From the Quaker chocolate makers of the nineteenth century to the countless family firms quietly supporting their local communities today, giving back has long been woven into the fabric of family business. It is no accident. The very qualities that define family enterprise make philanthropy feel less like an obligation and more like a natural expression of who these businesses are. Walk into almost any town in Britain and you will find the fingerprints of family business generosity. A sports club whose kit is sponsored by the local builders' merchant. A hospice supported year after year by a family owned manufacturer. A scholarship fund, a community hall, a charity run with staff from a third generation retailer pounding the streets. Much of this giving goes unheralded. Family businesses tend not to shout about their charitable work, and many would be uncomfortable doing so. Yet taken together, it represents an extraordinary contribution to British society, and it reveals something important about what makes family firms different. So why does philanthropy sit so comfortably within the family business community? The answer lies in values, in time horizons, in place and in people. Values That Outlast Any One Generation At the heart of every enduring family business sits a set of values. They are often inherited from a founder who believed the business existed for more than profit alone, and they are passed down, sometimes explicitly and sometimes simply by example, from one generation to the next. The great Quaker family enterprises of the Victorian era, among them Cadbury, Rowntree and Fry, are the best known illustration. Their founders built model villages, schools and charitable trusts because their faith told them that commercial success brought a duty to improve the lives of others. Several of those trusts continue their work today, long after the businesses themselves changed hands. Modern family firms may not share the same religious motivation, but the instinct is strikingly similar. When a family's name is on the door, the business becomes an extension of the family's character. Giving back is one of the most tangible ways of showing what that character stands for. Long Term Thinking And Deep Local Roots Family businesses are famous for thinking in generations rather than quarters. Free from the pressure of quarterly reporting to distant shareholders, they can make decisions whose rewards may not be felt for decades. Philanthropy is exactly that kind of decision. Supporting education, health or the environment rarely pays back quickly, but it builds a stronger society for the children and grandchildren who will one day inherit the business. Place matters too. Many family firms have been rooted in the same town or region for generations. Their employees are neighbours, their customers are friends and their own children attend the local schools. When the community thrives, the business thrives, and when the community struggles, the family feels it personally. This sense of belonging creates a natural reciprocity. Family businesses give to the places that have sustained them, not as a marketing exercise but because they are genuinely part of the fabric of those communities. A Shared Purpose That Unites The Generations Philanthropy offers family businesses something unexpectedly valuable: a way of bringing the family together around a common purpose that sits outside the commercial pressures of the business itself. For the next generation in particular, involvement in the family's charitable work can be a powerful first step. It allows younger members to learn about governance, decision making and budgeting in a lower stakes setting. It gives them a voice in family affairs before they hold any formal role in the business. And it helps them understand, at a very practical level, what the family stands for. Giving also connects family members who will never work in the business. A cousin pursuing a career in medicine or the arts can still play a meaningful part in the family's foundation, strengthening the bonds between branches of the family and reinforcing a shared identity that might otherwise fade as the family grows. Many families find that conversations about which causes to support become some of their richest discussions. Debating what matters, and why, is a wonderful way of passing values from one generation to the next. The Many Forms Family Giving Takes Family business philanthropy is wonderfully varied, shaped by the size of the firm, the interests of the family and the needs of the community around it. Common approaches include: Family foundations and charitable trusts, giving a permanent structure to the family's giving and allowing it to continue across generations. Corporate giving, where the business itself donates a share of its profits to chosen causes. Matched giving and payroll giving, encouraging employees to give and amplifying their generosity. Volunteering, with staff given paid time to support local charities, schools and community projects. Gifts in kind, from donated products and services to the use of premises, vehicles or expertise. Local sponsorship, supporting sports clubs, festivals and community events that bring people together. Impact investment, where some families now direct capital towards ventures that combine financial return with social or environmental benefit. There is no single right model. What matters is that the approach reflects the family's values and is something both the family and the business can sustain over time. Good For The Community, And Good For The Business Family businesses rarely give in order to gain, but it would be wrong to pretend that philanthropy brings no benefits to the business itself. It does, and they are substantial. Employees, particularly younger ones, increasingly want to work for organisations whose values they share. A visible commitment to giving back helps family firms attract and retain talented people, and it builds pride among those already there. Staff who volunteer together often return to work with stronger relationships and a renewed sense of purpose. Philanthropy also strengthens the trust that family businesses already enjoy. Customers, suppliers and local partners notice when a business consistently supports the community, and that goodwill can prove invaluable in difficult times. In an era when many people are sceptical of big business, the authentic generosity of family firms is a powerful reminder of what responsible enterprise can look like. Giving Well: Bringing Structure To Generosity Good intentions are the starting point, but the most effective family philanthropy is approached with the same care as any other important family decision. As giving grows, so does the need for clarity. It helps to agree a clear purpose. Which causes matter most to the family, and why? Focusing on a small number of areas usually achieves far more than spreading support thinly across many. It is also worth deciding how the family's personal giving relates to the business's corporate giving, so that each supports the other rather than causing confusion. Governance matters here just as it does in the business. Who decides where money goes? How are requests assessed, and how is impact measured? How will future generations be brought into the process? A family foundation with clear trustees, an agreed giving policy and regular reviews can endure for decades. Many families also choose to reflect their charitable commitments in their family charter, setting out how giving fits alongside their other shared values. And as with every financial decision, take proper professional advice on the tax and legal structures available, so that the family's generosity achieves as much as it possibly can. Questions To Reflect On: What values did the founders of your business hold, and how are they expressed in your giving today? Which causes matter most to your family, and have you ever discussed them together? How closely does your charitable support reflect the community your business calls home? Are members of the next generation, and those outside the business, involved in your family's giving? Is it clear how personal family giving and the business's corporate giving fit together? Who makes decisions about giving, and how do you know whether it is making a difference? What would you like your family's philanthropic legacy to be in fifty years' time? Philanthropy sits so naturally within the family business community because it grows from the same soil as the businesses themselves: enduring values, long term thinking, deep local roots and a powerful sense of stewardship. Giving back strengthens communities, unites families across generations and builds the trust on which every great business depends. Approached with purpose and care, it becomes far more than generosity. It becomes part of a family's legacy, and one of the clearest expressions of why family business matters.

More and more family businesses now have a succession plan. Far fewer have a succession that works. The difference between the two is where legacies are won and lost. A plan sits in a drawer. A transition happens in the boardroom, on the shop floor and around the kitchen table. It happens in the conversations nobody scheduled and the decisions nobody wrote down. New research from the United States puts a number on that gap. The Family Business Consulting Group and Plante Moran have revisited landmark surveys from 1995 and 1997 to see what has changed in thirty years. Their verdict is striking. Families are completing the technical work of planning, but what the plans actually say is not consistently understood or shared. In other words, the paperwork has improved. The people have not always come along with it. Succession On Paper Succession on paper is the part advisers can tick off. It usually includes: A will and estate plan, reviewed with lawyers and accountants A shareholder agreement setting out who owns what and how shares can move Tax planning, which in the UK means close attention to Business Property Relief and Agricultural Property Relief A named successor, and perhaps a target date for the handover A governance structure, such as a board, a family council or a family charter None of this is wasted effort. In the current UK climate, with relief caps reshaping the economics of passing on a family firm, getting the technical side right has never mattered more. But a document can only record intent. It cannot create trust, build capability or settle the unspoken questions that sit underneath every handover. Succession In Action Succession in action is what happens when the plan meets real people. It is the successor leading a difficult meeting for the first time, with the outgoing generation in the room. It is a long serving manager deciding whether to back the new leader. It is a sibling who is not in the business working out what ownership now means for them. The families who do this well treat succession as a process, not an event. The plan names a date. The action is everything that happens in the years before it. Where The Gap Opens Up Listening to the journeys of so many family businesses, the gap between paper and practice tends to open in five places. The plan is a secret. Too often the senior generation and its advisers know what the plan says, and nobody else does. The US study found that education, communication and the risk of entitlement now worry owners more than competition or labour costs. A plan the family does not understand is a plan the family cannot support. Authority arrives before readiness. A successor can be handed the title, or the shares, without the judgement, relationships or experience that made the founder effective. As one recent commentary on family offices put it, there is a difference between succession on paper and succession in practice: the right to make decisions is not the same as the ability to make them well. The successor has not said yes. We often assume the next generation wants the business. The evidence suggests caution. A Sun Life survey found that only 31% of next generation members not already involved in their family business were fully willing to take it over. Independence and fear of the responsibility were the most common reasons for hesitation. The outgoing generation does not let go. A handover with no real handing over is one of the most common, and most damaging, patterns in family business. The successor gets the office but not the authority, and everyone in the business notices. Leadership and ownership are confused. Plans often treat them as one thing. In practice, a family can keep ownership while bringing in outside leadership. Deloitte found that 13% of surveyed family businesses had a non family chief executive, rising to 26% expected after succession. That can be a strength, but only if the family has agreed what kind of owners it wants to be. Closing The Gap The good news is that the gap can be closed. It takes time and honesty rather than more paperwork. Talk about the plan, not just around it. Share its intent with the wider family and senior team, even if every detail is not yet settled. People support what they understand. Ask the next generation, and listen to the answer. Make it safe for a potential successor to say no, or not yet. A reluctant leader is a bigger risk than an empty chair. Build an overlap period. Give the successor real responsibility while the outgoing leader is still there to coach, not to correct in public. Agree in advance which decisions transfer, and when. Bring in a bridge where it helps. A trusted non executive director, adviser or interim leader can steady the business and mentor the successor. Separate the ownership conversation from the leadership one. Decide what it means to be a good owner, whether or not you also run the business. Review the plan as a living document. Revisit it every year, and every time the family or the business changes. A plan written for one set of circumstances rarely survives another unchanged. Questions To Reflect On If your successor were asked today what your succession plan says, could they answer? Has your chosen successor genuinely said yes, or have you assumed it? Which decisions will you hand over first, and how will everyone know they have moved? What would the business need from you if you stepped back tomorrow? Does your family agree on what it means to be a good owner, separate from running the business? A succession plan is necessary, but it is not enough. The families who pass on their businesses successfully treat the plan as the start of the conversation, not the end of it. They prepare people as carefully as they prepare paperwork. They give the next generation a genuine choice, a real runway and the authority to lead. Succession on paper protects the assets. Succession in action protects the legacy.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. It is in the headlines, in board papers and increasingly in the questions the next generation asks around the family table. For many family business owners, it also brings a quiet worry: that everyone else understands it, and they have somehow been left behind. They have not. Ask ten business leaders what AI means for their company and you will get ten different answers, most of them uncertain. A survey by the Prairie Family Business Association in the United States found significant uncertainty among family firm owners about both the benefits of AI and how to put it to work. At the same time, the larger players are moving. Deloitte's global study of 1,587 family businesses with revenues of at least $100 million found that 86% have now adopted AI in some form. The gap between the curious and the committed is growing. This feature sets out to cut through the noise. It explains what AI actually is, separates myth from reality, and offers ten practical steps to help your family and your business start the conversation. What AI Actually Is Strip away the jargon and AI is simply software that can do tasks we used to think needed a person. It can read and write text, spot patterns in numbers, answer questions and summarise long documents in seconds. Most family businesses will meet AI in three ways: Tools you already use getting smarter. Your accounting software, email, customer systems and office tools are adding AI features, often without much fanfare. AI assistants. Tools such as Claude, ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot can draft letters, analyse spreadsheets, prepare meeting notes and help you think through a problem. Bespoke applications. Larger firms may build AI into specific processes, such as forecasting demand, checking quality on a production line or handling routine customer enquiries. The important point is this. AI is a tool, not a strategy. The question is never "should we do AI?" It is "where could this help us do what we already do, better? Myths & Realities The Myth The Reality AI is only for big tech companies Many useful tools cost a few pounds a month per user and need no technical skills AI will replace our people Most firms use it to take routine work off people's desks so they can focus on customers and judgement We need a big project to get started The best starting point is usually one small, everyday task AI is always right It can make mistakes and state them confidently, so a person should always check what matters It is a matter for the IT team It touches strategy, people, risk and values, which makes it a matter for the family and the board It is too late to start Plenty of businesses are still at the beginning, and starting thoughtfully beats starting first Why Family Businesses Are Well Placed It is easy to assume family firms are at a disadvantage when it comes to new technology. In truth, they have some real strengths: Long term thinking. Family businesses do not have to chase quarterly results. They can invest patiently and choose the right moment, rather than the fashionable one. Speed of decision. With fewer layers between the owners and the shop floor, a family firm can test an idea on Monday and decide on it by Friday. Values as a compass. AI raises questions about trust, privacy and how people are treated. Families with clear values already have a framework for answering them. A built in bridge between generations. The next generation often brings fluency with technology. The senior generation brings judgement and knowledge of the business. AI is a natural project for them to work on together. The one area where caution is needed is governance. KPMG's 2026 US Family Business Report found that 86% of family businesses are piloting or using AI, yet only 40% have a formal framework for governing it. Enthusiasm is running ahead of oversight. Ten Steps To Get The Conversation Started Put it on the agenda. Make AI a standing item at your next board meeting or family council, even for twenty minutes. Naming it takes away much of the mystery. Start with curiosity, not a decision. Agree that the first conversation is about learning, not committing money. That makes it easier for everyone to ask the questions they are embarrassed to ask. Try it yourself. Spend an hour using an AI assistant on a real task, such as drafting a letter or summarising a report. First hand experience beats any briefing paper. Invite the next generation to lead a session. Ask a younger family member, or a keen employee, to show the rest of the family what the tools can do. It builds confidence and gives the next generation a meaningful role. Ask your people where the pain is. Your team knows which tasks are repetitive, slow or frustrating. That list is your best map of where AI could help first. Pick one small pilot. Choose a single, low risk task, set a clear goal and a time limit, and measure the result. Small wins build momentum and trust. Agree some ground rules early. Decide what information must never go into public AI tools, who checks AI generated work, and who is accountable. A simple one page policy is a strong start. Test it against your values. Ask how each use of AI affects your customers, your staff and your reputation. If it would feel wrong to explain it to a loyal customer, think again. Talk to your advisers and peers. Your accountant, lawyer and fellow family business owners are all wrestling with the same questions. Learning from others is quicker and cheaper than learning alone. Review, learn and repeat. Come back to the conversation every quarter. Share what worked, what did not, and what you want to try next. Treat AI as an ongoing journey, not a one off project. Questions To Reflect On When did your family last talk openly about technology and the future of the business? Which tasks in your business take the most time and add the least value? Who in your family or team is already experimenting with AI, and are you learning from them? What would you never want AI to do on your behalf, and have you written that down? How could AI help you hand on a stronger business to the next generation? AI is not magic, and it is not a threat to everything that makes a family business special. It is a set of tools, and like any tool its value depends on the hands that hold it. Family businesses already have what matters most: patience, clear values and generations who can learn from each other. The first step is not a big investment. It is a conversation. Start it this month.

One of the UK’s largest plant nurseries, Johnsons Nurseries Ltd, has continued its long-standing relationship with the five-star luxury resort, Rockliffe, supplying more than 17,000 plants and trees for its newly landscaped grounds as part of its multimillion-pound transformation. Set within 375 acres of historic parkland near Darlington, Rockliffe has undergone an extensive transformation, including the restoration of its Grade II-listed Old Hall, enhanced accommodation, new dining experiences, and the creation of a standalone restaurant pavilion named Atlas. The ambitious project has seen the resort's gardens and outdoor spaces transformed to complement the renovated and new buildings, creating an attractive and welcoming environment for guests. The landscape and planting scheme was designed by Colour Landscape Architects, while Johnsons Nurseries supplied an extensive selection of shrubs, trees, instant hedging, ornamental grasses, flowering perennials and topiary, creating year-round interest throughout the newly landscaped grounds. Among the varieties supplied were mature Scots pines, multi-stem Amelanchier lamarckii and Magnolia trees, alongside instant Carpinus betulus hedging and ornamental Taxus baccata topiary. The planting scheme also features an extensive mix of flowering perennials and ornamental grasses, including Anemone 'Honorine Jobert', Geranium 'Rozanne', Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm', Calamagrostis and Deschampsia, providing seasonal colour, texture and movement throughout the gardens. The landscaping was carried out in-house by Rockliffe’s Estates team, led by Head of Engineering & Estates Phil Mennell. Despite one of the hottest and driest summers, the team worked tirelessly to establish thousands of plants and trees, extensive hedging and new lawn areas, overcoming challenging conditions and tight deadlines to complete the grounds ahead of the resort's reopening. Group Managing Director at Johnsons Nurseries, Graham Richardson, said: "We're incredibly proud to have supplied the plants for Rockliffe’s newly transformed gardens as part of this prestigious development." "From the restoration of the historic walled garden to this latest transformation, it's rewarding to see how the grounds have evolved. The finished gardens look fantastic, and we're delighted to have played a part in creating outdoor spaces that guests can enjoy for years to come." Phil Mennell, Head of Engineering & Estates at Rockliffe, added: "This has been one of the most ambitious landscaping projects we've undertaken at Rockliffe, and I'm incredibly proud of what our Estates team has achieved. Working closely with Johnsons Nurseries has been invaluable, ensuring we had the quality and variety of plants needed to bring the designs to life." "It's been fantastic to see the gardens transform, and I'm looking forward to watching them establish and mature for our guests to enjoy for many years to come." Emma Fletcher, Director at Colour Landscape Architects, said: “Johnsons have been a great support on the delivery of the new gardens at Rockliffe, assisting us on species choices and availability from early design stages and providing flexibility in deliveries to align with the challenging project programme." "We are delighted that the completed gardens have been so well received, and a large part of that is the impact that the planting beds and stock have had.” The completed gardens complement the resort's historic parkland setting, enhancing the guest experience and marking another chapter in Johnsons' long-standing relationship with Rockliffe, which reopened at the beginning of September.

A village bowling club has two reasons to celebrate after securing funding for a new shelter and topping off a successful season. Mayfield Crown Green Bowling Club feared they would be without refuge from the elements when their Conygree Lane recreation ground shelter was destroyed by storms at the beginning of the season. But an appeal to the local community produced heart-warming support for the 30-strong club which has been a part of the village sports scene since 1990. Local businesses and The Royal Oak village pub, where players meet after practice sessions, made donations while JCB topped up the funds with £750 to ensure they hit the £2,700 target. The support has spurred on the club to a successful season competing in the South Derbyshire Crown Green Bowling Harold Fellows Monday night league, along with two teams in each of the Uttoxeter Saturday League and Over 55s League. Club Chair Rita Blood said: “We didn’t know what to do when we lost the shelter at the beginning of the season because we are a small club and we run on a limited budget year to year, but we have been humbled by the support of JCB and we are tremendously grateful for their generosity." “This season, our A Team has won the Uttoxeter League Division 1 and our Veterans A Team has come runner-up in the Vets League Division 1 - both for the third year running. Meanwhile, team member Alan Blood has won the Averages in both the Division 1 Saturday League and Vets Division 1 League. We also managed to stay up in Division 2 of the Harold Fellows League, which is a real achievement for a small club like ours.” New members are welcome every Saturday afternoon at the Playing Field bowls green or contact Secretary/Treasurer Mark Jennings on 07866 809443, for more information. Photo: Members of Mayfield Bowling Club celebrate securing funding for their new shelter.

Ahead of the Budget on 28 October and amid widespread debate over recent changes to inheritance tax reliefs, new research from Russell-Cooke finds that less than a quarter of family business owners are confident their business will still be under family control in ten years’ time, while around one fifth believe that inheritance tax, or other estate planning issues, may result in the business no longer being family-owned. A new survey of family business owners by law firm Russell-Cooke has revealed that less than a quarter are confident that their business will still be in the family in 10 years’ time. Just published, The Future of Family Business: Survival, succession and stewardship in modern Britain, reveals a growing confidence gap among UK family businesses as owners look to the future. The report is based on a survey of more than 500 UK family business owners conducted in partnership with YouGov, alongside interviews with business owners, advisers and wealth specialists. The report finds that while family businesses remain resilient, survival is becoming increasingly planned, professionalised, and less automatic than in previous generations. Key findings Nearly two-thirds (63%) of owners are very confident their business will remain family-owned over the next two years. However, this falls to 38% when looking five years ahead, while just 24% believe their business will still be family-owned years beyond the next decade. 71% of family business owners identify business costs as one of their biggest current concerns. 57% point to political and economic uncertainty, while 43% highlight taxation and 38% cite regulatory and compliance burdens. One in three believe that the absence of a suitable or willing successor could ultimately bring family ownership of the business to an end. Nearly 30% would consider selling if presented with the right acquisition offer. More than one in five would consider selling in response to recent inheritance tax changes. Only 45% are confident that future inheritance tax liabilities could be met without selling part or all of the business. One of the clearest findings from the research is that family businesses do not face identical challenges. The research also highlights a growing divide between smaller and larger family businesses when it comes to succession planning, finding that larger firms are generally better prepared for long-term transitions, benefiting from more formal governance structures, clearer succession plans and less reliance on individual family members. In contrast, smaller family businesses are more likely to depend on informal arrangements and personal relationships, leaving them potentially more exposed when leadership transitions arise. James Cook, Partner at Russell-Cooke, notes that: “Family businesses have always demonstrated remarkable resilience, and that remains true today. What our research brings into focus is the widening gap between owners’ confidence in the business itself and their confidence that it will remain under family ownership in the future.” “The traditional assumption that ownership will naturally pass from one generation to the next can no longer be taken for granted. Owners are operating in an environment shaped by rising costs, economic uncertainty, changing tax rules and increasingly complex family dynamics. Against that backdrop, succession is becoming one of the defining challenges facing family businesses.” “Successful succession is about far more than transferring wealth or shares. It requires families to prepare future leaders, align their family and business interests, and put structures in place that support informed and sometimes difficult decisions.” “The forthcoming Budget will be watched closely by family business owners. At a time when many are already uncertain about whether their businesses can remain within the family, further tax uncertainty risks making long-term planning even more difficult. Whatever the fiscal environment, the findings of our research underline the importance of beginning succession conversations early and considering the full range of ownership, governance and tax implications to make the transition as smooth as possible.” The report concludes that businesses most likely to thrive over the next decade are those planning early, developing future leaders, strengthening governance, and addressing potential succession challenges before they become disputes. See a link to the full report on the website here.

Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame, is celebrating a number of accolades received throughout October, recognising the quality of its beers, the success of its pubs and the achievements of its team members. Its bottle-conditioned Kentish Strong Ale, 1698, has led the way, securing Gold at both the Great British Food Awards and the Taste of Kent Awards (TOKAs). At the Great British Food Awards, held in London on October 6, 1698 took Gold in the Beer and Lager category. Whitstable Bay Pale Ale and Spitfire Amber Ale each received Bronze in the same category, while Whitstable Bay 0.5% Pale Ale won Bronze in the Alcohol-Free category. Just two days later, 1698 was named Kent Beer of the Year at the Taste of Kent Awards (TOKAs), held in Gillingham on October 8. The TOKAs are the longest-running food and drink awards in the South East, celebrating excellence across Kent’s culinary sector. Shepherd Neame also secured two further accolades in the Kent Beer of the Year category, with Whitstable Bay Pale Ale receiving Silver and Bishops Finger taking Bronze. Spitfire Amber Ale was also Highly Commended in the Best Local Beverage Brand category at the Kent Life Food and Drink Awards, held on October 6. Shepherd Neame’s Director of Brewing Mike Unsworth said: “We are delighted to receive these awards for our range of ales and lagers. As Britain’s oldest brewer, we are proud that our continued innovation and commitment to quality continues to be recognised.” The Brewery’s pub estate has also enjoyed success, with several venues recognised for their food, hospitality and sustainability initiatives. The Dove in Dargate, run by Will Shenow-Brady and Sophie Webb, received Silver for Kent Dining Experience of the Year at the TOKAs. At the Kent Life Food and Drink Awards, The Three Mariners in Oare was Highly Commended for Pub of the Year, thanks to its elevated food menu that has been in place since licensees Nadine Barnard and Kyle Simmons took over in 2024. The Old House at Home, Dormansland, received further recognition for its environmental initiatives, with a nomination for the Sustainability Award at the BII National Innovation in Training Awards (NITAs). The village pub previously won Community Sustainability Hero at the PubAid Community Pub Hero Awards and Sustainable Pub of the Year at the Shepherd Neame Pub Awards earlier this year. Shepherd Neame’s commitment to developing talent has also been recognised, with four members of its team shortlisted across individual categories at this year’s NITAs, alongside the nomination for The Old House at Home. Apprenticeship Lead David Everett has been nominated for Training Professional of the Year, recognising his work in supporting the development of the Brewery’s apprentices. Joshua Lane, from The George Hotel, Cranbrook, and Nikita Tarasenko from the Duke of Cumberland, Whitstable, are both shortlisted for Hospitality Apprentice of the Year (Back of House). Joshua has earned finalist places at the prestigious Salon Culinaire culinary competition for the past two years, while Nikita has progressed from Kitchen Porter to Level 3 Chef de Partie Apprentice, demonstrating outstanding resilience and determination. Tom Smith, who has progressed from Apprentice Brewer to Brewing Operative after joining Shepherd Neame in 2025, is nominated for the Rising Star Award. His passion for brewing led to the development of limited-edition New Zealand Hazy Pale Ale, released last December, which remains in production due to its popularity. David Everett said: “We are thrilled that the Shepherd Neame Apprenticeship programme has been recognised with these nominations. This proves that continuing to invest in our team members’ professional development is worthwhile and, when given the opportunity, our apprentices can deliver something truly special.” The NITA winners will be announced on November 19. Further recognition of Shepherd Neame’s commitment to developing talent has come through the recently published fifth edition of the Family Business Apprentice Employers Report. The Brewery ranked sixth in both the Top Family Business Apprentice Employers and Largest New Apprentice Employers lists, and third in the Top Firms with the Most Graduating Apprentices list. Find out more about Shepherd Neame.

The people of Partick will continue to enjoy affordable, healthy food and a welcoming place to socialise at Annexe Communities' community café, thanks to new funding that will help hundreds of people access lunches over the coming months. For almost forty years, Annexe Communities has supported people across the west of Glasgow through a wide range of activities designed to improve health and wellbeing as well as social connection. Based in the Annexe Healthy Living Centre in Partick, their popular Annexe Café plays an important role in local life, offering a space where people can come together, enjoy a meal and access wider activities and support services. As the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on households across the UK demand for affordable food options has continued to grow, and Annexe Communities has been working to ensure their café remains accessible and affordable to everyone who visits. To support that work, the organisation has received £1,800 from the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust. The funding will be used to provide 300 lunch vouchers to help locals access healthy meals at the café. Kashif Anwar, General Manager at Annexe Communities said: “We are really grateful to Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust for this £1,800 grant. It will make a real difference to our community café, helping us keep the café welcoming and accessible to people in our local community." “The funding will help us provide good-quality meals and offer support to residents who may be struggling financially, while also helping us continue to involve and support our volunteers. It means we can make sure that people who need a little extra support can still enjoy a warm meal and a welcoming place to come together.” The lunch vouchers will be free or subsidised and given to individuals and families who may be struggling due to low income, the rising cost of living, or who are experiencing temporary financial difficulty. They will be distributed by Annexe staff and volunteers, and also through local partners such as housing providers and community organisations, to make sure support reaches those who need it with dignity and compassion. David Facenna, Corporate Culture Director at Allied Vehicles Ltd, added: “Community cafés do much more than provide food. They create opportunities for people to connect, take part in local activities and feel part of their community. We are pleased that this donation will help Annexe Communities provide 300 lunch vouchers and continue the excellent work it does to support local residents.” The funding will help ensure the café remains a welcoming hub at the heart of the community, enabling more people to share a meal, build connections and access support when they need it.

Succession planning challenges are often described as technical problems, ownership structures, tax considerations, legal documents, or timelines. All of those matter, but they’re rarely the real reason family businesses struggle with succession. The hardest succession challenges are almost always human. In family businesses, succession forces people to confront identity, authority, fairness, and trust, often at the same time. When those issues aren’t addressed directly, even the best-designed succession plan starts to wobble. For multi-generational family businesses and multi-family enterprises, succession planning isn’t just about continuity. It’s about whether leadership can change hands without leaving unresolved tension behind. The Illusion That A Succession Plan Alone Is Enough One of the most common succession planning challenges is the belief that a good plan will carry the process on its own. Plans don’t execute themselves. People do. When families focus exclusively on documents, and delay the harder conversations, they create a false sense of progress. On paper, everything looks orderly. In reality, expectations are quietly diverging. Succession planning fails most often not because the plan was wrong, but because the people involved were never aligned. Challenge #1: Treating Succession Planning as a Single Event Many families think of succession as a moment. A retirement date. A title change. A public announcement. Succession doesn’t work that way. Long before any formal handoff, authority is already being tested. Employees are watching who really decides. Family members are interpreting signals. Silence gets filled with assumptions. When succession is treated as an event instead of a process, the organization spends years in limbo. Challenge #2: Delaying Clear Leadership Decisions Founders often delay naming successors to preserve harmony. They don’t want to disappoint anyone or spark rivalry. Ambiguity doesn’t preserve harmony. It creates competition. Without clarity, siblings or cousins compete for influence instead of focusing on results. Employees hedge. Decisions drift back to the founder. Over time, credibility erodes on all sides. Clear decisions don’t require universal agreement. They require explanation and consistency. Challenge #3: Confusing Exposure With Next-Generation Leadership Readiness Growing up around the business does not prepare someone to lead it. This is one of the most persistent succession planning challenges in family businesses. Familiarity gets mistaken for readiness. Opportunity gets confused with entitlement. Leadership readiness requires development, feedback, accountability, and real responsibility. When those elements are missing, successors are placed into roles they aren’t prepared for and then they are blamed when they struggle. That’s not a leadership failure. It’s a preparation failure. Challenge #4: Avoiding the Emotional Side of Succession Succession is emotional whether families acknowledge it or not. Founders are letting go of relevance. Successors are stepping into comparison. Other family members are recalibrating their sense of value and voice. Ignoring these emotions doesn’t make succession objective. It makes it fragile. When families make space for emotion without letting it drive decisions, trust increases. When emotion is dismissed, it usually shows up as resistance or disengagement. Challenge #5: Unclear Roles After the Transition Another common challenge appears after succession is technically complete. Founders step back in theory but remain central in practice. New leaders hold titles but not authority. Decision rights blur. Accountability weakens. Succession isn’t finished when titles change. It’s finished when roles stabilize. Without clear post-transition roles, families find themselves reliving the same conflicts under new names. Challenge #6: Lack of Family Business Governance to Support the Transition Succession planning without governance is risky. Governance provides structure when authority shifts. It clarifies who decides, how leaders are evaluated, and where disagreements go. Without governance, every decision becomes personal. Boards, family councils, and clear escalation paths don’t complicate succession. They stabilize it. Challenge #7: Assuming Time Will Solve the Hard Parts Time doesn’t resolve succession challenges. Structure and clarity do. Families often hope issues will work themselves out once the transition is complete. In practice, unresolved issues usually intensify after authority changes hands. Succession exposes weaknesses. It doesn’t fix them. What Successful Families Do Differently In Succession Planning Families that navigate succession planning well share a few common behaviors: They start earlier than feels necessary. They explain decisions instead of avoiding them. They prepare leaders intentionally instead of assuming readiness. They use governance to depersonalize conflict. Most importantly, they treat succession as leadership work, not just planning work. Succession Is A Test of Leadership, Not Just Continuity Family business succession planning challenges aren’t a sign that something is wrong. They’re a sign that leadership is changing. The question is whether families meet that change with intention or avoidance. Succession succeeds when leaders are prepared, roles are clear, and respect remains intact. It fails when clarity is postponed and emotion is left unmanaged. Succession isn’t about replacing one leader with another. It’s about making leadership possible without tearing the system apart. That’s the real challenge. And it’s one that families can meet when they treat succession for what it is: a human transition supported by structure.

A family business can carry a great deal through experience, trust and familiarity. A founder knows which customer needs a personal call, a long-serving executive knows which decision can wait and which cannot, and family shareholders often understand boundaries that have never needed to be written down. The business works because people know how to make it work. Then the conditions change. A succession begins, an acquisition completes, external capital comes in, the business expands across borders, wins a major contract or introduces technology that changes how work is done. The opportunity may be sound, the ambition may be right, but the load on the enterprise has changed. In my work with Boards and executive teams, that is the moment I am most interested in: not simply whether the transition makes commercial sense, but what it exposes in the executive leadership and the organisation that will now have to deliver it. Transition does not necessarily create the exposure. It makes existing weaknesses, dependencies and ambiguities more consequential, and the cost of leaving them undiagnosed rises with the scale of the ambition. Capital makes this visible. External investment may fund expansion or accelerate acquisition, but it also increases the expectation of delivery. Capital may fund the growth, but structure protects the return. When investment lands, the Work expands, the Workload falls on the same few people, the Workflow stretches, the Workplace has to hold more locations, layers or cultures, and the Workforce is asked to carry more than it was built for. The money moves fast. The organisation has to catch up with it. The Exposure Boards Need To See I use BOMA to name four forms of exposure that become more consequential during transition: Behavioural, Organisational Capacity, Misalignment and Ambiguity risk. It gives Boards and executive teams the language to see what the organisation is carrying before it starts costing them performance or value. Behavioural risk is where executive behaviours, dynamics or dependencies become liabilities under greater pressure, complexity or scale. Family businesses are strong because of established relationships and long leadership tenure, but the same history can make behavioural patterns harder to see objectively. A founder's decisiveness, an executive's loyalty or a successor's independence may all have served the business well. Under pressure, those strengths get overused. Decisiveness becomes dominance, loyalty makes necessary repositioning harder and independence becomes resistance to collective leadership. The Board needs to see how leadership behaviour is helping or hindering the mandate now in front of the business. Organisational Capacity risk exists when the organisation lacks the leadership depth, capability or carrying capacity required to deliver what comes next. Growth adds complexity, judgement, coordination and leadership load. An acquisition may add revenue alongside new systems, reporting lines and cultural integration, while external capital may accelerate the timetable before management capability has caught up. I advise designing for Optimal Capacity of 85%, at both individual and organisational level, deliberately leaving 15% for what comes next, including the unexpected. Deloitte Private's 2026 research found that developing leadership and management capabilities was one of the top three obstacles cited for next-generation leaders, at 37%. Capacity cannot be treated as an afterthought. Misalignment risk is present when culture, strategy, leadership, structure and operating reality are no longer aligned around the same outcomes. A Board may approve international expansion while authority remains concentrated in one country, or a next-generation CEO may have a mandate to modernise while incentives and decision routes continue to reinforce the previous model. Each part may make sense in isolation, but when they are not aligned around the same outcome, executive attention is absorbed in friction rather than value creation. Ambiguity risk arises when ownership, authority, decision rights or accountability are insufficiently clear for the complexity of the organisation. As the number of stakeholders grows, family, Board, ExCo, investors, advisers or acquired businesses all have legitimate interests, but legitimacy does not remove the need for clarity. When people are uncertain about who decides, who owns the outcome or where authority sits, decisions slow, accountability blurs and escalation becomes habitual. Relationships can compensate for that ambiguity for a time. Under transition, it becomes more expensive. Why This Matters Commercially Undiagnosed exposure in executive leadership and the organisation does not stay in the leadership room. It shows up in the economics of the business. Decisions take longer, integration consumes more management time, senior people become overloaded, accountability becomes harder to enforce and opportunities are delayed or lost. The effect first appears as friction rather than failure, but friction has a cost. It absorbs executive capacity, slows execution and weakens the organisation's ability to convert ambition into return. This is why I would not wait for a transition to underperform before looking at what the organisation is carrying. The aim is to move from fixing a problem after value has leaked to de-risking the conditions that could stop the value being realised in the first place. From Exposure To Intervention BOMA reveals the exposure. The 5Ws Framework enables the intervention, because it shows the Board what has to change across Work, Workload, Workflow, Workplace and Workforce if the organisation is to carry the next phase. Diagnosis without intervention leaves the Board better informed but no better prepared. Family businesses do not need to abandon the trust, relationships and judgement that make them distinctive. They do need to know when those strengths are carrying more organisational weight than they should. At moments of succession, acquisition, expansion, external investment or major strategic change, the objective is to make the exposure visible early enough to decide what must be strengthened, realigned or redesigned before it costs the return. The question I would leave with any Board entering a significant transition is this: what exposure in our executive leadership and organisation will become more consequential if this ambition succeeds?

A Lancaster hotel is organising a charity afternoon tea event to raise funds for a local hospice. Lancaster House Hotel has joined forces with St John’s Hospice to host the ‘Four-Tea’ event on Sunday 22 November 2026 and to celebrate the charity’s 40th anniversary. St John’s Hospice provides free palliative care to patients with life shortening conditions, with its services aiming to cover a population area of 250,000 people in North Lancashire, South Lakes and parts of rural North Yorkshire. The hotel run by English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues identified the local charity as a cause it wanted to back as part of its wider community support initiatives. The ‘Four-Tea’ party celebration for the hospice will feature a buffet-style festive afternoon tea with a welcome drink and unlimited teas and coffees. Entertainment will be provided by talented pianist Andrew Hilton as guests arrive, and during the afternoon tea itself, solo artist Olivia Winn will be performing. Lancaster House Hotel has also launched a volunteering scheme in which several employees are helping the charity with activities such as coffee mornings, maintenance projects and leaflet distribution to raise awareness of hospice services in the local community. General manager of Lancaster House Hotel Emma Underwood says: “St John’s Hospice has been playing a vital role in our local community since 1986 and we wanted to get involved in their anniversary celebrations and help in whatever way we could." “The idea of putting together a ‘Four-Tea’ party quickly took root following discussions with the hospice team and from there we’ve also been considering other things we can do to help." “We appreciate that members of our team and their families may one day need the support and services the charity provides for patients and families, particularly across North Lancashire. This is a chance for us to reciprocate with some fundraising activity, as well as shining a light on the dedicated work and commitment of the hospice team over the last four decades.” Emma Farmer from St John’s Hospice adds: “We were thrilled to hear that Lancaster House Hotel wanted to get involved and support us." “We run a diverse calendar of events and initiatives designed for local businesses and organisations to participate in corporate fundraising and volunteering and to make positive contributions with a lasting impact. So hopefully this is the start of a fruitful new partnership with the hotel team." “We’re greatly looking forward to this wonderful event which recognises 40 years of care, compassion and community support from our team here. We hope to see lots of friends, families and supporters of the charity at the event.” For further information or to sign up for the ‘Four-Tea’ charity fundraising event, visit here. Top Photo: Lancaster House Hotel general manager Emma Underwood (left) with Emma Farmer from St John’s Hospice.

With the advent of AI, and new technological advances in all areas of industry, business owners and managers are reviewing how these new technologies can take their company operations to the next level of efficiency. Even if your business is not ready to invest heavily in technology at the moment, there are still several ways you can benefit from it now, but without it impacting on your bottom line. One area where there have been significant advances in, is in the commercial cleaning industry. These new technologies can enhance a working environment, helping businesses to excel with a more hygienic, non-toxic, safer premises for their employees and also create the right impression with their customers. Automated Floor Scrubbers The use of robotics has accelerated within different industries, including commercial cleaning. Robotic floor scrubbers are highly efficient and deliver a powerful cleaning performance, making a significant difference to a working environment. These floor scrubbers not only save time, but also are kind to cleaning staff because of their ability to tackle those heavy-duty jobs that are tiring and hard going, but with better and more effective results – and therefore reducing the risk of workplace fatigue. UV-C Disinfection Other stunning developments in cleaning technology include the use of Ultraviolet light (UV-C) to disinfect and sterilise surfaces and equipment. The application of UV-C via handheld devices to work surfaces causes the DNA of microorganisms to be destroyed. This disrupts their cellular function, causing the prevention of the multiplication of viruses and bacteria – meaning they are unable to spread. Clearly this will have an impact on the health and wellbeing of your employees, it also reduces the need for strong disinfectants, helping to improve air quality, which is another clear benefit. Air Quality Numerous studies show that poor air quality in the workplace can impact concentration levels and cause sickness amongst your employees. Symptoms usually include headaches and coughing and can also make respiratory problems such as asthma worse. Poor air quality has also been linked to sick building syndrome. One of the simplest ways to use the latest technology to improve air quality is to check if your cleaning company uses the most up to date vacuum cleaning methods. High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters are one of those advances and are designed to trap the dust particles that other cleaners recirculate back into the air. Smart Waste Management Systems Waste management has also become smart. Smart waste management systems use sensors to improve the way waste is handled, calculated and assessed, including its collection, disposal and recycling. Through the use of IoT technologies waste is managed through real-time monitoring. Patterns of waste disposal can be predicted and also smart technology will let you know when your bins are getting full helping to ensure they don’t overflow, therefore preventing waste spillage, reducing vermin and maintaining sanitary conditions. Smart bins which include waste management capabilities also help businesses to reduce their impact on the environment by the efficient sorting and recycling of waste. Nano-Coating Technology Other developments include the use of nano-coating technology in the commercial cleaning industry. This is ground-breaking and can totally transform your working environment. When nano-coating solutions are applied to a surface they repel stains. The beauty of this is that any spilt liquid simply slides off without making marks. The effect is long-lasting and makes subsequent cleaning much easier, reducing the need for frequent cleaning and thereby reducing your cleaning costs, which is good news all round. Nano-coating technologies have anti-microbial and anti-viral properties which negates the use of strong disinfectants to sanitise surfaces. This lessens air-pollution in the workplace, because of a reduction in the use of chemicals. That reduction has a knock-on effect on the environment with less chemicals needing to be disposed of. Nano-coating can be applied through a spray solution and is used to clean and protect toilets, kitchen areas, workstations and flooring and other areas such as windows and door handles, as well as a number of other surfaces. Advantages of Using Modern Technology in Office Cleaning There is no doubt that commercial cleaning practices are benefiting from the practical application of modern technologies. These technologies are literally improving the workplace and making it a better, cleaner, safer place to be. Enhanced Efficiency New technology also streamlines the cleaning process, saving time and resources and firms like Cleanology – based in Vauxhall, South West London - use it to help them deliver swift and effective cleaning services. Improved Hygiene Standards These new practices are ensuring higher standards of hygiene, which help businesses avoid the spread of germs and bugs and promote cleaner air-quality – which all makes for a healthier and cleaner workplace. Cost-effectiveness Finally investing in modern cleaning technology reduces long-term operational costs with less cleaning required, reducing cleaning hours but improving efficiency. Article written by By Juliet Widdicombe, MD of Cleanology. Visit Cleanololgy for more information.