International markets offer huge Export opportunities for UK businesses. Finding and developing new markets for products is a hugely valuable avenue for expansion and in some sectors in particular, global demand for British brands and products makes international trade an excellent means of growth.
This is an online course sat at your own pace to introduce you to clinical coaching. During the course we will go into the concept of training a student, learning methods, tutorial techniques, safeguarding and how to use the Central Skills Log (CSL). The course is open for 2 months. Once completed we can then arrange access to the CSL for one of Abbeydale’s students.
Join Us for a Lunchtime Talk: Let’s Discuss Movies, Books, and More! We're excited to invite you to our Book and Movie Club – the perfect way to take a break, grab a coffee, and connect with colleagues on shared interests! ☕️📚🎬 We hope to have stimulating conversations through this club, whether we’re breaking down the latest blockbuster or analysing our favourite book characters, while providing opportunities for catching up with colleagues! What to Expect: Open to All Whether you're a bookworm, a casual reader, a movie buff, or just looking for an excuse to get great movie/book recommendations, you're welcome to join our casual chat sessions! Casual Format: This is a relaxed event where we’ll chat about anything you’ve been watching or reading lately. No pressure — just come with your coffee or lunch and be ready to share and discover new favourites. Whether you’ve finished a whole book or just seen the first episode of a series, all are welcome to participate! No Pressure: There’s no need to have prepared anything — feel free to jump in with whatever you’ve been into lately. You don’t have to read an entire book or watch a whole movie to join the conversation. It’s all about enjoying media together in a laid-back environment! Next meet-up Details Date: May 30, 2025 Time: 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.Where: Join us virtually in a Teams call!Feel free to bring your lunch, coffee, or snacks and get ready for some fun, low-pressure discussions about the movies, shows, and books you’ve been enjoying! Register now and get ready for amazing conversations!
LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION, ADULT NON-FICTION, NON-FICTION FOR 7+ Megan Carroll is looking for writers in a variety of areas, and from a wide range of backgrounds – she is particularly keen to hear from Black, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ writers. Her main areas of focus this year are adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as non-fiction for 7+, and MG and YA fiction. In Fiction, Megan is keen to see high-concept love stories (think The Flat Share or The Lock In) for both commercial and reading group readers. She’d love to see those familiar romance tropes – enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, love triangles, forbidden love etc. – with underrepresented characters at the centre. She is also looking for historical fiction and gothic horror (think Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls and Silvia Moreno-Garcia) – anything that has a creepy, uneasy undertone is likely for Megan’s list. Megan is also actively looking for upmarket fiction and would love to see layered family drama, contemporary stories about life today and darkly comic novels that explore a specific time, place or experience. In Non-Fiction, Megan is keen to hear from experts in their field talking about topics relating to film, music, true crime, popular culture, history and issues from largely unrepresented perspectives. She is keen to see memoir, narrative non-fiction and essay collections. In Children’s and YA, she is keen to see contemporary YA with humour, and romance at the heart – fun and emotional stories that appeal to the interests and issues of the teenage readers. She’d also love to see thrillers and horror stories for this age group too. It’s unlikely that high fantasy novels for YA readers will be right for her, but she is keen to see stories with fantasy elements in a real world setting. On the younger end, Megan is looking for funny, contemporary middle grade – think Louise Rennison and Karen McCombie – and anything creepy and spooky for 8-12 year old readers too. She’d love to find something like Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events and is keen to find original adventure stories in both fantasy and realistic settings. Megan would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first three chapters or 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Megan is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Tuesday 26th August 2025 at 9am UK BST
Despite being a requirement under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017), in 2023/24 the SRA found that 19% of files reviewed did not contain a client and matter risk assessment (CMRA), with a further 12% of files containing ineffective CMRAs. At best, the firms conducting these files were putting themselves at risk of regulatory action for failure to comply with the MLR 2017. More seriously, firms may have been facilitating money laundering through their failure to adequately assess and address the risks posed by clients and matters. The SRA has issued a number of significant fines to firms with no, or insufficient, CMRAs in place. In the year August 2024 to July 2025, firms were fined over £950,000 where ineffective or missing CMRAs were noted. Although a firm’s MLRO, MLCO or its managers bear ultimate responsibility for ensuring its compliance with the MLR 2017, it is the responsibility of all those working on behalf of the firm to conduct and document the appropriate processes and checks on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, it is imperative that all staff understand not only how to complete a CMRA, but also the importance of doing so thoroughly and correctly. This course will assist fee earners and support staff in confidently and competently completing client and matter risk assessments, understanding the types of risks to be identified and the importance of correctly identifying these. Where the SRA has found failings at firms in respect of CMRAs, it has almost unanimously also found shortcomings in other areas of AML compliance. Where concerns are raised regarding a firm’s compliance with any aspect of the MLR 2017, the SRA will probe further and look into all areas of AML compliance. For information about DG Legal’s full range of AML training courses, please visit https://dglegal.co.uk/training/upcoming-premier-training-courses/. Target Audience This online course is suitable for staff of all levels, from support staff to senior partners. Resources Comprehensive and up to date course notes will be provided to all delegates which may be useful for ongoing reference or cascade training. Please note a recording of the course will not be made available. Speaker Paul Wightman, Consultant, DG Legal A qualified barrister, Paul graduated in Law from Birmingham University and was called to the Bar in 1994. He subsequently spent almost 20 years working for the Law Society of England and Wales, initially within the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, then the Legal Complaints Service (LCS), and ultimately the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Paul is adept at undertaking audits and providing succinct reports on areas for improvement and can assist firms with advice on all aspects of SRA compliance and Anti-Money Laundering procedures.
Source of funds and source of wealth are two important verification steps a firm can take to identify potential money laundering activities or other financial crime. The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017) require firms, where necessary, to scrutinise the source of funds of a transaction to ensure they are consistent with their knowledge of the customer, their business and risk profile. In addition, where a matter is considered to be higher risk and therefore subject to enhanced due diligence, firms must also investigate the client’s overall source of wealth. Law firm staff must be able to differentiate between source of funds and source of wealth, having knowledge of how to verify each and identify any anomalies that do not align with their understanding of the client or the matter. Staff must have the knowledge and confidence to challenge clients and seek further clarification where the source may be unclear or highlight concerns. A number of firms who failed to sufficiently identify the source of funds and/or source of wealth have recently been fined by the SRA. In the year August 2024 to July 2025, fines in excess of £475,000 were recorded for AML breaches that included source of funds and source of wealth failings. This course will assist fee earners and support staff in understanding the difference between source of funds and source of wealth, enabling them to capably identify and verify funds in a matter. Where the SRA has found failings at firms in respect of source of funds or source of wealth, it has almost unanimously also found shortcomings in other areas of AML compliance. Where concerns are raised regarding a firm’s compliance with any aspect of the MLR 2017, the SRA will probe further and look into all areas of AML compliance. For information about DG Legal’s full range of AML training courses, please visit: https://dglegal.co.uk/training/upcoming-premier-training-courses/. Target Audience This online course is suitable for staff of all levels, from support staff to senior partners. Resources Comprehensive and up to date course notes will be provided to all delegates which may be useful for ongoing reference or cascade training. Please note a recording of the course will not be made available. Speaker Paul Wightman, Consultant, DG Legal A qualified barrister, Paul graduated in Law from Birmingham University and was called to the Bar in 1994. He subsequently spent almost 20 years working for the Law Society of England and Wales, initially within the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, then the Legal Complaints Service (LCS), and ultimately the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Paul is adept at undertaking audits and providing succinct reports on areas for improvement and can assist firms with advice on all aspects of SRA compliance and Anti-Money Laundering procedures.
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Marilia Savvides founded The Plot Agency in 2024. She began her career in publishing at Peters Fraser and Dunlop, where she spent eight years, first as International Rights Agent, and later as Literary Agent, building her own list of authors. In 2019, she joined 42MP, where she worked as Literary Agent for four years, helping to launch and set up the Book Division. She is particularly interested in fiction that is beautifully written and cleverly constructed, but still accessible to a wide readership. She is often drawn to darker tales that weave together excellent characters and an impossible-to-put-down story, from immersive book club novels with a splash of suspense, crime and thrillers, accessible horror, and speculative, genre-bending or dystopian stories. She also adores smart, witty contemporary rom-com in the style of Emily Henry. In the thriller, crime and mystery space she is interested in most areas, except military thrillers and organised crime/ mafia / mob stories. Big hooks and clever set ups are a big bonus! She adores Karin Slaughter (especially her standalone novels) and Gillian Flynn. In the book club / reading group space, she’s particularly drawn to fiction in the vein of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng, and absolutely fell in love with Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll, both for the incredible voice, and the exquisite use of structure and time. Complicated family dynamics, empathetic and smart approaches to controversial issues, stand out protagonists (like Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry or Bernadette in Where D’You Go Bernadette), long buried secrets, complicity, the road to justice, and impossible decisions, are all themes she finds herself drawn to. In the horror space, she’s a sucker for amazing female-centric stories in the vein of Yellowjackets, and the kind of contemporary, accessible horror that Stephen King always nails. She wants to get lost in a world that feels within reach of ours. In the speculative and dystopian spaces, she’s interested in genius ideas that set up big questions or reflect the most broken (and sometimes hidden) parts of society. She loves Octavia Butler, Margaret Atwood, George Orwell, and also adored The Leftovers, Station Eleven, Wanderers, and The Power. The what-ifs of life and fiction fascinate her. In the grounded sci-fi space, she’d love to find a smart, immersive, and accessible story like The Martian. She doesn’t represent fantasy or romantasy. In regards to sci-fi, unless it’s very grounded and has crossover potential to a mainstream audience, it’s not for her. In the romance space, she’s particularly drawn to smart, complex and witty characters, where the chemistry is jumping off the page. She loves contemporary settings and all the tropes, though the voice and characters must come first to make the reading experience fully immersive. She wants to be cackling, and rooting for the characters with all her heart. She is very hands-on editorially, and loves working with her authors to shape their manuscripts, and brainstorm ideas. The best part of the job is discovering debut authors, and helping them find a home for their books. Marilia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single Word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Marilia is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Wednesday 13th August 2025
A ½ day short City and Guilds 2393-10 course aimed at anyone involved in electrical installations in dwellings. The Government approved Document P (electrical safety) came into effect on the 1st January 2005. For the first time the mainstream work of domestic electrical installers became subject to the requirements and procedures associated with Building Control. Domestic Electrical installers need to appreciate the requirements that apply to building work they carry out in connection with their electrical work, and they need to understand the way that Building Control works and the procedures that need to be followed. This short City and Guilds 2393-10 course is to enable those involved in the installation of electrical systems within the domestic environment to gain an understanding of how electrical installations in dwellings must comply with all relevant Building Regulations and how electrical installations in dwellings can affect the building construction. Please note that this City and Guilds 2393-10 qualification is only suitable for those practising their trade in England and Wales due to their being different regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The City and Guilds 2393-10 examination is a 40 minute open book pc based assessment and will be held in the afternoon following the course, with instant results. The City and Guilds 2393-10 course costs include examination entry fees.
The Refrigeration Electrics 1 day course is aimed at anyone involved with refrigeration, air conditioning & heat pumps electrical control systems The course covers the three elements which are common to most refrigeration and air conditioning systems: protection, control, and motors. A typical refrigeration system will have protection provided by the fuse in the fused connection unit, further protection provided to the cable feeding the fused unit – probably by a circuit breaker, control provided by thermostat/time clock, etc, motor driven fans, pump & compressor. The aim of the course is to provide enough knowledge to allow maintenance and fault finding to be carried out safely and effectively.