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There can be no doubt that help is at hand, but our findings indicate that the support network is still often unclear, with the role of government and other official bodies not yet clearly communicated or explained.”The research underlines this lack of clarity regarding the support services – some 40 per cent of respondents are unwilling to suggest where to seek advice on training, marketing or exports. Equally evident, however, is the concern among the chartered accountants who advise these businesses that many of them are embarking on their expedition into the commercial arena without a map or even a clear destination in mind. It sees significant differences between the categories, so that, while lack of strategic and growth planning was found to be most acute among micro- and small businesses, it was also clearly evident within the sector of medium-sized businesses.Richard Longley, chairman of the institute’s enterprise group, said: “The feel-good factor is very apparent among SMEs, not least due to the positive political mood, which has recently seen Tony Blair declaring that small and growing firms are the bedrock of a successful enterprise economy. The survey, “Going for Growth”, published this week, indicates that many small businesses have no clear strategy for growth, many do not have a written business plan, and fewer than half have stated growth targets.
The institute identifies three categories of business: micro-businesses, with no more than 10 employees; small businesses, with between 11 and 50 employees; and medium-sized businesses, with between 51 and 200 employees. The optimistic business climate is boosting start-ups in much the same way that it is helping other companies; new starts are running at a seven- year high and showing annual growth of 11.5 per cent. But, in its latest report on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Institute of Chartered Accountants warns that growth and development among smaller companies could be jeopardised by a lack of properly structured advice. “Sunny intervals” are broken sunshine lasting, in total, for less than half of the theoretical maximum for the day.

“Sunny periods” (or “sunny spells”) give us sunshine for an hour or two at a time, with more sunshine than cloudiness throughout the day. And if the shower lasts more than 20 minutes, it’s probably not a shower at all, but rain.. with great orages and tempestes.” Caxton, 1477)peeler, n US: An exceptional or noteworthy example of anything, specifically a violent storm.procelle, n (obsolete): A storm.ripsnorter, n originally US: Something or someone exceptionally remarkable in quality or strength, specifically a storm or gale.stickle, adj dialect: Sharp or severe, of a storm.tourbillion, or tourbillon, n: A whirlwind.tourmente, n: A whirling storm.tumblification, n humorous: The pitching and rolling of a ship in a storm.walter, n obsolete: The rolling of the sea in a storm.willy-willy (also willi-willi), n: A cyclonic storm in north-west Australia.Finally, have you ever wondered about the difference between “sunny with scattered showers” and “showery with sunny intervals”? Well “scattered showers” are (by the Met Office definition) geographically well spread, with around a one in 10 chance of any specific place being showered on. The word appears to be a variant of hirple (or hurple) which means to walk as if with a limp.jouk, or jook n Scottish: A shelter from a storm; a place in which one may dart for safety.orage, n: A violent wind or storm (“Whiche knightes beyng .. upon the see, were sore vexid … 90 per cent of “Indian” restaurants are owned by Bangladeshis.. The English language is rich in weather words that we rarely use Here is a glossary to prepare you for the season of storms.

As parts of the country are being hit by severe storms (see Weather Wise below for details) words may seem inadequate to describe the conditions. Unless, of course, one has prepared oneself with a detailed browse through the stormier passages of the Oxford English Dictionary. Here are some of the useful terms to accompany a cloudburst:
blout, n Scottish: The sudden breaking of a storm; a sudden downpour.bub, n Scottish: A storm or blast.ellipsone, n Scottish: A revolving storm like a cyclone, but following an elliptical path rather than a circular one.fire-flaught, n Scottish: A flash of lightning or a storm of thunder and lightning.gowk’s storm, n: A storm of short duration, particularly a spring storm that arrives at about the same time as the first cuckoo (or gowk).hurkle, v dialect: To contract the body like a beast in a storm. “Why would anyone want to steal hundreds of packets of porridge?” a spokesman asked. National Curry Day: The Firkin Brewery in Birmingham chose National Curry Day on Monday for the launch of their new brew called Dogbalti, described as a “curry-flavoured ale”. The recipe includes fresh ginger, chillies, coriander and cumin. A spokesman said: “Beer and curry go great together, so we decided to combine the two”.