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

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

Pendragon embroiled in cyber ransom threat

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

New deal secured on Eldon Business Park

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

Raft of new appointments as Rowleys expands its team

Tess Egginton
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Raft of new appointments as Rowleys expands its team

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Midlands construction industry’s wellbeing drive to save lives

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

Oberoi Foundation makes first award

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

The East Midlands Expo – a day of endless networking opportunities

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

For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.

To register to attend the event for free click here.

To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.

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

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

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

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

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

WilSon Energy expands team with a raft of new appointments

Tess Egginton
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0
WilSon Energy expands team with a raft of new appointments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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