Video blog: Melanie's Welsh media advice

Melanie Davies is working hard on Press support as she bids to create a £10m therapy centre for disabled people.

The Treat Trust centre is planned for Swansea's Morriston Hospital - and it's a major undertaking.

Melanie already has the support of stars such as Michael Sheen and Paul Potts, and in this video made after an address to Swansea Business Club she explains why media support will be crucial ... and how she's going about getting it.

Blogger's next up for Swansea Business Club

Dr Paul Thomas has some ideas that many of today's Welsh bosses may feel uncomfortable with.

His website's tagline is: "Eradicating the Mad Management Virus."

His blog includes statements such as:

• "Our government in Wales is top-heavy and costly."
• "Rules, procedures and regulations normally used by managers to control staff limit the organisation's ability to evolve."
• "Managers cause so much unhappiness in organisations through a focus on targets."
• "In most organisations there are limited options for employees to function and there are inflexible structures."

He believes we should ditch the traditional way of managing and, instead, give every member of staff a say in running the business.

His message will be broadcast loud and clear when he addresses Swansea Business Club over lunch on December 10.

Today, the club greets inspirational guest speaker Melanie Davies, of Treat Trust Wales, and she'll be a hard act to follow.

Will Paul manage it?

Well, you can decide for yourself by checking out his blog to get some idea.

Blogging's an increasingly important weapon in the armoury of a business and Paul uses it beautifully, managing to drive traffic to and from his other online platforms which include his website and his Twitter feed.

Those interested in Paul's ideas also have reason to keep going back to the blog - it's regular, opinionated and witty.

Can't wait to meet the fella! Book your December 10 place at the Towers Hotel through Lisa Williams at Effective Communication - 029 2064 6860, email lwilliams@effcom.co.uk.

S4C director’s call to Welsh business

S4C non-executive director Clive Jones gave a rallying call to South Wales business on Friday, October 8.

He gave a compelling argument as to why the Welsh should give their wholehearted backing to the country’s creative industries.

His key points to more than 100 members and guests of Swansea Business Club included:

• Local newspapers are a cornerstone of our communities and key to democracy
• TV programme makers now look to Wales for skills rather than the Welsh looking elsewhere
• S4C gets healthy viewing figures considering the small nation it covers and is pivotal to the Welsh language’s resurgence

Clive was warmly applauded by his audience.

 

They were won over with points such as how the multi-million pound benefit brought to Stratford-upon-Avon by the RSC could be mirrored in some way by Welsh towns and cities.

 

Clive’s talk will have opened the eyes of many in the room to the major role creative skills and employment can play as we batten down the hatches for the spending review.

 

Valleys-born Clive, incidentally, is an ex-boss of GMTV, formerly Britain’s most popular breakfast TV station, and is a fellow of the Royal Television Society.

 

Award

 

He holds the society’s highest award and holds a CBE for services to broadcasting.

 

In a time of enormous change for commercial broadcasters, he has been chief executive of ITV News and Regions, managing director of the ITV Network, CEO of Carlton Television, managing director of Central Television, and managing director of the London News Network.

 

Swansea Business Club members met him at the city’s Village Hotel.

 

Impressive

 

It was the first meeting of the club’s new season and the turn-out was impressive … as were the chocolate bars offered to each guest by Effective Communication.

 

Each carried a slogan explaining why it’d be a good idea for business to contact Effective to discuss their PR and marketing needs.

Apprentice star Nick Hewer celebrates Swansea 60th

It's not every day that you can celebrate being 60 - but that's what Swansea Business Club will be doing next month.

And it's good to see the South Wales Evening Post heavily involved in promoting such a useful orgainisation. It's something the local press can do so well.
In this case, Evening Post editor Spencer Feeney is club president.
The big anniversary lunch event will see one of TV’s most business-savvy personalities speak.
Nick Hewer, pictured, has found small-screen fame as a trusted and facially expressive sidekick of Sir Alan Sugar on hit series The Apprentice.
With his speech at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall on Friday, June 11, he plans to take the audience behind the scenes of his business and TV life, before hosting a question and answer session.
Swansea Business Club secretary Bruce Roberts told Media Master: "We’re delighted to be greeting Nick for this very important event in our calendar. He has a lifetime’s experience in enterprise and has been a key factor in the business and on-screen success of Sir Alan.
“Swansea Business Club’s 60th anniversary is a notable landmark. Over the past six decades, business in the city has changed beyond recognition but its unique community spirit is as strong as ever.”
The lunch, from noon, will be backing Macmillan Cancer Support. Nick Hewer replaces Falklands veteran Simon Weston as speaker.
Spencer Feeney said: "We are very lucky to have a speaker of Nick's quality as our replacement for Simon. Nick's television fame is sure to result in a huge demand for tickets, so I urge people to book their places quickly because I'd hate for anyone to miss out on the club's special anniversary lunch."

To book your place at this event, contact Lisa Williams at Effective Communication before June 4 - 029 2064 6860, lwilliams@effcom.co.uk.