IT is rare that you go to an event and the speech by the sponsor makes headlines.
But yesterday’s Forward Ladies National Women in Business Awards Grand Final lunch certainly did that.
I was a guest of James Cliffe, UK head of business banking at global group HSBC and he told me he was planning to make an interesting announcement.
Given he’s currently walking with a stick after a knee replacement operation, I was more concerned with how he was going to make it up the steep steps to the stage at New Dock Hall in Leeds.
But he did and even turned his struggles into a laugh.
Leaving his walking stick against the lecturn, he gingerly walked to the centre of the stage.
“You’ve just seen a banker take a risk,” he said, to great hilarity.
James told the audience that he had heard a female entrepreneur with a small business admit at a recent round table discussion that if it came to employing a man and a woman, then she would pick the man because her firm could not afford to lose one of its handful of staff on maternity leave.
He said this admission had got him thinking and he yesterday announced the HSBC Parental Leave Support Package for small businesses with fewer than five employees and a turnover of up to £1m.
Applying to employees of either gender going on parental leave and covering maternity, shared parental leave, adoption and surrogacy, its key features include no interest on overdrafts, repayment support on loans and capital repayment holidays.
Banks do get a lot of flak, but the ones I know are doing their best for businesses.
There is plenty more they can do, but it is nice to see a real example of a bank listening to business.
We just need government to do it now.
:::
THE first person I saw when I arrived at the Forward Ladies Awards yesterday was my former colleague from TheBusinessDesk.com Colin Glass.
It would be fair to describe Colin as at the veteran stage of his accountancy career, but he still enjoys networking opportunities.
And yesterday’s event even more than normal: only about 10% of the attendees were men.
That saw Colin with a grin from ear to ear wider than Jim Carrey’s Jack Russell in the film The Mask.
:::
I’M always likely to read an email that starts with the words: “Another excellent blog.”
John Flathers of Irwin Mitchell knows how to ensure a mention.
He read my comments last week about Priscilla Presley’s visit to Leeds as part of the arena show that teams up footage of her late husband Elvis with live music from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to the show and John tells me: “You missed a treat though – Elvis was still in fine voice – live on screen at the Arena. When Priscilla repeated to the audience the name of the town where one fan lived in North Yorkshire it sent the Yorkshire audience into hysterics ‘so you live in Sipton, what a beautiful name’ (it was in fact Skipton). Clearly feeling alone she then shouted ‘Anyone from the USA?’ – not a hand went up.”
I jested that I couldn’t make the show because of a prior engagement with a pair of divas, which brought this riposte from John: “So good luck to you with Beyonce and J Lo. Whatever energy you needed for those two that evening, there was far more in the Leeds Arena for the return of the King.”
Priscilla’s mispronunciation of a Yorkshire town reminded me of an occasion, when Fergie, the Duchess of York, not the football manager, was presenting an award at the annual Yorkshire Awards.
“The winner is from the lovely town of Keeley,” she informed the audience, who immediately erupted into tutting and shaking of heads.
Of course, she meant Keighley.
And then there was the time that Raquel Welch visited Yorkshire for the marriage of her son to the daughter of Yorkshire and England bowling legend Fiery Fred Trueman.
That is true – you couldn’t make a partnership like that up.
Asked by the Yorkshire Post what she thought on her first visit to the county, the buxom sex symbol responded: “It’s like a poem.”
I never did find out which piece of verse she was referring to.
:::
I DID actually visit Leeds Arena last week, but to see a more up-to-date singing star – Jess Glynne.
Karen Paige of Reward Capital had invited me months ago and we were due to be joined by her daughter Amy, who was looking for a job in marketing and communications and Karen’s sister, who is a senior Whitehall advisor.
Amy has subsequently found a job and doesn’t require any advice from me, while Karen’s sister is far too busy dealing with impending Brexit to trek up to Leeds for a concert.
Given then that I had little to offer than my warm smile and ready wit, Karen said the invitation still stood and whilst I enjoyed her company and that of her guests, watching Jess Glynne only underlined that I’ve never really been a concert goer.
I’d happily admit I’m too old for it all, but I felt too old for it when I was a teenager. Brought up on a musical diet of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, Bobby Darin, Louis Armstrong and rock n’roll, I can’t remember the last time I bought a chart hit.
Tell a lie, I can, I downloaded Moves Like Jagger to practice some moves when I compered the Leeds Professionals Fashion Show a few years ago.
They still talk about it in accountancy circles.
:::
IS it me or is this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert a bit of a let down?
I do find it bizarre that people merrily anticipate this annual treat almost as much as a visit from Father Christmas or a blow out on Mad Friday, but fair play to the store group for creating such interest.
However squirrels and a hedgehog bouncing on a trampoline followed by a boxer dog doing the same doesn’t exactly spread peace and goodwill to all.
Apparently it even led to requests at pet shops for dog trampolines.
Marks & Spencer are attempting to get in on the act by creating their own iconic festive ad with the rather weak Mrs Christmas story.
And McDonald’s too.
The burger chain’s advert features a toyshop doll that sits in the window on Christmas Eve having failed to find a buyer.
The lonely doll leaves the shop window, dashes across the road and into a bustling McDonald’s restaurant where diners are enjoying burgers and fries while engaging in excited conversation.
It’s completely unbelievable.
Not that a doll comes to life and walks into a McDonald’s, but that people are talking to each other in there – in the real world they’d surely be gormlessly looking at their phones.
Have a great weekend.