More than 40 specialists from the East Midlands finance and professional services sector swapped their laptops and spreadsheets for padel rackets as part of a major Derby fundraiser.
Ashgates, which employs 90 people at its offices in Pride Park, announced the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association UK (PWSA) as its official charity partner earlier this year and the first event successfully raised nearly £1,500.
Players from Barclays, Gateley, NatWest, Rothera Bray and Handelsbanken did battle for the inaugural trophy at We Are Padel, with Stanton Environmental eventually lifting the title after defeating partners from the hosts in a tense final.
Ashgates’ audit and business services assistant Bethany Walker put forward the charity for personal reasons, as her sister Izzy currently lives with the rare genetic condition, which causes an overwhelming and uncontrollable drive to eat that can be life-limiting, as well as causing learning and physical disabilities.
“PWSA do amazing work, providing a dedicated helpline, information hub, peer support groups and community events for the 2000 people who live with this syndrome in the UK,” explained Ashgates director Steve Martin, who was joined at the Padel competition by Izzy and father Neil.
“As well as raising vital funds for research and other activities, it importantly raises awareness, so more people understand what is involved and what people have to live with.”
He continued: “Everyone is talking about Padel and we’ve been asked by a few stakeholders and clients for a game. I couldn’t think of a better way of rising to the challenge than putting on a competition at nearby We Are Padel and raising lots of money for a great charity.”
Karen Wilkinson of PWSA said: “We are most grateful to Ashgates and DJH for their fundraising event on behalf of the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association UK.
“The padel tournament was a great way for professionals to relax and do battle on the court, whilst raising much-needed awareness of the condition, a condition that affects more than 2,000 people in the UK.
“We’ve achieved so much, but this is just the start. The funding will go into the next steps, which include more age-appropriate support and social activities for adults with PWSA, expanding our information hub and training more professionals in helping people to live with the syndrome.”
Analysis by risk management software provider Protecht has ranked UK cities by corporate offence rates, reviewing over 36,000 fines from 2020 to 2024 via the Good Jobs First Violation Tracker and adjusting for local business populations.
Nottingham emerged as a notable hotspot, with 5.80 fines per 1,000 businesses. The city recorded 61 total offences over five years, costing local companies £6.3 million, placing it second for offence rate and seventh for total fines nationally. Belfast recorded the highest rate at 7.29 fines per 1,000 businesses, with Southampton, Lincoln, Glasgow, Preston, Oxford, Newport, Manchester, and Newcastle also in the top ten.
At the opposite end, Winchester had the lowest rate at 0.35 fines per 1,000 businesses, with just three offences totalling £61,000. Chichester, Wrexham, Salford, St Albans, Stirling, Brighton and Hove, Southend-on-Sea, Sunderland, and Lichfield also ranked among the best-performing cities.
The study underscores the uneven regulatory landscape across the UK. Nottingham’s high penalties highlight governance and compliance pressures in mid-sized business hubs, emphasising the financial and reputational risks of corporate mismanagement.
The UK economy saw modest growth in June, though conditions remain volatile.
According to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), GDP (gross domestic product), a key measure of economy growth, is estimated to have risen 0.4% month-on-month in June, ahead of expectations, following a 0.1% fall in May.
It reflects, across key sectors, services output growing 0.3% month-on-month, construction output increasing by 0.3%, and production output rising by 0.7%.
In the quarter, GDP rose 0.3%, also beating market expectations, but lagging behind growth seen during the first three months of the year.
Ben Jones, CBI lead economist, said: “A modest rebound in June brought Q2 to a positive close — but today’s figures confirm that the strong growth seen earlier this year was a one-off and underlying conditions remain fragile.
“With business costs mounting, the labour market cooling, investment intentions weakening and confidence generally subdued, the UK is walking a narrow path between resilience and stagnation.
“Policy uncertainty in the run-up to the Autumn Budget risks tipping the balance. With the business tax burden already at a 25-year high, the government must chart a steadier course by ruling out further tax rises and prioritising policies that can quickly lift investment and productivity.”
A residential development site in Alfreton, Derbyshire, has been sold to Yorkshire-based developer Harron Homes.
The 12.5-acre site, located off Lower Somercotes, benefitted from Outline Planning Permission for the development of 99 new homes with associated landscaping and recreational open space. A subsequent Reserved Matters application secured the development of 90 new homes.
The land was brought to market by Mather Jamie and attracted interest from a range of housebuilders due to its strategic location, planning status and proximity to key transport links.
The approved planning includes a Section 106 Agreement requiring 30% of the homes to be delivered as affordable housing, comprising 90% Affordable Rent and 10% Shared Ownership.
Robert Cole, director at Mather Jamie, said: “We’re pleased to have concluded this sale to Harron Homes, who are well placed to bring this opportunity forward and deliver a high-quality new neighbourhood in Somercotes. The site’s location and planning status made it particularly attractive, and we’re proud to have secured a successful outcome on behalf of our client.”
A spokesperson for Harron Homes added: “We’re delighted to have acquired this well-located site in Lower Somercotes. The development will form part of our ongoing strategy to provide high-quality, desirable homes in sought-after locations. We look forward to working with the local authority and community as we bring forward our plans for the site.”
West Northamptonshire Council has received a multi-phase planning application for the extensive redevelopment of Billing Aquadrome in Northampton. The proposals outline a reduction in static caravans from 3,104 to 2,245 units and include demolition, new construction, and infrastructure upgrades across the site.
Phase One covers the demolition of several single-storey buildings, a toilet block, and existing plant equipment, alongside internal and external alterations to guest and maintenance facilities. The plan also includes the construction of new residential, holiday sales, and reception buildings, stationing 110 static caravans for permanent use, and upgrades to roads, footpaths, parking, drainage, flood mitigation, and landscaping.
The remainder of the site is proposed for 886 static residential caravans, 1,223 holiday units, 26 floating lodges, and areas for touring caravans and tents. Outline plans cover additional reconfigurations, including raised pontoon access for boats, new lake infrastructure, and refurbishment of family entertainment facilities with restaurant and outdoor seating. Extensions to the swimming pool are also included.
The proposals represent a major investment in site reconfiguration, residential and holiday accommodation expansion, and improved leisure and infrastructure facilities.
The Faculty of Business and Law at the University of Northampton has been awarded the Small Business Charter accreditation for three years. The recognition highlights the Faculty’s contribution to supporting entrepreneurship and small business growth in Northamptonshire and the surrounding region.
Assessment for the accreditation focused on impact within the local business community, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and initiatives that deliver real-world benefits for SMEs. In 2023/24, the university contributed £366 million in gross value added to the regional economy and supported more than 5,400 jobs.
The Small Business Charter, overseen by small business leaders and the Chartered Association of Business Schools, identifies business schools that demonstrate excellence in student enterprise, entrepreneurship, and local economic engagement. There are currently 68 accredited business schools across the UK and Ireland.
Henry Brothers was founded in 1976 when Jim Henry set up a small construction business called H&K construction in Northern Ireland. Trading under this name for 10 years, in 1986 the business became known as Henry Brothers.
Recognised as a leading construction company with offices in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Henry Brothers established its Midlands office in Nottingham in 2015. The Midlands team delivers projects up to £30m in value, working in partnership with clients across a range of sectors including education, defence, bluelight, health, custodial and commercial. It offers a personable, lean and flexible approach that sets it apart from its competitors.
Leicester City Council – Canopy
Due to a reputation for high quality and complete customer satisfaction, the Midlands business has expanded across the country and in September 2022, a Northern office was opened in Central Manchester, with the business later being renamed as Henry Brothers Construction Ltd. Henry Brothers Construction has gone from strength to strength, with a turnover now approaching £50m.
Henry Brothers is making a real impact on the region, delivering projects such as the new Canopy workspace development in Leicester, created from a cluster of heritage buildings, and on site with the new Broad Marsh Community Diagnostic Centre in Nottingham and Global Conservation Centre at Twycross Zoo, amongst many others.
Derbyshire County Council – Alfreton Park SEN School
Henry Brothers has been appointed to a range of well-established national and regional public sector frameworks including Crown Commercial Service, Ministry of Justice, Pagabo, Procure 23, and Department for Education.
The Henry Brothers ethos is to work hard and get the job done. This practical approach ensures integrity, reliability, quality, innovation and sustainability for all partners and projects. Henry Brothers further seeks out opportunities where it can add value and offer something different to clients, this approach has led to the development of a specialism in complex schemes such as high security Ministry of Defence and bluelight projects, heavily serviced laboratory developments and exemplar sustainable schemes.
Loughborough University – SportPark Pavilion 4
Henry Brothers has a target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and to be carbon free by 2050 in line with Government requirements. A ‘Journey to Net Zero Strategy’ has been produced as a guidance document to outline its action plan to achieve Net Zero targets. This long-term strategic plan focusses on elimination of emissions as a priority; and to only offset once all other avenues are exhausted.
At a project level, the Midlands team has vast experience of highly sustainable projects, including the successful delivery of a Passivhaus office extension for Loughborough University, one of only a handful of certified Passivhaus office buildings in the UK.
In 2024, Henry Brothers was honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development, praised for its exemplary approach which resulted in significant benefits for the business, the environment and the wider construction sector.
Nottingham Trent University HAP Centre
This commitment to responsible business is further evident in the recent sponsorship of Switch Up in Nottingham, which provides life-changing support to vulnerable young people. This three-year partnership will provide the charity with much-needed funding to continue its positive employability programme as well as offering invaluable work placement opportunities to deliver long-term impact for the city’s disadvantaged young people.
To learn more about Henry Brothers, please visit https://henrybrothers.co.uk/
More than 400 KPMG UK colleagues from across the Midlands took part in the firm’s ‘Big Walk’ initiative last month, raising £25,000 in support of charity partner FareShare.
FareShare helps to fight hunger by saving food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to communities across the country.
The charity reaches nearly a million people in need each year through its network of over 8,000 local charities. It was announced as KPMG UK’s new national charity partner in October 2024, as voted for by the firm’s colleagues.
The Midlands-based Big Walk, through which colleagues could choose to walk 2km, 10km or 20km, took place at Foremark Reservoir in Derbyshire and is just one of 10 events organised by KPMG taking place across the UK from Aberdeen to Cornwall.
Every £1 raised by KPMG could allow FareShare to redistribute the equivalent of five meals to a person in need. By the end of the three-year partnership, KPMG has pledged to raise £1.5 million to support FareShare’s work, as well as providing crucial pro bono support and volunteering hours.
Andy Bostock, Midlands office senior partner at KPMG, said: “Our Big Walk at Foremark Reservoir in Derbyshire’s National Forest was a fantastic opportunity to raise much needed funds for a very worthy charity.
“As one in seven people in the UK go hungry, we want to help FareShare in its efforts to make sure everyone gets access to a good meal and prevent unnecessary food waste at the same time. It’s been terrific to join forces with so many colleagues from across the region and our event alone means more than 125,000 meals will go to people facing hunger in our local communities.”
Kirsty Ford, head of fundraising at FareShare, said: “We are hugely grateful to all the KPMG colleagues who took on this challenge in support of FareShare. The money raised will go a long way to supporting our work to get good-to-eat surplus food, which might otherwise go to waste, to people who need it.
“Every penny donated by KPMG will help FareShare power the redistribution of surplus food to over 8,000 charities across the UK. The food we supply helps support community services that promote wellbeing, tackle isolation, and change lives.”
Navigator Tissue UK has revealed plans to relocate its existing Leicester operations to a larger facility at Optimus Point, as part of a wider proposal to consolidate its UK rolls manufacturing.
The move will see the company’s current site in Thurmaston, along with its external warehouse operations, transition to a new site nearby offering increased capacity and improved infrastructure.
In addition, the company’s rolls manufacturing division, currently based across two sites in Blackburn, will be consolidated into Navigator Tissue UK’s Leyland site and the new Leicester facility.
Consultation has begun with employees at the Leicester and Blackburn sites. The company said it aims to preserve as many roles as possible and is committed to supporting any affected colleagues through the transition.
Navigator Tissue UK is part of The Navigator Company, a global pulp and paper manufacturer. Listed in Portugal, the group reported revenues of €2.088 billion in its most recent financial year and continues to expand its global presence through organic growth and targeted acquisitions.
These changes form part of a wider strategy to future-proof the company’s global presence. The group is also planning further investment in its Leicester and Leyland sites over the next five years.
Simon Nelson, operations director at Navigator Tissue UK, said: “This is a significant step forward for our operations in Leicester. Relocating to a larger, and more modern facility allows us to strengthen our manufacturing base, create greater resilience, and invest in the long-term future of our Midlands capabilities.
“We are committed to supporting our colleagues and working closely with them through the consultation process, and remain fully focused on maintaining continuity for our customers and partners throughout this transition.”
With nominations closing in just two days for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, ensure to submit your entries for the 10th annual celebration of the property and construction industry by Friday 15th August.
The Bricks shine a light on the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes.
Take this chance to showcase exceptional new commercial and residential developments, those demonstrating a leading position in sustainability and design excellence; gain recognition as outstanding developers, architects, contractors, and agents, as well as for significant deals; and ensure efforts in corporate social responsibility are rewarded, from eco initiatives to charity work, to social value schemes.
A highlight in the business calendar, winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 2nd October (4:30pm – 7:30pm) in the Derek Randall Suite at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening that will also provide plenty of chances to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region.
The event will additionally feature Councillor Nadine Peatfield – Leader of Derby City Council, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, and Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands, as keynote speaker.
It’s completely free to enter and making the top three finalists in your category also wins you free tickets to the awards ceremony.
To make a nomination for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, please click here, or on the category headings below.
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.
Matthew Montague Architects, winner of Architects of the Year at last year’s event, shared: “Winning a Bricks Award was a real highlight for our team. It’s a great feeling to have your work recognised by others in the industry — and the event itself is such a positive celebration of what’s being achieved across the region. We’d absolutely encourage others to put themselves forward.”
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, click hereto secure yours.
Connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region.
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.
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 hereDress code: Standard business attire
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