Gardening business digs in with good practice
While Oliver Lockwood was on furlough in 2020 the seed of an idea began to formulate for his future. Having always loved gardening could he go from a corporate marketing job to being someone who turns up in a van, sits on a bucket to eat lunch and looks after someone else’s garden? After working on a family garden, the answer came back as a huge yes!
Oliver started Stonebridge Garden Services in September of that year providing lawn care and garden maintenance to residential customers in Leicestershire. Growth has been rapid as the team expands, including his wife Gemma. It is seeing more than 50% of its income from repeat business with new work largely coming via referrals from existing customers.
A meeting with his accountant led to the topic of grant funding and Oliver was referred to the Business Gateway Growth Hub and Business Adviser, Aruna Bhagwan.
Over the last year, Oliver and Gemma have had several meetings with Aruna and also attended workshops on applying for grant funding and HR through the Business Gateway. Oliver said: “We’ve been willing to spend money on training but as a start-up, it’s vital for us to take advantage of everything free. The concern I have when you look around at other things is the quality.
“Aruna signposted quality, free training and advice. Above anything else, that’s the thing we’ve been very confident about. Everything that comes via the Business Gateway has come with almost a quality badge attached because it’s been very good.”
Stonebridge aims to be a sustainable business. It has changed a lot of its gardening kit to electric and installed an electric charging point for vans. It was Aruna who introduced them to the VegVan Community Farm, another Business Gateway client, enabling them to divert green waste from landfill to the farm where they can use it.
Business Adviser, Aruna Bhagwan said: “Oliver’s passion and enthusiasm for the business is infectious. They’ve really worked on setting something up which will benefit their people and their customers. I’ve been able to guide them with their strategy and signpost them to other resources, which is a key strength of the Growth Hub. They’ve also adjusted their approach to grant applications, taking advice on board from our conversations and courses attended. Stonebridge is definitely one to watch.”
One thing that did leave a lasting impression on Oliver from his last job at Ibstock PLC was the impact a social conscience and vision could have and how you can use business to do good. Oliver explained: “It’s rare gardening companies are set up to succeed and look after their customers or look after staff through salaries or holiday pay. Fundamentally, we identified gardening as an area we had a passion for and one that would get us close to people who really needed our help.”
“We’re finding more and more people who are caring for older relatives with dementia or other illnesses. We have eight staff, all the kit we need and a scheduling system second to none that family members can use to see payments and schedules.”
Social responsibility also applies to those working for the business. Oliver continued: “When you find people and you can give them a safe space to work, they feel both respected and appreciated. If they do specific tasks very well it allows them to grow with those tasks. If they love certain jobs why would I get someone else to do them?
“This not only opens up opportunities for them but us too as we optimise our workforce and add specialisms where appropriate. We need to stop using words like disabilities because when we hire people, they might not be able to do everything, but if they can do the things we want them to do well, where’s the disability?”
Oliver has ADHD which he says was more of a challenge whilst at school than now. He feels that it’s a benefit far more than a negative. Therefore, he is keen to bring out people’s strengths rather than focus on labels.
Oliver plans to have, at any given point in time, at least 25% of their hours operated by people with learning difficulties or disabilities. He also wants to diversify his team to include more women and people from different ethnicities and backgrounds. But Oliver emphasises that every single decision has been made to have a commercial upside.
“It costs a lot of money to bring someone onboard and there’s all that uncertainty. So when you’ve got someone you can dedicate to certain tasks, like mowing, and they are happy to do that, they are in a comfortable environment and you look after them, they are going to stick with you – hopefully for a long time. So you don’t have to worry about onboarding new people or staff turnover.”
Rishi Sunak to become Prime Minister
As Penny Mordaunt fails to reach the necessary 100 backers to become PM, and with Sir Graham Brady perhaps unintentionally casting doubt on Boris Johnson’s claims by saying that Rishi Sunak was the “only” candidate to earn 100 backers, the decision of the next Prime Minister of the UK has been decided. This marks the second PM unelected by the people, and the third this year, and is likely to lead to a very divided reception from the public.
Businesses in the region, however, will be hoping for swift and decisive action to bring back some modicum of stability.
East Midlands law firm rewards team with a number of promotions
Nottingham law firm Nelsons has promoted eight employees within several of its departments.
Chartered financial planner Zoe Till has been promoted to investment director, while Gemma Hopper, Sarah Gregory, Emily Rose, Katy Swinbourne and Ella Sheppard have been promoted to senior associate. Additionally, Paula Haverkamp has been promoted to associate and litigation executive and Sophie-Laura Noble to senior marketing executive – collectively these eight women have worked at Nelsons for more than 46 years.
Investment management specialist Zoe, who has 19 years’ experience in the financial services industry, joined Nelsons in 2018. She said: “In the four years since I joined the firm, Nelsons has continued to grow and adapt in response to the changing needs of our clients. We are a truly motivated team that provides comprehensive, high-quality advice and expertise that empowers the clients, trustees and attorneys that we work with.
“My main priority moving forwards is to continue to bolster our profile in the region and beyond.”
The promotion comes after a successful year for Zoe, which saw her make it to the final eleven in the ‘Financial Adviser of the Year – Midlands and East Anglia’ category at the Women in Financial Advice Awards.
Meanwhile, Gemma joined Nelsons’ Court of Protection team in 2019, after qualifying as a solicitor with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) in 2016, to specialise in powers of attorney and deputyship appointments. Gemma has recently been awarded the Solicitors for the Elderly Full Accredited Membership for her work in advising on older client law.
Sarah, who joined the corporate team last year, specialises in acquisitions, mergers and disposals, while Emily, who joined Nelsons in 2014 before qualifying in 2018, advises on medical negligence cases and inquests.
In the family department, Katy, who joined the firm in 2020, advises on children law matters, including adoption and care proceedings, whereas employment specialist Ella advises businesses and individuals on a wide range employment law and HR matters. She joined Nelsons in 2015 and qualified as a solicitor four years later.
Paula has been advising on landlord and tenant issues as well as property disputes at Nelsons since 2001 and Sophie-Laura, who joined in 2019, is an integral part of the firm’s marketing team.
Stewart Vandermark, chief executive at Nelsons, said: “Zoe, Gemma, Sarah, Emily, Katy, Ella, Paula and Sophie-Laura have all shown great dedication in their respective areas of expertise. The fact we have so many people being promoted in Nottingham is a testament to all their hard work and I’d like to congratulate everyone on their promotions.”
Over £200m to be pumped into battery research and innovation
The UK’s world-leading manufacturing industries will be boosted thanks to £211 million in new government funding for battery research and innovation, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg confirmed today.
The record funding uplift will be delivered through the Faraday Battery Challenge, which began in 2017 and supports world-class scientific technology development and manufacturing scale-up capability for batteries in the UK. It will help to seize on opportunities for private investment and economic growth in industries where powerful, fast charging batteries will be essential – such as domestic energy storage and electric vehicles.
The funding, from last year’s settlement, will be delivered between 2022 and 2025 by UK Research and Innovation with support from the Faraday Institution, Innovate UK and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.
It’s claimed it will help the sector deliver 100,000 jobs in battery gigafactories and the battery supply chain by 2040. Supporting the scale-up of these technologies and unlocking further private investment supports the sustainable growth of the economy, which will boost tax revenues and put public services on a more secure footing for the longer term, helping improve life for people across the UK.
Speaking on a visit to the £130 million UKBIC, the UK’s centre of excellence in battery manufacturing, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “Safe and powerful batteries are central to our plans to grow the industries of the future. From our world leading renewables industry, to our growing electric vehicle sector, secure supplies of batteries are key to delivering jobs and prosperity.
“The Faraday Battery Challenge has brought the UK’s greatest minds and best facilities together to develop the innovations that will help us achieve this goal. The work it has done since 2017 has laid the groundwork for our future economic success and I am pleased to confirm this work will continue, supported by record funding.”
Greater Lincolnshire pumps £1.6m into training to tackle labour shortages
Extra training is being provided for HGV drivers and food production is becoming more automated thanks to funding worth more than £1.6 million from the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Five projects have received funding totalling £1,649,788 from the Greater Lincolnshire Labour Market Support Fund to help address labour market challenges in the area.
The projects are: Greater Lincolnshire LGV Driving Academy (MODAL Training Centre, Immingham; £286,275); Drive 2 Work (Lincoln College and Stamford College; £747,343); Professional Driver Development Programme (Boston College; £265,284); Production Line Automation (Worldwide Fruit, Spalding £150,886); and Business Capacity Development for Best Practice Recruitment and Development (SkillsReach, Lincoln; £200,000).
Job vacancies across Greater Lincolnshire are at an all-time high, but employers across all sectors are experiencing labour shortages caused by the combined impact of the pandemic, a reduction in migrant labour from EU, and a desire for a better work-life balance.
Clare Hughes, Skills and Employment Executive Manager at the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “Many of our businesses are experiencing a perfect storm of adverse conditions which together are making it extremely difficult to recruit and retain high-quality employees.
“The Greater Lincolnshire Labour Market Support Fund was created to address these challenges, and we’re very pleased to have agreed grant support for five projects which we’re confident will make a big difference.
“We look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition, and we would encourage other businesses to contact us for support and advice if they are experiencing difficulties recruiting and retaining staff in this challenging period.”
New College Head of Year crowned at BBC Radio Leicester’s Make a Difference Awards
Nominated by colleagues, students and parents, the recognition comes as a result of Bernie’s tireless work during the pandemic. Providing support to students and their families during challenging times, Bernie went above and beyond her call of duty to help others.
Keen to ensure students did not miss out on their education during lockdown, Bernie – an unsung hero of the education sector – took to the road to deliver work packs to those who needed them, at the same time providing a friendly face to the school’s families that were stuck in isolation.
But missed education was not the only fire she was fighting; 55% of New College’s students are entitled to free school meals, so when the Government were unable to fulfil their free school meal voucher scheme, there was great concern for the families that relied on this support. Taking it upon herself to lessen the burden, Bernie developed a local voucher scheme which ensured that New College families could access nutritional food while the school was closed.
She was also at the forefront of on-site Covid testing, busy organising and managing the students on to site for their test and then safely off again to await their results.
Speaking on the accolade, Jane Brown, Principal at New College, said: “Bernie is already a local hero in that she lives locally and is extremely community minded. Always putting other people first, Bernie has New College Leicester and New Parks running through her veins.
“During the pandemic, she was a constant force for good and consistently went out of her way to help. No matter what she was asked to do, or took it upon herself to do, she always did it with a smile on her face – because the children come first.”
Bernie Walker said: “I feel truly honoured to have won this award. My only aim is to help people within the New College community, and being thanked in this way is something I will remember forever. Thank you to everybody who took the time to nominate me and to those who make the work I do even more enjoyable.”
BBC Radio Leicester’s Make a Difference Awards celebrate people who go above and beyond to make a difference in their local community. A chance to say ‘thank you’ and show recognition and appreciation for people who love to make life better for others, local people are celebrated across eight key categories with winners selected by a panel of judges. Awards given in each category across all local BBC radio stations.
£34m Investment in Zero-Emission Electric Bus Fleet
Nottingham’s historic Trent Bridge Bus Garage, once home to horse drawn trams, now has a new Zero Carbon future as Nottingham City Transport orders its first electric single deck buses and appoints Zenobē Energy as the delivery partner for the electrification of 78 buses!
As the delivery partner on the project, Zenobē, a leading EV fleet and battery storage specialist, will supply the charging infrastructure to Trent Bridge Bus Garage, which housed horse-drawn and electric trams back when it opened in 1901. It will draw on its extensive experience working with 90% of the major bus companies in the UK, providing the charging infrastructure for the site, as well as managing construction, delivery and implementation of its charging software, working to optimise the fleet and run an efficient service for the operator. The infrastructure will allow NCT to extend the electric fleet in future, aligned with the operator’s net-zero ambitions.
Pelican Bus & Coach will deliver the first 12 fully zero-emission electric buses to join the NCT fleet, which are expected to enter service in late 2023.
The vehicles are manufactured by Yutong, who are the largest bus and coach manufacturer in the world, with over 133,000 zero emission vehicles delivered to date and 32 billion kilometres of tried, tested and proven operating experience.
These 12.2m buses will be fully accessible, feature full electric air-conditioning, provide a quiet travelling experience with no engine vibration or noise and have free Wi-Fi and USB charging points on board.
Liam O’Brien, NCT’s Head of Engineering said, “Following a rigorous public procurement process and operational trials of several electric buses, Yutong Bus & Coach and Zenobē were a clear winner to deliver our first electric buses. The buses are superior in terms of space and comfort for passengers and have air conditioning as standard. With the software and charging service provided by Zenobē, the buses can do a full days’ operation on a single, overnight, charge, which is essential for ensuring we can keep them all on the road throughout the day, providing a better, cleaner service for our customers”.
Ian Downie, Head of Yutong UK at Pelican Bus and Coach said, “We are absolutely delighted and honoured to have been awarded this contract to work in partnership with NCT. The vehicles will be fully completed at our family owned dealership in Castleford, and we look forward to supporting Nottingham on their zero emission journey”.
Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Parks, Councillor Audra Wynter, said: “These new state of the art electric buses are fantastic news for Nottingham. Getting more people using greener public transport is a key part in tackling the twin emergencies of toxic air pollution and climate breakdown. These electric buses will help Nottingham to reach our carbon neutral 2028 goals while getting people around the city quickly and easily as part of our award-winning bus network.”
Steven Meersman, Co-Founder and Director at Zenobē said “We’re thrilled to be delivering our first infrastructure in Nottingham and to be working in collaboration with Nottingham City Transport. We know that bringing 78 buses to the local area will have a huge impact on emissions and bring the City of Nottingham closer to its ambition of being carbon neutral by 2028. We are proud to be a part of this project. Working across the public and private sector is essential to scaling emissions faster, and we’re looking forward to delivering a greener service to the city”.
When NCT’s electric bus project is fully delivered, 3,800 tonnes of CO2e will be saved each and every year. Over the lifetime of the buses, they will also make a significant contribution to wider efforts to improve air quality, with an estimated 31 tonnes of harmful NOx and 777kg of PM2.5 removed from the atmosphere.
This £34m project is being supported with £15.2m from the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) Fund.
Building a career to be proud of! Leicester 22-year-old is first to complete housebuilder degree in the region
A newly qualified graduate is celebrating after being the first to complete a degree with a local housebuilder.
22-year-old Beth Salisbury, from Leicestershire, is the first person in the East Midlands to complete Redrow’s sponsored degree programme.
Fully funded by Redrow, the degree programme launched in 2017 in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University and teaches participants the skills needed to work in a range of departments at Redrow, over a three-year period. The first dedicated degree of its kind, students split their time between studying and working in one of the developers’ divisions across England and Wales.
The Construction Management in Housebuilding degree is designed for those looking to kickstart their career, working alongside the housebuilder’s most experienced employees while studying for a qualification.
Beth graduated earlier this year with a First Class Honours in her Construction Management in Housebuilding degree, she now works as a quantity surveyor in the East Midlands division.
Beth said: “I wanted to go into the property industry as a lot of my family work within the housebuilding sector, making it a trade which I was heavily exposed to as a child.
“My dad works for a leading supplier of facing bricks, dealing with some of the country’s major housebuilders, so from a very early age I had an interest in his role, as well as house building in general. During my school years I had an avid curiosity for business and economics, so becoming a quantity surveyor fit these passions all together perfectly.”
Commenting on the qualities required to be a successful graduate at Redrow, Beth added: “While the opportunity to complete a degree alongside working full time is unparalleled, it comes with its obstacles. Time management, perseverance and dedication are probably the three most important qualities needed when it comes to completing the degree while also making progress within your career.
“For anyone who has the drive and determination to climb the career ladder while also gaining a highly valued qualification, the opportunity is second to none. I couldn’t recommend the degree scheme enough.
“For anyone considering a Redrow sponsored degree programme, I would say go for it! It’s not often the chance comes around to work for such a reputable company, gaining valuable experience to progress in your career, surrounded by colleagues with years of experience to learn from, while also gaining an extremely well-regarded qualification.”
James Corden, Head of Commercial, at Redrow East Midlands, concluded: “We are delighted that Beth has graduated with flying colours from the Redrow sponsored degree programme here in the East Midlands.
“Each year – as part of our continued commitment to valuing people – we provide opportunities for young people in the area to kickstart a career in housebuilding. From work experience and apprenticeships to sponsored degrees and graduate programmes, here at Redrow East Midlands we offer something for everyone.
“I’m delighted that Beth is now working in our Commercial team as a quantity surveyor and I look forward to working with her throughout her career with us. It’s wonderful to have witnessed so many success stories, including Beth, who never ceases to amaze us with her hard work and willingness to learn. I’d advise any school leavers searching for a rewarding career to look into our degree, we’ll be excited to welcome more sponsored degree participants to begin their career with us.”
Redrow’s sponsored degree programme provides a deep dive into housebuilding skills, including assessing quality, project management, health and safety, business skills and negotiation, right through to relevant aspects of law, mathematics and economics.
Frasers Group increases investment in Hugo Boss
Frasers Group has increased its investment in Hugo Boss.
In a statement issued to the London Stock Exchange this morning (24 October), the Shirebrook-headquartered retail group reported it now holds 4.3% of the iconic clothing giant’s total share capital and 20,089,000 shares of common stock via the sale of put options, representing 28.5% of Hugo Boss’s total share capitalThis brings Frasers Group’s maximum aggregate exposure in connection with its acquired interests in Hugo Boss, with the common stock holding valued at the closing share price on 21 October 2022, to approximately £840m.
The board state that strategic investments Frasers Group makes offer new opportunities for The Company, whilst also helping to support the long-term future of the existing retail businesses, and the many thousands of jobs they sustain.
The news follows the firm’s recent acquisitions of Studio Retail Limited and Missguided. Frasers has extensive ambitions to grow the business internationally and this latest acquisition will help further that ambition.
Boris Johnson pulls out of leadership race, leaving Sunak in clear position to be next PM
In a startling move, Boris Johnson has pulled out the leadership race for PM, saying that although he had the necessary backing of 100 MPs (over 50 have come forward at this time, but not 100) he feels that it is “not the right time” to run for PM. Saying that the Conservative party needs unity and that Rishi Sunak did not accept his offer of withdrawing and granting him the position, Boris Johnson will not run.
This has obviously placed Sunak in pole position to become the next Prime Minister, although Penny Mordaunt is said to be working to gather votes to challenge him.
£1.14 billion devolution deal to go to councils for approval
Detailed proposals about a devolution deal, and what it would mean for our area, are due to be discussed at key council meetings in around two weeks’ time.
Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council are all due to decide whether to formally agree that a public consultation about the devolution deal proposal should go ahead.
Nottingham City Council is the first to discuss the deal at its Full Council meeting on Monday 31 October, followed by Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council on 2 November and Nottinghamshire County Council on the 4 November.
The leaders of each of the four councils signed up to work on a devolution deal on 30 August this year at Rolls Royce in Derby, after the Government offered the region a package of new powers and funding worth £1.14 billion. Since August, the councils have been working on agreeing a more detailed proposal, which includes more information about how devolution would work in our area.
These proposals will be discussed for formal agreement at key council meetings and if approved, a full consultation would follow – giving residents, businesses and other organisations the chance to have their say on the plans for a devolution deal, which would see a new regional mayor and new type of combined authority created for the area from 2024.
The deal would provide the region with a guaranteed income stream of £38 million per year over a 30-year period, and would cover around 2.2 million people, making it one of the biggest in the country.
Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Chris Poulter, Leader of Derby City Council, and David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said in a joint statement: “Formal agreement by each council to go ahead with a consultation is the next step towards securing a devolution deal. It is about us getting a better deal for our area and getting a fairer share for both counties and cities. It would mean more funding for our region, and the opportunity to have more meaningful decisions made here, near the people they affect, rather than in London, so they can be better tailored to local needs.
“We don’t want to miss out on the advantages that devolution would bring, which other parts of the country have already benefited from. We’ve seen how devolution has given other areas more influence, a bigger presence, and helped them make the most of their strengths.
“We want to make the most of every opportunity, and of every penny, that this deal would bring in. It could make a real difference to people’s lives. More and better jobs, more investment, economic growth, better transport, housing, skills training, an improved greener and more sustainable environment. These are the things we all want to see, as we work together for a better future for the East Midlands.
“We often haven’t had the same level of funding or influence as other areas, and this is a big chance to turn that around and help us live up to our potential as a region.”
If the devolution deal goes ahead, it would create the first of a new type of combined authority, which requires new legislation from central government. As well as the £1.14 billion, it would include an extra £16 million for new homes on brownfield land and control over a range of budgets like the Adult Education Budget, which could be better tailored to the needs of people in our communities.
The devolution deal on the table is a level 3 deal, which offers the most local powers and funding. It would mean a new elected regional mayor, like those which already exist in other areas, who would represent both cities and counties. The role of the mayor would be to look at major issues affecting the whole region, give the area a bigger voice, and take advantage of local knowledge and expertise.
The deal means that a future mayor and combined authority could:
- Work towards Net Zero and cleaner air with new low carbon homes, retrofit existing houses with external wall insulation, promote the use of renewable energy, and protect and enhance green spaces, like areas for wildlife and green verges
- Build on the region’s existing knowledge and expertise in green technology and promote the growth of a future low carbon economy by investing in related skills training at colleges and other training facilities
- Set up and coordinate smart integrated ticketing and enhanced concessionary fares schemes
- Work with Homes England to build more affordable homes, by using new powers to buy land and housing (with district and borough council consent)
- Enhance the region’s economy by developing new commercial space to maximise opportunities
- Work with national Government on initiatives to address homelessness, domestic abuse, community safety, social mobility and support for young people
- Take advantage of economies of scale by using combined and devolved budgets to deliver more value for taxpayers and more cost-efficient services.
Promote your business and make new contacts at the East Midlands Expo
Have you registered for the East Midlands Expo yet? If not, with just three weeks left until the long-established event, now is the perfect time to do so!
A well targeted exhibition and networking opportunity, aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets, the East Midlands Expo has everything you require for a great day of business generation, with the chance to meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road.
Taking place at East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham on Monday 14 November 2022, the free to attend expo, for which Business Link is a proud partner, will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am.
A seminar will take place between 10:45am and noon with BSP Consulting’s directors Mark Rayers and Tony Goddard lined up to present ‘Sustainability and how engineering plays its part’.
Not to be missed, a special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.
For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.
To register to attend the event for free click here.
To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.
From property agents to developers, architects, contractors, investors, PR firms, and more, see the list of current exhibitors here.Leicestershire housebuilder’s staff ‘go pink’ to support national breast cancer charity
The site team at King’s Meadow, off Kirby Lane, dressed to impress by switching out their usual hard hats and hi-vis jackets for bright pink hats and vests to do their bit for the ‘wear it pink’ campaign.
In addition to the pink PPE, a donation of £200 has been made by Barratt Homes North Midlands to Breast Cancer Now to support the charity’s work.
More than £37.5 million has been raised by ‘wear it pink’ supporters since the campaign began in 2002. The charity helps towards funding cutting edge research across the UK and Ireland to help find a cure for breast cancer at all stages. This year, campaigners hope to raise even more through businesses, schools and individuals wearing it pink.
Martyn Parker, Sales Director at Barratt Homes North Midlands, said: “We are very happy to be supporting ‘wear it pink’ for breast cancer awareness, and our construction team always look like they have a lot of fun getting to wear pink PPE for the day.
“We’re taking part in the fantastic campaign to support those suffering with breast cancer and hopefully do our bit towards raising awareness.
“It’s very important that, as a leading housebuilder, we are getting involved and supporting charities like this. We hope that our contribution to Breast Cancer Now’s campaign can help to make the day even bigger and better than last year and raise money to help us get closer to beating breast cancer altogether.”
Pendragon embroiled in cyber ransom threat
Pendragon, the Nottingham-headquartered car giant has been hacked by an organised crime gang and held to ransom for over £50m
The gang claim to have lifted more than two million files and in an interview by the Times newspaper with Pendragon, who admitted they had received evidence of the stolen data.
The firm issued a series of security updates on 21st October revealing it was “currently responding to an IT security incident” which reportedly happened a month ago and which has been reported to the National Cyber Security Centre and the police.
LockBit 3.0 has been accused as the organisation behind the cyber breach but has not indicated what their reason is for threatening to publish the 2 terabytes of stolen data.
The perpetrators are said to have demanded $60m in ransom, via bitcoin, or face the consequences of the data being released onto the dark web.
The retailer said it had taken “immediate steps” to contain the incident and revealed it had successfully obtained an interim injunction from the High Court against the group.
Pendragon’s Chief Marketing Officer Kim Costello told The Times the company “will not be paying the ransom demand.”
New deal secured on Eldon Business Park
Unit 31 at Eldon Business Park has been sold to Green Control Systems Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Ltd, a local occupier who was on the search for a new office home.
The unit comprises 1,545ft² of office accommodation across two floors with a mixture of both cellular and open plan office space. The property also benefits from several car parking spaces to the front and offers good accessibility to Nottingham City Centre, Beeston Town Centre and the A52, J25 of the M1.
Amy Howard of FHP’s Agency Department said: “It is great to see the deal complete on Unit 31. With the property being previously under offer to another party, it was reassurance for all getting the property back under offer again so quickly.
“Eldon Business Park provides good quality office units, situated in a prominent location which provided a perfect opportunity for owner occupiers or local investors and resulted in a high level of interest on the unit.
“These out-of-town business parks are still showing strong activity throughout Q3 2022, with FHP already achieving three deals on Eldon this year. The generous amount of car parking spaces available on these parks makes it an attractive alternative to city centre locations.”
Raft of new appointments as Rowleys expands its team
Leicester-based accountants Rowleys has made a number of new appointments across its team as part of the firm’s strategic growth plans.
The recent appointments include nine new team members in various departments across the firm, including: James Hutchinson who joins the Audit & Accounts team as an audit & accounts senior, Mohammed Rahman, Hollie Harvey-Rowley and Jenson Eley who join the Audit & Accounts team as trainees, and Lucy Elsom who joins the Payroll Team as a senior payroll advisor. Neesha Bali joins the Tax team as a trainee and Isaiah Campbell and Rachael Briggs join the Medical Team as trainees.
Senior manager Claire Wright joins Rowleys from Grant Thornton, where she had previously been for over 12 years. She will work with new and existing audit and accounts clients, to provide an efficient and effective process tailored to them. Claire’s experience ranges from working with small businesses to larger corporations, including owner managed and private equity.
“I’m delighted to join Rowleys at such an exciting time,” says Claire.
“Rowleys has a great reputation and strong values that align closely with my own. The firm is passionate about providing a great service to clients and the development of its people, this is one of my main reasons for joining.
“Rowleys has a great client base of a range of businesses from all sectors and I’m looking forward to working with a number of them. I can’t wait to hit the ground running and make a real impact.”
Tom Copson, managing partner, says: “We are delighted to welcome all our new recruits to the Rowleys team. It is great that we have been able to add talented individuals of varying experience to support our future growth. I’ve no doubt that our new team members will make a significant contribution to Rowleys and our clients.
“It’s an exciting time for Rowleys, and a great time to join the firm, as we continue to grow. Attracting and retaining the right people is vital and we’re committed to the development of our people and giving them opportunities to develop and grow their careers.”
Midlands construction industry’s wellbeing drive to save lives
Senior professionals in the construction sector in the Midlands will be given practical tips on how to improve wellbeing in the workplace at a workshop next month.
The Midlands branch of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) is holding an online wellbeing workshop for its members from across the region on Tuesday, November 1.
It comes at a time when every single working day in the UK sees two construction workers taking their own life – according to the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity.
The session will be delivered by national renowned performance coach Gail Biddulph and will look at the practicalities of how employees’ wellbeing – both at home and at work – impacts them as individuals and the business as a whole.
It will also look at ways of keeping people happy and motivated as well as how to spot tell-tale signs of wellbeing issues and if any interventions are needed. There will also be a focus on bosses too and how they can avoid burn-out.
The workshop is part of CECA Midlands’ drive to help improve wellbeing in the industry and to keep the conversation about health and wellbeing high on the agenda.
CECA Midlands continually aims to raise the awareness of mental health having delivered Mental Health First Aid training to over 35 individuals in the last 12 months with more courses to follow in the new year. The organisation is also a supporter of the charity Mates In Mind, which provides clear information to employers on the support and guidance available on mental health and wellbeing.
Lorraine Gregory, the regional director of CECA Midlands, said: “Mental health and wellbeing is a topic that is in sharp focus and it’s vitally important that we do all we can with businesses and individuals to ensure they have all of the tools and support available.
“We recognise that it is an even more acute issue for our industry, and we are working with all of our members to help address that and help find solutions that will, ultimately, save lives.
“We are proud to continue this journey through our new wellbeing workshops, providing short sessions to give practical advice and tips to businesses to continue in their good work within this important area.”
To attend the Wellbeing Workshop on Tuesday, November 1, contact Lisa Hollington at office@cecamidlands.co.uk
Oberoi Foundation makes first award
A charitable foundation, set up by Derby-based entrepreneur Kavita Oberoi OBE to improve the lives of women and girls, has announced its first support pledge.
The Oberoi Foundation has agreed funding for Maggie’s – the Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust – to develop training and support services for women who are experiencing early onset menopause as a result of cancer treatment.
Mrs Oberoi is the founder and Managing Director of Oberoi Consulting, the suppliers of IT and clinical support services to the NHS and pharmaceutical industry, and Oberoi Business Hub in Pride Park which provides serviced office accommodation and back office support services.
Every year a percentage of profits from the companies are ploughed into The Oberoi Foundation which is run by the Charities Aid Foundation.
Maggie’s is an independent charity that has pioneered a unique model of cancer care for more than 25 years.
Since Maggie’s opened its first centre in 1996, the charity, which has 24 centres across the UK, has developed a programme of support that is proven to help people with cancer, as well as family and friends, take back control.
Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, the centres are warm and welcoming, and run by expert staff who help people live well with cancer.
They provide emotional, practical and social support free of charge via a team of cancer support specialists, psychologists, benefits advisors and sessional workers who provide individual and group support.
Following a successful pilot project in Cambridge to support younger women with menopause workshops and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for hot flushes, Lisa Hunt, Maggie’s project lead is delivering training that will enable nine more Maggie’s centres across England, Scotland and Wales to pilot this work. It is estimated that more than 360 women will be supported in the coming year.
Maggie’s CEO Dame Laura Lee DBE explained: “An estimated 200,000 adults aged 18 to 45 in the UK are living with or beyond cancer and females in this age group are disproportionately affected.
“It is common for young women to go through an early menopause induced by cancer treatment and the effects are acutely felt across many aspects of life including relationships, fertility and motherhood.
“As a result, many women feel lonely, isolated and ‘different’ from their peers and they are also at significant risk of developing cancer related mental health issues.
“Furthermore, we have discovered that only 50% of women were informed prior to treatment of the potential impact on menopausal status and this is something that we are particularly campaigning to change.
“By bringing women together, they receive advice and help to cope with symptoms, the emotional and physical wellbeing challenges. They also meet others going through similar experience which is what they told us they lacked and desperately needed.”
Feedback from women involved in the pilot programme so far has included: “Before I attended the workshops I was in a cycle of feeling unseen and dismissed when trying to discuss some of the symptoms I had been experiencing with my medical team.
“I now have the confidence to tackle an abrupt and early menopause because I have a better understanding of what’s happening, a vocabulary to describe symptoms and tools and techniques to help me manage them.”
Mrs Oberoi explained: “Through my involvement in campaigns and charities locally, nationally and internationally, I have seen the positive impact that funding innovative causes can have on impacting the lives of individuals.
“I am therefore delighted that Maggie’s is the first recipient of support through The Oberoi Foundation.
“This menopause workshop and CBT project delivers much needed support to young women through a traumatic time that would otherwise not be available.
“I am particularly pleased that the project brings together cancer support professionals, GPs and other professionals and that it will not only provide tailored support, but also encourage vital peer support and networks that will hopefully develop into firm friendships.”
The East Midlands Expo – a day of endless networking opportunities
Providing endless networking opportunities, the free to attend East Midlands Expo will make its return next month on Monday 14 November 2022.
Taking place at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, the established event of over 20 years has everything you require for a great day of business generation, with the chance to meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road.
A well targeted exhibition, aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets, register to attend the event for free here.
The day, for which Business Link is a proud partner, will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am.
A seminar will take place between 10:45am and noon with BSP Consulting’s directors Mark Rayers and Tony Goddard lined up to present ‘Sustainability and how engineering plays its part’.
Not to be missed, a special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.
For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.
To register to attend the event for free click here.
To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.
From property agents to developers, architects, contractors, investors, PR firms, and more, see the list of current exhibitors here.Council plans £5.5m purchase of Leicester building for new affordable homes
Plans to use £2.4m of Right to Buy cash to help address the need for more affordable homes have been announced by Leicester City Council.
The city council intends to purchase the Zip Building, on Rydal Street – close to the city centre, for around £5.55m. The three-story building consists of 58 flats and bedsits which will be added to the council’s own stock of affordable housing.
The purchase will be part-funded by £2.4m of cash from the sale of council properties under the Government’s Right to Buy scheme. This is the maximum allowed under the current rules. The remainder will be through permitted prudential borrowing, which is common for investments of this type, and allowable debt.
Rental income from the properties will be reinvested into maintaining and improving council housing stock.
The majority of the units (47) within the Zip Building are one-bed flats and bedsits. The remaining units are a mix of two-bed flats – including two wheelchair accessible properties – and three- and four-bed cluster flats. The council will invest up to £550,000 in improvements to the building, including remodelling two of the cluster flats into separate, self-contained flats.
The planned purchase will help meet the growing demand for one and two-bedroom affordable housing across the city.
The city council has negotiated the contract so that all existing tenancies can be honoured until Summer 2023, to help minimise disruption.
Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, assistant city mayor for housing, said: “There is a desperate need for more affordable housing in the city.
“There is no doubt that the Right to Buy scheme has hit the supply of council housing hard. We’re losing homes much faster than they are being built and it’s time the Right to Buy scheme was abandoned. We have been forced to sell thousands of council houses over the past 30 years.
“That makes it absolutely vital that we invest our Right to Buy cash receipts back into addressing our local and critical need for more affordable homes.”
Whenever a council property is sold under Right to Buy, the proceeds of the sale must be used in line with strict Government guidelines. This means that only some of the proceeds can be used to support the costs of building and/or acquiring new affordable homes.
Each year, Leicester City Council loses an average of 400 council homes through the Right to Buy scheme. Over the last forty years, the city council’s housing stock has been reduced from 36,000 to 20,000 homes.
As part of its work to address the huge demand for affordable housing in Leicester, the city council has purchased 595 properties to be used as council homes since April 2019, at a cost of around £74m.
The Zip Building dates back to around 1900 and was built to the designs of regionally renowned Stockdale Harrison for Thompson & Co wholesale boot and shoe manufacturers. By the mid-20th century, it had been converted into a hosiery factory. The building was redeveloped as residential accommodation around 12 years ago.
