14th March 2003
A FIRST FOR BARNSLEY …THAT WILL FURTHER EMPLOYMENT IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE

None-profit organisation “First Services” (Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster, Sheffield) has been founded in Barnsley to give support to micro and small businesses, and also to help the long-term unemployed or people returning to the job market to swiftly help them get permanent positions as quickly as possible through updating skills, qualifications and work experience.

First Service’s Managing Board of Volunteer Trustees decided on two key objectives that formed the basis of the service in Barnsley. Firstly, to offer the widest range of administrative, technical and financial support services to micro and small businesses. Helping to develop scale and capacity so that those companies could efficiently employ staff in-house.

Secondly, to support and move people who are long-term unemployed, or returning to the job market, into permanent employment as quickly as possible. By raising their standards of vocational skills and qualifications and offer up to date work experience, maximises each employee’s potential.

Annette Martin-Meigh, Caseworker for the BDA’s CERT Team is only too familiar with the challenges associated with running a small business: “Building your own business can take a massive amount of time, energy and commitment, whilst constantly facing pressure of finding the next customer, getting the job done and delivering the service you offer.

“Granting credit, raising invoices, chasing payments contacting suppliers or paying bills are all examples of further untold burdens. As if that isn’t enough, there’s also the Inland Revenue to keep happy, with self-assessment forms and filling in time-consuming VAT returns. That’s where First Services come in and are able to help relieve some of that pressure.”


Janette Lagdon, Office Manager (First Services (BRDS Ltd) said, “As time goes by the paperwork can begin to pile up and you find yourself spending more and more time doing tasks which will not bring a single penny into your business. Such activities mean losing valued work time, which actually brings the money in, and increase your client base. My experience of the First Services team was very positive, and they helped me to work in the most efficient way.”

Annette Martin-Meigh continued: “First Services (BRDS) can actually offer a tailor-made business support service for most individual requirements with word and data processing, mailing, mail shots, business stationery, start-up packs, advertising brochures/flyers, basic bookkeeping, vat returns, invoices and credit control systems, photocopying, faxing and e-mail services. This helps to lighten workloads for small businesses, and they only pay for the services they need and when they need them, therefore making the best use of everyone’s time and resources.”

There are also no IT barriers with the First Services package. Existing pictures, logos or specific software can be easily integrated into the end product to complement and maintain a consistent and professional company approach.

Client confidentiality is ensured with First Services with no contact shared through outside parties and completed work strictly available to the concerned parties only.

For further information on First Services (BRDS) Ltd, or for more details on the full range of quality services on offer, contact details are:

First Services Ltd
351 – 351a Pontefract Road,
Lundwood,
Barnsley,
S71 5HS

Telephone 01226 215188/86,
Fax 01226 215187,
E-mail first.services@wwmail.co.uk.



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