East Midlands businesses to attend Corporate and Social Responsibility summit
Charities and businesses in the East Midlands are set to come together to look at the benefits of an effective Corporate and Social Responsibility strategy at East Midlands Chamber’s 2024 CSR summit at the University of Derby on 11 July.
Produced in partnership with the University of Derby, Ideagen, Futures Housing Group and Foundation Derbyshire, the summit will stage a series of inspirational talks, workshops and seminars aimed at showcasing best practice and helping businesses build strong relationships with community organisations and charities.
The summit draws on two of the Chamber’s business goals – to be an ‘architect of change’ in the local business community and to champion responsible business in the region.
East Midlands Chamber Director of Policy and Insight Richard Blackmore said: “In recent years our Chamber has been putting a greater emphasis on the work it does within our community – not at the expense of the overall business support that we offer, but as added value.
“That’s exactly the same thing that we are seeing with the businesses we work with and support – that Corporate and Social Responsibility is becoming ever more central to their aims and objectives.
“It comes down to the fact that helping society, community and the environment ultimately benefits the economy and makes our region a better place to live and work in. The annual summit in Derby will be an excellent way of finding out more about how your business can build its CSR profile and hear from some of the charities and networks which are looking for help.”
100,000 sq ft unit achieves practical completion at Fairham Business Park
Fairham Business Park’s developers are celebrating another practical completion as Unit A is handed over to the occupier.
Works begun at Plot A4, Fairham Business Park in October 2023. Nine months later the 100,000 sq ft unit has been built by lead contractor, TanRo and handed over to the occupier.
The unit is located next to the stand-alone units totalling 260,000 sq ft purchased by international property investment and asset management company Hines and a 100,600 sq ft bespoke building for a local company who will be moving into their premises next year.
The brand-new purpose-built premises comprises of a 95,379 sq ft warehouse with 12,292 sq ft office and welfare space over three storeys, situated at the front of the building.
There are 84 car parking spaces at the front of property with ten electric vehicle (EV) charging bays. There will also be a large service yard to the rear with ten dock levellers and four level access to meet the needs of the occupier. Clowes Developments will be providing a fully photovoltaic (PV) ready frame.
James Richards, director at Clowes Developments, said: “Nine months after works began on site and we’re now handing over to our client, who will be formally identified in the next few weeks. It’s testament to our professional delivery team who can perform to such a high standard and according to a tight schedule. It is fantastic to see the ongoing development of Fairham Business Park, as one completes, another ramps up on plot A2.”
As the occupiers of A2 sign the deal for a bespoke 100,600 sq ft unit, ground works have already been concluded and steel frames are due to be erected in the coming weeks. In total, this will mean over 600,000 sq ft of industrial, warehouse, distribution and manufacturing space has been snapped up at Fairham Business Park, with further announcements expected in due course.
Tim Gilbertson, director at FHP Property Consultants, added: “High demand for commercial units at Fairham says something about the transport links of Fairham Business Park and it’s positioning outside of Nottingham’s workplace parking levy. We are excited to market phase two of the business park, where potential occupiers can make use of more varied commercial opportunities such as office, trade counter or retail schemes.”
Nottinghamshire concrete experts call for improved industry wellbeing in new white paper
ConSpare, has published its second industry white paper, addressing how operators in the concrete production industry can boost employee wellbeing through improvements made to the batch plant.
The white paper, titled “The right mix: Addressing the “S” of ESG for concrete batch plants – putting people at the centre of investment decision-making”, uses qualitative data from plant supervisors and managers to demonstrate the importance of eliminating hazards and reducing the amount of repetitive, unpleasant and unproductive tasks around the plant, and the benefits that this can bring to the industry as a whole.
With commentary from sustainability expert Dr Miles Watkins and ConSpare’s CEO James Bullock, the report illustrates the impact that a people-first approach can have on both the physical and mental health of workers, in terms of improving work-life balance, job satisfaction and overall happiness.
James Bullock said: “The concrete industry has made significant progress over the past decade in ensuring its approach to environmental, social and governance is robust, but as well as tackling sustainability challenges such as carbon reduction, it’s important that we address the people at the heart of the concrete plants themselves.
“Developing an understanding of the positive impact that batch plant performance can have on colleagues’ motivation, productivity and loyalty is important for any concrete business, particularly as site teams come into contact with hazards and undertake non-value adding tasks on a daily basis. So, it’s crucial we do everything we can to combat this issue.
“Our white paper outlines the steps that can be taken by the industry to improve the daily lives of site staff, and while these may seem like simple measures, they can have a huge impact. We’ve heard from plant supervisors and managers how much of an impact the long hours, challenging conditions and repetitive tasks often involved in concrete production can have on their wellbeing, and it’s up to us to do something about it as one collective industry.”
Dr Miles Watkins said: “In business, and indeed elsewhere, people are as fundamental to the sustainability journey as the environment and economics.
“Through demonstrated best practice, the concrete industry is well within its capabilities to put its teams at the centre of decision-making, ensuring their professional lives are enriching in every sense.
“ConSpare is making real progress in helping both its customers and the industry more broadly, and we hope that this report will build on James’ work to help to raise awareness and encourage investment decisions that will improve the safety, wellbeing and happiness of workers across the industry.”
ConSpare’s latest white paper comes after the launch of its first sustainability report last year, titled “Why Sustainability is a Concrete Matter: Reducing Carbon and Cost from Concrete Batching Plant Operations”.
Phase one of landmark Skegness Tower Gardens landscape renovations complete
Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson, has finished delivering the first stage of works as part of a masterplan to reinvigorate the historic Tower Gardens in Skegness.
On behalf of Skegness Town Council, who are developing the site with Heritage Lincolnshire through SCAPE’s Regional Construction Framework, G F Tomlinson worked alongside Influence Planning and Design and Gleeds to complete the £590k initial phase.
The completion of the project was marked with a ‘ribbon cutting’ ceremony earlier this month, with Deputy Town Mayor, Councillor Jimmy Brookes, Town Clerk, Steve Larner and G F Tomlinson’s Framework Manager for SCAPE, Craig Stopper, in attendance, along with local councillors and representatives from Heritage Lincolnshire, Influence and Gleeds.
The first stage of the Tower Gardens Masterplan formed part of the Towns Fund Grant Scheme and was safely delivered whilst the park remained open to the public, ensuring availability for continued use of the amenities with minimal disruption.
Landmark works included the refurbishment of the pond and its perimeter railings as well as the reinstatement of the pond pump, together with enhancements to overall accessibility through the re-levelling of the land and re-routing of footpaths. A specialised sensory area was created around the bandstand of the historic site for the local community to enjoy, where planting by the project team and members of the local community was undertaken as part of a community planting day held in March.
The enhancement works will ensure that Tower Gardens continues to provide a valuable and accessible central space for Skegness residents to enjoy, bringing people together for community events and outdoor activities.
In support of the local community, G F Tomlinson sourced 58% of its labour for the scheme from within a 40-mile radius of the site, providing local job opportunities for the region. Alongside this over 99% of construction waste for the project was diverted from landfill, reducing the environmental impact on the community.
G F Tomlinson has a long-standing relationship with Skegness Town Council having previously delivered the Tower Gardens Pavilion back in 2020.
Adrian Grocock, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “It has been a pleasure to be working alongside our long-term client, Skegness Town Council, once again to bring the first phase of the vision for the Tower Gardens landscape renovations to life, reinvigorating a historical central landmark so that residents can continue to enjoy it for years to come.
“The scheme fully compliments our earlier project on the Tower Gardens Pavilion. The team and all suppliers have worked exceptionally well together to overcome operational and design challenges in a fully collaborative environment, delivering enhancement works that will benefit the town for many years to come.”
Mark Robinson, group chief executive at SCAPE, said: “The Tower Gardens in Skegness is an excellent example of how utilising green spaces can enrich communities, bringing together local residents who enjoy the outdoor and natural environments. We are immensely proud to be working in close partnership with G F Tomlinson on such a positive project which is providing a place residents can be proud of, whilst leaving a lasting historical legacy.”
Steve Larner, Town Clerk of Skegness Town Council, said: “It is wonderful to see everyone enjoying Tower Gardens now that the first phase of works are complete. This scheme has delivered improvements around the bandstand and central area of Tower Gardens.
“The pond has been restored to its former glory and the sensory play has been a big hit. We have received many positive comments from both residents and visitors alike. A big thank you goes out to everyone involved in the first phase of this project.”
Shona Hatton, director at Influence Landscape Planning & Design, said: “The conservation and enhancement of this Grade II Registered Park and garden helps reestablish Tower Gardens as one of Skegness’ primary green spaces.
“Influence is proud to have sensitively conserved and restored the park’s main features and introduced new elements of design that enable all the community to have a sense of pride and ownership. The work reinforces the park as a quality destination in its own right as well as a pleasant onward approach and gateway to the Grand Parade and sea front.
“The physical improvements create a safe and accessible park for all, with the central features of the cascade and pond creating a vibrance and energy that had been lost, right at its heart. The gardens now have a sense of its original charm and enable people to hark back to an era when Pleasure Gardens were places for socialising and enjoyment.”
Northampton business raises more than £5,600 in walking challenge for local hospice
A dedicated team from distributor of building materials, Travis Perkins plc, with head offices in Northampton, has completed a walking challenge in aid of Cynthia Spencer Hospice, raising more than £5,600 – the equivalent to more than 10 days of patient care.
Covering 41 miles on the picturesque Ivanhoe Way in 14 hours, 21 team members endured rain, sun, mud, blisters, aches and niggles to accomplish the huge challenge, in some of Leicestershire’s best countryside.
“At Travis Perkins plc, our purpose is to help build better communities, and we take great pride in making positive change happen,” said organiser Brett Jackson, head of client services, at Travis Perkins plc.
“As one of the biggest employers in Northampton, Cynthia Spencer Hospice means a lot to our colleagues and other local people in Northampton, many of whom have directly or indirectly experienced the benefit of the services they offer, and has been our charity partner for several years, so this walk was part of a wider fundraising campaign for them.”
In addition to the walkers, four people were on support duty at checkpoints throughout the challenge to help keep motivation high. “There was a great sense of teamwork with everyone supporting each other to get through what was a very tough challenge of hiking through very difficult terrain,” said Brett. “But there was a great sense of pride at the end for what we achieved.”
Anita Frith, director of income generation and communications at Cynthia Spencer Hospice, praised the walkers for their achievement: “Travis Perkins continues to be a key local business that supports Cynthia Spencer Hospice. We are grateful for their continued effort and welcome other local businesses to support us in being able to continue providing support to those in the local community who need our services.”
There’s still time to donate to the Travis Perkins fundraising, by visiting http://lnkd.in/eHm7m35R
Reward your team and showcase achievements at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024
Providing the perfect platform to showcase your business’s achievements, enter the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024 NOW – ahead of nominations closing on Thursday 5th September.
The prestigious event, organised by East Midlands Business Link Magazine, is an independent awards and publicity programme recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the region – from office, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes, schools and public spaces. We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes.
The annual awards and networking event draws leaders from throughout the East Midlands and is the ideal way for businesses to promote themselves and those they work with. Indeed winning one of these awards will add considerably to a company’s or individual’s brand and enhance their commercial reach significantly.
Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 3rd October, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening also offering an opportunity to establish new connections with property and construction professionals from across the region.
Following the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023, Dan Stack, director at Chevin Homes, said: “All at Chevin Homes are delighted to have won the Excellence in Design award for our Amber Farm development in Oakerthorpe. It is an event that we thoroughly enjoy as we get chance to catch up with contacts from across the East Midlands.” He added the business were further “honoured to be named as the Overall Winner from a high class field of nominated companies.”
To nominate your (or another) business/development for one of our awards, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
Tickets can now be booked for the 2024 awards event, click here to secure yours.
Taking place in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on Thursday 3rd October, from 4:30pm – 7:30pm, connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region.
Attendees will also hear from keynote speaker Paul Southby, partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema, trustee of Clean Rivers Trust, chair of Nottingham Partners, board member of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Award categories include:
- Most active agent
- Commercial development of the year
- Responsible business of the year
- Residential development of the year
- Developer of the year
- Deal of the year
- Architects of the year
- Excellence in design
- Sustainable development of the year
- Contractor of the year
- Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, with the winner, and recipient of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, selected from those nominated for the event’s other categories)
Nominations end Thursday 5th September
Find out who last year’s winners were here.
To be held at:
Family haulage business closes doors after eight decades
Cartwright Brothers (Haulage) Ltd, the family haulage and storage business based in Lincoln, closed its doors last week after 80 years of trading.
The company, which employed more than 100 people, was set up by four brothers shortly before the end of the second world war to meet demand for road haulage across the agricultural sector.
In the early fifties, Cartwright Brothers delivered sandbags along the east coast to hold back the damage caused by one of the worst storms in UK history. Over the past decades, Cartwright Bros has continued to work for large name businesses – mostly in the agricultural sector as well as internationally renowned companies.
Directors and sons of two of the original brothers, cousins Jamie and John Cartwright have been running the business for the past 30-plus years and delivered the bad news around the closure to staff on Thursday.
Jamie said: “It was with tremendous sadness that we had to close the doors at Cartwright last week. But running a haulage business over the past decade has come with huge challenges – rising diesel prices, a difficult economy, along with huge constraints caused by COVID 19.
“Cartwright was never able to continue in the same vein since COVID. Plus, the Ukranian war had a huge impact on our sector in terms of fuel price increases, acquiring replacement parts for vehicles and having to wait long periods of time for these parts to arrive – and at inflated prices.
“All of these challenges were underpinned by serious lorry driver shortages following Brexit which added even more pressure to running Cartwright Bros – along with Government legislation changes which continued to impede our viability.
“In December it was reported that more than 450 UK haulage businesses went out of business in the previous 12 months. These are stark figures for the industry and something needs to be done to ensure that this much-needed sector thrives and survives.”
John added: “Running a successful family business turning over £12 million over the past few years has been a huge honour and a great sense of pride. Unfortunately, with the number of challenges thrown at us, we were unable to continue the success of the business.
“It has been a really sad time for us – particularly as Cartwright Bros celebrated eight decades in business in January this year. We are so grateful to our wonderful staff whom we are supporting in the recruitment process going forward. Some of our people worked for Cartwright Bros for most of their lives and we count them as personal friends.”
The company started in 1944 with just one lorry. At its height, Cartwright Bros had more than 60 wagons on the roads.
Cartwright customers, who have worked with Cartwright Bros for many years, have been quick to commiserate with the cousins and Cartwright staff.
Natasha Crowson, who started her career at Cartwright Bros when she was just 21 has worked for the business for three decades.
She said: “Cartwright Bros has been a fantastic company to work for. My colleagues and I were devastated to hear the news last week – both for the business and its success over the years, but also for Jamie and John who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the company was safe – and staff were looked after.
“The outpouring of love and affection by employees for the directors was wonderful to see last week. Everyone had their own stories of how Jamie and John looked after them over the years – not just as employers but as friends. It was truly a sad day to see this fantastic company close its doors after so long.
“We will all miss seeing the distinctive Cartwright Bros lorries on our roads. The company has been a massive Lincolnshire success story for so long and they will be sadly missed.”
Stake snapped up in Lincolnshire offshore wind farm
Norges Bank Investment Management has acquired a 37.5 percent interest in a 573 MW operational offshore wind farm located off the Lincolnshire and North Norfolk coast.
The wind farm, named Race Bank, reached commercial operations in February 2018. It has 91 6.3-MW wind turbines with a combined total capacity of 573 MW, powering the equivalent of more than 510,000 UK homes annually.
Norges Bank Investment Management paid £330 million for its stake, valuing the wind farm at approximately £2.599 billion. The wind farm includes a debt facility with an outstanding balance of approximately £644 million at Norges Bank Investment Management’s ownership share.
The sellers of the 37.5 percent interest are Macquarie Asset Management, via Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 5 (25%), and Spring Infrastructure 1 Investment Limited Partnership, a fund managed by Spring Infrastructure Capital Co., Ltd. (12.5%).
Arjun Infrastructure Partners will remain co-investor for 12.5% of the wind farm, and Ørsted will remain as a 50% owner and operator of the wind farm.
Output volumes unchanged but expectations remain positive amongst manufacturers
Manufacturers reported that output volumes were broadly unchanged in the three months to June, after rising for the first time in a year and a half in the quarter to May, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey (ITS). Manufacturers expect output to rise modestly in the three months to September.
Total order books improved in May, despite a sharp deterioration in the volume of export orders. Both total and export orders were reported below “normal” and below their long-run averages. Manufacturers reported that stocks of finished goods were more than adequate to meet expected demand, and to the same extent as last month. Meanwhile, expectations for selling price inflation picked up, with prices expected to rise at an above-average pace over the three months to September.
The survey, based on the responses of 248 manufacturers, found:
- Output volumes were broadly unchanged in the three months to June after rising in the quarter to May (weighted balance of +3%, from +14% in the three months to May) and were equivalent to the long-run average. Output is expected to rise modestly in the three months to September (+13%).
- Output increased in only 4 out of 17 sub-sectors, in the three months to June, with growth in the food, drink & tobacco, motor vehicle & transport sector, and plastics and furniture & upholstery sub-sectors broadly offset by falls elsewhere.
- Total order books were reported as below “normal” in June but improved sharply relative to last month (-18% from -33%). The level of order books remained slightly below the long-run average (-13%).
- Export order books were also seen as below normal and deteriorated relative to last month (-39% from -27%). This was also below the long-run average (-18%) and was the weakest outturn since February 2021.
- Expectations for average selling price inflation accelerated in June (+20%, from +15% in May) – well above the long-run average (+7%).
- Stock adequacy for finished goods were unchanged from June, with a net balance of manufacturers reporting that stocks were “more than adequate” standing at +14%, broadly in line with the long-run average.
Recognition for Nottingham solicitors offering free legal advice
A team of solicitors who provide free legal advice to members of the community have been named in the first ever Pro Bono Recognition List.
Laura Pinkney, Mathew Game, Katie Smith, Charis Wong and Megan Shirley from NLS Legal, Nottingham Law School’s award-winning teaching law firm, have all secured a place on the list, which recognises barristers and solicitors who gave 25 hours or more pro bono legal assistance over the last year.
The initiative is endorsed by The Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales and supported by the Law Society, the Bar Council and major pro bono organisations.
The small team of experienced lawyers at NLS Legal supervise hundreds of Nottingham Law School students in assisting people with a range of legal matters including employment, family, housing, business, civil litigation, intellectual property, special educational needs and disability, welfare benefits and victims’ rights.
So far, financial awards totalling more than £6 million have been secured for clients.
The firm also delivers public legal education sessions each year to raise awareness of legal rights and responsibilities.
Head of NLS Legal, Laura Pinkney, said: “As a not-for-profit law firm we provide a valuable resource to the local community by offering free legal advice in a range of areas. Our inclusion in this list demonstrates the dedication of the whole team to providing access to justice for people who are unable to afford, or otherwise access, legal services.”
A message from The Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, The Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, on release of the inaugural list said: “Pro bono is not a substitute for legal aid, but it is a valuable part of our system of justice, working alongside the advice sector.
“The judiciary sees first-hand how pro bono advice and representation helps those who might not otherwise receive legal assistance. I hope that recognition on the List encourages the legal profession to continue its commitment to providing pro bono help to those in need.”
