Engage Update - 18 September

This year our AGM will take place in conjunction with the opening of the Renfrewshire Wellbeing Network’s Photography Exhibition.

The networking event is taking place in the Main Hall from 3.30pm. Our AGM will take place from 5pm to 6pm in the Lesser Hall.

A buffet will be served in the main hall from 4.30pm.

Please register for the AGM if you plan to come along.

Book here

Congratulations Peter. We look forward to working with you!

ROCCO Awards - deadline extended

The entry deadline for the Renfrewshire Chamber annual business awards – the ROCCOs – has been extended to Midnight on Wed 27 September.  
 
The main sponsor for 2023 is Invest In Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Council's programme to grow the local economy and support employment. www.investinrenfrewshire.com/
 
There are 17 categories to enter. Entry is free – open to our members based anywhere – and also non-members based in Renfrewshire.
 
You can enter as many categories as you wish.
 
Watch our Rocco Promo video here https://youtu.be/GnaxX93IZb4
 
If you are planning to enter a category(s) – I would be grateful if you could please drop me a quick line to help with organisation – thank you.
 
The categories are:
 

1. ROCCO Award for Environmental Sustainability – sponsored by Lochlie Construction
2. ROCCO Award for Innovation & Technology – sponsored by University of the West of Scotland
3. ROCCO Award for Excellence in Manufacturing -sponsored by National Manufacturing Institute Scotland
4. ROCCO Award for International Trade - sponsored by Glasgow Airport
5. ROCCO Award for Community Wealth Building – sponsored by Renfrewshire Council
6. ROCCO Award for Employer of the Year – sponsored by West College Scotland
7. ROCCO Award for Most Promising New Business -sponsored by Business Gateway
8. ROCCO Award for Family Business of the Year – sponsored by The Malcolm Group
9. ROCCO Award for Journey to Net-Zero – sponsored by Ren Zero
10. ROCCO Award for Young Business Person of the Year – Sponsored by Rolls Royce
11. ROCCO Award for Excellence in Tourism – sponsored by Paisley.is
12. ROCCO Award for Community Champion – sponsored by Engage Renfrewshire
13. ROCCO Award for Outstanding Performing Business 5 or fewer employees – sponsored by Spectrum Service Solutions
14. ROCCO Award for Outstanding Performing Business 5 <25 employees – sponsored by Terumo Aortic
15. ROCCO Award for Outstanding Performing Business >25 employees – sponsored by Altrad Babcock
16. ROCCO Award for Business Leader of the Year – sponsored by Diageo
17. ROCCO Award for Renfrewshire’s Favourite Business – sponsored by Braehead, To nominate your favourite business please email awards@roccoawards.com by Midnight on Wed 4th October. Please include ROCCO AWARD in the subject header. In email include the name of business and why in <100 words they deserve to win. Also include your own name, address & phone number. A shortlist will be announced with online voting open until early November. The winner will be announced on the night.

For more info on all the categories / to enter / book a table – please visit www.roccoawards.com – the social media hashtag is #2023Rocco
 
Bob Grant
Chief Executive
Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce
bgrant@renfrewshirechamber.com

Not far? Leave the car

Not Far? Leave the Car has been running for over a year now and thousands of people across Renfrewshire are picking up discounts and freebies from local Renfrewshire businesses – purely for walking, cycling or wheeling instead of using the car.

We know it’s not always possible to leave the car at home, but when you do, why not collect points that you can turn in to prizes?

That could be a free coffee at your local café or money off vouchers for IKEA as there’s more than 100 local businesses that you can use your points in – or if you’d prefer, you can donate them to charities like ACCORD and St Vincent’s Hospices.
Did you know that you can turn your points into vouchers at the On-X and Lagoon cafes, and get money off memberships too?

TravelWise Week is running from 16-22 September 2023 and here’s just a few things you could win for taking part:

• The Big One – win a European city break or £100 in BetterPoints. Pick your preferred draw and record a car-free trip over a mile on three days between Saturday 16 and Friday 22 September.  The winner will be announced on Monday 25 September.
• Car-free Day – every car-free trip over a mile on Friday 22 September will earn an entry into the draw for one of two 50,000 BetterPoints bundles!
• Refer a Friend – three draws for 50,000 BetterPoints (that’s £50!). From Friday 8 September every referral, up to ten per week, will earn an entry into the September draws.

All you need to do is download the free app and start recording your car-free journeys – and you can do that at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/leavethecar.

Get healthier, reduce your emissions and make a difference – every small action counts as we work towards becoming net zero by 2030 #RenZero

Please pass this information on to your networks and encourage everyone to take part in this fun, important campaign.
 

Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution (SCCR) - World Teachers Day (Thursday, 5 October) 

Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution (SCCR) will mark World Teachers Day (Thursday, 5 October) with two FREE and ONLINE events led by educators. These events tie in with the theme of World Teachers Day 2023, ‘The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage.’
 
The first event ‘Nurturing Positive Relationships’ takes place online at noon on 5 October. The event is led by Billy Burke, a Scottish head teacher with a particular interest in leadership of wellbeing, equality and inclusion. Attendees will learn more about how wellbeing and positive relationships should be at the heart of all we do in work and in life.
 
Those who are interested in attending can learn more and reserve a free place for this online ever here.
 
Later that day, at 4pm, Gerry Diamond, a nurture lead, will discuss ‘How to Create More Trauma-Informed Responses in Schools’. The event will demonstrate an approach that brings certain core concepts on how the brain works within educational settings.
 
Those who are interested in attending can learn more and reserve a free place for this online ever here.
 
Billy Burke is head teacher at Renfrew High School. He has a particular interest in leadership of wellbeing, equality and inclusion and how we can nurture the conditions for sustainable development. He contributes at a national level to education policy and strategy.
 
Gerry Diamond is a Nurture Lead at Clydebank High School. He supports young people in a secondary school context with managing emotions such as anxiety and stress. He delivers talks internationally helping schools with trauma-informed responsive practices including the biological underpinnings.

Update on #YouDecide

We wanted to give you a further update to the work being carried out to deliver the successful #YouDecide projects.

At Holmes Crescent in Erskine, we have created a new footpath which is on a small hill to make it easier and safer for people, particularly those with mobility challenges.

Laura Munford, who was using the new ramps with her daughter Rowan and Lupin the dog, said: I've really happy with the new ramps as it’s now much better for buggies, bikes and those on mobility scooters."

At Glencoats Park in Paisley, we have improved the access for people with mobility issues and we're working closely with local group Pals of the Privies to identify if further work can be completed in the future.

At the Gleniffer Braes, we have carried out drainage work to improve one of the nature paths, and a new link path and gate has been installed at Inchinnan playing fields.

Benches are now in places at Ferry Road in Bishopton and Finco kindly donated new planters which will have been added, while Spateston Park has had a new set of football goals installed.

Upcoming works include a new crossing at Magnus Road in Houston, new speed signs in Elderslie and Brookfield, a new bench on Main Road in Elderslie, a brand-new dog area in Paisley's East End Park, and work to tidy up the Glen Park entrance to the Braes form Braehead Road.

We're also working on tenders for play park upgrades and street lighting programmes which will make a huge difference to our communities, and upgrades to the appearance of roundabouts are being progressed – with designs being brought to the community to choose from when ready.

Work is ongoing in the background to prepare all other successful projects too.

You can find out more about the campaign and see again what the 50 successful projects were on the council website at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/YouDecide or you can email the team at youdecide@renfrewshire.gov.uk.