Could you help save Kelly Durkin's life?

This is a change of subject from our usual blog posts but this story is too important not to share.

Kelly Durkin, married to Mick and a busy mum to of Ryan, 14 and Connor, 12 has been fighting cancer of the cervix and pelvis for some time and it has now spread to other parts of her body.  At the age of 37, NHS doctors now say that there are no more options left for Kelly.  However, she and her family aren’t ready to give up.  There is a pioneering treatment in Germany that could be the chance she needs.

First, they need to stabilise Kelly’s health so she is well enough to make the journey.  They are raising funds to buy life prolonging drug Avastin, which is not available on the NHS and costs £3,500 every few weeks.  Hopes are that this will buy Kelly more time and give her the strength that she needs to fly to Germany. 

She will need a special air ambulance to get there and to continue taking the Avastin.  The main barrier to all of this is cost.  Kelly’s friends and family aim to raise the £60,000 which could save her life and we would like to appeal to you help in any way you can.

There are a number of fundraising events coming up near the East Keswick (Leeds) area.  If you would like information on these dates or to donate online please go to: http://www.gofundme.com/78892w

 If you’d like to read more on Kelly’s story, please see http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/battle-to-save-leeds-mum-s-life-1-6491469

March Public Sector Budget Surplus Spend

Our public sector colleagues in procurement will be particularly focused on one issue this and every March.  The annual budget needs to be spent in the next few weeks or there is a risk it will be cut next year.  The system may lack a certain amount of logic and has, at some point, been a source of frustration for all involved with the process.  However, there is no getting around it, and so we find ourselves in the midst of 'March Madness' once more.

It is a strange month for Scorpio because it can be very difficult to predict sales.  Obviously, some Trusts will have spent their budgets and will be holding out until next month.  Other Trusts will have a surplus to spend and, as printer ink and toners are one of the most sensible commodities to invest in, we often see a large peak in sales at this time.  Rest assured, we are prepared and have the warehouse facilities to handle unexpected fluctuations in ordering.

Compared to other items of the same value, printer ink and toners are relatively small and easy to store in large quantities.  Our one year warranties mean that our customers feel confident to order in advance, knowing that there will be no problems when they come to use them.  Printer ink and toners are always going to be required so it is a safe investment if you can buy in bulk now against price rises in future.

If you are struggling to stay within your budget and are running low on stock, do contact your account manager to discuss how we can help.  We understand how difficult it can be at this time of year and we are prepared to be flexible to make sure you have the essentials to keep your department running.

Bringing a younger perspective to our Sales Team meeting

A few of you will know that husband and wife members of our sales team, Samantha and Nick Lazenby are now proud parents to 16 week old Blake.

Blake and Nick contributing to this week's Sales meeting.

Today, Blake made his first appearance in the board room but was looking a little unsure about the prospect of following in his Mum and Dad's footsteps...

Blake was very forthright in his initial contribution to the meeting but soon settled down when he was offered a bottle of milk.  From this point on, the meeting was very successful!

What is a standard size envelope?

This is a question we get asked surprisingly often. The sizing system for envelopes can be confusing.  How do you know if you need a DL Wallet or a C5 Pocket?  We can explain all...

The most common envelope for business use is the DL wallet.  This will fit a piece of A4 paper folded three times and is commonly used for sending letters. ‘Wallet’ just means it opens at the widest side, so in this case, the top of the envelope. ‘Pocket’ is the opposite. DL stands for ‘Dimension Lengthways’, although the abbreviation is favoured and the longhand term is very rarely used.

The other common envelope sizes are the ISO 216 ‘C’ sizes, based on the ‘A’ paper standards, so C4 will hold an A4 sheet of paper unfolded, C5 will hold an A5 piece of paper and so on. Sizes range from C0 to C10.

For a quick reference we have provided a graphic for you to print out and keep by your desk.

Envelope Size Guide

 If you need any further information on envelope sizes or any other office supplies, call our sales team on 01924 233 770 or visit our website: www.scorpio-uk.com

25 years on

Scorpio Computer Supplies Ltd would like to wish all our staff, customers, suppliers and contractors a very happy and prosperous new year, 2014.

We would also like to express our thanks to our many loyal customers, some of whom have been trading with us since 1989, and to extend a warm welcome to all our recently acquired customers. We look forward to a continued, mutually beneficial trading relationship in the coming year.

Technology and the business climate has changed dramatically in the last 25 years and we like many businesses, have had our fair share of recessionary problems, certainly in the last few years during a troubled global economy however, 2013 was a storming year for us and 2014 already looks set to be a continuation of this.

We continue to embrace changes in our industry, in technology and in procurement attitude to bring you, the customer the very latest in IT and office consumables available in today's marketplace.

We look forward to the next 25 years.



  

Charity Santas On The Run

Scorpio staff joined in the annual Santas On The Run dash on Sunday 1st December 2013 at Stockeld Park, Wetherby to raise funds for Martin House Hospice in Clifford, near Wetherby, West Yorkshire.
Not only does this event raise vital funds for a worthy charity, it is a great morning - filled with the festive spirit and has a great community atmosphere enjoyed by all age groups and families.
Matt Holland, Managing Director at Scorpio said, "I look forward to this run every year, it raises essential funds for Martin House and everyone who gets involved. enters into the Christmas spirit. My family and colleagues are proud to support the great work done by Martin House"

This year there were approximately 450 Santas on the run, the morning was beautiful and everyone who took part had a great time.
The course is based at Wetherby's Stockeld Park and takes in 5 laps of the enchanted forest which is approximately 6km. The event is well organised and welcomes all runners of all abilities.
As a company, we encourage our staff to enter into community based events and to help raise funds for charities such as, Martin House.

This photo shows the start of the run as the Santas pick up the pace.

For information on Martin House Hospice, follow the link below.
http://www.martinhouse.org.uk

 Small Santas on the run!

Ethical, Financial and Environmental costs of original branded printer ink - a visual reminder.

Here’s an interesting design concept; printer ink re branded in expensive perfume packaging.  It’s often quoted that printer ink is more expensive than Channel No. 5 perfume but Australian communications designer, Celeste Watson, takes the point further. Just like the perfume, it’s not necessarily the contents you’re paying for. It’s the brand name and the packaging.

“This self-initiated brief is a response to how absurdly priced household printer cartridges are. This project aims to resolve the current discrepancy between the price of the product and its packaging,” the designer writes on her Behance page.

This striking image forces the customer to consider other costs involved with original branded printer supplies, such as the cost to the environment and the ethical costs of production of these commodities; concerns which are often more associated with that of the beauty industry.

HP shouldn’t be singled out on this issue, there are a number of other printer cartridge manufacturers doing the same thing. If you buy an original Brother, Epson or Canon cartridge, to name but a few, you will pay a huge premium for the packaging and the brand. We all know that we can save money by buying alternative brands of ink and toner but because of the problems they can cause to printers, there is, rightly a lack of trust in unknown manufacturers.

After extensive research and testing, Scorpio’s solution is Hytec Inks. There are Hytec alternatives for all of the standard home and office printers in the UK. They usually work out at around half the price of the original brands but the print quantity and quality matches (if not exceeds) that of the originals. They have an ISO 9001 quality certificate and do not invalidate the printer manufacturer’s warranty, even if used in the first year. Scorpio supplies in excess of 45,000 Hytec inks and toners per year and the failure rate is less than 1%.

Hytec is the obvious choice financially but it’s also a better choice ethically and environmentally. It is one of an elite group of manufacturers that holds the ISO 14001 Environmental Management certificate.

Celeste Watson’s design concept is an original take on a problem we have long been aware of. Now is the time for consumers and procurement managers to take action and improve the financial, ethical and environmental performance of their printer inks and toners.

If you are interested in trying Hytec alternative inks and toners, please contact Scorpio UK for a free sample. 01924 233770.