What a confusing week! We’re not ones to stay negative here, though, so we’re focusing on the positives and will be maintaining our ‘stay home and stay safe’ attitude until clearly told otherwise – we’ve all been through too much already to muck it up now! That said, I am very tempted to call a friend for a social distancing-appropriate dog walk, just so our dogs can see their puppy pals again – they’re such sociable little creatures that isolation is taking its toll and they’re looking quite down in the mouth. Dogs don’t do Zoom, we’ve discovered.


So, although some things remain unclear, it’s good to see that the Furlough scheme is being extended until October to protect the phased reintegration of staff back into the workplace – we’ve more on that below, along with what people have been doing to lend their communities a hand; some top-drawer business advice; a sprinkling of health and wellbeing tips and some things for you to waste a little bit of time on this weekend – I think I’ve finished Netflix, so will be taking heed!
Stay safe, stay home and stay positive. Remember, FU Loves You, Jon, Kevin and the FUFighters
OBLIGATORY BAD JOKE
I wanted to write a joke about self-isolation, but it wasn’t going anywhere.

RETURNING TO WORK SAFELY – 5 KEY POINTS EVERY EMPLOYER SHOULD IMPLEMENT
New ‘COVID-19 secure’ guidelines are available to UK employers to help them get their businesses back up and running and workplaces operating as safely as possible.
As always, guidance is changing constantly with how to return staff to work safely, however, Toni Robinson, Managing Director of NucleusHR and NucleusHS has provided a guide for employers, outlining the main requirements set out by the government.
She has set out practical steps for businesses focused on five key points, which should be implemented as soon as it is practical:
1. Work from home, if you can
All reasonable steps should be taken by employers to help people work from home. But for those who cannot work from home and whose workplace has not been told to close, our message is clear: you should go to work. Employers are encouraged to discuss with their teams as to when their workplace will open.
2. Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment, in consultation with workers
or trade unions
Employers will need to carry out COVID-19 risk assessments in consultation with their workers or trade unions, to establish what guidelines to put in place. If possible, employers should publish the results of their risk assessments on their website and it is expected all businesses with over 50 employees to do so.
3. Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible
Employers should re-design workspaces to maintain 2 metre distances between people by staggering start times, creating one way walk-throughs, opening more entrances and exits, or changing seating layouts in break rooms.
4. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk
Employers should look into putting barriers in shared spaces, creating workplace shift patterns or fixed teams minimising the number of people in contact with one another, or ensuring colleagues are facing away from each other.
5. Reinforcing cleaning processes
Workplaces should be cleaned more frequently, paying close attention to high-contact objects like door handles and keyboards. Employers should provide handwashing facilities or hand sanitisers at entry and exit points.
A downloadable notice is included in the government documents, which employers should display in their workplaces to show their employees, customers and other visitors to their workplace, that they have followed this guidance.
If you wish to take further advice on how best to handle COVID-19 in your business, please contact NucleusHR on 07960 418494 or [email protected]

LETTUCE CELEBRATE: NATIONAL VEGETARIAN WEEK
With many of us growing bored to tears of our other half’s ‘signature’ dishes – 50 days of Spaghetti Bolognese is enough for anyone – you may be interested to note that this week is National Vegetarian Week. Running until the 17th May, it could be the perfect antidote for anyone stuck in a culinary rut. We’ve pulled together some of our most favourite veggie recipes – from Mushroom Mac ‘n Cheese to the ultimate Chilli Non-Carne!
Click here to see the recipes and release the flavours!

LLEP INVESTS £4 MILLION TO BRING LANDMARK BUILDING BACK TO LIFE AND BOOST LEICESTER BUSINESS
The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) has provided a Growing Places Fund (GPF) loan of £4 million to support the redevelopment of the former Fenwick’s department store on Market Street, Leicester.
The loan will be used to convert the former department store into serviced apartments and co-working business space, which has already been pre-leased to Leicester City Council to provide a city centre base for freelancers and small businesses in the same model as the LCB Depot and Dock. The scheme will also include four new commercial units and is set to be renamed ‘The Gresham,’ in a nod to its original name when it was first opened in the 1880s.
Aimrok Holdings Ltd will convert much of the four-storey building into an ‘aparthotel with 121 bedrooms, a hotel lobby bar, onsite restaurant and gym together with 4 ground floor and basement commercial units totalling nearly 11,000 sq. ft.
The expected total capital cost of The Gresham scheme is around £17million, which includes the building purchase, the preparatory works to date and the redevelopment costs of the proposed scheme. To find out more, visit www.llep.org.uk

RISE IN KEY WORKER CAREERS
There has been 164% more searches for top 10 key worker careers in the last 90 days of lockdown reveals personal finance experts at money.co.uk who have released the2020 Key Worker Nation Report.
The report shows that overall searches for key worker roles rise by 67% with searches for healthcare jobs having increased by an average of 82%. However, it’s delivery driver jobs that have been searched for the most; +475% more searches in the last 90 days.

ONLINE MARKETPLACE LAUNCHED TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES
Partnering with Leicester Business Improvement District (BID Leicester), app-experts, LoyalFree, has launched a new online marketplace to support independent businesses.
The LoyalFree marketplace allows independent businesses to sell products online, without any charge or commission except a small payment processing fee – if they are part of BID Leicester. This provides offline businesses a lifeline during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Businesses can utilise the platform to increase critical cash flow without incurring the expense of creating their own e-commerce site or paying commission through existing ones.
Within the first week of launch, LoyalFree has seen creative solutions with businesses offering future experiences such as Cocktail Masterclasses from Manhattan34 or Beer Tasting at The Exchange Bar. Products are also on sale, with a wide variety available from Healthy Route Leicester. Find out more via the BID Leicester website –www.bidleicester.co.uk

WIN! A £5000 PUBLICITY PACKAGE WITH FU MEDIA & DLUXE MAGAZINE
Publicity specialists, FU Media, and luxury magazine, DLUXE, have joined forces to offer an exclusive competition to win a year-long publicity package – worth over £5000.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply CLICK HERE.
T&Cs apply. Competition closes 31st May 2020.

REOPENING THE WORKPLACE- DO YOU NEED A HANDWASHING STATION?
The need for frequent and thorough hand washing to stop the spread of the virus has been well documented. However, within a retail or warehouse environment, direct access to soap and water can be limited, so it may be worth considering a pop-up hand washing station to ensure you can open safely to the public.
Requiring no plumbing or electricity, these Hand Wash Stations, come complete with soap, paper towels and a waste bin. The water is foot pump-activated by the user. Each unit can hod 45 litres of water, enough for 225, 20-second hand washes. Made from lightweight, recycled plastics, these hand washing stations can be easily located throughout the shop to ensure that areas of high footfall are targeted.
Find out more about them at www.cleanerretail.com.

FEMI BEAUTY OPEN FOR ONLINE ORDERS
One of our favourite independent businesses run by one of our favourite people, Femi will remain closed until it is safe to reopen, but in the meantime has launched an online store for you to grab all of your beauty essentials, so that you can safely spa at home!
To help you keep your beauty routine in check use code Femioff15 to receive 15% discount on non-discounted products.
Keep up to date with product offers and updates and get tips and tricks to manage your beauty regime at home by following them on Facebook and Instagram.

FAMILY SPACE QUIZ THIS FRIDAY
Join Malika and Sophie from the National Space Centre for a fun #FamilySpaceQuiz on their Facebook page on Friday 15 May at 18:00. There will be three rounds of ten questions, relating to themes including space movies and space firsts. The quiz will take about one hour, and they promise that you’ll learn lots of fun space facts along the journey.
This quiz is just for fun, but there will be a prize for one lucky family – based on the best team name on the night.

LOCAL SOUL SINGER RHEA SUN SIGNALS RETURN OF THE MAC
Leicester is once again being highlighted as a hotbed of musical talent with the first release by young soul diva, Rhea Sun. It’s the first release from the re-launched MackLife label, the brainchild of legendary UK R&B artist, Mark Morrison, who himself hails from the city. Singer-songwriter, Rhea Sun, Watch and listen above.

CREATE AN OUTDOOR OASIS AT HOME
With another Bank Holiday on the way and a UK summer before us, now’s the time to make the most of our great outdoors. Hayter, makers of the finest British mowers, has shared some top tips on how to create a garden oasis for you and your family this summer- you can read them here.

MACMILLAN LAUNCH TELEPHONE BUDDY SCHEME
Going through Cancer can be an isolating experience at any time, and especially when social distancing. You might be feeling lonely, overwhelmed or anxious due to the current uncertainty. Macmillan Cancer have launched a new Telephone Buddy Scheme to offer emotional support to anyone that has been affected by the disease. The trained buddy will be a listening ear at the end of the telephone, ready to discuss how you’re feeling as well as your support needs during this difficult time and can provide ongoing emotional support over a period of up 12 weeks, or more depending on your needs, to help ensure you don’t face Cancer alone. Find out more here.

NOVEMBER BUSINESS FESTIVAL TO RE-ENERGISE LEICESTERSHIRE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
The Leicester Business Festival (LBF) has announced it will be taking place from 2 to 13 November 2020 and this year will be ‘the most important in its six-year history’.
With the rapidly changing global situation relating to the Coronavirus Covid-19, the 2020 Festival looks likely to take on a new role in addition to its usual functions, centred around challenging, stimulating and aiding business growth and placing the region’s business community as a national leader.
The focus: supporting, promoting and discussing changes in the way that businesses will work now and in the future. With much uncertainty ahead, LBF is ready and prepared to adapt and as such, is seeking to offer a ‘hybrid’ festival, where event organisers have the opportunity to ‘go digital’ and live-stream their events via the LBF website, whilst also holding them physically (within guidelines of the government at that time).
An announcement regarding the event application opening date will be made in the coming weeks, but organisers have said that the application window is likely to stay open until the end of August to allow companies plenty of time to consider how they can capitalise on the Business Festival and its unparalleled position.
For more information visit the LBF website www.leicesterbusinessfestival.com,

THRILLSEEKERS LOOK AHEAD TO POST LOCKDOWN
Brand new research reveals that Brits intend to live life to the max rather than holding back when government restrictions in response to coronavirus are lifted. The data from TrackDays.co.uk shows that voucher sales for future experiences are being dominated by its premium five-supercar blast where post lockdown thrill seekers will be able to enjoy Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Aston Martins and other supercar giants on the racetrack. We’ll have a McClaren, please.

RETURN TO WORK PLANS? BETTER GET IT SORTED
The IT professionals at Better It have written a guide to getting your IT in shape in time for getting back to work and it’s packed with tips and advice on security, ease of access, what equipment to invest in and how to manage a mixed office / home workforce. You can download it for free here.

NEXT TO LAUNCH NEW BEAUTY HALL IN HIGHCROSS
The Beauty Hall from NEXT will replace Debenhams’ beauty hall in Highcross. NEXT recognised the opportunity to develop an extensive premium Beauty business after a successful online collaboration with Fabled by Marie Claire. It currently sells over 200 beauty brands on next.co.uk,including Estee Lauder, Clinique, Benefit, Origins, The Ordinary, GHD, Dermalogica, Aveda, Illamasqua, Elemis, Burberry, By Terry, Rituals, L’Occitane, Bvlgari, Emporio Armani and Boss and additional premium brands including Bobbi Brown, YSL, Lancôme and Nars through its sister site Fabled.com.
Hammerson, owners of Highcross, will pursue opportunities to repurpose the other floors, as it continues to reduce the amount of department store space in its portfolio.

ADD SOME VA VA VOOM TO YOUR ZOOM
Want to mix up your next work catch up? Or, maybe just fantasise that that round the world cruise you booked is actually happening? The Scenic Group (Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises) has launched a range of Zoom backgrounds showcasing destinations and onboard features of their luxury fleet.
There are over 25 virtual backgrounds to choose from including the swimming pool on board Emerald Harmony as the ship sails down the mighty Mekong River and stunning shots of Arctic glaciers from the luxury Scenic Eclipse.
You can download the backgrounds here and here
WORDS OF WISDOM
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
Marie Curie.