Elephants Child

For anyone who caught the interview of Sir Chris Hoy on BBC Breakfast this morning, I've no doubt you probably found it incredibly sad, yet powerful, as I certainly did. I'm not sure I'd even consciously heard of Prostate Cancer 15 years ago, but many of us will know of friends, relatives, colleagues, neighbours and associates who have been impacted by this disease. More than 150 cases are diagnosed every day in the UK. It's the most common cancer in men. Every 45 minutes, one man dies from prostate cancer. Diagnosis is challenging as the symptoms are often asymptomatic in the early stages. Sir Chris Hoy's interview, which can be seen in full later today on BBC1 at 8pm, struck a chord in so many respects. His bravery in facing the daunting challenge head on, with a young family, and all this while his wife faces her own health battle. His positive outlook and desire to see some good come from his terminal diagnosis which, in part, has already triggered the government / NHS to consider lowering the age for testing. Currently, it's not routinely offered to men under 50 without symptoms but who may be at risk. Chris Hoy is 48. We can all learn something from his 'let's live for today' attitude and mental strength, in terms of perspective in our own personal and professional lives. Now is the time to do things. Those things you've put off, but are on your wish list. Visit the part of the world you've always wanted to. Buy that watch you've always aspired to own. Run that marathon. Do charity work. Whatever it is, do it. If you're an SME business owner, maybe now is the time to realise the value of the work you've put in to create and drive your company across the years. The long hours. The stress. Is now the time to exit and enjoy today? For those of you who watch tonight's documentary, Sir Chris Hoy: Finding Hope, I'm convinced you'll be motivated to take stock and plan for the future. Actually, to plan for now.

?? Important Update: New Measures for Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) Now in Effect ?? It may have escaped many people, but the budget did make some significant changes to the framework for Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs). These changes, stemming from a recent consultation, are designed to strengthen the EOT framework and encourage more businesses to transition to employee ownership. But if you are thinking about this route, as a current owner, you need to be aware of what these changes are and how they may impact your plans. ?? Key Changes Now in Effect: ?? Control Restrictions: Former owners (and connected individuals) can no longer retain control over the company after selling it to the EOT. ?? Trustee Residency Requirement: EOT trustees must be UK residents at the time of the share sale. ?? Extended Relief Period: The timeframe for withdrawing tax relief from a former owner if EOT conditions are breached has been extended to 4 years following the sale. ?? Market Value Assurance: The Trustees are now required to ensure that the consideration paid for acquiring the shares is reasonable and aligns with market value and that any interest clauses attached to deferred payments are commercial in their terms. ?? CGT Claim Requirements: Individuals claiming Capital Gains Tax relief must provide specific details regarding the sale proceeds and the number of employees at the time of disposal. ?? Why This Matters: The challenge is that if your EOT is investigated within 4 years of the transaction, and HMRC believes that is was not a truly arms' length, commercial transaction then the tax incentive could be removed and you will be hit with a substantial tax bill. If you are considering this method of disposal, you could do worse than get in touch with us for advice. #EOTs #EmployeeOwnership #Businessexitstrategy

At OH4 we pride ourselves on understanding the needs of our clients and we are always committed to providing the right solution based on their needs. It is always an honour to receive positive feedback on our installations and the the feedback we have had from the the stunning The Headland Cornwall is no exception. This is what they were kind enough to say... From Richard Palmer, Director of the Headland Hotel, Newquay. ? "Steve at OH4 carried out some work for us at the Headland recently, installing the OH4 Heat Transfer System on our heating and hot water systems, for the main hotel, our Spa, Aqua Centre and most of the cottages on our site. We were delighted with how non-invasive the installation was, with no disruption experienced to the hotel’s operation, working around holiday bookings in the cottages, and scheduled to complete the work in the autumn. The installation was carried out on the main hotel building in April of 2024, and since then we have seen savings of energy usage of 19%, measured in kWh per degree, per day, per guest, compared against the previous year, to give truly comparable figures. We look forward to seeing the impact of the work that has just been finished on the Aqua Centre, and once all the cottages are completed after the summer. Steve’s work has been highly professional and efficient, and we are delighted with the savings we have seen already, and those we anticipate are to come. We would highly recommend both Steve and his OH4 system to other hotels and guest accommodation, as the results speak for themselves in terms of energy savings, and the system will be a benefit to the hotel for decades to come." Thanks you Richard and team. ?? Clive Kessell ??Ian Harris David Brock Simon Jones

GW9 update ?? Alan Powell continues the game of leapfrog to go back to the top of the pile. ?? Stuart Berry furthers his pursuit of the top 2 by claiming the manager of the week honours with 81 points. ?? Our highest climber this week is Daniel White FPFS Cert CII (MP ER) who rises 8 places. ?? Andy Benson breaks into the top 5 and Ian Duffew is back into the top 10 for the Herd