Webinar coming up:
Green Circular Economy Webinar
Friday 12th March from 10:00am - 11:00am

Our webinar is sponsored by Zapp World who have developed the most innovative method to sort out waste. Zapp World is a west London Social Enterprise, setting out to tackle the global climate change and waste management crises by empowering transformational change at scale, now. Their at-source and fuel-less ClearWaste technology treats all kinds of waste, anywhere, at no harmful cost to the environment.  It really is impressive!

The Green Economy is defined as “a system of economic activities connected with the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services that results in a better human wellbeing in the long term, to avoid exposing the future generations to significant environmental risks and to the ecologic shortage”, while the circular economy represents “a development strategy that provides for the economic growth without increasing the consumption of resources and reducing the impact on the environment.”

Speakers:
  • ReLondon
  • Zapp World
  • Cllr Katherine Dunne, Cabinet member for Communities, Climate Change at Hounslow Council
  • Green Chilly – cooling technology
  • CLS – jute products
Asymptomatic Testing

In January, the government announced a massive expansion of Asymptomatic Testing via Workplace and Community Testing with Lateral Flow Devices. Eligible firms of over 50 employees were able to sign up via the gov.uk portal and explore setting up an Asymptomatic Testing Site (ATS) on their premises. This followed extensive pilots with private sector firms to learn best practice.
 
In the Prime Minister’s Roadmap announcement, the government committed funding for testing until the end of June and are encouraging firms to sign up by 31 March in order to secure their free supply.
 
The requirement for firms to have 50 employees in order to set up an ATS has now been removed. This means firms of all sizes are able to register on the gov.uk portal. However, the
31 March deadline still remains and we would greatly appreciate your continued support in getting this message out. We also continue to work with you on specific member feedback on workplace testing.
 
For those who can not access workplace testing, they should consider Community Testing via Local Authorities. A postcode checker can be found here.
 
Marketing assets for use on workplace testing can be found here.
 
 
FREE RAPID TESTS FOR ALL BUSINESSES FOR REGULAR WORKPLACE TESTING

  • Workplace testing now available to all businesses, including those with fewer than 50 employees
  • Business encouraged to register interest by 31 March to access free workplace testing
  • Regular testing will be a vital part of the government’s roadmap to cautiously ease restrictions
 
All businesses in England are now able to sign up to the government’s free Covid-19 workplace testing programme.

As part of the government’s roadmap to cautiously lift restrictions, businesses of all sizes, including those with fewer than 50 employees, can register from today to order free lateral flow tests for their employees.

Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus don’t have symptoms, which means they could be spreading the virus in workplaces without knowing. Rapid testing detects cases quickly – in under 30 minutes – meaning positive cases can isolate immediately, breaking chains of transmission.

Regular testing could be the difference between a workplace being able to stay open and operational, or needing to close due to a Covid-19 outbreak. It will form a crucial part of the government’s plan to gradually and safely ease restrictions as we get back to a more normal life.

So far over 3,500 businesses are signed up to offer workplace testing programmes, and over 14,000 have registered their interest in offering rapid testing, with many already rolling tests out.
 
Businesses have until 31 March to register for the government’s workplace testing scheme, which will remain free until the end of June. All those who can work from home should continue to do so.
Heathrow COVID-19 update, 5th March

It has been a critical couple of weeks for Heathrow as well as the wider country, with the Prime Minister’s announcement of the roadmap to unlock current nationwide restrictions (22nd February) and the Chancellor’s Budget (3rd March). Despite the Government’s recognition of the importance of aviation restarting to the country’s economic recovery through the creation of a new Global Travel Taskforce, it was both surprising and disappointing not to see aviation mentioned by the Chancellor in the Budget.

By staying open throughout the pandemic to service vital movement of PPE, medicine and more recently vaccines and to facilitate essential travel and repatriation, airports have incurred large fixed costs, in the face of the complete collapse of revenue. While at Heathrow, we have been able to reduce some of these fixed costs, for example by consolidating operations into a smaller campus, one area remains where we have been unable to reduce our cost base: business rates. It is bitterly disappointing that the Government has failed to recognise the trade and investment ramifications of their lack of support and instead appear willing to let the sector further weaken. 

Away from the dire financial news, we continue to look to support our local community. During February half term, over a thousand students from Heathrow’s six local college partners took part in a virtual work experience week. While the ongoing pandemic has made it difficult to facilitate in-person work experience, we remain committed to showcasing the varied careers Heathrow has to offer and coordinated seminars and interactive activities on Engineering, Sustainability and IT to name a few.

This week, Heathrow has launched a consultation on the permanent adoption of Slightly Steeper Approaches (SSA) for some arriving aircraft. Following successful trials in 2015 and 2017, use of SSA has helped reduce the noise footprint on the ground. Minimising the impact of aircraft noise on the local communities that live around Heathrow remains a key priority for Heathrow. Following this consultation, which forms part of the CAA required process for proposed airspace changes, we are hopeful the regulator will approve the permanent adoption of SSA.
Brentford FC are looking for a new Board member to lead the way in community engagement
Unique opportunity to join the Brentford FC Board of Directors
 
Brentford FC are recruiting an Independent Non-Executive Director to sit on the Board of Directors. The Club is currently near the top of the Sky Bet Championship and has, in the past six months, moved in to a new stadium situated equidistant between London Heathrow airport and central London and at the heart of the West London community. Key Board objectives are based on our desire to become the most inclusive club in the country, growing and diversifying our supporter base, delivering outstanding fan and community engagement and increasing our revenues through purpose led commercial partnerships.

In order to realise our ambitions, we realise diversity must run through the entire organisation and must start from the top. We are looking for a new person to sit on our Board with the right mix of skills, knowledge and energy to help us do that. In order to complement the skills of our existing directors, we are looking for someone with demonstrable senior experience and skills in the areas of community, supporter or stakeholder engagement.

Whilst having proven strategic experience in a similar role would be advantageous, in line with our inclusive outlook and desire to increase diversity, we are willing to look more broadly at people with a different skill set, who may be able to effectively fulfil the same role. Our current board of eight contains gender and ethnic diversity but in line with our ambitions and clear evidence that more diverse boards make better decisions, we are casting our net more widely.
 
Whilst we are striving for diversity, we absolutely commit to selecting the best candidate for the job, who best performs throughout a fair and transparent selection process.
 
Brentford FC is a signatory to The FA’s Diversity Code, and as such commits to shortlisting at least one person of ethnic or gender diversity for this role, in addition to any shortlisted candidates who may already have been considered if necessary. This additional candidate will still need to fulfil all of the requirements listed in the Role Description.
 
For more details and to apply for this role, please click here.
West London Local Chambers & Hounslow Chamber of Commerce are the primary support, networking, and representation organisation in west London for SMEs.

We support the interests, the commercial aspirations and the investment from businesses in Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham - the Chamber is the voice for all businesses located in the borough