Microsoft Christmas Fair
Microsoft has fundraised for the NSPCC for many years but this year we thought we would try something a little different in the form of a Christmas Fair. Whether you sell decorations, cards, ideal Christmas gifts, services or vouchers that the many employees of Microsoft plus it’s partner organizations could buy then we would like to hear from you.

Creating a Level Playing Field in Public Sector Contracting
Tendering for Contracts Training provides a SCORM compliant online tendering and procurement training programme for SMEs who wish to learn how to tender successfully for public sector contracts. The course consists of 6 modules, comes with an excellent support package, and can be tackled in easy, convenient stages to suit any busy schedule.

Windsor Vehicle Leasing - Automobile Advice for Business in Berkshire
Company cars come in all shapes and sizes. If you’ve been offered a company car or it’s time to change yours, there is a bewildering array of options to choose from. Do you want a sporty-looking, zippy number? Or do you need something with lots of space for you and the family? What about the income tax implications? What is your annual mileage? Do you need the car just for commuting or do you work in sales?

Calling Budding Entrepreneurial Students
Business in Berkshire is looking for individuals or teams of young entrepreneurs to come to a networking lunch on the 17th November at The Renaissance Hotel, Reading. They will be given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to local business people attending the lunch and the Business in Berkshire team.

Business Software Suite Helps Automate Small Businesses
Maidenhead-based Business Software Centre have come up with a unique business starter kit – a software suite that addresses all the issues typically faced by small businesses in one easy to use package. What’s more it’s available on a monthly rental basis – with full support and upgrades – and is also available as a free 30 day trial. Let’s take a closer look…

Win an Evening at Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace was built to entertain and impress. Henry VIII is probably Hampton Court Palace’s most famous occupant and its first royal owner. Two of his most magnificent public rooms still survive including the Great Hall. Over the centuries, it has been the scene of many great events and lavish entertainments and today many of the magnificent state rooms are offered as unique and regal settings for banquets, receptions and other prestigious functions.

Never Lose Another Email - Ever
With email now at the heart of day-to-day business communications, leaving individual users to manage their own mailboxes, or depending solely on the company Exchange server for round-the-clock availability and backups, can be a risk too far. Happily, it no longer has to be this way….

Stealth Marketing
An e-book you own the reprint rights to! Stealth Marketing is the marketing that your competitors can’t see. It’s the hidden marketing like referral marketing and creating raving fans which no one sees and which makes most of the profit within many businesses.

Work Life Balance
It's very easy to get absorb by work these days, especially if you enjoy what you do. But you must remember to take a break every hour. Have an apple rather than a chocolate biscuit! Drink the non fizzy water. Don't pile into the treats cupboard at 10pm. And most importantly, have a switch off time.

A New Magazine
WORKING ABROAD magazine is a Berkshire based business but the magazine will be sold nationally.
Angie Beckett – Sales and Marketing Director has a wealth of experience publishing magazines for major companies including Auto Trader, Trinity Mirror and Newsquest but draws much of her inspiration from ex bosses Richard Branson and Lord Thomson. “I’ve been really lucky to have worked for some of the UKs leading entrepreneurs.”

Chiropractic Association Promotes Workplace Safety
“To help promote health and safety in the workplace, National Chiropractic Month 2006 will focus on what employers and employees can do to reduce the number of job-related injuries and how to best treat injuries when they do occur,” announced Ian Johnson DC, PhD, director of the Chiropractic Health Clinic on the Farnham Road in Slough who is British-trained but also a member of the American Chiropractic Association.

Get YOUR Message Out There
Last month we had over 50,000 visitors to over 200,000 pages. With over 9000 referrers (that means Google and other search engines) and 2500 search strings this equates to over 1600 visitors per day. Facts and figures are all very well, but let’s take a closer look at just what this means for the businesses and organisations that have chosen to tap into the power of Business in Berkshire.

Caversham Mail Centre Parliamentary Protest
Reading West MP, Martin Salter, this week condemned the decision by Royal Mail to close its mail centre in Caversham Road, Reading, and transfer operations to Swindon, leaving the fate of sorting office staff hanging in the balance. Royal Mail announced last month that a £20million expansion of the mail centre in Rowland Hill, Swindon will replace the sorting offices in Reading and Gloucester.

New Guidance
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released a new guidance available free on line Colour vision examination - A guide for employers. It provides advice to employers where colour vision is important for safety critical purposes.

David Willis Told Us What Was Happening on Our Website
Each month, Business in Berkshire used a standard web stats reporting tool to identify visitors needs, interests and trends. Trouble is,it only gave top 20’s - interesting, but not actionable. Thanks to David Willis of Information Drivers we can now quantify their value in this age of increasing measurability.

Have You Got The 'ELF' Factor?
Have you got the Elf Factor?
Then join Bracknell’s Elf Training Academy!
We all know that Christmas is a magical time of year for children so Bracknell Town Centre is opening its Elf Academy workshop where youngsters can creatively bring Christmas to life.

Protecting Your Intellectual Property
Business Link have teamed up with fJ Cleveland and KTP to hold a free Introductory Presentation to Intellectual Property Rights and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships followed by one-to-one Advice Clinics.
When: Tuesday 14 November 2006 between 8am and 1pm
Where: Black Horse House at The University of Reading

Blogs, Wikis, Pods, and PR - Do They Mix?
An introduction to New Media and Online PR. We PR people are pretty well-versed in the media (newspapers, magazines, television and radio). These are our key tools. However, we also know that this is, no longer, an exhaustive list. There is a new beast for us to tackle: online.

Man and Van Concept Gets Professional Makeover
When an SME needs financial or legal advice, they get in touch with their accountant or solicitor. But when it comes to managing those occasional, less specialised tasks that don’t fall under a convenient job title, where do they turn? A new service set up by Martin Brailli from Earley aims to provide the answer.

A Lesson in Perseverance
When Scott Hider of B2B Portfolio had his car stolen last week, he was so intent on getting it back he tried literally anything and everything he could think of. Persistence, perseverance, and hard work can yield amazing results. Does the story have a happy ending? Read on to find out…

My Family & Other Animals
Join us on 15 November for a round up of the latest Employment Law updates plus have the opportunity to network and enjoy a glass of wine. The Seminar will start at 6pm and be finished by 7.30pm giving plenty of time afterwards for questions and networking. Contact Gemma Ford on 0118 959 6839.

Was That an Elephant Waterskiing?
A FULLY-GROWN elephant being pulled across the water on skis and a sports boat towing the mighty cruise liner 'Queen Elizabeth' are just two of the eye-catching stunts devised by the late Carl Kiekhaefer, from America's mid-west, as he promoted his marine outboard engines. Did they work?

Children's Skiwear Special Offers
As well as the latest range of 2007 children's skiwear, MiniMoonsailors also have some special offers available on certain items from the 2006 range of kids skiwear.
For example, the Dare2Be 'Fluke' ski jacket at £24.95 was previously selling for £44.95. We have similar offers on children's salopettes and all in one skisuits.

Fab 'n' Funky Christmas
This Christmas, take the hassle out of high street shopping and check out www.fabnfunkygifts.com Before you know it, Christmas will soon be upon us – the crisp nights, the warm fires and, of course, the presents underneath the Christmas tree. If Christmas in the past has usually meant trudging through over crowded streets and spending hours deliberating on what to get friends family and loved ones, then you are in for a seasonal surprise.

Feelgood Factor Leads to Renewed Interest in Equities
The UK stock market has attracted more interest from private investors over the last couple of months, following a recent lack of confidence.
Figures from Capita Registrars have revealed that private investors increased their holdings by £2.6 billion during August and September, marking a significant move away from the trend witnessed in the previous six months, when investors sold £9.9 billion worth of shares.

Are You a Spendaholic?
We’re a nation of spendaholics and credit card junkies, living way beyond our means. It’s almost physical - we’re hooked. This year the amount of money owed by British consumers has broken through the £1 trillion barrier for the first time. The Bank of England said that more than £1,000 billion of that is on credit cards. So, if you're at debt's door then get the low-down on how to sort out your finances by getting involved with the new series of BBC Three’s ‘Spendaholics’

Workers Seek Advice on Pensions
More people than ever are seeking advice from independent financial advisors (IFAs), according to a new report. Demand for advice has been 13 per cent higher over the summer months than last year, with the months of July and September witnessing 40,008 requests for details of local retirement planning IFAs.

Born On This Day
1762 Spencer Percival
1887 L.S Lowry
1935 Gary Player
1941 Nigel Dempster
1947 Nick Owen
1959 Eddie MacDonald
1962 Sharron Davies
1963 Mark Hughes
1972 Jenny McCarthy