British Film Institute Premier
For Northumbria Film Producer
A film by a Northumbria post-graduate student was launched through the prestigious British Film Institute this month prior to embarking on a road-show across the country.
Cin(T)a received its UK premier at the Nation Film Theatre in London followed by a showcase tour of selected universities. All screenings will be followed by a Question and Answer session with the film makers and actors.
The English subtitled film has been produced by MA Design Management student, Muhammad Adi Panuntun, and was filmed in his native Indonesia.
The 75 minute long, high definition feature film was conceived, written, filmed and produced entirely by his own Sembilan Matahari film company through 2008.
Incredibly, the film, which boasts a very high production quality, and has just been signed to a major cinema chain in Indonesia, was produced on a budget of less than £10,000. This required very tight planning and a dedicated work ethic.
Filming was done in just two weeks using only two actors: Sunny Soon and Saira Jihan. All other appearance are as extra’s by the crew and friends who therefore were not paid for their cameos.
The story follows two central characters, Cina (Sunny Soon), an 18 year-old first year student with a strong yet naïve faith untested by failure and Annisa (Saira Jihan), a 24 year-old lonely Javanese Moslem woman whose education was held back because of her career in the movie industry. The film follows their quest to find love across the multicultural divide of modern-day Indonesia.
Cin(T)a appeared at the National Film Theatre in London on Friday 29 May, Birmingham University on Sunday 31 May, SOAS University and London on Monday 1 June. It will also appear at Northumbria University on Tuesday 2 June, Leeds University on Thursday 4 June, and Manchester University on Friday 5 June.
To view a trailer for the film, go to:-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvXVDo3OHUs.
Companies Could Face MP Style Scandal
Companies across the North East could find themselves facing their own MP style expenses crisis if they don’t have the correct procedures in place.
The warning has come from Michael Coates, managing director of County Durham based Protostar Leadership Development, who has trained and coached managers across the UK, Europe, USA and Africa.
Mr Coates believes organisations now need to examine their own expenses policies, along with taking into account the other areas where staff may be tempted to stray.
And he says that companies who don’t get their house in order may also find themselves in trouble if the Government decide to use an expenses crackdown as a way to boost revenue.
The leadership expert also claims that many organisations don’t have strict enough rules in place to ensure that staff are not behaving inappropriately.
"A recent survey found that one in four men asked had looked at websites which could get them fired if they got caught at work," he said.
"And another found that employees spending hours on social networking sites during work time was the single biggest issue affecting white collar productivity."
Mr Coates claims that many companies do not have the right rules and guidelines in place and that this puts temptation in the way, as can be seen by the current MP expenses row.
He said that calling the expenses "allowances" gave the MPs the illusion that they were entitled to claim them and a lack of guidelines added to an easy authorisation process had all helped create the current situation.
Protostar Leadership Development specialises in helping managers to lead more effectively and to deal with challenging people situations.
The company can also assist with policy and procedure reviews, communication and training to protect organisations from the kind of crisis currently affecting MPs.
Stags And Hens Flock To North East Resort
A North East hotel is enjoying a boom time thanks to stags and hens defying the credit crunch and ensuring that their last night of freedom is one to remember.
The New Royal Hotel at Whitley Bay has seen a growth in visitors from around the UK wanting to celebrate before they tie the knot.
Tavistock Leisure Ltd which owns the hotel has reported a massive influx of visitors from Scotland and Yorkshire who travel to North Tyneside every weekend.
"In the past groups may have gone to cities like Prague or Dublin to celebrate, but the low exchange rate has meant that people are now going for stag and hen nights closer to home," said Phil Crowe, the company’s marketing manager, "which is good news not just for us but for the area as a whole because it provides a boost to the local economy."
Although some hotels refuse to take hen or stag parties, Phil said that they have not encountered any problems.
"Stag and hen parties often have a bad reputation, but in most cases we’ve found this to be totally unfounded," he said. "We‘ve certainly had no trouble at all with the stag and hen parties that have stayed at The New Royal Hotel and are proud to offer them somewhere they can enjoy a last night of freedom before they get married."
The New Royal Hotel underwent a complete refurbishment when it was taken over by Tavistock Leisure earlier this year and now includes Tavistock Italia restaurant and The Pearl Bar, a nightclub with pool tables, a stage for live music and state-of-the-art sound system.
For more information or to make a booking visit www.tavistockleisure.com
Charity Kitchen Challenge
Two of the region’s familiar faces are dusting off their chefs hats and preparing to compete in ‘Hellova Kitchen’ in support of a local charity.
Andrew Dixon, chief executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative and former Tyne Tees reporter, Andrew Friend, are going head-to-head as they battle it out to be voted king of the kitchen at an event to raise funds for The Children’s Foundation.
Students from host venue Tyne Metropolitan College are lending a helping hand to the chefs, working with them to create mouth watering menus as they attempt to win diners’ votes and earn the "Hellova Kitchen" title.
Trustees of the Children’s Foundation including Lucy Winskell, a partner at Sintons Solicitors and David Haley, managing director of the bdaily business news network, will also be taking part, adopting the role of front of house staff, waiting on tables in a bid to win the most tips for the charity. The evening will compered by Real Radio presenter Lisa Shaw, who will be interviewing the two Andrews as they cook, adding some extra pressure.
Caroline O’Doherty, operations director at The Children’ Foundation, said: "This is set to be a fantastic event and we’re encouraging people who want to come along to book their places are soon as possible. We wish our two chefs the best of luck and hope they enjoy their challenge."
- Event: Hellova Kitchen
- Date: Wednesday 10 June
- Time: 6.30 – 9.30pm
- Cost: £20 per head
For further information and tickets please contact Caroline O’ Doherty on 0191 282 0891 or 07810 891 503/
Sunderland Pub To Be Transformed
One of Sunderland's best-known pubs is to get a modern makeover after being taken over by a leading North East leisure chain.
The Alexandra, at Queen Alexandra Road, Grangetown, has been bought by Tavistock Leisure Ltd, owners of the Best Western Roker Hotel, in a £350,000 deal.
Management are now debating exactly how they will transform the iconic venue, popularly referred to as the Alex, with a final decision expected within the next couple of weeks.
The venue is currently being run under tenancy for Tavistock Leisure by Dave, Jan and Kevin Atkinson, who are also managing-tenants of the Tavistock owned Wheatsheaf pub next to the Stadium of Light.
Doors will remain closed at The Alex to allow any work on the property to be carried out.
Phil Crowe, Marketing Manager at Tavistock Leisure, said: "The Alexandra has played a major part in Sunderland’s bar scene for more than 20 years now and we are keen to ensure it can keep playing that part for many years to come. More announcements about our plans will be made as soon as possible."
Tavistock Leisure Ltd now owns and operates six Tavistock-branded venues across the North East, including sites in Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Whitley Bay. This will be its second venue in Sunderland, alongside the Best Western Roker Hotel which incorporates the Tavistock Italia and Thai China restaurants.
For more information visit www.tavistockleisure.com.
Suzanne Experiences Life In The Fast Lane
Financial planner Suzanne Cox was given the perfect opportunity to witness wealth management on a grand scale - when she won a free weekend to Monaco.
Suzanne, who works for financial advisers Carterbar, of Billingham, Teesside, won a weekend for two to attend the Grand Prix Formula 1 motor race in Monaco, one of the richest places on Earth.
Suzanne, from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, was entered into a prize draw after asking pension provider Partnership for a quotation for a client who was suffering chronic ill-health. Partnership is a provider of pension policies for people in such situations.
"Partnership deals in policies for people whose life expectancy may be shortened by illness and I approached them on behalf of a client with health conditions including high blood pressure.
"I did not even know I had been entered into the prize draw and to hear I had won was a great surprise. The weekend was wonderful, absolutely brilliant."
Carterbar is based at Manor Way, on the Belasis Business Park, in Billingham, Teesside, and its services include advice on mortgages, life assurance, income protection, pensions and investments.
Economy In The Slow Lane Due To Transport Under Funding
The Government was today accused of leaving the North East economy in the slow lane after figures showed it was pumping four times more money into transport in London than in this region.
The region’s leading business membership organisation, the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), highlighted figures released by the Treasury today which showed that only £206 is spent per person on transport in this region compared with £783 in London.
Businesses in the region consistently place transport as the key issue in their ability to grow and yet the latest statistics demonstrate this is not a message that is reaching Whitehall.
James Ramsbotham, NECC chief executive, said: "The amount of money spent on transport for our region is, quite frankly, shocking. We have witnessed decades of underfunding that has been a serious brake on an economy that has otherwise been performing outstandingly well until the global downturn.
"It is time for everyone, particularly the people who represent the North East, to say that this simply is not good enough and that the imbalance must be redressed."
The North East has historically received the short straw when it comes to funding allocations with figures demonstrating spending hovering around 70% of the UK average. However, that figure has plummeted to just 62% this year. By comparison, spending in London is 234% of the UK average, and in Scotland it is 165%.
Mr Ramsbotham added: "The Government has to recognise that allocating this region over a third less in funding than the national average is unacceptable and is letting down the people who live and work here. NECC will be taking this issue up both with MPs in the region and with the Treasury at the earliest possible opportunity."
Overall public spending (including transport) in the North East stands marginally above the UK average (106%) with a large proportion of funding focused on employment policies.
Mr Ramsbotham said: "However, with businesses consistently reporting to the Government that transport improvements will enable company growth and job creation this demonstrates that they are getting it wrong. They are trying to address the symptoms, not the cause of the problem."
Mr Ramsbotham welcomed the fact that £300m was lined up to reinvigorate the Metro, however, he added that this would address local transport issues and not bring much needed improvement to strategic links to markets in the UK and overseas.
Louise Bridges The Employment Gap
A North Shields based businesswoman who established her business just over a year ago to help other businesses succeed has been nominated for a 2009 Barclays Inspire Award.
Louise Bourton started her company Scarlet Bridge Ltd with just £300.00 in her bank account and a powerful vision to help other people develop their business. Since then, she has recruited 4 full time staff and 2 part timers, helped more than 100 pre start businesses and achieved a gross turnover of £70,000. This year she is on target to a gross turnover of £250,000.
She firmly believes in the principle that "anything is possible" and is herself living proof of this after building up her business after suffering from very negative experiences early in her life.
"I was married at 17 to a soldier, lived away from my family and friends and experienced physical abuse," said Louise." When I left him, I arrived back home in Newcastle with 2 small children, no money and no home. Most people wrote me off, but I was determined to make it"
Louise decided at that stage to turn her life around and do something positive to make a better life for her children and to help other people. She enrolled at Tyne Met College and gained important business qualifications which helped her to map out her higher education, her career and her life – at one point she juggled 3 part time jobs as well as studying and single handily bringing up her two children.
The breakthrough to forming Scarlet Bridge came after she decided to leave her last job as an Operations Director for a busy property investment group of companies. "The time was right to launch my own business," said Louise. "I am now happily remarried and have a lot of business and life experiences to draw upon to help my clients.
Scarlet Bridge’s clients range from business start ups to well established companies looking to work even more efficiently.
"All my clients are different and need a range of support from personal development, business planning to marketing and web design," said Louise." I get a real thrill helping to make things happen even if a client has a limited budget. Most people don’t realise that there may be funding of up 100% available so in some cases they could get our services for free"
Despite the current economic downturn, Scarlet Bridge Ltd is a shining example that new businesses can survive and indeed prosper providing they get the right support and advice.
"I feel very privileged to be nominated for the Barclays Inspire Award," said Louise. "It’s great to be able to look back at all the businesses Scarlet Bridge has helped over the past twelve months and see them moving forward in the right direction. It’s a great reflection of the hard work of the Scarlet Bridge team. I am very proud of them," said Louise.
Take Action – Kill Your Debt
In the early 1980s Chris Jary was a successful businessman. Then the recession came and he suffered what perhaps every small business owner fears – the knock-out blow. One of his clients, owing £140,000, went into liquidation and Mr Jary’s business collapsed.
"It was a horrendous experience," says Chris. "Getting my life back on track and out of that financial hole taught me a lot. It took several years and at times seemed like struggling through a long dark tunnel with no light at the end of it. But I did come out of it, wiser, stronger and with a desire to put my knowledge to good use in helping other people. And so in 1998 I established Action for Debt, going Ltd in 2002."
Mr Jary, of County Durham, was no stranger to financial services. He’d previously worked for Abbey Life Insurance and also for various debt management companies, as well as for a leading UK insolvency practitioner.
It was however, the traumatic experience of his own financial crisis that was the spur to his setting up Action for Debt. Chris was frankly appalled at the quality of financial advice and debt management services on offer.
"People were more or less left to flounder," he explains. "There was plenty of advice around but no-one who could actually do something. Talking doesn’t solve a financial crisis – action does.
"Take for example the various free advice agencies. They have a reasonable general knowledge of debt management but, and I mean no disrespect, they don’t have the expertise or the punching power to help people in serious financial distress. The majority of these branches can’t see you for at least two weeks and they are so under staffed they operate on a part-time basis.
"We help our clients in hours! And we are open seven days a week! Similarly, whilst there are plenty of business development agencies out there to help people get started they don’t want to know when a company hits hard times.
"I help clients with any debt problem. That could be a combination of loans, overdrafts, credit cards, bank charges and late mortgage payments. I also work with businesses, including limited companies and partnerships, with financial problems such as bank guarantees and debt.
"Most debt management companies on the other hand will only deal with unsecured loans and when they take on a client they are often fire fighting, solving immediate problems.
"My strategy is to get the client’s life back on track, long term – and not rip them off in the process.
"My clients come from every section of society and I think that trend will continue. Many people are facing increasing pressures because of pay cuts never mind pay freezes. People are losing their jobs, having to accept harsher working conditions and so more and more people, I’m afraid, are going to face debt problems."
Surveys have shown that a lot of us are only three pay cheques away from homelessness. House repossession is the nameless dread that haunts people’s lives.
"During recessions this becomes a major issue," Chris Jary says. "People have to be careful who they turn to for help, however. Some agencies will buy a client’s house and then rent it back to them. Or, the agency buys the house and the homeowner moves into rented accommodation.
"Either way, the householder loses out because these landlords only buy at approximately 65% - 80% of the house’s value and so the client loses all equity left in the property. And if they are renting their home back from an agency they sometimes find themselves no better off because they are charged high rent.
"I don’t do any of that. I save the client’s house. Full stop."
Mr Jary in fact has a 100% success rate in stopping house repossessions. His work has brought him to national attention. He has appeared on the BBC’s Politics show and Moneybox on BBC Radio 4. Chris has also made numerous guest appearances, as a debt counsellor, on Radio Newcastle’s Mike Parr show.
But what is the driving force behind 48-year-old Chris Jary’s campaign to help people in debt? Perhaps the name of his business is revealing.
"I chose Action for Debt because action is what is needed. Over the years I’ve encountered people facing horrendous financial distress and it is rewarding to help them get free of it. And of course, from a businessman’s point of view, there’s a market niche there for me because I take on clients that many other debt management and insolvency practitioners will not touch.
"I’m a problem solver – with the client’s future in mind."
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