The scheme launched in June 2023, with grants available between £5,000 to £20,000, under four categories including Innovate and Grow, Rural Tourism, Farm Business Diversification and Green Technology.
Langton Brewery in Thorpe Langton has used its grant for innovation and growth to open a new fermenting hall. This expansion has allowed the brewery to significantly increase its production capacity, enabling them to meet growing demand and diversify their range of craft beers. It has also enabled the business to create new employment opportunities within the community.
Fox’s Furrows campground at Houghton on the Hill has introduced a new boutique cabin for holiday lets, providing a luxurious retreat in a serene rural setting. With a second cabin due to be installed shortly, this project promises to boost rural tourism and create an attractive destination for visitors seeking a countryside escape.
Little Cobblers has transformed its offering with a new outdoor play area since being awarded a grant for rural tourism. This development enhances the cafe as a destination for families, offering a safe and enjoyable space for children to play while their parents enjoy the cafe’s local produce.
A business to receive funding for green technology is Pennbury Farm in Great Glen which has installed solar panels on one of its buildings. This move towards renewable energy is helping the farm cut its carbon footprint and reduce energy costs.
The Harborough Rural Grant Scheme is administered by Harborough District Council and supports businesses to diversify, innovate and grow. A total of £350,000 has been allocated to this project which has been funded by the Rural England Prosperity Fund under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Cllr Jo Asher, Cabinet lead for Culture, Leisure, Economy and Tourism, said: “We are thrilled to see the positive impact these projects are having on our rural communities. All four businesses have each demonstrated remarkable dedication to growth, innovation, and sustainability, and their success sets an inspiring example for others to follow.”
The scheme is still open for applications until Thursday 31 October 2024.
Businesses benefit from Harborough Rural Grant Scheme
Businesses across the Harborough district have benefitted from the Harborough Rural Grant Scheme.
Family fortunes – Time For You appoints Emma Stawarz to strengthen franchisee support
Time For You, the Northampton-based domestic cleaning franchise, has appointed Emma Stawarz as its new Operational Support Manager.
With a successful track record as a Time For You franchisee, Emma brings invaluable experience and insight to this role, where she will focus on providing enhanced support to the company’s growing network of franchisees.
Emma Stawarz’s connection to Time For You is both personal and professional.
As a successful franchisee herself, Emma has firsthand knowledge of the challenges and rewards that come with running a Time For You franchise. Her new role as Operational Support Manager allows her to leverage that experience to provide guidance and operational support to franchisees across the UK.
Emma’s role will see her working closely with franchisees to ensure they receive the operational backing and resources they need to continue growing their businesses and providing excellent service to their clients.
“I’m incredibly excited to take on this new role,” said Emma.
“Having run my own franchise, I understand the unique journey that franchisees go through and look forward to using my experience to support them in every way possible, ensuring they have the tools and resources to succeed.”
As the wife of Managing Director Sam Stawarz, Emma’s appointment further reinforces the family-centered ethos that has defined Time For You since its inception in 1997. The business has always placed a strong emphasis on supporting its franchisees as part of its extended family, and Emma’s role is key to maintaining and strengthening that connection.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Emma to the operational team,” said Sam Stawarz. “Her experience as a franchisee and her passion for helping others succeed make her the perfect fit for this role and of course, she has a unique understanding of our core family business values.”
As Time For You continues to grow, with over 220 franchises nationwide and increasing demand for domestic cleaning services, Emma’s role will be critical in maintaining operational excellence. Her main focus will be to ensure that franchisees receive consistent, high-quality support to help them grow their businesses and provide reliable services.
“I’m committed to helping our franchisees reach their full potential,” added Emma. “I’ve been in their shoes, and I know what’s needed to run a successful franchise. My goal is to provide them with the operational guidance and resources they need to thrive in this competitive market.”
Property consultancy makes 24 promotions across East Midlands
A property consultancy has announced 24 promotions across the East Midlands following a strong period of success for the firm.
Fisher German has promoted staff based at its offices in Ashby, Market Harborough and Newark across several areas of the business.
In Ashby, Joanne Ziemelis and Mary McKenzie have been promoted to associate partners, while Abigail Hicklin, Maisy Moseley and Robyn Dearden have been promoted to associates.
Flo Gilman and Henry Mawhood have become senior surveyors, John Nicol and Victoria Heath have progressed to senior planners, Kay Smith has been promoted to senior architect and Rachel Lumsden to senior administrator.
Amanda Davies has been named head of people operations, Eleanor Saunders-Brant has been promoted to head of people experience and Laura Taylor has progressed to head of marketing, while Trish Wilkins has become senior talent acquisition manager and Laura Jane Taylor is now senior marketing manager.
Finally, Rob Griffiths has been promoted to finance manager, Jo Inwood to senior talent coordinator and Charlie Pook to senior systems administrator, while Dominik Michalski has become a developer and Hugh Gilmore a project manager.
In Market Harborough, Matthew Trembath has been promoted to senior associate, and James Butlin has become a senior surveyor, while in Newark, Alex Morrison has been promoted to associate.
The promotions are among 53 that Fisher German has made across all areas of the business as part of its ongoing growth.
They come after a successful 12 months for the firm which has seen it expand and relocate its offices in London and Birmingham and invest in an extensive refurbishment project at its Manchester office as it looks to strengthen its city-centre presence.
Fisher German has seen its national headcount almost double since 2017, with 806 staff members now based across its network of 26 offices.
The firm has made the latest promotions as part of its ‘Grow’ career progression framework which gives employees a clear pathway to advance within the business.
Richard Benson, Senior Partner at Fisher German, said: “This round of promotions sees more than 50 colleagues move up within the business in recognition of their hard work and consistent high performance.
“The promotions span the whole firm, with representation from all divisions and recognition for those who have been with us for anywhere from one year to 20 plus.
“Our Grow career progression framework provides colleagues with clarity on the competencies and behaviours expected at each level, aligned to our strategy and values, which has helped more people take ownership of their careers and set attainable goals.
“I would like to congratulate all of those who have been promoted for their continued hard work and support as we continue to build a more diverse and dynamic multi-disciplinary property consultancy.
“It is an exciting time for the business as we continue to invest in both our people and our premises, and we look forward to further strengthening our presence in the market going forward.”
New Director joins Board of East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster
Cyber security specialist Rob Kneller has become the third Director of the East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster.
He joins Dr Ismini Vasileiou and David Nicholls in leading the Community Interest Company, which supports regional economic growth by helping organisations to protect their digital assets from cyber threats.
Rob has spent more than 15 years in the cyber security industry and is currently the Director of KIT365 Ltd, a Cyber Security Managed Service Provider and Consultants.
He is vastly experienced in assessing organisations for Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification and is also a Cyber Scheme Team Member (CSTM), Cyber Essentials Plus Lead Assessor, and NCSC-approved Cyber Advisor.
Rob joins EMCSC in committing to help organisations of all sizes achieve robust cyber security. He provides practical solutions to cyber security challenges faced by businesses today.
“My approach is to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and businesses looking to improve their cyber security posture,” Rob said.
“Getting involved with EMCSC is a great way to raise awareness of cyber security across the East Midlands and the UK.
“In meeting new people from diverse fields – both in and out of the cyber security sector – I will be looking to share insights and ideas, offer advice to both the private and public sectors, and widen my own understanding of how cyber security contributes to the improvement of people’s lives.”
EMCSC was founded by Dr Ismini Vasileiou, Associate Professor in Information Systems at De Montfort University, in 2023.
Its purpose is to develop opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange, sharing of best practice, and identification of opportunity. Fellow Director David Nicholls is Managing Director and founder of Leicestershire-based IT company Better-IT.
Dr Vasileiou said: “It’s fantastic that someone of Rob’s experience has joined Dave and I and we are really pleased to have him on board for some of the big plans we have in the pipeline for the next 12 months.”
EMCSC works across public and private sectors, as well as academia, promoting business cyber-resilience and cyber security careers, with partners including the national UKC3 cyber cluster network and the Cyber Resilience Centre for the East Midlands.
Cooper Parry completes duo of deals
East Midlands accountancy firm Cooper Parry (CP) has completed two deals, welcoming UHY Hacker Young Manchester and Haines Watts Thames Valley/Reading to CP.
The acquisitions are CP’s ninth and tenth since 2023, and have seen the business quadruple in size since partnering with Waterland Private Equity in 2022.
The deals see CP expand into the Northwest powerhouse and the UK’s ‘Silicon Valley’, two key geographies for fast-growing mid-market businesses. They also add 200 people across Audit, Tax, Outsourcing and Deals, including 17 Partners, taking CP’s headcount to over 1,400.
The news comes hot on the heels of CP’s recent acquisition of fast-growing London-based Salesforce consultancy, Cloud Orca, and the launch of ATLAST, the global professional services firms’ community CP co-founded.
Ade Cheatham, CP CEO, said: “Two landmark deals over the last couple of days confirms our ambition to create the UK’s next gen professional services group. Acquiring UHY Hacker Young Manchester allows us to establish a powerful presence in the Northwest.
“In the same way, the Thames Valley deal accelerates our growth down the M4 to create the #1 advisory firm in the UK’s ‘Silicon Valley’ and Southwest.
“Our presence at the centre of every key UK business powerhouse – as one iconic and rebellious brand – is key to supercharging the next phase of our expansion and market leadership.
“What Dave Kendrick, Ben Loveday and their talented teams have created gives CP two perfect platforms from which to launch further UK acquisitions, strategic hires and specialist team lifts.”
Dave Kendrick, UHY Hacker Young Manchester CEO, said: “I am hugely proud of what we have achieved over the last few years as a team and taking our amazing 160+ strong team into the Cooper Parry business feels the perfect fit.
“Our growth ambitions, culture, team ethic and industry specialisms feel very much aligned and we now have the platform to dominate the Northwest region as the leading advisory firm.”
Ben Loveday, Haines Watts Thames Valley Managing Partner, added: “I’m really proud of what our team has been able to build here over the years. Looking ahead – and having seen the success of the recent Haines Watts London and Southeast integration – we see Cooper Parry as an ideal fit.
“Culturally and commercially, we’re perfectly aligned to take advantage of the enormous opportunity the Thames Valley presents.”
Experian completes acquisition down under
Experian, the data and technology company, has completed its A$820 million acquisition of consumer and commercial credit bureau, illion, in Australia and New Zealand.
The acquisition and integration of illion’s 500 strong team, data, software and intellectual property into Experian will create a unified business that brings together complementary capabilities, assets, people and customers. The combined organisation is set to enhance market choice and deliver powerful, data-driven solutions for businesses and consumers across the region.
Malin Holmberg, CEO Experian EMEA and Asia Pacific region, said: “Having successfully led the Australia and New Zealand business for the past seven years, Andrew Black, will take leadership of the combined organisation, overseeing the strategic integration and growth plans, leveraging our global innovations.”
Experian A/NZ CEO Andrew Black said Experian’s five-year strategic plan will quickly unlock value of the combined team and capabilities, with the first phase balancing speed and service continuity for customers.
“This is a historic day for our business, our people and our customers – and it’s just the beginning,” Black said. “Through this acquisition we aim to continue our growth trajectory in Australia and New Zealand, significantly expand our market and bring new capabilities to redefine what a data-driven technology business can be.
“illion has built an impressive product portfolio, data assets and customer base that are diverse and complementary to Experian’s strengths and we have a robust integration plan that will enable our customers to quickly realise the benefits of the combined entities.
“One of the big wins here is the combined data assets which will provide more choice for our customers. This is going to supercharge our product and service capabilities, in alignment with Experian’s global strategy, in a way that simply hasn’t been possible before.”
Black confirmed that the new combined entity will be rebranded to Experian, likely within the next 12 months, although some of the illion product names that have gained credible market awareness will continue.
Experian confirmed that John Banfield, CEO of illion, will be stepping down following the successful completion of the acquisition. Banfield played a pivotal role in transforming illion’s performance and culture, culminating in the company’s acquisition by Experian.
Rothera Bray LLP merges with Massers
Rothera Bray LLP, the East Midlands law firm, has merged with Massers. The merger is a key part of the firm’s ambitious growth plans and marks a significant step forward in expanding its team and service offerings.
The newly merged firm will continue under the name Rothera Bray LLP, with an expected turnover of £20 million for the 2025-2026 financial year.
As part of the merger, all 30 Massers employees have joined the Rothera Bray team. The Massers office in West Bridgford will remain open, while staff from Massers’ Nottingham office will be relocating to Rothera Bray’s Nottingham office in the Lace Market, centralising services and strengthening the team.
Christina Yardley, CEO at Rothera Bray LLP, commented on the merger: “We have a mutual commitment to grow the firm, which represents a fantastic opportunity for everyone to progress in their careers.
“By combining the best skills and abilities from both teams, we can continue to deliver the highest level of service to our clients. People-driven values, which are fundamental to both firms, are at the core of this merger.
“Together, we look forward to continuing our shared commitment to excellence and driving our firm’s future growth, while creating more opportunities for our teams and delivering exceptional results for our clients.”
Massers Director Tim Brooke stated: “From our initial discussions, it was clear that Massers and Rothera Bray share a strong commitment to the same core values and a focus on exceptional client care.
“The entire Massers team is enthusiastic about the opportunities this merger presents. In addition to continuing our excellent service, we are excited to offer our loyal clients access to a wider range of services that we previously could not provide.”
As part of the merger, key members of the Massers team will assume prominent leadership roles within Rothera Bray, contributing to the growth and enhancement of the firm’s services across the East Midlands.
Litigation Director James Carley will oversee and expand the firm’s Litigation services in Leicester, while Conveyancing Director Tim Brooke joins forces with Conveyancing Partner Michelle Young to further develop the firm’s conveyancing services across the counties.
Wills and Probate Director Richard Jackson will lead Rothera Bray’s Private Client team in Derby, and the Commercial Property team in Nottingham will be under the leadership of Corporate and Commercial Director Russell Thompson.
Additionally, Wills and Probate Director Martin Witherspoon, formerly of Sharp & Partners, returns to Rothera Bray to head the Private Client team in West Bridgford.
Ownership restructure sees Derby video and photography firm relaunch as a content creation company
Video and photography firm ‘AV IT! Media is relaunching as a content creation company after an ownership restructure and the appointment of three new members of staff.
The firm, which is based in Derby, has been taken over by co-owner Mark Averill and his partner Jenny Hudson, who have bought out former partner Ash Stanley.
The couple have drawn up an ambitious expansion strategy which they’re describing as the beginning of a new era for ‘AV IT! Media.
The move has coincided with the appointment of three new recruits, including Georgia Unwin who will provide social media support to a host of clients and help with ‘AV IT!’s own marketing and communication, along with storyboarding for video shoots.
Andy Brailsford, who is an experienced photographer, will be responsible for managing the automotive photography arm of the business and will also support at events.
Experienced videographer and editor Louis Greatorex completes the team, following the completion of successful campaigns for ‘AV IT! Media with both Derby Museums and Aston Villa Football Club.
Mark said: “We have built a solid reputation for creativity and quality and our vision is to continue delivering exceptional service to our clients while also exploring new opportunities for growth.
“With full ownership, Jenny and I can move forward with a unified vision, invest in new technologies, and expand our services to meet the growing needs of our clients. The addition of new staff members brings fresh perspectives and expertise, which will be instrumental in driving our next phase of growth.”
‘AV IT! Media has been supplying videography and photography to clients across the UK for six years and works with companies including Derby County, Bowmer and Kirkland, Derby City Council and HUUB.
Last year the firm teamed up with Gino D’Acampo to help the celebrity chef launch his latest range of pizza ovens, beating competition from large London agencies to secure the contract.
Jenny Hudson, who has been the company secretary and played a pivotal role in managing the business since its inception, will now be stepping into the role of Director.
Jenny said: “As visual storytellers with years of experience, we’re expanding our expertise to a broader range of creative services.
“Our expansion plans are ambitious, but with the talented team we have and the strong relationships we’ve built with our clients, we’re confident that the future is full of promise for AV IT!”
£8.8 million skills hub progresses in Mansfield
The creation of an £8.8 million skills hub to train people for careers in emerging industries and help businesses adapt to new technologies has taken a major step forward.
Education and council leaders joined construction specialists to see the state-of-the-art building – called the Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange – take shape at West Nottinghamshire College’s Chesterfield Road campus in Mansfield.
A large steel frame that makes up the ‘skeleton’ of the structure has been erected, taking it into the next phase of development, which will involve constructing the external elevations, masonry work, installing windows and doors, and completing roof coverings.
Due for completion in summer 2025, the flagship facility will accommodate around 300 college students and will deliver qualifications at level 3 and above, with a strong focus on innovation and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.
Incorporating facilities to support construction, engineering and digital technologies, it aims to prepare Mansfield to meet future labour market needs, plug skills gaps, and create better-paid jobs, particularly in sectors that are growing through advances in technology and automation.
This latest college building will provide 1,343 sq m of teaching space across two floors and be a focal delivery point for T Levels – technical-based qualifications developed in collaboration with employers.
Gavin Peake, director of IT, estates and learning resources at the college, said: “It is exciting to see the building move into its ‘above ground’ phase of construction. Once complete, it will be used by a variety of STEM subjects to deliver high-quality education and training in both existing and emerging sectors.
“This new facility, in the centre of Mansfield, will enable our students to study towards innovative careers in areas such as engineering, construction and digital, and fill skills gaps for many local firms. It will be an extremely welcome addition to the college’s estate and will further strengthen our links with employers in responding to future-facing job roles.”
Darren Chapman, operations director at Clegg Construction, the building contractor leading on the site’s development, said: “We are delighted to be working with one of the leading further education providers in the East Midlands on the construction of its Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange hub.
“As a Nottinghamshire-based contractor, several of our staff, including me, are West Nottinghamshire College alumni and neighbours. We are especially excited to be involved in the creation of these new facilities, which will support the future training of professionals in a range of sectors, including our multi-faceted construction industry.”
Merger sees TC Group strengthen Lincolnshire presence
TC Group, the firm of accountants and tax advisers, has completed a merger with Lincolnshire-based accountancy practice, Brooks & Partners, to form ‘TC Brooks & Partners’.
This deal continues TC Group’s M&A Strategy and enhances the firm’s more than 30 locations across the UK.
Brooks & Partners provide a full range of accountancy services. Their team in Stamford possess extensive expertise across various tax domains and business sectors, enabling them to provide comprehensive services to a diverse clientele, ranging from individuals and small enterprises to large corporate organisations.
Fay Brooks and Kate Howitt, Partners at Brooks & Partners, said: “We are thrilled to join TC Group, marking an exciting chapter in our journey. This partnership will help us work more closely with our clients, offering even better services and support. Our team is eager to meet and collaborate with the new team, building strong relationships and continuing to grow for the benefit of our clients.”
TC Group Partner, Keir Warwick said: “We are delighted to merge with Brooks & Partners, Stamford has always been an area in our sights and Brooks has a great reputation. As a result of this merger we now have a really strong presence in the town and I cannot wait to get started and grow it further with Kate and Fay.”
