Charity sleepout returns to Nottingham – and calls for business leaders to take part
A successful charity initiative to combat homelessness is returning to Nottingham for the seventh time.
CEO Sleepout, a national initiative that raises awareness of and funding for homelessness, will return with an event on November 9th at Meadow Lane Stadium, and has issued a call for local business and community leaders to sign up.
Homelessness is a growing issue in Nottingham, and chief executive of CEO Sleepout Bianca Robinson said: “According to the latest figures from Shelter, 1,614 people are homeless in Nottingham, which equates to a shocking one in every 201.
“Sadly, with the cost-of-living crisis showing no signs of slowing down and rents increasing across the country, we expect these figures to increase – which is why something must be done.
“The CEO Sleepout has a great deal of support from businesses across Nottinghamshire and it’s not surprising that we already have nearly 50 business leaders signed up to take part. Since 2016, CEO Sleepout has raised over £270,000 by and for the people of Nottingham. With this year’s efforts, we hope to take that figure well over the £300,000 threshold!”
Bianca hopes that the Nottingham Sleepout will raise £50,000 and is looking for another 20 people to sign up.
She added: “Business leaders have the power, the opportunity and the responsibility to ensure they are active within communities and play a role in strengthening the fabric of society.
“It’s just one night and it is my hope that while looking up at the stars at 3am, they will consider actions they can take as leaders, and enforce these into their business to create greater social impact.”
The event will benefit three different Nottingham causes – Emmanuel House, the Notts County Foundation and Friary Nottingham.
Ben Talbot, from the Friary, said he was “thrilled” to once again be involved with the event.
“Homelessness and the knock-in effects of it are being felt more than ever in Nottingham,” said Ben.
“I would encourage anyone who feels strongly about supporting people who are experiencing this to sign up for the sleepout.
“Not only will you make a contribution to the cause but you will feel first hand what it is like to be in this vulnerable position.”
And Denis Tully, Chief Executive Officer from Emmanuel House, added money raised from the event will help support the charity’s Winter Shelter, which provides 27 beds each night on the coldest months of the year.
“The work of the Shelter is about helping people find accommodation solutions. Out of the 107 people that used the Shelter last year we are able to support more than 50 per cent of guests into accommodation.
“We anticipate that this year will be particularly demanding on the Shelter as the number of homeless people is increasing with a further likely increase to come. Being involved in the CEO Sleepout gives you an opportunity to gain more insight into what homelessness is about.
“When it comes to donating financially you know you are supporting front line services. We can’t do it without you.”
And with just weeks to go before the event, Bianca has issued a final call to get as many business leaders as possible to sign up and make it a night to remember, adding: “We aim to raise big money to support charities on the frontline of homelessness in the city, and at the same time bring business leaders together to gain a deeper understanding of the issues around homelessness locally.”
Caddick delivers over 2 million sq ft of industrial space in 2023 following completion of St. Modwen Park, Lincoln
Caddick Construction has handed over St. Modwen Logistics’ newest sustainable warehouse, becoming the latest in a line of industrial buildings for the construction firm.
The £8m construction contract saw the delivery of a steel portal framed warehouse, featuring 10 dock levellers with an eaves height of 12.5 metres, making it the largest unit at St Modwen Park, Lincoln.
Totalling 111,000 sq ft, Lincoln 111 is the fourth phase at St. Modwen Park in Lincoln.
Rated BREEAM Excellent, this scheme secured an EPC A+ rating, helping its new occupiers to save on utility costs and reach their own Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) targets.
Paul Dodsworth, Caddick Construction Group Managing Director, said: “St. Modwen Park further demonstrates our skill set in the industrial market and has been built on time and on budget for our valued development partner, St. Modwen Logistics.
“This flagship scheme has taken our industrial projects this year alone up to 11, totalling £165 million and amounting to 1,988,234 sq ft. It’s a huge achievement for the business and I look forward to extending this pipeline further as we take on exciting new projects.”
Ian Martin, senior construction manager at St. Modwen Logistics, said: “We are always striving to develop industry-leading warehouses in fantastic locations for our customers and by enlisting Caddick Construction’s expertise we have been able to achieve this once again at Lincoln 111. Caddick’s experience in the industry has led to our development being delivered on time and to the highest level of construction standards.”
Nottingham-based Altia acquires digital evidence software business
Altia has acquired Aquila Intelligence Solutions Ltd, an internet-based digital intelligence and investigation solution.
Altia, backed by NorthEdge, is a provider of specialist intelligence and investigation software for government departments and law enforcement agencies across 18 countries, including the UK, US, Canada and Australia, which saw the business awarded a Queen’s Award in Enterprise for International Trade in 2021.
The business, which is based in Nottingham and Glasgow, supports police forces and investigation teams to automate processes using technology – reducing time and money spent on investigations and improving prosecution rates.
Aquila develops software designed for any organisation that conducts investigations, from volume crime and serious crime to fraud or regulatory breaches.
Rob Sinclair, CEO of Altia, said: “We want to continue to create the latest cutting-edge software that will transform the way the public and private sector tackle investigations. The addition of Aquila software complements our proposition perfectly and supports us toward these ambitious plans, helping us expand into the digital evidence market space.”
Tom McGhee, co-founder of Aquila, added: “This acquisition marks a significant milestone in our journey, and we are thrilled to join forces with a company that shares our vision and values. Together, we believe we can achieve even greater success and make a bigger impact in our industry.”
Allan Dunn, director at NorthEdge, added: “We’re thrilled to support the continuous growth and success of Altia. Aquila represents Altia’s fourth strategic acquisition since we invested in the business and it’s fantastic to have played our part in helping the business to expand.”
Browne Jacobson (Gareth Davies) advised on the deal.
Private equity firm invests in Burton solar and renewable energy service provider
Freshstream has invested in Project Better Energy, a solar and renewable energy service provider, acquiring a strategic stake from the company’s shareholders, who are reinvesting alongside Freshstream.
Based in Burton-upon-Trent, Project Better Energy was founded in 2011 by Chief Executive Officer Simon Peat, an electrical engineer who spotted an opening in the residential solar market.
The company has since expanded its product range to include off-peak power storage, electric vehicle chargers, air-sourced hot water cylinders and infrared heaters, providing a diversified range of green solutions across both the residential and commercial property sectors.
The business has experienced significant growth over the last 12 years and now employs approximately 300 people across its divisions and generates around £100m worth of sales on an annual basis.
It has also become one of the leading players in the domestic renewable energy sector in the UK, with nearly 40,000 solar energy systems sold and installed through its Project Solar UK division since inception.
The company’s Project EV division has sold to date approximately 80,000 electric vehicle chargers across the residential, commercial and public sectors, such as local councils and the NHS, as well as major retailers including B&Q and Arnold Clarke.
The company has also established relationships with major British housebuilders and Housing Associations, helping to install EV charging points at newbuild developments and to build and convert energy efficiency properties via Project CÜRV.
With Freshstream’s support, Simon Peat will continue to lead the business through an accelerated phase of growth, expanding the product range and customer footprint as demand for its services continues to grow.
Project Better Energy is the 6th investment in Freshstream’s first independent fund, which closed earlier this year having raised €762 million. The business joins other portfolio companies DeterTech, Bella Figura Music, Big Motoring World, Nafinco and MCR, which are all entrepreneurial and founder led businesses.
Simon Peat, CEO of Project Better Energy, said: “We are thrilled to be teaming up with Freshstream and look forward to working together as we continue our ambitious growth strategy. Their expertise and investment will enable us to further accelerate our expansion plans, both organically and through acquisitions.”
Gilles Gradassi, director at Freshstream, said: “Following a series of legislative and policy commitments by governments in recent months and years to mitigate the impact of global climate change, there has never been a more important time to invest in solutions aimed at expanding clean power availability and energy efficiency.
“Project Better Energy is one of the most exciting players in the UK green solutions market and the investment in the business demonstrates our commitment to supporting innovative, entrepreneurial companies solving complex issues, including the decarbonisation of the economy.
“Reaching net zero will not be achievable without private capital investment and we are confident that Simon will continue to find innovative, cost-effective solutions to support consumers, businesses and local authorities through the energy transition and make a real difference.”
Interiors business takes brand new unit at Teal Park
ROL Fredbergs UK Limited, a Nottingham-based interiors business, has chosen Teal Park, Colwick as its new home, seeing it expand its footprint within the city.
The global company boasts a range of well-known clients such as Hugo Boss, M&S, H&M, Jysk and McDonalds.
The unit at Teal Park comprises a brand new detached 31,500 sq ft warehouse premises, with a large secure yard, and forms part of the scheme which provides a 20 unit warehouse and trade park totalling 170,000 sq ft owned by national investor, Northwood Urban Logistics.
The scheme was completed in late 2022.
Iain Taylor, director at Northwood Urban Logistics, said: “We are very pleased to welcome our latest occupier to Teal Park demonstrating that it is appealing to a wide range of occupiers who will be able to adapt the units for a variety of uses.”
Charlotte Oswin, head of UK operations at ROL UK, added: “An exciting time for our UK Team based in Nottingham as we expand our UK business into Unit 3 at Teal Park. As a new build and a blank canvas, this letting will allow ROL Fredbergs UK to optimise the newly acquired space for efficiency and maximise production thus improving further on the excellent service currently provided to its clients.”
Jimmy McGarvey, warehouse and logistics manager at ROL Fredbergs UK, added: “Myself and the rest of the Team are very much looking forward to moving into Unit 3 at Teal Park, it’s going to make a massive difference to our business and our working environment.”
Anthony Barrowcliffe, associate director at FHP Property Consultants, said: “We are delighted to have secured this letting to such an excellent quality business in ROL Fredbergs who saw the opportunity to acquire a brand new facility with excellent sized yard areas, ideal for their expanding operations going forwards.
“We continue to bring forwards strong interest in the remainder of the scheme and I look forward to announcing further occupiers soon.”
Philip Sutton and JLL are joint letting agents on the scheme.
Work starts on 700-home development in Desborough
Construction work has started at a new housing development on the edge of Desborough, where Bellway and Ashberry Homes are building 700 properties.
A ceremony to mark the ground-breaking was held at the 88-acre site off Stoke Road on Thursday 3 August.
Bellway will be building 350 homes at its development, called Weavers Fields, while Ashberry Homes, which is part of the Bellway Group, will be delivering the other 350 properties at The Wickets.
Detailed plans for the overall scheme, which will include 140 affordable homes available for local people through shared ownership or low-cost rent, were given the go-ahead by North Northamptonshire Council last year.
Luke Southgate, sales director for Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “Getting construction work started at Weavers Fields is a very welcome and much-anticipated development for this exciting project.
“We and our colleagues at Ashberry Homes have worked closely with the council on the plans for this development. This scheme will not only deliver hundreds of new homes to the area but will also see jobs created in construction and sales during the build life of the site.
“We are keen to forge ahead with the building programme here and hope to have the first homes on the market by October.”
The development, where land will be provided for a new school, will feature new public open space and parkland, including allotments, a community orchard and children’s play areas.
Steve Smith, sales director for Ashberry Homes, said: “There is a strong demand for new housing in this part of Northamptonshire and we have had a lot of interest in The Wickets since we first announced our plans to build here.
“We anticipate that the collection of three and four-bedroom houses at the development will be particularly appealing to families who want to live in a semi-rural setting, in the charming Ise Valley. Parents will be attracted by the range of well-regarded schools in the area, with Havelock Junior and Infant Schools and Loatlands Primary School all within walking distance.
“The development is ideally located as it is set on the edge of the small town of Desborough, which has a selection of shops and services, while the larger market towns of Market Harborough and Kettering are just five and six miles away respectively.
“There are excellent transport links in the area. Motorists will appreciate that the A14 is a five-minute drive, while people wanting to travel to London by train can use Market Harborough or Kettering railway stations which offer regular services to London St Pancras in under an hour.”
Local Leicester business, Innovative Leisure extends strategic partnership with Haven Holiday Parks to launch over 25 new adventure attractions in the last three years
Local employer, Innovative Leisure, the UK’s leading supplier of free-roaming high ropes courses, has extended their strategic partnership with Haven Holiday Parks, with the launch of 3 new projects and a new Service Contract in recent months, representing significant growth.
Based in Oadby, Leicester, Innovative Leisure has been a local employer for 23 years and is one of the UK’s leading adventure attractions specialists. Already working with some of the biggest brands in the visitor attraction and holiday park industries, including Haven, Center Parcs, Bear Grylls Adventure and Merlin Entertainments, Innovative Leisure have a global reputation for their expertise in providing active family fun, and hold exciting plans for growth in the UK and Europe.
Despite the economic challenges that the hospitality industry has faced throughout the pandemic and more recent cost of living crisis, the investment from UK leisure businesses in adventure attractions, and appetite from holidaymakers has been overwhelmingly positive:
Since installing their first adventure attraction with Haven Holidays in Spring 2019, the total number of Innovative Leisure attractions has grown to over 25 across 19 out of the 38 parks in the Haven estate. As well as representing a significant milestone, it reinforces the trend that both holiday park guests and operators are favouring active, shared experiences that can be enjoyed by young families and thrill seekers alike.
Commenting on the partnership with Haven, Phil Pickersgill, Managing Director at Innovative Leisure, said: “We have worked hard to help Haven develop adventure attractions over recent years and it’s satisfying to see their customers enjoying these at so many locations this summer.
“With the cost-of-living pressure on families, it’s been interesting to see revenue on leisure activities perform well this season even if spending on other areas of their holiday has retreated slightly. We think this reinforces the importance of experiences and parent’s willingness to spend on outdoor activities.”
As one of the largest parks in the Haven estate and having recently received significant phased investment over recent years, Haven Cleethorpes Beach, near Cleethorpes, UK was an ideal candidate for an exciting expansion to their activities offering. In summer 2022, Haven opted to commission two new ropes courses at Cleethorpes Beach to challenge and delight their guests and caravan owners.
The Aerial Adventure Max high ropes course caters for guests over 1m in height accompanied and 1.2m in height unaccompanied. Towering at over 10m tall across two levels and featuring a variety of challenges, including zip lines, rope bridges, and suspended platforms.
Meanwhile, the Mini Aerial Adventure junior low ropes course offers a more family-friendly experience for younger guests to enjoy with their parents – enabling Haven to cater for the full age range of their audience demographic.
Since the launch of the new ropes courses, Haven Cleethorpes Beach has seen more people on park than ever before and a significant uplift in a number of their key performance metrics, including guest satisfaction, revenue and footfall. This is a strong indicator that active, collaborative activities that families can share and enjoy together are an ever-increasing priority for holidaymakers, despite a tough year economically, as Matt Batey, Head of Activities at Haven Cleethorpes Beach, elaborates: “One of the things we have seen is a huge increase in our NPS results since the investment of the Aerial Max course, so not only are we seeing a huge uptake in terms of our revenue in our sales on park, but we are also seeing a much better and improved satisfaction rate from our guests and our owners.”
As with all their clients and projects, the Innovative Leisure team looks after the whole process – from initial planning and scoping, through install to full staff training, annual inspections and ongoing maintenance.
“Innovative Leisure have been fantastic in terms of communication and the way in which they’ve held our relationship,” said Matt Batey, Head of Activities at Haven Cleethorpes Beach. “They’ve always been at the end of the phone to support and talk through anything that they can help us with. But in addition to that, they’ve continued to provide the training and the support that we need to make sure we operate to the best that we can do. If you’re a business that’s looking at trying something different, looking to expand, certainly in terms of the high ropes courses, I would recommend Innovative Leisure.”
This project follows 27 other adventure attractions installed across the Haven Estate, including 9 climbing walls, 6 high ropes courses and 12 low ropes courses across 19 parks, including a first-of-its-kind double zip line element at Haven Haggerston.
Streets Chartered Accountants covers tax changes, mortgages, Foreign Exchange and more in new news roundup
Streets Chartered Accountants covers tax changes, mortgages, Foreign Exchange and more in its latest monthly news roundup.
Basis Period Webinar – catch up
Streets recently hosted a webinar about changes to the way the self-employed and those in business partnerships are taxed. It aimed to provide a clear understanding of what the basis period is, the recent changes, who it affects, when it takes effect and considerations for those affected. This presentation was recorded and is now available on demand for those who weren’t able to join live. Watch now to catch up.
Mortgage mayhem… time for advice
As of 6th October, we have seen multiple lenders fall below 5% interest charged on some fixed rate residential mortgages, with a rate war appearing to break out between the lenders and further announcements being made every day. The consequence is the difficult consideration for clients to decide whether they fix now or try and hold out whilst rates continue to fall. This month the base rate held for the first time after 14 consecutive months of increases, which has been a catalyst for rates falling. This gives cause for optimism of falling interest rates and inflation, which in turn should lead to mortgage rates falling further. Read more.
The inflationary challenges of managing a businessManaging a business during a period of high inflation certainly brings its own set of challenges. For some younger business people and perhaps even older ones, this is something that has not been faced before. Perhaps explaining more about what inflation is might not be necessary as we are exercising the effects in our daily lives, but for context inflation is the sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services. It is a complex economic phenomenon that affects various aspects of an economy. Businesses, regardless of their size or industry, are not immune to the far-reaching consequences of inflation. Read more.
Do you know the true cost of your FX/Foreign Exchange?One of the more complex and often overlooked areas for a business to manage is ensuring they know what their international payments are truly costing them. The good news is that help is on hand through Streets Banking & Finance’s long standing partnership with a global Foreign Exchange specialist. In tandem with their specialist’s help, Streets can assist clients with the provision and cost of Foreign Exchange. By completing a complimentary currency health check, Streets will be able to demonstrate whether you are on a ‘good deal’ or if in fact there are savings to be made. Read more.
Plans revealed to transform Derby church into offices
Plans to transform a Derby church into offices have been submitted to the city council.
The proposals are for Chester Green Methodist Church on Mansfield Street, which was originally constructed in 1889 and closed its doors for good in June 2017.
The scheme would create four office units that can be configured according to the leaseholder’s need.
A design and access statement prepared by Simon Foote Architects says: “The proposed scheme aims to revitalize a long vacant Seventh-day Adventist Church. Our assessment has determined that converting it into Class E office spaces would effectively serve the needs of the local community while offering a financially viable and sustainable solution for the building and our client.”
It adds: “Our proposal envisions a versatile layout that can be easily adapted to accommodate the specific needs of various businesses. This adaptable layout provides potential investors with the flexibility to customize the size and number of offices they intend to lease, and thus making it a more attractive property.”
Work gets underway at Blaby social housing scheme
Work is now underway on a new social housing scheme in Blaby, Leicestershire, that will provide homes for adults with mental health needs.
The site is being developed by a team including Pelham, Norton Housing and Support, Modus Partnerships and IMA Architects. When complete, the development will comprise 15 one-bed self-contained supported housing apartments for adults with mental health needs.
The unique development has been supported and partially grant funded by Blaby District Council and Homes England.
Leicestershire-based IMA Architects have worked with Modus Partnerships in designing the two modern, two-storey apartment blocks along with a central courtyard, car parking and other infrastructure.
The apartments will be provided at social rent and owned and managed by Norton Housing and Support, a Leicestershire-based charity and registered housing association that supports adults with mental health needs and women at risk of homelessness. Norton will provide support service to residents to enable them to live independently and as part of the community.
The site is Norton Housing and Support’s first purpose-built development scheme and is being brought to life by Pelham.
Jack Mellor, associate at IMA Architects, says: “The proposed development was designed to suit Modus’ specific requirements – to support people with mental health needs.
“The 15 much needed self-contained apartments will be managed by Norton Housing and Support, who will provide an intensive housing management service to enable tenancy sustainability, supporting residents to manage their tenancies and live independently in the wider community.
“This model will also allow residents the freedom to choose their own provider for any additional individual care and support needs.”
Simon Preston, director at Modus Partnerships, says: “Working closely with our partners IMA Architects, we along with Norton Housing and Support are delighted with the design that is being constructed. Along with the environmental and sustainability measures adopted, we are confident that this high-quality scheme will be enjoyed by the residents.”
Fran Cropper, development and new business manager at Pelham, said: “We are delighted to be working with our partner Norton Housing and Support as a member of the Blue Skies Consortium to deliver bespoke mental health housing to Blaby.
“We recognise the difficulty of delivering technically demanding schemes such as this, and make it our mission to deliver homes on time, within budget and to the highest standards. We’d like to extend our gratitude to Blaby District Council and Homes England for their unwavering support for this vitally important scheme.”
The development is expected to be completed in spring 2024.
