A New Service to Hertfordshire Businesses

Dear All

My firm, like your business, is a member of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry. I am pleased to tell you that we have recently accepted an invitation from the Chamber to become Patron Members. Since accepting the invitation we have considered how we might use Patron Membership for the benefit of businesses within the County.

We have resolved to extend our role as facilitators for businesses in Hertfordshire, in particular for those who are members of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce. Although we continue to assist local business development in our usual ways, for example hosting breakfast meetings with topical speakers, we should like to offer something that your business might find useful in these difficult times. For an initial 3-month period we are offering a free consultancy service for Chamber Members who may need general advice relating to their businesses (which may not necessarily be legal advice) but are not sure whether they would benefit from it or where to find it. Our scheme enables you to meet with someone here (usually a Director) free-of-charge to discuss problem(s) that your business faces. Whilst we may not always be able to assist you ourselves we aim to point you in the right direction with a view to your alleviating those problems currently affecting your business. The Chamber has provided to us a list of professional and other advisors who might be able to assist (on a similar basis) with any problems that we identify with you at our meeting.

If you would like to book a free half hour appointment, please contact Georgina Meadows at our Hertford office on 01992 558411 or email her on georgina.meadows@breezeandwyles.co.uk. Please note that during the initial period the meeting will be held on a Thursday afternoon from 4.00 pm.

For more information about our breakfast meetings, or to subscribe to our free monthly Employment Law Update "ezine", please visit our website www.breezeandwyles.co.uk. In addition feel free to visit our "Lonely Business Owner" blog available here

We look forward to helping you do business.

Yours sincerely



Peter Tunstill, Senior Partner
For and on behalf of
Breeze & Wyles Solicitors LLP

Patron Membership of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and what it means for us

It is undoubtedly the case that the Chamber serves an extremely important function with the economy of the region and it is with this in mind that we decided in January of this year to commit to Patron membership.

In these uncertain times the success of any business is dependent on the economic conditions within the region in which the business is located. Breeze & Wyles Solicitors LLP has been a member of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry but perhaps could have used membership to its greater advantage. In recent times, it has become clear that it is very much in our interests to engage with the right people and to play an active role in the economic growth of the region.

In the recession, we have been generating a significant number of opportunities but were finding it increasingly difficult to reach potential customers despite the marketability of the propositions. Following discussions with the Chamber it has become clear that we and the Chamber have very similar development areas. It enables us to ensure that credible people demonstrate belief in the ideas that we have and assist us in promoting them for the benefit of the region.

An example of this is one that I have been trying to develop since I joined the firm in 1996. I was keen to provide a legal surgery within Hertfordshire that would allow potential clients to have a ‘sounding board’ for their problems, areas of development or potential successes. Over the years this has become increasing difficult to achieve. However, upon becoming a Patron member the Chamber has shown increasing interest in the various projects of which this is one. This project enables us to meet potential clients, and also to point potential clients to other professional service providers and businesses where opportunities may arise for them. In tandem with my ‘Lonely Business Owner’ blog to be found at http://www.breezeplus.co.uk/blog/ this provides some of the support that regional businesses may require particularly in the hoped-for growth phase of the economic cycle when development can be constrained by lack of funding and information.

Bearing this in mind we must ensure that we get value for money for our membership. This can only be achieved if we work hard at what we wish to achieve from it. As the economy grows so will our business and with this in mind we wish to participate closely with some of the educational establishments who are members to develop local talent and provide a solution to the skills gap. This will have a long term benefit for our business in that it will both provide excellence in new staff and further our objective to enhance the reputation of our brand.

We hope that our membership and involvement will enhance the profile of the Chamber and its benefits leading to both greater participation and increased membership. We look forward to working closely with the Chamber in the future

Brendan OBrien
Director and Head of Company/Commercial and Corporate Recovery
Monday, 29 March 2010