Business Update

Welcome to the August 2010 edition of the Business Update Newsletter from the City of Darebin.


In This Issue
What's On, What's Happening and Where
Preston Market Celebrates 40 years
Enterprise Connect Success Stories
Fairfield Village Website Launch
Preston Food Celebration and Celebrity Cook Off Event
Open Mind Fiesta Fairfield - Partnership Opportunities
New Weapons Laws 2010
Reservoir Main Street Blitz
Cash - the Blood of your business - By Sanjay Gund
Free Bike Training Course for adults in Darebin
Online Directory Billing Warning from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
TLC for kids Marawalk - Request for Sponsorship
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) launches UK Market Entry business competition
Trader Association Meetings
Economic Development Contacts
Useful Links

What's On, What's Happening and Where

  •  Small Business Online Program - Building your E-Business Capacity: Content Management Systems - 7 September
  • Small Business Online Program - Building your E-Business Capacity: Lead Generation Solutions - 14 September   
  • Small Business Online Program - Building your E-Business Capacity: Lead Generation Tools - 21 September
  • Northern Business Achievement Awards Breakfast - 30 September
  • Small Business Online Program - Building your E-Business Capacity: Website Enhancements - 5 October
  • Small Business Online Program - Building your E-Business Capacity: Solutions to Protect Your Business - 12 October
  •  Australian Taxation Office Seminar: Regional tax practitioner - 14 October  
  • Small Business Online Program - Building your E-Business Capacity: Tools to Protect Your Business - 19 October

More...


Preston Market Celebrates 40 years

Flower stall at a market

 
The Preston Market is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in September and will be celebrating in style.

A month long campaign has been designed and will include entertainment, giveaways and strong local advertising.

The celebrations are expected to bring people into Preston Central and get all Preston traders behind the occasion.


Enterprise Connect Success Stories

Enterprise Connect Logo, an AusIndustry Initiative

Do you want to know how to make your business succeed? Then you need the right advice! Enterprise Connect is an Australian Goverment initiative that offers advice and support to small and medium-sized businesses, helping them to reach their maximum efficiency.

Find out more by reading about how three local businesses were able to succeed with advice and support from Enterprise Connect.

Plastic Technology: A recycler and manufacturer of low density polyethylene film, tubing and bag products explains how Enterprise Connect helped improve their operational effectiveness

The Graffiti Eaters: An industrial cleaning company, specialising in removal of graffiti tells the story of how Enterprise Connect assisted in finding the most efficient corporate and operation structures for their business.

Punch-IT Systems: A developer and manufacturer of a wide range of new aluminium and steel-based component products describes how Enterprise Connect assisted with their strategic business plan.

More...


Fairfield Village Website Launch

website url address bar

The Fairfield Trader's Association is pleased to announce the launch of its website www.fairfieldvillage.net.au. The website offers browsers with a shopping directory to find details on each of the participating businesses in their respective categories.

Additional features of the website include regular and exclusive specials for customers, opportunity to subscribe to a monthly newsletter and a link to the Fairfield Village Facebook page facebook.com/fairfieldvillage.

 


Preston Food Celebration and Celebrity Cook Off Event

Shop owner stocking the shelf with fresh fruit and vegetables at the preston market

October will be the month of celebration of all things 'food' in Preston Central with cooking demonstrations weekly culminating in the 'Celebrity Cook Off' on the 28 and 29 October from 11am to 2pm.

Don't miss the opportunity to catch chefs from Rydges Bell City going head to head with NMIT to produce tantalising dishes in 20 minutes!

When: 28 and 29 October 2010
Time: 11am to 2pm
Where: Preston Market

For more information contact Penny Jamieson on 0419 362 868


Open Mind Fiesta Fairfield - Partnership Opportunities

A woman enjoying holding up pinwheels at a festival

The Fairfield Trader's Association is again hosting the highly celebrated Open Mind Fiesta again this October 17 thanks to the Mental Illness Fellowship.

With crowds in recent years reaching 35,000 people, the street festival is a great feature for the local community.

If your business would like to support the Fairfield Trader's Association and get behind this fantastic community event please contact Quentin Aisbett on 0421 502886.


New Weapons Laws 2010

A utility knife.

The Victorian Government has introduced new laws to target knife crime, following the Premier of Victoria's announcement in March 2010 that tough new search powers would be given to police to crack down on weapons related to violence and that children under the age of 18 would be banned from buying weapons. These laws have implications for retailers that sell knives of any kind.

Under the new laws it will be illegal for anyone under 18 to buy any type of knife, including a kitchen knife or box cutter. If a child illegally purchases a knife, or any other controlled weapon, they will face a $239 on-the-spot fine or they could face court and a fine of up to $1,433.

It will also be illegal for a person to knowingly sell any type of a controlled weapon, including a knife, to a child under the age of 18. If they do, they face a fine of up to $2,336.

More...


Reservoir Main Street Blitz

A lady working in her garden

A Main Street Blitz event in the shopping strips of Edwardes Street has been identified as the highest priority during community consultations conducted by Council in May 2010, as part of the future planning of the Reservoir Activity Centre Structure Plan.

The blitz will involve tasks like weeding, planting and painting of street furniture and is intended to give the activity centre a quick spring clean with the involvement of community volunteers.

The event is expected to occur on a weekend in October and planning of the blitz event with a group of volunteers for the Structure Plan is scheduled at 6pm on 1 September at Reservoir Civic Centre.

More...


Cash - the Blood of your business - By Sanjay Gund

Australian currency notes

 

How important is cash to your business?

Sanjay has the answer so keep reading and you'll find out.

 

More...


Free Bike Training Course for adults in Darebin

3 adult bicycle course participants stand on a corner with their bikes.

 

Would you like to start cycling regularly and want to increase your cycling skills and confidence?

Then come along to Darebin's CycleWise course.

 

More...


Online Directory Billing Warning from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)

Bunch of credit cards

The ACCC wants to remind businesses to check all invoices carefully to avoid paying for things they don't want or need.
 
Online directory billing warning
 
The ACCC is aware of an international company sending out faxes requesting payment that appear to be from a very well known business directory and are urging small businesses to be vigilant when dealing with invoices and other requests for payment.
 
Remember, once you have signed a contract it can be very difficult – not to mention costly – to get out of. It is advised that businesses take the following steps to avoid signing up to something they don’t actually want or need.

More...


TLC for kids Marawalk - Request for Sponsorship

A lady assists a child with her reading.

TLC for kids, the only organisation in Australia providing distractions to children before and after medical procedures within 48 hours of requests, is asking local businesses to support an extremely worthwhile Marawalk event, which will be held on 29 Ocotber 2010.

The Marawalk will include a 42km walk completed by the CEO and Founder of the TLC for kids, Tim Conolan and will take course through the Darebin & Banyule areas, with media pit stops made to sponsoring businesses, to take full advantage of the exposure opportunity. Photoshoots will be used to issue live social media updates throughout the day.

More...


UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) launches UK Market Entry business competition

Lightbulb

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the British Government’s trade and development arm, has launched the UK Market Entry business competition to help Australian companies expand into the UK, Europe and the world. 
The UK Market Entry competition gives companies the chance to win business support packages that include complimentary business-class return airfares to London, meetings with specifically chosen potential business partners, introductions to business networks, a free limited company and ongoing UKTI support.

More...


Trader Association Meetings

PRESTON:
First Wednesday of each month at 4pm
Contact: Penny Jamieson
Ph: 0419 362 868

RESERVOIR:
First Wednesday of each month at 12 noon
Contact: Penny Jamieson
Ph: 0419 362 868

NORTHCOTE:
Last Tuesday of each month at 9.30am
Contact: Daryl Colless
Ph: 9482 2884

FAIRFIELD:
First Monday of each month at 6pm
Contact: Quentin Aisbett
Ph: 0421 502 886

More...


Economic Development Contacts

Phill Loader - Business Development Coordinator
Ph: 8470 8416

Emma Hopkins - Sustainable Business Officer
Ph:8470 8550

Sarah-Jade Chung - Economic Development Project Officer
Ph: 8470 8613

More...


Useful Links

  • Business in Darebin - List of services Council offers to local businesses and links to useful resources.
  • Business Directory - Advertise your local business for free by registering on the Business Directory.
  • Subscribe - If a friend sent you this newsletter via email, sign-up for your own copy. 

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