Packaging firm Samuel Grant Group Ltd has announced ambitious expansion plans, which will see the Leeds company relocate in 2015 to a brand new 50,000 sq ft warehouse and operations centre.

The firm has received £150k grant support from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Business Growth Programme, which offers grants of £10k to £500k to help companies expand and create new jobs.

Relocating from its existing site in Beeston, where it has been based for 65 years, to Thornes Farm, the existing workforce will transfer to the new location and a further 15 jobs will be created.

The facility will create a 50% expansion of the company’s warehousing capacity, resulting in increased efficiency, as well as generating new jobs and developing the skill set of the current staff.

The company has gone from strength to strength through the recession, and has grown exponentially, targeting other industries such as the food and pharmaceutical industry.

Andrew Grant, managing director of Samuel Grant Group said: “This has been an amazing team effort – we have to thank Leeds City Council and the LEP for their support.

"We also have to thank RBS for helping to finance the build, Shulmans’ legal team for their advice throughout, and Knight Frank who were instrumental in securing the land for us.”

The 6.75 acre site at Thornes Farm is owned by Leeds City Council and has been sold to developer CPD Ltd, which has reached agreement to build three units for sale to end users.

Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for transport and the economy said: “We have seen a real shift in momentum in recent months, with development activity underway across the enterprise zone.

"The news that the Samuel Grant Group is relocating to Thornes Farm is another important step towards realising the potential of the zone to boost jobs and grow the economy.”

Roger Marsh, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said: “It is fantastic to see this LEP investment enable a growing SME to relocate and expand into a prime business location.

"The LEP’s grant funding programme is now available to large businesses as well as SMEs locating in the Enterprise Zone and I hope this will act as a catalyst for further business investment in the months ahead.”

John Foster, partner at Shulmans LLP, said: “Shulmans advised Samuel Grant on the purchase of the land and on the developer’s engagement.

"Samuel Grant is a long-standing client of ours and this move to a new factory at Thornes Farm, an impressive new venture within the Enterprise Zone, marks the start of a new era for this family business."

Following the birth of her son, local mum Jenna Davy was inspired to set up a business to provide parents / carers with an opportunity to spend quality time with their babies through relaxation, movement and play.

‘The Baby Hub’ was born out of Jenna’s experiences whilst on maternity leave and offers Baby Massage, Baby M+Ms (music, movement and sensory) and Mini M+Ms programmes for babies ranging from 6 weeks up to 13 months, from venues in Jesmond and Wallsend.

Jenna says “Seb and I attended a range of baby related activities in the Newcastle area; we made some great friends and over time I realised how powerful spending dedicated time with your little one can be. I felt the benefits for not only me as a parent in terms of ‘getting out the house’, sharing experiences with other parents/carers and increasing the bond with my child but also for Seb in supporting his sociability, development and experiencing new environments.“ Jenna wanted to share her passion and provide a service to other parents/carers.

Prior to returning to her ‘day job’, Jenna balanced motherhood with setting up a business and training in Baby Massage and completing the Level 3 Early Years course with a distinction.

Jenna admits it has been a difficult balancing act but has had great direction and support from PNE Enterprises in providing business advice, a great friend in Alex Morris of Plainsight Consultancy with her marketing and website design and a loving and supportive husband and family. Jenna said for her the key to making sure it all worked whilst still spending quality time with her son, was down to organisation – something that she can draw on from her Project Management background.

Still working the ‘day job’ currently as a Learning and Development professional part time, Jenna’s Baby Hub is going from strength to strength. After successfully completing her first set of programmes on 17th November, Jenna has by popular demand increased her offering to parents.

Jenna says ‘as a mum, I know what Seb and I enjoyed from the different sessions we attended and I can relate to other parents/carers about life with a baby. In addition, with the knowledge gained through my studies, I wanted to provide a fun, friendly and interactive environment for families.’

The feedback received so far speaks for itself with Laura and Layla (3 months) saying ‘very relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the class and an ideal location’ and Alan and Betsy (13 months) saying ‘My daughter loves this group – exploring music and movement through sensory play. Great to see other dad’s and grandparent’s too. It has been good to spend quality time just me and my daughter’.

The Baby Hub currently runs classes on a Monday morning from Wallsend and on a Monday afternoon from Jesmond. More information can be found at www.the-baby-hub.co.uk or by emailing info@the-baby-hub.co.uk.

Image source: Identity Photogr@phy

Leeds Beckett University is set to launch its Enterprise & Innovation Academy for Business with a guest lecture from Andrew Myers, CEO of Everyman Cinemas.

The Academy is intended to provide a gateway for businesses to access Leeds Beckett University’s services, allowing collaboration and growth for enterprise and innovation across the city region.

It offers businesses access to a range of funding, facilities, expertise and skills development, including: access to business lounges in Leeds and Wakefield; Business skills analysis; networking opportunities; funding for growth; inspirational speakers; online enterprise and innovation workshops and a platform for open innovation, including support for collaboration and sharing expertise.

The Academy membership can be tailored to meet specific requirements of micro businesses, SMEs or large corporates and helps to signpost companies to the University’s wide range of specialisms, which include: Leadership, Management and Coaching; Health, Wellbeing and Sport; Retail, Digital, ICT & Creative, Built Environment and Design. 

The Enterprise and Innovation Academy works in partnership with IOD, West Yorkshire Chambers, the Yorkshire Post, WGN, DWF, University of Birmingham, Medici, ERRIN and more. The University’s business lounge at Old Broadcasting House, close to the city centre, recently become home to the Director’s Lounge of the Institute of Directors (IOD).

Deputy vice chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Leeds Beckett, Professor Andrew Slade, said: “Our vision is to enhance the enterprise and innovation capacity and capabilities of our region’s workforce.

"Our Academy is research-informed, facilitating innovation and enhancing enterprise skills which will act as a hub for regional innovation and economic growth and we are looking forward to working with businesses and partners on this exciting development.”

Andrew Myers, whose lecture is entitled ‘Being a successful CEO through challenging times’, joined Everyman in 2009 as a consultant.

He became CEO the following year and has been central to expanding the premium service offering across all of the existing sites as well as opening Maida Vale in 2011, Leeds in 2013 and Selfridges in 2014.

The event, will take place from 5.30pm-7.30pm on Thursday 27 November at the University’s Rose Bowl.

Business Finance Solutions (BFS) and the British Business Bank is launching the co angel investment service in the North West.

The co angel investment service is aiming to mobilise £10 million of investment into North West businesses in each 12 month period of its operations.

The new service will bring together syndicates of business angels and co-investment from the Angel Co Fund British Business Bank to invest between £150k and £4 million in each of the successful businesses in the North West of England.

The British Business Bank can invest alongside the funds invested by angel investors, to allow syndicates to complete larger funding rounds and to follow their monies on subsequent rounds to a greater degree.

Unlike traditional angel networks, the co-investment angel service provides an active vehicle to create syndicates and complete deals.

Crucially it also works alongside investors and the businesses throughout and beyond the investment process.

By bringing more investors together the service enables angels to pool their skills and contacts and invest in a wider range of companies with a reduced risk factor.

Business Finance Solutions is a government-backed, community development finance institution and a service of The Manchester Growth Company.

Established in 2002 it has a strong history in providing technical support and alternative business finance across the North West to entrepreneurs who wish to start and grow their businesses.

As part of the government’s solutions for business services, BFS has a range of affordable business loans and services delivered on behalf of the department for business innovation and skills by a team of experienced lending professionals.

BFS offers finance from £500 with advice on availability of up to £5 million.

Director of BFS, Paul Breen said: “Greater Manchester is a thriving entrepreneurial base but the level of business angel activity and success here falls below expectation, with the South East currently scooping 74% of angel investment.

“Co angel investment is a completely new concept that creates better and lower risk opportunities for angels that supports businesses that are struggling to find funding.

“We want to build an early stage market with the capacity and impact to match that seen in the US and to capitalise on the unique match funding agreement from the British Business Bank.

“This is an incredible opportunity for investors and businesses alike.

“We know that business angel investment is on the rise as investors look for alternative sources of revenue but there is a finite number of people with the funds to invest significantly in growing companies.

“Co angel investment will make the business of investment simpler and more secure by matching hand picked groups of investors with businesses that are prepared and poised to make the very most of that funding.”

Image source: Marc Brüneke

According to the latest quarterly CBI Service Sector Survey, the sector grew steadily in the three months to November and robust growth is expected to continue into early 2015.

Across the UK, the CBI speaks on behalf of 190,000 businesses which employ nearly 7 million people, about one third of the private sector-employed workforce. 

The survey found that profits continued to grow in the consumer sector, aided by higher prices, whereas prices in business and professional services fell to their lowest since May 2013, meaning profits held steady.

Employment increased at its fastest pace for seven years in the business and professional sector, which includes accountancy, legal and marketing firms.

The number of employees in the consumer services sector, which includes hotels, bars, restaurants, travel and leisure firms, also increased.

With skills shortages starting to bite, expenditure on staff training in the consumer sector rose to its highest level for 15 years, and is expected to remain strong. Training costs are also expected to increase in the business and professional services sector.

The survey of 191 firms revealed that investment rose across the sector, with capital expenditure on land and buildings in the consumer sector reaching its highest level since 2010. And in business and professional services spending on IT grew to levels not seen since February 2007. 

Despite this, optimism about the business situation fell at the fastest rate across the sector since February 2013.

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI director for Economics, said: “Growth across the services sector is expected to continue into the New Year.

“And it’s good to see investment spending in IT at near record levels.

“But skills shortages are starting to bite, putting more of a break on investment and future growth in consumer services.

“Therefore the spending rise in training in the sector is particularly encouraging.”

Image source: Yosuke WATANABE

Firms in Yorkshire and Humberside are focusing on the benefits they offer to employees to stem the flow of talent going South, according to a director at EY.

Employment packages encompassing a range of tailored benefits can often provide a better deal for the employee whilst saving money for the business according to the firm.

Luigi Falivene, who works in the professional services firm’s Human Capital practice advising on reward strategies, talent programmes and maintaining workforce effectiveness, said that his team has seen an uptick in enquiries from companies looking to review the benefits packages available to their employees.

He believes this is a result of Yorkshire and Humberside businesses working even harder to retain their best people in the face of strong competition for talent, which he puts down to reduced recruitment during the downturn.

Luigi commented: “Some companies in Yorkshire and Humberside reduced the number of people they took on and trained during the recession to adjust to the low growth environment.

"This has translated into fewer experienced people in the regional market across some industries today.

“As businesses begin to focus again on expansion, competition has intensified for skilled people and first and foremost, companies are working harder to keep their best employees.

"To do this, businesses are increasingly using employee benefits to create the most attractive possible packages for their people.”

“There are innovative and standard employee benefits that companies can offer which represent value for the business and the individual, but understanding your workforce and the need to support individuals’ varying priorities is vital.

“Through benefits like company cars, pensions, childcare vouchers, bikes to work and charitable giving, firms can offer a suite of relevant benefits that can often be more compelling than remuneration alone in incentivising employees.

“We expect more and more companies in the region to look at their benefits offerings over the coming months as the focus on people retention continues.”

A new Gateshead shop will provide entrepreneurial students with the chance to showcase their retail flair and grow their fledgling start-up businesses.

Gateshead College has secured £50k of funding from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to launch the handPICKED project, an independent outlet where students will be able to trial their retail ideas and ambitions before going to market on their own.

Opening for business at the Intu MetroCentre in November, handPICKED will be a first for a North East college, accommodating dozens of retail focused start-ups established by students – it’s anticipated that upwards of 100 young entrepreneurs from the college will be involved during the project’s 18 month trial.

In addition to retail experience, the shop will offer students the chance to develop wider skills that are important to business success, notably market research, product merchandising and customer service in a genuine retail environment.

It’ll also provide them with a retail customer services experience that they’ll be able to take forward with them as they progress onto paid jobs with Intu and other retailers in the future.

Local traders and craft-makers from across the region, who make handmade gifts such as jewellery, handbags, stationary, soft furnishings, home ware and food to the public, will also be able to utilise the shop as an outlet for product sales.

handPICKED is a social enterprise with all profits going to the Gateshead College Foundation, which aims to ensure people from across the North East can access funds to enable them to develop their skills and improve their life chances.

The project is a further example of the college’s aim of supporting the creation of an entrepreneurial culture in the North East alongside its role as a GAZELLE college, committed to deploying entrepreneurship as a driver for change in the education sector.

handPICKED also builds on activity generated by the college’s Northern Stars enterprise society, which gives students the opportunity to discuss their business ideas with established business mentors and sell their products to staff and students within the college. Twenty seven start-ups were created by Gateshead College students in 2013 alone.

Judith Doyle, principal and chief executive at Gateshead College, said: “This is great example of the innovative investments we are making in our students to enhance their learning and bridge the skills’ gap.

“We are equipping them with the entrepreneurial knowledge and training that will stand them in good stead for a successful career, providing that all important edge that employers look for in an employee. It is part of our wider aim of ensuring that our students are the most highly prized in the jobs market.”

Helen Atkinson, Intu’s marketing manager, added: “We are committed to supporting up-and-coming and new young entrepreneurs with the vision, products and ambition to succeed in the highly competitive world of retail.

“We also aim to provide our customers with an exciting and diverse mix of high street chains alongside independent and boutique stores at the MetroCentre. I’m sure that the originality and character of handPICKED will certainly appeal to shoppers looking for something different and unique.”

The RBS funding will pay for the running costs of handPICKED and the employment of a dedicated retail manager, who will oversee commercial activity at the trading unit. The money came from RBS’s Inspiring Enterprise grant programme, which aims to encourage people to explore enterprise, build their entrepreneurial skills and launch a successful business and has seen £3 million of grants being distributed since October 2012.

Thom Kenrick, Head of Community Programmes, RBS, said: “RBS is committed to unlocking, supporting and nurturing entrepreneurial talent.  We are delighted to support Gateshead College’s handPICKED shop.  Giving these students the opportunity to showcase their products in such a prime location is brilliant.”

For further information on how you can work with Gateshead College to support young entrepreneurs, call 0191 426 4332.

Image source: DraXus

London-based workplace consultant, Saracen Interiors continues to make its mark on the City as it adds to the string of projects it has completed for financial institutions in the capital this year.

The firm’s latest project, valued at £75k, for a privately held investment manager, was completed earlier this month and encompassed a complete reconfiguration of the company’s office space to accommodate more staff.

Work included detailed space planning, the design and installation of power and data for 30 new work stations and general redecoration.

Saracen announced plans to build its portfolio of general refurbishment projects for City-based investment banks earlier this year before going on to complete office refurbishment projects for investment management company, Ferox Capital LLP and global investors, Internos Global.

Joint managing director of Saracen Interiors, Michael Page said: “A lot of the projects are coming to us through recommendations. New clients are sufficiently impressed by the high level of repeat business that we enjoy and the exemplary references that we receive - the quality of our portfolio only serves to consolidate what they have heard.

“We’ve found that the finance sector is particularly appreciative of the fast-turnaround and high level of expertise that our team can offer and we expect to see a continued growth in these smaller projects in London and across the UK as there is a keen appetite for refurbishment and the refreshing of existing properties at the moment.”

Kendal-based Creative Essence, a digital agency, was launched in April 2014 by Helen Dowthwaite.

Creative Essence has had help from the Cumbria growth hub with an advisor on hand to mentor Helen on the day to day administration tasks and how to time manage a busy schedule.

The Cumbria growth hub is led by Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and includes Cumbria County Council, Lancaster University Management School, UCLan and University of Cumbria. 

The company is already set to make a turnover of approximately £30k after just six months of being in business.

70% of its client base are in Cumbria however they also have clients from Holland, Madrid and London.

Its focus is on small to medium sized businesses but it also deals with larger companies as and when demand arises.

The company has growth plans but wants to stay personal and approachable within that growth.

Creative Essence doesn’t directly employ anyone apart from Helen, however she does work directly with a variety of freelancers to give her customers the full digital agency experience.

Helen has been a freelancer for 15 years and so built up a client base that followed her when she set up her own company.  

The difference between freelancing and running a business has been noticeable with a lot more time having to be dedicated to administration, something Helen initially found a challenge.

Helen said, “We do the personal service aimed at small businesses, we focus on building relationships and there is always someone on hand to speak to clients on a daily basis.

“I offer the full design agency experience but on a local level, it’s more affordable, cost effective and I think a better service”

Takeaway entrepreneur Abdul Ghafoor, local chef and founder of Abdul’s, the Indian diner with sites in Wakefield, Pontefract and Sheffield, has announced plans for a £20k upgrade before the end of the year. 

Abdul’s hit £250k turnover this year and the investment will be used to double the size of the kitchen in Pontefract, to meet with increasing demand at the diner.  

As well as a £20k investment plan in the next three months, Abdul is also extending the team with 2 new appointments.

With years of experience Abdul has expanded over the last 20 years, with the initial launch of his Wakefield diner before adding Pontefract and more recently Sheffield in the last twelve months. 

Despite opening in Sheffield just twelve months ago, Abdul admits that he is already looking for other opportunities to take the diner approach to dining into other cities in the Yorkshire region, with a particular focus on Leeds. 

Abdul said: “I wanted to bridge the gap between typical takeaway food and restaurant meals. The difference between the two when I first opened Wakefield was almost immeasurable.

"The problem was that customers could either have meals that were quickly prepared and cheap, compromising on quality and taste or they would have to sit down and pay extra to eat in a restaurant. 

“Taking my experience I offered a range of meals, cooked using authentic Indian ingredients and spices, and provided my customers with the chance to sit down and enjoy their food in a simple and welcoming setting.

"The results speak for themselves, we have a model that works and a growing queue of customers that come for an Abdul’s as opposed to a curry.“

 “Having several outlets means that the pressure is on to ensure that every diner maintains consistently high standards. I have worked hard to create a menu and concept that can be replicated, so that all of my customers receive delicious meals in comfortable surroundings." 

Image source: Adam Conlon

Landmarks of Teesside are being immortalised on film thanks to the work of a newly-established filmmaker.

Matt McGough set up his company Ithica Films with the help of a DigitalCity Fellowship and has already attracted considerable praise for his ‘Love Letters to Teesside’ series of short films.

Prior to founding Ithica Films, Matt spent a decade working for film companies across Europe, the USA and China.

The Teesside University graduate opted to set up his own business after learning about the DigitalCity Fellowship scheme which offers entrepreneurs up to £4,000 per co-founder to cover their living costs as they develop a business product or idea.

Applications are currently being sought for the next round of DigitalCity Fellowships. The application deadline is 12noon on Monday, 1 December.

Fellows inducted on the scheme, which is based at Teesside University and supported by European Regional Development funding, are also able to access industry-specific mentoring from leading business figures, workshops and a lab equipped with relevant hardware and software.  

Ithica Films specialises in creating films for business and has already attracted a number of clients in the engineering and process industries on Teesside.

Matt, who is originally from Middlesbrough and now lives in Stockton, is also working on the ‘Love Letters to Teesside’ sequence of short films.

The films use slow motion footage and interesting camera angles to highlight a particular landmark on Teesside.

So far, he has completed films on the Temenos sculpture and Infinity Bridge, both of which have been extremely well received on social media. More films are planned in the near future.

Matt said: “Starting my own business has been fantastic and the Fellowship has helped me to achieve that.

“It has allowed me to go from being a cameraman to a filmmaker.

“Before starting Ithica Films, through my work, I’d met a number of people who came through the DigitalCity Fellowship programme and they had real inner strength.

“I feel like my own skills have improved and I’m in a lot more control of what I can do.

“This region has a great history and I’m very proud to come from here.

“I wanted to use the films to help people re-engage with the area and to remind them of some of the fantastic landmarks in the region, that perhaps we take for granted.

“The series is beginning to take on a life of its own.

“It’s great that people are able to connect with them and are able to see Teesside in a different light.“

Creative Director at DigitalCity, Marc de Launay, said: “We are delighted to have been able to help Matt set up his own business.

“He is producing some exceptional work and his ‘Love Letters to Teesside’ series of films are doing a fantastic job at helping to promote this area.“

A Lancashire gym equipment business that started out of a university dorm room has made profit in its first year of operating.

Sam Marsh began his business in his second year of university when he started designing new fitness machines to get people more engaged with their workout routines.

Jigsaw fitness ltd sold their first fully functioning product in January of this year.

He said he noticed that people were not engaged with their equipment and were just going through the motions without enjoying the exercise they did.

This led to him putting his ideas down on paper and building prototypes at home.

Using his student loan he managed to invest £7k to create fully working prototypes and get the business off the ground.

The company has since had further investment from his parents and managed to make a profit within its first year.  

The last 7 months in particular have seen the business accelerate with interest from major fitness companies such as Fitness First.

The company prides itself in involving people and fitness companies within the design process and asking what features individuals would like.

They hope to take the mundane away and the company wants to see people happy and looking forward to going to the gym.

All their manufacturing is done in the UK, which Sam says allows him to be more flexible when making changes.

Sam said, “I’ve never been so busy, it’s exciting, we’re moving away from being a startup now.

“The business model we’ve taken is we partner with people instead of trying to do everything ourselves, currently we’re partnered with Eixgo who have been manufacturing for 23 years.  

"It’s a brilliant model while I’m still learning and the quality of the product is fantastic.

“The feedback we’ve had has been incredible, it’s still early days but we build to last."

•    North East house prices fall for second month in a row – down 0.2% from October and 0.5% since peaking in September.•    Average house in the region now worth £157,244 - £186 less than four weeks ago.•    Fall driven by significant price decreases in Killingworth (2.6%) and North Shields (2.4%)•    Newcastle named “Best to Buy” having already been named “Best City in the UK”.•    Regional rents remain stationary at £598pcm North Shields named “Best to Invest”.

KIS Housing NOW – Housing North of Watford - pulls together the most authoritative and up-to-the-minute data and the expert market analysis of the KIS Intelligence Service to give you an indispensible guide to the state of the North East property market.

Property Price Analysis

North East house prices fell for the second consecutive month in November, and are currently 0.5% lower than their peak in September.

Property prices across the region fell by 0.2% over the last four weeks, with the typical home in the region worth £186 less than in October. Prices remain 4% higher than six months ago.

More than half of the areas surveyed this month recorded modest rises in property values, with the overall fall driven by pronounced decreases in previously buoyant areas like Killingworth (-2.6%) and North Shields (-2.4%).

The price fall recorded in KIS’ analysis is also significantly lower than the month-on-month fall of 3.6% reported recently by Rightmove.

East Durham saw the North East’s largest rises, with both Easington and Peterlee recording rises of 1.7%. Prices in Easington are now 4.3% higher than they were 12 weeks ago.

It was also a strong month for South Tyneside, with South Shields and Whitburn the joint next-fastest rises, with prices increases of 1.2%.

Newcastle is named this month’s “Best to Buy”, with prices falling back slightly (0.2%) having risen by over 5% in the preceding 3 months. The toon was named Best City in the UK by readers of The Guardian, and the fourth best city in the country for families

Rental Market Analysis

North East rents remain near-stationary at £598pcm - £6 up on October.  Rents decreased distinctly in Darlington, falling by 2.9% month on month.

Rental yields rose by an average of 0.2%, with the strongest returns landlords can expect to make on their investment still to be found in Gateshead (up 0.6% to 7.7%). The typical rental yield on a North East home remains 4.5% per annum.

Yields in Durham City rose by a striking 1.3% in September – although this is likely to be the result of students beginning the search for homes for the new academic year.

North Shields’ unanticipated fall in house prices – which comes on the back of a 5.1% surge over the last two months – sees the town named this month’s “Best to Invest”.

74% of properties in North Shields are flats, maisonettes or apartments and 65% of households are made up of just one person.

Newcastle is also one-to-watch for the buy-to-let investor, with its rental yield of investors rising by a whole percentage point in just two months.  

Ajay Jagota, founder and Chief Executive Officer of KIS Group responded to the figures.

He said: “A moderate cooling of the market is always to be expected in the run-up to Christmas but with North East property prices at a standstill for two months now it may well be that the mini-boom of recent months is at the very least on hiatus.

“What is really interesting is the variations we’re seeing from area to area – proving the value of highly-regionalised analysis like ours. If you remove North Shields and Killingworth from the figures, property prices actually rose slightly, up 0.5%, and even those areas are considerably up on this time last year.

“Whether it’s we’re seeing a price plateau or it’s just the time of year, now would be a good time for those looking to rent or sell a property to take advantage of the comparatively cool market to make repairs or improvements to their properties in preparation of the new year.

“A lot of people make it their New Year resolution to move house, so it’s important that your home looks its best when they do – ‘tis the season to be painting!“

Image source: Annie Mole

The Merseyside company behind the MANFLU product range, Health and Wellbeing Brands, is moving to new premises in Newton-le-Willows.

The company has also secured distribution deals with Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Amazon and independent pharmacies for the launch of its second product range Mumkind, a pregnancy nutrition brand.

These latest developments have been made possible by the final round of a £500k phased investment from The North West Fund for Venture Capital which is managed by Enterprise Ventures.

Health and Wellbeing Brands was founded four years ago when Jonathan Evans launched MANFLU Hot or Shot comfort drink.

Launched in 2010, The North West Fund for Venture Capital is part of the £155 million North West Fund, which provides funding for SMEs in the region and is financed jointly by the European Regional Development Fund and the European Investment Bank.

Jonathan Evans said: “Mumkind is a new concept aimed at mums-to-be and busy new mums whose needs are not being met by current offerings.

“It will allow us to broaden our target market.

“We continue to explore new opportunities and see plenty of scope to achieve our growth targets and move into the premier league of healthcare companies.”

Newcastle-based entrepreneur and keen cyclist Tony Holt has launched a new fitness app to help motivate cyclists to train over the winter after securing funding from North-East venture capital company Northstar Ventures and pre-seed accelerator Ignite.

Holt designed Velo-Trainer to increase a cyclist’s motivation, fitness and productivity through better engagement while indoor training.

It is one of the few iPad apps on the market that focuses on a social connection, allowing cyclists in different locations to create events and train together for competition, fun, or organised training.

The app can also record and synchronise data to popular fitness logs such as Strava and Training Peaks.

Tony said: “I have tried a lot of training apps and virtual reality simulators, but the set-up processes are too long and fail to motivate you when the weather turns and you’d sooner be out with friends.

“Programmes like Ignite help local entrepreneurs strengthen their business proposition by offering guidance and training courses.

“With their support and additional investment from Northstar Ventures, I have been able to turn my passion for cycling into a successful business opportunity.“

There are a number of developments in the pipeline, including a rewards scheme that allows cyclists to earn discounts at online retailers, and a facility for users to create and share their own personal training programmes.

"Motivation in the cold winter months is hard to maintain" added Holt. "As well as encouraging friendly competition through amusing posts and live leader boards, we found that cyclists trained harder when using the training partner function, and missed fewer sessions when an event was planned."

Apprenticeships will contribute around £3.7 billion to the economy of Yorkshire & Humber in 2014 according to new research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

This includes the economy benefit that comes from higher wages, business profits and taxes, an estimated reduction in unemployment benefit payments, and benefits to organisations while training apprentices.

The ratio of benefits to costs of apprenticeships is £21 for the national economy for each £1 of public money spent.

Yorkshire and Humber had 103,820 apprentices participating in 2012/13, 11% of the UK total.

The number of people starting an apprenticeship each year has grown in recent years from around 100,000 in 1950 to more than 450,000 people in 2013-14.

The government is reportedly on course to deliver in excess of 2 million apprenticeships in the lifetime of this parliament.

If this continues, the national economy could gain £50 billion by 2025 and £101 billion by 2050.

Minister of State for Skills Nick Boles said: “Today’s celebration of a hundred years of apprenticeships demonstrates how they have long played a key role in the workforce and commemorates the contribution apprentices have made to employers and the nation.

"Today apprenticeships are at the heart of the Government’s drive to equip people with the skills that employers need to grow and compete.”

Employers who have been delivering apprenticeships for 100 years attended an event yesterday on board HMS St Albans along with some of their apprentices.

This included the Ministry of Defence, the largest employer of apprentices in the UK, large independent retailer the Lincolnshire Co-op, leading engineering support service provider Babcock International Group and Merseyside shipbuilder Cammell Laird.

‘Made by apprentices 1914-2014’ recognised all the employers taking part in the Centenary Apprenticeship Programme and the contribution of apprentices past and present.

Chorley’s Perfect Recruitment is preparing to expand into larger premises as a result of taking part in Boost Business Lancashire’s Growth Mentoring programme.

The business, which employs seven staff, is also looking to create more jobs when the extra office space becomes available.

Perfect Recruitment has been trading for seven years and has generated significant growth during the last two years.

The company has also benefitted from Empowering Your Team training that will enable members of the team to be more effective in supporting the expansion strategy.

Boost Business Lancashire is the £7.2 million Lancashire Business Growth Hub, offering free and part-funded business support to ambitious and growing businesses.

Delivered by Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, and supported by £3.6 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), it aims to grow Lancashire’s economy by £20 million and create at least 1,200 new jobs and safeguard 700 more by 2015.

Director Lisa Brady-Munro said “I was introduced by Community & Business Partners (CBP) to Karen Sherbourne to help with support through business mentoring.

“I put the business plan together with Karen’s help and she also advised me on various staffing issues.”

“The help I received was fantastic and allowed me to gain a clear and objective picture of my business, along with my ideas to expand it.”

Jane Houghton-Fenning, business development director at Community & Business Partners commented: “Lisa was very receptive to having support from an experienced business person and followed through on all actions to take her business forward.

“We look forward to hearing that her growth is continuing and that she will soon love the numbers as she achieves even larger ones.”

Business is blooming for a new Teesside floral store that has risen from the ashes of a blaze that destroyed a parade of shops two years ago.

Sisters Natalie Hall and Kathryn Scott have launched Sweet William Floral Design and Gift Shop at the brand new Orchard Parade Shops on Durham Lane, Eaglescliffe.

The former flight attendants believe their new business is set for take-off, having spotted a gap in the floral market across Teesside and beyond.

Qualified florist Natalie, a former Gold Medal winner at the prestigious Harrogate Flower Show, has joined forces with business-minded Kathryn to open the contemporary floral business in their hometown.

The sisters aim to make Sweet William a hub of the local community, providing the most beautiful floral designs coupled with gifts which are unique to the area, giving local people an array of choices.

As well as supplying the general public on a day-to-day basis, Sweet William also cater for weddings and funerals of any size and have their sights firmly fixed on the corporate market including functions, product launches, customer events, hotels, event management companies and special occasions across the North-East.

Natalie, who is responsible for all floral arrangements, said: “We want to bring fresh, inspirational and innovative ideas to a floral sector which can often appear quite traditional.

“We want to be part of the community, providing a unique floral service and gift shop which encourages local people to feel at ease to call in for a chat when they are passing by.“

Qualified in business management, Kathryn recently left her role with British Airways to join forces with her sister.

Kathryn, who is responsible for event bookings, business development and financial management, said: “It was only relatively recently that we started to talk about the idea of launching a business together but it has all happened so quickly. Our feet have hardly touched the ground since.

“I’ve always been interested in business but it was seeing the units rising from the ashes of the fire that planted the seed of Sweet William.

“Now we’re looking forward to an exciting future, with bold plans to develop the business in new directions, offering contemporary services that will give customers something new.“

In addition to a wide range of floral arrangements, Sweet William also sells an interesting range of gifts including Christmas ideas, unique cards, children’s books and toys, bespoke picture frames, ornaments, vases and the latest in fashion accessories.

A website where people sell their own homes has received an investment boost as it looks to grow its market share.

Entrepreneur and business adviser Keith Robinson has invested an undisclosed sum in return for a minority stake in MyOwnEstateAgent.com.

Keith Robinson has become a non-executive director of the Bury-based business as part of the deal.

The company enables private sellers and landlords to list their properties for sale for a small fee.

Property entrepreneur Simon Holland established MyOwnEstateAgent.com last year, and the site currently has listings for homes in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire, north Wales and the West Country.

In addition to listing properties, the website offers ancillary services such as providing vendors with energy performance certificates, detailed floor plans of their homes and a professional ‘For Sale’ sign.

Mr Robinson is the managing partner of Altrincham-based Griffin Partners, which he established earlier this year to advise small and medium-sized businesses on their growth strategies, and to provide director-level support on an interim or part-time basis.

Mr Robinson said: “There has been a big shift in the property sector towards cost-effective, online solutions such as ‘for sale by owner’, which presents a huge opportunity for MyOwnEstateAgent.com to capture a greater share of a growing market.

“MyOwnEstateAgent.com offers a low-cost, easy-to-use facility for private sellers and landlords to sell their properties online, potentially saving thousands of pounds on estate agents’ fees, and I believe there is great potential for the business.”

Stockport law firm, Gorvins, has appointed two new solicitors to strengthen its employment and litigation/dispute resolution teams, Ed Gregory, Senior Employment Law Associate and Peter Speight, Dispute Resolution Associate.

Ed, who was previously with city centre firm Addleshaw Goddard, is a highly experienced employment lawyer with particular expertise in advising commercial clients on tribunal litigation, business change and business protection issues as well as advising on their internal investigations.   

Peter joins Gorvins from a national legal practice as a newly qualified associate. He will be focussing on insolvency and restructuring work as part of the dispute resolution team enjoying its third year of growth.

Lorraine Lockie, Managing Partner, said: “As we expand we are committed to bringing in high quality individuals like Ed and Peter as well as promoting from within to make sure we keep providing the very best legal advice to our commercial clients.”

Paul Hughes, Walker Smith Way Legal 

Solicitor Paul Hughes has been promoted to Associate solicitor at its Ashton-Under-Lyne office after providing specialist legal services at the firm for four years.

Paul, who joined Walker Smith Way Legal in 2010 from Thornleys Solicitors, has over 25 years’ experience handling a number of personal injury cases.

Commenting on the promotion, managing partner and director, Neil Turnbull, said: “As a firm, we recognise that the success of our business is totally dependent upon developing the very best people.

“Paul has a unique understanding of this area of law, helping those who have sustained personal injuries gain the support and compensation they deserve.”

Chris Kerry, NatWest

NatWest has appointed Chris Kerry as Director of Commercial Banking St Helens and Warrington.  

In his new role Chris will be leading a team of senior relationship managers as they look to support customers’ business aspirations working closely with the professional community and other stakeholders.  

Born in St Helens Chris has more than 30 years of banking experience throughout the North West.

He has been leading commercial banking teams for NatWest for the last 10 years.  

Philip Laidlow, Leanne Booth, Saadia Javed, Gateley

The Manchester office of law firm, Gateley, has welcomed a team of four lawyers to its Private Client team with the appointment of partner, Philip Laidlow, solicitors Leanne Booth, Saadia Javed and a further solicitor to arrive in January on completion of maternity leave.

Philip is a leading industry figure and has had a number of articles and books published.

He is author of Tolley’s Tax Planning for Post-death Variations, editor of Tolley’s Tax Havens and regularly contributes articles to a range of industry journals.

He is also a founder member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and a former chairman of its Manchester and East Midlands branches.

Leanne, who is vice chair of the Manchester branch of STEP, has extensive expertise in advising the executors of large estates on complex financial arrangements, business and agricultural property, lifetime gifts and trust planning. 

Laura specialises in advising high net worth individuals on estate planning to reduce capital gains tax and inheritance tax liabilities.

She has advised on the preparation of wills and trusts in succession planning and is experienced in issues affecting the elderly, particularly in relation to asset protection.

Saadia has experience in a range of private client matters, including estate and trust administration, estate and inheritance tax planning and wills.

Philip Laidlow commented: “This is an exciting time to be joining the firm and I look forward to developing our service offering. Boasting a range of specialities, the Manchester and wider team is well placed to meet the legal and financial advisory needs of the individuals we represent.”

Larry Waller, Together Trust

North West specialist care and education charity, the Together Trust, has appointed Larry Waller as head of business development to support its future plans for expansion.

Larry joins from Barnardo’s and brings twenty years of experience in social care from his work with vulnerable children, young people and families.

In his four year career as one of the national charity’s business development managers, he previously designed and delivered a range of procurement and funding solutions designed to drive growth.

Larry will help deliver a number of key strategic initiatives including developing business growth across the North West, improving capabilities within the business and forging strong partnerships with other organisations.

Mark Lee, chief executive of the Together Trust, said: “As we approach our 150th birthday, it’s vital that we continue to develop our services in a sustainable manner that is commercially astute and serves to shape our success for the future.

“Larry’s expertise makes him well placed to initiate the plans necessary that will ensure we broaden our reach and remain an integral provider of person centred services for young people across the region.”

Peter Campbell, Lauren Thompson, Diane Ellis, Lindsay Whitley , WYG

WYG has announced four senior appointments to its Manchester planning team, following an increase in new business after its acquisition of Alliance Planning in September.

Peter Campbell joins as a Town Planner from Deloitte; Lauren Thompson has joined as a Senior Planner from Cheshire East Council; Diane Ellis has joined as an Associate Planner from Consilium Planning; and Lindsay Whitley is the latest recruit to the Manchester office, joining from IBI Group as a Principal Urban Designer.

Lindsay is the first Manchester-based Urban Designer to be recruited to the office, and will work alongside the wider planning, engineering, highway and environment teams at WYG.

Elsewhere in the North West, Peter Shannon joins the Cumbria office from Allerdale Council as a Senior Planner.

Paul Shuker, Director of the Manchester and Cumbria Planning teams said:  “It has been an exciting time for the team as our overall business has gone from strength to strength over the last twelve months.  

"We continue to deliver innovative and complex projects for our clients and partners across a diverse range of sectors, and I am delighted to announce these appointments in order to allow us to meet current and future clients’ needs moving forward.”

Kate Handel, Andrew Bogle, Jason Thomas and Paul Makinson, Walker Smith Way Legal

Jason Thomas and Paul Makinson, associate solicitors have been made partners after over a decade of providing expert legal advice to Chester businesses and individuals.

Jason, who is 42 and grew up in Chester, trained with Storrar Cowdry before moving to Walker Smith Way Legal in 2002 when he qualified as a solicitor.

His promotion follows 12 years’ service at Walker Smith Way Legal. He is a key member of the firm’s residential property team and is renowned for his personable, hands-on approach to buying and selling property.

Paul Makinson has also developed his career with the firm.

He was appointed as trainee by Walker Smith Way Legal in 2001 and has been promoted after assisting in the development of its commercial property team.

Meanwhile, solicitors Kate Handel, 34 and Andrew Bogle, 60 have been promoted to Associate solicitor.

Kate, who is originally from Clare in the Republic of Ireland, joined the firm’s Wills, trusts and probate department in 2012.

She specialises in trusts, Wills and probate, court of protection and lasting powers of attorney.

Andrew, who is originally from Liverpool, is a highly experienced solicitor having practiced at firms across the North West including Bermans, Thelwall Fagan and Hill Dickinson.

The 60 year-old’s expertise lies in commercial litigation.

He advises firms across the Chester area on contract disputes, banking and insolvency litigation matters.

Commenting on the promotions, managing partner, Neil Turnbull, said: “As a firm, we recognise that the success of our business is totally dependent upon developing and attracting the very best people.

“Jason, Paul, Kate and Andrew have all delivered fantastic results to strengthen service, while helping more people across Chester gain access to expert legal advice.”

Mark Woodward, Vantage Motor Group

Vantage Motor Group has appointed an East Lancashire Business Centre Manager to spearhead its growth in the regional fleet market. 

Mark Woodward, from Adlington, near Chorley, will be responsible for business sales at the Vantage Toyota Preston, Blackburn, Colne and Grange-over-Sands dealerships in this newly created role, after three years with the company.

Mark, who brings ten years’ motor industry experience to the new role, will prioritise increasing Vantage’s sales in the Lancashire fleet market.

He will do this by ensuring that businesses in the area are aware of the Vantage brand and the extensive advice and support on offer from the company.

Commenting on the appointment, Mark Robinson, Chief Executive of Vantage Motor Group, said: “Mark’s invaluable experience in the motor industry and his intimate knowledge of the Toyota brand meant he was the perfect choice for this role.

"We’ve been fortunate enough to have Mark with us for a few years now and he has more than merited this promotion.

“Our Preston dealership is perfectly placed to cater for this market with many businesses close by, and we look forward to continuing to deliver a high standard of service to all our customers in the region.”