Aylesbury Vale businesses offered help to survive a crisis

Archived press release

Date Published: 17/03/09

Local firms can learn how they can keep operating in the face of potential disasters at a free crisis planning and business continuity seminar at Aylesbury Civic Centre on 1 April.

The event is being sponsored by Aylesbury Vale District Council in partnership with Business Link. Aimed at making small and medium-size businesses more resilient and potentially more competitive, the seminar will draw on case studies and professional advice to explain the benefits of being properly prepared.

Attendees will observe and discuss an unfolding event that effects a business’s operations before having the chance to ask questions about becoming more prepared for the unexpected.

The workshop is part of ‘Operation Ostrich’, a series of free seminars being run across Buckinghamshire aimed at raising awareness of the importance of business continuity planning.

Floods, fires and burglaries are all dramatic events that could seriously affect a business’s operations but Operation Ostrich organisers also want to highlight to local businesses the threat from other unforeseen events such as severe weather, fuel shortages, pandemic flu, terrorism and failure of utilities and telecommunications.

Councillor Michael Edmonds, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “We hope as many businesses as possible come along to the workshop to find out how they can help themselves prepare for a crisis. It is easy to assume everything will always go to plan, but many businesses suffer following an event that affects their operations.

“Businesses may fail or lose market share following such events, and despite insurance coverage, they may never recover customer confidence or loss of reputation. Getting a business back on its feet as quickly as possible is a priority for everyone concerned with Aylesbury Vale’s economic well-being.

“The economic success of the district depends upon businesses having a plan to survive the unexpected. This event has been designed not to scare but to advise and provide real solutions and assistance to the problems faced by businesses in achieving resilience.”

The seminar will be held in the Aston Hall at the Civic Centre on 1 April between 8.30am and 10.30am. There is no charge for attending the event but, as numbers are limited, businesses are encouraged to book a place in advance by visiting the website www.operationostrich.info