On Thursday 12th October, Bracknell BID held it’s second Annual ‘Know Your Neighbour’ Event at the Waitrose Conference Centre on Willoughby Road in Bracknell. This event was held for BID area businesses to network and develop inter-trading relationships, and to showcase their products and services. Delegates also heard talks from several speakers from the local business community as well as the Local Authority, on a variety of topics, including mental health in the workplace, entrepreneurism and starting a small business locally, as well as Bracknell Forest Council’s Healthy Workplace Alliance.
Close to 70 delegates from the local business community attended the event, with nineteen businesses also taking up exhibition stands to showcase their business and services.
Sean Griffin, the Bracknell BID Manager, gave a brief update on the BID’s current and future projects, before introducing the speakers from Cadence, Dell Technologies, Ozone Ice Rink, Bracknell Forest Council
Nick Phillips, EMEA Chief of Staff and Sales Operations Director for Cadence, gave a captivating presentation about their status as leaders within electronic systems design, and how Cadence are leading the rapidly growing semiconductor industry as a result of an unprecedented combination of technology drivers impacting multiple industry segments. Nick explained how almost any chip designed in the world is designed with Cadence software, and the fact the company are on a mission to help solve technologies toughest challenges in order to make a lasting, positive impact on the world.
Nick summarised how Cadence was named an Official Technology Parter of the McLaren Formula 1 Team, McLaren will use the Cadence Fidelity CFD Software, a comprehensive suite of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions, to investigate airflow. Nick gave an overview of Cadence’s history in Bracknell, with their EMEA Headquarters have been based in Bracknell for the last 30 years. Nick detailed how Cadence are driving community change by joining the Pledge 1% Alliance, joining industry leaders to commit to contributing 1% of employee time, technology, and net profit to benefit local communities such as The WAYZ Bracknell, Sebastian’s Action Trust and Home-Start Bracknell. As a result of their CSR initiatives and employee wellbeing focus, Nick showcased how Cadence were named one of the Best Workplaces in Europe for the eighth year running.
Dan Grant, Senior HR Director for Dell Technologies, gave a fascinating presentation on Dell’s culture, health and wellbeing strategies as well as how they adapted to the world of flexible working. Dan gave an overview of Dell Technologies’ history in Bracknell, stating how Bracknell was chosen as the EMEA Headquarters thirty years ago and the first international office Michael Dell opened after expanding the business from the United States. Dan stated how Dell Technologies have a continued office presence in Bracknell at Arlington Square. Dan detailed how Dell Technologies became a world-leading multinational technology company, and their purpose is to create technologies that drive human progress, and how their ESG strategy helps to deliver on this purpose.
Dan gave an overview of the culture code within Dell Technologies, stating values that unite how employees work, and the principles that unite how leaders lead. Dan explained to the audience the five ways to improve your mental health, through connection, learning, being active, giving, and self-awareness. Within this strategy, Dan stated what works well for Dell, encouraging time to talk with different employees, use of an active mental health network and mental health first aiders, as well as creating a culture of flexibility.
Danny Meyers, Owner and Director of Ozone Ice Rink, gave an inspiration talk on the origins of Ozone Ice Rink, and how he transitioned from being a Professional Ice Hockey Player, to building the Ice Rink himself and running one of the most successful Ice Hockey Rinks in the country, with Netflix and TV companies filming at the rink. Danny stated how the origins of Ozone Ice Rink was inspired by his wife’s idea, originating from his retirement from his illustrious career as a professional Ice Hockey Player and the GB National Team; Danny stated how he went through a period of feeling lost after retirement and gained a passion for coaching kids in Ice Hockey, with his wife instilling the idea of building his own Ice Rink upon seeing his motivation return.
Danny stated how he researched into the emergence of 3-on-3 Ice Hockey, and how he could afford to build an Ice Hockey Rink at a time where John Nike Arena and other Ice Hockey Rinks had become commercially unviable. Danny detailed the struggles of getting financial support and how he used his carpentry skills learnt whilst being a professional Ice Hockey Player to build the Ice Rink himself alongside his other coaches who continue to work there to this day. Danny gave an inspiration message on how attendees can realise their business dreams and turn ideas into reality, with Ozone Ice Rink now the official Olympic base for three-on-three Ice Hockey and with Danny appointed as a Team GB Olympic ice hockey head coach. Ozone Ice Rink has a café, bar, and is open for public skating, coaching, team building days for businesses, as well as a professional arena for ice hockey players around the country.
Louise Duffy, Senior Public Health Strategist of Bracknell Forest Council, gave an informative presentation about the Bracknell Forest Healthy Workplace Alliance, and the business benefits of supporting employees with their physical and mental health. Louise gave an overview on the Healthy Workplace Alliance created by the Public Health Team within Bracknell Forest Council, an ambition for excellence in workplace wellbeing for the workforce of Bracknell Forest. Louise detailed that the platform will include a series of sessions led by industry experts to support businesses with health and wellbeing strategy, a digital hub with a wealth of resources and tools for wellbeing, with an accreditation to show recognition for the work employers are doing to support their staff.
Louise announced that the Healthy Workplace Accreditation will be an opportunity for business to gain formal recognition for supporting health and wellbeing of employees, open to any sized business and will be a self-assessment process. Louise invited all businesses in attendance to learn about the Healthy Workplace webpages on the Public Health Portal, and register interest using the registration form here. Louise detailed the exciting upcoming sessions to kickstart the scheme, with the first meeting on the 7th November, and a Wellbeing training course to be offered in January 2024 on ‘Creating a culture of Psychological Wellbeing for Managers’.
Once presentations came to a close, there was a business card draw for three prizes; A McLaren Remote Control Racing Car provided by Cadence, a pair of Ice-Skating Tickets provided by Ozone Ice Rink, and a photographic headshot worth £200 from The Headshot Guy, based at 329 Bracknell in the Southern Business Area.
Attendees enjoyed an elaborate buffet lunch kindly provided by Waitrose & Partners, with further time to network within the conference style spacing of exhibition stands and the nineteen businesses hosting stands.
Bracknell BID would like to thank all attendees for attending, our Event Partners Cadence, Dell Technologies, Ozone Ice Rink and Bracknell Forest Council for supporting the event, Waitrose & Partners for supporting and hosting the event, and the Headshot Guy for providing a prize for the draw.
Apart from the Annual ‘Know Your Neighbour’ Event, Bracknell BID organises regular ‘Meet Your Neighbour’ Business Breakfast events each hosted by different BID area business, for attendees to network over a complimentary breakfast and to learn about the host business’s services and history in Bracknell.
To find out more about future events click here.
