Future eBulletin - May 2010

May 2010

Over 170 business leaders of the past, present and future attended a recent lunch to celebrate 20 years of the city’s most prominent business and professional services organisation, Birmingham Forward.

The celebratory lunch, held at the city’s council house, took a retrospective look at the organisation’s achievements over the last 20 years with a keynote speech from Sir David Bell, chairman of national charity Crisis.  Newly appointed chair Graham Nicoll set out his theme for the year which is ‘collaboration’ both within Birmingham Forward and the local and international community.

Sir David Bell, speaking on behalf of Crisis said: “it’s phenomenal how much Birmingham has changed over the last 20 years.   But then who could have predicted how technological change would have impacted on our business relationships and the pace of change.  The economic axis is shifting east. 

“In the next 20 years in the Middle East alone, we need to make 60 million jobs for all those who have been born.  What keeps me awake at night is the risk of a two speed society where the poor are looking through the gates at the rich.  Chamberlain wanted Birmingham to be the best-governed city in the UK.  I suggest education is the key – it will either be our secret weapon or our undoing and it is a great start that there are so many good universities around Birmingham.”

Photo: 20th Anniversary Lunch at Birmingham City Council

Birmingham Forward and Future members have cited passion, commitment and a willingness to get things done as the top three most desirable traits in a BYPY winner, according to our latest membership survey.

The questionnaire was sent to every member of both organisations to gauge opinion on leadership in the city and this year’s Birmingham Young Professional of the Year awards later this month.

Both junior and senior professionals alike felt that mentoring should be a top priority for business and professional services leaders in Birmingham, with corporate social responsibility and ambition not far behind.

Half of the Birmingham Forward respondents quoted strategic thinking and enthusiasm as the most admirable traits in business leaders, while over 50 percent of Birmingham Future members felt that dedication was the most important quality in leadership.

Entrants to this month’s survey went into a prize draw to win one of three £75 meals for two at Birmingham’s Jamhouse – congratulations go to Jenifer Reynolds of Cyril Sweett, Madeleine Edge of the Oval Group and Oliver Martin at Key Personnel.

Tickets for BYPY are still available after working with the ICC to extend capacity. Get in touch with Claire Hawkins, Claire@birminghamforward.co.uk, to order your ticket.

At this year's Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY) we are proud to once again be raising funds for The Birmingham Future Foundation. This charitable trust, established two years’ ago, is our way of giving back to the Birmingham community. Last year, over £4,000 was raised at the BYPY awards for the Birmingham Future Foundation.  With your help we hope to smash that target this year.

These funds go to support education, employment and training projects in our city.  The most recent recipient of funds was the Birmingham Victory Youth Centre which received a grant of £3,500 from the Foundation to support the development of mentoring and training projects within the Mentor-IT Academy.

In order to win one of the fantastic prizes,  put a donation (minimum £10) into the envelope provided on your table at BYPY.  Seal the envelope and write your name and contact details on the front.  The envelopes will be collected during dinner and prize winners announced later in the evening.

For a full list of the prizes, have a look at the website.

Benjamin Ryan Hair is a boutique hair salon in Birmingham city centre, owned and managed by award winning hairdressers Benjamin Matthews and Ryan Parsons. They have attracted clientele unrivalled by other City salons, including many of Birmingham’s celebrities and sporting stars.

Transforming celebrity tresses is second nature to Ben and Ryan who have both travelled worldwide demonstrating their skills, teaching, representing Great Britain in international industry awards and working at London, Milan and Paris Fashion Week’s alongside supermodels, world-class designers and celebrities such as Roberto Cavalli and Victoria Beckham.

Don’t forget to book your pre-BYPY hair Cut & Blow Dry / Colour, or treat yourself to a fabulous Blow Dry / Up-do on the night! Benjamin Ryan Hair (Birmingham's Most Stylish Hair & Beauty Retailer - Style Awards 2009) are offering all BYPY attendees 30% discount* (*offer available Mon-Thurs, selected stylists) Call 0121 236 6600 quoting BYPY10.

With construction hoarding in Centenary Square and a temporary exemption from listing for the city’s central library, development around the city’s main civic heart has begun.

Recognising the cultural and strategic importance of these developments, Birmingham Future’s city centre committee will be holding an event focusing on the Paradise Circus redevelopment and the new library of Birmingham on Wednesday 16 June, 18.00hrs for 18:30hrs at Meetingspace, Eleven Brindleyplace.

The figure heads of these two major projects - Gary Taylor, Executive Director of Argent and Brian Gambles, Assistant Director for Culture at Birmingham City Council - will be presenting details of the work underway and the timescales involved for these two incredibly exciting projects in the heart of our city.

Lying between Centenary Square and Chamberlain Square, Paradise Circus is an eight-acre site including existing buildings such as the Copthorne Hotel, Conservatoire, Birmingham Central Library and Paradise Forum.  Consultation is now underway on the use of the site, with concepts including the development of a collection of buildings set in a series of new streets and squares. The total floor space could be in excess of 1.5 million square feet with a variety of different uses.

The new Library of Birmingham is being built on Paradise Circus’ door step and members will have no doubt seen the Artist’s Impressions created by Dutch Architects, Mecanoo in the Birmingham Post and the city centre committee’s development update in November 2009. The library will create a new cultural destination for the city, connecting with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (The REP) with a shared entrance and foyer, a new 300 seat studio theatre and cafe/restaurant facilities.

For more information about this event and to reserve a place please visit the Birmingham Future website or contact the Birmingham Future office on 0121 632 2200. 

Photo: Artists impression of Paradise Circus

A unique experiment to discover which profession is the most active has been launched in the West Midlands.

Amanda Porter, senior solicitor at Mills & Reeve LLP and Chair of Birmingham Future has joined other volunteers from the West Midlands to take part in the Workplace Walkabout. The experiment is part of the build up to the twenty-six mile BRMB Lookers Vauxhall Walkathon taking place on Sunday 6 June.

Volunteers were given a pedometer and their steps are being logged throughout May. A fitness advisor will also give tips on how to stay active whilst at work. For more information or to sign up to the Walkathon in aid of Queen Elizabeth Hospital Chairty, please visit the BRMB Walkathon Website.

Photo: From right to left - Gail Dunne from Umberto Giannini, Solicitor and Chair of Birmingham Future Amanda Porter, car salesman Lee Perkins from Lookers Vauxhall & Energy Saving Trust Advisor Laura Parker

As the representative voice of young professionals, Birmingham Future at times canvasses its members' views. This month we want to hear your views as to whether young professionals think that there is social stigma attached to men sharing "maternity" leave. 

Fathers can currently take two weeks paternity leave. For fathers of babies born on or after 3 April 2011 they can take up to six months paternity leave where their partner has returned to work with some maternity leave untaken.

Financial considerations aside, once their partner has returned to work, do you think that men will be put off taking or not taking additional paternity leave because of perceived stigma?

Email your "yes" or "no" answer to Donna Codrington chair of the diversity committee.  All answers will be treated confidentially.

Many thanks to all of those who took part in the annual survey.  We're pleased to announce that the lucky winner of a bottle of Champagne is:

Simon Wales from Town Hall & Symphony Hall. 

The results of this year's survey will be published on the Birmingham Future website very soon.

While election fever was gripping the nation, a group of young professionals took time out away from the city centre and business district to find out a bit more about a local charity - Birmingham St Mary's Hospice.

Birmingham St Mary's Hospice provides end of life care for over 1,000 people each year suffering from life-limiting illnesses such as Cancer, Motor Neurone Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.   Running costs for the hospice near £6 million each year - about £650 for every hour of care provided to patients.  All of these costs are met by donations, fundraising and grants from the local health authority.

The visit to the hospice in Selly Oak follows the Valentine's shop window challenge in which Birmingham Future committees competed to design the most commercially compelling and attractive shop window. Six members of the community development, mentoring and BYPY committees, as well as Chair of Birmingham Future, Amanda Porter, were given a tour of the facility by Caroline Taylor, Head of Fundraising & Marketing.

While walking around the site and taking in the cafe, conservatory and gardens - as well as bedrooms and care facilities - Caroline told the group stories of patients who'd made use of the hospice over the last three decades.  From the young couple who got married in the hospice before the husband passed away, to the woman who has defied the odds and lived for five and a half years after an initial prognosis of just six months.

Caroline has extended the offer of a tour to all those who may be interested in seeing the work of the hospice and the support that it provides.  Please contact community development committee chair Claire-Elaine Arthurs at CArthurs@hbj-gw.com to find out more.

There are also a number of opportunities to get involved in supporting Birmingham St Mary's Hospice which will be posted on the community development section of the Birmingham Future website shortly.  These include ambassador roles, events and fundraising committee roles, involvement in the capital appeal for £300,000 to refurbish the day hospice, establishing a CSR review group, marketing support for the BSMH shops, revising the lottery income process and research into online giving.  To find out more, please keep an eye on the Birmingham Future website.

The Lunar Society will hold an interactive workshop on Wednesday 23 June at 18.30 at The Drum, Lozells, Birmingham. The debate and discussion will be prompted by a panel of experts in the field of youth work and the criminal justice system.  Birmingham Future members have been invited to attend in order to get your views and opinions communicated. This event will explore some of the policy and practice gaps and where improvement needs to be targeted. The panel of speakers will draw upon their experience and views on policy and practice in preventing young people getting involved in crime and re-offending.

Panel members include Suzette Davenport of West Mercia Constabulary, Paul Cavadino Chief Executive of Nacro, Carver Anderson Director of Shalom Consultancy and Counselling Service and Jon Collins Campaign Director for the Criminal Justice Alliance. It is hoped that the evidence provided not only by speakers but those that attend can be fed back to the appropriate services and organisations to help the way young people are supported.
 
The Event will cost £5. If you would like to attend or request further information please contact our Community Development Chair, Claire-Elaine Arthurs at CEArthurs@hbj-gw.com.

The city’s young professional network is always happy to welcome a new face, and last week, as part of a programme of engaging with individual Future members, Jason Norris, Chair of the Talent Retention & Development Committee, met a new arrival who has fallen for everything Birmingham has to offer. Go to the blog to find out what brought Amrita Sidhu to Birmingham. 

More information on the Talent Retention & Development page on the blog.

This month’s Volunteer Spotlight features last years’ BYPY winner Suzie Branch, Client Services Director at BHMG Marketing.  Please go to the Birmingham Future Blog to find out what prompted Suzie to get involved in volunteering, who has been her biggest inspiration and lots more.

With just days to go before BYPY 2010, visit the Birmingham Future Blog to read about host Suzi Perry in our ten question Future Focus.

Nuvo, Brindleyplace’s latest bar has opened to the public, bringing a new wave of stylish and sophisticated socialising to the city. 

Situated in the ground floor of Eleven Brindleyplace, Nuvo was named by Lisa Clark of HBJ Gateley Waring LLP and Bryan Manley of Alchemy Translations, following a competition run in conjunction with Birmingham Future.  Combining unparalleled sophistication with impeccable service, it offers an exclusive environment in which to socialise over two stylish levels. 

Nuvo’s exclusive Champagne and cocktail list offers classic and contemporary favourites alongside unique creations and an enviable wine list.  A Mediterranean mezze-style menu delivers simple refined plates that combined with premium table service, completes the exquisite lounge bar environment.

Nuvo is open Mon-Weds 12pm-midnight, Thurs-Fri 12pm-late, Sat 5pm-late.  Discover Nuvo for yourself at www.nuvobar.com  Tel: 0121 631 1600.

There will be an exclusive BYPY after show party in Nuvo’s elegant lounge bar for those wanting to continue the celebrations after the main event at the ICC.

For details of our forthcoming events please visit our website.

Wednesday 2nd June - Panel Discussion: Sparkling & vibrant city centre or centre of urban deprivation? Bevan Brittan, Interchange Place, 18:00hrs for 18:30hrs.

Tuesday 8th June - Birmingham Future 'Wellbeing' Event: Vibrosuite, 100 Canal Square, Browning Square for more information about this event visit the Birmingham Future Blog.

On Tuesday 20 April, Birmingham Future hosted the first Speed Networking event of 2010 at Bluu Bar, Islington Gates, Summer Row.  These events are notoriously popular and this event was no exception.  Birmingham Future members across all sectors attended the event and participated in two exhilarating rounds of speed networking.  The participants had just three minutes to make their introductions before the bell rang and it was time to move on!

Many of the attendees commented on the surprising number of new members that they had met during the evening and others said that the night had been an incredibly useful way to develop their networking skills and build on their existing network of contacts.  It was an evening thoroughly enjoyed by all and judging by the positive feedback, we look forward to the next one.

On Thursday 22 April “the trouble with working women”, or the perceptions and realities of women working, were explored before a packed room of young professionals by Kate Cooper of extelligence and Victoria Garrard an employment partner at law firm HBJ Gateley Waring .

Kate Cooper shared amusing vignettes of her experiences including where as a female teacher she was not allowed to wear trousers, when as a married woman she was not allowed to complete her own tax return, and how her father wrote to her as "Mrs Robert Cooper". 

Kate related how she has diplomatically tackled difficulties that she has encountered and how, on occasion, interaction with men in the boardroom has been assisted by being a woman as she was considered non threatening and was therefore better able to propose solutions. For more information about this event please visit the Birmingham Future Blog.

Don’t forget there are lots of exciting discounts that can be redeemed across the city and beyond by using your Culture Club card!

For more information about the Club or to find out how to join please contact the Birmingham Future office on 0121 632 2200.