Local news… from members and the Chamber.

Hundreds of runners donned their trainers on Boxing Day for this year’s Boxing Day Run in aid of Holy Cross Hospital, and some of them even stopped for a pint along the way! The 3.5-mile event is organised each year by Haslemere resident Matt Dellar and takes participants along a scenic route on Hindhead Commons encompassing the Devil’s Punchbowl and Gibbet Hill.

A bespoke piece of artwork has been unveiled in St Hugh’s, which is Holy Cross Hospital’s new education centre. The backlit glass wall-art depicts St Hugh who is the patron saint of sick people, sick children, shoemakers and swans.

Around 16% of the population has a disability.  That may be a mobility or dexterity problem or may be a hidden disability affecting breathing or perhaps requiring prompt access to a lavatory.  Not everyone with a disability uses a wheelchair or has a support dog. Here are some ideas to help your business be disability friendly and to meet your obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

For the many Chamber members who work in the retail sector, shops are rightly already looking very festive.  But is it appropriate to decorate offices not open to the public? 

Camelsdale Primary School are holding their annual Christmas Fayre on Saturday, 24 November at 12-3pm. Anyone who has been agrees it is one of the most enjoyable local events of the year. All are invited.

McGowan Corporate Solutions had a great night at Lythe Hill and proud to be the insurance brokers to two winners, Dylan's Ice Cream and Innovation Visual Ltd as well as having PAAC IT Ltd as a finalist in another category though why they didn't win it I do not know....

Chamber members had the pleasure of a round table discussion with Andrew Holder, Agency for Central Southern England from the Bank of England last Tuesday. Andrew’s role is to provide a link between the Bank and organisations across Central and Southern England. He regularly meets with groups such as ours, to “take the pulse” of whats happening in the regions and to share the Bank’s financial outlook.

The government is currently consulting on planning reform – particularly regarding permitted development & the high street which should be of interest to many of us.

With unemployment at an all time low, finding a new and suitable member of staff can be quite a challenge.  It may be very tempting to welcome with open arms the first person to apply for your vacancy but employing the wrong person can be worse than having no one at all.   Here are some hints and tips to help you ensure that the person you have found is the right person for the job.

Almost 200 people from across Waverley, including 30 from Haslemere got together on Friday evening to celebrate the best of Waverley organisations at the BIG Awards Ceremony. We were treat to a wonderful setting and dinner at The Lythe Hill Hotel decorated with magnificent floral arrays on each table from Marley Flowers.

Peter Searight, the award winning photographer of the Remarkable Studio is holding an exhibition of his work at The Haslemere Museum from Thursday 11 October – Saturday 27 October. Chamber members are most welcome to the Friday evening preview on 12 October from 7 to 9 pm at The Haslemere Museum.