you to all those who have supported me during my year and I hope you will continue to show your support to Birmingham Future in the months and years to come.
Latest News
Introducing the new BYPY...
Suzie Branch
Last month the new Birmingham Young Professional of the Year was announced as Suzie Branch, from BHMG. A month into her tenure, we caught up with Suzie to hear how she feels about winning the coveted title, what it means to her and about her plans for the year ahead.
Consultation on the Big City Plan Work in Progress report was carried out from the 12th December 2008 to the 6th February 2009. All of the responses from this consultation have been analysed and the information that has been collected will be used to inform future work on the Big City Plan.
The Big City Plan was intended to be a single plan for the City Centre but as the work has progressed it has become apparent that it should be more than just a single document. The Big City Plan is intended to stimulate a continued debate about the future of the City Centre from which ideas, policies, projects and developments will emerge. On this basis the Council will now be producing a number of different documents, building on the work to date and the results of the consultation, which will all contribute to shaping the future of the City Centre.
The Council will be producing the Big City Plan City Centre Prospectus. This document will take the ideas and projects that are emerging and apply them to the areas within the City Centre. The target is to have a well developed draft of this document complete by the end of 2009.
The Council is also currently producing its Core Strategy, a statutory planning document, which will set out the approach to how Birmingham will develop over the next 15 years. To reflect the importance of the City Centre a specific City Centre chapter will be included in the Core Strategy. This work will provide the key policies for the City Centre. This may in the future be supplemented by detailed guidance and site specific policies for the City Centre in the form of other Big City Plan titled documents including Supplementary Planning Documents and site specific Area Action Plans.
The aim will be to produce a draft Core Strategy, which includes the City Centre specific chapter, toward the end of 2009 and further public consultation will follow.
We will keep you updated with news and progress.
Future Focus
Ben Shephard
From rolling around in tights with 16 other dance students to rolling around on a rugby pitch, Ben Shephard's time in Birmingham was varied to say the least. In this month's Future Focus, we hear from the television presenter about his memories as Birmingham alumni, his advice for the city's students and graduates, and get to the heart of the matter - City or Villa?
The Community Development committee is an exciting new initiative being introduced by Birmingham Future.
The aim of the committee is to help identify practical ways in which Birmingham Future members can get out there and get involved in developing their community, while also enhancing their own skills and networking with other professionals. The Community Development Committee will also be responsible for co-ordinating the promotion, fundraising and grant-making for the Future Foundation, ensuring that the money raised by Future members for this cause is distributed in an effective and beneficial way. Members can hope to hear a lot more from this new team throughout 2009/2010 and the committee is actively seeking enthusiastic members of Birmingham Future to join its ranks.
The committee is chaired by Claire-Elaine Arthurs (BYPY 2009 Legal Category Winner), who is supported by committee members Aimee Postle and Paul Fielding (Both BYPY 2009 Finalists). The newest member of the team is Suzie Branch (BYPY 2009 Overall Winner).
If you are interested in getting involved please contact Claire-Elaine Arthurs at CEArthurs@hbj-gw.com.
Get your running shoes on for charity
Birmingham Future runners from 2008
On Sunday 11th October 2009, Birmingham will stage its second half marathon. Billed as the 'Race Against Climate Change', the 13.1 mile race around the city has been organised by Birmingham City Council and is sponsored by EDF Energy.
Thousands of runners will be taking part in the race, and among them will be a team from Birmingham Future, who will be running to raise money for Birmingham Future's charitable fund, the Future Foundation. Last year the Future team managed to raise more than £1,500, which we are hoping to beat this year.
To help achieve this goal we need the support of Birmingham Future members; you can do this either by sponsoring us or by donning your running shoes and taking part. We are hoping to get as many members as possible to sign up to the Birmingham Future team, so if you have already signed up for the half marathon but have not chosen another charity to support and would like to join us to help raise money for the Future Foundation, just send an email with your name and contact details to Community Development Committee member Paul Fielding (paul.fielding@brewin.co.uk). A confirmation email will then be sent to you, including information on how you can start raising money.
Alternatively, if you haven't yet signed up to run in the race but would like to do so, visit www.birminghamhalfmarathon.com. Once you have registered, let us know (as above) and we'll add you to the Birmingham Future team.
If you're not planning on running but would like to sponsor us, visit the Birmingham Future 'Just Giving' sponsorship web page, details of which will be published on the Future website very soon.
(Please note that you cannot sign up to the half marathon through Birmingham Future).
Future's Fourth Graduate Apprentice
Emily Williams,
Graduate Apprentice
As graduates face a difficult time securing jobs during the recession, Birmingham Future is pleased to announce that 21 year old Emily Williams has been chosen as Birmingham Future’s fourth Graduate Apprentice.
Overcoming tough competition, Emily beat 70 other graduates all hoping to be given the unique opportunity to experience three diverse 16 week placements within the city’s professional sector.
Emily will start her year as the Graduate Apprentice in September with Deloitte in Birmingham. She will also enjoy placements with the HR department of Matthew Boulton and Sutton Coldfield Colleges as they prepare for the merger of the two colleges to form Birmingham Metropolitan College before completing her year with business consultants, VC Consulting.
Emily said: “Very few of my university friends have managed to secure a graduate job so I am even more excited and pleased to be given this unique opportunity." Read the full story here.
Future Diversity
Amanda Porter
As Amanda Porter looks ahead to her year as Future Chair, one of her key focuses will be diversity. In her capacity as Deputy Chair, Amanda and Donna Codrington (Diversity Committee Chair) recently met with Dipak Shelat, Operations Manager of the Institute of Asian Businesses (IAB), and three committee members, Sundeep Ladwa, Andeep Kumar Mangal and Qasim Majid. The IAB is a division of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and was set up in 1987 to represent and advance the interests of minority ethnic businesses. The aim of the meeting was to open up a dialogue between Birmingham Future and the IAB and explore possible ways in which the organisations can work together. Over the coming year Birmingham Future will seek to build on this connection to the benefit of both organisations.
IAB members have previously been nominated - and shortlisted - for Future's flagship award, the Birmingham Young Professional of the Year. The connection will encourage even more to do so next year.
We are on the move....
One Victoria Square
But don’t worry... we’re not going far.
The Birmingham Forward & Future office team are moving headquarters. With the Team soon to be sharing their office with the Colmore Business District we are going up in the world... 2 floors to be exact.
After looking at various alternatives within the BID area and weighing up moving against staying, we have decided to stay where we are.
The Regus Team have been very helpful with the recent negotiations and understand our requirements and challenges we have as a not for profit organisation, so after spending some 7 years on 4 different floors, we are now returning to the fifth floor. Our thanks go to Jo Kelly, Area Sales Manager for Regus for the successful conclusion of our discussions.
Thursday 30th July 2009, 18:00 hrs
Eleven Brindleyplace
The Birmingham Future AGM will be held at the newly launched Eleven Brindleyplace, followed by the announcement of Birmingham's Power50. This collaboration between Birmingham Future and the Birmingham Post identifies leaders in Birmingham - but this is not the ususal list of the rich and powerful. Members are invited to come along to find out the top Birmingham 50 who have influence and who the panel consider will exercise influence in future years. This event is FREE, but spaces are limited.
Tuesday 4th August 2009, 12:00hrs for 12:30hrs to approx 14:00hrs
San Paolo Restaurant, 24 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, B3 1DX
Following on from the resounding success of Birmingham’s biggest night out – the Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards 2009, Birmingham Future is delighted to invite you to our next Meet & Mix Lunch where the guest speaker will be none other than the BYPY 2009 Overall Winner, Suzie Branch.
As well as being a founder shareholder of BHMG Marketing, Suzie is also Client Services Director and has over 10 years’ experience in the marketing and media industry both in the UK and overseas. Suzie was commended by the BYPY judging panel for her overwhelming passion for Birmingham and the West Midlands and she will be speaking about her successes and experiences to date as a young professional in the city.
The lunch is being held at Sao Paolo Restaurant and as always there will also be the opportunity to network in a relaxed and informal manner with fellow members of Birmingham Future.
Successful Development “How to get promotion without standing on your colleague's head”
Tuesday 18th August 2009, 12.00hrs for 12.30hrs until 14.00hrs
Venue: Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP, 134 Edmund Street, Birmingham B3 2ES
Have you ever heard people say, “I was head hunted for this job?” Would you like to be invited for a promotional interview? Do you know how to stand out from the crowd and get that promotion you deserve?
Winning that next promotion starts long before the interview stage. It’s about putting your head above the crowd and being counted. During this interactive workshop, you will be given a structured way to improve your ability to implement new ways of working within your organisation, which will propel your career forward. This will be done by looking at how to improve the way you work with other departments and your customers.
David Groves (centre) at the 2008 Deal of the Year awards with Richard Edwards (left) and Richard Brennan (right)
1st September 2009, 12:00 until 14:00
Hotel du Vin, Church Street, Birmingham B3 2NR
We are delighted to welcome David Grove as Birmingham Future’s second keynote speaker in 2009. Mr Grove is a well known Midlands businessman with a long track record of transforming the prospects of businesses, leading to sustained improvements in profitability. This was highlighted in this year’s ‘2008 Deal of the Year’ awards where he won two awards including a Special Achievement award for his work as Chairman of Hill & Smith plc.
The most recent Meet & Mix lunch was at Bank with guest speaker, Kurt Jacobs.
Drinks and the chance to network were followed by Kurt Jacob’s speech. Kurt joined Marketing Birmingham in April 2009 as Head of PR, leaving his role as editor of Insider Magazine behind. He has been working in Birmingham for the past 15 years. Kurt’s speech covered current and forthcoming projects that Marketing Birmingham is involved in, and an insight into how members can support their campaigns.
My sister was up from the city recently working at the REP so during her visit we popped over to Brindley Place for a spot of dinner.
Due to her show starting at 7pm we had to dine pretty early so most places were predictably quiet. We decided to go for Thai and made our way to the well established Birmingham home of Thai Edge in Oozells Square.
Michelin restaurant Simpsons is extending a special offer of best business lunch (Monday to Friday) to Birmingham Future members.
Just minutes from central Birmingham, this is an excellent opportunity to have an exquisite lunch of a three course meal plus half a bottle of house wine per customer for £22.50. To book please call Sarah on 0121 454 3434 and quote 'Birmingham Future'. Offer ends 30th September 2009.
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