Alumni of the Year Award for Leicestershire business leader
A Leicestershire businessman has won a top university accolade that celebrates the long-term achievements of outstanding alumni.
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, chairman of Morningside Pharmaceuticals and the Randal Charitable Foundation, has won the Distinguished Alumni Award at Imperial College London’s Alumni Awards 2022.
The annual awards honour outstanding alumni who have demonstrated sustained excellence in their personal and professional achievements, are leaders in their field or have made a substantial impact on society.
Dr Kotecha, who is the founder of Loughborough based Morningside, which manufactures and supplies generic and branded medicines to the UK and globally, said: “I’m thrilled to be honoured by the university in this way.
“As a child growing up in Leicester my family had very little, but I was fortunate to be given opportunities to gain a good education. After finishing my degree in Newcastle; Professor Steve Ley FRS at Imperial College took a chance in accepting me into his eminent group and this really was the opportunity I needed to forge a career.
“Over three decades later, it’s truly humbling to be recognised for my entrepreneurial journey, which was only made possible by the help and support I received to gain a good education along the way.”
Dr Kotecha studied a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Steve Ley at Imperial College, before moving to work at the University of Cambridge.
After leaving academia Dr Kotecha founded Morningside in 1991. Today the business has exported to more than 120 countries since inception and has 240 generic and branded licensed medicines in the UK and EU. In the UK the business distributes its pharmaceutical products twice daily nationwide, so they are available when doctors and their patients need them.
As well as being a successful entrepreneur, Dr Kotecha also has a passion to give back and has been recognised through this award for his work to support communities in the Midlands and nationally. He is currently a Board Member for the LLEP and Midlands Engine Council, Co-Chair of the Loughborough Town Deal Board, Board Member for the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), a CBI Regional Councillor and a Department for International Trade Export Champion.
Dr Kotecha’s most recent achievements have centred around the Randal Charitable Foundation, which he founded with his wife in 2017. By providing grant funding, the Foundation has already saved over 145,000 lives with an aspiration to save 1 million people in the UK and globally.
Facebook’s Nottingham store shows high street has future
The recent addition of the interactive Good Ideas Shop in Nottingham city centre has been a boost to the UK high street. That’s according to East Midlands marketing experts, Purpose Media.
Social media giant, Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – opened four Good Idea Shops across the UK back in September, including one in Nottingham. The pop-up store was opened to showcase local businesses through interactive window displays, powered by QR codes for customers to scan and engage with on their mobile phones.
The Good Ideas Shop also highlighted the importance of using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach new audiences and attract new customers. Whilst these stores remained open to support businesses over the Christmas period and closed in early January their presence no doubt resulted in increased followers, an increase in website traffic as well as the opportunity for data collection and profiling which can be used for other marketing purposes such as email marketing for the businesses that were featured.
This further underlines the importance for bricks and mortar businesses to embrace the benefits of digital marketing as part of their overall marketing strategy to increase footfall, retail sales and customer engagement.
According to Facebook’s Global State of Small Businesses Report, 99% of UK businesses are SME’s, and they employ 50% of the workforce. Reporting in September 2021, nearly 40% of UK small businesses said they increased their rate of sale – nearly twice the global average. This shows that the high street certainly has a future – if they have an integrated approach to their marketing.
The East Midlands has seen a recent resurgence in high street brands recovering from the pandemic by taking on a new online presence. Chesterfield’s Digital High Street project has offered over 100 local businesses the opportunity to get free support to move their business online to support their bricks and mortar store’s trading efforts and the impact of this initiative has prevented many local retailers from throwing in the towel.
Matt Wheatcroft, Managing Director at Purpose Media, had his say on Facebook’s presence in the East Midlands and the future of the high street: “Even though it’s vital that businesses have an online presence to grow their customer base and sales, shoppers still want to see and engage with the goods they are purchasing.
“Facebook has championed local businesses by standing alongside them on the high street, and this should be a boost to businesses both in the East Midlands and across the UK.”
Purpose Media was chosen by Chesterfield Borough Council and the East Midlands Chamber to develop websites and digital marketing consultancy for all businesses seeking business advice and grant support as part of the Digital High Street scheme.
Shoe Zone returns to profit
Shoe Zone, the Leicester-based retailer, has returned to profit following a “very successful year.”
According to final results for the 52 week period to 2 October 2021, the company posted a pre-tax profit of £9.5m, leaping from a loss before tax of £14.6m in the year prior.
Revenue meanwhile dipped to £119.1m from £122.6m, with store revenue down to £88.6m (2020: £103.3m), where digital revenue grew to £30.5m (2020: £19.3m).
A statement from the Chief Executive said: “Shoe Zone had a very successful year due to the incredible hard work of our teams, by reducing costs, reducing non-essential capital expenditure, continuing to accelerate investment in our digital business alongside improving and streamlining operations.”
Manufacturers more positive as they enter 2022
Britain’s manufacturers are more positive about the growth outlook as they enter 2022, with greater confidence in the prospects for their own companies than either the global or UK economies, according to a major survey published by Make UK and PwC.
The 2022 Make UK/PwC Senior Executive survey shows the scale of uncertainty facing business in the current turbulent global environment, with more than half of companies saying the biggest challenges facing them had changed in the last twelve months. Their optimism is also tempered by escalating inflationary pressures and access to, as well as retaining, talent and key skills which are by far the biggest issues companies are having to address.
In the face of these challenges, however, the majority of manufacturers have weathered the storm of the last couple of years with almost three quarters of companies (73%) now believing conditions for the sector will improve in 2022, with a similar number (73%) believing the opportunities for their business outweigh the risks. To date, the sector appears to have seen little or no disruption from the latest Omicron variant to alter this confidence.
Furthermore, almost two thirds (63%) of companies felt the UK to be a competitive location for manufacturing with just 13% believing it to be an uncompetitive place to do business.
To take advantage of these opportunities manufacturers are prioritising improving productivity, investment in their people as well as new product development, while the recent COP 26 summit appears to have accelerated investments in the drive to ‘net zero’.
However, one year on from leaving the EU, two thirds of companies said that leaving had moderately or significantly hampered their business, with over a half of companies (56%) fearing a further impact this year from customs delays due to import checks and changes in product labelling.
Make UK Chief Executive, Stephen Phipson, said: “It’s testament to the strength of manufacturers that they have emerged from the turbulence of the last couple of years in such a relatively strong position. While clouds remain on the horizon in the form of rapidly escalating costs and access to key skills, the outlook is more positive for those that remain adaptable, agile and innovative.
“To build on this we now need to see a Government fully committed to supporting the sector at home and overseas. This requires more than a Plan for Growth but a broader industrial strategy that sets out a long term vision for the economy and how we are going to achieve consistent economic growth across the whole country.”
Cara Haffey, PwC’s UK industrial manufacturing and automotive leader, said: “Despite facing an unprecedented combination of continued Covid pressures, cost inflation and supply chain issues, our manufacturers are responding with an impressive amount of agility and resilience, which will stand them in good stead for the year ahead.
“They have learned valuable lessons about their supply chain vulnerabilities and the resilience needed to respond to unforeseen international or domestic risks, and are strengthening their businesses digitally as well as continuing to focus on talent and skills.
“We are particularly pleased by the breadth of net zero ambitions reflected in the report. Across the UK we’re seeing an increasing number of businesses underpin their environmental, social and governance strategies with practical applications to decarbonise their operations and ambitions to build out their green skill base through the recruitment of ‘green’ jobs, a move that has already been flagged as outperforming the UK sector average in our recent Green Jobs Barometer.”
The more positive outlook for growth is reflected across all major markets with 40% of companies forecasting growth in exports to the United States, closely followed by the EU. Around a quarter (26%) are looking for growth in Asia and around one in five to the Middle East (21%). However, the EU market is set to see the biggest decrease in exports by 10% of companies.
The survey also provides encouraging indicators on the strategies manufacturers are adopting to build resilience and agility into their business by looking at their supply chain, investing in people, innovation and green technologies.
Up-skilling or retaining existing staff was the biggest priority for around two thirds of companies (67%) followed by new product development (60%) and capital equipment (54%), while almost four in five companies (78%) envisage a significant or moderate increase in their productivity this year.
Skills and talent also dominated the risk factors companies were facing with access to Labour seen as the biggest risk by almost two thirds of companies (58%), while almost nine in ten companies were not just worried about losing skills from their business but, the sector entirely. Encouragingly, despite the current financial challenges almost half (45%) of companies said they still planned to invest in Apprenticeships in 2022.
The need to build resilience into business models has been highlighted by supply chain shortages and the survey shows around a third of companies (35%) are planning to counter this by using British rather than international suppliers, while almost a third (31%) said they were planning to re-locate some or, more of, their production back to the UK.
The survey also shows the increasing drive towards ‘net zero’ for manufacturers. Half of companies (49%) said they plan to invest in green technologies or energy efficiency measures in 2022, with a third saying this investment has increased. A third also said the process to transition to ‘net zero’ had been accelerated by the recent COP 26 Conference.
Make UK has forecast that manufacturing grew +6.9% in 2021 and is predicting growth in 2022 of +3.3%.
The survey of 228 companies was conducted between 27th October and 22nd November 2021.
Mansfield label producer expands footprint with acquisition
The Reflex Group Ltd (Reflex), the Mansfield-based label producer, has acquired Macfarlane Labels Ltd of Kilmarnock, and its subsidiary companies, Macfarlane Group Ireland Limited and Macfarlane Group Sweden AB from Macfarlane Group plc (Macfarlane).
Peter Atkinson, Chief Executive of Macfarlane, said: “Macfarlane Labels has been a long-standing part of the Group. We believe that its sale to Reflex, with their well-established position and scale in the labels market, creates the best opportunity for Macfarlane Labels to develop.
“The sale will allow the Group to focus resources on growing our protective packaging businesses both in the UK and Europe.”
Label printing is very much a core activity for Reflex, which also produces packaging film, provides graphic services and supplies and services printing machinery. The acquired businesses will bring sales of around £22m to add to Reflex’s current “run rate” of £135m.
All of the 109 people who presently work at Macfarlane Labels will join Reflex’s current staff of around 800.
Macfarlane Labels Limited was originally founded in 1948 as N.S Macfarlane. In 1988 it acquired Ayrshire Labels and Adhesive Labels. In 2000 it acquired Abbott Labels in Ireland and Resealit in Sweden. The business has customers throughout the globe.
Ian Kendall, Chief Executive of The Reflex Group, said: “We are delighted to have made this acquisition and we welcome our new colleagues and customers. We are aware of the heritage and importance of the business to all its stakeholders. As always Reflex will focus on sustainability, both environmental and financial, the aim being to create financial strength combined with the lowest level of environmental impact.
“With this move we expand our operational footprint into Scotland, Ireland and Sweden.”
Rolls-Royce appoints Rob Watson to Executive Team as President – Electrical
Rolls-Royce has appointed Rob Watson to the Executive Team as President – Electrical.
Rob has led Rolls-Royce Electrical since October 2017, having previously held a number of senior corporate and business roles across the group during his ten year career with the company.
This follows Rolls-Royce’s announcement, at its half year results, that from the beginning of this year it will report Rolls-Royce Electrical as a separate line item in its financial statements, alongside its three established business units and Rolls-Royce SMR.
Rolls-Royce Electrical offers aviation customers a complete electric propulsion system for their platform, whether that is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) or commuter aircraft. In 2021, Rolls-Royce Electrical announced partnerships with Vertical Aerospace, Eve and Tecnam and also staked the claim for the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft with the Spirit of Innovation.
Warren East, CEO, Rolls-Royce, said: “Rob has played a fundamental role in building our Rolls-Royce Electrical business, which is leading us into exciting new advanced air mobility markets as we look to create significant commercial opportunities from the transition to net zero. I would like to welcome him to the Executive Team.”
2022 Business Predictions: Luke Draper, Managing Director of IDT Limited
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Luke Draper, Managing Director of Ilkeston-based managed IT specialist IDT Limited.
I predict the death of the desktop in 2022. We all have had to change our business models in order to survive over the last two years, and now that flexible working is here to stay, the devices we use need to come with us.
The pandemic has affected our industry massively, proving that companies who invest in their IT and communications have not only survived, many now are reaping the benefits – and not just from a monetary point of view, but also the staff satisfaction giving people more flexibility to do their work from wherever.
We plan to continue our good work from 2021, and have ambitious growth and targets we want to hit so we are excited for the year to come. We have had a great year and have again made a substantial investment in our staff and helped businesses when others have just tried to make a quick buck.
Revenues rise while profits fall at Games Workshop
Revenue continues to rise at “confident” Games Workshop, though pre-tax profits have slipped.
According to half-yearly results for the six months to 28 November 2021, revenue grew to £191.5m, up from £186.8m in the same period of 2020.
Profit before tax at the Nottingham-headquartered business however dipped to £88.2m, from £91.6m.
Kevin Rountree, CEO of Games Workshop, said: “We are on the front foot and confident in our ability to continue to deliver our strategy. Our commitment to focus on real cash returns and return on capital continues to deliver honest and consistent returns to our owners. We will continue to try our best. In the period reported, we have delivered just that.
“We have proven once again that the Warhammer hobby creates exciting experiences and allows people around the world to come together and have some fun. We continue to focus on making the best miniatures in the world and to document and deliver an exciting operational plan.
“I’m once again immensely proud of the global teams’ performance, the ongoing support of our customers and those unsung heroes that keep us safe and well, thank you.”
80 acres of land sold at prime logistics development site in Derbyshire
Bolsover Land Limited (BLL), a joint venture between ALMCOR (formally known as iSec) and St. Francis Group, has sold over 80 acres at its 1.4 million sq ft Horizon 29 warehouse and logistics development to BentallGreenOak (BGO) and their development partner, Equation Properties for £39.9 million.
BGO and Equation will develop up to 1.2 million sq ft at Horizon 29 across the 140-acre strategic brownfield site located adjacent to Junction 29A of the M1 and Markham Vale.
Horizon 29, formerly the Coalite works, was acquired by BLL in 2012. The site has been remediated and core infrastructure constructed to allow for development to further consolidate Horizon 29 as one of the East Midlands’ premier industrial and logistics locations.
BLL retains over 33 acres for further development which will be brought forward alongside the BGO development.
Rupert Wood, head of strategic land at ALMCOR, said: “This is an excellent deal for the JV having bought the site in 2012. It will drive forward the delivery of Horizon 29 while allowing ALMCOR to release capital to recycle it into other substantial projects that we are bringing forward, such as Thames Enterprise Park in Thurrock.
“Working with our JV partner, St Francis Group, we have delivered a warehousing and logistics site into an increasingly constrained market at the right time demonstrating our credentials as strategic land specialists.”
Gareth Williams, development director at St Francis Group, said: “This sale highlights the expertise within the Group and the wider Joint Venture to unlock technically challenging brownfield sites, and to complete significant highway and service infrastructure to create a development ready site capable of immediate development.
“Having jointly invested significant funds to achieve this in time to capitalise on rising demand for serviced land, we are delighted to have completed this sale to BGO and to have secured a programme of speculative development at Horizon29.”
Gareth Purcell, Managing Director at BentallGreenOak, said: “We are delighted to have closed on the acquisition. The first phases of the site already benefit from Reserved Matters planning consent and we will be commencing speculative development works on site during Q2 with the first units completing by year-end.
“This deal, which completed on Christmas Eve, closes out a very busy year for BGO’s UK logistics platform, with us having acquired land to deliver c. 5m sq ft of new logistics space with our partners at Equation Properties in addition to a further 3.7m sq ft of standing assets across a total of 12 separate transactions.”
BLL was advised by JLL and Clyde & Co and BGO and Equation were advised by Burbage Realty and Taylor Wessing.
Survey finds South East Midlands businesses remain resilient despite economic challenges
The South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) has published the results of the 2021 Business Survey, identifying the economic challenges and opportunities facing businesses in the area.
The biennial survey, conducted over October and November 2021, engaged with over 1,800 local businesses to identify economic issues and opportunities to support the growth of local businesses and the local economy. The key trends identified include:
Business Location: The South East Midlands continues to be rated increasingly highly as a place to do businesses, with various aspects presenting positive opportunities to attract inward investment.
- 75% of businesses rated the South East Midlands region as a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ place to do business (69% in 2019).
- 26% of businesses said performance had improved over the past 12 months (40% in 2019) while 34% said it had deteriorated (20% in 2019)
- Over the coming year, businesses are more likely to expect improvements than further deterioration (40% vs. 15%).
- 28% of businesses had vacancies in the last 12 months (39% in 2019)
- 17% had hard-to-fill vacancies (18% in 2019)
- 16% reported skills gaps amongst current staff (25% in 2019)
- 7% have an apprentice (12% in 2019)
- 21% of businesses innovated in the last 12 months (26% in 2019)
- 46% of businesses have the intention of being more sustainable, but only 11% have a specific target or aim to achieve net-zero
- 27% of businesses are actively adopting inclusive recruitment practices
Derby telecoms specialist recognised as ‘NHS hero’ for its support during the pandemic
Derby communications and telecoms specialist EVAD has received national recognition for its role in supporting the NHS during the pandemic.
EVAD’s Think Healthcare service has made access to healthcare simpler for patients by freeing up time and capacity at busy GP surgeries across the country.
The company, which has seen its integrated telecoms service now become best practise within many NHS trusts supporting over 200 GP surgeries, saves an average of 200 administrative hours a year per practice for staff and has been awarded the General Practice Telecoms of the Year Award which celebrates excellence and innovation in healthcare.
Coming at a time when GP surgeries are over stretched with increased demand the technology makes it easier for surgeries to support patients, increase capacity and free up staff time to alleviate added burdens and provide a better service.
In its 14th year, the General Practice Awards celebrate the very best within the healthcare industry and according to their website “recognise the national NHS heroes carrying out work on a daily basis to help others.”
Katie Saunders joins Devonshire Group as People Director
Katie Saunders has been appointed as Group People Director at the Devonshire Group, the company that represents the interests, charities and businesses of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.
Having been operating at board level for the past 15 years in High Street retail and during 20 years in the motor industry, including Volkswagen UK and Audi UK, Katie Saunders joins the Devonshire Group with responsibility for more than 1400 employees spread across 65,000 acres at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire, the Compton estate in Sussex, and Lismore in the Republic of Ireland.
Katie Saunders said: “I’m genuinely excited by the challenge. My experience is very broad, which I think will be important given the Devonshire Group includes such a variety of businesses from visitor attractions, shops, restaurants and luxury accommodation to farming and forestry, and property development.
“Although there are many different job roles and responsibilities, it’s very clear that there is a strong, shared passion for the organisation and its values, at all levels. Part of my role will be to share my experience and expertise in Learning and Development, and particularly Management Development and Leadership, to enable everybody to make the very best of their skills and reach their full potential.”
“Some great work has been done to introduce young people and apprentices to the Devonshire Group through the Kickstart scheme and there’s more to come. To be an employer of choice we need to listen to our team and respond to their concerns so I’ll certainly be looking at issues like wellbeing and diversity to see what more we can do to further develop a modern, motivated and committed workforce.”
Brought up in Doncaster and now living in Chesterfield, Katie Saunders and her husband are frequent visitors to the Peak District and keen foodies. “We know Chatsworth well and often take walks across parts of the estate. For many years I’ve experienced first hand the professionalism, commitment and good humour of the people who work here – this really is my dream job,” she said.
Regatta Way works to start in January 2022
Works are set to begin in January on a new cycle and footpath on Regatta Way in West Bridgford.
Once complete, pedestrians, cyclists and other footway users will benefit from an upgraded two-way route which will run from A6011 Radcliffe Road to Adbolton Lane, where it will join with the existing shared cycle and footway.
Works on the new route, which will connect residential areas to facilities at Holme Pierrepont Country Park, will include the creation of a cycle track that is segregated from both the pavement and the road.
Via East Midlands, who manage Nottinghamshire’s highways on behalf of the county council, will begin works on-site on Monday 10 January 2022.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Transport and Environment Committee, said: “It is great to hear that works on this scheme will be starting early in the New Year.
“I was pleased to hear that this scheme had strong local support and it is our hope that the creation of this new cycle and footway will help to embed walking and cycling into daily lives.
“The scheme will cost around £1.24m to construct and will be funded from the £2.178m that the county council successfully secured from the Government’s Active Travel Fund.
“There are so many benefits to walking and cycling, including cleaner air and less congested roads, and we are delighted to be delivering a scheme which will help local people to enjoy both of these safely.
“We know that news of works on the highway may cause concern about possible disruption, but we and our colleagues at Via East Midlands will endeavour to keep communities up-to-date while aiming to keep disruption to a minimum.”
“I hope these efforts will result in a great facility and I am confident that road users will be pleased with the final result.”
More information about the Active Travel Fund and schemes in Nottinghamshire can be found at: Active Travel Fund – Tranche 2 | Nottinghamshire County Council
TTK Confectionery appoints new commercial director
Nottingham-based food gifting company TTK Confectionery have appointed Katie Gilbert as their new commercial director.
The commercial director role is new and has been created as the result of a sustained period of significant growth at the company. Katie will be the second female director on the board and at only twenty-six will be their youngest ever appointment.
TTK Confectionery create food gifting solutions for major retailers across the UK such as Sainsburys, Morrisons, Matalan, Urban Outfitters and WH Smith. They also sell to over twenty-one countries worldwide as far afield as Canada and Australia.
Katie has been with the company since its creation. She first joined the company on a university internship steering the creative direction of the business. With the guidance and support of the board she developed skills in a number of areas showing a natural gift for leadership and strategic thinking. She now heads a team of eight and plays an integral part in the running of the company, managing multimillion pound budgets across several departments.
Speaking about the new appointment Katie said: “I’m extraordinarily proud that I’ve managed to reach this pivotal point of TTK’s growth journey and that I get to help shape our future. It’s a pleasure to be able to have such an influence over our strategy and I owe it all to the belief that our directors had in me from the very beginning.”
CEO Martin Barnett said: “Katie is a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. Her team are inspired by her journey at TTK and we are delighted that she is now taking her place as a member of the board. We are so proud of all she has achieved both within the business and personally.”
Anglian Water discovers Britain’s largest ‘Sea Dragon’ in UK’s smallest county
The fossilised remains of Britain’s largest ichthyosaur, colloquially known as a ‘Sea Dragon’, has been discovered at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve, owned and run by Anglian Water. It is the biggest and most complete skeleton of its kind found to date in the UK and is also thought to be the first ichthyosaur of its species (called Temnodontosaurus trigonodon) found in the country.
The remains were fully excavated earlier this year and will feature on BBC Two’s Digging for Britain, on Tuesday 11th January at 8pm, before being made available on BBC iPlayer.
The ichthyosaur was discovered by Joe Davis, Conservation Team Leader at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, who operates the nature reserve in partnership with the water company, during the routine draining of a lagoon island for re-landscaping at Rutland Water in February 2021.
Joe Davis said: “The find has been absolutely fascinating and a real career highlight, it’s great to learn so much from the discovery and to think that this amazing creature was once swimming in seas above us, and now once again Rutland Water is a haven for wetland wildlife albeit on a smaller scale!”
The ichthyosaur is approximately 180 million years old and, with a skeleton measuring around 10 metres in length and a skull weighing approximately one tonne, it is the most complete large ichthyosaur ever found in Britain.
Ichthyosaurs first appeared around 250 million years ago and went extinct 90 million years ago. They were an extraordinary group of marine reptiles that varied in size from 1 to more than 25 metres in length, and resembled dolphins in general body shape.
The fragile remains of the huge skeleton were carefully excavated in August and September 2021 by a team of expert palaeontologists assembled from around the UK, in partnership with Anglian Water, Rutland County Council and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. The excavation was led by world ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax and specialist palaeontological conservator Nigel Larkin, along with marine reptile specialist Dr Mark Evans, Dr Emma Nicholls from the Horniman Museum and volunteers with experience of excavating fossilised marine reptiles.
The discovery is not the first at the Anglian Water reservoir, with two incomplete and much smaller ichthyosaurs found during the initial construction of Rutland Water in the 1970s. It is however the first complete skeleton to be discovered there.
CEO for Anglian Water, Peter Simpson said: “Rutland Water has a long list of previous, fascinating archaeological and palaeontological discoveries, but none more exciting than this.
“As a water company we have a role to bring environmental and social prosperity to our region. Which is why the correct preservation and conservation of something so scientifically valuable and part of our history, is as important to us as ensuring our pipes and pumps are fit and resilient for the future.
We also recognise the significance a find like this will have for the local community in Rutland. Our focus now is to secure the right funding to guarantee it’s legacy will last into the future.”
In order to preserve the precious remains, Anglian Water is seeking heritage funding. This will also ensure that it can remain in Rutland where its legacy can be shared with the general public.
Dr Dean Lomax, a palaeontologist and a Visiting Scientist affiliated with the University of Manchester, who has studied thousands of ichthyosaurs and named five new species in the process, said: “It was an honour to lead the excavation. Britain is the birthplace of ichthyosaurs – their fossils have been unearthed here for over 200 years, with the first scientific dating back to Mary Anning and her discoveries along the Jurassic Coast. Despite the many ichthyosaur fossils found in Britain, it is remarkable to think that the Rutland ichthyosaur is the largest skeleton ever found in the UK. It is a truly unprecedented discovery and one of the greatest finds in British palaeontological history.”
Dr Mark Evans of the British Antarctic Survey and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Leicester said: “I’ve been studying the Jurassic fossil reptiles of Rutland and Leicestershire for over twenty years. When I first saw the initial exposure of the specimen with Joe Davis I could tell that it was the largest ichthyosaur known from either county. However, it was only after our exploratory dig that we realised that it was practically complete to the tip of the tail. Rutland’s motto, “Multum in Parvo”, translates as “Much in Little” so it is fitting that we’ve found Britain’s largest ichthyosaur skeleton in England’s smallest county. It’s a highly significant discovery both nationally and internationally but also of huge importance to the people of Rutland and the surrounding area.”
Nigel Larkin, specialist palaeontological conservator and Visiting Research Fellow at Reading University, said “The block containing the massive 2m-long skull weighs just under a tonne (comprising the fossil, the Jurassic clay in which it lies, and the encasing plaster of paris and wooden splints). The block containing the body section weighs about a tonne and a half. It’s not often you are responsible for safely lifting a very important but very fragile fossil weighing that much. It is a responsibility, but I love a challenge. It was a very complex operation to uncover, record, and collect this important specimen safely.”
The team of palaeontologists will continue to work on the research and conservation of this significant scientific discovery, with academic papers to be published in the future.
For more information visit: www.anglianwater.co.uk/rutlandseadragon
Woodhead Construction to expand team to meet growing demand
Robert Woodhead Limited, part of the Edwinstowe based Woodhead Group has recently been appointed to several key projects in the East Midlands, including the newly announced Sherwood Observatory.
Off the back of these projects and the continued long-term partnerships, the contractor is looking to add more members to its team, both on site and at its Edwinstowe headquarters.
Janine Borderick, People Development Director at Robert Woodhead Ltd, part of the Woodhead Group said: “In what has been a tough climate for regional contractors over the last couple of years, Robert Woodhead Ltd has been able to retain a very strong presence across the East Midlands and beyond with major projects for long-term clients across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire
“We are incredibly proud of our Nottinghamshire roots and this plays out through the work we do. All of our projects have a strong focus on community and social value – over the last two years, we have created £113m of social value across all our projects.”
The company’s strong pipeline of work has meant that they are looking to add further experience to their roster of Project Managers, Site Managers, Groundworkers and Quantity Surveyors to Own It, Achieve It and Improve It!
Janine said: “With diverse and exciting projects on the horizon, we’re keen to hear from Project Managers, Site Managers, Groundworkers and Quantity Surveyors who are looking for a new opportunity. One of the key benefits of working for the Woodhead Group is that we maintain the ethos of a family business. Our teams all genuinely care for each other and the work that they do, especially as – for many of them – the sites we operate on are local to them.”
The company also has a rare opening for a Lead Bid Manager, working as part of a dynamic business development and pre-construction team to manage and write competitive bids to secure future work.
In addition, the Woodhead Group is also looking to fill several roles at its headquarters, including a catering assistant – a position with some unique benefits.
Janine said: “Having taken our catering in-house, we are looking for assistants that will be able to help feed our colleagues from the 40 other businesses that work at Edwinstowe House. While there is no shortage of roles such as this one, what sets this apart is the family-friendly working – the role is only within traditional office hours and doesn’t involve any shift work.”
Closed Hallaton village pub seeks new owner through Christie & Co
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co is currently marketing the closed Bewicke Arms, an attractive and historical 16th Century traditional pub with additional letting rooms, located in the picturesque South Leicestershire village of Hallaton – the home of the traditional ‘Hallaton Bottle Kicking and Hare Pie Scramble’.
The building, which maintains many of its original features including stone façade, oak beams and traditional fireplaces throughout and is in a highly sought-after position in the heart of Hallaton and offers an incoming owner a fantastic opportunity to build on its past success.
Prior to closing, this awarding winning freehold was a popular modern take on a traditional English pub, renowned locally as a high-quality destination for food, drinks and accommodation. Along with the freehouse, which offers a main bar, secondary bar, sparate restaurant, spacious kitchen and first-floor multi-functional space, the property also features three spacious letting rooms and a harmonious barn conversion retail space in a separate building. To the rear of the buildings is a covered outside trading area, with stunning views across the rolling Leicestershire countryside.
The business has been successfully owned by Simon & Claire Tait since 2006 “We have absolutely loved our time at The Bewicke. It and has been a pleasure to be part of such an enchanting, historical place, being one of the oldest and most well known traditional inns in country.”
The village of Hallaton plays host to the annual ‘Bottle Kicking and Hare Pie Scramble’, an ancient Leicestershire custom to race barrels across a local stream, claimed to be one of the country’s oldest sports and is thought to be the inspiration for Rugby Union, that takes place each year on Easter Monday.
Overall the property offers substantial growth potential with multiple revenue streams including extensive internal trade areas, outside trade areas, letting bedrooms and additional retail space. Utilising the spacious dining areas and versatile function spaces, a new owner has the potential to increase the events and function side of the business.
James Buist-Brealey, Business Agent in Christie & Co’s Hospitality team is handling the sale and comments, “The Bewicke Arms is a much-loved pub with many traditional features, which sits pride of place in the beautiful village of Hallaton. This is a rare opportunity to own such an attractive freehold pub which offers exciting potential to a new operator.”
The Bewicke Arms is on the market on a freehold basis and invites offers over £700,000.
Anglian Water announces its largest apprenticeship recruitment drive for the East of England
Anglian Water is launching 54 new Level 3 and 4 operational apprenticeship positions encouraging people to consider working within the utilities industry. This is the largest number of positions the water company has opened up and provides the perfect route for budding engineers and technicians into this vital area of work.
Never before has access to water been so important for health and hygiene. As key workers, the Anglian Water workforce play a vital role in keeping taps running, toilets flushing and drains draining. Applying for an apprenticeship with Anglian Water is a great option for anyone considering their next move.
The water company, which has a big requirement for science and engineering skills in its workforce, offers apprentices an opportunity to work and learn simultaneously in operational, maintenance and engineering roles across the region, guaranteeing a permanent role at the end of the course, along with a nationally recognised qualification.
Grant Duller, Network Technician Apprentice at Anglian Water said, “I joined the apprenticeship scheme last year applying at the beginning of the year and haven’t looked back.
“Anglian Water apprentices are an important part of the business and I have felt incredibly valued. The company invest a lot in our training and development to help us gain valuable and practical skills as well as achieving a nationally recognised qualification. With the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard I will gain it will give a great start to my career that will enable me to ultimately progress within Anglian Water.”
Courses can last between 18 months and four years, depending on the type of role, and is often a mixture of classroom and practical hands-on learning supporting the team, across the region.
The apprenticeship opportunities will be open for applications until 13th February, with successful applicants set to start their roles in August/September 2022.
To find out more and apply, visit the Anglian Water careers website and visit the Apprentice page.
2021 sees return to growth following COVID-hit year at CloudCall
CloudCall, the Leicester cloud-based software business, has returned to growth following a COVID-impacted 2020, according to a trading update for the year to 31 December 2021.
The business said that total reported revenues rose to £13.6m from £11.8m in 2020, while customer numbers are up 12% to 1,658 (FY 2020: 1,480).
The update follows news in December that CloudCall’s directors had unanimously recommended an all cash offer for the business to shareholders, valuing the company at £39.9 million.
The firm had reached an agreement with Xplorer Capital Growth I, LLC (Xplorer Capital), a newly formed company owned by funds managed and advised by Xplorer Capital Management LLC.
Simon Cleaver, CEO, said: “2021 marked a return to growth following a COVID-impacted 2020. I was delighted to see strong performances from new business sales, existing business upsell, and customer retention combine to drive our annualised revenue growth back over 25% as we enter 2022.
“Whilst our team have delivered well in 2021 and I’m immensely proud of what they’ve achieved, I’m also conscious that we are operating in a marketplace where many of our key competitors are materially larger and better capitalised than we are.
“In the coming few months, if we remain as a listed company, we will need to raise significant further capital to fund the group through to our targeted monthly EBITDA breakeven in 2023.
“I remain passionate about CloudCall and our team, but, given the conflicting sentiment between shareholders that prefer growth vs those that prefer us to push for break-even, I believe a future capital raise from the public markets may be challenging. In addition to this, the quantum of any fundraise will not go far to redress this imbalance between us and certain of our competition.
“Against this background and after careful consideration, as noted in the announcement of the offer by Xplorer Capital, the CloudCall Board have determined that the offer by Xplorer Capital is in the best interests of CloudCall shareholders and staff.”
2022 Business Predictions: Daniel Collins, Director at PolkeyCollins
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Daniel Collins, Director at PolkeyCollins, the architectural practice.
2021 has been a testing year for the property and construction sector but specifically for the professional side of our industry, meaning it’s been difficult to advise clients with certainty, which is being felt across the board.
However, the changeable times have given us the chance to take perspective on many things and if anything, the long-term strategy of our practice has somewhat been validated with our approach to working with a select group of key clients across multi sectors and picking up feature projects too.
For us and many in the industry, the first quarter of 2021 was challenging as projects came to an end and new ones got cancelled because of the knock-on effects of the pandemic. But despite that shaky start, there is lots of positivity and we have never been more optimistic.
Hence, we further expanded our team this year, as planned, worked with existing and new clients and have a strong, exciting pipeline in place for 2022.
The new year is looking buoyant in terms of activity and opportunity, but I do believe the construction industry will continue its struggle with inflating materials costs, which is squeezing viability figures.
The government statement regarding ‘levelling up’ should help the economy outside of the M25 but how much of this comes to fruition we will need to wait and see.
For Polkey Collins, we have impressive projects on the horizon and keep looking forward and innovating in our outlook and approach and take each month as it comes. We are on target in terms of our strategy and have a skilled team which puts us in a strong position moving into the new year.
