What do I do now my exams are finished?

Congratulations on completing your exams!

What a relief to finally finish and be able to look forward to some free time over the summer months.

You may be starting Uni or a college course come September, but in the meantime, take some time to breathe and put some thought into what you want to gain from your time off.

Having just had the same conversation with my son who finished his A levels today, I thought it may be useful to get some ideas down for those of you who are thinking now what?

There are so many opportunities available to you, the World really is your oyster – have a read through the following list and see if there’s anything that you’d like to consider:

Explore new places, both in the UK and overseas. You could visit countries or cities you’ve always wanted to see, or embark on an adventure with friends or family. Travelling can broaden your horizons and create lasting memories, as well as give you valuable life experience.
Consider some work experience or volunteering in a field related to your future studies or career interests. It can provide valuable insights and enhance your CV ready for your next move. It’ll also show future employers that you can commit to working hours and be reliable, as well as develop your communication skills.
Engage in community volunteer work. It’s a fulfilling way to give back, make a positive impact, and develop new skills. Explore opportunities in areas like education, environmental conservation, healthcare, or social services. You’ll meet like-minded people and start forming networks that could open up opportunities later in life.
Use the summer to learn a new skill or pursue a hobby. It could be anything from painting, playing a musical instrument, coding, cooking, photography, or writing. Find information online or on local Facebook pages: workshops and classes are often low cost and you’ll be surprised at the range of events happening on your doorstep.
Catch up on books you have been meaning to read or delve into subjects that interest you. Self-study materials, online courses, or educational platforms can help you explore a wide range of topics. Get involved in relevant discussions and develop your communication skills at the same time.
A university or college course can be demanding, so take some time to relax and recharge before September; spend quality time with family and friends, enjoy leisure activities, practice self-care, and prioritise your well-being.
Use this time to get organised and ready for the upcoming academic year. Familiarise yourself with course content and start any required readings. You can also reach out to future classmates or join online groups to connect with others.
Don’t forget the life admin stuff. Consider your finances and familiarise yourself with logins for banks and student loans etc. Use this time to learn how to cook some simple meals if you’ll be living away from home and be sure to look into the process for registering with a doctor for example. All important stuff if you’re relocating for either work or study.
If you have any personal projects or ideas you’ve been meaning to pursue, now is the time. Whether it’s writing a book, starting a blog, launching a small business, or creating art, summer can provide the freedom and focus to bring your ideas to life.

Remember, your summer break is a valuable opportunity to explore, grow, and recharge before the next chapter of your life.

If you’re looking for work over the summer months to fund any of the above, register with a local agency that will be able to help you find employment. They will know which temp jobs are more suitable for you as some employers will want recent experience which you may not have.

Although experience is not always necessary, remember, you’ll still need bags of enthusiasm, good timekeeping and communication skills. If you turn up on time and work hard, there will always be more opportunity to return for holiday work and you’ll be considered more favourably if permanent jobs come up when you’ve finished your studies.

Above all, enjoy! You have worked so hard and studied for so long. Enjoy the break and take advantage of every opportunity available to you.

8 tips on how to onboard a new member of staff

When someone new joins your team, it’s important to provide them with the support they need to settle in quickly and easily. Here are a few things you can do to support them and maximise their success from day one:

Assign a mentor or buddy to the new employee, who can provide guidance and support during the transition period. This person can help the new employee understand the company culture, answer questions, and provide information about the team.
Clearly communicate the expectations for the role, including job responsibilities, performance goals, and any specific team policies or procedures.
Make sure that the new employee has access to the resources they need to do their job, such as shared documents, project management tools, and any other software or systems the team uses – this can be right down to the emails they have access to so ensure you have thought everything through.
Organize a team meeting or lunch, so that the new employee can meet their colleagues and start building relationships.
Encourage the new employee to participate in team meetings and activities, and make sure they have an opportunity to share their ideas and opinions in a safe environment.
Schedule regular check-ins with the new employee, to ensure they are adapting well to the team and the company and to address any issues that may arise.
Be available to the new employee, to answer any questions they have and provide support as needed.
Encourage the new employee to provide feedback on their experience truthfully without fear of recourse, and use it to improve the team’s processes, culture, and work environment.

By providing the necessary support and resources, you can help the new employee feel more comfortable and confident in their new role within the team from day one.

We hope everything goes swimmingly but don’t be afraid to bring up issues with them in a professional and clear manner if you see any unexpected behaviours. It’s so important to set clear expectations from the outset.

How do I find more time to interview candidates?

We’re seeing more and more businesses report that they just don’t have the time to interview whilst they juggle the myriad of demands of running the organisation.

There’s so much going on that they lose sight of the importance of bringing on the right team to support the plans put together for 2023 and find themselves firefighting (doing the work of three people whilst they try to keep all the balls in the air).

It’s important to remember that an engaged and empowered workforce is critical in achieving growth AND adding to that team successfully, is just as key.

Candidates continue to be in short supply and are moving fast hence it’s so important to have a robust network of people that you can call on when business needs dictate it.

If you don’t have time to interview potential candidates there are a few things you can do:

Consider using pre-interview assessments to help you quickly identify the most qualified candidates. These can be a great way to quickly highlight candidates with the right skills and experience, without having to spend as much time interviewing.
Ask current employees or industry contacts if they know of anyone who would be a good fit for the role. Personal referrals can be a great way to quickly identify qualified candidates.
Conduct virtual* interviews using video conferencing software. This allows you to interview candidates remotely, without having to meet in person.
Consider hiring a candidate on a trial period or as a temp to start**, to determine if they are a good fit for the role and the company culture. This can be a good way to get to know the candidate without needing to conduct a long interview process.
Outsource the interview process to a consultant, HR professional, or a member of your team who is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company. This would allow you to focus on your business while someone else conducts the interview process on your behalf.
A recruitment agency can handle the entire recruitment process*** for you, including advertising the job, screening cv’s, conducting interviews, and providing a shortlist of qualified candidates.

* Remember that virtual interviews should not replace the face-to-face interview, but act as a first step in identifying those you’d like to meet. Meeting people, and allowing them to see and feel the culture of your business, is key.

**In today’s market, we are seeing a heightened need for stability hence a temp-to-perm arrangement or a permanent role from the get-go is far more attractive to job seekers

***A good recruitment agency will look after your reputation in the marketplace whilst you’re able to concentrate on all the other aspects of your job role. Look for great communication and a commitment to understanding the business. Invest in building a strong relationship in order to get the best out of your recruitment partner.

5 Tips to Improve Your Recruitment Process

You’ve come to the conclusion that you need to review your recruitment process. You’re engaging candidates but they don’t go the full distance – some drop out prior to the interview whilst others interview but don’t accept the job you’re offering.

Even if you have recruited people successfully in the past, today’s environment means that skills are harder to come by and the competition for good people is having a detrimental effect on your ability to bring staff on board. When you get recruitment right, your dreams for the future growth of your business can be realised. Get it wrong and it can be a nightmare for you and your employees. Recruiting staff should be seen as a major investment but sadly, we sometimes see more thought put into selecting a new piece of plant or machinery than employing the right individual to join your team.

Refined recruitment processes are efficient, productive and pleasant for both candidates and hiring businesses. With this in mind, we’ve put together a handy hiring checklist that will ensure that you’ve done the groundwork necessary to minimise candidate dropout when you’re recruiting, allowing you to follow a streamlined recruitment process for long-term success.

1. Create and share a clear job description and person spec

You might be surprised how often we get feedback from people that the job they thought they were applying for was very different from the requirements made of them once they had started. This mismatch between the expectation of the job and the reality is often why new recruits leave after a few weeks or months – putting together a clear job description and person specification is key in any successful recruitment process.

Prior to talking to people, make sure you are absolutely clear about the job you want the individual to do and what a good day will look like. When it comes to reviewing performance (making the decision on whether someone has passed their probation or needs to have a more formal discussion), you need to have clear measures documented in order that both parties know where they stand. This negates any surprises and allows for a more successful working relationship.

Think through what type of person you want to hire and what skills are required. Skills are, of course, essential in some areas. However, we’d also recommend thinking about the person “fit” too – what type of culture you have and any changes you want to make moving forwards. What type of behaviours do you want to see? Being really clear on this will make it so much easier to recognise the traits you want when recruiting and hiring new candidates.

- Consider all options – will recruiting someone with the right skills work (is that enough?) or would the right attitude and transferable skills work?
- Consider whether the role is temporary, permanent, full-time, part-time, office-based, home-based, hybrid… or whether a job share could work.
- Could you offer flexibility in start and finish times to attract a varying pool of candidates, and are you willing to train?

Getting all of these things clear in your mind before going out to market is essential. A bad hire is expensive for you and your team (not to mention the individual), and being really clear on who you want can minimise mistakes early on in the hiring process.

2. What are you offering?

We can sometimes forget the fact that we have free parking, free soft drinks, teas and coffees, that we get together on a regular basis or have developed a competitive commission scheme. Have a think about the package you can offer to a prospective employee and ensure that it’s clearly defined. If you offer more than the standard 28 days holiday, this should be included, as well as free access to the gym and fruit in the kitchen. All of this is, of course, in addition to the salary to be offered, pension contributions and any performance-related pay. Look at the whole package and ensure that it’s competitive. Doing some market research is invaluable prior to talking to people.

3. Who will undertake the recruitment process?

Has the person who will be recruiting got the right skillset? We see numerous examples of the interviewer giving a really poor image of the business, asking inappropriate questions, making candidates wait or not turning up to interview themselves.

Things you need to consider when deciding on who should carry out the recruitment and interview process include:

- Who will produce the job description?
- Who will create the person specification?
- Who will advertise the role (using on and offline tools)?
- Who will communicate with potential candidates?
- Who can answer any questions that might come up about the job and the business?
- Who will screen CVs and invite people for interview?
- Who will undertake the interview – and what will the process be; telephone, video, will a second interview be necessary, will any skills tests be involved?
- Who will ensure the successful candidate is kept up to date until they start – how will you continue engaging them?
- Who will communicate with unsuccessful candidates, ensuring your brand is protected?

A good candidate should undertake some homework prior to attending the interview and there may be things you’d like them to explore in preparation. Be clear on what you expect from them; advising them of the process for selection, who will be in attendance and anything you’d like them to prepare will give you a head start in understanding if they are engaged with working for your business.

Although candidates can get a feel for the business by checking out your website, socials or company news, the interview remains an important measure whereby a candidate can judge whether you are the right fit for them. Remember that the recruitment process is a two-way street, a candidate is assessing you, just as much as you are assessing them.

4. Make a job offer

Recruiting good people is key to the future success of any business. Happy employees lead to happy customers and a healthy growing business. Never be caught in the trap of hiring the best of a bad bunch – take your time and plan to find the best possible fit.

Once you have made a decision, be decisive. Good people have options and won’t wait around if you dither about making an offer. Whether the offer is made face-to-face or over the phone, you will need to confirm details in writing.

Don’t forget to communicate with those candidates that haven’t been successful. Better that they are telling their network that they were impressed by you and your business, rather than they are glad they weren’t offered a job!

5. It doesn’t stop there

Ensuring you have an all-encompassing onboarding process for training (and the softer side) is key to a successful recruitment process. Have a think through the following in preparation for a start date to ensure that your new member of staff feels engaged and welcomed:

- What will their first day look like?
- Who will they report to?
- How will they communicate any areas for discussion/any issues they face?
- Will they have a buddy they can refer to outside of their direct manager?
- What does the week look like? Where and how will they meet their peers?
- Do they know how to claim expenses, where they can find the restroom?
- Do they need to take lunch at a set time/ensure cover for the machinery they’re operating or to answer the phones?
- How do they check their holiday entitlement and book time off?

All being said, it’s important that if you do lose a candidate during or after the recruitment process, you keep your head held high and start again. There are great candidates out there for your business and you will find them. If you lose a candidate, for whatever reason, it’s so important not to tar the next candidate with the same brush. Keep looking. We often find that the person you may have had concerns over, morphs into the person you want, right in front of your eyes.

If you would like to know more about how the First Base team can help you to recruit staff and make your recruitment process for both you and potential candidates, please give us a call on 01453 755 330 and speak to one of our friendly team.

How to Write a Standout CV

Lady googling "job" — If you’re looking for a new role, read these tips first.

YOUR CV IS YOUR PERSONAL ‘SALES PITCH’
Your CV is your opportunity to sell yourself so make sure it really works for you. It’s important you keep it clear, concise and easy to read to ensure that the recipient can easily digest the key points (bullet points can help with this). Employers won’t generally have long to look at each CV they’re sent, so aim for no more than two pages in length if at all possible.

Detail your full name, address and contact details (mobile phone and landline if you have one, plus your email address)
Personal Profile (a paragraph about you and what you’re looking for in your next job role): Crafting your CV to align with the job you’re applying for is crucial to making it standout. Achieve this by adjusting your personal profile to the job’s specifications. Examine the job description and extract frequently mentioned buzzwords, key skills, or required software systems. It’s crucial, however, that you only include these if you are genuinely proficient in them.
Experience: List your experience in chronological order with the most recent first. Show the dates you were employed in each role, for example, Feb 2014 to present, the company you worked for and the job role you undertook. Use the buzzwords, key skills and software systems as identified above in your work history (again, only if you have genuine experience in these areas).
If there are any gaps in your employment history be sure to clarify what you were doing in these times periods.
Qualifications: Include all relevant qualifications in this section. For example degrees, exam results, external courses you’ve attended or in house training you’ve undertaken.
A bit about you and your personality. Is there anything you’d like to add to give a flavour of you as an individual? Remember that if you include “I’m an avid reader and enjoy learning new skills” you may well be asked what you are currently reading. Be absolutely honest here in order that you can answer truthfully.

It’s good practice to provide a covering letter/email telling the employer why you feel you are the right fit for the role. This can also help the interviewer when it comes to shortlisting candidates for interview.

Above all, proofread! Make sure there are no spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or ‘text speak’ in either your covering letter or CV.

As an aside, we see a lot of inappropriate / unprofessional email addresses that were set up in years gone past. Have a think about whether you’d like to set up an alternative account purely for job applications.

ATTITUDE MATTERS AS MUCH AS EXPERIENCE

While your experience of course counts, a willing and ‘can do’ attitude can give someone a distinct advantage over another applicant. Make sure your cv stands out by using positive and optimistic language. In your cover letter, for example, you could explain how you arrived at the decision to get into this field of work and highlight how you went about gaining the skills necessary.

The CIPD encourages HR (Human Resource) professionals to ‘recruit for willingness, train for skill’. This is something a lot of recruiters will have in mind during the interview process. A prospective applicant, who shows a willingness to learn and develop can often be trained in the skills required for the role

GAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE
If you get an interview and it comes down to a choice between you and another candidate, there are a number of factors employers will consider when deciding who to offer the job to. You can gain a competitive edge by making sure you present yourself well, both in terms of looking smart, ensuring you display positive body language and the right attitude.

Always, always do your research about the employer in order that you feel prepared. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t check even the basics prior to attending interview. The company website is a great place to start but if you can find up to date company news to get a two-way conversation going, you’ll have set yourself apart.

You’ll usually be asked at the end of an interview if you have any questions. It’s so important to show interest in the job role and the company you’re applying to – be prepared with a few ideas of questions that you can ask about the business in order to show that you’re fully engaged.

If you need further advice, get in touch with us today! You can contact us via email, phone, or using the chat feature on our website.

Why are businesses struggling to find (the right) staff right now?

Eight candidates waiting on chairs for an interview — Hoping to have a choice in who you offer to?

It’s crazy out there right now – we know staff are moving very quickly and that decisions are being made seemingly by the minute. Counteroffers are rife, candidates are ghosting us or committing to a role, and then … purely not showing up.

There are so many reasons that we find ourselves in the situation whereby prospect candidates are like tumbleweed. Having spoken to hundreds of people this week, we thought it may be useful to share our findings on what has caused the scramble for the (right) staff, right now.

Some businesses have had to reassess and pivot. i.e.: if e-commerce is now a major focus, they will be recruiting for this skill set
Many organisations pruned a little too hard – a necessary business decision when sheer panic set in during March 2020. Although they now need to rebuild headcount and quickly
People’s health has suffered. Those that worked throughout the pandemic/were on furlough, whilst juggling schooling and childcare, may be seeing longer-term effects. People are tired and may be suffering from health-related issues due to Covid or mental health issues from loss or the fast pace of change. As a result, contract workers are in high demand
We’re seeing absenteeism increase and teams struggling to cover workloads when people are away from work
Tech talent is being sought as businesses have needed to review technology plans. Remote working has and will continue to be a thing and companies are seeking those with remote management experience. Experience in WFH and resilience is now even more important when hiring staff
Brexit, the EUSS and Covid-related restrictions mean that the workforce we relied upon for blue-collar work has been severely hit
The sudden upturn has meant a scramble for staff in order to keep up with demand – and businesses are keen to reap rewards now that they can
Demand has never been higher for talent with blue-collar workers and hospitality being one of the sectors hardest hit

We have many blogs that may be useful when you’re looking to bring new talent on board. Please have a read and watch this space for more information on just how you can attract the right people. If you’d like to discuss any of the above, check salary levels in the area or update us on the types of skills you’re looking for, please call 01453 755 330.

Communication & Well-Being for Furloughed staff

This time last year I certainly did not envisage 2020 playing out the way it did for thousands of companies and for many, the full extent of the pandemic came as a complete (and prolonged) shock. Our first concern was, of course, the spread of the virus and looking after our people’s health. For many of us, this has now settled down as we know our teams are safe, staying inside and are successfully adapting to remote working life. Now that we are in 2021, our understanding of the virus has somewhat changed and the vaccine provides hope that we will return to some form of normality.

Most organisations we have spoken have had to make decisions over the last year which they could not have foreseen. Many have utilised this time to review their forecasts, look at streamlining where possible and putting plans in place to grow, as we begin to return to some form of normality.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be posting some helpful tips to continue to help you through this challenging time.

Communication & Well-Being for Furloughed staff

To help business through the pandemic the Government created the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which allows employers to Furlough their staff in return for 80% of peoples wages*, up to a maximum of £2,500 and was further extended until the end of April 2021.

If you currently have staff on Furlough, one of the best ways to retain your employees is to continue to communicate and check in on them from a well bring perspective. Check-in and remind them that you are available for support and advice if they ever require it. You could provide them with well-being tips such as healthy eating, exercising regularly and the importance of keeping in touch with friends and family. You could also direct employees to external sources of support such as Charity Mind, the Mental Health UK Website Headspace and Future Learn.

We also have some great blogs on our website that may help around identifying and managing stress.

Communicating with your staff during Furlough will help you identify any issues that they may be facing and help them through this difficult time. A good communication strategy will also minimise the risk of losing members of your team due to any perceived lack of engagement. Surprisingly, we have continued to see a high degree of movement in the market as people continue to look for alternative employment.

David Thomason, Hospitality Business Manager

*Now excluding NI and AE contributions.

How to Stop Candidates Dropping out of the Hiring Process

A man proposing to a woman with an engagement ring in a red velvet box. The woman is holding up her hand as a refusal — Why do some relationships just not work?

Have you ever had someone back out of a job offer?

Often, you may not discover that your new recruit has dropped out of the hiring process until a couple of weeks before their start date or worse, on their first day, when they just don’t turn up! This can cause all sorts of issues including the time and resources spent on the interview process, discussions with teams surrounding a plan for onboarding and the purchase of tech or a vehicle.

Most candidates will have a notice period and therefore may have a gap of a month or more, between accepting a job offer and their first day in the role. For more senior roles, a realistic notice period could be up to three months.

Keeping in touch with your new recruit is key to ensuing your candidate doesn’t drop out of the recruitment process. Regular communication between making an offer and their start date is often overlooked, but this key strategy can prevent any disappointing news in the future and beginning the process again. We call this maintaining the motivation to move – this can quickly diminish if comms are stopped altogether.

A lot can happen in a month. Think about how quickly things moved in 2020!

People change their minds and sometimes they are just too nervous to let you know. As a recruitment agency we are now finding an increasing trend in candidates declining offers, that they had previously accepted. Applicants may be at risk of redundancy and therefore panicking about both their financial situation. This is resulting in job seekers making quick decisions to accept an offer that may not actually be the right fit for them. An increasing number are being counter offered by their current employer as a result of changes happening fast, or backing out of a role if they accept a better offer.

Working with a good recruitment agency can help prevent candidates dropping out between the offer and start date as, ultimately, good recruiters want to find you the right candidate from the get go – they don’t want to be looking for a replacement a few weeks down the line.

Your recruiter will qualify applicants in a series of communications over time. I recently had an experience where, having spoken to a candidate several times, alarm bells started to ring. I’ve been doing this a long time and my gut instinct is spot on. I spoke to my client to raise my concerns and together, we decided on a course of action which included agreeing on a timescale and keeping other candidates close by should we need them. As it turned out the candidate, as predicted, dropped out and took another job role where, perhaps, no such diligence was applied. We dodged a bullet.

By maintaining contact you really can ascertain any problems early on and protect your business from being on the back foot.

I suggest keeping in touch at least once a week; this could be a courtesy email to check they have received their contract and see if they have any questions, or a video call to explain what their first day will be like. Let’s face it, their first day probably isn’t going to be the same as it would have been this time last year and this will open up a conversation to cover off any concerns or questions. If you don’t receive a response don’t worry initially, however, make sure you follow up and have a plan B just in case.

Once your job offer is accepted don’t just sit back and wait. From my experience, communication with your new recruit, right up to their first day is hugely important.

Lilly Chappell, recruiting into the office environment at all levels.

Why use a recruitment agency? The benefits

“Why do I need to use a recruitment agency when there are plenty of people looking for work?”

It’s a fair question and one that some employers are probably thinking. Even those who have done well throughout the pandemic might be thinking it’s now time to review their recruitment strategy.

It might be true that it’s easy right now to place an ad and get hundreds of applications within a few hours, but here’s why using a good recruitment agency can help you in this new world of continued restrictions and subsequent pressure on businesses.

What are the benefits of using a recruitment agency?

Save time (and possibly lower your blood pressure!)

Ok, so you might get hundreds of applications, but a huge proportion will be generic CV’s from people not right for the role you’ve advertised. It’s difficult enough in ‘normal’ times but the task is now an order of magnitude and hugely time-consuming. When you partner with a recruitment agency, they will make sure that you only have to deal with the candidates suitable for the role you’re looking to fill.

Get on with business

Recruiting the right people takes time and customers still want innovation and high service levels. Your time (rightly so) will be split in dealing with the pandemic and all the HR related issues surrounding this. Normal day to day business is hard enough without recruitment becoming a full-time job. An agency makes sure you only need to be involved in the decision making stage of the process.

Tap into your consultants’ network

Quite often the right person for the job isn’t actually looking for work right now. You might be surprised that agency’s still have daily contact with great people thinking of a career change but not actively applying for anything. Good consultants haven’t stopped networking and building their database. That means agencies can proactively recruit on an employers behalf, reducing the time and effort it takes to find the right candidates to interview – often within a few hours – and reduce the chances of a bad hire.

Manage your employer brand

For even the best employers, the pressure of recruiting can sometimes mean the recruitment experience for candidates is less than satisfactory. Easy and frequent social media access means that, even for the best-intentioned, a bad experience can be shared and widely commented on. Consultants recruit as a full-time job and make sure an employers reputation is protected and promoted.

Companies are still recruiting!

Undoubtedly, it is a tough time for a lot of companies and a lot of people. Never the less, many organisations are still hiring. Many companies are already planning ahead for better times and growth – and they haven’t stopped looking out for good talent.

When you partner with a good recruitment agency, you can not only gain access to the best people, but you can put yourself in pole position when it comes to hiring them, pandemic or no pandemic.

The team at First Base can help you recruit the right quality of people for your team and give you access to the right talent whilst at the same time helping reduce the stresses of these testing times.

If you’d like further info regarding placing a role with First Base click here.

Office management and support

Did you know that we place candidates into HR, Sales, IT, Finance, Marketing and Financial Services roles?

Our commercial team have continued to source, engage, shortlist and propose only the best candidates for any and all office-based roles during lockdown (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0).

Roles recruited to date this year include: Software Developers, HR Managers, Customer Service Administrators, Finance Managers, Mortgage Advisors, Service Desk Technicians, Events and Training Administrators and Marketing Executives, to name a few.

The team have built up a solid reputation in the market place and have a fantastic retention rate, whereby 90% of the candidates placed remain in post at their first years anniversary. Their mission? To offer an exemplary experience to both candidates and employers, an experience that they enjoy from start to finish.

Don’t take our word for it – head on over to google and see what our clients have to say.

Lilly and her team are available on 01453 755330 or by emailing commercial@first-base.co.uk or by utilising our chat box at www.first-base.co.uk