The gloves are off – Nike drop the ball over Mary Queen of Stops: by Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR
Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, reflects on Nike’s Lionesses kit fumble.
Imagine being one of the preeminent football kit manufacturers on the planet and bagging the rights to produce the kit for the Lionesses ahead of the World Cup.
A nation gripped by football with a women’s team that is on the verge of greatness after a glorious few years leading into the tournament. What an opportunity! Especially when one of the most high profile players in the side and indeed in the world will be front and centre as a goalkeeper – they always are, there are ALWAYS penalties at some point, a chance for a goalkeeper to make history and become an icon. Even better when that goalkeeper already has a positive media profile, plays for Manchester United and won the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper last year. Talk about an open-goal and a shot at reflected glory!
Or…you could be Nike, named for the “goddess of victory” if you like your mythology. If you are Nike, you can’t be bothered making it. Not worth it.
Now, let’s be clear, England’s women just failed at the final hurdle BUT Nike fell at the very first when they decided against making a goalkeeper’s kit. Mary Earps was already a household-name for folk who follow women’s football even occasionally.
Now, after a string of superb performances including saving a penalty in the final and the small matter of winning the “Golden Glove” award to go with her FIFA accolade from last year she is a bigger brand than ever. Her star is shining brightly. As for Nike, well, it is properly tarnished.
Mary herself was refreshingly forthright about the mess when she was asked about it leading into the tournament: “I can’t really sugarcoat this any way so I’m not going to try, it’s hugely disappointing and very hurtful. For my own family, friends and loved ones not to be able to buy my shirt, they’re just going to come out and wear normal clothes. All my team-mates, they’ve ordered a lot of shirts for their friends and family, they’re talking at the dinner table ‘I wasn’t able to get this’ and I’m saying ‘I wasn’t able to get it at all’.” There have been renewed calls for Nike to start producing the shirt but they appear to not be heard so far.
Here’s what Nike had to say: “Nike is committed to women’s football and we’re excited by the passion around this year’s tournament and the incredible win by the Lionesses to make it into the final. We are proudly offering the best of Nike innovation and services to our federation partners and hundreds of athletes. We hear and understand the desire for a retail version of a goalkeeper jersey and we are working towards solutions for future tournaments, in partnership with FIFA and the federations. The fact that there’s a conversation on this topic is testament to the continued passion and energy around the women’s game and we believe that’s encouraging.”
Except if you are “hearing” it Nike, you are still ignoring it. Also, the “conversation” is pretty much one that is pointing the finger at you for failing to back the sport in the best way possible.
Mary makes a great point about it not sitting well with her and tactfully makes it not about her but about the goalkeeping position and the game: “I know there’s a lot of people who have spent a tremendous amount of money on outfield shirts and then put ‘1 Earps’ on the back, which doesn’t sit well with me either. It’s a very scary message that’s being sent to goalkeepers worldwide that ‘you’re not important’. It’s something that I’ve been fighting behind closed doors. I’ve been desperately trying to find a solution with the FA and with Nike.”
Not only goalkeepers, but women’s football. Let’s be blunt, this wouldn’t happen with Nike for the men’s team. There will be waffle about not setting precedents but maybe, just maybe, Nike should swallow their pride, take a bravery pill and their own advice and Just Do It.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.
He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this column in the September edition of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
Hydrogen storage system pioneers make more than £1m investment in Nottingham-based alternative fuel hub
An investment of more than £1 million in Luxfer Gas Cylinders’ European base in Nottingham has been announced, which will establish a new production facility to support ‘virtual’ gas pipelines that can distribute hydrogen across the UK and Europe.
Luxfer Gas Cylinders, a division of Luxfer Holdings PLC, is a manufacturer of high-pressure aluminium and composite cylinders. Its Nottingham manufacturing base produces up to one million cylinders each year – and is home to alternative fuel specialists who have embedded world-first hydrogen-powered systems into buses, trucks, trains, boats, tractors and even drones.
This new purpose-built facility will produce Multiple Element Gas Containers (MEGCs), with the very first units available from summer 2024.
Mark Lawday, vice president and general manager of Luxfer Europe, explains: “This investment is the natural next step in continuing to build our European hydrogen capability and support the development of the hydrogen economy, which is going to be essential in enabling all of us to reach our decarbonisation goals in Europe in 2030 and beyond.”
Luxfer Gas Cylinders has been operating for over 80 years and has sites across the world, but makes Nottingham its European base, where it employs over 230 people from the region. The new hub will see a number of additional jobs created at the Colwick site, as the facility steps up its operation.
New coordinator role strengthens Minerals Matter team
Minerals Matter, the cross-sector approach to future skills and succession planning for the mineral products industry, is strengthening its delivery team to drive forward the timely and effective development of industry careers interventions and the Minerals Matter scheme.
Hannah Higley, from Derby, joins as careers coordinator. Hannah will provide effective, responsive, high-quality project management to ensure delivery of key Minerals Matter activities across the organisation.
Emily Noble, future careers manager, Minerals Matter, says: “This is an important appointment for Minerals Matter as we ramp up engagement in the future skills agenda for the mineral products industry. This additional resource will now enable us to reach further afield and to consolidate our approach to improving skills across the sector.
“Hannah’s positive experiences of working with careers education in secondary schools really stood out and this is a great opportunity for her to now take up the challenge to promote the specific benefits of working in the mineral products sector to young people.”
A wide ranging role, amongst other things the new careers coordinator role will oversee the Minerals Matter Ambassador scheme in partnership with STEM Learning UK, alongside other activities led by Minerals Matter within the context of the Minerals Matter strategy.
It also involves working with the future careers manager and sector standards manager to deliver against key projects effectively, and the sector standards manager and industry leads to support key meetings on National Occupational Standards, apprenticeship reviews/development and task groups.
Hannah says: “I’m hugely excited to join the growing team at Minerals Matter. Living in Derbyshire I’m well aware of the importance of the mineral products industry to the local and national economy.
“This new role enables me to bring together my skills and past experiences and to use these to help connect and excite young people about the sector. I can’t wait to get started!”
Hannah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism from the University of Derby, and a Chartered Institute of Marketing Professional Diploma in Marketing. Her previous employment includes marketing and publicity roles at the University of Derby, corporate social responsibility officer at East Midlands Airport and enterprise coordinator at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
Nottingham-headquartered auction house secures multi-million pound emergency services framework
Nottingham-headquartered auction house John Pye & Sons Limited has secured a four-year nationwide framework worth up to £50,000,000 to oversee the disposal and auction of end-of-life emergency service or “Blue Light” vehicles.
The ‘Framework for the Provision of Auction and Disposal of End-of-Life Vehicles and Items’ was awarded by BlueLight Commercial, an organisation established by the Home Office in 2020.
John Pye will oversee the disposal and auction of emergency vehicles that are no longer fit for purpose, such as police cars and fire engines. The framework includes managing vehicles that must be scrapped or recycled with components made available for the ‘green parts’ market and redistributing other premium vehicles that are suitable for resale.
The auction specialist’s Government and Vehicles departments will work closely with garages, second-hand vehicle traders and the primary target of end-consumers across its network of UK suppliers to ensure all premium, decommissioned vehicles generate a healthy interest.
Zoe Wright, director at John Pye, said: “We are thrilled to be appointed to this highly prestigious framework. As the leading full-service specialist for vehicle auctioning and recycling, we’re proud to provide a sales solution for emergency vehicle disposal.
“We understand that the resale and disposal of ex-emergency vehicles is highly sensitive, and we place our operations under intense scrutiny, carefully balancing income generation for the Authority with supporting sustainability and the environment and protecting the Authority’s reputation against unwanted reputational risk.
“We are looking forward to this new opportunity to build on our excellent reputation with the emergency services and broadcast our excellent service offering to a wider audience.”
Adam joins Hopkinson Waste Management at pivotal moment
Adam Hadfield has joined Chesterfield-based Hopkinson Waste Management’s finance team as the firm begins its second year of ownership with ambitious growth plans.
MD Jules Gaynor sID: “Adam is joining us at a crucial time. We’ve grown massively in year one, but the next year will be lift-off as we are ideally placed to provide waste management and recycling services as Chesterfield’s own growth plans are realised.”
Adam added: “The Hopkinson growth plans are simply stunning. A 32-acre fully permitted waste and recycling centre in Chesterfield is a hidden gem. We have instant capacity to treble our operation in size.
“Balancing the financials will be my job. Jules is freed up now to do the business development work with Natalie Hirst, our Head of Commercial. I’m thrilled to be here, it’s an amazing place to work with a totally unique culture.”
The Lincolnshire Showground gets ready for Christmas Party Nights
The Lincolnshire Showground hosts some of the biggest and most elaborate Christmas parties in Lincoln, and is inviting you to gather your colleagues to join them!
If you’re a group of 10 or 100, you can enjoy shared party nights on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th December from 7pm – 1am.
Christmas Party packages include a glass of fizz on arrival, a three-course meal, tea & coffee, live music from the Stolen Fridays, and a DJ until the early hours.
To book, contact the events team on 01522 522900 or events@lincolnshireshowground.co.uk
Steve joins Central Technology leadership team
Steve Dono has joined the leadership team at Chesterfield’s Central Technology.
His arrival marks a pivotal moment in Central Technology’s journey, promising an era of growth, innovation, and collaboration. With his leadership skills, coupled with his rich experience and commitment to excellence, the company is looking forwards to a successful 2024 and beyond.
He said: “What truly drew me in was the strength of the Senior Management Team (SMT). A robust leadership team is essential for any organisation’s growth, and CT’s cohesive blend of knowledge, experience, and united purpose resonated profoundly with me.
“Central Technology boasts a commendable 20-year legacy of customer loyalty, built upon consistent service delivery. However, both CT and the IT & Telecoms industry have evolved rapidly. Our commitment to service excellence remains unwavering.”
Steve brings with him a wealth of expertise, having previously held pivotal roles as Sales Director in major IT companies. His impressive track record in sales leadership and business development within the Telecoms and IT industry makes him an invaluable addition to the Central Technology team.
Next stage begins on transformative project at Kings Mill Reservoir
Work has begun on the purpose-built boathouse and leisure building at Kings Mill Reservoir following the completion of the new car park.
Visitors to the reservoir will soon be able to see the new building rising from the ground, on the edge of the water. Builders are on site and have started the construction, the foundations have been dug and the concrete will be poured in the coming days.
The building will provide modern and accessible changing facilities for water sports, and a meeting/training room on the ground floor, whilst the first floor will be home to a restaurant and function space with views over the reservoir. The plans for the leisure building will allow more residents and visitors the opportunity to access water sports such as paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, and open water swimming.
The car park extension forms an integral part of Ashfield District Council’s plans to build a new boathouse with restaurant space at the reservoir. The newly finished car park can now hold an additional 136 cars, bringing the total to 260 spaces at the reservoir.
The new car park will be open for use from October once a barrier has been installed to restrict access to the car park overnight. Native hedging and trees will be planted to increase the biodiversity on site and a permeable surface has been used to mitigate flooding impacts.
Cllr Matthew Relf, Executive Lead for Growth, Regeneration and Local Planning, said: “This is another fantastic project that will make a huge difference to Ashfield and the broader area. The reservoir is already a well-loved and well-used open space, and our plans will turn it into a destination park.
“We want everyone to be able to access water sports, and this project will open this opportunity up for more people, not just in the local area but further opening up Ashfield as a destination for visitors from further afield.
“Nature will always be at the heart of Kings Mill Reservoir and the Council is committed to providing more habitats for the birds, insects, and mammals that live here.”
Work is expected to be completed on the new facility by late 2024.
This project is just one of 16 being funded by Ashfield District Council’s £62.6million Towns Deal, which will regenerate Ashfield and create a District where innovation thrives, and residents are proud to be from.
The Council’s plans, and extended car park, complement the rapid expansion and development of the Mill Adventure Base, to offer a larger variety of activities for visitors from across Nottinghamshire and beyond.
Lindum Group site manager Malcolm Cousins said the project was progressing as planned: “We are currently excavating the foundations for the new boathouse and restaurant space. If all goes well, we will be pouring the first foundation later in the week.
“There has been lots of interest from members of the public as they walk by. They’ve been asking questions about how work is going and seem to be excited about what’s happening here.
“Most of the activity so far has been groundworks and the team we have employed live predominantly within five miles of the site, which is great for the local economy and for the environmental impact of the project.”
Leicester-based firm secures eight-figure package to support expansion
Leicester-based Secure Retail has secured an eight-figure funding package from Shawbrook to help build its latest rental proposition and support further expansion in to Europe, following the opening of a new facility in Holland.
The rental proposition will allow key existing clients to rent Secure Retail’s hardware, enabling them to update their technology more frequently and provide Secure Retail with consistent, recurring revenue., the specialist provider of payments hardware and services for the retail, hospitality, transport, and unattended sectors has signalled further growth plans, with funding secured from Shawbrook.
Secure Retail, which NVM acquired a majority stake of in 2019, is an established and trusted global provider of secure and bespoke end-to-end payment solutions, providing payment gateway solutions, hardware, and software to leading brands on a global scale.
Carl Barton, Founder of Secure Retail, said: “Secure Retail has been operational since 2003, and we pride ourselves on our strong relationships with our customers, and our commitment to innovation. Shawbrook were able to offer us a bespoke package that would both support our ongoing growth and allow us to launch our new rental proposition.”
Andy Leach, Investment Partner at NVM Private Equity, said: “Secure Retail has shown consistent growth during our investment’. The leadership team have handled the ever-changing payments landscape with confidence, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the industry. We’ve worked with Shawbrook previously and were confident Dan and his team could provide a suitable package for Secure Retail’s next phase. With this new funding injection and some ambitious plans, I’m looking forward to seeing what else Secure Retail can achieve.”
Daniel Martin, Senior Director at Shawbrook, said: “We’ve been impressed with Secure Retail’s strong history within the payments space, and the management team’s ability to evolve and innovate its propositions based on client need. We’re thrilled to be working with the team at Secure Retail and supporting them with their growth plans going forward, and further growing our relationship with Andy and the team at NVM.”
Final phase of construction underway at Edwalton development
Construction work is now underway on the final phase of new homes at Vistry Group’s Edwalton Fields location in Edwalton.
Bovis Homes and Linden Homes, which are part of the Vistry Group, are delivering over 750 new homes as part of a wider new neighbourhood being built off Melton Road on the southern edge of Nottingham.
The final phase of 149 properties will be built by Linden Homes on a parcel of land to the north of the wider development. Bovis Homes is also building its final phase of 120 homes on the neighbouring site.
Work started on the final Linden Homes properties in Summer 2023, and the development will comprise 104 two, three and four-bedroom houses for private sale and 45 affordable homes including apartments, flats and houses available through rent or shared ownership.
The wider development has already delivered land for a new primary school – Rosecliffe Spencer Academy, which opened in September 2020 – and is also set to deliver a country park.
Freya Halsall, marketing manager for Vistry Mercia, said: “Edwalton Fields has been popular with buyers since we started construction over five years ago and there’s already a vibrant new community established here.
“As well as bringing hundreds of much-needed new homes to the area, Vistry’s developments have had a significant positive impact on the local community, delivering a total of £10 million in investment in infrastructure.
“This is funding improvements to a whole range of facilities, including sports and leisure, public art, public transport, cycle routes, primary schools, libraries and public open space.”
