BREAKING NEWS: The price cap for energy has been announced today. This will rise by 54% on 1st April.
For someone with average typical bills that’s a rise from £1,277 to £1,971 per year. Just under £700 per year. 😱
FBN member Gail Bannister can help you pay less for your bills, including energy, broadband, mobiles and shopping. For your home and business.
Please call FBN member Gail Bannister for a no obligation chat and savings quote. 07985989538.
We did it! Our first Face to Face networking meeting in 18 months. Kindly hosted by FBN member Peter Stockwell-Jones from Wessex Aloe, our outside meeting was a great way to begin the process of bringing our members back together as well as finally meet some of our newer members having been on Zoom for so long.
This is just the beginning of FBN coming back together with our regular face to face meetings. Keep an eye on the website and our social media pages for more details coming soon….
It’s 8am on Saturday 19 June 2021, and PSJ is sitting patiently in his loaded up car, waiting in a queue at the entrance to St George’s field in Ferndown, the venue for the return of Ferndown & Parley Rotary Club’s annual Fete on the Field event after last year’s cancellation. He sees David Allen, the other member of the 2-man FBN set-up team, who is searching for a Rotary colleague who has the site map which indicates the position of each stall. No-one can find the site map and the queue of vehicles continues to grow for the next 30 minutes. Suddenly, a large red 4 x 4 vehicle finds a gap in the fence and forces his way to the front of the queue. Everyone else notices his German licence plate and a few toot their horns in frustration. This must be the Bratwurst Hot Dog stall man! Minutes later, the site plan is found and at last all the vehicles gradually enter the field, proceed to their allotted positions and unloading of equipment begins amid much chuntering about “that red car”.
Plot B22 is conveniently third in from the public entrance gate and we start by laying out the gazebo poles & connectors on the ground, actually following the instruction plan which is in English rather than Chinese. To our surprise, everything fits where it’s supposed to as the second 2-man team of Paul Wales and Peter Read arrive and nod their approval when there are no parts on the ground that we have forgotten to fit. We even put the canvas roof on the correct way with the Velcro fasteners on the inside. Then, with one man on each corner, we lift the whole structure up to its full height and insert the legs – Bingo, we have a very attractive stand! All that remains to do is hammer a peg into the foot of each leg to prevent the whole thing flying away, clip the fasteners to the cross members and fasten the vertical back sheet to the frame to hide the car parked immediately behind but also to act as a contrasting backdrop for the pop-up banners.
The table is positioned at the front, it’s dressed with the new FBN cloth, and the pens, cards, flyers & wallets are neatly arranged on top. A second, smaller table is placed at the back for FBN members to display their own promotional material. 2 folding chairs complete the picture and we’re ready to go with half an hour to spare before the masses enter at 11am. PSJ then grabs a handful of cards & flyers and has a wander around the rows of stands looking for any who could be considered potential new FBN members as well as spotting the positions of food & drink stalls. At the same time, Gavin Smith, Ian Pounds and Maria Tidy arrive and start setting up their own stalls alongside ours. At every event PSJ has attended with Maria, she always has her minder (her Mum) with her and they make a very good double act! Paul Wales expresses the need of some breakfast at this stage and wanders off to the English sausage stall at the end of his shift. We also say thank you & goodbye to Peter Read. David Allen & PSJ go for a well earned coffee.
Soon after returning to the stand, the next member of the team arrives. It’s Tatiana Hibberd and the conversation starts around things like “Oh, you’re taller (or shorter) than I expected” since we’ve only seen each other ‘top halves’ on Zoom screens. But it’s now 11am; the gates are opened, individuals, family groups etc., start filing in and the show starts. The team engages with anyone who comes anywhere near our stand, handing them a flyer (& the occasional free pen) and explaining that we’re a group of local traders & professionals who can be trusted to do excellent work in their respective fields.
Time flies and soon it’s 1pm when Tara Harper is due to replace Tatiana, but Tatiana is enjoying the break from her work (& family) and stays for at least another half an hour – what a nice person!
It’s been overcast, grey and unusually cold all day with rain forecasted for around 5pm when the show officially ends. None of us wants to de-rig in the rain, so we (& some of the other stall holders) start packing away soon after 4pm and by 4.30pm we’re ready to leave – it’s always surprising that packing up to leave is so much quicker than unpacking to start.
It’s definitely been a worthwhile event for FBN in terms of engaging with those who were looking for the services that we as members offer because it was a family fun day and we were talking to members of the public. We handed out many flyers. It was NOT a Trade show and therefore little potential for finding or identifying new members, although we kept our eyes & ears open.
Maria did extremely well with her ‘attraction’ of toy prizes in a locked cabinet. Pay £1 and choose 4 keys from the bag; if one of them was the correct key, it opened the cabinet and the lucky winner could pick a prize from inside. Children loved it and their parents were happy to donate £1 for a chance for their child to win.
At FBN we are continuing to grow! Are you looking for some friendly business support and networking? Then why not join us. We are looking for a wide range of companies to become members, who have capacity to grow, so we can begin to work with each other.
Limited to only one person per profession. Come & see how our approach to increasing business for each other can also benefit you.
Complete our on-line enquiry form and we’ll send you the link to join our next meeting taking place on Friday mornings from 7.00AM, currently on zoom. Our available categories include:
We are looking forward to hearing from you.
It dawned on us a week or so ago at Dorset Car Leasing, after attending an online training session that there is still a great deal of confusion out there about electric cars, so here is a blog which you may find interesting.
Like it or not, we will all be driving electric cars/vehicles in the not too distant future. 2030 is only nine years away now and the Government has made it very clear to manufacturers what they need to do.
An Electric Vehicle (EV) is deemed to be a vehicle that you can charge externally. Here is a brief outline of the most common types currently available:
· Pure electric cars (known as BEV’s – battery electric vehicles) where the battery is the only power source. (An example of these are – Nissan LEAF, BMW i3, Volkswagen ID3, Tesla, Jaguar i-Pace, Polestar 2, etc).
· Plug-in hybrid (known as PHEV’s – plugin hybrid electric vehicles) whereby they have a battery and internal combustion engine (ICE) with a motor and/or engine providing drive. (An example of these are – Mitsubishi Outlander, BMW 330e, Hyundai Ioniq, Volkswagen Golf GTE, Mercedes A250e, etc).
So, what’s the difference in cost to run compared to a conventional car?
Below are average figures to provide a rough idea of the difference in costs based on pence per mile:
· Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) – 16p
· Plug in Hybrid (PHEV) – 11p
· Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) – 3p
What about charging and how long does it take?
This in one of the questions we get asked the most. Many people are opting to have a home charging unit installed. In our opinion this is a great idea, especially as it is still possible to take advantage of the government grants available. Depending on what type of home charger you go for will determine the cost and how quickly it will charge the car.
For example, a 3.6kW (kilowatt) charger will cost circa £449 (inc VAT and installed) and would fully charge a Volkswagen e-Golf in under 10 hours. A 7kW charger is circa £529 and would charge the same car in under 6 hours. (Please be aware this is just an example and different cars will take different lengths of time to charge).
Some of the fast chargers available at supermarkets, shopping centres and fuel stations could charge an e-Golf to 80% of its capacity within circa 30 minutes. A client of ours who has recently taken delivery of an e-Golf has been charging his car at his local Tesco whilst he does the weekly shopping and has not needed to charge it anywhere else since taking delivery 4 months ago! And the best bit is that there is no charge to do this at Tesco!
Government grants are also available for workplace charging points and a great deal of information (for both private and businesses) can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles
How can I find out where the charging points are in case I need one when I’m out and about?
There are now 6,382 more devices at 4,087 more locations than this time last year and this will continue to grow significantly over the next few years.
One of the best websites for finding out what is near to you or how you can plan a route if you are going on a journey is www.zap-map.com
It is worth taking a look, you’ll probably be surprised what is just around the corner!
So how far will an electric car travel on a full charge?
There is a phrase known as Range Anxiety – ‘the fear that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination leaving the occupants stranded’.
This is by far the discussions we have the most with our clients and in some circumstances can mean the difference between establishing if an EV is the right vehicle to go for or not. One thing is for sure, EV’s travel a lot further now than they did just a few years ago and the rate at which the technology is moving forward is staggering.
Below are examples of some of the ranges achievable from a variety of different manufacturers:
· BMW i3 – 193 miles
· Hyundai Kona 64kWh – 299 miles
· Mercedes EQC – 259 miles
· Nissan LEAF 3.ZERO e+ – 239 miles
· Peugeot e-208 – 217 miles
· Tesla Model 3 (Long Range) – 348 miles
· Vauxhall Corsa-e – 209 miles
· Volkswagen e-Golf – 144 miles
· Volkswagen ID.3 – 205 miles
· Volvo XC40 Recharge – 250 miles
As you can see there is a big variation in the distances covered, but for most people, there is now an EV available which is suitable and worthy of consideration.
Many forget an EV does not need to be fully charged. Many users “top up” the charge to 80% as this is quick and gives them a sensible working daily distance.
To give you an idea of the growth in registrations of EV’s, in 2013 there were 6,000 on our roads, in 2018 this number grew to 195,000 and by 2023 it is predicted there will be over 1 million.
Are electric cars a good idea for company car drivers?
Potentially, yes, very much so.
The government is very keen to get more and more people into zero emission cars as quickly as possible. One way to encourage people is to make EV’s as tax efficient as possible, therefore, from this current tax year, the company car tax payable for a car which has zero emissions is zero. Yes, you have read that correctly, no matter whether you are a lower or higher rate taxpayer, you will not pay any tax for having a company car if it is pure electric! Even if it is a Hybrid car the tax is very low compared to a petrol or diesel engine car.
There is also a great benefit to the employer as there is no Class 1a National Insurance payable either.
You may be thinking the tax payable will go up in the future which is a fair assumption, but, the government has confirmed the tax payable will only rise to 1% (of the cars P11d value) for the next tax year, 2% for the following tax year and will remain unchanged until 2025.
We have clients of ours who have seen this low rate tax as a way of potentially giving their valued employees a pay rise (by replacing their ‘normal’ car) without actually giving them a pay rise as their net income can increase significantly per month.
What about the cost of an EV, I hear they are very expensive?
Most electric cars are still benefitting from the government grant of £3,000 off the list price and many of the EV’s we supply funded via a leasing contract are now significantly better priced than they were a couple of years ago.
You also need to factor in the fuel savings available. You will recall the client of ours I mentioned previously who has been charging his e-Golf at Tesco for free – he used to spend circa £120 per month on fuel! They also do not need to be serviced as often as a conventional car which is therefore another potential saving. Our industry calls it whole life costs, and all these factors are essential to consider before disregarding the EV option.
Many of our clients have been pleasantly surprised by how well priced EV’s are when factoring in all these considerations and the relatively low leasing payments.
Summary
Hopefully, you have learnt a bit more about electric cars having read this blog. Please be aware this has been written to provide a brief overview and there are a lot of considerations before committing to an EV, but we all need to be thinking about it whether we make the change now or in say 5 years time.
We would love to help and would welcome the opportunity to discuss any vehicle procurement requirements you may have.
We have a great deal of experience in this field and have supplied many local companies with EV’s over the past few years having spent a great deal of time ensuring they fully understand how they can work for them both now and in the future.
Even if you are just ‘dipping your toe in the water’ when it comes to EV’s, please feel free to give us a call here at Dorset Car Leasing on 01202 821354 or e-mail hello@dorsetcarleasing.uk
Adding Smart Heating Controls to your home will help you manage your heat more effectively, save you money and make your home more energy efficient.
If you’re a homeowner or residential landlord you can now apply for a £5000 Green Homes Grant voucher (up to £10,000 for low income households) towards the cost of installing energy efficient improvements to your home including heating controls such as Inspire Home Automation’s Ignite Smart Thermostats.
You can apply directly for the grant, but it needs to be performed by an accredited installer.
Primary measures
The voucher must be used to install at least 1 primary measure. This can be an insulation measure and/or a low carbon heating measure.
Insulation measures covered by the voucher
Low carbon heating measures covered by the voucher:
Secondary measures
If you install at least 1 primary measure, your voucher can then be used to help cover the cost of a secondary measure which includes heating controls.
An Inspire Home Automation Ignite Thermostat has geofencing enabled. This turns down your heating when your home is empty but then starts turning up the heat when you’re coming home. Our fully customisable system enables you to create 4 different programs for the time of year and set up schedules to suit, daily, weekdays/weekends or a different temperature setting for each day of the week.
Learn more about the Green Homes Grant Scheme
To find out more about the Green Homes Grant Scheme visit:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-green-homes-grant-scheme
Get in touch
To discuss the Green Homes Grant Scheme and the Ignite range of Smart Thermostats and sensors please visit https://www.inspirehomeautomation.co.uk or give the team at FBN member Inspire Home Automation a call on 01202 798 390
If you’re vulnerable to coughs & colds, infections, even flu or worse (Covid-19), you need to do everything you can to boost your immune system – the body’s natural ‘defence army’.
In addition to the lymphocytes (white cells) in our blood, the correct balance of gut bacteria plays a very significant role too – and you can do something about this. The following advice won’t guarantee that you will never catch one of the bugs that go around, but it will help make your immune system ‘fighting fit’ and better able to mitigate symptoms if you do catch something. So, what should you consider taking:
Forever Aloe Vera Gel Drink.
Aloe is great for skin and is an ideal pre-biotic digestive aid, but it’s also an immune system modulator. Available in 3 flavours: – Natural (Code 715), Berry Nectar (Code 734) and Peaches (Code 777). £22.94 per litre carton. Recommended daily dose is 60 to 100ml and take all year round for wide-ranging health benefits.
Forever Active Pro-B.
Blends six strains of friendly bacteria to quickly help counter balance too many ‘unfriendly’ ones. The capsules do not require refrigeration, are allergen free and suitable for vegetarians. Code 610. £35.71 for 30 capsules. Recommended daily dose is one capsule, but only for one month.
Forever Immublend.
This synergistic blend of nutrients is high in Vitamin C, D and zinc, all of which contribute to the normal function of the immune system. Code 355. £18.19 for 60 tablets. Recommended daily dose is 2 tablets.
And don’t forget personal hygiene – you can’t go wrong using Forever Aloe Hand Soap, a gentle but effective liquid formula of Aloe with fruit extracts to leave your skin clean, soft & hydrated. Code 523. £14.83 for 473ml pump dispenser.
And for sanitizing your hands, there’s nothing better than Forever Instant Hand Cleanser. Powerful & refreshing, this cleanser will keep the whole family protected wherever the adventure leads. This citrus-scented aloe-based hand cleanser is ideal in all circumstances. Code 003. £12.85 for 250ml bottle.
All these products are available from Ferndown Business Network member Peter Stockwell-Jones M: 07947 685785 E: peter@wessex-aloe.com or via his online shop at www.wessex-aloe.com
Our readers are incredibly proud and passionate about where they live. Our local magazines offer a sense of community and serve as an important ‘hub’ where locals can learn about their surroundings… including your products and services!
Do not fall for the myth that ‘print’ is dead. In an age where the online space has a sea of digital ads, your local magazine has far less competition. Thus enabling you to stand out from the crowd!
Web surfers have become weary of clicking on banner ads. Even if they are enticing, they feel there is a lack of security online. With our print magazines the consumer has nothing to fear. This makes your audience more receptive to your message!
While digital ads come and go, print ads have staying power! Our magazines are read countless times. Your advert can be strategically placed to maximise your promotion! Our magazines are placed directly in the hands of your local consumer through door to door distribution. They are also available at large retail outlets with high foot traffic!
Advertising in reputable local magazines like ours allows local people to become familiar with your business. In the long run this encourages brand loyalty and recommendation to others!
Our local magazines are valued and respected publications that build a sense of community among local consumers. As an advertiser, you benefit from this credibility as your ads become much more than ‘just an ad’, they become recommendations from a trusted source.
Did you know that the average reader only spends 15 seconds on a website before moving on? People interact differently with our print magazines, they take their time and linger. This means they fully interact with our content including your ad!
Interested in Promoting your business. Contact FBN member Dorset Publications to answer any other questions you have! Tel Debbie: 01202 894397
As the days get shorter and the temperatures get lower, isn’t it time for you to better monitor and control energy usage within your HMO property?
At Inspire Home Automation we have revolutionised the Smart Thermostat for Landlords. Designed by Landlords for Landlords, our Landlord Thermostats allow you to easily monitor, control and restrict your property heating system from your desktop, tablet, or phone 24/7. You can customise how much your thermostat is controlled by your tenants. Giving you control of energy usage and bills wherever you may be.
Cut the fear of your next energy bill
Manufactured in the UK with a dedicated sales and support team based in our offices in Wimborne, Dorset. Our range of Smart Thermostats are designed to meet the needs of HMO landlords. With Wired and Wireless systems being available, and options for controlling hot water circuits as well. Our Smart Thermostats will cut the fear of your next energy bill by putting you back in control of energy usage.
Works with what you have
No need to stress about your boiler or your energy supplier – our Smart Thermostats work seamlessly with any energy supplier and 99% of common central heating systems. If you have more than one heating zone in a building or more than one property, then not a problem either. You can add as many of our Smart Thermostats as you wish to your one account.
Easily installed
Our Smart Thermostats are easily installed by any electrician, plumber or heating engineer who is experienced in installing heating controls. Alternatively, let one of our approved installers set everything up for you and help you get started. Hassle free, giving you more peace of mind.
Money Back Guarantee with our Landlord Thermostat
We are so confident that you will save money in your HMOs with our Landlord Thermostat that we have introduced our unique “Saves you money or we buy it back” guarantee. Simply put, if your heating bills do not reduce after installing our system you can return it to us, within 12 months of purchase, for a full refund of your purchase price.
Get in touch
For more information about the Ignite range of Smart Landlord Thermostats please visit www.inspirehomeautomation.co.uk/landlords.php or give our team a call on 01202 798 390
Utility Warehouse have just launched an amazing new sim only mobile deal that is far cheaper than any deal on the market.
Unlimited data, minutes and texts £20 with up to three additional unlimited sims per family at just £10 each.
If you want to know more please contact FBN member Gail on 07985 989538
‘Challenging society’s rules by living the life we design’
www.funlife.co.uk
Ferndown Business Network 