BNI

At the front of networking in Yorkshire was Business Networking International (BNI).  Founded by Niri Patel, BNI became established in Leeds and our own Sharon Cain from Quest PR was one of the first Chapter directors at the Royal Armouries.  Founded on the concept of Givers Gain® and members are encouraged to open doors for other members to each session. There are 53 BNI groups within Yorkshire, so it’s likely there is one close to you.

The Met Club

Another great success story is the Met Club, founded by Christine Armstrong, which has grown and flourished with vibrant events in Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster, Harrogate and York.  Guest speakers include Ed Balls who is speaking in Leeds on Friday May 18 and forthcoming events include a wine tasting evening at the William And Victoria Restaurant in Harrogate on June 6.  Sharon Cain from Quest PR says a big ‘thank you’ to Lorraine and Christine for being invited to speak today the Harrogate Ladies’ Lunch at the White Hart Hotel.

The Fruit Tree Business Growth Club

Launched in Doncaster in January 2011, The Fruit Tree Business Growth Club has expanded to Sheffield and Leeds with plans to blossom into York.  Founder Brian Butcher, has developed a “Connect”, “Learn” and “Grow” philosophy, and the sessions feature coaches including business strategist Neil Kendall, from Business Doctors, Nicky Pattinson from Hiya It’s Nicky and Simon Hartley Personal Performance & Confidence Coach from Be World Class.

4N

4Networking (4N) offers a “social business networking” approach based on the premise that their relaxed and friendly attitude helps promote productive networking.  Founder Brad Burton is very active in promoting 4N’s business members and prominent Yorkshire 4N champions include Tom Laurence from TLC Business Supplies and John Heslop from Chemex.

Business Network

If businesses lunches whet your appetite then The Business Network in West Yorkshire might be for you.  Caroline Coward has launched a structured lunchtime networking group with a national reputation for excellence, with a “mix and mingle” session at the start.

Send us a tweet, or leave a comment below on what type of networking you enjoy – and why. We’ll be profiling more groups in our next blog!

Every year, UK businesses dream of being awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise.  These highly prestigious awards for outstanding achievement by UK businesses are awarded for Innovation, International Trade and Sustainable Development.

On her birthday, the Queen awarded 209 awards and Quest PR are delighted that 10 per cent of the award winners hail from God’s own country – confirming that excellence in business is not limited to the south.  We’d like to introduce you to just a handful of those in the region who were successful in achieving this recognition.

In Sheffield Kiveton Park Steel has scooped an International Trade award for the success of its continued commitment to export growth, both within and beyond Europe.   MD Bill Collington said: “We are extremely proud to be honoured with the award for International Trade. We share this award with all employees, agents and distributors working together to promote our export trade”

Boxford Ltd from Elland has been recognised in the International Trade category for its contribution to creating machinery for technology lessons in schools and colleges globally. In the last three years export sales have accelerated by more than 600 per cent. MD Paul Barraclough said the award was an honour that reflected on all the 50 staff at the Dewsbury Road premises.

Employing more than 200 people in Leeds and Bradford, ATB Morley has received its third Queen’s Award – this time for International Trade. In 2010 it scooped an Innovation Award and an International Trade award in 2009.  The business works with China and India to open up new markets and increase exports for its flameproof high-voltage electric motors used in underground coal mining.

From Richmond in North Yorkshire, Peratec Ltd was awarded an Innovation Award for its Quantum Tunnelling Composites (QTC) ™ Material touch technology, which has a wide range of applications from robotics to automotive and from touch screens to consumer electrical products.  David Lussey said “We are all honoured to receive this Award because innovation is the one, undisputed thing that the British really excel at, so the competition is intense.”

Closer to the coast, JSR Genetics Ltd in Driffield is marking an International Trade award to recognise its outstanding export success. Securing an overall growth in earnings of 117 per cent over the past three years, the company provides UK and International pig producers with top quality breeding stock, products and services and is now represented in over 30 countries worldwide.

Family business King Cole Ltd in Silsden has also achieved an award for International Trade.  Driven by strong traditional values, the business specialises in hand knitting yarns and knitting patterns.

Business and Enterprise Minister, Mark Prisk said: “It is a fantastic achievement for all of the businesses that have received an award and I would like to congratulate them on making such a valuable contribution across all business sectors.”

A full list of the 2012 winners is available on the Queen’s Awards Website and details on how to enter for 2013 are available from Business Link.

The dreadful weather may have put a dampener on many outdoor activities last weekend, but there was still a ‘spring’ in the step of the thousands of visitors to the Harrogate Flower Show.

As well as being two of the biggest shows in the country, the Harrogate Flower Shows are considered to be the most prestigious of independent gardening events. Here at Quest PR we’re delighted to be on the doorstep of such a fantastic opportunity to get green-fingered inspiration!

 The spring show featured over 100 leading nurseries exhibiting an amazing diversity of plants, such as specimens from the Himalayas that would never be seen elsewhere in Yorkshire. There were over 260 spectacular floral displays in Britain’s biggest floral art marquee, not to mention a plethora of fruit and veg, Olympic themed displays – and celebrity chef Rosemary Shrager entertaining us in the cookery theatre.

There was a record number of awards handed out, with 22 Premier Gold Awards, 30 Gold, 28 Silver Gilt, 12 Silver and 4 Bronze. Top honours in the Show Gardens category went to

the North Yorkshire partnership of Mark Hanlon, New Leaf Landscapes, and dry stone wall craftsman, Keith Ledger, for their garden ‘Practical Tranquillity’.

We’d also like to send our heartiest congratulations to Sally Tierney, aka Yorkshire Garden Designer, for taking home a fabulous Gold award for her garden ‘Glass and Grass’, designed to help a busy GP unwind with a combination of traditional structure and modern twists.

Other deserving winners included our near neighbour Horticap, Askham Bryan College, Wood Landscapes, Inspired Garden Design and PWP Landscape. Congratulations to them all!

There’s no doubt that Harrogate’s Flower Shows can stand on their own two feet alongside the Chelsea Flower Show and similar events. If you need a little outdoor inspiration put 14-16 September in your diary – we’ll see you at the autumn show!

As part of our ‘all that’s great about Yorkshire series, we want to highlight  the fab work of some of the media and editors a little closer to your home who have been instrumental in elevating the profile of local companies. Their papers may not be as widely known as those we showcased last week, but each and every one of them makes a huge difference to our local businesses and Yorkshire as a whole.

The Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) is a Leeds-based newspaper which is published daily and provides an update of the day’s local news, business and sport. Business Editor, Tony (Antony) Clay, often provides insight into local business initiatives and the ongoing struggle against unemployment.

Chris Holland is the Business Editor at Bradford’s Telegraph and Argus. He returned to the company in early 2008, having previously worked with them covering industry from 1974-1984.In 2010, Chris was named “Yorkshire Business Journalist of the Year” in the O2 regional media awards. His love of local businesses was evident when he said “Bradford has a vibrant business community which provides endless opportunities or interesting stories”.

After achieving a BA (Hons) in Journalism in 2006, Julie Hayes is now the Business Editor at The Press, York. She has shared with us her personal experiences, including her visit to the local Yorkshire Mafia Conference and ensuring that local businesses are able to keep in touch with their peers.

David Todd, the Editor at the Sheffield Telegraph is well known for launching the Sheffield Telegraph’s Environmental Awards in 2007 sparked by his awareness of the city’s growing number of environmental initiatives. The Awards are popular with local businesses, organisations, local schools and individuals.

Also in the Sheffield Newspapers group is the Sheffield Star. As their Business Editor, Bob Rae has applauded local companies which are global leaders in their field and are helping celebrate the success of local companies beating global competition

As the Business Editor for Ackrill Media Group, Katie Oxtoby writes for titles including the Harrogate Advertiser, Knaresborough Post, Nidderdale Herald, Ripon Gazette and Wetherby News, Katie also writes the monthly eight-page Business Pink supplement and publicises the Ackrill Media Group’s Business Awards, which are held every March.

Share with us your favourite local news stories below or Tweet us your favourites @questpr on Twitter!

As part of our series to celebrate the best of Yorkshire, we put the spotlight on some of the biggest names in Yorkshire’s business media.  These regional journalists are instrumental in helping SMEs to cultivate their business knowledge and boost their profiles.

With a career in publishing and media groups since 2002, Richard Abbott joined the Yorkshire Business Insider as Deputy Editor in May 2010. Swiftly rising through the ranks and in February 2011, he was appointed Editor.  A self-confessed supporter of Southampton FC, Richard loves real ale and  walks in the Yorkshire dales.

Bernard Ginns is Business Editor of the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire’s national newspaper.  He joined the company in May 2008 after an award winning position as Editor for Kent on Sunday.  The award-winning Yorkshire Post is viewed as the leading business newspaper in the North of England.

When Ian Briggs was promoted to Editor of The Business Desk.com Yorkshire in May 2011, MD and  former editor David Parkin, said: “Ian is a great journalist who has gained the respect of people inside and outside our business”.  Ian had previously worked as Business Reporter at the Yorkshire Post where he was awarded Business Writer of the Year at the Yorkshire Press Awards in 2006.

As the Editorial Director of Business Link Magazine Group (BLM Group), Steve Fisher is responsible for four monthly magazines, various periodicals and the BLM Group’s digital magazine content.  Steve is also involved in the brand’s strategy and development including reaching new audiences for the traditional paper-copies and increasing the online readership.

Clare Elsley is the Editor of the Brand Yorkshire Magazine, an organisation set up to help regional businesses to develop and grow. Clare previously worked for a range of commercial and public sector clients on a freelance basis; as a former trade journal editor and journalist, she has over 10 years’ experience in the field.

BQ Magazine offers a mix of business news, profiles of inspirational entrepreneurs and commentaries from leading business players, and they could not continue to be the “Life and Soul of Business” without their Editor Peter Baber, a former editor of the Yorkshire Business Insider .

Northside magazine was launched in 1995 as part of the Regional Magazine Company.  As the Business Reporter, Jane Cameron compiles monthly features which examine the motivations and challenges of Yorkshire’s most successful companies. Jane also interviews serial entrepreneurs and business figureheads, including Lord Sugar.

Which articles have these local business to business journalists written which have made a difference to your business?

Regardless of your musical preference Yorkshire has something for everyone – from folk to classical and modern pop to rock.

Spring is in the air and the music festival season has arrived in Yorkshire, with a variety of styles to delight your ears.  Here at Quest PR, we are looking forward to hearing what you think of the upcoming festivals. If music be the food of love, play on…

We couldn’t talk about music festivals without mentioning the Leeds Festival.  From 24-26 August, Bramham Park will be hosting one of the most well-known modern music festivals in the UK.  Headliners  Foo Fighters, Kasabian, and Leeds-grown Kaiser Chiefs  are lined up for the main stage. The festival also gives local talent the chance to showcase their music, and this has been the launch pad for Yorkshire acts, including the aforementioned Kaiser Chiefs, the Artic Monkeys  and Pulled Apart by Horses, to name but a few.

Leeds will also be hosting Party in the Park, one of the largest free music festivals in the grounds of Temple Newsam.  This one-day festival on 22 July is expected to attract 70,000 people, and with the impressive line-up of British pop stars, tickets are often snapped up quickly; if you miss the opportunity, rest assured that local radio station, Radio Aire, will keep you jumping as it broadcasts live throughout the event.

For those who like their music a little more traditional, OK, a lot more traditional, there is the York Early Music Festival. This is a national first, with a festival of historically informed performances presented in historically appropriate venues throughout Yorkshire, including York Minster and Harewood House between 6 – 14 July.

South Yorkshire will also be celebrating the 40^th anniversary of their biggest festival of music and dance in 2012!  The Wath Festival, established in 1972 by the people of Wath-Upon-Dearne, is held on the May Day bank holiday weekend (4-6 May) and has become known as the “friendliest festival in the region”.  It celebrates a variety of music and dance styles, ranging from traditionally English Maypole and Morris Dancing to the more varied Irish Dancers, Samzeo Georgian Singers and Sword Dancers.  There will also be workshops in African drumming, drama and street dance.

Finally, with 2012 celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Leeds marks the event in a classical musical style.  On 2 June, Leeds Town Hall will host a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebratory Concert featuring the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus and Manchester Camerata performing Handel Coronation Anthems, Mozart Piano Concerto No 18 in B flat, KV456 and Mozart Mass No 15 in C major, KV317 (Coronation Mass).

Whether classical, traditional, modern or pop strikers the right chord with you, you will find it in Yorkshire.  Which music festivals, concerts or shows are you hoping to enjoy this year?

What are you planning for the Easter holidays?

Despite the drop in temperature predicted by the weather forecasters for the bank holiday, here at Quest PR we have been buoyed up by a glorious couple of weeks of unseasonably warm weather. We can’t wait to flex our green fingers and help the spring blooms along their way.

If getting grime and soil under your fingernails isn’t your thing, we have a few ideas for local days out up our (green)sleeve! There is a huge choice of amazing floral venues to visit that will satisfy adults and children alike – and all within the beautiful borders of Yorkshire.

To the East of York you’ll find Scampston’s walled garden, a thoroughly contemporary attraction adjacent to a larger park designed by Capability Brown. The garden was derelict for half a century until restored by the current owners and reopened to the public just eight years ago.

Another thoroughly modern attraction, the Forbidden Corner can be found near Leyburn in North Yorkshire. Originally constructed as a private folly, the Forbidden Corner now comprises a unique labyrinth of tunnels, chambers and surprises – and is perfect for kids to explore!

Thorp Perrow Arboretum near Bedale claims to be the ultimate family day out with its Birds of Prey and Mammal Centre. Learn more about these winged hunters and see full-grown  and juvenile birds close-up, watch flying demonstrations then pay a visit to Meerkat Island – who could resist! The Gardens are home to several National Plant Collections and over 60 “Champion Trees” according to the Tree Register of the British Isles; definitely worth a look.

Up in the Dales another walled garden, this one at Helmsley, dates back to 1759 and provides fantastic opportunities for the disabled, elderly and disadvantaged to undertake work experience and horticultural rehabilitation in order to restore confidence and social skills. Why not visit the tranquil neighbouring Rievaulx Abbey at the same time?

With so many fantastic experiences to choose from, possibly the jewel in the crown is our near neighbour, RHS Garden Harlow Carr. A stunning garden and visitor centre which really needs more than a day to do it justice, Harlow Carr Gardens offers something for everyone and is flying the flag for sustainable development. The icing on the cake is Betty’s Cafe Tearooms onsite. So what are you waiting for?!

Share your Easter plans with us. Which other stunning Yorkshire gardens deserve to be on our list?

This year the fabulous Yorkshire fishing resort of Whitby which inspired Bram Stoker to write his chilling novel ‘Dracula’, hosts the centenary Bram Stoker International film festival with lashings of Goth garb and eyeliner – and with a special appearance from Vampire Queen Rosie Lugosi.

Quest PR’s Sharon Cain has been savouring the delights of the resort whose famous sons include 18th century explorer Captain James Cook.

Share with us your favourite seaside memories and snapshots below or DM us @questpr on Twitter.

Wild, windswept and rugged are among the wonderful adjectives to describe Yorkshire’s stunning seaside resorts which overlook the bracing North Sea and boast some fantastic quirky customs.

For example, if you visit Scarborough on Shrove Tuesday you may be understandably bemused to see locals and visitors skipping along the highway. Far from losing their collective marbles they are exercising (literally) their rights as part of an old tradition dating back over a hundred years.

On the same day – and still in Scarborough – you may also hear the pancake bell ringing loud and clear in a custom started by the town’s wives to let their men toiling in the fields know that they were about to whip up a pancake storm to signify the beginning of Lent. 

Fast forward to a bitterly cold boxing day and you will witness an unusual charity venture making a big splash when local business people board self-made rafts in sub-zero seas while being bombarded by flour and eggs! 

When it comes to beaches, you would search far and wide to find a more beautiful  beach and coastline than that of Scarborough’s more subdued neighbour Filey where Quest PR’s FD Steve and I have trained for the Great North Run to boost support for  Henshaws Yorkshire for the last three years.

There’s something for everyone including a stunning Seafront Sculpture Trail inspired by Filey’s natural heritage and designed by artist Russ Coleman in consultation with local residents. Twitchers will chirp with delight at the great crested newts in the Filey Dams Nature Reserve and the Bird Garden and Animal Park.   

With a history stretching back 1200 years to its origins as a remote fishing and farming community, the town also hosts an annual Edwardian Festival with live music, brass bands and Punch and Judy shows.

Fifty miles further down the coast as the seagull flies and you can savour the sights and smells of Bridlington’s beaches and harbour. The town is the venue for the British Open Darts Competition and you can discover Bridlington’s back story at the Beside the Seaside attraction. You can also tune into a piano concert or recital at Sewerby Hall and Gardens situated on a magnificent cliff top.

Our fourth featured resort is Robin Hood’s Bay which started its life as a deep sea millions of years ago when sea animals buried in the mud became fossilised – the name is said to be derived from the old English word Fygela which meant marshy ground and its potent past was rife with smuggling. Exploring on foot enables you to savour the wonderful architecture and abundance of cobbled streets and fishermen’s cottages. The beach is hailed as one of the UK’s best for unearthing fossils.

And if that’s not enough, antique and collectors fairs, an annual Victorian Weekend and ghost walks evoking the tales of the strange and supernatural set against a backdrop of smuggling, sailors and shipwrecks are among the additional pursuits to explore. Another must-see is the Laurel Inn whose bar is carved out of solid rock.

 When it comes to accommodation you’ll be spoilt for choice with options spanning luxury retreats such as Raithwaite Hall   to caravan parks such as Robin Hood Park. Among those providing food for thought on the wining and dining front are Green’s Restaurant, Graveleys and Tricolos.    

Next week we’ll be broadcasting from Whitby – and finding out how it inspired Bram Stoker to write the novel Dracula after staying in Whitby in 1890 and contemplating whether it was an appropriate resort for a family holiday!!

What is your favourite seaside resort? – share your photos and memories with us .

Yorkshire folk pride themselves on their friendliness and approachability, so it’s no surprise that our regional accent has been frequently lauded as one of the country’s favourites.

Less than five per cent of the UK’s residents speak what is commonly known as BBC English. It’s very flattering that, with over 200 regional accents to choose from, TV shows and movies are guilty (in the nicest possible sense) of choosing a Yorkshire accent for characters who are to be portrayed as plain speaking – for that, read honesty and common sense.

Equally, to us Tykes it’s no surprise that a BBC series such as Last of the Summer Wine – whose success was due in no small part to its gentle caricaturisation of Yorkshire dialect – was the longest-running comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running sitcom in the world.

So what is it about the Yorkshire accent that makes us so proud? Significant interest in chronicling the history of the Yorkshire dialect dates back to 1894, when a committee was established to collect material for the English Dialect Dictionary, eventually developing into the Yorkshire Dialect Society – now the world’s oldest such society.

The cause of local variations in accent goes right back to when Vikings invaded in the 9^th Century and divided the region into what later became the three Ridings. Even now the influence of Norwegian words can be seen: the Norwegian word for “child” is “barn”: only a letter shy of the Yorkshire word “bairn”.

There are concerns that Yorkshire dialect – in fact localised speech across the UK – is dying out as modern words are introduced. Indeed, every year the dictionary loses a few old words to new ones – in particular those associated with traditional trades that are in decline. Some rare words are indeed only heard now in specific villages, handed down through the ages.

Change is inevitable and by no means all bad. Yorkshire, by its nature, is predominantly rural and in these communities it’s more likely that family traditions, including dialect, will continue in regular use. It seems almost criminal that classic phrases such as “Put t’wood in t’oil” – translated as ‘close the door’ – and “not so green as cabbage lookin” alluding to some who is naive, could ever pass without herald into the mists of time.  

Enough chuntering, ahm gonna shut me cakehole an’ ask thee what’s tha got to say about this?