Nottingham Building Society has revealed a “robust financial performance against the backdrop of the challenges from the ongoing pandemic,” in results for the year ended 31 December 2021.
The Nottingham posted a pre-tax profit of £15.1m on a statutory basis, up from an £8.4m loss in the year prior, while underlying pre-tax profit grew from £400,000 to £7.4m.
Gross mortgage lending was up 13% at over £550m for 2021 resulting in total assets of £3.6bn.
David Marlow, Chief Executive, said: “Entering 2021, we had a number of key areas on which to focus our energies: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; the significant economic uncertainty brought about by a combination of the pandemic and Brexit; our intent to reinvent the Society for the emerging new world; continue to act as a responsible society accepting our responsibilities to stakeholders, communities and the environment; and to continue to grow membership, whilst delivering a level of financial performance that would sustain us for the future.
“Whilst the challenges of the pandemic remain, I am delighted to report good progress on the development and delivery of our strategy, as well as a return to strong financial performance providing the platform for continued investment and growth.”
Manufacturers across the East Midlands are being invited to join a new region-wide, business-led support network.
The East Midlands Manufacturing Network aims to help manufacturers share best practices and experience in a trusted peer environment; focus on issues and challenges that are a priority for manufacturing businesses; better understand the financial support on offer for their industry; and tap into specialist consultancy and advice on regulation and compliance.
The network will officially launch at an event at the Belfry, Nottingham, on Tuesday 22 March 2022. It is one of many initiatives made possible by the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF), which East Midlands Chamber is delivering, along with academic and other business support partners, under the East Midlands Accelerator project.
Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “The East Midlands is a region with a strong manufacturing heritage and with the potential to have an equally strong future. What better way to secure the future success of manufacturing in our region than by bringing together key knowledge and skills to form a dedicated, supportive peer network. That’s why it’s so important the Chamber leads on this.”
The network builds on the success of the respected Nottinghamshire Manufacturing Network (NMN), which is chaired by Mark Goldby DL, non-executive director and ambassador for Qinesis – The Business Growth Company, and is supported by the University of Nottingham.
While the network is open to any manufacturer, those based in UKCRF areas may be eligible for a £2,000 growth voucher towards specialist consultancy support or a grant of £8,000 linked to job creation. UKCRF areas are considered by Government to be those most in need. In the East Midlands, these are Bassetlaw, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Leicester city, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, and Nottingham city.
Businesses may express their interest in the East Midlands Manufacturing Network and book a place at the event on 22 March on the East Midlands Chamber website.
Business whose trade was affected by the surge in Omicron coronavirus cases have just over two more weeks to apply for a share of one of two grant schemes designed to help them.
The two grant schemes, which are administered by Leicester City Council on behalf of the Government, are designed to help support hospitality, leisure, accommodation and personal care businesses in the city whose trade has been hit due to the number of Omicron cases.
Businesses must apply by Friday, March 18.
The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG) is available to hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses which were offering in-person services on the premises, which were the direct ratepayer, and which were trading on December 30, 2021.
Those eligible include businesses such as restaurants, pubs, cafes, cinemas, casinos, art galleries, tourist attractions, event venues, nightclubs, theatres, hotels and B&Bs, as set out by the Government.
The exact amount of grant depends on the rateable value of the business premises, and ranges from £2,667 to £6,000. It is a one-off payment.
The city council estimates that over 1,000 local businesses are eligible for the grant. Grants totalling £2.6m have already been paid to 800 businesses.
The second grant scheme is a discretionary grant fund, set up by the council using £675,000 of Government funding. This is called the Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant.
These discretionary grants are available to sole traders and micro/small/medium-sized businesses which occupy business premises subject to business rates.
The business must be trading and does not have to be the direct ratepayer. Grants totalling £300,000 have already been paid to 100 businesses. Personal care businesses are now eligible to apply.
The types of business that can apply are:
Hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses, which are not the direct ratepayer
Travel agents and tour operators
Hospitality and leisure businesses that have been supported by the council through previous discretionary grants
Suppliers to the leisure, hospitality, events and accommodation sectors
Gym and sports businesses
Places of public worship with defined community facilities
Personal care businesses, such as hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons
Again, the exact amount of grant depends on the rateable value of the business premises and the funding available. The maximum grants range from £2,667 to £6,000.
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “We know that the surge in Omicron cases affected many businesses across the city, particularly during what would normally have been a busy time in the run-up to Christmas and into January.
“These grants can provide much-needed financial support, and 900 businesses have already received grants.
“We tailored our own discretionary grant to address some of the gaps in eligibility, carefully considering which business types and business sectors can be supported with this limited funding.
“It means that personal care businesses can now also apply for a discretionary grant.
“I’d urge businesses to check whether they are eligible and, if so, make sure they claim the help to which they are entitled.”
Businesses across the East Midlands are set to receive a boost in support on jobs, entrepreneurship and growth post-COVID with the roll-out of grant funding and innovation support under the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF).
East Midlands Chamber won a bid last autumn to deliver £5.27m of support, in partnership with the region’s universities, specialist support organisations and local authorities. The Chamber is matching funds of £491,000 to the project.
The East Midlands Accelerator, as the programme is to be known, is running now until the end of June 2022, and is being delivered under five strands:
1. Net Zero Accelerator to help businesses gain green business skills, invest in net zero business practices, and access financial support to start their journey towards net zero or carbon neutrality.
2. Digital Transformation Accelerator to help businesses implement digital and e-commerce solutions, become online bookable, and drive market town footfall.
3. Start Up to Scale Up Accelerator to deliver specialist mentoring and provide financial support to help start-ups launch a new business or product.
4. Kickstart Accelerator to offer training and mentoring support to improve job retention, as well as a wage subsidy to convert a Kickstart or Graduate placement into a new sustained job.
5. Financial Accelerator to offer grants of up to £8,000 (covering 80% of costs) to help businesses adopt digital solutions, introduce carbon reduction solutions or provide a wage subsidy to support Kickstart or Graduate job retention. Growth vouchers of up to £2,000 will be available for consultancy advice to support business growth or to undertake specialist training.
Support is now being delivered in those areas identified by Government as being in particular need – namely Derbyshire Dales and High Peak, Mansfield, Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood, Nottingham city, and Leicester city – between now and the end of June.
There is a wealth of opportunities for businesses to get involved, whether it be tapping into training on carbon literacy, free regulatory and compliance advice, graduate student placement projects, or the implementation of digital technologies.
Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said: “This is an exciting time for the East Midlands as we look beyond the EU funding arrangements of old.
“The East Midlands Accelerator allows us to pilot a new approach to funding, and without the need for overly-prescriptive guidelines. Unlike the former ESF (European Social Fund) and ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) grants, we’re now able to fund training and the stimulation of economic growth under one programme.
“It’s a much simpler and quicker process to navigate, with businesses being invited to put forward an application that focuses on what they need to grow.
“If their adviser, based at the Chamber or at one of our consortium partner organisations, considers the application worthy of endorsement and we can show that a job will be created in the business as a result, it will be put forward for consideration.
“Importantly, this approach means that all key business support bodies in our region are working together to achieve one common goal of business acceleration.
“The Chamber’s role in connecting business audiences to the right partners at the right time is an important one. On our Kickstart scheme alone, we outperformed other regions by placing more than 1,950 individuals. We’re looking to replicate that success on a much wider scale through the East Midlands Accelerator project.”
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society has hailed a “strong financial performance” through 2021.
The Society’s profit levels have increased despite ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19, enabling the business to launch a new Community Foundation which will support local registered charities with grants of up to £5,000.
Profit before tax more than doubled from £0.56 million in 2020 to £1.44 million in 2021 due to the increase in net interest income which stood at £10.8 million in 2021, up from £9.3 million in 2019. The Society also achieved improved levels of capital and liquidity over the year.
Retail savings grew to £693.0 million in 2021 from £690.2 million in 2020.
The Society’s mortgage book decreased to £619.0 million in 2021, from £658.0 million in 2019 because of a cautious approach to lending in the self-employed and buy to let markets, as well as higher loan to value lending. However, the Society says it is pleased to have begun re-entering these lending areas in late 2021.
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society added that it has used its revenue to invest in improvements for members and staff, further strengthening the business and allowing it to deliver increased profitability, which can be reinvested back into the community and business.
In due course, staff and local residents will be able to benefit from electric vehicle charging points which will be powered by solar panels which will be installed at the head office building.
Furthermore following a strong financial performance in 2021, the Society is unveiling its new Community Foundation.
Colin Fyfe, Chief Executive, says: “Importantly, off the back of a good year, we have the opportunity to share our profit with the communities around us. We are delighted that we will be launching the Hinckley & Rugby Building Society Community Foundation at our AGM on 29 March. The Foundation’s purpose is to support local registered charities in Leicestershire and Warwickshire with grants of up to £5,000.
“Members are warmly invited to this year’s AGM to learn more about our financial results and the Community Foundation.”
East Midlands contractor Clegg Construction is going back to school after winning an £11m contract to expand the facilities at Carlton le Willows Academy in Gedling, Nottinghamshire.
Phase one of the project, which gets underway this month, will see the business build and fully fit out a new, two-storey building on the campus called the South Block.
Once completed, this will pave the way for phase two – an extensive internal refurbishment of some of the school’s existing facilities.
The work will lead to the creation of 29 new classrooms, a new main assembly hall, kitchen canteen and dining areas, and a catering pod that will be used to serve other areas of the school.
It will create capacity for a further 400 extra students at Carlton le Willows, as well as giving all young people who attend the school access to brand new, state-of-the-art learning facilities.
Internal view of the new dining hall at Carlton le Willows.
Sam Parker, contracts manager for Nottingham-based Clegg Construction, said the business was proud to be working on a project that would help more local children get access to a first-rate education.
Clegg Construction has worked with Carlton le Willows since 2005 to create science labs, a resource centre, a music and drama extension, refurbish a library building, and build a Sixth Form centre complete with an ICT room and two teaching rooms.
Mr Parker said: “We are always excited to work in our home county and we’re particularly pleased to have been appointed to deliver this fantastic and worthwhile project.
“Carlton le Willows Academy is a thriving, successful school providing first class education services to young people in the Gedling area of Nottingham. This project will not only extend the learning facilities to the existing student body, it will also enable hundreds more students to benefit from everything the school has to offer.
“Being involved in this project is therefore a real source of pride for us.”
Internal view of the new main assembly hall planned for Carlton le Willows.
The building, which will be constructed from brick that aligns with the existing school buildings, will link the East and West Blocks of the school and will be served by a new access point on Burton Road.
It will also feature a range of smart technology to ensure the long-term sustainability, including optimising natural light and using low energy lighting throughout the building, natural ventilation and cooling, underfloor heating, and six electric car charging points in the 94-space car park.
A sustainable drainage solution will also be installed as part of the ground works, which will include an attenuation tank aimed at avoiding any extra burden on the existing public sewers caused by rainwater.
Carlton le Willows Academy headteacher, Craig Weaver, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to realise our long-held vision for Carlton le Willows. This new building will integrate our split site, providing brand new fit for purpose facilities.
“A major part of this project is also to repurpose part of the existing West building to improve the learning environment for students for years to come.”
The architects on the project are Welham Architects, the quantity surveyors are GNA, and the structural engineers are Moran Structural Consultants Ltd.
Companies are being urged to properly prepare for one of the most important business decisions they will ever make to avoid committing common errors.
With many organisations implementing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems without adequate advance planning, Ochiba Business Solutions has offered advice on how to avoid mistakes and maximise benefits.
The Chesterfield-based company helps businesses become more efficient and profitable through implementing SAP Business One – the world’s leading ERP software designed specifically for SMEs.
Ochiba recommends a business clearly defines its unique requirements, and suggests using a grading or scoring system before contacting vendors to thoroughly assess if their offering is the right one.
Companies should also understand their current and future business processes before making a decision on software. Shiny new technology can be dazzling, but may not be what the company needs.
Embedding a new system also requires buy-in from staff to ensure the transformation is as smooth as possible. Ochiba suggests listening to and managing staff concerns about the new system throughout the process, as well as ensuring the executive team is fully on board.
Investing in training is also crucial, to make sure employees embrace the new system and avoid reverting to their old, familiar workflows.
Ochiba’s experts also advise businesses choose the right person and process to transfer data from their legacy system to a new ERP platform. It should be someone with an advanced understanding of the new system, which data to transfer, and the correct format.
Dave Worsman, managing director, from Ochiba, said: “After 30 years of developing, implementing, and managing ERP implementations, it still surprises me just how many companies don’t take the time to prepare.
“An ERP System implementation will impact every part of your business and its ecosystem, including your employees and potential vendors. Many companies go blindly into reviewing and selecting new systems without following basic due diligence, which is staggering, given that it is likely to be one of the most important business decisions they will ever make.
“As you prepare for your own project, just do one thing: ensure you listen to advice on best practice and understand common reasons for ERP failure. That way, you’ll have a clear plan, avoid common mistakes and be on the way to a successful project.”
A public relations professional who started her career covering Chesterfield FC matches as a football reporter is making a return to the town to lead her company’s latest expansion.
Kerry Ganly, account and social media manager at Penguin PR in Derby, is heading back up the A38 to help the company establish its new office in Dunston Road and seek new business opportunities in the Chesterfield area.
Her last professional appointment in the town was covering Spireites matches on behalf of the Derby Telegraph, following her landmark appointment as the newspaper’s first-ever female sports reporter in 2001.
She worked at the newspaper for a further 17 years before joining Penguin PR as a PR and social media manager in 2019, managing the accounts of businesses including Colleague Box, Cosy Direct, Progressive Sports, E4E, Vibrant Accountancy and St Giles School.
Kerry has now taken on the task of establishing its first-ever regional office.
She said: “I have so many brilliant memories of covering Chesterfield FC at their former home Saltergate, when I joined the Derby Telegraph some 20-odd years ago.
“From gripping FA Cup games to crucial league matches under the guidance of the legendary Roy McFarland, the early 2000s were a great time to report on the Spireites and I’ve always had a fondness for the town, its people and communities.
“I believe that Chesterfield has so much potential; there is a real buzz around the town and surrounding area.
“It’s an exciting time for the town, and for Penguin PR. Our growth over the last couple of years in particular has firmly established us as one of the most respected PR companies in Derby and I believe that as well as attracting new business, the expansion will also benefit existing clients, creating opportunities and new relationships.”
Penguin PR director Simon Burch said: “We’re hugely excited at the prospect of opening a new office in Chesterfield, which is very much a town on the up with a number of exciting plans in place for further growth.
“Not only does Kerry have strong links with the town, her warm personality and people skills means she excels at building business networks, so we could not think of anyone who is better suited to establishing a presence for us in Chesterfield.”
IT service and software provider, Retail Assist, has appointed Lewis McManamon as its new service delivery manager.
Lewis joins Retail Assist from Frasers Group, where he worked as service delivery manager and previously group IT support manager. In his previous role, Lewis managed seven service desks across six different locations.
“I’m thrilled to have joined Retail Assist. Everyone has been so welcoming, and I’m absolutely delighted with how Retail Assist have overcome the challenge of onboarding virtually,” McManamon says.
“I can’t wait to dig in and find ways that the Help Desk can improve efficiency even further and elevate existing tools so that Retail Assist can continue to provide a modern and enhanced customer experience to their customers. It’s a fantastic team to be part of and I look forward to our future together.”
Tina Hand, Retail Assist’s head of systems support, said: “Lewis is an excellent leader with a fantastic track record of delivering exceptional customer service. He brings a profound knowledge of the retail sector and understands first-hand the types of challenges experienced.
“Lewis is well placed to lead, coach and develop members of our team, making sure everyone has the resources to deliver a high quality, right-first-time outcome. I’m excited to see Lewis and the team achieve.”
Retail Assist are hiring!
Retail Assist are expanding and increasingly growing their customer base, they are currently recruiting for a variety of Help Desk vacancies including call analysts, bilingual call analysts and more. As well as numerous award wins, they boast an impressive customer base, and offer great training plans and career progression opportunities at all levels.
If you want to work for a fast moving company who support global leading edge technologies in retail and hospitality, and who provide opportunities to learn, grow and progress, please get in touch via careers@retail-assist.co.uk and visit the Retail Assist website to see current vacancies across all UK sites: www.retail-assist.com/careers/.
HGS Leicester Ltd, a group of petrol stations based in the Midlands, has opened four new sites in Leicester and Peterborough after securing a six-figure funding package from HSBC UK.
Established in 1970, the family-run business is led by father and son team, Peter and Joe Hockenhull. Together, they have used the funding to purchase four new sites in Peterborough and Leicester, providing an opportunity to re-purchase a site the company originally owned.
This follows HGS’s recent new opening in Wigston last summer and has doubled the business’s portfolio, creating up to 14 new jobs.
The duo saw masses of potential for expanding into Peterborough and also used the funding to undertake renovations to transform each site into a purpose-built petrol station, expanding the services on offer to include car valeting, which had been previously halted due to COVID-19. The funding will also enable the team to expand food and drink amenities at the sites.
Peter Hockenhull, CEO of Hockenhull Garages (HGS Leicester Ltd), said: “We’re really proud to have expanded our footprint within the Midlands. Not only are we exceeding our business growth plans of one site per year, but we have also been able to use the HSBC funding to re-purchase our first-ever site in Leicester, which has been extremely sentimental for the team.
“We pride ourselves on being a family business with a culture that promotes from within and delivers opportunities for those in nearby communities, so we’re delighted to be giving locals more opportunity. We are especially grateful to our relationship director at HSBC UK, Kate Beretta, who is always extremely proactive and supportive of our business growth plans.”
Debbie Harper, head of corporate banking East Midlands at HSBC UK, added: “Hockenhull Garages is a longstanding HSBC UK customer, having banked with us for over 14 years. Peter, Joe and the team are constantly adapting and innovating, and the new sites are excellent additions to local communities.”
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