Applications open for EarthScale climate tech programme

April Lara
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Applications open for EarthScale climate tech programme

EarthScale, a new initiative designed to help climate tech startups scale up, is now accepting applications for its first cohort. This three-year programme is backed by a £5 million grant from the Research England Development Fund and led by Imperial College London, in collaboration with five other UK universities: Nottingham, Cranfield, Derby, Exeter, and Leeds.

The aim of EarthScale is to bridge the gap between the prototype phase and market-ready deployment for climate tech ventures, addressing the challenges startups face in scaling innovative technologies. The programme offers participants access to specialised research, manufacturing facilities, and a network of experts across various technical fields.

The support provided will also include business development assistance, talent acquisition, and help navigating the complexities of regulations and policies. Startups that are selected will have the opportunity to enhance their operations and bring their climate solutions closer to commercialisation.

Applications are open until 7 September 2025, with the programme set to start on 1 October.

Silverstone Composites teams up with TC Group to accelerate growth

April Lara
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Silverstone Composites teams up with TC Group to accelerate growth

Silverstone Composites has partnered with TC Group to support its expansion and strengthen its financial position. As a leader in advanced materials, Silverstone has earned a strong reputation across motorsport, aerospace, and custom sectors. With this new alliance, TC Group will provide strategic guidance across multiple areas, including property, HR, tax, and R&D.

One of the first outcomes of the partnership is the relocation of Silverstone Composites to Silverstone Park, a key area for high-tech innovation. The partnership has also unlocked valuable funding opportunities, enabling further reinvestment in cutting-edge projects and talent development. TC Group’s experts are also assisting with the company’s succession planning, ensuring sustainable growth in the future.

This collaboration underscores TC Group’s approach to offering comprehensive advisory services, extending beyond the typical accountancy and compliance roles. The partnership brings together the expertise needed to drive Silverstone Composites into the next stage of its growth.

Study highlights digital connectivity gaps in Leicestershire’s growth potential

April Lara
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Study highlights digital connectivity gaps in Leicestershire’s growth potential

A recent study by VodafoneThree and WPI Strategy reveals stark differences in digital connectivity across Leicestershire, identifying areas where better access to technology could significantly boost employment, education, and business growth.

The study assessed digital infrastructure in Leicestershire’s parliamentary constituencies using five key metrics: unemployment, productivity, new small business formation, life satisfaction, and the percentage of residents without formal qualifications. The findings underscore that while digital connectivity has the potential to drive growth, its benefits are not evenly distributed.

The report categorises constituencies into three groups based on their performance across these indicators. Three constituencies—Leicester East, Leicester South, and Leicester West—are in the urgent need category, showing high unemployment rates (7.2%) and low productivity (£35.80 per hour), along with a significant proportion of residents lacking formal qualifications (26.7%). Despite a rise in new business creation in these areas, the report warns that poor digital access and skills are barriers to further economic development.

Other areas, such as Loughborough, Hinckley and Bosworth, and North West Leicestershire, are performing near the national average but still face challenges. While these constituencies benefit from low unemployment and reasonable life satisfaction scores, productivity remains a concern. These regions could unlock further potential through targeted investment in digital infrastructure and skills training.

No constituencies in the county currently exceed national benchmarks, which highlights a gap that must be addressed to keep pace with digital transformation seen in other regions. Areas like Rugby and Warwick & Leamington already demonstrate higher productivity and lower unemployment, supported by more advanced digital infrastructure.

VodafoneThree’s commitment to investing £11 billion in 5G infrastructure over the next eight years could be the key to closing these digital gaps in Leicestershire. The company’s ambitious rollout of nationwide 5G by 2034 promises to provide the necessary connectivity to foster growth in areas most in need.

Sladen Estates makes pair of senior appointments

Tess Egginton
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Sladen Estates makes pair of senior appointments
The developer behind schemes including Unity Square, Summit Park, and Bicester Arc has bolstered its project management and delivery teams with a pair of senior appointments. Sladen Estates has appointed Taf Chisambara as associate director project management, and Chris Beardsmore as project architect, both working out of the developer’s Derbyshire office. The duo will be working on key ongoing projects, including the retail and industrial scheme The Boulevard in Peterborough, which is due to start on site in August, and the company’s office, industrial, BTR and PBSA schemes in Reading, Nottingham and Bicester. Taf joins Sladen from Leeds-based property advisors Fox Lloyd Jones, building on more than a decade of project management across defence, office, higher education and PBSA, most recently working in the retail sector. Taf said: “My experience has helped me develop a broad skillset across a range of sectors, and the opportunity to continue that at Sladen Estates was too good to pass up. The projects we’re working on span the full lifecycle from feasibility all the way through to delivery and handover, and the scale and complexity provide a challenge I’m excited to get my teeth into.” Chris began his career in Brazil and has experience working in Italy, qualifying as an architect in 2018. He has previously worked for YMD Boon, Acres Architects and Hayward Architects among others, working in sectors as diverse as luxury residential and industrial and logistics. Chris said: “The main draw in joining the Sladen Estates team was to work on larger projects that are designed with deliverability in mind. The opportunity to work client-side is especially attractive as it gives you the opportunity to really focus on design and explore multiple options for projects without the constraints you can encounter in practice.” Rachel Wood, managing director of Sladen Estates, said: “Our business is built around its people, and adding talent such as Taf and Chris enhances the depth and adaptability of our suite of in-house experts in design and project management. With several significant projects in the pipeline and more to come, Taf and Chris are a welcome addition to the Sladen Estates team.”

Midlands market remains robust as Mills & Reeve advises on eight deals

Tess Egginton
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Midlands market remains robust as Mills & Reeve advises on eight deals
Mills & Reeve has advised on eight deals in the first half of the year, with a combined deal value of close to £200 million. The Midlands corporate team has acted on a number of high-profile deals in the last six months, with 50% of transactions health-related and a quarter involving food and beverage companies. Half of deals in the first half of the year were cross-border, with one in four PE-backed. Ryan Hawley, corporate partner at Mills & Reeve in the Midlands, said: “The first half of the year has demonstrated that when high quality businesses come to market, there is a real appetite to get deals done – from both trade and PE-backed buyers. “Global and economic uncertainty has naturally created a more cautious deals environment, with greater focus on valuations and due diligence than ever before. However, certain sectors, such as health and care, manufacturing and construction, continue to attract the attention of both domestic and overseas buyers, as companies turn their attention towards strategic consolidation to drive growth and efficiencies.” Significant regional deals in H1 include advising the shareholders of Ambala on its acquisition by Cake Box plc. This strategic £22 million deal marks a significant milestone in the food industry, bringing together two renowned brands to create a unique blend of traditional and contemporary delicacies. Mills & Reeve also acted on the sale of Unisurge International Ltd. – the manufacturer and supplier of Custom Procedure Packs (CPTs), disposable surgical products, surgical instruments and further OR products – to Lohmann & Rauscher Group. In addition, the team advised on sale of residential care and support provider Creative Care to specialist support service Consensus. Both companies support people with autism, learning difficulties and other complex needs, with Creative Care running 10 residential services across the East Midlands. Junaid Haroon, corporate partner at Mills & Reeve in the Midlands, added: “The Midlands is a robust regional economy, with ambitious and high potential businesses at the heart of its success. “Strategic growth is a clear priority from both a political and business perspective, with significant investment being committed to the region. By creating the right environment for future growth, the region will continue to attract investment from both domestic and international investors looking to scale at pace through M&A.”

Strong half year results for Nottingham Building Society

Tess Egginton
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Strong half year results for Nottingham Building Society
Nottingham Building Society has achieved “strong financial results” in the six months ending 30 June 2025. The Society has seen £535.1m in new lending, up from £525.7m in the same period of 2024, and £4.4bn in total mortgage assets, growing from £3.9bn. The firm welcomed 4,076 new mortgage customers, a marginal increase from 4,069 last year, and saw a lift in total savings balance to £4.4bn, from £4bn. £82.1m in interest was paid to savers, increasing from £71.5m. Nottingham Building Society completed the first half of its financial year with a jump in profits, with £11m underlying profit before tax (2024: £9m), and £8m profit before tax (2024: £0.7m). Sue Hayes, CEO, said: “We’re pleased to report a positive performance for the first half of 2025 as we consolidate the momentum built during a landmark 2024. Last year, we passed the £5bn asset milestone, delivered significant growth and recorded our highest-ever savings levels. Entering this year, our focus has been on building long-term resilience – ensuring the right foundations are in place for a sustainable future. “Our strategy in 2025 is a deliberate one: to moderate lending growth while we implement new technology, strengthen our core banking systems and evolve our mortgage proposition to better serve customers who don’t fit the traditional mould. This transformation will enable us to grow with greater speed and agility in 2026 and beyond. “We’ve made great strides already. We’ve launched a new mortgage platform in July, diversified our funding through a successful public Residential Mortgage-Backed Security (‘RMBS’) issuance and continued to innovate for the benefit of our broker partners and members. Our digital and branch savers have benefitted from strong rates, particularly through our ISA products, whilst we’ve continued to support members through every channel. “We’ve also brought our new brand to life – publicly launched in October 2024 – with a positive increase in awareness and engagement. In May, we opened our first rebranded flagship branch in Nottingham City Centre, shaped by member and colleague feedback, with the response being overwhelmingly positive. “As a mutual, community impact remains a priority. Through our partnerships with Emmanuel House, Shelter and ThinkForward, we’re helping tackle homelessness and improve access to opportunities for young people. We’ve also continued to advocate for the interests of our members, including on issues such as ISA reforms. “While macroeconomic uncertainty and regulatory changes have added some external headwinds to the mortgage market, we remain focused on our transformation priorities. I’d like to thank our members for their continued loyalty and our colleagues for the passion and commitment they bring every day. Together, we’re building a stronger society for the future.”

Nottingham recruitment group hails “strong financial performance”

Tess Egginton
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Nottingham recruitment group hails “strong financial performance”
Staffline, the Nottingham recruitment group, has hailed a “strong financial performance” for the six months ended 30 June 2025. Revenue grew 8.7% to £485.8m, from £446.8m in the same period of 2024, which the company said was “supported by excellent new business momentum in the Period.” Profit before tax, meanwhile, doubled to £0.6m from £0.3m. The results follow the firm’s divestment of PeoplePlus, which completed in February, as Staffline transitions to a pure-play recruitment platform. Albert Ellis, CEO of Staffline, said: “I am delighted that the Group has produced such a strong financial and operational performance in the first half of the year. Pleasingly, Staffline continues to secure new business and grow our market share despite the ongoing challenging macro-economic backdrop within the UK economy. “Having now created a leading pure-play recruitment platform across both the blue and white-collar recruitment markets, following the divestment of PeoplePlus, we are ideally placed to continue to capitalise on a number of exciting new organic growth opportunities.”

Six in 10 East Midlands firms commit to employee volunteering

Tess Egginton
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Six in 10 East Midlands firms commit to employee volunteering
A new wave of workplace volunteering is reshaping how the East Midlands business community is approaching productivity and employee wellbeing. New research commissioned by national charity Royal Voluntary Service, found 62% of firms in the East Midlands now offer paid volunteering time to staff, with 28% introducing it in the last 12 months alone. The data suggests this uplift in volunteering in East Midlands companies is being driven by a desire to tackle employee burnout (38%), engage staff (43%) and boost performance (24%), as well as to deliver social impact – 87% of businesses in the region agree volunteering is important to their company purpose and ESG goals. 1,000 UK companies were questioned for the study, with the findings published in a new report: Untapped impact: unlocking the 140 million hour opportunity. The report also features new analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), which reveals that increasing participation in employee volunteering could also generate substantial financial gains. Cebr’s analysis suggests the UK economy could stand to benefit from productivity gains worth £32.5 billion each year, or £5,239 per employee working in professional and managerial occupations – if workplace volunteering days were fully utilised. The study stresses these productivity gains could be higher still, if the voluntary efforts of those in other job roles were also considered and if paid volunteering time was offered to more employees. However, despite the momentum, across all regions, companies are not realising the full potential of their volunteering programmes. Employers offer an average of 2.3 days annually, but the study showed more than 140 million hours of gifted time went unused last year. Additionally, not all employees are being given equal access to volunteering opportunities – less than one in five (19%) firms with programmes offer it to all their employees. On average, just half of employees receive the benefit. Reasons businesses cited for not realising the potential of programmes included a lack of flexible one-off volunteering opportunities (28%) and team activities (17%), difficulty finding the right roles (21%), and not knowing where to start (12%). In response, Royal Voluntary Service has unveiled a new Volunteering Marketplace – a suite of services designed to help businesses build, embed and optimise their volunteering and social impact activities. Catherine Johnstone CBE, chief executive, Royal Voluntary Service, said: “Employee volunteering programmes are fast becoming one of the smartest investments a business can make. As our research shows, those who do it are seeing great results – from improved staff wellbeing and motivation to increased productivity. “If just some of those 140 million lost volunteering hours were used it could be transformational in its effect. With our new Volunteering Marketplace we will help unlock that potential – making volunteering work for more businesses and their employees and enabling them to click and connect to the causes they care about.” Chris Breen, head of economic insight at Cebr, added: “Business leaders and employees alike may wonder what’s in it for them when it comes to volunteering. Our research shows the answer is quite a lot. If every employee in a professional or managerial role offered volunteer days actually used them, it would have resulted in a £32.5 billion boost to UK productivity in 2024 alone.”

Knapton Wright backs the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025: “sponsoring a category was a natural choice for us”

Tess Egginton
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Knapton Wright backs the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025: “sponsoring a category was a natural choice for us”
Knapton Wright has joined the sponsor line up for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, backing the Most Active Agent category. Knapton Wright is a marketing agency that works with brands that put people and the planet first. Whether you are aspiring to be better and do better, are already stuck into your sustainability journey but could be better at shouting about it, or need expert input on what step to take next, the team can support you with all of it. From heritage projects to sustainable development and renewables, the Knapton Wright team loves getting stuck into creating marketing that demonstrates the awesome work you’re doing. Alex Wright, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Knapton Wright, said: “As an agency that works with brands who put people and the planet first, sponsoring a category in the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025 – which is working to regionally recognise a sector that is increasingly emphasising the importance of sustainability across the board – was a natural choice for us. “Property and construction as a sector keeps the business world moving, often quite literally and provides essential expertise for businesses of all shapes and sizes. After years spent studying architecture and the built environment at The Bartlett, I’m always keen to support those doing great things in the industry. “As a creative agency, we love people who make a difference, bring great energy and make stuff happen. And, having worked with a handful of agents over the past few years, we’ve seen firsthand the time, knowledge and effort that goes into being a trusted partner for businesses looking for premises. In a time when the economy is feeling the pinch, it’s fantastic to see commercial agents being creative, innovative and recognising that first-class service is essential to ongoing success. “The team are looking forward to catching up with existing contacts and making new connections with the cream of the property and construction sectors at Trent Bridge in October, what a venue! It’ll be interesting to see which businesses are crowned category winners in what we know is a very competitive space.”
Guests network at the East Midlands Bricks Awards
The East Midlands Bricks Awards, which will take place on Thursday 2nd October at Nottingham’s famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, celebrates the successes of property and construction companies in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire. Recognising those behind the changing landscape of the East Midlands, the occasion highlights development projects, businesses, and people in commercial and public building across the region – from office, industrial and residential schemes, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. It also toasts the work of architects, agencies, and those behind large schemes. Nominating a company or project for the awards is a great way to showcase your successes, recognise your team’s efforts, bolster morale, and reach our audience of over 60,000 business readers, while also offering a chance to connect with respected professionals. It’s completely free to enter and making the top three finalists in your category also wins you free tickets to the event. Alex Wright added: “Demonstrating what you can do and winning an award, or awards, for that, not only gives you the recognition you deserve, but is arguably the most impactful way to raise your business’s profile. People want to work with award-winning companies, and great people want to work for them, too. It’s not hard to see how effective awards can be when they’re included as part of your business development and recruitment activity. “The real value of entering isn’t just about winning either; it’s about the insight the process offers. Preparing an entry forces you to pause, reflect on achievements, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate success. Even if you don’t walk away with a trophy, you gain insights, benchmarking against peers, and opportunities to raise your profile through PR, networking, and credibility. “With nominations not closing until August 15th, businesses still have plenty of time to submit their applications. Our top tips? Use clear evidence and measurable results to back up your application. Show the judges what makes you stand out. Every word counts, use them wisely.”

To make a nomination for the 10th annual East Midlands Bricks Awards, please click here or on a category link below.

Categories include: All finalists will have the chance to take home the Overall Winner award, which this year comes with a grand prize of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, with the opportunity to split or gift the marketing to a charity of your choice.

Nominations will close on Friday 15th August.

New for this year, all entrants will also have the opportunity to be featured on our dedicated nominee showcase on the East Midlands Business Link website, providing space for marketing your achievements. Upon submitting a nomination, we will get in touch for any information, imagery, and video nominees would like to be featured on their showcase page.

The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025

What: The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025 When: Thursday 2nd October (4.30pm – 7.30pm) Where: Derek Randall Suite, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham Keynote speaker: Councillor Nadine Peatfield – Leader of Derby City Council, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, and Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands Tickets: Available here Dress code: Standard business attire Thanks to our sponsors:                                                                        

To be held at:

UK businesses face escalating financial distress amid tough economic conditions

April Lara
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UK businesses face escalating financial distress amid tough economic conditions

UK businesses are grappling with a surge in financial distress, with the latest Begbies Traynor Red Flag alert indicating a significant increase in companies facing critical financial challenges. By the end of Q2 2025, 49,309 businesses were in “critical” distress—an increase of 21.4% from the previous year and 8.6% from Q1 2025.

Regions including London, the South East, and the Midlands were the hardest hit, while the North West recorded a high number of companies in distress, with over 69,500 businesses facing significant issues. The financial difficulties have extended across almost all sectors, with consumer-facing industries such as Bars & Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, and Retail seeing the most severe declines.

Despite a slight recovery in Q1, the second quarter of 2025 revealed a marked deterioration in the UK’s economic health, with sectors like Support Services and Construction experiencing a sharp increase in financial distress. The overall number of businesses in significant distress rose by 10.8% compared to last year, putting over 666,000 companies at risk.

The financial burden on businesses, particularly small and medium-sized firms, has been exacerbated by rising labour costs, including hikes in National Insurance contributions and the national minimum wage. These pressures are forcing many companies to explore cost-cutting measures or restructure to survive the ongoing economic turmoil. With no clear end to the current economic strain, many businesses are at risk of insolvency in the months ahead.

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