< PreviousOUT OF OFFICE Top international award for Derby entrepreneur The entrepreneur behind Derby-headquartered global IT firm, Bam Boom Cloud, has scooped a prestigious international award. At the recent Women in Cloud Awards, presented at the Ingram Micro Cloud Summit in Miami Beach, Florida, Vicky Critchley, Chief Executive of Bam Boom, won the MVP Woman of the Year Award. The awards celebrate the achievements of individuals and businesses within Ingram Micro Cloud’s ecosystem on their efforts to support women in the community. This year’s winners were all high-achieving individuals and partners who had displayed high levels of innovation, leadership, and advocacy for Women in Cloud in 2021. The Woman of the Year Award category recognises one individual female seen as the most valuable player, providing inspiration to her team and organisation. Vicky was recognised for helping Bam Boom Cloud develop a reputation not only for customer excellence, but also as an inclusive and progressive workplace. Under her leadership, the percentage of women in Bam Boom’s global team has grown to 33%, with over half of senior management positions held by women. She said: “I am honoured to be awarded the Women in Cloud MVP Woman of the Year 2022 award. “Ingram has always been a fantastic supporter of women in the tech industry and this Women in Cloud category showcases some of the most brilliant and dynamic female leaders in the world, so to be recognised as one of these is incredible.” Derbyshire business owner to judge National Business Women’s Awards 2022 following dual wins A young businesswoman from Derbyshire has been invited to be a guest judge at this year’s National Business Women’s Awards after scooping two prestigious prizes at last year’s ceremony. Jodie Heginbotham, co-founder and co- director of architectural design firm The Practical Planning Company, triumphed in the national awards in November 2021, winning Gold in the Young Business Woman of the Year category as well as Silver overall winner of the night. This year, she has been asked to be a member of the esteemed judging panel. “It’s an honour to be asked to be a part of the judging panel this year,” says Jodie. “Being named Young Business Woman of the Year last year was a real highlight for me. We’re a small business, a small team and a fairly new company so it was beyond anything I ever expected. It truly is the greatest reward for all the hard work and stress that goes into running a business! “I’d like to extend my best wishes to all the women who have entered these awards this year – good luck!” East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Cawarden honoured with family business award Derby-based Specialist Contractor, Cawarden, has received a major award at an awards ceremony that celebrates the UK family business sector. Cawarden was announced as the Midlands and Central Family Business of the Year by Rob Davies, senior affiliate at BanyanGlobal. They also came runner-up in the Property & Construction Family Business of the Year and Midlands & Central People’s Choice Family Business of the Year. William Crooks, Cawarden Managing Director, said: “It’s fantastic to be chosen as the Midlands and Central Family Business of the Year winner as well as being a runner up in two other categories. It means so much to my whole family and the wider Cawarden Family. “This award is a testament to everyone’s hard work and I’m delighted by our success. We will be able to look back on this achievement with immense pride and it will form a wonderful milestone in our rich heritage which all started from very humble beginnings.” L – R: Oliver Crooks, commercial director; William Crooks, Managing Director; Samuel Crooks, contracts director 50-51.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2022 14:44 Page 1 Yellow and blue bakes sell like hot cakes Colleagues at a Derbyshire company put their scientific skills to good use by holding a charity bake sale to support refugees fleeing war-torn Ukraine. Employees at Lubrizol, a chemicals company with a UK headquarters in Hazelwood near Belper, held a grand cake sale which raised more than £1,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine appeal. Lubrizol staff showed off their lab-honed skills by creating a range of bakes, many of which they made in the now-famous blue and yellow colours of the Ukraine flag. Nikky Waring, who works in the company’s Chemical Synthesis and Applied & Strategic Research department, organised the cake sale with colleague, chemist Lindsey Choo, after seeing with horror the scenes of devastation in Ukraine and wanting to do something to help. She said: “The cake sale was just a way of trying to show our support for the people of Ukraine and I’m really pleased so many colleagues really got behind the idea. Our aim was to raise £500 and we totally smashed that with a total of £1,050 in the end.” One baker to contribute her creations to the sale was Danielle Malik, a project manager in Lubrizol’s industrial department, whose talent in the kitchen saw her regal crown-themed creation recently chosen as one of the top 50 entries in the nationwide Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pudding Competition. Danielle created some cute cupcakes adorned with beautiful blue and yellow icing for the cake sale. Other creations included a lemon meringue pie made in yellow and blue, plus apple cakes made to an authentic Ukrainian recipe contributed by Jim Grieveson, chef manager at Wilson Vale Catering which runs the restaurant at Lubrizol. OUT OF OFFICE www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Council makes designation to create Leicester’s 25th conservation area A new conservation area around Leicester’s Fosse Recreation Ground and a nationally-listed Victorian church building has been designated by the city council. Following consultation with residents, the council has designated the new St Paul’s conservation area to protect the neighbourhood’s special architectural and historic interest. The new conservation area – the 25th to be designated in the city – is centred on the locally-listed Fosse Recreation Ground and is located a little over 1km west of the city centre. It includes the full 11-acres of the tree-lined park with boundaries on Fosse Road North to the east, and Kirby Road and part of King Richards Road to the south. Among the landmark buildings in the area are the Grade II-listed former St Paul’s Church on Kirby Road, which dates back to 1870; the late-19th century neo-Gothic St Andrew’s Methodist Church on Glenfield Road East; the Estonian House on Fosse Road North; and several fine examples of late-Victorian and Edwardian villas and terraced housing. Further £500,000 for Kettering town centre improvements More improvements to the street scene of Kettering will soon start thanks to an additional £500,000 of Historic England funding, which has been awarded to North Northamptonshire Council. It is hoped that works will extend from Dryland Street to Crispin Place, following earlier works being completed on High Street, Gold Street, West Street and Meadow Road. The works are part of the Kettering High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) project, a partnership between North Northamptonshire Council and Historic England. The additional phase will have the same materials and design principles already used along the High Street. Cllr David Brackenbury, the Council’s executive member for growth and regeneration, said: “I am so pleased that Historic England have recognised the high quality of the scheme and that work can continue along the High Street. Once finished, this work will make a real difference to Kettering and breathe new life into the town centre.” © stock.adobe.com/Duncan 50-51.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2022 14:44 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk of your desk. Attendees will each be given the opportunity to introduce their business to all in attendance in a supportive, unpressured environment. Then will follow further networking in breakout rooms with a topic/question for discussion. This month’s chosen question is ‘how do you relax from work’? For more information visit https://bizgateway.org.uk/events/fsb- leicestershire-and-rutland-virtual- networking-6/ Technology Forum: AR, VR, MR and XR Technologies Thursday 14 July Enterprise Centre Derby, Derby Discover the potential of AR, VR, MR and XR technologies within industries. From public engagement via interactive AR apps to VR training tools for Engineering and Pharmaceutical sectors, join the wave of adoption and understand the opportunities that implementing immersive technology holds. It’s all about using interactive and engaging visualisations to create digital impact. Providing the ultimate immersive experience creates memorability, helping brand awareness or production line procedure. The possibilities of immersive People and Skills Summit - 2022 Thursday 7 July Jubilee Conference Centre, Nottingham Access to a skilled workforce continues to be a concern for the business community, an issue which has recently intensified. With prosperity resting on having access to a skilled, productive workforce this continues to be a perennial barrier to growth. The annual People and Skills Summit will explore a range of solutions to support and improve the recruitment, retention and productivity challenges. For more information visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting- you/industry-focused-events/skills- employability-and-schools-events/people- and-skills-summit/?VariantID=5271 FSB Leicestershire and Rutland Virtual Networking Friday 8 July Online Join this monthly networking event for a great opportunity to make new contacts and renew old ones. Meet a broad selection of businesses from the comfort events technologies are endless. For more information visit https://bizgateway.org.uk/events/technol ogy-forum-ar-vr-mr-and-xr-technologies/ Virtual Lincolnshire Construction & Property Network Tuesday 19 July Online Lincolnshire’s popular monthly Construction & Property Network is © stock.adobe.com/ake1150 East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022 Thursday 15 September Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham Shining a light on the region’s property and construction industry, the prestigious East Midlands Bricks Awards are back for 2022! The annual evening of networking and celebration, organised by East Midlands Business Link Magazine, recognises development projects 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. Nominations for the awards are now OPEN. To submit a business or development, visit www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk/mag/bricks-2022/ 52-53.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2022 14:46 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link online via Zoom this month, creating a hybrid approach to this network which is usually in-person. From sole traders to housing associations, construction and property businesses come together to talk all things construction. There will be breakout networking rooms, industry conversations and lots of new connections. For more information visit www.lincs-chamber.co.uk/ events/construction-july22/ Summer Networking on the Water Thursday 28 July Spalding Water Taxi, Spalding What’s a better way to cool off during a hot summer’s day than a ride on the Spalding Water Taxi? Network with a delicious lunch on land, before boarding the boat and enjoying a relaxed 40 minute cruise around Spalding. For more information visit www.lincs- chamber.co.uk/events/summer- networking-on-the-water/ Carbon Reduction Introductory Session for SMEs Thursday 11 August Online This session will help you understand the context of carbon reductions and Enterprising Women – An Outsider on the Inside Thursday 28 July Jubilee Conference Centre, Nottingham Join the Enterprising Women co- chairs Jean Mountain and Eileen Perry MBE DL at a panel discussion surrounding ‘stereotypes of roles in the workplace’. A panel of successful women from across the fields of industry and sport have been assembled to discuss how they have overcome gender stereotypes associated with their roles. At the end of the panel, there will be an opportunity for a Q&A where delegates are welcome to join an open discussion to share their own experiences and ideas around the topic. For more information visit www.emc- dnl.co.uk/connecting- you/networking-and-social- events/enterprising-women- events/?VariantID=5180 what climate change means for your business, why you should be taking steps to reducing your emissions, how you and your customers can benefit and how to access support. For more information visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/developing- skills/net-zero/carbon- literacy/?VariantID=5328 East Midlands Expo Monday 14 November East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham On Monday 14 November 2022 the East Midlands Expo will return, providing a perfect day for networking and business generation. An established event of over 20 years, for which Business Link is a proud partner, the free to attend expo is well targeted and aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets. The exhibition will open to attendees at 9am, with a seminar taking place between 10:45am and noon. A special networking lunch will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm. For more information visit https://businessshowsgroup.co.uk/nottingham/ 52-53.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2022 14:46 Page 2Here’s Frazer’s collection of the weird and wonderful ‘news’ that came his way over the last few weeks. And finally The world of Frazer 54 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Get paid £20k to work in a video game Looking for a new position? Something to pop on the CV? Well, Frazer has a new job listing for you! Pringles is looking for applicants for the world’s first chance to get paid to work in a video game. The successful candidate will not only receive £20,000 but will also be transformed into a non-playable character (NPC) and will have their face immortalised in a video game. The position will see one chosen candidate paid real money to appear as a Pringles vending machine refiller NPC in Train Sim World 2. Virtually, the winner’s avatar will be busy at work stacking Pringles, while in reality, they will be carrying on with their day-to-day life and will get paid £20,000 to do it! Doesn’t sound too bad to Frazer. Time for a little nap As Frazer grows older, he often thinks of the benefits of a little afternoon snooze. While usually this takes place on a weekend after a busy morning of errands, the sneaky nap could well be on its way to the workplace! A mattress company has revealed a campaign to introduce a summer siesta style break across the UK for hardworking people to enjoy a lunchtime rest. It wants to see workers put down their tools for an hour every working day during the long school summer holiday to spend more time with their loved ones and enjoy rest and relaxation. A spokesperson for MattressNextDay said that a small midday siesta can do wonders for your health: “It has proven benefits to your health and wellbeing such as boosting memory and lowering blood pressure.” Frazer might pitch joining the campaign at his next meeting with the boss. Fed up with the annoying workplace habits of your colleagues? Then a newly developed tool might just be for you. The ‘passive aggressive sign generator’ allows irritated staff to choose from a selection of ready-made signs to pin up around the office to highlight their infuriation. For those who require a more specific message to make their thoughts known, meanwhile, a unique message can also be inputted. The online tool was put together after a poll of staff found smelly food and stinky toilets to be amongst the biggest office grievances. Why not give it a go to let Bob in marketing know his tuna sandwich from two weeks ago is making the kitchen a hazardous zone…or perhaps just have a two-second conversation. adobe.stock.com/ Nattapong adobe.stock.com/ Elnur adobe.stock.com/ Antonioguillem 54.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2022 14:47 Page 1East Midlands Business Link Bricks 2022 A celebration of those helping to create the landscape for the next generation EAST MIDLANDS The prestigious East Midlands Bricks Awards are back for 2022! Shining a light on the region’s property and construction industry, this year’s event will take place on Thursday 15th September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. The East Midlands Bricks Awards, organised by East Midlands Business Link Magazine, is an independent awards and publicity programme recognising development projects 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. Visit www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk for more information. BUSINESS 55.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2022 14:47 Page 1From offices in Derby, Newark and Birmingham, The Tomlinson Group works across the Midlands and nationally dealing with a multitude of different types and sizes of projects up to major multi-million-pound developments. The company was formed in 1892 by George F Tomlinson. From its early beginnings, the Tomlinson Group has grown into a leading, well-respected construction firm with an enviable reputation. For further information or to enquire: Phone: 01332 833 100 | Email: marketing@gftomlinson.co.uk www.gftomlinson.co.uk Voted Responsible Business of the Year at the 2021 East Midlands Bricks Awards EAST MIDLANDS BUSINESS Our business your success CommercialIndustrialRetailLeisureEducationHealthcareCivicRestorationResidentialWaste G F Tomlinson celebrates 130 years in construction Andy Sewards, Chairman says: “It is wonderful to be celebrating G F Tomlinson’s 130th anniversary this year. It is a huge milestone and a testament to the innovative, forward-thinking culture within the business and showcases the importance of valuing the people in our employment and industry as a whole. “A number of factors have contributed to the company’s success over the past 130 years – not least of all my father, our former Chairman Barry Sewards, who joined the firm in 1958 and later retired in 2018 after 60 years of service, and 20 years as the company’s Chairman. “As an historic main contractor in the Midlands, we believe the region has so much potential and many opportunities. Not least of all its outstanding universities, a strong manufacturing base, its central location within the country, providing great logistics routes, making it an ideal region for private investment. Also, the significant ‘Levelling Up’ and ‘Towns’ funding announced by Central Government for the region, presents some fantastic construction opportunities both directly and via enabling works, leaving us incredibly optimistic and excited about where this company can go from here.” 56.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2022 14:47 Page 1Next >