New OTCN Board member

The OTCN Board has been joined by Keith Slater. Keith is from a retail background having worked at Director level in several UK Multiple retailers, but also has experience of small retailing, having owned two home textiles shops in Oxfordshire towns for ten years. He now runs a retail consultancy business. He has been involved more widely in Oxfordshire business as a director of Business Link and the Oxfordshire Economic Partnership, as well as having chaired both Thame Town Chamber and the Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce. Keith lives just outside Burford.

New partner for Oxfocus!

OTCN and The Learning Ladder would like to introduce Darbys as their exciting new partners in hosting Oxfocus. www.oxfocus.co.uk/

... are holding a couple of informal boardroom briefings at STL in Witney.

Thursday 31 January 8.30 – 10am.Would your business survive in the event of a fire or flood?

Wednesday 27th February 8.30 – 10am Adapting to flexible working.

These informal boardroom briefings are designed to enhance your understanding of how key technology developments can help your business, as well as giving you the opportunity to network with other local businesses.

For further information or to register visit http://www.stlcomms.com/NewsandEvents/Events.aspx

Room hire with a difference!

Looking for a place to host a meeting or run a training course or class between Bicester and Aylesbury?

OTCN Network B member Spring Hill Farms and Gardens has a smart training room available for hire for meetings, team building, training sessions and classes. It’s in the grounds of Spring Hill Open Prison at Grendon Underwood off the A41 between Bicester and Aylesbury.

You can meet or run your class or training session in this mobile-free space...and include in your time with us a tour of our innovative land-based education and training centre and working gardens, and a visit to our farm shop.

Prices: £30 for half a day, £50 per full day. Tea and coffee is available at an additional cost of £2 per person per day.

 To book this venue, please call 01296 770511.

A free office up for grabs!

New businesses across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse have the chance to win a free office for an entire year!

Companies which are less than two years old can enter The Southern Oxfordshire New Business Competition. The top prize is a FREE FURNISHED OFFICE for 12 months in a Jennings Business Centre. Finalists will receive a virtual office package providing professional advice, mail forwarding, phone redirection, the use of meeting rooms and the opportunity for hot-desking.

To enter, new businesses must describe in 100 words or less what they have learnt and achieved in their first two years. This could be how they've achieved growth, overcome obstacles or realised a dream.

For further information about the competition, including entry details and terms & conditions, please go to www.sonbc.co.uk. The closing date for all entries is Thursday 28th February 2013.

... would like to wish everyone a happy New Year www.uk-courses.com