The UK, powered by the UK-South Africa Tech Hub and in partnership with the Future Females Business School, will support 30 female entrepreneurs to grow their GreenTech businesses.

As the world looks to manage its way out of the COVID-crisis, which has affected millions of lives and decimated economies, it is important to remember we are still tackling an even greater crisis – climate change. But we also have an opportunity now to drive clean, resilient and inclusive recoveries – shaping the low carbon economy of the future that will create new jobs, attract green investment and protecting the global environment for future generations.

As incoming COP26 President the UK is working hard in advance of COP26 to increase the level of global ambition necessary to provide confidence that we are on track to limit global warming to below 2 degrees. As a bilateral partner, the UK is committed to support South Africa deliver an accelerated and just transition, not only to meet the climate imperative but to ensure the country is at the forefront of the global economic shift. This support, like the transition itself, is at all levels, from £200 million flowing into major clean technology programmes through International Climate Finance to entrepreneurs, designing and developing the small and micro enterprise sustainable companies of the future.

Future Females is therefore excited to announce that the Future Females Business School, in partnership with UK-South Africa Tech Hub will be launching a new programme focusing on supporting 30 South African female founders through the Future Females Business School GreenTech programme.

Seeing the positive Impact that the Future Females Business School, together with the UK-South Africa Tech Hub, has had on the 5 cohorts they have graduated to date, it is important to build on this and increase the scope and support female entrepreneurs who are working to care of and protect our planet. This led to the introduction of the Future Females Business School GreenTech programme.

UK-South Africa Tech Hub Director, Shirley Gilbey:

The Future Females Business School GreenTech Programme is a three-month virtual programme, equipping local female entrepreneurs with the entrepreneurial skills and best practices needed to start and grow successful tech businesses. These businesses not only generate wealth for the founders, but also create a positive impact in communities and environments.

British High Commissioner to South Africa, Nigel Casey said:

A Just Transition is not just about Government policy and major infrastructure and energy projects. It is about inclusion and the creativity and drive of businesses to shape the economy and create the jobs of the future. I am therefore delighted that, through the UK-South Africa Tech Hub and the Future Females Business School, we are addressing both by supporting women entrepreneurs.

Applications are open until 25 January 2021, with only 30 spots available in the three-month pilot programme commencing on the 8th of February 2021. Apply here now.

1. Who is Future Females?

Future Females is a movement that exists to increase the number of and better support the success of female entrepreneurs. Future Females has shown immense growth since its conception in August 2017 in Cape Town, currently boasting a presence in 36 locations world-wide, hosting regular events for their engaged community of over 80,000 members, and offering the Future Females Business School online training programme.

2. Who is this programme for?

This programme is for South African female entrepreneurs with an early-stage business that aims at protecting the environment and conservation of natural resources using alternative technologies that are less harmful to the environment. Examples of these businesses include:

• Waste Management
• Generation of power
• Water management (harvesting, filtering/treatment and metering)
• Farmer’s Market
• Organic produce & retail
• Green blogs
• Eco-friendly fashion
• Eco-friendly beauty or cleaning products
• Upcycling furniture
• Green app development
• Used bookstore
• Herbal remedy
• Food plant nursery and such other industries

The founders of these enterprises should be ready to upskill and utilise technology to grow their business, gain valuable practical entrepreneurial skills, to scale their businesses and be guided to generate more profit and create impact.

3. What’s included in the programme?

The Future Females Business School GreenTech, in partnership with UK-South Africa Tech Hub is a three-month programme, made up of 10 modules that guide entrepreneurs through the fundamental building blocks of starting and growing a GreenTech business. Supported by a sustainability coach, members will learn how to write an effective business plan, how to find and reach their ideal customers and how to use technology to build their online presence and scale. The programme also features guest experts – serial entrepreneurs, executives, coaches – who cover critical personal development topics such as how to overcome fear of failure, and how to uncover your true passion.

The programme is delivered online, and will have a virtual graduation event at the end, where completion certificates will be awarded, with all members invited to attend – to network, meet the team, and celebrate their achievements and their businesses!

4. Who is UK-South Africa Tech Hub?

The UK-South Africa Tech Hub forms part of the International Tech Hub network delivered by DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport), under the Digital Access Programme – a UK government initiative designed to build inclusive prosperity through capitalising on digital services and opportunities in partner countries.

5. How to apply

Applications are open now for the Future Females Business School Green Tech programme, in partnership with the UK-South Africa Tech Hub.

The application starts with simply completing a form and sharing information about the business you are building, with successful candidates being invited to a 1:1 consultation with a programme team member. This consultation will help you validate your business idea and direction, and ensure this programme is the best fit for you!

Applications are open until 25 January 2021, with only 30 spots available in the three-month pilot programme commencing on the 8th of February 2021. Apply here now.

Future Females:

Cerina Bezuidenhout,

Co-founder and COO, Future Females

cerina@futurefemales.co

British High Commission:

Isabel Potgieter,

Head of Communications, British High Commission

+27 (0) 833911606

Isabel.potgieter@fcdo.gov.uk

UK-South Africa Tech Hub:

Twitter: @UKSATechHub

Instagram: @UKSouthAfricaTechHub

LinkedIn: UK South Africa Tech Hub

Future Females:

Twitter: @future_females

Instagram: @futurefemales

LinkedIn: @Future-Females

Facebook:@futurefemalesofficial

GJES London Ltd, an electrical contracting company, was incorporated in October 2011 and Grzegorz Marcin Jarnot (47), from Worcester Park, Surrey, became the sole director on the same day.

The company traded for over 7 years until GJES London went into Creditors voluntary liquidation in April 2019 as it was unable to pay its debts.

GJES London’s insolvency triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service into Grzegorz Jarnot’s conduct as a director.

Investigators found that from November 2017 to April 2019 more than £952,000 had been paid into GJES London’s bank account, with almost £958,000 paid out.

Grzegorz Jarnot, however, failed to provide any accounting records to prove whether the bank deposits accounted for all GJES London’s income and whether the payments made out were legitimate expenditure.

Further enquiries found that GJES London was trading to the detriment of the tax authorities, having failed to pay all its VAT, PAYE and National Insurance and corporation tax from 2016 to 2019.

Investigators established that 18 months before GJES London became insolvent, the company’s accounts declared that GJES London owed the tax authorities £39,500.

£810,000, however, was paid out from GJES London’s company bank account in the last 15 months and no tax was paid. The tax authorities have claimed more than £255,000 in the liquidation.

On 21 December, the Secretary of State accepted an undertaking from Grzegorz Jarnot after he did not dispute that he failed to ensure GJES London Ltd maintained adequate accounting records and the tax authorities had been treated unfairly during the period of trading.

Grzegorz Jarnot’s disqualification is effective from 11 January 2021 and he is banned from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company for 7 years.

Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Director of Insolvent Investigations, said:

Grzegorz Jarnot’s conduct as a director was unacceptable. Records show that close to £1 million was deposited into and paid out from the company bank account. But Grzegorz Jarnot failed to explain the source of the funds, who payments were made to and whether it was legitimate business spending. He also failed to ensure the company paid its tax obligations.

Maintaining and keeping company records is a statutory requirement for all directors and Grzegorz Jarnot’s seven-year ban means he has been removed from the business environment for a substantial amount of time.

Grzegorz Marcin Jarnot is from Worcester Park, Surrey and his date of birth is February 1973.

GJES London Ltd (Company Reg no. 07795814).

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings. Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

New TV ad fronted by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty urges people to stay at home in the face of rapidly rising rate of coronavirus infections and pressures facing the NHS

Massive public information campaign will run across TV, radio, out of home and on social media from tonight Everyone in England is being urged to stay at home and “act like you’ve got it” as part of a major advertising campaign encouraging the public to control the spread of the virus and protect the NHS and save lives. Around 1 in 3 people with Covid-19 don’t have any symptoms and can pass it on without realising, which is why it’s essential everyone stays at home and remembers Hands, Face, Space.

‘Stay at home, save lives’ will run across TV, radio, out of home advertising and on social media, and will include a new advert fronted by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty which will be aired for the first time on ITV at 7.15pm on Friday 8 January 2021.

The campaign recognises the overwhelming pressure facing the NHS and urges people to stay at home. It comes as current data shows COVID-19 cases and deaths are at an all-time high and NHS hospitals and staff are under huge pressure, with some hospitals in the South East at extreme capacity.

On 1 September, there were under 500 COVID-19 inpatients in hospitals in England. On 1 November this increased to approximately 9,000. On Christmas Day, it was just below the last peak at 17,701 and on 7 January there were 28,246 – that is an increase of more than 11,000 in under two weeks.

Today’s stark data (8 January) shows the UK recorded 68,053 new coronavirus cases – the highest daily total of the pandemic so far, as well as the highest ever daily COVID-19 deaths with 1,325 fatalities.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

Our hospitals are under more pressure than at any other time since the start of the pandemic, and infection rates across the entire country continue to soar at an alarming rate.

The vaccine has given us renewed hope in our fight against the virus but we must not be complacent. The NHS is under severe strain and we must take action to protect it, both so our doctors and nurses can continue to save lives and so they can vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as we can.

I know the last year has taken its toll – but your compliance is now more vital than ever. So once again, I must urge everyone to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, said:

Our NHS is facing a huge challenge – it is under immense pressure and it’s imperative now more than ever we all play our part.

I know how much we have all sacrificed already, but the new variant has significantly changed the current landscape and we absolutely cannot let up now.

There is light at the end of the tunnel – the vaccine will provide a way out of this and over 1.5 million people across the UK have now been vaccinated.

Every day we are closer to beating this virus, but right now, we need to pull together for one final push and I’m urging you to continue to do your bit by staying at home to save lives and protect the NHS.

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said:

Covid-19, especially the new variant, is spreading quickly across the country. This puts many people at risk of serious disease and is placing a lot of pressure on our NHS.

Once more, we must all stay at home. If it’s essential to go out, remember: wash your hands, cover your face indoors and keep your distance from others.

Vaccines give clear hope for the future, but for now we must all stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.

The adverts remind the public the new Covid-19 variant is spreading fast. Around 1 in 3 people with Covid-19 don’t have any symptoms, but can still pass it on, putting people at risk and a renewed pressure on our NHS.

It reiterates everyone must stay at home. If it’s essential to go out, it reminds people to wash their hands, cover their face and make space.

In the meantime, NHS Test and Trace is successfully reaching more people than ever before, with 96.8% of contacts reached within 24 hours and more than five million people being reached in total. As of 30 December, more than 54 million tests have been processed in the UK in total since testing began – more than any other comparable European country.

Over 1.5 million people across the UK have now been vaccinated – more than the whole of Europe. But the Government is urging people to continue to do their bit and further prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The Government has ordered two million of the first British-manufactured rapid lateral flow antigen tests for COVID-19 to be validated by Public Health England, for use in asymptomatic testing, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.

Derby-based company SureScreen Diagnostics is to provide two million of the lateral flow tests, which provide results in under 30 minutes, by next Friday (15 January), with the potential to provide millions more in the coming months.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:

It is excellent to be working with a UK firm to deliver millions of these rapid tests, which are being deployed across the country to help protect our communities and most vital public services.

Roughly one in three people with Covid-19 don’t display symptoms, meaning you can infect others unknowingly. This is why asymptomatic testing is so crucial in our fight against the virus, and why I’m so grateful to see the British diagnostics industry use their ingenuity and expertise in our shared purpose to protect our communities.

Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection Baroness Dido Harding said:

I am really pleased that we have been able to work with SureScreen to ensure we have a British supplier for this vital testing technology. Lateral Flow Tests are playing an ever increasing role in our testing programme as we continue to expand testing to find positive cases amongst those without symptoms. Having a British manufacturer provides greater certainty that we will be able to continue to grow our supply of these important tests

David Campbell, Director of SureScreen, said:

We believe our rapid antigen tests can really help in screening people both in the community and in clinical settings. Routine testing is crucial to help business and schools as well as hospitals and GPs. We are delighted to be working with DHSC on this project and that our tests have been recognised by the Government and its scientists. We look forward to doing all we can to help the UK going forward in 2021.

Under the Government’s Winter Plan, NHS Test and Trace is already deploying hundreds of thousands of rapid tests to identify asymptomatic cases in care homes, across the NHS, in critical infrastructure workplaces and food manufacturers, and in partnership with local Directors of Public Health.

In addition to this, the Government’s Community Testing Programme is providing asymptomatic testing through local authorities across the UK. The SureScreen tests will form part of this important asymptomatic testing activity.

The valuable partnerships being created with companies such as SureScreen Diagnostics are further contributing to the resilience of the UK, both through supporting the work of UK diagnostics manufacturers and by harnessing the possibilities opened up by rapid regular testing.