A partnership between the University of Derby and Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd focused on developing nuclear skills and experts of the future has been recognised at a top industry awards ceremony. Together, the organisations scooped ‘Employer & Training Provider Partnership Award’ at the UK Nuclear Skills Awards 2023 at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester. The award recognises the strong partnership working between the two organisations, in particular the collaboration on the new Nuclear Skills Academy (NSA) in Derby, which opened its doors to 200 new apprentices in September 2022.Developed at pace, the Academy is the first of its kind and aims to sustain nuclear capability within the UK’s submarines programme by creating a dedicated pipeline of talent at the start of their careers. It is supported by other industry experts, including the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the National College for Nuclear and Derby City Council, ensuring apprentices have access to the best courses and mentors throughout their apprenticeship.The University has been instrumental in providing the nuclear apprenticeship pathways, and has worked to develop the facility and convert the building into classroom and digital learning spaces, along with industry-standard engineering workshops. Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby, said: “At Derby, we are committed to developing, training, empowering and supporting the next generation of game-changers, equipping them with the skills, experiences, resilience and curiosity to thrive and make a positive impact on the world.
“The Nuclear Skills Academy is a first of its kind, bringing together leading experts in industry and academia who are delivering skills for the future. We have a long-standing relationship with Rolls-Royce and are delighted that our approach to partnership working has been recognised through this award.” Lee Warren, Engineering & Technology Director at Rolls-Royce, and a former apprentice himself, said: “The launch and delivery of our Nuclear Skills Academy has been a truly collaborative effort from the start. Receiving this prestigious award, around a year after we announced our intentions to launch a dedicated centre for nuclear education, is a testament to the strength of our partnerships and the pace with which we’ve brought it to life.
“The expertise and support from the University of Derby, and other NSA partners, have been invaluable and this is another step on the way to cementing Derby as the home of nuclear excellence.”
Workplace consultants and office interior fit-out specialist Blueprint Interiors has announced a director promotion and the appointment of a new business development manager.
Andy Sawyer, who was previously contracts manager has been promoted to project director and Ben Dawson joins as a business development manager.
With over 25 years’ experience within the fit-out sector, Andy joined Blueprint Interiors in 2016 and will join the management board. He has previously worked with some of the leading global leisure and retail brands on demanding and high profile commercial fit-out projects.
Andy Sawyer said: “I am delighted that my loyalty and hard work has been rewarded with a promotion and I am looking forward to working with the management team to improve processes and nurture the skills of the fantastic team we have at here at Blueprint Interiors.
“The size of contracts we have been trusted to complete over recent years are testament to our commitment to helping employers create cultures centred around workplace well-being and designed to be used by their best asset – their people.”
Ben, who lives in Leicestershire, has over 20 years’ experience in the industry and studied architecture at De Montfort University. He began his career as an interior designer but gravitated towards business development in order to build on his passion for developing relationships and delivering tailored solutions.
Ben said: “I’m looking forward to promoting the company to my extensive network of contacts within the architectural and commercial property sectors as well wider business community. I was hugely impressed with the quality of case studies on the website and the glowing testimonials from some impressive clients.”
Operations director Rachel Biddles added: “We are enjoying an extensive period of growth as businesses realise they need advice from workplace consultants to discover how to create inspiring places where people are equipped with the tools to adapt to hybrid work styles.
“Andy joining the board will strengthen the management team and enable us to further improve contract processes and Ben’s expertise in business development will help us to continue winning work from the top employers in the Midlands.”
Small manufacturers have a vital role to play in shaping a strategy for UK industry – but they need a clear, consistent vision from Government first.
This was one of the key messages at the East Midlands Manufacturing and Trade Conference 2023, in which business, industry and academic leaders came together to discuss opportunities and challenges.
More than 170 people attended the summit, organised by East Midlands Chamber in partnership with East Midlands Airport, Geldards and Loughborough University, which hosted the event at its West Park Teaching Hub.
It was the latest initiative in the Chamber’s engagement programme to develop insights behind its regional economic blueprint, titled A Centre of Trading Excellence: A Business Manifesto for Growth in the East Midlands and Beyond, which was launched in Westminster last autumn.
The 12-page manifesto is led by “The Big Opportunity” for Government to further develop the region’s key assets – its industrial heritage, leading-edge universities, central location and the country’s largest pure freight airport – to establish a formula for economic growth across UK regions as part of priority national agendas such as levelling up and net zero.
Chris Hobson, director of policy and insight at East Midlands Chamber, said: “It’s always important to tap into the knowledge base of our region’s manufacturing leaders, who live and breathe the everyday reality of running a business in an industry that holds the key to unlocking future economic prosperity but is also experiencing a long list of challenges.
“One of the threads that ran through several discussions was the importance of having a consistent, shared vision between Government and business.
“Policy has changed direction far too often, including numerous industrial strategies in recent times, for companies that require a stable environment to breed the certainty which ultimately leads to long-term investment plans.
“When creating this vision, it’s vital that SMEs are at the heart of it in a bottom-up approach, while it must also be underpinned by targeted public investment. For businesses, the message is they should also be willing to play an active role in these discussions with our policymakers.”
Chesterfield’s Central Technology has been named as Veeam Software‘s Cloud Services Provider ‘Partner of the Year’ 2022.
Veeam Software is a global IT company which develops backup, disaster recovery and modern data protection software for virtual, cloud-native, SaaS, Kubernetes and physical workloads.
Central Technology MD Rob Longden said: “Winning the Veeam Cloud Services Provider Partner of the Year 2022 award is a proud moment for us, and we are grateful to our customers and partners for their support. “We believe that this recognition is a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional cloud services and to our vision of becoming a leading IT solutions provider in the United Kingdom and beyond.“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Veeam and delivering world-class cloud services to our customers for many years to come.”
As a partner-centric organisation, Veeam recognises partners that leveraged customer support and Veeam expertise to deliver Modern Data Protection in increasingly complex IT environments so that the most diverse workload types, data, and applications are protected.
Alex Walsh, Channel & Alliances Director UK&I at Veeam, said: “2022 added to the challenges businesses were already facing as they emerged from the global pandemic. Chief among them was the ever-present and rising incidence of ransomware attacks, that left only 24% of UK&I organisations unaffected. With secure, immutable backups the last line of defence against ransomware, protecting enterprise IT across all ecosystems is essential to keep businesses running.”
As a long-standing partner of Veeam, Central Technology offers clients Veeam-powered backup and recovery solutions. The firm’s cloud services are built on a foundation of innovation, reliability, and security, with a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and technical expertise.CT’s team of experts provides customers with 24/7 support and proactive monitoring, ensuring that their systems are always up and running. The firm’s customer-centric approach has helped it build long-term relationships with customers, resulting in high customer satisfaction and retention rates.
Central Technology supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
A warmhearted Northampton construction consultancy has donated 150 chocolate Easter eggs to a local hospice so that its patients can make new memories to treasure.
Bhangals Construction Consultants delivered a car boot full of the sweet treats to Cynthia Spencer Hospice last week. The chocolate will be used to create a fun-filled Easter egg hunt for patients and their families.
The Bhangals team also ensured there were enough Easter eggs for the hospice team too, spreading some cheer and appreciation.
Managing Director Parm Bhangal said: “It is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to bring these little gifts to the hospice and to their patients. We are very appreciative of the amazing work that Cynthia Spencer Hospice does in our community and we’re glad to be able to show our gratitude and support for such a worthy, wonderful cause.”
Nina Gandy, corporate partnerships fundraiser at the hospice, said: “Bhangals Construction Consultants have been kind enough to support with Easter eggs donations over the last few years and always consider not only patients and families but our hospice team too.
“We are delighted to be able to host an Easter afternoon and egg hunt for patients and their families to enjoy the eggs and create special memories together. The support we receive from local businesses like Bhangals Construction Consultants is really appreciated and vitally important to enable events like this to take place and make them really special, thank you so much for your continued support.”
More than 200 Boohoo warehouse workers at the firm’s warehouse in Crick, Northamptonshire, have lodged a collective grievance against the imposition of ‘unconscionable’ shift changes.
Unite, the union, said the workers are angry that the new shift patterns will leave the workforce having only one weekend off in every five. The new shift patterns will also leave workers with fragmented single days off, according to the union. Boohoo denies these claims.
The grievance was lodged after the company “refused to listen to workers’ concerns” during what was described by employees as a “sham” consultation process.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The shift patterns proposed for Boohoo’s Crick warehouse are completely unacceptable in a modern society. People are not machines and deserve to able to spend time with their families, rest and have a life outside of work.
“This is a serious step backwards for a company whose reputation was left in tatters over the terrible treatment of workers just a few years ago. Unite defends our members’ jobs, pay and conditions to the hilt and Boohoo’s Crick workforce will be receiving their union’s complete support in their fight against these unconscionable shift demands.”
In what will come as a further blow to Boohoo’s reputation, when the firm’s Crick workers began to organise to oppose the shift changes, they were reportedly asked by management to not join a union.
In December 2020, Boohoo was forced to cut ties with 64 garment manufacturers in the UK after it emerged exploited workers producing clothes sold by the brand were being paid as little as £3.50 an hour.
The company has since tightened its code of conduct for suppliers, including for workers to able to belong to a union without being subject to discrimination.
Unite regional officer Sean Kettle said: “Unite demands that Boohoo apply the same freedom for association and collective bargaining rights to their directly employed workers at Crick that they say they expect for the employees of their third-party garment producers and suppliers.
“Boohoo must allow Unite access to the Crick site to organise and represent workers to negotiate ethical and fair shift patterns.”
Approval has been granted by Charnwood Borough Council for the creation of 210 new homes in the Leicestershire town of Shepshed.
The development – known as Jubilee Rise – will be delivered by Persimmon Homes’ North Midlands team. Bringing a mix of new homes to the area, the community will help to meet local housing needs, with 20% of properties to be transferred to an affordable housing provider for rent and shared ownership.
As part of the wider site, millions will be pledged to support infrastructure delivery and ensure economic development. Featuring a number of proposed community benefits, the wider site will also bring a range of facilities to the local community, including £2.1m towards local education provision, £349,000 towards local highways and £114,000 towards local healthcare.
Particular attention has been given to the environmental and ecological credentials of the new community, which will bring a biodiversity net gain to the area. Specific measures implemented by the developer include on-site wildflower meadows, bat and bird boxes, and landscaping in keeping with the development’s surrounding green space.
Sean Barratt, technical director at Persimmon Homes North Midlands region, said: “We’re delighted to have received approval for our development at Shepshed and I want to thank Charnwood Borough Council for their support. Not only will the development deliver 210 quality new homes and a biodiversity net gain, it will also create local jobs as part of the construction and generate a significant investment in the local economy.
“We’re committed to creating vibrant, successful communities and supporting more local families in getting their dream homes. We’re looking forward to our new community taking shape over the course of 2023.”
Leicestershire-headquartered building materials supplier Aggregate Industries, a member of the Holcim Group, has acquired Sivyer Logistics, a handler of construction and demolition waste (CDW) materials to the London construction industry.
The acquisition will significantly strengthen Aggregate Industries’ position to become one of the leading providers of recycled construction and demolition waste materials in London, the largest circular economy market in the UK. It will also provide Aggregate Industries with further growth opportunities in other areas of the country.
With six facilities across the capital, Sivyer Logistics’ services include waste management, vehicle logistics, manufactured soils, primary and recycled aggregates and volumetric readymix concrete. Sivyer currently handles 1 million tonnes of waste materials per year, recovering over 450,000 tonnes through state of the art recycling and recovery processes.
Dragan Maksimovic, CEO of Aggregate Industries UK, said: “Sivyer Logistics is an impressive business that has multiple synergies with our own. This acquisition is positioning us at the forefront of circular construction, driving our ambition to build new from the old.
“We have an ambitious strategy to grow our CDW and circular economy operations by 2025, and the acquisition of Sivyer provides us with enhanced expertise, facilities and products as we continue to strive to become the UK’s leading supplier of sustainable construction materials and solutions.”
Simon Sivyer, Managing Director at Sivyer Logistics, said: “We have a long heritage going back to 1862, and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved as a business to date. We’re delighted to be beginning this next chapter of our story and are looking forward to continued growth in the London area and beyond with Aggregate Industries’ backing.”
Youngsters in the children’s ward at a Midlands hospital have enjoyed an egg-citing Easter surprise.
Leicestershire businessman Adrian Burr, chairman of Springbourne Homes, had the cracking idea of donating 30 Easter eggs.
Adrian hatched his egg-cellent plan to mark Springbourne’s 30th anniversary of building homes across Leicestershire and Warwickshire.
He said: “I want our landmark birthday celebrations to be a time when we give back to our local community.
“That’s why I’ve pledged that Springbourne will carry out 30 acts of kindness this year to celebrate our 30th anniversary.
“I know there’s never a good time to be in hospital but Easter must be tough, especially for the children.
“That’s why we wanted to bring in some eggs-tra treats to try to ensure those on the ward over the holidays were still able to join in the Easter celebrations.”
Sarah-Jayne Wetton, Ward Manager at Nuneaton’s George Eliot Hospital, certainly appreciated Springbourne’s kind gesture, saying: “A huge thank you to Adrian and Springbourne Homes for donating these Easter eggs.
“It’s a lovely gift for our young patients from Nuneaton, Bedworth and surrounding areas which is very much appreciated.”
Flex office provider Cubo has expanded its footprint in Nottingham with the acquisition of the former Nottingham General Hospital headquarters on Park Row in the city’s professional quarter.
Cubo has taken a new lease on the impressive Standard Court building, which is located on Standard Hill on the Royal Standard Place development, close to The Park Estate and the city centre.
Standard Court has had a long history and was originally the city’s main hospital before becoming the headquarters of the Nottingham City Primary Care Trust. It has been vacant since 2018.
The new Cubo features 50,000 sq ft of office accommodation arranged over four floors, with 630 desks available. It also boasts elevated views over the south of the city.
As well as the regular Cubo member benefits, Standard Hill will offer a full wellness centre, including gym and spa. It also has a secure car park with 44 spaces.
The new site will complement the accommodation already available at the Cubo workspace at Fenchurch House on King Street, which opened in 2020.
The 20,000 sq ft building, which is currently at maximum occupancy, houses 41 businesses, with more than 360 members from across a broad range of sectors.
The acquisition of Standard Court forms part of the company’s strategic growth plans and takes the number of sites across the Midlands and South Yorkshire to six. New sites will be opening by the end of Q2 2023 in Edinburgh and Manchester, alongside an additional site in Birmingham, with other locations to be announced shortly.
Founded by property investors Marc and Becky Brough, Cubo provides SMEs and tech companies with an experience-led lifestyle offer to meet the changing needs of businesses – from hot desking to a designated desk, private office, or entire floor, all available on flexible terms.
Member benefits include large communal spaces, private areas, break-out spaces, kitchens, an inclusive barista service with beer on tap, along with a programme of free networking events. Cubo members can also take advantage of an experienced front of house team.
Commenting on the acquisition of Standard Court, Marc Brough, Managing Director at Cubo, said: “This is going to be the most incredible workspace and office building in Nottingham and will also be the largest workspace in the Cubo portfolio.
“The acquisition of a second Nottingham site underlines our strategy of building a national presence of flexible working spaces for Millennial and Generation Z-led SMEs and corporate clients.
“Standard Court is an outstanding building. We’re certain that businesses and entrepreneurs will come to the building because of its unbeatable location, local amenities and the sheer quality of the space. It is a place with a real presence on the city’s skyline.
“We have already had expressions of interest in the accommodation and we will be announcing pre-lets in the coming weeks.”
Hull-headquartered Kexgill Group, one of the largest private owners of student houses and halls in the UK, has completed the multi-million purchase of Raleigh House, located close to Nottingham Trent University City Centre Campus.
Raleigh House provides over 20,000 sq ft of floor space, which Kexgill will convert into a new 57-bed cluster scheme. The development will form part of the group’s University Quarter brand and strengthens its existing student accommodation portfolio in Nottingham.
Kexgill’s legal advice was led by Helen Mellors, property partner at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, supported by partners Fiona Phillips (corporate), who provided advice on VAT, and Nick Dean (property litigation), who advised across a range of non-contentious issues.
The purchase of Raleigh House follows an exceptionally busy period for Kexgill, which most recently saw the award-winning group refinance 55 residential student units at various locations across the UK via a £25 million facility provided by InterBay Bank.
Richard Stott, managing director of the Kexgill Group, said: “Andrew Jackson continues to ensure that our best interests are looked after in what are often complex transactions.
“This latest purchase required careful negotiation over a lengthy period of time and I am delighted that Helen and the Andrew Jackson team were able to help us achieve preferred developer status for Raleigh House. We are now looking forward to ensuring that the premises receive the Kexgill treatment as we add to our existing portfolio of high quality, affordable student accommodation in Nottingham.”
Helen Mellors added: “Kexgill is a long standing client and we are particularly delighted to have assisted Richard and his team on the group’s latest transaction, and to support their continued growth in the student accommodation sector.”
Jamie Dial, of Derby-based Specialist Contractor Cawarden, has been presented with an award by the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC).
The NFDC announced the winners and highly commended nominees for the 2023 awards at the annual luncheon – held on Friday 24th March at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
Jamie was presented with the CITB-sponsored ‘Demolition Operative of the Year’ award by NFDC’s CEO, Howard Button.
In recognition of his enthusiasm, hard work, and willingness to learn and progress, Jamie, 22, won the award. Jamie was over the moon to receive his award on stage.
When Cawarden first met Jamie, he was living in YMCA accommodation in Derby. Jamie had a tough start in life but he hasn’t let that hold him back.
The NFDC Demolition Awards recognises and celebrates the very best in the demolition sector today.
To receive an award from the Federation, which is known for championing high standards in demolition for more than 80 years, is a prestigious accolade indeed.
Jamie Dial, demolition operative, said: “I have proved myself wrong and I am proud of what I have achieved so far and the confidence and motivation I have acquired through my work at Cawarden. I’m excited about the future and would like to thank everyone who has supported me.”
William Crooks, Managing Director, said: “Jamie is a shining star, and I’m excited to watch him grow as a person and gain a lifetime of skills at Cawarden. The progress he has made in such a short time makes us very proud. Through his story, I hope Jamie helps to inspire others to join us and shape the future of next-generation demolition talent.”
Find out more about Jamie’s demolition journey so far via his Q&A.
Company secretarial business Bruce Wallace Associates is joining East Midlands full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau as part of a shared growth strategy.
The union will see Bruce Wallace Associates’ team of five, including its directors Susan Wallace and Martha Bruce, take on the Shakespeare Martineau brand – bringing the team to more than 13.
Bruce and Wallace are both Fellows of the Chartered Governance Institute and are regarded as experts in their field. They provide complex advice and support to AIM and main market-listed companies, as well as FCA-regulated and groups of companies. They also regularly contribute to a number of company secretarial and governance technical publications.
Also moving to Shakespeare Martineau – which has hubs in Nottingham, Leicester and Lincoln – are Chloe Higgins and Susan Tudor-Coulson, both associates of the CGI, and Hollie Watkins, who is responsible for the compliance and statutory filing obligations for clients.
Susan Wallace said: “Martha and I believe this is an excellent move for us and our clients, who will benefit from continuity of service and the 1,200-strong team of experts available across Shakespeare Martineau and the Ampa group. We are keen to grow our team and client base, and the infrastructure Shakespeare Martineau offers will enable us to do just that.
“We were also attracted to Shakespeare Martineau’s empowered working principles – focussed on delivery and service instead of strict working hours, which is hugely important to our team. Martha and I set up Bruce Wallace Associates in 2012 from our homes and we have continued to work remotely and build a team of professional staff to support us.”
Ben Harber, head of CoSec at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “We are thrilled to have Bruce Wallace Associates joining our team; not only do they have an impeccable reputation, excellent networks and share multiple service synergies with us, but they also share our values and ethos to provide the highest standard of company secretarial and corporate governance advisory services to their clients.”
The CoSec team at Shakespeare Martineau provides specialist corporate governance advice and company secretarial services to public companies listed on AIM, AQSE and the main market as well as several large private groups. In financial year 21/22, the team achieved 25% organic growth, with a similar trajectory for this financial year and ambitious targets for 23/24.
Derby City Council’s Access, Equality and Inclusion Hub is calling on businesses such as shops, pubs, hairdressers and restaurants to make sure assistance dogs are let onto their premises, or risk breaking the law.
Kirsten Roberts, a visually impaired person who uses a guide dog, contacted the Council’s Lead on Equality and Diversity after being told that she could not bring her guide dog into a shop as dogs were not allowed. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time Kirsten has experienced this and as a result, the Council’s Access, Equality and Inclusion Hub are reminding all businesses that they must not stop assistance dogs from entering their premises.
Kirsten said: “My guide dog allows me to get around. I can go shopping, go to work, and socialise with her by my side to guide me where I need to go. It’s important that places like shops allow all assistance dogs, such as guide dogs so that disabled people have the same access to shopping as non-disabled people. My dog is clean and extremely well trained and allowed in places where pet dogs are not. It can be frustrating and detrimental to my quality of life not to be allowed to enter somewhere because I have an assistance dog by my side. I want to go to shops, get a taxi, and eat in a restaurant without the fear of being challenged or refused, just like non-disabled people can.”
Dale Durrant, a member of the Access, Equality and Diversity Hub said: “As soon as we heard about Kirsten’s experience at her local shop, we wanted to help her. I’m also a visually impaired person and when things happen like this it’s very distressing, especially when it goes against the Equality Act.
A Derby City Council spokesperson said: “It’s very disappointing to hear that disabled people in our city are continuing to experience disability discrimination because they have an assistance dog. We are asking all businesses to read the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidance about making sure that no disabled people who rely on assistance dogs are being discriminated against. Business owners must make sure that all their employees are also aware of the guidance.”
Thousands of disabled people rely on an assistance dog to help them with daily activities, such as going to the shops. Assistance dogs all undergo rigorous training meaning that they remain close to their owner and will not wander around freely. Most assistance dogs wear a harness or a jacket to make it clear that they are working dogs, however this is not a legal requirement.
Assistance dogs are not only available to support visually impaired people, but also Deaf people (hearing dogs) and those with other impairments such as epilepsy, diabetes, and mobility impairments. When an assistance dog is refused entry to a public place, their owner is prevented from accessing goods or services in a way that non-disabled people can, causing discrimination which is illegal under the Equality Act 2010.
Motorpoint Group, the independent omnichannel vehicle retailer, has hailed a record year for revenue.
In an update on the Derby-based firm’s trading performance for the year ended 31 March 2023, the business indicated revenue of almost £1.44bn, up 9% and helped by vehicle mix and price inflation.
Profit before tax, meanwhile, is expected to broadly break even.
Mark Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer of Motorpoint Group PLC, said: “Whilst the impact of higher interest rates and inflation will continue into FY24, new car registrations rose 18% in March, with the fleet market driving this eighth consecutive month of growth, which will in turn benefit used vehicle supply.
“This, coupled with continued market share gains and progress on our key initiatives, will enable Motorpoint to emerge from the current environment a highly profitable market leader.”
The news follows Motorpoint’s appointment of Tom Tang as chief technology officer in March. Tom has over 20 years of experience in technology leadership and has led technology organisations with his recent roles as CIO, Alliant Energy, CTO – Customer Experience, Sainsbury’s and CIO, Argos. Tom is an advocate of the benefits of AI capabilities which benefit the customer and employee, advancing the goals of the business.
East Midlands contract cleaning company, Lindsay Phillips Property Care (LPPC), has been sold to Birmingham-based Hygiene Group.
Set up in 2012 by husband and wife team, Lindsay and Emma Phillips, LPPC has grown rapidly and has large commercial contracts across Derbyshire and neighbouring East Midlands.
LPPC were advised on the sale by Mark Tuckwell, Shaf Bheda and Chris Matthews of Magma Corporate Finance, acting as lead advisors, with supporting tax advice provided by Magma’s Jon Kicks. Freya Summers at Wright Hassall Solicitors led the legal advisory team.
Emma Phillips said: “We are excited about joining a prominent organisation, with a like-minded approach, like Hygiene Group and excited about the positive impact this will have for our staff and customers.
“The transition has been a really emotional one for us, as we have built the business with heart and soul for such a long time.”
Chris Matthews added: “It’s been a pleasure supporting Lindsay, Emma and the team and we look forward to hearing of their continued success within the Hygiene Group family.”
A Race Night, organised by local charity Safe and Sound, romped home above target – raising more than £4,000 to enable the charity to support more children and young people across Derbyshire who are victims of or at risk of child exploitation.
More than 130 people attended the event at Nicco restaurant and bar in Pride Park including the Mayor of Derby Cllr Robin Wood and representatives from a wide range of local businesses.
Race sponsors included Loates HR Consultancy, Wathall’s, Timms solicitors, Cosy, HUUB, Colleague Box, Logic Barn and JJPR.
EVAD, Invictus Communications and Derby Daybreak Rotary Club each sponsored and specially designed cocktails for the evening and other sponsors included Melbourne Print who supplied the race programme, MiniAperture Photography who offered individual headshots during the evening and Derby LIVE who provided technical support.
Safe and Sound CEO Tracy Harrison, who was compere for the evening dressed as a jockey, said: “This is one of our major annual fundraising events and we are grateful for the support, once again, of the Derby business community.
“Thanks to sponsorship and the support of Nicco, we were able to plough the money raised on the night directly into the charity which will now be used directly on our support programmes for children, young people and families whose lives are affected by child exploitation.
“Demand for our support grows year on year and it is heartening that so many individuals and businesses recognise the value of work in local communities to protect and support those vulnerable to exploitation.”
Last year, Safe and Sound supported a record 343 children and young people aged eight and above who had been victims of or at risk of child exploitation including online grooming sexual exploitation, County Lines, trafficking, modern slavery and radicalisation. The charity also supported 40 families whose lives had been affected by exploitation.
After suffering a series of knocks over the past three years, East Midlands businesses are finally optimistic about what 2023 could bring, according to new research into the state of the region’s economy.
Uncertainty has been replaced with confidence, there has been a turnaround in sales and companies are now expecting to employ more people once again, East Midlands Chamber’s latest study illustrates. Economic indicators covered by the business representation group’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), which is delivered in partnership with the University of Leicester School of Business, have been largely negative since the end of 2021, but they are all now heading in the right direction during the first quarter of 2023.
East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson said: “Following an uncertain end to 2022, these latest findings demonstrate how businesses are beginning 2023 by displaying signs of growth and an increasing confidence for the year ahead.
“Sales and advanced orders are steadily growing, cashflow is improving – although there are still significantly more businesses reporting a decline in cashflow (35%) as opposed to an increase (22%) – and price pressures continue their gradual drop-off.
“The relative certainty in the policy environment, at least compared to the constant flip-flopping that came before, is now leading to a significant upturn in business confidence and, therefore, investment intentions, which are crucial if we are to steer the economy back on track and achieve consistent growth.
“While the region’s unemployment rate has been at historically low levels in recent times, our research had shown a decline in employers recruiting – mainly due to an extremely tight labour market driven by escalating numbers of economically inactive people since the dawn of the pandemic combined with longstanding skills shortages.
“So it’s pleasing to see a positive swing, with a 7% increase in the proportion of businesses recruiting in the past three months and a 14% improvement in those expecting to add to their workforce before the summer, as this generates jobs and prosperity locally.
“While all this paints a far healthier picture than at the end of 2022, caution is required as many of these indicators are still down from where we were a year ago.
“We are moving slowly in the right direction but Government support is still required to ‘get the basics right’ by knocking down the everyday barriers to doing business, and then backing our firms to grow the economy by focusing on the ‘four Is’ – investment, innovation, infrastructure and international trade – all of which is laid out in our Business Manifesto for Growth.”
East Midlands Chamber QES Q1 2023 data
Key findings from the Quarterly Economic Survey Q1 2023 for the East Midlands, which was completed by 347 organisations between 13 February and 9 March, included:
· UK sales grew by a net 1% between Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, with UK advanced orders up by 15%. Overseas sales and advanced orders were both up by 6% quarter on quarter
· A net 12% of businesses added to their headcount in the first three months of 2023, marking a 7% increase compared to the previous quarter, while a net 30% of firms expect to recruit new staff in the next three months – a 14% increase
· Recruitment problems persist but are dropping off gradually – six in 10 (59%) businesses attempted to recruit in Q1 2023 and, of those, 73% faced problems filling roles, but this was down from 81% in Q4 2022
· A net 52% of businesses expect they will be forced to raise prices as they grapple with rising costs for people, energy, raw materials and fuel – although this is down from 57% in the previous quarter
· While a net 13% of firms reported a decrease in cashflow, there was a 4% positive swing
· Investment intentions are now trending upwards, with a 12% increase quarter on quarter in the net proportion of firms saying they will invest in training and a 6% rise for investing in plant and machinery
· Business confidence is now in positive territory, with a net 39% optimistic about growing turnover over the coming year – a 15% rise compared to last quarter – and a net 8% (up by 11%) expecting to improve profitability.
Professor Mohamed Shaban, associate dean for business and civic engagement at the University of Leicester School of Business, said: “The survey results are yet another testament to the resilience of businesses in the East Midlands.
“Despite the challenges in the past few years, businesses have successfully navigated their way through the uncertain domestic and global economic environment.
“Businesses have endured credit tightening, an inflationary environment, supply chain disruptions and skilled labour shortages, which have collectively hindered the possibilities for growth.
“New initiatives are required to support businesses to invest in technologies that help them achieve higher levels of automation, nudge them towards net zero goals and empower them to invest in upskilling employees.”
Derby-based Ascentant Accountancy have moved office to double the amount of space available as the firm continues to grow.
Ascentant Accountancy have moved to Ivygrove property Keynes House on Alfreton Road to accommodate the growth of its team as its headcount continues to increase.
The new space allows the firm to provide free hot desking to clients, an incubator space for startup businesses and dedicated conference room facilities for client roundtables and networking events.
Immediately following the move, Ascentant Accountancy have recruited new legal cashier, Su Churm, from Rothera Sharp, and a new apprentice, Thomas Finnegan via local provider, EMA Training.
Managing Director, Kevin Drew said: “The move has really enabled us to facilitate our growth plans as we can build out new client offerings, grow our headcount and build a community around our business.
“We quite literally ran out of space in our prior office, which impacted our ability to recruit and our ability to grow. We can now really focus on moving forward and have a number of new hires in the pipeline. The last 12 months have seen rapid growth at the business, record turnover and a churn of new client engagements.”
A competition to design a major social housing scheme in Mansfield’s White Hart Street area has resulted in a shortlist of five entries being invited to go through the next stage.
There were a total of 37 entries for the competition which is being managed by The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) on behalf of Mansfield District Council.
Mike Robinson, Strategic Director at the council, said: “There was a very high level of interest from architectural practices nationally and internationally and we are confident this will lead to a high quality scheme.”
The five shortlisted practices now have to develop a concept design for the site to be submitted by the end of May. These submissions will then be assessed by the evaluation panel to select the winning practice.
Whoever wins will work with the council subject to the approval of a business case for the scheme.
White Hart Street is an important area close to the town centre which has been run-down and largely derelict for many years.
The council is seeking a scheme that will address the challenges of climate change, provides affordable high quality homes for people of all ages and respects the architectural heritage of the site which is within the Bridge Street conservation area.
The council purchased land in this area last year (2022) in order to facilitate its regeneration. Redevelopment of this area would strongly align with the council’s Growth, Aspiration, Wellbeing and Place priorities.
Full Council approved a £16.5m budget to build new council homes on this brownfield site in 2019. Architects entering the competition currently have a £14m budget for the scheme although this may increase subject to a successful bid for grant funding.
The properties are expected to be a mix of housing types, including family houses and apartments for older people, and built to the Future Homes Standard to save energy for residents, in line with the council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan. They would be added to the council’s stock of affordable homes.
The firm winning the competition will progress the design for planning permission, subject to approval by the Full Council of the business case which is expected in early 2024.
If approved, a planning application will be submitted and if that is approved, demolition work could start around October 2024 and building work in February 2025.
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