Leicestershire housebuilder’s staff ‘go pink’ to support national breast cancer charity

Michael Fisher
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Leicestershire housebuilder’s staff ‘go pink’ to support national breast cancer charity
The site team at King’s Meadow, off Kirby Lane, dressed to impress by switching out their usual hard hats and hi-vis jackets for bright pink hats and vests to do their bit for the ‘wear it pink’ campaign. In addition to the pink PPE, a donation of £200 has been made by Barratt Homes North Midlands to Breast Cancer Now to support the charity’s work. More than £37.5 million has been raised by ‘wear it pink’ supporters since the campaign began in 2002. The charity helps towards funding cutting edge research across the UK and Ireland to help find a cure for breast cancer at all stages. This year, campaigners hope to raise even more through businesses, schools and individuals wearing it pink. Martyn Parker, Sales Director at Barratt Homes North Midlands, said: “We are very happy to be supporting ‘wear it pink’ for breast cancer awareness, and our construction team always look like they have a lot of fun getting to wear pink PPE for the day. “We’re taking part in the fantastic campaign to support those suffering with breast cancer and hopefully do our bit towards raising awareness. “It’s very important that, as a leading housebuilder, we are getting involved and supporting charities like this. We hope that our contribution to Breast Cancer Now’s campaign can help to make the day even bigger and better than last year and raise money to help us get closer to beating breast cancer altogether.”

Pendragon embroiled in cyber ransom threat

Steve Fisher
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Pendragon embroiled in cyber ransom threat
Pendragon, the Nottingham-headquartered car giant has been hacked by an organised crime gang and held to ransom for over £50m The gang claim to have lifted more than two million files and in an interview by the Times newspaper with Pendragon, who admitted they had received evidence of the stolen data. The firm issued a series of security updates on 21st October revealing it was “currently responding to an IT security incident” which reportedly happened a month ago and which has been reported to the National Cyber Security Centre and the police. LockBit 3.0 has been accused as the organisation behind the cyber breach but has not indicated what their reason is for threatening to publish the 2 terabytes of stolen data. The perpetrators are said to have demanded $60m in ransom, via bitcoin, or face the consequences of the data being released onto the dark web. The retailer said it had taken “immediate steps” to contain the incident and revealed it had successfully obtained an interim injunction from the High Court against the group. Pendragon’s Chief Marketing Officer Kim Costello told The Times the company “will not be paying the ransom demand.”

New deal secured on Eldon Business Park

Tess Egginton
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New deal secured on Eldon Business Park
Unit 31 at Eldon Business Park has been sold to Green Control Systems Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Ltd, a local occupier who was on the search for a new office home. The unit comprises 1,545ft² of office accommodation across two floors with a mixture of both cellular and open plan office space. The property also benefits from several car parking spaces to the front and offers good accessibility to Nottingham City Centre, Beeston Town Centre and the A52, J25 of the M1. Amy Howard of FHP’s Agency Department said: “It is great to see the deal complete on Unit 31. With the property being previously under offer to another party, it was reassurance for all getting the property back under offer again so quickly. “Eldon Business Park provides good quality office units, situated in a prominent location which provided a perfect opportunity for owner occupiers or local investors and resulted in a high level of interest on the unit. “These out-of-town business parks are still showing strong activity throughout Q3 2022, with FHP already achieving three deals on Eldon this year. The generous amount of car parking spaces available on these parks makes it an attractive alternative to city centre locations.”

Raft of new appointments as Rowleys expands its team

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Raft of new appointments as Rowleys expands its team

Leicester-based accountants Rowleys has made a number of new appointments across its team as part of the firm’s strategic growth plans.

The recent appointments include nine new team members in various departments across the firm, including: James Hutchinson who joins the Audit & Accounts team as an audit & accounts senior, Mohammed Rahman, Hollie Harvey-Rowley and Jenson Eley who join the Audit & Accounts team as trainees, and Lucy Elsom who joins the Payroll Team as a senior payroll advisor. Neesha Bali joins the Tax team as a trainee and Isaiah Campbell and Rachael Briggs join the Medical Team as trainees.

Senior manager Claire Wright joins Rowleys from Grant Thornton, where she had previously been for over 12 years. She will work with new and existing audit and accounts clients, to provide an efficient and effective process tailored to them. Claire’s experience ranges from working with small businesses to larger corporations, including owner managed and private equity.

“I’m delighted to join Rowleys at such an exciting time,” says Claire.

“Rowleys has a great reputation and strong values that align closely with my own. The firm is passionate about providing a great service to clients and the development of its people, this is one of my main reasons for joining.

“Rowleys has a great client base of a range of businesses from all sectors and I’m looking forward to working with a number of them. I can’t wait to hit the ground running and make a real impact.”

Tom Copson, managing partner, says: “We are delighted to welcome all our new recruits to the Rowleys team. It is great that we have been able to add talented individuals of varying experience to support our future growth. I’ve no doubt that our new team members will make a significant contribution to Rowleys and our clients.

“It’s an exciting time for Rowleys, and a great time to join the firm, as we continue to grow. Attracting and retaining the right people is vital and we’re committed to the development of our people and giving them opportunities to develop and grow their careers.”

Midlands construction industry’s wellbeing drive to save lives

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Midlands construction industry’s wellbeing drive to save lives
Senior professionals in the construction sector in the Midlands will be given practical tips on how to improve wellbeing in the workplace at a workshop next month. The Midlands branch of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) is holding an online wellbeing workshop for its members from across the region on Tuesday, November 1. It comes at a time when every single working day in the UK sees two construction workers taking their own life – according to the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. The session will be delivered by national renowned performance coach Gail Biddulph and will look at the practicalities of how employees’ wellbeing – both at home and at work – impacts them as individuals and the business as a whole. It will also look at ways of keeping people happy and motivated as well as how to spot tell-tale signs of wellbeing issues and if any interventions are needed. There will also be a focus on bosses too and how they can avoid burn-out. The workshop is part of CECA Midlands’ drive to help improve wellbeing in the industry and to keep the conversation about health and wellbeing high on the agenda. CECA Midlands continually aims to raise the awareness of mental health having delivered Mental Health First Aid training to over 35 individuals in the last 12 months with more courses to follow in the new year. The organisation is also a supporter of the charity Mates In Mind, which provides clear information to employers on the support and guidance available on mental health and wellbeing. Lorraine Gregory, the regional director of CECA Midlands, said: “Mental health and wellbeing is a topic that is in sharp focus and it’s vitally important that we do all we can with businesses and individuals to ensure they have all of the tools and support available. “We recognise that it is an even more acute issue for our industry, and we are working with all of our members to help address that and help find solutions that will, ultimately, save lives. “We are proud to continue this journey through our new wellbeing workshops, providing short sessions to give practical advice and tips to businesses to continue in their good work within this important area.” To attend the Wellbeing Workshop on Tuesday, November 1, contact Lisa Hollington at office@cecamidlands.co.uk

Oberoi Foundation makes first award

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Oberoi Foundation makes first award
A charitable foundation, set up by Derby-based entrepreneur Kavita Oberoi OBE to improve the lives of women and girls, has announced its first support pledge. The Oberoi Foundation has agreed funding for Maggie’s – the Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust – to develop training and support services for women who are experiencing early onset menopause as a result of cancer treatment. Mrs Oberoi is the founder and Managing Director of Oberoi Consulting, the suppliers of IT and clinical support services to the NHS and pharmaceutical industry, and Oberoi Business Hub in Pride Park which provides serviced office accommodation and back office support services. Every year a percentage of profits from the companies are ploughed into The Oberoi Foundation which is run by the Charities Aid Foundation. Maggie’s is an independent charity that has pioneered a unique model of cancer care for more than 25 years. Since Maggie’s opened its first centre in 1996, the charity, which has 24 centres across the UK, has developed a programme of support that is proven to help people with cancer, as well as family and friends, take back control. Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, the centres are warm and welcoming, and run by expert staff who help people live well with cancer. They provide emotional, practical and social support free of charge via a team of cancer support specialists, psychologists, benefits advisors and sessional workers who provide individual and group support. Following a successful pilot project in Cambridge to support younger women with menopause workshops and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for hot flushes, Lisa Hunt, Maggie’s project lead is delivering training that will enable nine more Maggie’s centres across England, Scotland and Wales to pilot this work. It is estimated that more than 360 women will be supported in the coming year. Maggie’s CEO Dame Laura Lee DBE explained: “An estimated 200,000 adults aged 18 to 45 in the UK are living with or beyond cancer and females in this age group are disproportionately affected. “It is common for young women to go through an early menopause induced by cancer treatment and the effects are acutely felt across many aspects of life including relationships, fertility and motherhood. “As a result, many women feel lonely, isolated and ‘different’ from their peers and they are also at significant risk of developing cancer related mental health issues. “Furthermore, we have discovered that only 50% of women were informed prior to treatment of the potential impact on menopausal status and this is something that we are particularly campaigning to change. “By bringing women together, they receive advice and help to cope with symptoms, the emotional and physical wellbeing challenges. They also meet others going through similar experience which is what they told us they lacked and desperately needed.” Feedback from women involved in the pilot programme so far has included: “Before I attended the workshops I was in a cycle of feeling unseen and dismissed when trying to discuss some of the symptoms I had been experiencing with my medical team. “I now have the confidence to tackle an abrupt and early menopause because I have a better understanding of what’s happening, a vocabulary to describe symptoms and tools and techniques to help me manage them.” Mrs Oberoi explained: “Through my involvement in campaigns and charities locally, nationally and internationally, I have seen the positive impact that funding innovative causes can have on impacting the lives of individuals. “I am therefore delighted that Maggie’s is the first recipient of support through The Oberoi Foundation. “This menopause workshop and CBT project delivers much needed support to young women through a traumatic time that would otherwise not be available. “I am particularly pleased that the project brings together cancer support professionals, GPs and other professionals and that it will not only provide tailored support, but also encourage vital peer support and networks that will hopefully develop into firm friendships.”

The East Midlands Expo – a day of endless networking opportunities

Tess Egginton
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The East Midlands Expo – a day of endless networking opportunities
Providing endless networking opportunities, the free to attend East Midlands Expo will make its return next month on Monday 14 November 2022. Taking place at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, the established event of over 20 years has everything you require for a great day of business generation, with the chance to meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road. A well targeted exhibition, aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets, register to attend the event for free here. The day, for which Business Link is a proud partner, will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am. A seminar will take place between 10:45am and noon with BSP Consulting’s directors Mark Rayers and Tony Goddard lined up to present ‘Sustainability and how engineering plays its part’. Not to be missed, a special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.

For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.

To register to attend the event for free click here.

To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.

From property agents to developers, architects, contractors, investors, PR firms, and more, see the list of current exhibitors here.

Council plans £5.5m purchase of Leicester building for new affordable homes

Tess Egginton
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Council plans £5.5m purchase of Leicester building for new affordable homes
Plans to use £2.4m of Right to Buy cash to help address the need for more affordable homes have been announced by Leicester City Council. The city council intends to purchase the Zip Building, on Rydal Street – close to the city centre, for around £5.55m. The three-story building consists of 58 flats and bedsits which will be added to the council’s own stock of affordable housing. The purchase will be part-funded by £2.4m of cash from the sale of council properties under the Government’s Right to Buy scheme. This is the maximum allowed under the current rules. The remainder will be through permitted prudential borrowing, which is common for investments of this type, and allowable debt. Rental income from the properties will be reinvested into maintaining and improving council housing stock. The majority of the units (47) within the Zip Building are one-bed flats and bedsits. The remaining units are a mix of two-bed flats – including two wheelchair accessible properties – and three- and four-bed cluster flats. The council will invest up to £550,000 in improvements to the building, including remodelling two of the cluster flats into separate, self-contained flats. The planned purchase will help meet the growing demand for one and two-bedroom affordable housing across the city. The city council has negotiated the contract so that all existing tenancies can be honoured until Summer 2023, to help minimise disruption. Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, assistant city mayor for housing, said: “There is a desperate need for more affordable housing in the city. “There is no doubt that the Right to Buy scheme has hit the supply of council housing hard. We’re losing homes much faster than they are being built and it’s time the Right to Buy scheme was abandoned. We have been forced to sell thousands of council houses over the past 30 years. “That makes it absolutely vital that we invest our Right to Buy cash receipts back into addressing our local and critical need for more affordable homes.” Whenever a council property is sold under Right to Buy, the proceeds of the sale must be used in line with strict Government guidelines. This means that only some of the proceeds can be used to support the costs of building and/or acquiring new affordable homes. Each year, Leicester City Council loses an average of 400 council homes through the Right to Buy scheme. Over the last forty years, the city council’s housing stock has been reduced from 36,000 to 20,000 homes. As part of its work to address the huge demand for affordable housing in Leicester, the city council has purchased 595 properties to be used as council homes since April 2019, at a cost of around £74m. The Zip Building dates back to around 1900 and was built to the designs of regionally renowned Stockdale Harrison for Thompson & Co wholesale boot and shoe manufacturers. By the mid-20th century, it had been converted into a hosiery factory. The building was redeveloped as residential accommodation around 12 years ago.

Proposals to redevelop National Stone Centre in Derbyshire receive support from local community

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Proposals to redevelop National Stone Centre in Derbyshire receive support from local community
A six-month-long public consultation process concerning proposals to redevelop the National Stone Centre (NSC) in Derbyshire has received overwhelmingly positive support from the local community. The virtual and physical consultation, led by the NSC’s partner the Institute of Quarrying (IQ), included attendance by representatives of the NSC and IQ at Wirksworth Market and the Matlock Go Green Event, as well as a meet and greet at the NSC. Feedback forms were also available online on the IQ website. Two further town hall-style meetings also took place at the NSC, with attendees drawn from across the local community. James Thorne is IQ’s Chief Executive Officer. He says: “This process was very much about listening to what people had to say and providing a channel via which all feedback could be delivered – positive and negative. “We had a good response to the consultation, both in person and in writing. This included insightful feedback on the project’s outline plans, which we have taken and used to inform a further iteration of the proposed development plans. “We are looking to make a significant contribution to the Derbyshire visitor economy and through doing so, inspire future generations to join an exciting sector to help tackle significant challenges, such as digitisation, the circular economy, zero carbon and skills of people in the industry today.” Throughout the consultation, IQ reassured regular visitors to the National Stone Centre that facilities such as the much-loved café will remain operational during the building works. Updates to the proposed plans are being incorporated into the full planning application which will be submitted to Derbyshire Dales District Council in due course.

WilSon Energy expands team with a raft of new appointments

Tess Egginton
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WilSon Energy expands team with a raft of new appointments

Midlands-based WilSon Energy, a provider of fully integrated heating, metering, Pay as You Go, billing and bureau services for residential homes and commercial developments, has announced the expansion of its team with six new appointments.

The appointments follow a period of sustained growth for the Newark-based business, leading to a proactive recruitment drive to meet customer demand.

In addition to several new client wins, WilSon Energy has seen increased demand for its support with billing and bureau management services. Earlier this year, the firm also secured a large-scale Heating Interface Unit (HIU) service and maintenance contract for a major utility provider.

The six new recruits will be working across the whole business.

Joining the customer support team is Adam Waby, who returns to the business, focusing on supporting its field engineers and internal technical support, as well as Emma Tomlinson. Emma also previously worked at WilSon around five years ago in the billing and bureau department and has now returned to the business with renewed enthusiasm after getting married and having two children.

Sami Zaqiri has been recruited to the role of field service engineer. Having worked extensively as an HIU service engineer for several years, Sami has in-depth sector experience as well as general plumbing and heating knowledge. James Hawley has also joined the business as a field service engineer and similarly to Sami, has also worked in this area extensively, after a career in the military.

Shannon Haywood has joined the post pay billing and bureau team again bringing with her a wealth of customer service skills. Chris Rathore has taken up a sales role and is responsible for new billing and bureau and pre-payment contracts. In addition to this he works extensively with new utility connections, fiscal meters and energy procurement.

Finally, Steve Burn moves to head of mechanical and electrical project management. For the last couple of years, he has worked successfully delivering a number of multi-utility projects in the residential sector.

Andy Wilkinson, CEO at WilSon Energy, said: “WilSon Energy has seen significant growth in the last 12 months with new contract wins in Heat Network and District Heating schemes across a wide portfolio of residential and commercial developments. We have also seen growth in our Energy Billing and Bureau solutions and these appointments are testament to that success and our proactive approach to meeting customer demand for our extensive range of services.

“We are pleased to bring these new staff members on board at an exciting time for the business and wish them a long and rewarding career with us.”

Ashby property firm makes key IT appointment to drive growth

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Ashby property firm makes key IT appointment to drive growth

A property consultancy has appointed a new leader of its IT operations to help drive the firm’s ongoing growth.

Fisher German has appointed Carl Stirland as IT director, where he will oversee more than 20 in-house professionals in teams specialising in software development, project management, business change, IT infrastructure and IT service management.

Carl joins Fisher German with 30 years of IT experience across the construction, housebuilding, engineering, manufacturing, and distribution sectors.

This included 20 years of service at a multi-million-pound construction and development group, where he played an instrumental role in laying the digital foundations for key projects to be carried out efficiently, ranging from supermarket developments through to mass housebuilding.

He also spent two years at a FTSE 250 construction firm to help them overhaul their cloud migrations, network, and telecom systems for around 6,000 users.

Carl has recently worked for a leading multi-national plc supplying insulation, roofing, commercial interiors, and specialist construction products as the UK IT business partner to develop the firm’s technological efficiency across 580 distribution centres and trade counters.

Carl said: “Joining a progressive firm such as Fisher German is a brilliant challenge for me to be able to put my three decades of IT experience into practice to help accelerate the firm’s ongoing growth.

“I am passionate about working for a business that is focused on providing great client satisfaction, and my role is to ensure that Fisher German’s IT platforms enable the business to maintain this and improve even further.

“Another key aspect of my role is striking the balance between future proofing the business’s IT portfolio – both for our colleagues and through the services we provide to clients – whilst also ensuring the company’s digital and operational strategies are aligned.”

Carl, who is also a chartered engineer and chartered IT professional, will be based at the firm’s Ashby-de-la-Zouch headquarters with nationwide responsibility for developing the firm’s IT capabilities across its 29 offices.

Managing partner, Andrew Bridge, added: “We are excited for Carl to join us and to oversee our continued investment in sophisticated and market-leading IT solutions for our colleagues, to help deliver a first-class client service.”

Plans approved for apartments at former Nottingham lawn bowls club

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Plans approved for apartments at former Nottingham lawn bowls club
Plans to transform a former lawn bowls club on Addison Street, Nottingham, have been approved.
The proposals, from Unitech Plus Ltd, would see the construction of 29 one, two, and three-bed apartments. The development would predominantly form three buildings which would front Addison Street. In addition the original three storey element of the pavilion would be retained and converted and two storey extensions added to the east and west.
It is proposed that the area that currently makes up the bowling green would be used as a communal garden area for future residents.
11 parking spaces and 30 cycle storage spaces are planned.

Businesses react following Liz Truss’s resignation as Prime Minister

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Businesses react following Liz Truss’s resignation as Prime Minister
Following the resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, seeing her become the shortest-serving PM in history, East Midlands business leaders are reacting. Mike Staton, director of Mansfield-based Staton Mortgages, said: “It’s hard to imagine it but it’s pretty safe to say Liz Truss is leaving the country in a worse position than she found it. If ever there was going to be a definition of the grass isn’t always greener, Liz Truss has owned it. Liz Truss has made one correct decision in her role of Prime Minister, and she made that today by handing in her resignation. “However, the fine print needs needs to be checked so that there is no possibility that she can perform another U-turn on this decision. How she ever got voted in shows how much of a farce the current system is. Under no circumstances should another Prime Minister be allowed to have this sort of power without being voted in by the public. Ladies and Gentleman, Liz Truss has left the building, and Thank God.” Imran Hussain, director at Nottingham-based Harmony Financial Services, said: “Truss and her party have made a mockery of our country and we are simply left with no choice but to have a general election now or be left rudderless moving into the new year. And it’s shaping up to be a brutal 2023.” Lewis Shaw, founder of Mansfield-based Shaw Financial Services, said: “I’m generally not speechless, and right now is no exception. We need a general election. We cannot have more of this circus. Every day we look more like a banana republic led by donkeys. Everyone I talk to agrees: let’s have an election get it over and done with once and for all, and inject some democracy back into the UK. The game is up for the Tories now; if they can make it as painless a transition as possible because that’s the only honourable thing they can do now, I’m sure we’d all be grateful.” Tony Danker, CBI director-general, said: “The politics of recent weeks have undermined the confidence of people, businesses, markets and global investors in Britain. That must now come to an end if we are to avoid yet more harm to households and firms. “Stability is key. The next Prime Minister will need to act to restore confidence from day one. “They will need to deliver a credible fiscal plan for the medium term as soon as possible, and a plan for the long-term growth of our economy.” Adam Bamford, COO of Derby-based corporate gift firm, Colleague Box, said: “Another day on the hamster wheel of British politics. What is the point in the time and expense of another leadership race? The Tories are a complete shambles with infighting at every turn. Until we have a general election we are stuck with this cycle of unending mediocrity at the top with jobs for mates. Get us a general election quickly and let us have a say.” Rachel Hayward, Managing Director of the Derby-based business bids and tenders specialist, Ask the Chameleon, said: “It was clear she could not carry on, as there were no avenues or U-turns left. I am frankly embarrassed by our Government. What has happened to this country? This is a drama even the writers of The Crown couldn’t cook up. So what next? Or who? Can we PLEASE choose someone with credibility and a plan? Oh wait.” East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “One of the roles of Government is to create an environment where businesses can thrive in order to create jobs, stimulate economic investment and generate wealth. “This endless saga of political instability is anything but that and, once again, businesses are left to pick up the pieces. “For months, they have had to endure a relentless cycle of uncertainty that has created a zero-confidence environment, hampering their ability to plan ahead and invest. “They can at least take some consolation from the fact they won’t have to sit through another lengthy leadership election. But once a new Prime Minister is in place within the next week, they will expect the chosen individual to work with firms to find solutions to the increasing pile of challenges they face as the crisis in the cost of doing business deepens.”

Liz Truss resigns as Prime Minister

Michael Fisher
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Liz Truss resigns as Prime Minister
Liz Truss has resigned from her post as Prime Minister, making her the shortest-serving PM in history. The markets have thus far been quiet, but the value of the pound did rise immediately after the announcement, signaling the lack of faith in Truss’ leadership. There is no news yet on who will take over, or who will throw their hats into the ring, but Jeremy Hunt has claimed that he will not be running for leadership. Labour leader Keir Starmer has demanded an election.

Nottingham modern slavery experts to advise UK construction industry

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Nottingham modern slavery experts to advise UK construction industry
Modern slavery experts at the University of Nottingham are part of a new partnership to promote ethical labour in the UK construction industry. The ‘Alliance against Exploitation’ brings together the University’s Rights Lab; SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities; the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority; modern slavery charity Unseen; and Achilles, a leader in supply chain risk and performance management. The partnership has been formed to eradicate modern slavery and labour exploitation across the construction sector by sharing intelligence, identifying emerging trends and committing to robust auditing procedures. In interviews with 1,200 UK construction workers, almost half said they had not received written terms and conditions of employment while almost one in three admitted using non-standard evidence of right to work documentation to gain employment. The interviews, conducted by Achilles across the industry, also revealed four out of five workers had not been spoken to about modern slavery. Dr Alexander Trautrims, associate director at the Rights Lab and professor of Supply Chain Management, said: “This newly formed alliance will help to make real progress in addressing modern slavery in the construction sector through public sector procurement processes. Modern slavery continues to be a significant management challenge across the construction supply chain and collaborative initiatives like this are key to developing the knowledge that is required for progress.”

“Another robust quarter” for Dunelm

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“Another robust quarter” for Dunelm

Dunelm, the Leicestershire-headquartered homewares retailer, has reported “robust trading” in an update for its first quarter.

The company said it was “pleased” with the performance during the 13-week period ended 1 October 2022, against the backdrop of a challenging environment.

Sales of £357m were down 8% year on year, which the firm said was expected, given a very strong comparative period, with Q1 last year benefitting from pent up demand and the firm’s rescheduled summer sale.

Compared to pre-pandemic, however, total sales grew by 36%.

Digital sales made up 33% of total sales in the quarter, in line with the same period last year.

Nick Wilkinson, Chief Executive Officer, said: “It has been another robust quarter for Dunelm against a very strong comparative period, which illustrates the strength and resilience of our business model and the appeal of our market-leading offer.

“Dunelm has emerged from the last two years as a bigger, better business, with total sales up 36% against the same period pre-Covid. We have benefitted from the commitment, expertise and adaptability of our colleagues and supplier partners – the same qualities that are serving the business as we navigate the current inflationary challenges.

“As we enter what will clearly be a challenging winter for consumers, our absolute focus remains on making every pound count for everyone, through a tight grip on operations. We will continue to offer outstanding value at all price points, so our customers can make their own choices around adapting to the economic backdrop. This focus on value has seen Dunelm successfully navigate previous periods of economic uncertainty.

“The landscape is a demanding one, but we feel both energised and confident in our ability to grow market share as the 1st choice for UK homelovers.”

“Solid” third quarter for Travis Perkins

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“Solid” third quarter for Travis Perkins
Travis Perkins has hailed a “solid performance” during its third quarter, with its Merchanting businesses outperforming their markets and an improved performance in Toolstation. According to a Q3 2022 trading update for the three months to 30 September 2022, the Northampton-based group delivered “resilient” trading with total sales growth of 10.7% and like-for-like sales growth of 7.4%. Nick Roberts, Chief Executive, said: “The group has delivered a solid performance during the third quarter with the Merchanting businesses again outperforming their markets and an improved performance in Toolstation. We continue to benefit from our diverse end market exposure from small independent builders through to large contractors delivering national infrastructure projects. “During the second half of the year we have seen growing macroeconomic uncertainty. We are focused on maintaining cost discipline in our businesses and the actions taken to simplify our operating structure in recent years have created the flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions. “All of our businesses see opportunities to further develop their propositions to meet our different customers’ needs, as they seek to navigate an increasingly complex construction landscape, characterised by new environmental and safety legislation and a commitment to deliver against net zero targets. We remain confident that our market-leading businesses, backed by focused capital allocation, a strong balance sheet and significant strategic growth opportunities, leave us well placed to outperform in our markets.”

Triumph Motorcycles Ltd expands opportunities for Loughborough students through generous philanthropic donation

Steve Fisher
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Triumph Motorcycles Ltd expands opportunities for Loughborough students through generous philanthropic donation

The largest UK-owned motorcycle manufacturing company has provided philanthropic funding to Loughborough University to support its students.

Triumph Motorcycles Ltd has provided £45,000 to support the Student Success Academy and three Opportunity Scholars. Originally made possible through the generous donation of alumnus Chris Gill in 2021, the Student Success Academy aims to help students achieve their goals during their time at University by providing a holistic package of support through initiatives including Academic Success Coaching, Micro-Internships and the Future Black Talent Programme. Additionally, Triumph will be supporting three students who receive cash bursaries through the Opportunity Scholarship. These scholarships are allocated to UK students living in areas of low participation in higher education, areas of socio-economic deprivation, or those entitled to Free School Meals. The Scholarship eases the financial burden to those wanting to attend university by providing them with £3,000 per year for three years. The initiative has seen a record number of Scholarships awarded, with a cohort of 53 for the 22/23 academic year. Triumph supports scholars who began their university experience this month and are studying Product Design Engineering and Automotive Engineering.

Rolls-Royce and Alder Fuels join forces to fuel the race to net zero

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Rolls-Royce and Alder Fuels join forces to fuel the race to net zero
Rolls-Royce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Alder Fuels, a clean tech developer and greencrude producer, to further test Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as it makes the next step on its journey to commercial scalability. The SAF, which has been produced based on Alder Fuels’ proprietary greencrude technology, is being readied for global rollout as a drop-in replacement to petroleum-based jet fuel and will be a critical tool for decarbonising the skies. The testing, which will include flight tests on a Rolls-Royce Pearl engine, will evaluate the energy efficiency, emissions criteria, and low-carbon credentials of the SAF produced from Alder Greencrude (AGC) and is part of Rolls-Royce’s ambition to play a fundamental role in enabling the sectors in which it operates to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. Frank Moesta, SVP Strategy & Future Programmes – Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce, said: “The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel as a low-emission solution and its global commercial deployment are essential to the decarbonisation of medium to long-haul air travel. While we are also working on electrification, hybrid-electric and hydrogen technologies as long-term alternatives, rapid decarbonisation is within reach through this critical pathway. Through our partnership with Alder Fuels, we are taking the next steps on our journey to net zero and are committed supporters of the UN Race to Zero goal of 10% SAF use across aviation by 2030.” “At Alder, we are on a path to transform energy on the global stage and partnership is key to our vision. As a pioneer in both industrial technology and sustainable aviation, Rolls-Royce will play a leading role in decarbonizing the aerospace industry. Their name is synonymous with the best of engineering,” said Bryan Sherbacow, president and CEO of Alder Fuels. “Our hope is that this collaboration will not only mark an important milestone for the decarbonisation of aviation, but that it will send a strong global signal to the market that the future of sustainable flight is here and the time to transition is now.” Alder Fuels uses sustainable biomass such as regenerative grasses, forest residues, and agricultural waste products to create low-carbon Alder Greencrude (AGC) that can be converted into a drop-in SAF using existing bio and petroleum refinery infrastructure. The process, which has been developed in close partnership with the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, can achieve greenhouse gas reductions of over 80 percent compared to fossil-based jet fuel. The engine tests will assess the performance of AGC-derived SAF compared to fossil-based jet fuel to further support its performance as a drop-in replacement for traditional jet fuel and generate critical data for the development of a 100% SAF specification by ASTM International. In addition, the SAF will undergo a full lifecycle and criteria emissions assessment, and the data associated with this assessment will be transparently reported to advance global decarbonisation efforts. Rolls-Royce has previously committed to ensuring all its Trent and Business Aviation engines are compatible with 100% SAF by 2023. All Trent and Business Aviation engines are already certified and ready to operate on a 50% SAF blend with traditional fossil-based aviation jet fuel.

Plans submitted for further 107,000 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space at Markham Vale

Tess Egginton
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Plans submitted for further 107,000 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space at Markham Vale
Markham Vale is set for further expansion, with detailed plans submitted for four buildings totalling 107,250 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space. Markham Vale is a 200-acre joint venture development between property developer HBD and Derbyshire County Council. It is one of the region’s flagship industrial schemes, attracting new businesses and creating thousands of new jobs. The development plans for Plot 6 will see the construction of four new units targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standards alongside dedicated parking, electric vehicle charging bays and space for bicycles. Richard Hinds, development surveyor at HBD, said: “It is great to get plans underway for this next stage of development at Markham Vale. “It’s a very successful industrial and logistics location, which means demand has remained high for new space – our robust financial backing and our strong track record for delivery means that we are able to continue progressing new schemes throughout the more challenging periods for the economy, injecting much-needed Grade A space into the market.” Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration, councillor Tony King, said: “Plans for four new buildings at Markham Vale is a strong signal from our property partners, HBD that the site will continue to attract a wide range of businesses. “Markham Vale plays a key role in helping to deliver on our commitment to building a strong, diverse, and green economy by creating jobs for local people and attracting local, national, and international businesses. “We look forward to seeing the plans progress and welcoming more businesses to the site in the future.” HBD recently instructed M1 Agency as joint agent alongside JLL for the delivery of the remainder of Markham Vale; 18 acres of serviced development land with the potential to deliver circa 250,000 sq ft of additional employment space for growing businesses.
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