East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025: “I would wholeheartedly encourage businesses from across the East Midlands property and construction landscape to get involved” says past winner

Tess Egginton
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East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025: “I would wholeheartedly encourage businesses from across the East Midlands property and construction landscape to get involved” says past winner
With nominations now being welcomed for Business Link Magazine’s East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, last year’s ‘Responsible Business of the Year’ winner has reflected on the prestigious event and is encouraging firms to enter. Tom Sewell, regional director at Stepnell, said: “Winning the Responsible Business award at the 2024 East Midlands Bricks Awards was an incredibly proud moment for the Nottingham team at Stepnell, recognising our dedication to responsible practices and commitment to sustainable development in the region. “The awards are a fantastic opportunity to connect with others in the industry and celebrate regional excellence. I would wholeheartedly encourage businesses from across the East Midlands property and construction landscape to get involved.” The East Midlands Bricks Awards celebrates the successes of property and construction companies in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire. This year’s eagerly anticipated awards ceremony, marking 10 years of the event, will take place on Thursday 2nd October at Nottingham’s famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. 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. Welcoming almost 150 professionals, nominating a company or project for the awards is a great way to showcase your successes, recognise your team’s efforts, and reach our audience of over 60,000 business readers, while also offering a chance to connect with respected professionals. And better yet, it’s completely free to enter! Making the top three finalists in your category also wins you free tickets to the event, where you’ll be in the running for one of our coveted awards.

To make a nomination for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, please click here.

Supporting imagery, video, documents, or links to these, can be sent to bricks@blmgroup.co.uk. Video nomination pitches are also welcome as an alternative or companion to written entries. 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:

With a limited number of sponsorship opportunities remaining, please contact Angie Cooper at a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk to learn more if you are interested in becoming an East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025 sponsor.

Business photography available from £300

Tess Egginton
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Business photography available from £300
Glowfrog are now providing corporate professional photography services for local businesses in the East Midlands, from as little as £300. This can be a fantastic option particularly for SMEs in the region, to enhance your visual presentation within your marketing materials and online. Below is a list of some of the corporate photography options that Glowfrog offer. You can get in touch with them at www.glowfrogvideo.com or on 01332 492 465.
  • Staff headshots (studio or environmental)
  • Team/group photos
  • Brand lifestyle photography (showing people using the product/service)
  • Website imagery (custom photos for webpages)
  • Social media content (curated photo sets for campaigns)
  • Behind-the-scenes photography
  • Product photography (e-commerce, catalogue, lifestyle)
  • Interior and exterior shots (e.g. office, restaurant, retail)
  • Corporate events (conferences, product launches)
  • Trade shows and exhibitions
  • Workshops and training sessions
  • Ribbon-cutting ceremonies or PR events
  • Awards and employee recognition events
  • Office lifestyle photography (candid shots of the team at work)
  • Photo retouching and editing
No matter the size or type of your business, strong visuals can make a lasting impression. Whether you’re refreshing your brand, updating your website, or capturing an important event, Glowfrog’s tailored photography services are designed to fit your needs and budget, without compromising on quality. Get in touch at www.glowfrogvideo.com or on 01332 492 465.

‘Sharp’ deal sealed on High Street

Tess Egginton
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‘Sharp’ deal sealed on High Street
Rushton Hickman has sold 5 High Street in Woodville. The premises is prominently positioned on the A511, next to the ‘Clock Garage’ roundabout where large occupiers are situated including Asda Petrol Station and Kwik Fit. The two-storey premises comprises a sales area on the ground floor retail space with first floor residential accommodation with separate access. Mr Sharp, the purchaser, said: “I’m pleased to have bought this asset, it’s a stable long-term investment that provides better value for money than the equivalent residential asset.” Taylor Millington, senior agent, added: “During our initial viewing with Mr Sharp he expressed his interest in the premises and how this vacant possession purchase would be brilliant to add to his portfolio after some internal decoration works are completed, and he can find some new tenants. “Having met Mr Sharp at the property after the sale completed, we’re in discussion in working with him to provide him with advice over the ground floor tenancy and hope to wrap a letting for him up swiftly.” The landlord was represented by Taylor Millington and Steph O’Leary at Rushton Hickman, working alongside Matthew Throne of Thomas Flavell & Sons Ltd, while Mr Sharp was represented by Andrew Carmichael of Ratio Law LLP.

Derby biotech N4 Pharma strengthens leadership to advance drug delivery platform

April Lara
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Derby biotech N4 Pharma strengthens leadership to advance drug delivery platform

N4 Pharma, a Derby-based biotech firm, has expanded its senior leadership team as it moves to accelerate the development and commercial readiness of its Nuvec® delivery technology.

The new team includes experienced figures from global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, brought in to support internal R&D, commercial strategy, and manufacturing functions.

Dr Fiona McLaughlin will lead research and development, drawing on over two decades of oncology drug development at GSK, Bayer, and Avacta. Dr Mark Edbrooke, with prior leadership roles in functional genomics at GSK and oncology at AstraZeneca, takes up the role of head of strategy. Commercial director Dr Simon Bennett brings experience from more than 70 biopharma companies, having facilitated over 80 commercial transactions. Dr Margaret Courtney, now leading Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), has consulted widely across biotech and pharma on drug delivery and contract manufacturing operations.

The appointments reflect N4 Pharma’s focus on advancing its proprietary Nuvec nanoparticle platform, designed to enhance the delivery of RNA and DNA therapeutics. The company aims to secure commercial partnerships and establish an internal pipeline of RNA-based therapies.

Conygar returns to profit and restructures Nottingham loan

April Lara
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Conygar returns to profit and restructures Nottingham loan

Property investment firm Conygar has posted a £6.3 million profit for the six months to 31 March 2025, marking a return to profitability following the sale of two assets in Anglesey: Holyhead Waterfront and Parc Cybi. The disposals contributed to the company’s improved financial position, following losses in the previous period.

The developer also confirmed the restructuring of its Barclays development loan linked to the Winfield Court student accommodation at Nottingham’s Island Quarter. The revised agreement extends the final repayment deadline from March 2025 to December 2025, providing additional flexibility amid ongoing development activity.

Operationally, Conygar reported solid progress at the Island Quarter. Student accommodation lettings at Winfield Court are on track for the upcoming academic year. Meanwhile, revenues at the Cleaver & Wake and Binks Yard hospitality venues have held steady, with margins showing gradual improvement despite wider sector pressures.

The company remains cautiously optimistic about its pipeline, citing supportive trends in the UK real estate market, including continued rental growth, limited new construction activity, and easing lending conditions. Conygar sees long-term value in its Nottingham project and broader portfolio, anticipating future opportunities that align with investor demand for high-quality, sustainable assets.

Oadby & Wigston businesses invited to apply for up to £3,000 in green funding

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Oadby & Wigston businesses invited to apply for up to £3,000 in green funding

Oadby & Wigston Borough Council (OWBC) is offering local businesses the chance to apply for up to £3,000 of funding to reduce their carbon footprints and work towards a greener future.

The Green Grant Scheme is designed to help businesses in the borough invest in solutions which will increase their sustainability in the long term, which could include adopting green transport solutions such as e-bikes, or installing energy-efficient systems such as LED lighting, solar panels or heat pumps.

All local businesses are invited to a launch night on Thursday 12 June where they can learn more about the grant and how to submit a successful application. The event is taking place at the Oadby & Wigston Borough Council Offices. For more information, or to RSVP to the launch event, businesses should contact business@oadby-wigston.gov.uk.

OWBC has made a pot of £30,000 available, funded by UK Government, in total for the scheme. Funding of £500 – £3,000 will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible businesses who have a premises and demonstrate they meet all of the application criteria. Applications will close on 30 September 2025, or earlier if the allocation is spent.

Councillor Lee Bentley, deputy leader of OWBC, said: “We are delighted to introduce the Green Grant Scheme as part of our ongoing commitment to reducing our borough’s carbon footprint.

“Supporting local businesses to become more sustainable is an important goal of our new Climate Change Strategy and also supports the UK Government’s goal of a Net Zero economy by 2050.

“As well as the environmental boost this funding could make a real, economic difference to local businesses by allowing them to install more efficient systems, leading to lower overheads and increased profits.

“This is a great opportunity for our businesses, and I really encourage them to come along to the launch night on Thursday 12 June to learn more and think about applying.”

Games Workshop boosts staff bonus after record year

April Lara
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Games Workshop boosts staff bonus after record year

Games Workshop will distribute £20 million in staff bonuses following a strong financial year. The Warhammer franchise continues to grow its global footprint across retail, licensing, and entertainment.

The payout, shared equally among employees, marks an increase from £18 million the previous year and reflects another year of rising revenue and profit. The company currently projects sales of at least £560 million for the year ending 1 June, up from £494.7 million. Licensing income is expected to reach £50 million, primarily driven by its partnership with Amazon to adapt Warhammer 40,000 into television and film.

Games Workshop’s pre-tax profit is forecast at at least £255 million, with core operating profit at £210 million. These figures follow a year of record retail sales across the UK, North America, and Continental Europe, as well as the successful launch of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, which sold five million copies by the end of November.

The company’s continued expansion into media and entertainment, supported by defined creative agreements with Amazon, has bolstered its IP monetisation strategy. It also recently entered the FTSE 100 index for the first time, reflecting nearly a decade of consistent growth.

Despite the strong outlook, shares fell 4.5% on Friday morning, making Games Workshop the largest faller on the FTSE. Its current market capitalisation stands at nearly £5 billion.

Midlands selects nine digital health firms for NHS innovation drive

April Lara
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Midlands selects nine digital health firms for NHS innovation drive

Nine digital health companies have been selected for the inaugural cohort of Grow Digital Health Midlands, a regional accelerator focused on scaling healthcare technology across the NHS and broader care system.

Launched in early 2025 as the successor to the East Midlands Digital Health Accelerator, the programme is delivered by Health Innovation East Midlands and Health Innovation West Midlands. It targets high-potential digital solutions that align with national NHS priorities and specific regional challenges, particularly those aimed at improving workforce productivity, enhancing communication, and reducing pressure on hospital services.

The selected companies will receive tailored support, including one-on-one business coaching and access to clinical, regulatory, and commercial expertise. They will also have opportunities to present their technologies directly to NHS stakeholders and care leaders across the Midlands.

The cohort includes Appthealth, which automates care coordination for patients with multiple long-term conditions, and Hope for the Community, which provides digital self-management tools for individuals with chronic illnesses and their carers. AirEmail offers a platform to improve email workflows for healthcare professionals, while Kaenect delivers AI-powered referral automation and patient engagement tools. Surgfit supports remote pre-operative assessment to enhance clinical decision-making, and Heidi Health enables automatic medical transcription to reduce clinician admin. Suvera operates virtual clinics to improve primary care outcomes for patients with long-term conditions. ExpertCare focuses on personalised decision support for hypertension, and Note Dr provides AI-generated clinical documentation in real time.

The Midlands, which spans 11 integrated care systems and a population of nearly 12 million, is the largest NHS region in England. The programme was developed in close consultation with local NHS leaders to ensure each selected solution aligns with regional goals and demonstrates high potential for real-world adoption.

BGF commits £300m to Midlands businesses

Tess Egginton
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BGF commits £300m to Midlands businesses
BGF, the growth capital investor, has pledged £300 million to Midlands-based businesses as part of its £3 billion UK-wide commitment to support high-potential companies over the next five years. This regional commitment builds on BGF’s strong track record in the Midlands, where it has invested £541 million since 2011. As part of the £3 billion pledge, BGF is also committing £300 million to female-powered businesses across the UK, to foster greater diversity in the growth economy. This builds on an initial £25 million commitment to the Invest in Women Taskforce (IWT), which helped raise over £250 million last year. Since 2011, BGF’s portfolio companies across the UK have generated £7.1 billion in revenue growth, £1 billion in export growth, and created more than 27,000 jobs. With 74% of its capital deployed outside London and the South East, BGF’s regional-first approach is central to its mission to reduce capital disparities across the country. Seb Saywood, partner, Midlands, BGF, said: “We’ve backed great businesses in the Midlands for over a decade, from manufacturers to fast-growing tech firms. This new £300 million commitment builds on that track record and reflects our long-term belief in the region’s potential to deliver strong, sustainable growth.”

Three Bunkers Challenge surpasses £60,000 raised for charity

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Three Bunkers Challenge surpasses £60,000 raised for charity
The annual Three Bunkers Challenge has raised £60,000 cumulatively in aid of local charity Big C Little c which supports CRUK, NSPCC and other charities that support children at risk. Another major beneficiary this year will be the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre (CBTRC) at Nottingham University. Now in its 5th year, the Three Bunkers Challenge took place on Friday 22 May and is styled like the infamous three peaks mountain climbs. It involves 24 golfers playing 27 holes at three separate golf courses across the East Midlands within 10 hours, covering just over 70 miles. The winning team this year was Fiscal Engineers and, on the day, a cheque for £11,250 was presented to Big C Little c founders Colin Shaw and Andrew Springhall. Further donations have been pledged meaning the 2025 event will raise in excess of £13,500, bringing the cumulative total raised since 2020 to £60,000. An auction was also held for a signed Nottingham Forest Shirt, tickets for the T20 at the Upton Steel County Ground, and golf fourball vouchers for Beeston Fields, Brierley Forest, Chorley, Coxmoor, Charnwood Forest, Chevin, Mapperley, Radcliffe on Trent and Serlby Park golf clubs. Event co-organiser Elliot Cook from Simple Marketing Consultancy said: “Three Bunkers was started by my business partner Bev Cook and continues to be a huge success. We’d both like to thank everyone who took part or donated as we now only have another £40,000 to raise to reach our £100,000 overall target. “We’d particularly like to thank Morley Hayes, Charnwood Forest and The Nottinghamshire golf clubs as without their support we would not be able to hold the event and raise so much.” Colin Shaw from Big C Little c added: “The Three Bunkers Challenge is an important fundraiser for us as it helps us to deliver tailored support to local people. The NSPCC receives many calls from children who have been affected by a cancer and similarly local research centres like CBTRC need financial assistance to continue the search for pioneering new cancer treatments.” The teams that participated in the 2025 event included Actons Solicitors, Fiscal Engineers, Finance for Enterprise, MAF Finance Group, Michael Reed Wealth Management, Shakespeare Martineau, and Simple Marketing Consultancy.
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