- Increase the number of Nottingham residents with Level 2 qualifications
- Create 15,000 new jobs for Nottingham people
- Continue to support residents into work through the Nottingham Jobs Hub
- Support 1,000 residents into work by securing external funding for programmes across the city
- Support 1,000 more Nottingham young people into learning and work with businesses to create 500 new apprenticeships.
More local businesses and workers to benefit from skills project
Nottingham city councillors have accepted almost £1m of external funding to expand a project so that more local businesses and employees can access skills and training.
The D2N2 Skills Access Hub was set up in April 2020 with an award of £4.8m and since then has been supporting 888 small and medium-sized businesses to access skills provision and 2,220 individuals to improve their own skills attainment.
By agreeing the extra £926,633 of funding, the council can increase the number of businesses supported to 1,060 and the number of individuals supported to 2,650. Half the funding will come from the European Social Fund and half will come from Skills Access Hub delivery partners including the University of Nottingham, West Nottinghamshire College, Futures, Direct Help and Advice, and Nottingham College. At least half of the project participants are expected to be based in Nottingham.
The project will help towards the council’s aims to:
Aiming for promotion: how to set yourself apart
In the world of work and business, we all dream about climbing the corporate ladder to better ourselves and our position within our companies. One of the most gratifying aspects of work is having our achievements recognised or rewarded through employee appraisal systems and promotions.
Subconsciously or not, we all strive to climb the career ladder; however, our individual qualities and skills play a massive part in whether or not we achieve this. Not everyone is bound for advancement, but if you’re looking to develop the skills necessary, we’ve created this piece to help you secure a promotion and set yourself apart from other employees.
Showing Innovation and Planning Ahead
One way to set you apart from competing colleagues and aim for promotion is by showing innovation and planning. Management is impressed by individuals who think forward and do tasks without being told. It shows that you can be independent and possess leadership qualities, making you a desirable candidate for promotion. You can strive to become more innovative by being open to change, voicing your opinions, studying others in management roles, or you could try attending extracurricular courses or workshops to bolster workplace skills. For instance, you could use training providers such as Skills Training Group who offer first aid courses in Birmingham, plus a range of other courses that can help get you noticed by employers and set you apart from others.
Having Good Communication Skills
Another skill to develop to set you apart from others is good communication skills, which are prerogative in the workplace to avoid miscommunication and unnecessary problems. Successfully communicating with others is how ideas come to fruition; a good candidate for promotion needs to demonstrate these skills so that employers know that you’ll help the team maintain positive working relationships and increase productivity. Alongside having quality communication skills, it’s also essential to have sound listening skills, as successful managers listen to their colleagues and empathise with their worries or opinions to keep the team running smoothly.
Show That You’re A Team Player
Ultimately, an entire workforce ensures a company’s success, not just one individual. It also increases relationships between colleagues and employers and improves company loyalty. So if you’re looking for a promotion, you must show employers that you can work as part of a team and uplift other members so that the maximum production level is achieved. You can do this by volunteering yourself for jobs without being asked or by offering to help co-workers that are struggling, which will make you favourable to both colleagues and management, plus highlight your leadership skills.
Always Strive For More
The employees who achieve promotion always strive for more, show passion for their work, and aren’t content with attaining the bare minimum. Set yourself apart from others by showing pride in your work and continue pushing yourself to do better each time. You could do this by organising your workload more efficiently to complete deadlines quicker or by grouping yourself with like-minded individuals who inspire you to do better every day. Being passionate and confident in your work will make employers or management notice you and give them reasonable grounds to reward you for your hard work.
Semcon expands in digital learning through acquisition in the East Midlands
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of organisations are discovering that digital learning solutions offer learning that is flexible and targeted to their audiences. Through the acquisition of the UK company Walkgrove, Semcon is expanding its leading offering in digital learning with a local presence in a new geographic market.
Walkgrove began operating back in 1994 and the company has a long tradition of providing high-quality learning solutions. Its customer base includes organisations from many different sectors, such as insurance, health and social care and humanitarian, including The UN and Oxfam. Its operations are based near Nottingham and Derby in the UK East Midlands. Walkgrove’s 20 employees have broad expertise in the development and production of learning material, with 85% of its current portfolio being digital. Most of Walkgrove’s deliveries comprise bespoke learning content, but its offering also includes a generic digital library with courses in areas such as management, IT and health & safety, as well as a digital learning platform.
Johan Ekener, business area president for Product Information said: “We are very pleased that Walkgrove is now becoming a part of Semcon. This will provide us with a solid base from which to grow our strong offering within digital and blended learning to existing and new customers in the UK. The east Midlands is an ideal location near customers in the rail industry cluster around Derby and close to Semcon’s existing operations within product information in Warwick, just south of Birmingham.”
Sarah Smith, managing director of Walkgrove said: “This is a great opportunity for Walkgrove to complement Semcon’s products and services within learning. We had been approached by several interested organisations before finding the synergy and cultural fit that Semcon offers. We are all looking forward to meeting new challenges and opportunities.”
Semcon is the largest Nordic provider of digital learning courses and has extensive expertise in the production of interactive online and mobile learning material as well as the implementation of distribution platforms for learning (Learning Management Systems and Learning eXperience Platforms). Walkgrove will become part of Semcon’s Product Information business area, which is a leading provider of digital aftersales solutions and digital learning in an international market.
In the 2020/2021 financial year, Walkgrove’s operations reported sales of approximately GBP 1.4 million. The acquisition will be consolidated into Semcon from 1 January 2022.
Why surface plate calibration is crucial in manufacturing
A surface plate is the standard reference for making sure that dimensional measurements are accurate and precise. But you have to make sure that your surface plate is precise; otherwise, everything will go wrong when your point of reference itself for all your measurements isn’t accurate. The most commonly used material for making surface plates is granite. But some are made of metal, cast iron, or glass.
Granite is thought to be the best material for making surface plates. The reason for this is its surface hardness. It also has low thermal expansion. It doesn’t rust or corrode. There’s very little warping, and it can last for a very long time without much wear and tear. These attributes help calibration at Eley Metrology and other shops achieve accuracy, stability, and precision in measurements.
Importance Of Surface Plate Calibration
Regular calibration of the surface plate you use is highly important. It’s one of the most reliable ways to make sure all the dimensional measurements that you do at work are accurate. No matter how advanced engineering and manufacturing become, precision will still be a crucial part of their design and processes.
You might think granite is the same as all other materials you can use for a surface plate but they’re not. Granite’s physical characteristics make it a special tool for ensuring precision of your measurements.
To be able to provide accurate dimensions that are reliable and consistent, you should maintain the flatness of surface plates. This way you can make sure you’ll be able to repeat your dimensions and measurements but still get the same results. The term flatness refers to the measurement of the surface plate from the bottom to top.
Repeatability means that you’ll be able to get the same uniform measurement wherever you move or slide your measurement tool on the surface plate. You should be able to get the same equal measurements all over the surface plate. If there are any discrepancies at all, they should be within the tolerable range.
Uses Of Surface Plate Precision In Manufacturing
A precise and accurate surface plate is critical in manufacturing. Most of the things that are done in manufacturing plants require high precision in dimensions and measurements. An imprecise dimension can put a lot of raw materials and even end products to waste. Flatness and repeatability are the two critical aspects to make sure that a surface plate would be giving a precise surface. A precise surface plate serves as the reference point for calibrating the other tools and equipment in the manufacturing plant.
The surface plate serves as the baseline for all the measurements you do in your manufacturing plant. This makes it a critical tool for quality control both before starting the production process and post-production. In manufacturing, the accuracy required for surfaces should be up to 0.00001 of an inch. This is considered 250 nm for grade AA or AAA plates.
Surface plates are also used to calibrate the accuracy of other smaller pieces of equipment and tools. Most of the machines, equipment, and measurement tools in machine shops are calibrated using surface plates. Manufacturers of cars and even airplanes, and their spare parts, rely on surface plates to inspect and calibrate their equipment and tools. These industries require tight tolerances and very high precision for their equipment.
This is crucial in manufacturing. For example, in cutting aluminium into sheets or rods, you set the dimension measurements of your machines and equipment against the surface plate. If your surface plate isn’t calibrated up to tolerable variances, your machines might cut the aluminium material into uneven sheets or bars. Often the result of imprecise surface plates is that your machines will churn out highly defective products with unacceptable imprecisions in measurements.
Importance Of Routine Surface Plate Calibration
It’s important to have routine plate calibration for your surface plate. This is the only way to make sure that its flatness and repeatability stay the same throughout the entire time that you use your surface plate. Calibration shops use various kinds of certification for flatness and repeatability. One is the Mahr Surface Plate Certification System. This system employs the following:
- Isometric or Numeric plotting technique
- Moody and Profile Analysis
- Automatic Grading. This is done according to the standards of your industry
- Multiple Run Average
400,000 small firms threatened by late payment as costs surge, new study finds
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is warning that a worsening of the UK’s late payment crisis, high inflation and mounting admin for firms that trade internationally will cause the business community to further shrink in size if left unaddressed, as it releases fresh findings from its quarterly Small Business Index (SBI).
The new study of more than 1,200 business owners finds that close to one in three (30%) has seen late payment of invoices increase over the last three months, with a further 8% experiencing other forms of poor payment practice. Only 6% say that a change in payment terms has been agreed over that period.
As a result, approaching one in ten (8%) say late payment is now threatening the viability of their business. Latest government statistics show that there are an estimated 5.5 million small business in the UK – a figure which fell by 400,000 over last year’s lockdowns. The new FSB study suggests that a similar number of firms (440,000) could be forced to close again this year due to late payment alone.
The headline UK SBI measure of confidence has dropped to -8.5 in Q4, during another uncertain festive season. The figure has fallen every quarter over 2021, having stood at +27.3 in Q1. More small firms now expect their performance to worsen over the coming three months than expect an improvement. Pessimism is especially pronounced in the retail (-40.3) and accommodation and food (-33.0) industries.
The vast majority of small businesses (78%) say costs are rising. The figure is at a seven-year high.
Inputs are most commonly cited as a primary cause of that increase, with half (49%) of those surveyed flagging it as a main driver of higher outgoings. Fuel (46%) and utilities (45%) were the second and third most highlighted primary causes of rising costs respectively. All figures are at their highest levels since Q4 2014.
Elsewhere, with full import checks and rules of origin requirements now in place for firms which do business in the EU, the bulk (74%) of small exporting firms report that international sales were flat or falling over the past quarter. Close to one in four (38%) of these firms report a decrease in exports. Previous FSB research shows that only one in four small importers are fully prepared for new import checks.
FSB National Chairman Mike Cherry said: “The small business community diminished in size over the past year and, unless action is taken now to tackle the challenges it faces, history is set to repeat itself.
“After another frustrating festive season, small firms are facing flashpoint after flashpoint. Today, it’s a fresh wave of admin for importers and exporters – in three months’ time it will be a hike to the jobs tax that is national insurance contributions, a rise in dividend taxation, business rates bills and an increase in the national living wage. On top of that, operating costs are surging – many will soon be trying to strike energy deals without the clout of big corporates or the protections afforded to consumers.
“Small business confidence dropped in every quarter of 2021. As we head into the New Year, the government needs to act now if we’re to reverse that trend and secure an economic bounce back.
“Late Payment was destroying thousands of small businesses even before the pandemic hit – the pandemic has made matters worse. In the past, the Government has rightly identified greater Board accountability as key to spurring change in this area, but delivery has been slow. We responded to its consultation on extending the Small Business Commissioner’s powers more than a year ago, but have yet to see a response.
“The pandemic is absorbing bandwidth, and rightly so, but policymakers need to understand that late payment is the issue that keeps thousands of entrepreneurs up at night, and one that has worsened in lockstep with lockdowns. We need to see words turned to action.
“Every big UK corporation should have a non-executive director on its board with direct responsibility for payment culture. And every big business and government organisation should be abiding by the prompt payment code: 30-day payment terms are not a nice to have, they’re the norm for those who are committed to environmental, social and governance best practice.
“If this government is serious about levelling-up, it needs to get serious about helping community businesses struggling to make ends meet as costs surge. Increasing the small businesses rates relief ceiling to £25,000 would take 200,000 more firms out of this regressive tax altogether, primarily in levelling-up target areas, meaning more investment, recruitment and retention within local economies up and down the country.
“Equally, with the omicron variant hammering consumer confidence, April’s tax hikes are looking increasingly misjudged. The Chancellor should look again at how to protect small firms from this fresh blow. An increase in the Employment Allowance would provide some breathing space.
“Small firms that do business internationally are usually among our most profitable and innovative. That’s why it’s so hard to watch so many becoming increasingly weighed down by bureaucracy. The Government should learn lessons from the botched roll-out of the SME Brexit Support Fund and launch a new fund with similar aims but more sensible eligibility criteria, reasonable application deadlines and a genuinely international focus.”
2022 Business Predictions: Kul Mahay, founder of Ignite Your Inner Potential
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 Kul Mahay, leadership and emotional intelligence expert; founder of Ignite Your Inner Potential.
The pandemic and lockdown experience has been the single-most powerful experience most of us have been through in our lifetimes, insomuch as the incredible amount of change that took place with such immediacy.
Business leaders were left wondering how they should respond to these unique circumstances with the whole concept of people working in isolation, away from their normality of offices and being surrounded by colleagues, leading to additional and perhaps unforeseen challenges for everyone.
As we look ahead to 2022 – and there is, once again, uncertainty with regards covid, planning seems to be more difficult to do, bringing about fresh challenges. People, as well as the organisations they work for, have changed too; we’re all starting to recalibrate our priorities, particularly when it comes to achieving that work-life balance.
In 2022, I believe we will see businesses and organisations recognising the need to become more people-centric, with empathetic, emotionally-intelligent cultures.
Change is something that we, as a world, will become more accustomed to. The pace of change is likely to increase in this digital world and businesses will be challenged to manage this more effectively.
Over the last two years, business leaders have been pressured into making decisions that have been outside of their comfort zone; from motivating and monitoring remote resources to working in isolation themselves. Self-leadership and self care has become more vital and this will continue well into the new year.
Many organisations have recognised the need to ensure their leaders are afforded coaching, mentoring and perhaps even counselling in a safe environment so that they are able to deal with any personal self-esteem issues, and this will be at the forefront of business decisions in 2022.
Business leaders seek tax, trade and skills support to meet challenges of next 20 years
Almost half (47%) of UK businesses said taking on new staff is their key ambition in the medium-term, according to new research to mark the 20th anniversary of the Lloyds Bank Business Barometer.
The survey asked 600 businesses about the major challenges and opportunities faced in the last two decades and anticipated challenges up to 2040 and beyond.
Companies also highlighted developing new products and services (36%) and increasing online sales (30%) as major ambitions and priorities.
The survey found that businesses expect online purchasing (20%) and demand for instant products and services (18%) to be the biggest changes in consumer behaviour in the next 20 years, forcing them to be more creative and innovative in order to adapt to deliver quickly.
These predictions mirror the factors which businesses cited as having had the biggest impact on their operations in the past 20 years – chiefly greater access to information (24%) and more online purchasing (22%) changing customer behaviour.
However, firms are optimistic about further changes to consumer behaviour, with 38% reporting that advances in technology have had the biggest positive impact on their business in the past 20 years.
Challenges ahead
Despite a clear drive towards growth, a net balance of 83% of firms anticipate the next 20 years will be more challenging than the past two decades – which included the financial crisis and resulting credit crunch, recession, the Brexit referendum and the global pandemic.
Some of the challenges that businesses see themselves facing can be linked back to the pandemic, including rising costs (23%) and the ability to recruit staff (11%). In addition, one in ten (11%) businesses see the need to keep up with technological developments as their biggest challenge in the next two to three years.
Government provision of greater access to more vocational-based learning was seen by 44% of firms as being a way to help mitigate these challenges. However, companies believe that future growth opportunities will need to be supported by more favourable taxation to encourage sustainable business practices (52%) and new trade agreements with major trading partners (48%).
Paul Gordon, Managing Director for SME and Mid Corporates, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “The Business Barometer has provided unique insights into the views of British businesses for 20 years. In that time, we have seen a seismic shift in the economic context in the UK, as well as the extraordinary ability of business leaders to adapt and evolve to meet changing market needs.
“Perhaps it is not unsurprising that, having faced a quite unprecedented period of late and enormous change over the last twenty years, the majority of business leaders feel the next twenty years will be more challenging. To help them through this, businesses are looking for support on skills, finance, trade and taxation to navigate in this environment.
“One thing that is clear is that our businesses and business leaders are incredibly resourceful and resilient and are adept at facing into constant change. They tell us they are gearing up for growth and expect to increase headcount, enhancing their service offering or utilising new technologies. We’ll be by their side over the months and years ahead as they deliver on their ambitions.”
Reconomy increases UK waste processing capability with acquisition of Leicester company
Reconomy, the provider of outsourced services to the circular economy, has acquired Casepak, the Leicester-based recycling company, along with Casepak’s sister company, Oceala.
Casepak was founded in 1973 by George Smith and has grown into one of the UK’s leading recycling and waste management companies. Casepak operates two state-of-the-art facilities in Leicester – a collection and processing facility that provides specialist sortation services and a materials recycling facility (MRF) that sorts mixed recyclables, producing TEEP compliant outputs.
Casepak works with a range of commercial customers as well as partnering with Local Authorities throughout the UK to increase recycling rates, while Oceala specialises in providing waste management services to high profile retailers across the country.
Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director of Casepak, said: “We are extremely proud to have grown Casepak into such a successful company while remaining family-owned and operated. However, to continue to grow and take advantage of future opportunities the time is right to change the ownership structure and we are very excited to join up with the Reconomy Group. It will remain very much business as usual for our staff and customers, while providing further scope for increased innovation and development.”
Paul Cox, CEO of the Reconomy Group, added: “We’re delighted to bring Casepak into the Reconomy family and wish a warm welcome to all of our new colleagues. Casepak is an innovative company, with a commitment to high quality and great customer service. We see great potential for the future as the Reconomy Group continues to build its portfolio of services and deliver a circular economy vision, helping our commercial customers work towards a sustainable future.”
The addition of Casepak will enhance the Reconomy Group’s existing processing capabilities and reinforces the company’s commitment to UK infrastructure for recycling. In 2021 the Reconomy Group acquired Eurokey and in September announced a £15m investment in a new sorting facility in Kettering for supermarket films and flexible plastics, coming online in 2022.
Cooper Parry Corporate Finance and Knights plc acted as lead advisor and legal advisor respectively to the Casepak and Oceala shareholders. Transactional tax advice was provided by Cooper Parry Tax.
Mansfield safety and security solutions business secures £3.4m funding package
ThinCats, the alternative lender to mid-sized SMEs, has provided a £3.4m funding package to support integrated safety and security solutions business Total Integrated Solutions Limited (TIS) with its future growth plans.
Incorporated in 1951, Mansfield-based TIS designs, installs, maintains and services integrated safety and security solutions across a broad range of sectors including retirement villages, open space CCTV and Smart City installations, the Ministry of Defence and further education.
Over the past nine years, shareholder and CEO James Twigg has expanded the technical capability of the business and significantly grown revenue and profitability driven by a strategy of delivering innovative solutions to a highly sophisticated customer base.
Backed by Key Capital Partners, one of the most experienced private equity teams in the UK, TIS’s growth strategy will be underpinned by investment in marketing and sales resource and bolt on acquisitions which enhance its product range, increase geographical presence and secure the supply chain.
ThinCats were introduced to TIS by Matt Tice, investment director at Key Capital Partners, with legal support provided by Paddy Sturman of Irwin Mitchell. TIS were supported by Andrew Fordham of Addleshaw Goddard on the transaction.
James Twigg, CEO, TIS, said: “I am delighted to be working with ThinCats on the next stage of our growth. With great backers in KCP, we also wanted a funder that also understood our needs and shared our passion and ThinCats have lived up to that expectation. The funding will bring many opportunities for my incredibly talented team to grow the business as we strive together to really make a difference to our customers strategies, assets and people.”
Ben Kimball, director regional business development, ThinCats, said: “The combined tracked record of Key Capital as investors, and the TIS management team provide a fantastic funding opportunity for Thincats. The TIS growth story is compelling, and I am delighted we are able to back James and team on their next step in the journey.”
Housebuilder given green light for 93 new homes in Nottingham
A local housebuilder has been given the green light for a new development in Fairham.
Planning for Redrow East Midlands’ seven-acre Fairham development, in Nottingham, has now been granted.
Two, three and four-bedroom homes will be created.
As part of the new development, Redrow will also be contributing towards improving the local area, helping to fund affordable housing, two new schools and improved bus service for local people.
Ryan O’Sullivan, sales director at Redrow East Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be bringing more much-needed new homes to Nottinghamshire.
“We understand that the priorities of prospective homebuyers have changed over the last year, with proximity to green, open space, community spirit and easy transport connections high on the agenda.
“We were the first housebuilder to commit to the new neighbourhood being created here, which once complete, will form a brand new, sustainable and desirable location to live. We’re anticipating that this development will be incredibly popular.”
The development forms part of Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Local Plan and will help meet the borough’s housing need for 13,500 new homes over the next decade.
Tax & SSAS consultancy appoints heavyweight marketing team
WestBridge Group, which provides specialist tax advice to businesses and their owners, and independent administration, consultancy, and trustee services for Small Self-Administered Pension Schemes (SSAS) has appointed Chris Darlington and Simple Marketing Consultancy to lead its marketing strategy.
Chris joins as group marketing director having formerly been the head of the Leicester offices for BDO, Tenon and latterly Mazars.
Simple Marketing Consultancy (SMC) is jointly run by Bev Cook who was previously the head of marketing for Tenon. She has worked for a number of other professional services firms including BDO and Grant Thornton and has been running her own outsourced marketing consultancy with business partner Elliot Cook since 2010.
In their new roles they will lead the marketing strategy and help to raise the profile of the group which has its main office in Leicester. In 2020, the group acquired a book of small self-administered pension schemes from financial services provider James Hay and now employs a UK wide team of 40 people who operate under the WestBridge Tax and WestBridge SSAS brands.
Commenting on the appointment, Chris Darlington said: “I am delighted to be joining the group during a very exciting time in its development. We have some ambitious plans for growth and our main goal will be to ensure we implement a focused and co-ordinated programme of marketing activity that ensures our audiences understand the benefits of the specialist advice we can offer to help clients protect their corporate and personal wealth.
“Having previously worked with Bev & Elliot, I’m confident that our combined skillsets will help to create an award winning firm that is renowned for the quality of its advisory solutions and service.”
Group director Tom Moore added: “There are significant advantages to be gained by going to market as a Group rather than separate brands, particularly as we add more new services. We recognise that the same market sectors can benefit from our solutions and Chris and SMC have previous experience of implementing highly effective marketing plans on a UK wide basis.”
Redbrik Foundation donates £10k to local charities
Award-winning South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire Estate Agents, Redbrik has donated nearly £10,000 to six local charities.
Fairplay, St. Luke’s Hospice Sheffield, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, The Children’s Hospital Charity, Ashgate Hospice and Paces will benefit from the funds raised through the Redbrik Foundation.
After hosting and supporting many charity events over the years, the Redbrik Foundation was set up in 2020 to help children, young people, the elderly and those with disabilities in the Sheffield and Chesterfield areas.
Naturally, since the Foundation was set up in 2020, restrictions have limited the number of in-person fundraising events. However, Redbrik’s team came up with new ways to generate support for the Foundation and its charities at a time when they need it most.
The Redbrik Foundation has organised virtual events, and challenges and donations of Christmas presents to Sheffield Children’s Hospital two years running so that every patient receives a gift during the festive season.
The team tackled the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge earlier this year, raising over £4,000, and held the very first – and very successful – Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k in October 2021. In addition, donations were raised through a match funding initiative whereby clients of Redbrik are given the option to donate £25 to the Foundation, which the company then matches.
Redbrik Foundation Trustee, David Cooper, commented: “This is a proud moment for every one and thank you to anyone who has promoted, donated to or fundraised for the Foundation. One hundred per cent of all money raised is donated back out into the community to support the incredible work these organisations carry out every day.
“Rather than have a changing list of annual charity partners, we’ve decided instead that we’d rather have an ever-growing list of amazing charities to support, so watch this space!”
Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance sign off 2021 as busiest year in charity’s history.
A lot has happened at LNAA this year, from moving to a new headquarters to upgrading the helicopter, the charity hasn’t stood still through what has been a monumental year of change.
And the numbers reflect the pace of transformation with the crew having responded to more than 1,400 missions in 2021. Compared to 1,095 in 2020 and 877 in 2019, it’s a significant leap.
CEO Karen Jobling said: “Just like many other charities, we went into 2021 not knowing what to expect. We had projects that were underway before the first lock-down so we had to dig in and keep going on those fronts, keeping in mind that they were all foundations for the future of the charity. This is what has enabled us to reach more patients this year.”
The addition of a second helicopter in the summer came in response to an anticipated surge in visitors to the Lincolnshire coast as lock-down measures eased. This contributed to the rise in call-outs as it became the busiest summer the charity had ever had.
Throughout the year additional, highly skilled doctors and paramedics have joined LNAA with some travelling from Aberdeen, Kent and even Lisbon to be part of a team that is leading the way in this specialist sector. This meant that by September, crews were able to respond day and night using a mix of the helicopter and critical care cars.
The charity teams and crew moved into a new, purpose-built headquarters in Lincoln – HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) Way – in the summer and celebrated the official opening in September when HRH The Earl of Wessex, officially opened the building. The clinical and aviation operation had formerly been based at RAF Waddington with the staff situated in Bracebridge Heath, so the development of HEMS Way gave everyone the opportunity to be under one roof for the first time.
Another stride in clinical care came with the introduction of blood plasma. Blood was already carried on board but plasma was added because it is the component of blood that helps it to clot – integral to the care given at the scene of a traumatic incident, anywhere within the 3,500sq miles LNAA covers.
“Our crews continue to be out there and, just like their NHS colleagues, they are dealing with the added pressure and complexity the spread of Covid brings, said Karen. The only difference is that we are there purely because of the generous donations we receive from our communities.
She added: “We are so pleased that we have been able to be there for more patients in 2021. Of course, with each mission costing on average £3,500, it comes at a cost. It is only because of the generosity of our supporters that more patients have been helped by a crew with the highest skills and standards in pre-hospital care. Everyone here at LNAA would like to send all of our wonderful supporters our whole-hearted thanks.”
Visit www.ambucopter.org.uk/donate to help save lives.
Business insolvencies highest in almost three years
Corporate insolvencies are now at their highest level in almost three years, according to monthly research from the government’s Insolvency Service.
The number of insolvent businesses in England and Wales rose by 18.7% last month to a total of 1,674 compared to October’s total of 1,410, and increased by 87.9% compared to November 2020’s figure of 891.
According to the Midlands branch of insolvency and restructuring body R3, these statistics indicate the growing number of company directors choosing to close their businesses because they feel that survival is impossible in the current climate.
R3 Midlands Chair Eddie Williams, a partner at PwC in the East Midlands, said: “The monthly increase in corporate insolvencies has been driven by a rise in Creditor Voluntary Liquidations (CVLs) to the highest number in more than two-and-a-half years.
“This suggests that a growing number of directors have been unable to combat the economic and financial obstacles thrust upon them by the pandemic and have closed their companies down.
“Times continue to be tough for local businesses, not least over the last few weeks, as they have been hit by the triple whammy of increased costs, supply chain issues and rising COVID cases.
“We urge any director who is worried about their company to take professional advice as soon as possible. Seeking it at an early, rather than later, stage provides more solutions, more time and, potentially, better outcomes.”
How to enhance teamwork in your workplace
If your employees tend to work individually or lack vital communication skills, it may be worth taking the time to implement a number of company-wide changes. It can be difficult to know where to begin if you are unfamiliar with promoting good collaboration amongst employees but by familiarising yourself with a number of helpful tips and tricks, you can enhance teamwork in your workplace and create a happy and healthy working environment for everyone involved going forward.
Build diverse teams
It can be tempting to build teams of employees based on their shared skills, knowledge, or experience, but by building diverse teams, you can ensure your workforce bonds on a deeper level and forms long-lasting friendships that may also exist outside of work. This is because a group of employees with varying backgrounds and histories are far more likely to bring new and fresh ideas to the table as opposed to a group of like-minded individuals or employees that are already familiar with one another inside or outside of work. This can potentially lead to a wider range of perspectives and, as a result, a diverse approach to decision-making on important projects or within the entire business as a whole.
Organise non-work events
If you are committed to enhancing teamwork in your workplace, it may benefit you to organise non-work events on a regular basis to encourage employees to get to know one another on a deeper level, communicate in a non-work environment, and discuss topics unrelated to work. It can be done in a number of ways but is most commonly done by scheduling team-building events, organising days out, and planning office Christmas parties. This is especially important if your employees work from home or across a number of different departments with little to no opportunity to collaborate or engage outside of work.
Reorganise teams on a regular basis
It may seem disruptive or even cruel but by reorganising teams on a regular basis, you can ensure the individual skills, strengths, and weaknesses of team members complement one another and, essentially, enhance teamwork in your workplace. If certain employees are struggling to get on with one another or power dynamics are a common problem, it may be worth rotating team members on a regular basis until you form successful teams that are capable of working together to achieve a common goal. This can have a substantial impact on productivity and morale in the workplace and may even lead to greater profits in the long run.
Provide learning opportunities
In order to enhance teamwork in your workplace, you must provide relevant learning opportunities if and when necessary. This can ensure all employees and trained and up to date on any company-wide changes and allow you to provide them with the chance to sharpen their existing skills on an ongoing basis. It may sound like an obvious point, but you would be surprised at how far proper training and guidance can go in maximising the benefits of working together as a team. In addition to enhancing teamwork, hosting guest speakers and relevant seminars may also enhance employee job satisfaction and engagement and ensure they understand the importance of becoming a valuable team member both inside and outside of work.
If you are looking to enhance teamwork in your workplace, there are a number of steps you can take. This includes building teams of diverse employees, organising non-work events throughout the year, reorganising teams on a regular basis, and providing learning opportunities. By doing so, you can produce greater results and ensure employees are happy and productive whilst at work.
2022 Business Predictions: Jason Hercock, Andrew McFarlane Holt and Trevor Wells, Directors at Wells McFarlane
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 Jason Hercock, Andrew McFarlane Holt and Trevor Wells, Directors at Chartered Surveyors and Property Consultants, Wells McFarlane, who present their views on the future of the office, industrial and land markets in 2022.
“The office market remains very competitive, especially for premises that have a high specification and therefore represent better value, and I don’t see this diminishing in 2022,” explains Jason Hercock.
“What we’ve seen recently is businesses reflecting on how they use the space they occupy and to what extent it’s fit for purpose. Decisions that may have been parked last year are now being made with more confidence, as firms have a year’s experience and working patterns have emerged.
“How this translates is that there is a definite need for designated office space, somewhere tangible that ensures the identity of a business is retained. Out of city spaces, with open plan, flexible layouts and private parking are hugely desirable, perhaps also as they are accessible without commuting on crowded public transport.
“Similarly, small to medium sized offices will remain sought-after, as firms look to downsize and provide environments better suited to flexible working arrangements.”
Andrew McFarlane Holt expects the industrial sector to perform equally strongly. “Demand is completely outstripping supply and this won’t change over the next 12 months,” he said.
“Rents and capital values are also increasing – both indications of a healthy 2022. The industrial/logistics sector has been one of the big beneficiaries of the pandemic, particularly for businesses specialising in light manufacturing, home improvements, technology and online retail.
“What’s happening now is new industries such as TV and film production, streaming services and even modular home developers are looking to secure high volume space and this means good quality stock is hard to find – more speculative development is urgently needed.
“On the positive side, so much development in this sector, especially in the Midlands with the expansion of Magna Park, has considerably strengthened the local economy and created ample employment opportunities, which we expect to continue through 2022.”
The land market faces a similar scenario, as Trevor Wells outlines: “Appetite for land of all types is extremely high and prices have performed well as available parcels are in such short supply.
“Land continues to be seen as a safe investment, especially as Capital Gains Tax was not altered in the Autumn Budget. Strategic land is much sought-after due to increasing pressures for housing stock and industrial uses, and commercial land is now actively competing with residential land.
“We’re still waiting to see the full impact of the Planning Bill that was announced in The Queen’s Speech so hopefully further details on the new categories for land will emerge in 2022 and accelerate viable options.”
2022 Business Predictions: James Wallis, owner of Aristotle Financial Planning
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 James Wallis, owner of Aristotle Financial Planning in Derby.
Quite apart from the high levels continued sales, mergers and acquisitions that we have been dealing with, thanks to owners approaching their retirement, the pandemic, unsurprisingly, continued to have a big effect on the way we work – and who we worked with – during the year.
It has encouraged more people to launch start-ups and also to reassess their lives and changes in circumstances, which has seen them making bigger financial decisions than they might otherwise have taken.
In particular, we made more use of technology in order to overcome remote working during lockdown but behind the scenes the software we use to do our work has come on in leaps and bounds in 2021.
That will help us enormously next year and will be a game-changer by allowing us to operate more efficiently, which means that financial advisers will be able to take on clients with less wealth who previously would not have been financially viable.
Lincolnshire local a winner at Natwest Everywoman Awards
Hannah Dale, founder of Wrendale Designs, from Brigg, Lincolnshire has been announced as a winner at the 2021 NatWest Everywoman Awards.
The awards celebrated the UK’s most inspiring female entrepreneurs, recognising their outstanding achievements during one of the most challenging periods for businesses in living memory.
Bringing together some of the UK’s most successful business owners, the ceremony featured the stories of many extraordinary women who, against the odds, have brought business concepts to reality, creating jobs, opportunities and global brands.
This year’s winners span multiple sectors including food, fashion, drinks, health, beauty, energy, IT and service industries. All are united in one common purpose – to inspire future generations of entrepreneurs and to leave the world a better place than they found it.
Hannah is the winner in the Athena category, which is awarded to the most inspirational woman running a business trading from 6 to 9 years.
Hannah had a successful City career until the financial crash of 2008 left her facing redundancy. Returning to contemplate her options at the family farm, she revived her hobby of painting animals and country scenes.
She initially developed a small range of greetings cards and took to local gift shops to gauge interest. The response was encouraging and persuaded Hannah to expand into giftware and homeware.
From a standing start 10 years ago, Hannah has built Wrendale into an international brand turning over £8 million annually and providing jobs for over 60 employees. Covid threatened to derail the business given its wholesale model, but by supporting her retailers with strong content and digital assets, she helped them to pivot their businesses online and sales rebounded with popular lines including a motivational quote box, journals and notelets.
Speaking about the winners, Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder at everywoman, said: “For nearly two decades these awards have provided a platform to share the stories of hundreds of entrepreneurs, encouraging, emboldening and empowering other women to follow suit.
“Against a backdrop of Covid, these women have shown how innovation and enterprise have helped their businesses to thrive under extraordinary trading conditions. We hope their experiences will go onto inspire others and provide the motivation and inspiration that will be the backbone of the UK’s economic recovery.”
Henry Brothers appointed on DfE’s 2021 Construction Framework
Henry Brothers has been appointed to the Department for Education’s (DfE) 2021 Construction Framework for the first time.
The company has been successful on the Medium Value Band – projects from £6m to £12m – for the East of England. The framework runs for four years and is worth £7bn. Both educational and non-educational schemes can be procured under the framework.
This is the latest in a number of framework appointments secured by Henry Brothers. Others include the Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure (PB3) LHC Framework, which allows local authorities, social landlords and other public sector bodies to source contractors for the construction and refurbishment of educational, healthcare, emergency services and community buildings.
Henry Brothers has been appointed on lots for new build and refurbishment projects up to £2m across the Midlands and East Anglia, along with projects from £2m to £7m across the Midlands, East Anglia, Yorkshire and the North West of England.
In addition, Henry Brothers has places on the Pagabo and Crown Commercial Services frameworks.
Managing Director for Henry Brothers Midlands, Ian Taylor, said: “We are very pleased to have been appointed to the Department for Education’s 2021 Construction Framework.
“Henry Brothers Midlands has built up a reputation as a key contractor in the education sector, building first-class facilities for schools and universities across the East Midlands. This framework appointment opens up a potential new stream of work for the business as we head into 2022 and beyond.”
New job is best Christmas present for Work & Skills Leicestershire client
A Leicestershire resident who signed up with the county council’s Work & Skills programme has received the best Christmas present they could hope for – a new job!
The new year will see Karen Norton start work in her role as a senior youth advocate – and she says it is all thanks to the Work & Skills Leicestershire team.
Work & Skills Leicestershire is open to anyone who is seeking employment or training – from those who have never been employed, to those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, or who are at risk of redundancy.
Karen worked for many years as a cover teacher, but when she went to apply for teacher training in Leicestershire, she was told her American qualifications in English and Maths were not deemed equivalent to the GCSEs required.
Karen, who has a degree in History, an MA in Museum Studies and is studying for an MA in International Human Rights Law, is now also studying for her Maths GSCE, alongside being a volunteer youth worker. She is looking forward to starting her new job.
She said: “I am a well-educated person and I didn’t expect not to be able to do my teacher training. It was heartbreaking – it really knocked my confidence. I’d had a plan and it hadn’t worked out and I had no self-worth at all. It felt like I had a cultural disconnect.
“I found out about Work & Skills Leicestershire from the website – and it was brilliant! I’d been turned down for jobs, so we went through my CV and through the job specifications and the staff helped me so much – they never made me feel self-conscious. It was great to have someone to point out my skills and experience and where else they might be useful – for instance I thought I had no managerial experience, but they pointed out that I had run a youth camp and that was managerial experience.
”When I found out I had got the job, it was the best Christmas present I could have wished for. My confidence is now through the roof, my self-worth is back, I feel like myself again – and I have Work & Skills to thank for all that. I am so looking forward to the new year and to starting work in my new role.
“Work & Skills Leicestershire is a great programme and the fact that it is free is amazing! It has had a huge impact on my life and I have been telling other people all about it. I think it is a service which could help anyone – and I would say to people ‘you have more skills than you think you have – don’t let your self-confidence be knocked’.”
Work & Skills Leicestershire has helped over 200 clients, some of whom have already found new jobs. Over half of those attending have received support with their CVs or job applications. It currently runs at Loughborough Library on Tuesdays 10am until 12 noon and on Fridays at Hinckley Library between 10am and 12 noon. There are also sessions at Wigston Library from 10am until 12 noon every Wednesday and at Coalville Library between 2pm and 4pm on Wednesdays.
A pop-up Employment Hub is to be launched at Measham Community Managed Library beginning on Thursday January 27. It will run between 10am and 12 noon for four weeks.
There is also to be an online hub on Thursday January 20 for those interested in working in the care sector. This will include talks from employers, employees and employment specialists looking at transferrable skills and routes into care work. It will also inform of current vacancies.
Everyone who signs up to Work & Skills Leicestershire is offered one to one support and the opportunity to have a tailored work plan drawn up for them. Help is given with CV and letter writing skills, job searches, interview techniques and much more.
Councillor Peter Bedford, cabinet lead member for post-Covid recovery said: “Stories like Karen’s are a wonderful illustration of how Work & Skills Leicestershire is making a real difference to those seeking a change of direction in their working lives.
“We are pleased to be offering enhanced services in the New Year, especially focusing on the care sector and I would urge anyone who would like to find out more about what Work &Skills Leicestershire can offer, to drop into one of its hubs, to call 0800 988 0308, or to visit www.leicestershire.gov.uk/work-and-skills ”
Leicestershire’s economy has taken a big hit during the pandemic and the county council has launched a series of initiatives to help boost it. These include:
- Supporting and extending the Government’s Kickstart scheme by creating placements for 16-to-24-year-olds whose job prospects have been most impacted by the pandemic.
- Extending superfast broadband to hard-to-reach rural areas.
- Investing almost £4m in supporting community groups, hundreds of small businesses and struggling rural pubs.
