Sanderson Weatherall, Matt Collier

The valuation team in the Leeds office of chartered surveyor and property consultancy Sanderson Weatherall has been boosted to its largest number of RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) qualified chartered surveyors and registered valuers, following the successful Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) accreditation of one of its graduate trainees, Matt Collier.

Matt, from Sheffield, first joined Sanderson Weatherall in 2011 on the company’s student placement programme whilst studying a four year RICS accredited sandwich course at Sheffield Hallam University.

Matt said: “The formal training and broad base of experience provided during the graduate training programme at Sanderson Weatherall has been instrumental in helping me to pass the APC at my first attempt.

“I am now working with students on the very same placement programme I was on, only two years ago, to achieve their goals and am looking forward to further enhancing and driving the success of the valuation team in Leeds.”

Propaganda (Leeds)

Propaganda, the Leeds based strategic brand consultancy, has announced five new hires across its business, which will help to deliver strategies for existing clients and support new business opportunities.

The new recruits comprise of senior designer Sophie Killingray, project managers Catherine Rae and Scarlett Weston, junior social executive Kristina Semonella, and office manager Jody Castle.

Craig Harrold, managing director of Propaganda said: “2014 was a great year for our business as we celebrated 21 years of success with a number of new contract wins. We’ve started 2015 with similarly high expectations and welcoming five recruits to our team shows that we’re energised and ready for the new endeavours this year will bring.” 

“We’re delighted to start the New Year with a raft of new appointments and I’m pleased to welcome Catherine, Scarlett, Krissy, Jody and Sophie to Propaganda as we continue our growth.

"These appointments provide us with the capacity to drive our proactive approach to business relationships, in which we seek to actively identify and acquire business opportunities for our clients.” 

IoD (Yorkshire and the Humber) Jonathan Oxley

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has named lawyer Jonathan Oxley as its regional chairman for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Jonathan, director of corporate finance at Lupton Fawcett Denison Till, has been acting regional chairman since Peter Holmes stepped down from the role last year. Jonathan is also chair of the West Yorkshire branch.

The former managing partner of Lee & Priestley is an expert on company law and employee share schemes. He has worked in Bradford, Leeds and York for more than two decades.

IoD regional director Natalie Sykes said: “Jonathan has already demonstrated during his time as acting chair that he has the skills and experience to lead the IoD in Yorkshire and the Humber.

"He will be the voice of the IoD in the region and promote our profile by engaging with local businesses and stakeholders including the LEPs, public sector bodies and universities.”

Xamax, Gareth Thompson and Tony Palmer

Personalised clothing manufacturer, Xamax, has started the New Year with the announcement that two key members of staff have been promoted to senior positions within the company in support of its ongoing strategy to increase turnover by 20% in the next twelve months.

Gareth Thompson has been promoted to sales director, while Tony Palmer takes the position of director of operations in a strategic move to help the work wear specialist to meet with its ambitious growth plans to take its current turnover from £3.5 million to £4.1 million by the end of 2015.

Graham Thompson, managing director of Xamax, comments: “By focusing our efforts on innovation and expansion, in 2014 we experienced our most successful year to date.

“This year we hope to build upon our success by continuing to develop good relationships with sporting organisations, as well as schools and Academies. The two new promotions form a vital part of our strategy to achieve this. We have always maintained that we will nurture and develop our employees ensuring that they become the best, and Gareth and Tony are a reflection of this.”

Fitness Unlimited, Adam White

Sheffield’s health and fitness membership scheme has appointed a new personal training manager.

Adam White has joined Fitness Unlimited and will be working to grow personal training in the city across a number of venues including Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Hillsborough Leisure Centre, The English Institute of Sport Sheffield and Concord Sports Centre.

Peter Clark, corporate health and fitness manager at Fitness Unlimited, said: “We are delighted to have appointed Adam as our new personal training manager.

“He brings a wealth of industry experience and talent to the role, and he is committed to giving the people of Sheffield the opportunity to improve their health and wellbeing, which is what our organisation is all about.”

Irwin Mitchell, Claire Dimmock

The Leeds office of national law firm, Irwin Mitchell, has continued to bolster its Pensions expertise with the appointment of Associate Solicitor Claire Dimmock.

Joining from DWF, Claire specialises in providing pensions advice to both corporates and trustees of occupational pension schemes in connection with scheme closures and other risk reduction measures.

Martin Jenkins, partner and national head of pensions at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Claire is a highly experienced pensions lawyer and we are delighted to welcome her to Irwin Mitchell. We are determined to continue investing in the team and bringing in people who are able to provide our clients with a first class service.”

Chamber International, Lydia Moi 

Export services business, Chamber International, has boosted its specialist team with the appointment of Lydia Moi as international trade administrator.

Lydia Moi’s export experience includes working in export development for a major Yorkshire cleaning products manufacturer and being part of the global export team for kitchen sinks manufacturer, Astracast, Bradford, a division of Jacuzzi.

Image source: wwarby

The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has announced that it has supported 350 businesses across the City Region to create jobs and growth and allocated over £50 million in total to businesses and projects across the region.

These projects are set to create 3,500 jobs for local people over the coming years.

The Leeds City Region is the largest manufacturing sector in the country, and over three quarters of all grants from the LEP have gone to businesses operating in this industry.

The funding can be used for capital investment in machinery, plant and land with the overall aim of enabling businesses to take on new employees and apprentices.

Roger Marsh, chair of the LEP said: “We are delighted that our funding programmes are having such a positive impact, helping businesses to unlock their potential and create new, good quality jobs for local people.

“I’m especially pleased about the support we’ve given to the region’s manufacturers. Enabling growth in this sector is vital if we are to achieve our ambition of enabling the City Region to become a net contributor to the public purse, helping to rebalance national economy and deliver sustained good growth that provides opportunities for all. 

“As a result of this LEP investment, a number of manufacturers have been able to explore new markets at home and overseas and purchase new, innovative technology to expand their product offering.”

Councillor Wakefield, Leader of Leeds City Council and Chair of the LEP Investment Panel added: “We have seen many strong and ambitious businesses apply for this funding and I am delighted that a proposed 3,500 jobs are expected as a result.

“It is essential to invest in our workforce and create the opportunities for our young people to gain experience and learn new skills and I am particularly encouraged when I speak to businesses and learn about the new apprenticeship opportunities that have been created as a result of this investment.”

Manufacturing business Craftsman Tools, based in Otley, in one of the manufacturing companies that has grown as a result of LEP support.

Robert Johnson, managing director of Craftsman Tools said: “The LEP grant enabled us to invest in new machinery, freeing up some of our older machines to be used in our apprenticeship training programme and enabling us to develop new processes to boost our productivity and innovation."

Over 255 manufacturing businesses have now successfully applied for grant funding and following the Leeds City Region Growth Deal announcement, a further £18 million will be available from April to businesses across of the LEP’s key sectors.

The LEP is hosting an event for SMEs across the Leeds City Region to find out more on what funding options are available. 

The event takes place on 27th January at Unity Works in Wakefield where key speakers Roger Marsh, Councillor Wakefield and Councillor Box will highlight what further investment opportunities are on the horizon.

Financial advisory firm Wealthcare has recruited two staff and promoted two existing employees as it steps up its expansion plans.

Bob Hodson has joined Bury-based Wealthcare as a paraplanner, which will see him work alongside advisers to research and recommend suitable investment, life cover and other products to help clients achieve their financial goals.

Kylie Flett has joined Wealthcare as a client service executive in its healthcare division, Harris Cainer Warner. She has moved from Pareto Financial Planning.

Meanwhile, Wealthcare has promoted Michelle Daggett to mortgage adviser and Jo Flynn to marketing executive and personal assistant to the company’s directors.

Joint managing director Stephen Cainer said: “We are delighted to announce these strategic appointments, including the promotion of talented staff from within the firm.

“These appointments will help to reinforce the solid foundations in place for our expansion plans.

"We expect to recruit further across all areas of the business during 2015 in line with growing demand for our services, and look forward to a successful year ahead.”

Chris Argent, CBRE

Chris Argent has joined CBRE’s Manchester office as Planning Director from GVA.  He advises on foodstore, non-food retail and leisure developments and mixed-use commercial schemes for a variety of developer clients and will assume a national remit within the CBRE team.  The appointment is set to soon be bolstered by further high-profile, senior appointments in the CBRE Manchester Planning Team.

John Ogden, MD of CBRE’s North West business, confirmed; ‘Chris is the first of several strategic appointments within the planning team which will significantly strengthen our capability to service our clients’ needs.  It is a truly exciting new chapter in the growth of CBRE’s North West business and reflects our focus on being the number one commercial property consultancy both regionally and nationally.  We have further ambitions to grow and look forward to announcing other additions to the office in due course’.

Laura Harris, Influential

PR and communications agency Influential has strengthened its senior PR team with the appointment of a new account director.

Laura Harris has joined the Liverpool-headquartered agency from a role as account director on the consumer brands team at global PR consultancy Grayling.

With over seven years’ PR experience, Laura has worked with national brands including Marks & Spencer, Heinz and Wilkinson Sword. 

Sara Wilde-McKeown, Influential Managing Director, said: “Laura is an outstanding PR operator with deep industry insight and experience of working with some of the world’s leading brands. Her skills are a great fit for our growing client base and we’re thrilled to have someone of her calibre on board. She will play a key role at the agency, helping to devise and deliver strategy for a number of our key client accounts.”

Cassie Kendrew, Ecent Marketing Solutions

Ellesmere Port-based Event Marketing Solutions (EMS) has appointed a new Head of Client Operations to drive roadshow events across the EMEAR region.

Cassie Kendrew will head up the client operations and technical team, ensuring that the business continues to deliver innovate vehicle design and world class logistical support to its clients. 

Cassie joins EMS from Watermeadow Medical where she was responsible for the conception and delivery of international events for leading pharmaceutical companies. She previously held an account management position at EMS where she managed some of the company’s biggest and more logistically challenging campaigns including the Ford multi-vehicle campaign.

Keith Austin, CEO at EMS said: “Cassie returns to EMS at an exciting time, as we prepare to launch second trucks for two long term clients and unveil exciting new tours for several new brands.

“During her time with us she was integral to the growth of some major clients along with helping us enter new markets such as the Middle East. This insight and understanding along with her excellent man management skills are a fantastic foundation to help her develop in her new role.”

 Pat Williams, Sean Davies, Lisa Hanlon, Lisa Reardon, Ena Shaw Contract

Ena Shaw Contract  has appointed four new team members, following a raft of account wins across various sectors.

Among the team is project manager, Sean Davies, who was promoted from administrator and has a wealth of experience in the soft furnishings industry. Sean’s role will be to help grow the brand, which has recently worked on projects, including Hilton Doubletree in Chester and the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool.

Also joining Ena Shaw Contract are colleagues, Pat Williams, contracts administrator, Lisa Hanlon, project administrator and Lisa Reardon, quotation administrator. Their roles are vital in ensuring each project runs smoothly from initial enquiry through to completion.

Stuart Taylor, contract director at Ena Shaw Contract, said: “We’re thrilled to have welcomed aboard our new team members and we’re confident that they’ll all play a vital role in our continued growth.

“Since their appointments, they’ve really hit the ground running and are proving to be invaluable additions to the team.”

Jennifer Peacock, Freshfield

Freshfield, has added to its PR team with the appointment of Jennifer Peacock.

Jennifer joins the consultancy as a PR executive from Business Energy Solutions. She will support client PR, content marketing and social media programmes alongside client directors and PR consultants, across a range of clients and sectors.

Simon Turner, managing director at Freshfield, said: “Jennifer brings with her a diverse range of communications skills with experience of client management so she’ll be a strong addition to our growing PR team.”

Mike Ainsworth, O’Connors LLP

Advisory law firm, O’Connors LLP, has appointed senior commercial lawyer Mike Ainsworth as its fifth partner. Mike joins after 9 years with global technology solutions business CSC.

Commenting on Mike’s appointment, managing partner Mark O’Connor said: “Mike is a strategic appointment for us as we continue to develop our team and build for the future. “His heavyweight transaction experience across a whole range of commercial agreements will add further depth to our service offering as we support our clients doing business throughout the world.

“Our focus on providing corporate, commercial, insurance and regulatory advice for clients is as strong today as it was when we started the firm 11 years ago. With the economy strengthening and transactional activity increasing, I can see us making further senior appointments in these core areas during 2015.”

Brad Johnson, Andres Guzman, DTZ

DTZ recruits Brad Johnson and Andres Guzman to its Strategic Energy and Sustainability (SES) group.

Brad Johnson joins DTZ as a consultant based in Manchester. Brad was previously in energy and sustainability roles at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and across the wider public sector in Kent including the County Council, the Police and Fire & Rescue services.

Andres Guzman joins DTZ as a senior consultant in London and was previously with the JLL Upstream Sustainability Team. Andres has over six years’ sustainability experience delivering energy management services and advising large organisations and real estate companies on carbon compliance and sustainability reporting.

Alan Somerville, Head of Strategic Energy and Sustainability for EMEA, says: “Andres and Brad are joining DTZ’s SES team at a very exciting time. Our EMEA energy and sustainability group is part of an expanding global DTZ capability. Within the UK specifically we have a wide range of investor, developer and occupier clients and are delivering some ground breaking projects. Our clients are driven by the desire to reduce energy costs, increase energy efficiency and improve investment returns from their assets.”

Nick Mullins, LSH

Nick Mullins will join LSH’s Manchester office later in the year after spending more than 15 years at CBRE in the city and in London.

Nick has been appointed as Head of Funding and Development at the national commercial property consultancy and will help drive forward the strategic development of the LSH Manchester office.

His role will include bringing opportunities for new business and enhancing its consultancy service offer. He will work across the professional and consultancy teams.

Abid Jaffry, Head of Office in Manchester said: “This senior appointment is a great coup for LSH. We look forward to welcoming Nick to the team and exploring new opportunities through drawing on his experience and specific expertise which will complement our existing client base and service offer.

"Nick will support the delivery of innovative funding and sustainable development for clients as well as support our growth in new sectors such as PRS”.

Brian Roberts, Terry Greenhalgh, Rebecca Tucker, Lauren Averill,  Melissa Jones, Tom Stapleton, Adam Crosby and Darren Buckby , VUE CCTV

Manchester-based VUE CCTV has kick started the New Year with eight new appointments, growing its team by 44 per cent.

Expanding across the business the in-vehicle CCTV and telematics company has appointed; two aftersales managers, three engineers, two sales administrators and an accounts assistant, thanks to an influx of new contract wins.

Brian Roberts has been hired as the new aftersales manager along with Terry Greenhalgh who will specialise in Blue Light sales and aftercare. Accounts assistant, Rebecca Tucker, sales ledger assistant, Lauren Averill and sales administrator, Melissa Jones, join to support VUE’s customer services team in its continuous growth.

Tom Stapleton, Adam Crosby and Darren Buckby are boosting VUE’s engineering team following an influx of contract wins in 2014, worth more than £4 million.

Glen Mullins, managing director of VUE, said: "We’re thrilled to start the New Year with our extended team. 2014 has been our best year to date and we have plans to keep expanding. We’re already set to move into bigger office space and by 2020 we expect to have at least 60 staff and increase turnover fivefold."

Miriam Pinkney & Kathryn Mason, HLP 

Durham-based architectural practice HLP has announced expansion within its interior design team with the arrival of two new faces.  

In response to a steady increase in new work across the education, healthcare and hotel sectors, HL Interiors, part of the award-winning practice HLP, has appointed both Miriam Pinkney and experienced interior designer Kathryn Mason.  

Both graduated from Northumbria University after completing its Interior Design BA degree course.  

Miriam and Kathryn will not only use their creative flair to develop their skills in interior design, with further support from HLP’s architectural, technical and surveying staff, they will also gain a fuller understanding of the wider aspects of building design.  

Interiors associate Lisa Orrick said: “I am delighted to welcome two talented interior designers to our established team. 

"Apart from the work they will be doing on interiors projects, they will also benefit from working alongside award-winning architects, technicians and surveyors allowing them to expand their knowledge of building design.

"Working in this way ensures that clients appointing HL Interiors benefit from the same innovative design approach and service delivery whether we are working on refurbishment or new build projects.”

Jack Cullen, Darlington Building Society

Darlington Building Society has appointed Jack Cullen to its Board as a non-executive director.

John (Jack) Cullen has worked within the financial services industry for 40 years, exclusively within the banking sector.  

He has held executive management positions for over 20 years including business development roles, the creation of start-ups, acquisitions & mergers (e.g. Sainsbury’s Bank).

However, his career has been primarily focussed on Risk and Control roles over the past 15-20 years including spells with the financial regulator, Bank of Scotland and National Australia Group (Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks).  

Following his appointment to the Board, Jack will put his past experience to good use when he will also take on the important role of chairman of the Society’s Board Risk Committee.

Chief executive, Colin Fyfe said, “We are very fortunate to acquire the services of Jack Cullen as a non-executive director and his experience gained over many years at a very senior level will be of huge benefit to the Society going forward as we build for the future”.

Following his appointment Jack said, “I am delighted to join the Board of Darlington Building Society and I look forward to supporting the Society in fulfilling its key objectives of providing straight-forward products and friendly, effective services to its customers and its local communities”.

Nick Dent, Endeavor Partnership

Teesside business law firm, Endeavour Partnership, has appointed Nick Dent to join its insolvency team.  

Nick has spent over 20 years advising clients on Teesside, primarily in commercial litigation and contentious insolvency matters. 

He has considerable experience addressing commercial disputes, intellectual property issues such as copyright and trademarks, as well as conducting high volume claims within liquidations.  

Nick also has experience within the charity sector, working with organisations providing advice, information, support, and training on legal issues, including charity and company law and other legal matters relevant to the administration and governance of charities.  

In addition to being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, Nick is accredited by the London School of Mediation as a Civil and Commercial Mediator and he satisfies the requirements of the United Kingdom Civil Mediation Council.

Lee Bramley, partner and head of the firm’s insolvency team, said: “Since launching our specialist corporate recovery and insolvency team in 2012, we have seen a dramatic increase in instructions.  Nick’s experience will be invaluable to our clients as he can draw upon his specialist expertise to advise and assist in contentious matters, particularly in the charity sector.”

Vanessa Wood, North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC)

Vanessa Wood has been appointed to head up the North East Business and Innovation Centre’s (BIC) newest venture, Business Central.

Vanessa, will be heading up the office development, located in the Central Park Enterprise Zone, Darlington.  The BIC is working with Darlington Borough Council and the £6.6 million project has been supported with funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the Homes and Communities Agency.

Vanessa has many years of experience managing office space and is looking forward to the centre opening this spring, she said: “It is exciting to be a part of this new development the centre will offer space for up to 60 businesses, meeting rooms and an Open Space coworking facility. 

“This is a great opportunity for forward thinking businesses who wish to take advantage of brand new state of the art facilities as well as having access to the support services on offer.

“Even those who don’t require a permanent office can take advantage of the Open Space facility and I see this as a real boost to businesses and networking facilities in the area. 

“Business Central is perfectly located for travel links,, situated right next to the railway station as well as fantastic road, bus and airport access.

“The BIC team is very much focused creating a community, a centre for businesses not just to work from but to feel an alliance to and this is something that I am confident we can build upon at Business Central.”

Carl Moffett, Vocare  

Newcastle-headquartered clinical healthcare services provider, Vocare, has appointed Carl Moffett as commercial director. 

Moffett will lead the Finance, Commercial and Business Analyst teams, with a focus on managing Vocare’s performance during its planned growth.   Moffett began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. 

He went on to hold senior positions within a number of well known-brands, including finance director at Ringtons Tea and operations director at Peter Vardy Limited.

Moffett said: “Vocare is one of the fastest growing North East headquartered businesses in an exciting sector that is going through change. The business has won a number of new contracts nationally by offering added value to the NHS. By continuously developing new services we are able to improve the quality of patient care in more commercially attractive ways for our NHS partners. I look forward to helping the company achieve its enormous potential, as we continue to expand our services across the country.”

John Harrison, chief executive of The Vocare Group, said: “Carl will play a vital role within our senior management team, adding further commercial and financial knowledge to our business."

Tom Gutteridge, Northern Film & Media

Television producer Tom Gutteridge has been appointed chair of creative development agency Northern Film & Media Ltd (NFM).

Founder of leading UK production company Mentorn Media and former North American head of FremantleMedia, Gutteridge has been a member of NFM’s board since 2008, joining shortly after he returned to his native North East to set up Standing Stone Productions. 

He succeeds the late Sir Les Elton, who served as NFM’s Chair from 2007 until his death last year.

The International Emmy winner and Fellow of the Royal Television Society said: “I greatly look forward to helping oversee NFM’s work supporting the North East’s creative industries, especially television and film. Over the past 12 years they have achieved some extraordinary things – invested in 800 local companies and projects, leveraged nearly £100m of investment into the North East economy and helped attract numerous film and television productions to the region. 

"Equally importantly, they have provided industry advice, training, contact brokering and networking opportunities to thousands of creative professionals, thereby helping to keep the lifeblood of the industry flowing.

 “Happily we have seen a significant increase in production over the last few years. NFM has indisputably had a vital role to play in generating this success. 

"But there is no disguising the fact that the backdrop against which these successes have been achieved is a very challenging one. I look forward in particular to helping NFM campaign against the current unjustifiable tilting of public funding and infrastructural investment towards London and the west of the UK.”

Chris Millen, Henderson Insurance Brokers

Henderson Insurance Brokers, one of the leading insurance brokers in the UK, is continuing to back staff to through their studies, with a new addition at its Newcastle office.

Chris Millen, 23, who has joined Henderson’s as a commercial broker, will be supported through a professional development programme including Chartered Institute of Insurance qualifications.

Chris, who lives in West Monkseaton, studied at Whitley Bay High School and Newcastle College before gaining work experience in customer service, customer advisor and sales roles.

Chris said: “Henderson Insurance Brokers has a strong reputation in the insurance sector and that is what attracted me to apply to work at the company.

“I am looking forward to the challenges of my new job and gaining the qualifications that will help me advance my career with Henderson Insurance Brokers.” Keith Ward, regional managing director, of Henderson Insurance Brokers, said: “Chris is a confident individual with a strong work ethic and he will be an asset to the Henderson’s team at Newcastle.

“His experience of travelling abroad on his own demonstrated he has the ability to use his initiative and deal with people from all walks of life, while his previous jobs showed he is equally comfortable being part of a team – qualities of which will be vital to his role as a commercial broker with Henderson.”

Last year, Berkshire-based entrepreneur Sarah Stoker launched Leggy Threads, an online fashion retailer specialising in luxury clothing for tall professional women.

Sarah, a mother of two from Bracknell, set up Leggy Threads with the help of her husband, Tony, from her home, while simultaneously running her own recruitment consultancy, Ocean Consulting.

Leggy Threads prides itself on using only British suppliers, manufacturers and designers, ensuring all products are "nothing short of quality."

Sarah’s fashion venture, which was initially self-funded, is currently in talks with various organisations regarding funding.

Sarah told Bdaily about her brand selection process, and why she believes quality is king: "At first, I spent a large portion of my time travelling around the country to visit a variety of great British manufacturers, designers and suppliers.

"I attended various trade shows and fairs, showcasing British manufacturers and designers and I was fortunate enough to meet several bright, talented, young designers who were just as passionate about this cause as I am."

Leggy Threads differs from high street brands that cater for tall women by ensuring all products are a perfect fit, Sarah said: "Many high street retailers simply increase the leg length in trousers and fail to cater for tall women with longer arms and torsos.

"I am 6ft tall myself, and I have struggled to find professional clothing that fits well."

In 2015, Sarah is hoping to spread the word about Leggy Threads and also plans to devlop the wholesale arm of the business, she said: "We’re incredibly excited about 2015. We have already secured a wholesaling deal with luxury fashion retailer Pinstripe and Pearls, which will be launched online next week.

"We also have several other exciting deals in the pipeline, and we simply can’t wait to see what the year brings."

Warrington Borough Council’s has released a tender for a serviced office operator on Warrington’s £8.5 million business incubator building.  

Construction in the centre of town is well underway and the steelwork structure is highly visible, the project is scheduled for a June completion and a September 2015 opening.

Warrington Borough Council has appointed agents CBRE to assist in the procurement via The Chest of a managed workspace operator to manage the facility on Warrington Borough Council’s behalf.

The procurement process will open via The Chest on Monday 26 January 2015 applicants will then have a ten day period in order to return a submission.

The advanced engineering and manufacturing business Incubator is the first development to commence on the site of the Warrington Borough Council’s ambitious Stadium Quarter project.

The five storey building will feature a café at ground floor level and offices and research and development facilities on the upper floors.   

Funding has come from a £1.7 million European Regional Development Fund grant and £6.7 million investment from Warrington Borough Council’s capital programme.

When operational it will be capable of supporting up to 100 small businesses.

Warrington & Co., Warrington’s partnership for growth are project managing the development.

ISG was appointed to construct the building earlier this year.

ISG has committed to, wherever possible, utilise the skills and expertise of the local supply chain to deliver the project.

Construction management of the incubator is being led by Faithful and Gould who are part of the Atkins group.  

Both contracts were awarded by competitive tender using the North West Construction Hub.

Leader of Warrington Borough Council, Councillor Terry O’Neill, said, “This is a tremendously exciting project and Warrington Borough Council  is seeking a dynamic serviced office operator who can match and meet our ambitious expectations for this project.

“The Business Incubator will provide a first class base in which new businesses from the engineering and manufacturing sectors can develop and grow.

“Warrington’s local economy is doing tremendously well, as recognised in the recent Centre for Cities findings released only last week which placed Warrington up at the top in most categories including that of start up businesses”.

Hyde-based entrepreneur Sam Ward and his father have joined forces to launch their own microbrewery, The Tweed Brewing Company, after receiving a £18k loan from Start Up Now, the North West arm of the government’s national £150 million Start Up Loans programme that is delivered by Business Finance Solutions (BFS).

The beers are already being snapped up by bars and pubs across Manchester including The Marble Arch and Joshua Brooks.

The company is also currently in talks with a major supermarket to trial stocks of the ales and will be showcasing a number of them at the Manchester Winter Ales festival taking place at the Velodrome at the end of January, including their infamous Winter Tweed & Black Shire Stout.  

Following an initial research trip in 2014, the company also has plans to re-visit the US later this year to meet the growing demand in New York and Las Vegas for high quality British craft beers.

Sam said: “There is a real lack of imagination in this industry generally and we want The Tweed Brewing Company to be at the forefront of innovation and invention in brewing and to open people’s eyes to the varieties of ales that can be produced.  

“We went to see Business Finance Solutions because we needed funding to buy the equipment and they were also able to help us with our business planning and also put us in contact with distributors in and around Manchester.  

“With their support we now have a great range of flavours to meet the demands of drinkers today who are looking for something new and are appreciative of the work and craft that goes into a non-mass produced ale.“

Director of Business Finance Solutions, Paul Breen, said: “Craft brewing is a huge growth industry in the North West and Sam and Dave have already proved they have a great product that is selling well.

“Britain now has 1200 breweries, a number that has increased by 10% in each of the last two years; a rise that has not been seen for more than 70 years.

“Micro- breweries like The Tweed Brewing Company are at the vanguard of this trend and are meeting the demands of drinkers, retailers and bars and restaurants for new and more interesting beer styles.“

Image source: Bjørn Egil Johansen

PK education, a recruitment company specialising in the recruitment of teachers opened its second office in the North West at the end of 2014.  

Established in 2005 with a £20k bank loan by Paul Gallagher and Karl Housley the company has since grown to cover five regions in the UK.

The Manchester office is the seventh office in the company which now means a total of 29 people are employed across 7 offices.

PK education Director, Karl Housley said: “For us, the biggest challenge is the impact of the shrinking pool of fully qualified teachers. “This means that as an agency we have to try even harder to recruit the best teachers to be able to provide our clients with the best candidates for them.

“The easiest thing is coming to work, we work with genuinely great clients and candidates too so we’re passionate about finding them the right person for the job or the right job for the person.

“In all that we do, we hope that when we make an impression on somebody they agree that PK education is professional, responsible, dedicated and trustworthy.

“We’re also charitable!

“The business has done really well over that last ten years and we’ve decided that we want to give something back to celebrate our tenth anniversary.

“As a company we’re aiming to raise £10k for various charities throughout 2015 by taking part in a number of fundraising events.“

Leeds-based family coffee business LTT Vending has received an investment of £150k from Finance Yorkshire.

LTT Vending specialises in hot drinks machines for offices and a Business Loan from the regional funding body has led to the launch of Expresso Plus, a new brand targeting the “coffee on the go” market.

Britons reportedly spend over £122 million each week on coffee and Expresso Plus offers free-standing or table-top machines and a menu of drinks that includes Nescafe, Lavazza and PG Tips.

Graham Kingaby, deputy managing director of LTT Vending, said: “The appetite for coffee shows no sign of diminishing.

"As long as the consumer wants coffee, we need to provide convenient ways for them to buy it.

“For years, people have put coins in a slot and received a poor quality drink. We offer a higher quality drink with a higher return for the retailer.

"We have ambitious plans for growth on the back of this.“

LTT Vending employs around 150 people across the UK, and is owned by Managing Director Edward Selka and Michael Levi. Its head office is on the Gildersome Spur industrial estate in Morley, Leeds

National account director Manish Shah said: “With this funding, we have been able to create the highest quality impression that gives retailers the confidence we can deliver.

Finance Yorkshire investment manager Jonathan Craig said: “The on-the-go coffee market  is showing strong growth.

"The Expresso Plus brand is well placed to capitalise on that with a high quality product and service offer.“

The deal was introduced to Finance Yorkshire by Oliver Hoffman, national head of Corporate Finance at Mazars.

To date, Finance Yorkshire has made 694 investments totalling £90 million.

Barnsley business support programme Smartstart has reportedly helped more than 200 new businesses set up in the last two years.

Smartstart, run by Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), has helped 204 business ventures commence trading since it was established at the end of 2012.

The SmartStart programme is managed by the BBIC, at Wilthorpe, working in partnership with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.

In the last two years, its business advisors have seen over 500 people at Smartstart open days.

Of these, 330 potential start-ups have taken their ideas forward and accessed Smartstart’s practical business support programme which includes workshops and one-to-one surgeries with advisors, who have expertise in areas such as finance, sales and marketing, business plan preparation and funding.

These include entrepreneur Victoria Price’s wedding venture, same-day delivery firm, Elite Logistics and Distribution Ltd, set up by Tim Beswick and Martin Lever; medical skills agency, Illuminate Training Services, set up by Leigh Humpleby and multi-lingual hair salon, Hairways, established by Neringa Siuipeiene.

BBIC business development manager James Herbert said: “Smartstart is all about reaching out to people in Barnsley who are considering self-employment and setting up their own business.

“Our team of business advisors are here to help any potential entrepreneur take a close look at their business idea and really consider if they could make a success of it – we then offer expert support and guidance once they make the decision to go ahead.

“We are proud to have helped so many businesses start trading in the last two years and look forward to helping many more in 2015.“

Some eligible business start-ups, with particular potential to grow and create jobs, have also accessed a further year of intensive free business support at BBIC, through its Genesis programme.

Leeds-based project management and technical consultancy, WYG, is on a recruitment drive for young talent.

WYG has announced the launch of its first graduate development programme as it looks to invest in the next generation of talent across key specialisms, including engineering, planning, geo-environment and waste resources, urban & landscape design, and transport.

The consultancy is now recruiting at all levels for two to five graduates per month.

The coordinated programme aims to attract the next generation of employees via a programme of knowledge building that will allow graduates to gain a better understanding of the different skill-sets required in a global consultancy.

Sue Rhodes, HR business partner, WYG, said: “We’re feeling positive and excited to get the graduate development programme fully up and running at WYG.

“We want to become an employer of choice for graduates in the industry and we hope that this diverse programme, that welcomes both males and females, will really help to boost our graduate community and help to attract, develop and retain the very best people.“

The graduates will undertake two project-based assignments throughout the programme where they will also be required to engage key stake holders as part of the tasks to help raise their profile in the business.

Individuals who graduated from 2012 onwards and have achieved, or are expected to achieve, a 2.2 or above in a relevant degree, can find out more about careers at WYG via: www.wyg.com/careers.

North East entrepreneur Ross Linnet, CEO of cloud-based web accessibility specialist Recite Me, has announced a 150% increase in sales for the startup company in the past year.

Ross is now urging other SMEs in the region to follow his lead if they want to expand, crediting company’s growth to the support and investment it has received from Newcastle-based Northstar Ventures.

Since setting up the Gateshead-based company in 2010, Ross has benefitted from investment totalling £440k from the Finance for Business North East Accelerator and Proof of Concept funds – both managed by Northstar Ventures.

Now, he is urging other startups and early stage companies to follow the same route and access some of the £5 million available this year through the two funds.

Ross said: “When I first approached the team about funding, back in 2010, I had a very basic business plan.

“Northstar helped me bring it up to scratch and to develop a more scalable proposition.

“Northstar has always supported us and our vision for Recite and we have been able to produce some amazing new technology through this.

“Consequently, we were invited to accompany the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, on two trade trips to China and, last summer, to meet HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace.

“In addition we are now preparing to join the Lord Mayor of London at a Business, Innovation and Skills, dinner and reception in March!“

Director at Northstar Ventures, Alasdair Greig, said: “We are looking to back another 20+ businesses this year across a range of sizes and sectors.

“If any business in the region thinks they can benefit from our funding and involvement, please pick up the phone and have an initial chat with one of our investment managers.

“You don’t need a fully-fledged business plan in place as we will work with you to produce a fundable plan.

“And, if we are unable to provide your company with funding we will always be happy to point you in the right direction to help you fulfil your investment needs.“

The University of Brighton has entered into negotiations with Novartis to acquire its former Horsham site at Wimblehurst Road.

These discussions are at an early stage, but if the sale goes ahead, the university plans to open an innovative, high-quality centre for higher education in Horsham .

The proposed centre could create up to 2,250 new jobs; bring £1.7 billion of investment to the region and provide around 3,500 places for students.

This comes in addition to the places it already provides to more than 20,700 students at its five existing campuses in Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton and Hove.

A spokesman said: "The university’s proposal offers an exciting opportunity which could bring long-term benefits to the town as well as realise our ambition in leaving a legacy at the site."

Image source: mripp

York St John University has launched a new £30k training programme for graduate start-ups. 

The 12-month X20 programme will give two groups of 20 young people the chance to experiment in a live enterprise lab.

They aim to kickstart and refine business concepts into viable new ventures or social enterprises, creating higher-level jobs in the region.

Participants aged between 19 and 30 are invited to take part and must be a current student or graduate of York St John University.

The groups will work with regional entrepreneurs and business experts to develop their ideas, receiving up to 20 hours of specialist training combined with one-to-one support.

Throughout the programme, which is being run by York St John’s business incubation and enterprise team at the Phoenix Centre, participants will have access to dedicated workspace, mentoring and ‘proof of concept’ investment.

X20 concludes with the chance to pitch for £1,000 to a panel of local investors.

The X20 programme is part-financed through £19k funding made available from Business Link York and North Yorkshire legacy funds, administered by Garbutt & Elliott, North Yorkshire County Council, City of York Council and York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

Fay Treloar, director of Employability, Enterprise and Business Engagement at the university, said: "York St John is thrilled to play this key role in growing York’s reputation as a start-up hub for young businesses.

"Through the X20 programme, we will help our global graduates to consider enterprise as a viable career option, inspiring them to reach their full potential.

"By honing their business ideas, they will also be developing a distinctive entrepreneurial edge, which is a particularly desirable attribute for many employers."

For more information on the X20 programme, please contact businessenquiries@yorksj.ac.uk.

A Mossley veterinary practice has opened a new surgery thanks to funding from Natwest.

Ian McConnell Veterinary Practice has opened after purchasing the former Mossley Library on Wyre Street with NatWest support.

Ian McConnell Veterinary Practice provides care to more than 25,000 animals in the Mossley area.

The new surgery includes four vet and nurse consultation rooms, a state-of-the-art central surgical preparation suite, two sterile operating theatres, a radiography theatre and an isolation unit.

Other facilities on the site include separate kennel areas for dogs and cats, a large and welcoming reception and retail area and separate seating areas for dogs and cats.

In addition to the Mossley site, the practice runs a surgery in Uppermill.

Practice manager, Ian Wolstenholme, said: “Our ethos is to provide a friendly, local, affordable, and common sense approach to healthcare.

“The facilities in the new surgery will assist the team as we deliver high quality care to animals in the area.“

A former chef turned successful builder has gone back to his roots by redeveloping a Northumberland restaurant into a top class eatery serving food from local farms and suppliers.

North East entrepreneur Andy King, who runs Ashington-based construction firm A King & Company, has taken over The Junction Restaurant and Sidings Bar in Widdrington Station, and has major ambitions to build it into south east Northumberland’s must-visit venue.

Andy trained with top London chefs Ian Curran and Peter Wilson when he studied catering after leaving school.

He worked as a chef at Wansbeck General Hospital before moving into property management and has run his own construction, property development and maintenance business for the last 10 years.

The Siding’s specialises in pulled pork and has extended its Northumberland-meets-US flavour with chicken gyros, American-style burgers made with 100 per cent Northumbrian beef and an amazing chilli cheese Coney hotdog that’s a foot long.

The Junction caters for lovers of top class steaks, which like all the meat and fish served at the restaurant, are sourced in Northumberland.

In addition, at the weekend, The Siding’s serves from breakfast time through to evening and is aiming to provide something special for people locally and beyond.

Andy has also been using his new enterprise to raise cash for causes he believes in during special fund raising nights.

He’s asking visitors to the restaurant and bar to dig deep to support ex-servicemen and women.

Around £2,000 will be split between the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes charity and True Heroes Riding, a charity for former services personnel riding British superbikes.

In addition to opening a new business, Andy has marked the 10th anniversary of his construction company with an expansion.

During 2014, A King & Company moved into new offices in the Arch Centre in the middle of Ashington and created four jobs and an apprenticeship role.

The business has built itself a strong a reputation for top quality work across the North East, from design and planning to property restoration and maintenance.

Andy said: “I live in Widdrington and when The Junction came on the market, it was the ideal opportunity to combine my twin passions for great food and great buildings.

“We’re already building up a reputation for good food, thanks to our policy of using only the best local ingredients and the new twists we’ve put on some classic UK and US dishes.“

“We’re doing something different that you just can’t get around here. Our meals are a cut above what you’d find in a normal restaurant & bar and we’re aiming to put south east Northumberland on the foodie map with what we’re doing.“

Two-thirds of senior stakeholders in Yorkshire’s family businesses think the next generation is not yet ready to take over, according to new research commissioned by Yorkshire law firm Gordons.

Most respondents (56%) envisage the next handover will not happen for at least 10 years and almost half (44%) believe changes will be needed before they relinquish control, as they feel their businesses’ current ownership structures would not serve the next generation well.

Over a third (37%) of respondents said they had family members who did not want to get involved in their enterprises. 

Over seven in ten respondents (72%) agreed their families were open to bringing people into the businesses who were more skilled at running them than themselves. 

Of the 20% whose families did not want to recruit outsiders, the main reasons cited were losing an element of control and fears about differing interests causing conflicts. 

More than 70 senior stakeholders in the county’s family businesses took part in detailed telephone interviews for the research. 

The survey also revealed that family tensions within businesses are by no means a thing of the past. Almost half (44%) of the stakeholders who had taken over their companies from previous generations felt there had been difficulties or frustrations during the transitions.

50% of those who had experienced these issues said the reason was the unwillingness of their forebears to surrender control.   

Simon Pilling, a partner in Gordons’ corporate team, said: “Our starting point was a desire to provide stakeholders in family businesses with genuine insight into the opportunities and challenges they face, both today and, importantly, in the future.

"Significantly, there was also a genuine shared feeling of confidence about the future, which is encouraging for the regional and wider national economy.”  

Gordons acts for a large number of such enterprises, across a wide range of sectors, including Bradford-based motor group JCT600, Skipton headquartered civil engineers J N Bentley, Bingley-based global publisher Emerald Group, plus shoe manufacturers Pavers and temperature-controlled distribution specialists Reed Boardall, both of which have headquarters in York. 

Photo shows: James Fawcett, partner and head of corporate, Gordons; John Tordoff, chief executive of JCT 600; Mark Roberts, former chief executive of Andrew Page, Jonathan Turner, chief executive of the Bayford Group; Simon Pilling, partner, Gordons; John Ridings, a non-executive director at NG Bailey; and Martin Hasyn, partner, Gordons.

Sheffield-based SIV Training, which runs a range of courses for organisations and individuals, has launched at six new city centre venues.

Previously based at a centre in Norton, it now operates at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, the English Institute of Sport - Sheffield, iceSheffield, Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Concord Sports Centre and Springs Leisure Centre.

Courses include First Aid, Fire Safety Warden, Stress Awareness, Health and Safety in the Workplace, Risk Assessment and Customer Service.

Rachael Pyecroft, a trainer with SIV Training, said: “This expansion is part of the growing success of SIV Training.

“With fully qualified and experienced trainers, we aim to provide the best training experience for businesses and individuals, offering a wide range of courses to suit everyone.

“Our success has been built on an ethos of guiding organisations and individuals through the knowledge needed to pass a chosen course and also to feel comfortable using new skills within an external environment.“

According to a recent study, there has been a significant rise in graduate employment in the UK, highlighting how the graduate jobs market is continuing to change.

Research from the Higher Education Careers Services Unit shows that the jobs market is picking up for young people in Britain, as early graduate unemployment saw its biggest fall in 15 years in 2014. The research also reveals that prospects for graduates going into areas, hit severely by the recession, have improved significantly in the past year, with all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects experiencing lower unemployment rates.

IT consultancy BJSS is just one of the employers in the north of England offering a graduate recruitment programme and are looking for prospective candidates at the universities of Sheffield, Durham, Nottingham, Huddersfield, Leeds, Newcastle and York.

Stuart Bullock, Head of Client Services at BJSS and Member of its Board says, “We are delighted to be offering this new initiative to help graduates take their first steps on the career path and assist in maximising their skills in the workplace. Graduates will work on real project delivery, in a diverse, global environment.”

BJSS offers graduate opportunities to take their first steps towards a professional career within software development. The programme is open to graduates with a mathematics, science or computer science qualification. 

Bristol University graduate Guy Flavell has recently experienced the benefits of the programme first hand. “Since joining BJSS as a graduate in May, I’ve been given the chance to work on a wide range of challenging modules covering topics including concurrency, defensive programming and different testing techniques.

“The BJSS graduate programme has given me the opportunity to speak with my tutors and fellow graduates on a regular basis about research and the differences in how people approach a specific problem, or challenge.

“With expert guidance, I know that the training I’m receiving is an invaluable learning experience and I’m gathering new skills every day for my future career.”

Image source: flazingo_photos

London talent acquisition and management services specialist Alexander Mann Solutions has acquired of the consulting arm of Capability Jane, a diversity recruitment and flexible working consulting firm.

This acquisition is the first to be completed by Alexander Mann Solutions in 2015, and the second since it was acquired by US private equity fund, New Mountain Capital, in a £260 million deal in October 2013.

Founded by Sara Hill (CEO) in 2006, London-based Capability Jane is a specialist diversity recruitment, flexible working and job share consulting firm that helps organisations attract, engage and retain top female talent.

Sara Hill, along with members of her consulting team, has joined Alexander Mann Solutions as the head of Diversity Consulting.

Alexander Mann Solutions has acquired Capability Jane’s Consulting Practice which will be separated from Capability Jane’s Recruitment business.

Capability Jane recruitment, a boutique recruitment business that specialises in resourcing part-time and job share executives, will continue to operate outside of Alexander Mann Solutions.

Jeremy Tipper, director, consulting, innovation & solution sales of Alexander Mann Solutions, said: “The acquisition of Capability Jane is a clear sign of Alexander Mann Solutions’ commitment to providing our global clients with innovative talent solutions and more specifically, tangible outcomes to diversity initiatives across the whole of the talent lifecycle. We are passionate about the diversity and inclusion agenda. And with the integration of the Capability Jane Consulting business we are able to offer our clients embedded capabilities across all stages of total integrated talent acquisition and management."

Sara Hill, CEO of Capability Jane said:  “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to integrate our consulting capability into Alexander Mann Solutions as market leaders within the talent acquisition and management industry.”