TopicUK Wakefield Edition July 2017

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WAKEFIELD & DISTRICT Nยบ 27

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B U 2017 S I NE S S JUNE /JULY

- WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK

SUPPORT for Prince of Wales Hospice

WAKEFIELD'S GREAT GET TOGETHER 40 YEARS OF YORKSHIRE

SCULPTURE PARK

LOCAL HER0 PAUL HEIGHAM presents iClaritate

EGO BOOSTING WITH MR TRICKETT

Wakefield&District

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2017 June / July

Over ÂŁ2 million given back to schools last year through our loyalty scheme

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June / July 2017

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Wakefield&District Page 6: Major donor for the Hepworth Page 10: The Great Get Together Page 14: Saving Pontefract Dispensory

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Page 32: Vehicle firm supports hospice Page 38: Legal Matters Page 43 : Persuading your bank to invest

1990’s IT child

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Boosting the Ego

Boarding School makes Sense

Celebrating 40 years at YSP

56 New college Innovation Centre

Contents & Comments

Details of this month‘s TopicUK, your Local Business Community Magazine

For a full list of where you can pick up your free copy visit our website: www.topicuk.co.uk

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Cover: Paul Heigham

By Andy Matheson Email: hello@andy-matheson.com

For Advertising Sales

Tel: 07711 539047

Wakefield&District

Editor’s Notes

by Gill Laidler

Welcome to another edition of TopicUK, I hope you’ve managed to spend some downtime in the lovely sunshine we have been enjoying recently.

I always say its been busy here at TopicUK and this edition is no different, we do seem to get busier and busier as the months go by. This could be partly due to TopicUKTV which is gathering momentum now with packages in place and work happening behind the scenes on our website. We’ll soon have our channel launched, but you can still get involved now in contributing to TV shows and having corporate video made for your own business. Just call me for more information.

I’d like to offer our congratulations to Charlotte Sweeney from Charlotte Sweeney Associates who has been awarded an OBE for services to women and equalities. Charlotte who lives in Wakefield and is a partner with TopicUK Leeds edition, received her honour from Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.

By the time you are reading this edition, I will be heading off to York with another TopicUK partner Adeem Younis from Penny Appeal, who has been shortlisted for Young Director of the Year in the Institute of Directors,

director of the year awards, of which TopicUK is a partner. Wakefield born Adeem is a true entrepreneur and we wish him every luck. He was also runner up in this year’s Wakefield Business Awards for Business Person of the Year and in the PA Hub for best boss!

We’ve had somewhat of a rush on music articles this time, with Let’s Rock in Leeds where we had the opportunity to interview ex Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley (you can read his story in the Leeds edition) and we have the opportunity across all our editions for readers to have the chance to join us at Aspire on 4 August for drinks and a chance to meet Martin Kemp, also ex Spandau Ballet.

Our music interview in this, our Wakefield edition is with 80’s icon T’Pau’s Carol Decker, who will be playing at Warehouse23 on 7 July. If you’d been keeping an eye on our website and Twitter, you would have seen we had a competition to win two free tickets to go along. If you missed out, tickets are still available and you can read Carol’s story of her rise to fame on page 58.

Finally the long awaited new Wakefield College Skills Centre is now open and although I haven’t had chance to visit yet, if the exterior is anything to go by it looks fabulous. Once it is fully functioning, we’ll bring you some interior images and a full update.

We’ll be back again at the end of August with our next edition. In the meantime hope you all have a great Summer holiday.

TopicUK EDITOR

GILL LAIDLER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROB BLACKWELL

LOCAL HEROES EDITOR

THE ARTS

MURRAY EDWARDS ARTS & BUSINESS CONSULANT, YORKSHIRE SCUL PTURE PARK

LEGAL MATTERS

RAMSDENS SOLICITORS

FOOD & RESTAURANT REVIEW KEVIN TRICKETT, WAKEFIELD CIVIC SOCIETY

RECRUITMENT

ANDY TURNER, FIRST CHOICE RECRUITMENT

SOCIAL MEDIA

SINEAD SOPALA, RAMSDENS SOLICITORS

BUSINESS

GARY KING, TENDO LTD

IT

PAUL HEIGHAM, BELLINGHAM IT

EDUCATION

SILCOATES SCHOOL

BANKING

BARCLAYS BANK

For Advertising Sales

Tel: 07711 539047 The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing Limited, Paragon Point, Paragon Business Village, Red Hall Crescent, Wakefield WF1 2DF. Law pages are written by Ramsdens Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.

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NEWS UPDATE

TopicUK Wakefield edition brings you a full round-up of business news and events and what’s been happening in our region over the last couple of months.

Tim Sayer, major donor to the Hepworth The Hepworth Wakefield is delighted to announce that Tim Sayer has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Art and Philanthropy in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2017.

The honour recognises Tim’s major contribution to the arts at The Hepworth Wakefield. A retired BBC Radio 4 newswriter, Tim has been collecting art for over 50 years and in 2016 bequeathed his entire collection of more than 400 works, and his house in north London, to the Wakefield Permanent Art Collection, held at The Hepworth. This embodied one of the most significant gifts to Wakefield by a private collector.

Sir Nicholas Serota described the gift as ‘one of the most significant and generous donations to a regional

gallery in the UK’ and reflected on ‘the discriminating eye of a person of modest means, whose passion for art took precedence over holidays.’

The collection consists of works by some of the world’s greatest artists, including Alexander Calder, Anthony Caro, Sonia Delaunay, Naum Gabo, David Hockney, Sol LeWitt, Henry Moore, Paul Nash and Bridget Riley.

Tim was motivated to leave his collection following a visit he and his wife made to the Yorkshire gallery in 2015 for the opening of the exhibition Caro in Yorkshire.

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Key Commercial Finance Solutions Ltd would like to welcome Vicki Walker to their ever expanding team.

Vicki will be working as Commercial Finance Consultant and Client

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Self-storage centre celebrates anniversary with expansion A Wakefield self-storage centre is celebrating its second anniversary with the fit out of an extra 100 units due to customer demand.

McCarthy’s Storage World first opened in May 2015, after renovating the 40,000 sq ft building on Kirkgate. £2million was spent on the purchase and renovation.

Manager, responsible for the Doncaster, Wakefield and Leeds areas.

Established in 2007, the company is a well- respected firm of commercial finance advisors, having successfully built a solid reputation within the financial sector. Their team have in-depth experience spanning an impressive 300+ years, of combined financial services.

The 100 new units will be in a variety of sizes and will mean 75 per cent of the building is now occupied with storage facilities for customers.

Mike McCarthy, managing director of McCarthy’s, said: “We’ve been delighted with how well things are going at our Wakefield storage centre.

We’ve got a great location on one of the main roads into and out of the city and we’re finding that we’re attracting a wide range of people.

Businesses account for about 30 per cent of our customers.

We have a lot of archiving and document management clients from, for example, professional services firms. But, in addition, with the increase in online businesses, we’re finding more and more organisations have decided they don’t need a

traditional office, and can instead work from storage space when needed. It’s more flexible and cost effective, as units can easily be scaled up and down in size as needed and there’s a one off monthly fee including rates, rent and utilities, with no hidden extras and no fixed term contracts.

Alistair Black runs a franchise of Plan it Cards, and has had a storage unit there. He added: “We supply greetings cards, gift wrap and gift bags, to convenience stores, garage forecourts, post offices, and so on, and we use the storage unit to store the products and prepare the orders. My experience of McCarthy’s has been superb. The staff are very pleasant and extremely helpful and it’s a clean and safe environment to work in.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MCCARTHY’S STORAGE WORLD WAKEFIELD VISIT WWW.MJMCCARTHY. CO.UK OR CALL 01924 663555.

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Firm calls on local businesses to support Prince of Wales Hospice Car auction firm G3 Remarketing is pledging to cover the costs of employing a Prince of Wales Hospice nurse – and is challenging other businesses to match their generous offer.

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he amount – £40,000 – will help the Pontefract-based charity provide support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

This is the latest in a series of fundraising and donation drives from G3 Remarketing, which announced last year that they had donated a sum of £30,000 to the hospice.

Since that date, the company’s founder and director, Matt Dale, has run four marathons and an ultra-marathon in a bid to raise muchneeded funds for the charity’s coffers. But wanting to do more, G3 Remarketing also put in a mechanism whereby the firm donates a percentage profit from each vehicle sold.

Award for entrepreneur Debbie Debbie Bestwick MBE from Team 17

Digital Limited, the Wakefield based gaming company, has been honoured at the EY North Entrepreneur of the Year Awards that took place in Manchester.

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Commenting on this latest initiative, Matt said: “We recently met with the fundraising team at the hospice to brainstorm ideas for raising more money. They told us that what they really need is greater business support – that’s what sparked us to take action and sponsor a nurse!

“What the Prince of Wales Hospice does for our region is fantastic. Any money raised goes straight into maintaining and supporting the facility – not towards marketing budgets and executives’ wages. So, we’re calling on other organisations within our region to get involved. And who knows, if enough firms get on board, we could end up paying for the whole team’s wages!”

Debbie Bestwick MBE from Team 17 Digital Limited, the Wakefield based gaming company, has been honoured at the EY North Entrepreneur of the Year Awards that took place in Manchester.

Debbie was one of eight entrepreneurs from seven companies, each winning an EY award for their category. Debbie’s category was Distrupter and the judges said:

Laura Bennett, The Prince of Wales Hospice’s fundraising manager, commented: “G3 is by far our most generous corporate supporter in the region. That means a lot, especially because of the support we have provided to relatives of G3 “Debbie has an incredible entrepreneurial spirit. She is passionate, driven, credible, and has absolutely transformed the business. She is disrupting the industry with a new business model and could go big. Team 17 is Yorkshire’s hidden gem.”

Sponsored this year by LGT, Vestra and Merrill Corporation with the Financial Times as Media Partner, EY Entrepreneur of the Year is one of

Wakefield&District

Blast from the past

Music mad orthodontics nurses and their dental colleagues relived their past with leg warmers and fluorescent clothes when they took to the dance floor in aid of Cancer UK. Ten jivers from St Michaels Orthodontics and Dental practice joined the Peter Kay Dance For Life at the First Direct Leeds Arena and raised almost £500 cash.

For some it was a blast from their past as they boogied to favourite dance hits from the 80s such as Wham and Abba while for the younger team members it was their first chance to savour the disco days of another era.

employees. It shows that they are confident in our care and want it to be available for other local people with a life-limiting illness.

“It would be fantastic to see other local companies follow their example!”

The Prince of Wales Hospice was founded in 1989 and helps over 300 in-patients per year, as well as an additional 1,000 people who receive support and advice in day therapy sessions and lymphoedema clinics.

the world’s most prestigious business awards for entrepreneurs. It has been running for 19 years in the UK and encourages entrepreneurial activity amonst people with potential and recognises the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement.

companies in the world. Team17 ‘Games Label Programme’ supports and helps games creators all around the world to bring their games to market across all gaming platforms.

Celebrating their 25 anniversary in 2015, Team 17 Digital are one of the longest running privately owned independent games

Pioneering the way games creators, they work with publishing partners in a digital world. Team17 have released over 70 games across numerous gaming platforms with sales in excess of 65 million units.

Carol Walter organised the event as part of the Dewsbury Road team’s annual fund raising for local good causes. She said: “We have never done anything like this to raise funds for our charities each year. We’re all music mad and like keeping fit and decided that dancing the night away would be great fun and motivate us to raise funds for Cancer UK. “Once we had set up our Just Giving Page we really got in the spirit and raided wardrobes, charity shops and anywhere where we could find clothes from the 70s.

“On the night there were plenty of Village People, Wham look-a-likes all wearing leg warmers and fluorescent clothes.

“We all had a brilliant night and feel better for having raised the cash for Cancer UK,” she added.

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Wakefield puts the ‘great’ in get together Wakefield residents truly put the ‘great’ in get together after thousands soaked up some summer sun at a multi-cultural event to remember Jo Cox MP.

The day, which was intended to help people mix, have fun and remember Jo in the spirit of Ramadan saw children delight in attractions including zorbing, bouncy castles and a giant balloon launch.

West Yorkshire Police held recruitment stands at the event and also provided cyber security advice at a dedicated stall. Officers also took down traffic vans and cars for youngsters to have a look inside while they got to know some of their local cops.

Chief Superintendent Mabs Hussain, Commander of Wakefield District Police, said: “This was a truly fantastic event for everyone involved, and the feedback we received on the day and afterwards from members of the public was tremendous.

“It was very positive and also touching for me to see so many people from different communities gather to remember Jo Cox, share in fun and games with each other, and celebrate each other’s cultures in such a positive way.

“I want to thank everyone who attended, our partners at Penny Appeal, and my own officers and staff who put their heart and souls into such a positive advertisement for our city.

“I know my officers relished the chance to engage with so many people of all ages from so many communities and we hope to see everyone again at our Wakefield District Open day in July.”

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olice have thanked residents for a stunning response to the Great Get Together Community Iftaar at Thornes Park Campus, Wakefield College recently.

It is thought more than 2,000 people from a diverse mix of faiths and cultures attended the event which was organised by Wakefield based charity Penny Appeal and Wakefield Police.

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“The Fun Day and Community Iftaar has brought together people from all faiths and those with none, from Wakefield and district, in the spirit of Ramadan, a time when Muslims are reminded of hospitality, caring and sharing,” said Penny Appeal’s Head of Programmes, Harris Iqbal. “The event was a mega success and we’re so pleased that many more people than expected came along. We’re already excited about the next one!”

Wakefield&District

Proud moment for Double TWO Chairman It was a proud moment for all at Double TWO, the Wakefield based Shirt-makers, when their long serving chairman was awarded a Lifetime Achievement in Business Award.

Chairman of the family owned Double TWO, Richard Donner was regrettably absent from the ceremony due to undergoing an operation, but sent along a speech to be read. In this he expressed his gratitude to the people of Wakefield.

“In many ways I feel I should be giving Wakefield an award rather than the other way around,” stated Richard, “When my family arrived in England in 1939 as refugees from Nazi Austria, Wakefield was the first city to offer us sanctuary and a home.”

5 Simple Tips For Successful Video Marketing

By Danny Lacey CEO & Founder Stada Video

Did you know that nearly 74% of consumer internet traffic consists of online videos?

Video is taking over the internet and businesses are taking note. The number of companies using video content to connect with consumers and promote their services is increasing, but many fail to realise that producing and uploading a video is only the beginning.

The Wakefield Shirt Company began trading in 1940 and later became known as Double TWO after it’s famous, innovative, ‘easily attachable spare collar’ shirts. At one point 1,200 people were employed at the companies Wakefield factory with a further 200 just down the road in Barnsley.

Educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Richard spent weekends and holidays working in the Wakefield factory, getting to know its many local employees, some of which often still meet him in the street and chat about those days. He joined the business full time in 1963, taking over as Chairman after his father’s death in 2000.

Richard closed his speech with a final thank you to all who run the City of Wakefield for making his lifetime achievements possible and congratulated all the other winners at the Wakefield Business Awards.

“At 77 I still have no intention of retiring. So we will still do many great things together.”

Implementing a few simple strategies will ensure your video finds an audience and provides real value to your business.

Be active on social media Sharing your video on your social media is by far the best way to maximise your reach.

Video is shared on social media 1200% more than any other type of content. Uploading your video directly to each platform — rather than posting a link — will earn you the most engagement.

Keep it short Internet users crave content that is short and to the point. Reports show that 45% of viewers stop watching a video after one minute. If your video is on the longer side, edit it into bite-sized chunks and cut any lengthy introductions.

Include a call-to-action What’s the one thing you want viewers to do after watching your video? Visit your website?

Download a brochure? Sign up for an e-newsletter? Including a call-to-action and a clickable link with your video on social media will nudge viewers in the right direction.

Pay money, get more views Social media advertising is a great way to dramatically increase your views. Facebook ads, in particular, perform incredibly well for businesses because they allow you to really fine tune your campaign and target a specific audience. stadavideo.co.uk Tel: 0113 403 2037 dannylacey@stadavideo.co.uk

Add captions Believe it or not, 85% of Facebook videos are viewed without sound. Adding subtitles to your video will help out users who decide to hit mute. Thankfully, Facebook’s Caption Generator makes this a quick and easy task!

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Parsons Accountants are on the move Due to continued growth, Parsons Chartered Accountants have moved into larger offices at Silkwood Office Park in Wakefield.

The firm, which offers a range of accountancy services, corporate finance and business advice, decided to move to accommodate its expanding team and improve its client experience.

Their new location has its own conference space, meeting rooms and staff ‘chill out’ area.

Speaking about the relocation, Ian Parsons, managing partner said: “The move is the start of an exciting chapter for Parsons.

We wanted our new office to be a flexible and modern space and with enhanced facilities including a large car park, our new

office is the perfect location for providing exceptional service to our clients.

“2016/17 has been an incredible year and the next 12 months is going to see us continue to grow the team, manage our growing client portfolio and revenues and increase growth of our transaction based business, whilst firmly keeping our roots in Wakefield. Notably our corporate finance work has helped us grow our business, and helped us differentiate ourselves and compete more effectively.”

Parsons was established in 2009 and currently employs 17 people (six of whom were employed during the last 12 months).

Chadwick Lawrence welcome top legal duo Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors welcome husband and wife legal team, Martin and Susan Vesely, to the firm The duo have joined Chadwick Lawrence in Wakefield, bringing many years of experience to the team.

Martin has joined the commercial and residential property sales, purchases and leases team, and also specialises in Wills and Probate matters. He qualified as a solicitor in 1975 and has over 42 year’s legal practice experience. Martin has also acted as President of the local Law Society and is Honorary Legal Adviser to various charitable and

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community organisations in the local area.

Susan is an experienced matrimonial solicitor who joins the Family Law team. Susan qualified as a solicitor in 1980 and has specialised in Family Law matters since 1989. Her accreditations include Specialist of Resolution, Assessor of the Law Society Family Panel, accredited Specialist of the Law Society Family Advanced Panel and a qualified Collaborative Lawyer. She has also managed a successful Family Mediation Service.

Both were previously based at Hellewell Pasley & Brewers Solicitors, where Martin was Senior Partner until 2009, after which he acted as a consultant for the firm. Martin’s secretary, Vicky Green, and Susan’s secretary, Kathy Wilson, have also joined the team.

Neil Wilson, Managing Partner commented: “It is fantastic for our firm to be welcoming solicitors of Martin and Susan’s calibre. Their previous experience is second to none. Between them, Martin and Susan have a solid and loyal client base, which we are looking forward to introducing to the firm and the Chadwick Lawrence way.”

Wakefield&District

Fan-tastic themed Nissan Jukes help Hospice CPA Star of the Future 2017 Wakefield based Peter Duffy Limited’s Apprentice, Joe Hobson, has been confirmed as the regional winner of the 2017 Construction Plant Association ”Stars of the Future” award.

Rugby League fans have a chance to show their colours and support a local hospice - by snapping up limited edition Nissan Jukes created by a Yorkshire Nissan group Harratts’ dealerships in Pontefract and Wakefield have kitted out Nissan Jukes in the colours of the Castleford Tigers, Wakefield Trinity and the Featherstone Rovers, with team emblems on the bodywork, headrests and footwell mats.

And with every Team Juke sold, Harratts will donate £100 to the Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract.

Shaun Harratt, Managing Director of Harratts Group, said: “Now is the time for these club’s super fans to show their true colours and choose a Nissan that really reflects their passions.

“With the Nissan Juke’s incredible range of personalisations we were able to recreate the colours of Wakefield, Castleford and Featherstone — and add some unique

extras such as the team emblems in the headrests and footwell mats — to create some very special team cars.”

Chris Powell, Commercial Manager of Castleford Tigers, said: “The Castleford Tigers Juke looks amazing and we hope our fans like it. The Prince of Wales Hospice is our chosen charity of the year and it’s great that Harratts have embraced the amazing work they do too. We’re delighted to be working alongside Harratts to continue to support our local hospice.”

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SPECIAL EDITION JUKES, VISIT HARRATTS PONTEFRACT ON FRONT STREET, PONTEFRACT, OR CALL 01977 700000, OR POP IN TO HARRATTS WAKEFIELD, ON DENBY DALE ROAD, OR CALL 01924 290390.

Joe is in the process of finishing his level 2 plant mechanic apprenticeship with Askham Bryan College, and will be progressing onto the level 3 advanced apprenticeship in September.

Joe was nominated for the award because he has demonstrated a high level of knowledge and technical skills that are required for this demanding role, combined with his exemplary attendance record and high level of commitment.

With stiff competition from over 30 nominations in the region it is a great achievement for Joe to be recognised with this prestigious award. The award was judged by the CPA and CITB and the award ceremony was held at the Plantworx exhibition in Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire.

Peter Duffy Limited is a civil engineering company based in Wakefield celebrating its 45th anniversary.

Managing director Peter Duffy commented, “in this celebratory year it is very rewarding to see our investment in training and staff development being recognised in this way, we are very pleased for Joe and proud of his fantastic achievement. Joe is one of eight people completing apprenticeships in the company and this should inspire others to aim high and achieve good qualifications”.

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Saving Pontefract’s Hermitage and Dispensary Pontefract Heritage Partnership, a Community Benefit Society established by a group of volunteers from the local community to protect, preserve and bring back to life Pontefract’s Dispensary building and medieval hermitage, has been awarded a £38,300 grant thanks to National Lottery players.

hermitage that’s hidden beneath to life.

White comments: “We are overjoyed to have received these funds. The support from the Heritage Lottery Fund is invaluable; not only will it help us to kick start our fundraising, but it will also help us to seek the expertise that we need to save our dispensary and hermitage.

“We have a tough, yet achievable challenge ahead and we want local people to join us in protecting, preserving and developing these significant parts of the town’s heritage. They can help in lots of ways, by donating to the cause, helping us to fundraise or simply by spreading the word about this unique and worthwhile opportunity.”

“Together the Dispensary and Hermitage represent over 750 years of care for the people of Pontefract and it is now time for us to give it the care and attention it needs and importantly deserves.”

Many people from Pontefract see the Dispensary building on Southgate as the former A&E department for Pontefract General Hospital, a building that is now derelict and abandoned, few people know about the Hermitage that it protects or of the important role it has played in the history of the town.

Pontefract Heritage Partnership is currently working with the NHS Trust to assume ownership of the building on behalf of the people of Pontefract. With the vision that the Dispensary will be renovated and opened alongside the Hermitage for all to enjoy, the group hope that the site can be developed in such a way that will benefit the local community.

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he Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant will enable the Society which is led

by Dr Colin White, retired consultant physician at Pontefract General Infirmary, to launch their ambitious fundraising drive and have access to legal expertise to take on these historic landmarks and bring them back into community us.

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The grant will be used to create a community share scheme, whilst also kick starting fund raising activity. It will also support the asset transfer of the building from Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which will include the appointment of a legal team, architect and surveyor, who will help the group to bring their vision for the dispensary and the medieval

Represent over 750 years of care for the people of Pontefract...

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Launching to success Hunter Safety have opened their new premises in Glasshoughton, a multi-purpose training centre.

extremely proud of the success of Hunter Training Solutions and it was an honour to be able to share this with our valued clients, as well as enlightening local entrepreneurs about this exceptional opportunity on their doorstep.”

As well as inviting external companies to exhibit at the launch, Hunter held a ‘crisis room’ activity, where visitors were thrown into a ‘real-life’ health and safety scenario when they entered the room to discover painters and decorators in need of first aid, intended to demonstrate the need for first aid training. Visitor Louise Turner, of Wordsmiths Unlimited, described the activity as ‘a creative use of people, providing a great opportunity to practice first aid in an almost real situation’.

Hunter also held a raffle to raise money for their upcoming endeavor, the Cateran Yomp, when 15 members of the team will walk up to 54 miles in just 24 hours to raise money for The Soldiers’ Charity.

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oth new and existing clients attended the event to learn about Hunter’s training offer, and network with fellow organisations whilst enjoying refreshments.

The new training centre has two reception areas and three suites named after famous athletes, to provide an inspirational atmosphere, two of whom, Jessica EnnisHill and the Brownlee brothers have sent well wishes to all those working with Hunter Training.

Managing Director of Hunter Safety, Katie Hunter, explained her reasons for holding the event: “This was the perfect opportunity to showcase our fantastic training facility to our existing and prospective clients. We’re

m2r Education announces partnership with TVETUK International education recruitment specialists, m2r Education, has been appointed as official recruitment partner to TVETUK, a privately-owned UK vocational education trade association with strong overseas and UK links.

This strategic move will enable TVETUK to offer a greater service delivery package, not only to TVETUK’s UK trade association

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members, but also when tendering for overseas contracts too. m2r already works with a large number of vocational colleges who have an overseas presence and their experience within the recruitment sector will

be invaluable to TVETUK and their partner colleges. m2r Education recently supported TVETUK in Mauritania through the provision of an initial cohort of teaching staff for TVET UK Higher Institute of English, the country’s first language institute, a deal brokered by TVETUK. m2r Education Managing Director, Munir Mamujee, commented, I am delighted that we are working in partnership with TVETUK. With our recruitment expertise in the vocational education sector, we will be able to offer valuable support to all new ventures, as well as being able to work with TVETUK’s trade members on any new projects that they have.’

Wakefield&District

Charlotte visits the Palace A Leeds mum has told of her pride after her daughter visited Buckingham Palace to receive the OBE. Mary Page, of Kippax, said she and her husband, Brian, were both “incredibly proud” as daughter Charlotte Sweeney was presented with her honour for services to women and equalities by the Princess Royal at the investiture ceremony.

Global acquisition for fds fds Director Services, with offices in Wakefield, London and Birmingham, has advised on the sale of Norbar Torque Tools Holdings Limited, a manufacturer of torque tools, to Snap-on Incorporated of Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States.

Norbar was incorporated by William Brodey in 1943, supplying to a range of markets which include general manufacturing, oil and gas, transportation and aerospace.

The company was approached by Snap-on Incorporated, a New York Stock Exchangelisted company, to acquire the holdings company, along with its wholly-owned companies in Singapore and India and also its US and Chinese joint ventures.

Leading the deal for fds was Managing Director Poonam Kaur, supported by CEO Jo Haigh, who worked alongside Penningtons Manches to deliver a successful sale, liaising proactively with all parties, both in the UK and overseas to ensure, that both Snap-on’s and Norbar’s requirements were met within a very tight timescale.

Neill Brodey, Managing Director of Norbar

said “The real benefit of using fds was to think about the deal structure at the beginning of the process, which allowed us to set a clear vision and work towards it.”

Poonam Kaur, MD of fds, which was recently awarded Acquisition International’s Most Innovative UK Deal Negotiator & AI One to Watch in Corporate Finance, said: “This has been one of the largest deals that fds and I have advised on and I have truly appreciated working with all the parties involved. It is important to note that successful completions are heavily reliant on the management of the process, negotiation skills and communication are the main key aspects of keeping momentum, rather than simply achieving the value which is just the beginning of any deal. At fds we strive to go beyond client expectations to achieve positive results.”

The award recognises her work as director of Charlotte Sweeney Associates, a consultancy business with a focus on inclusion, diversity and change.

Speaking about the investiture, Charlotte said: “It was an absolute honour to visit Buckingham Palace to be recognised for my work on equalities. “Being with so many people who have been recognised for their contribution to their profession and our country was both inspiring and humbling.”

Charlotte worked for leading companies such as Barclays, HBOS and Nomura International before setting up her own consultancy.

Named by The Economist as one of the world’s top 50 diversity professionals, she has launched a business forum called Creating Inclusive Cultures for companies in Leeds and is also co-author of the book Inclusive Leadership, published by The Financial Times.

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College welcomes former student Wakefield College recently welcomed its former student Adeem Younis to get a sneak peek into its new £7m Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre.

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deem, who studied Graphic Design at the College, saw firsthand the impressive new build that promises to transform high-level skills delivery in the District.

The new facility, which welcomed its first cohort of students in late May, includes general teaching facilities, specialist engineering labs, a 90 seat lecture theatre, a modern Apple Mac suite and business incubation spaces.

Adeem was given a tour of the new facility

by Wakefield College Director of Estates, Jon Howard and saw personally how the College has worked with employers,

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Leeds Enterprise Partnership and Wakefield Council on the project.

Commenting on the visit, Adeem said: “It was fantastic to see the progress that has been made at the College I attended and the outstanding facilities available in my home city. I sincerely wish all the present and future students all the best, as I know this centre has some of the best classrooms and equipment in the country.”

The ASIC project has received £3.3M investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of investment to accelerate good growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

Sainsbury’s supports Coaliac Awareness Week Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction of the immune system to gluten – a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten, their immune system reacts by damaging the lining of their small intestine.

Wakefield&District

Architects announce charity of the year Martin Walsh Architectural (MWA) has announced Martin House as its charity of the year.

The family-run architectural company has kick-started its support by signing up for this summer’s popular, adrenaline fueled challenge – Tough Mudder, which takes place in Skipton on 29 July and involves 12 miles of extreme obstacles and includes mud, fire and water!

Bringing its team, suppliers and partners together to raise much-needed funds for the charity, MWA will support the services the hospice provides to children, young people, and their families.

As many as one in one hundred people in the UK have coeliac disease. Symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, wind, constipation, tiredness, sudden or unexplained weight loss (but not in all cases), hair loss and anaemia. Only 24 per cent who have the condition have been diagnosed, which means there are currently nearly half a million people who have coeliac disease but don’t yet know. Once diagnosed, coeliac disease is treated by following a gluten free diet for life.

Marcus Walsh from MWA comments: “We take our Corporate Social Responsibility seriously and are committed to helping charities whenever we can, especially those within our local community.

“We have chosen Martin House because of the amazing work they do within Yorkshire.

They deliver a crucial service and the support and the help they provide to children, young people, and their families is awe inspiring. We know that they rely

heavily on donations to be able to continue to provide their care, so we hope that we can do our bit over the next 12 months to help.

“Whilst we know that Tough Mudder is not for the faint hearted, we have plenty of plans for fundraising. Everyone is committed to helping Martin House in any way we can. Having been part of the local community for 40 years, I know we can also count on our suppliers and partners to lend a hand too.”

John Haigh, Corporate Fundraiser at Martin House, comments: “We are delighted to have been selected as Martin Walsh Architectural’s charity of choice. It costs in excess of £6 million each year to provide our services and the support of local businesses plays a huge role in ensuring we can reach families across the West, North and East Yorkshire. We look forward to the company’s continued support and wish the team all the best in their upcoming Tough Mudder Challenge.”

As part of the awareness week, in May, members of the Wakefield & District Coeliac Support Group were in attendance in the ‘Free From’ aisle in Sainsbury’s, Trinity Walk, Wakefield.

Dee O’Brien, Sainsbury’s Trinity walk Store Manager, added: “We really enjoyed welcoming the Wakefield & District Coeliac Support group into our store. We hope that the support we gave throughout Coeliac Awareness Week has really made a difference to the group members and the customers shopping in store.”

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LOCAL HERO

A child of the 1990s tech boom Paul Heigham has matured into a rarity in the IT world – a practitioner who understands IT means Information Technology with a focus on Information rather than technology and a passion for helping manufacturing harness it for growth.

Here the man who started Bellingham IT talks about his latest venture, iclaritate, to help manufacturing SMEs.

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business and engineering graduate of De Montfort University, Leicester, Paul Heigham immediately understood the importance of good quality data to a successful business.

His first work placement during his uni days saw him working in the accounts office at a local company. “I was seconded to BP Chemicals, in Leicester, who were manufacturing all types of plastic containers.

Working in the accounts department I had to manually input information.

It was slow and laborious and made me realise the necessity of automation to improve efficiency and productivity,� he recalls.

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That sealed his fate. Once out in the world of industry Paul started to focus on how he could enhance his business and production skills and use IT to add value to potential employers.

Appointed payroll manager at Haribo he quickly implemented a system that reduced the payroll run from a week to a day. “I did in a way work myself out of a job but I was proud of the fact that I enhanced their systems to become more efficient and faster,” he said.

From there he continued his passion for IT, automation and implementation helping Grampian Food Group prepare for the year 2000 countdown.

“Their system was not year 2000 compliant and at the time there were many major concerns that the turn of the century would cripple businesses which had started to rely on technology.

Spending his first two months in the job learning how to manage their existing system and make it fit for purpose he came to the conclusion that bespoke software was unnecessary; it was more important for manufacturers to get the right package then have it manipulated to suit their unique needs.

“It is all about Information and that made me increasingly passionate to help manufacturers get the right data for their business and then target it at the right people within their organisation.

“It worked for Grampian Food Group, who extended my original one year contract and sent me into one of the smaller offices to learn more about their business before bringing me back to head office to implement strategic plans,” he added.

Paul spent the next six years automating their data collection processes and ensuring that their people had the right attitude and skills for the job, all the time focusing on the Information element of IT.

His capacity to see the bigger picture made him an attractive proposition for potential employers and he was quickly snapped up by Yorkshire broadband provider, Plusnet.

“That was a massive learning curve that helped shape my vision for iclaritate and Bellingham IT. I went from spending months on projects to working within strict timelines often as short as a few days.

celebrates its tenth successful year of helping support business in West Yorkshire achieve their ambitions using technology. But he knew that simply providing advice to SMEs about the type of hardware and software was not enough to help them grow. He wanted to do more and translate the benefits of corporate structure to SMEs with smaller budgets but bigger ambitions.

“It was a great lesson in being agile and responsive, something I think we are very good at here in the UK, if we only have the right data,” he added.

Armed with the right skills, yet feeling claustrophobic in the confines of a corporate structure gave free rein to his wanderlust following the Formula One Series tour around Europe until he had crystalised what he wanted to do back in Yorkshire.

“Many customers are desperate to grow and understand the value of IT in their plan,” he said. “What is holding many of them back are their limited resources.”

He established Bellingham IT which this year

Out of Office Favourite holiday location: The Lake District or the South of France Favourite car : 1980’s Porsche 911 Favourite Food : Seafood and fish Favourite drink : Real Ale Favourite Restaurant : Mad Hatters, Bermuda.

iClaritate is Paul’s solution A simple proposition it brings a corporate size mentality towards technology to the SME market. “iclaritate will offer strategic advice at senior management level where IT expertise is usually missing. We will analyse what the business needs, audit what it currently has and give them a clear vision for the future that dovetails with their business plan,” he explained.

“It will allow ambitious businesses to get some sense of their existing hardware, software, security and processes and benchmark existing providers.”

Already Paul and his team are working closely with a number of high growth West Yorkshire manufacturers to drive growth using the power of Information Technology under the iclaritate brand.

“We have helped customers create sophisticated yet meaningful management information dashboards and give them clear pathways from their existing position to one where they will get the information they need, more efficiently to boost growth,” he said.

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Building a Foundation for the Future

YHC

Caduceus House : Upper Warrengate, Wakefield Tel: 01924 298290 Email: 1ststeps@wdhcs.com or louise@wdhcs.com

Wakefield & District 22 2017 June /Health July & Community Support Ltd. A Company Limited by Guarantee No. 489136 Registered Charity No. 226121

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Celebrate 40 Years of Yorkshire Sculpture Park This summer, Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP)celebrates its 40th anniversary with A Weekend of Wonderful Things

Country Park at yorkshire sculpture park Š jonty wilde

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Hidden forest at yorkshire sculpture park © jonty wilde

A little bit about YSP

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orkshire Sculpture Park is the leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture.

It is an independent charitable trust and registered museum situated in the 500-acre, 18th-century Bretton Hall estate.

Founded in 1977 by Executive Director Peter Murray, YSP was the first sculpture park in the UK, and is the largest of its kind in Europe,

providing the only place in the world to see Barbara Hepworth’s The Family of Man in its entirety alongside a significant collection of sculpture, including bronzes

by Henry Moore, and site-specific works by Andy Goldsworthy, David Nash and James Turrell. YSP also mounts a world-class, year-round temporary exhibitions programme including some of the world’s leading artists across five indoor galleries and the open air. Recent highlights include exhibitions by

Not Vital, KAWS, Bill Viola, Anthony Caro, Fiona Banner, Ai Weiwei, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Amar Kanwar, Yinka Shonibare MBE and Joan Miró.

YSP’s core work is made possible by investment from Arts Council England, Wakefield Council, Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation and Sakurako and William Fisher through the Sakana Foundation. YSP was named Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2014. FF

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Yoga at Yorkshire Sculpture Park-photo David Lindsay

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n 14 to 16 July 2017, from dawn until dusk, visitors can encounter everything that is wonderful about YSP with a range of special events and experiences. Enjoy art from all angles with space to breathe in the Park’s stunning 500acre landscape, complemented by delicious food and drink.

Beginning with the peace and tranquillity of a summer morning at YSP, watch the Sunrise in the Skyspace, take part in an energising Early-Morning Yoga session, or embark on an empowering Barefoot Walking Tour. Further enhance your wellbeing with Acroyoga in the Chapel and Sound Bath Meditation in the Skyspace.

The festivities continue in YSP’s colourful

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Caribbean Carnival. Taking place amidst 80 identical sculptures which explore African identity by British-Trinidadian artist Zak Ové, the carnival includes a parade, performances, steel pan music and tasty food.

Visitors can also join an Architectural Parade with artist Emily Speed; delight in the playful Hidden Forest for little ones; interact with sonic sound sculptures, Theramin Bollards; take part in a Woodland Torchwalk; or follow signs to the Secret Silent Disco.

The Weekend of Wonderful Things is a great opportunity to see some of YSP’s exhibitions Media Release out of hours. Be among the first to see Occasional Geometries:

Rana Begum Curates the Arts Council Collection, in Longside Gallery; experience mind-boggling sculptures made from dice, glass, stainless steel and bronze in Tony Cragg: A Rare Category of Objects, in the Underground Gallery, Garden Gallery and open air; and take a look at Alice Pattullo’s superstition and folklore-inspired prints in Of House and Home, in YSP Centre.

The weekend is also a fantastic chance to discover an exciting display of new work in the open air by leading international artists, also part of the anniversary celebrations.

New installations include Ai Weiwei’s dramatic group of 12 bronze Zodiac Heads and a beautiful new seven-metre-high cast iron head by Jaume Plensa which overlooks the lake.

Wakefield&District

What are our major political parties’ arts Policies?

By Murray Edwards Arts and Business Consultant Wakefield

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he General Election has been particularly interesting this time, not least because what seemed to be a foregone conclusion was notas certain as many people expected. Whilst it will have been and gone by the time you read this, I thought it would be interesting to look at a few of the specific elements of the three main parties’ arts policies and see how they compared, or differed as the case might be.

By three main parties I mean of course the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

What do the arts and theatre mean to your party?

Not surprisingly, all three “big up” the importance of the arts with references such as “broadening our horizons” (Labour), “underpinning economic success” (Conservatives) and “creativity will always be central to the kind of world we seek to build” (Lib Dems). However, the only party to refer to “investment” is Labour.

How does arts funding feature in your spending plans?

This is the area where the polices begin to diverge, with the Conservatives vowing “to protect arts funding “, and the Lib Dems establishing a “schools’ fund” but making no comment on whether or not the current level of arts funding is adequate. It is only Labour who not only promise “to create a £1 billion Cultural Capital Fund” but also establish a pupil premium worth £160 million a year to encourage every primary school pupil in England to participate in an arts activity and have regular access to theatres, galleries or

museums. It is clear from their manifesto that they recognise the damage that has been done through extended cuts in funding by both central and local government, compounded by the inequity of regional distribution with the vast majority of money being spend in and around London.

How would you view the role of the Arts Council?

Whilst all the major parties seem to agree that the Arts Council plays an important role, that role is based in large part on the availability of resources. I think many would argue that despite the cuts they have suffered, they have not given sufficient attention to two specific areas: (i) The geographic distribution of available funding. (ii) The type of organisations they fund It is inescapable that the number of arts organisations still managing to sustain themselves has declined since funding cuts were introduced. Many of these worked in small and disadvantaged communities and were, for them, their lifeline. Simply maintaining large, regional centres does not replace what those organisations did, the importance of their work and the introductions to the arts that ensued as a result of their engagement with their communities.

Issues such as diversity in all items forms depends on effective access and this starts in the schools. I am greatly encouraged by what I see within the Labour manifesto which addresses many of these key issues.

What about the threat posed by Local Authority funding cuts?

There is absolutely no doubt that it is the steady decline in this source of funding which has almost certainly caused the most damage, resulting as it does from reductions in central government funding to local authorities. A few (but not very many) have managed to maintain at least a degree of commitment, but the majority have not. The Conservatives and Lib Dems have virtually nothing to say about this, other than produce platitudes about “ensuring local authorities understand the importance of investment in culture” (Conservatives) or “we will ensure that all culturally valuable organisations retain their funding status” (Lib Dems).

What does this mean? How is “valuable” defined? It is entirely meaningless. It is left to Labour (again) to acknowledge the importance of local government funding in its entirety, with a commitment to end cuts to local authorities. However, I wonder if this is enough, that present funding levels have forced impossible decisions to be made and much of the valuable work that was done in the period up to 2011/12 has been lost. It will be interesting to see how this plays out if they get the opportunity to put this into practice.

How will the creative industries be protected during Brexit negotiations?

Not surprisingly the Conservatives are virtually silent on this topic, only saying “the creative industries are at the heart of our industrial strategy” (?). Both labour and the Lib Dems appear to go considerably further and there is an overt commitment to elevating the role of Culture Secretary to the cabinet table. Were this to be the case, then at least this would be a step in the right direction assuming of course that the person occupying that role is a political heavyweight. ….. and finally ….

What do we think about all of this?

Mealy mouthed references from the Conservatives, and only a slightly improved version from the Lib Dems, leaves Labour in pole position if they get the opportunity to put their promises into practice and achieve the resources they need to deliver. We can only watch .. and wait .. and hope!!

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Patients look forward with dazzling smiles Patients of a Wakefield orthodontist can look into the future and see how their smile will look thanks to an investment in state of the art technology.

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t Michaels Orthodontics, is one of the first practices in the UK to install Invisalign’s iTero 3D scanner which speeds up treatment times, offers patients greater choice and replaces uncomfortable impressions for patients choosing orthodontic treatment.

The new technology will allow award winning orthodontist, Dr Catherine McCanny and her team to scan a patient’s teeth, visualize how they could look and in some cases give them options for treatment.

“The iTero system puts orthodontics very firmly in the 21st century,” said Dr McCanny. “We had to take uncomfortable impressions then send them off and wait for the laboratories to return the braces. This system speeds up the whole process, it is more accurate for patients and gives more predictable results,” she said.

“Within seconds of scanning with iTero we see how a patient’s teeth could look at the end of treatment and show them any additional treatments that may be needed at the end of treatment to improve the size of shape of the teeth. This allows patients make a more informed choice about their own treatment,” she added.

Some of our more complex treatments need close communication with the referring

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dentist and this technology allows us to communicate virtually, thus negating the need for a patient to attend extra appointments.

It allows input from the dentist to be incorporated into the treatment plan from the outset.

“Many teens who play a musical instrument have to arrange treatment for misaligned teeth around important exams or performances, as traditional braces can affect their technique.

Sporty teenagers need specially fitted gum shields.

As well as investing more than £20k in the scanning system St Michael’s is pioneering the Invisalign Teen product which is ideal for teenagers who play contact sports or musical instruments.

The new style brace has been designed with them in mind as it can be removed for these occasions and at the same time is invisible leaving them free to get on with their lives and enjoy straight teeth sooner,” she explained.

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YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

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t: 0844 847 0080 e: info@ytl.uk.com 11 Appleton Court, Calder Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 7AR June / July 2017 Yorkshire Telecommunications Limited

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Work smarter... not harder

By Paul Heigham - Director of Bellingham IT

Operational software is critical for every business and we’ve discussed at length what you should look for. Here Paul Heigham our Topic IT expert discusses how to successfully select and implement your new software application, making sure your team are fit to operate and embrace its benefits.

There’s an old adage – “A poor workman blames his tools” it could have been penned for software implementation.

Businesses change or upgrade software to boost efficiency, growth and save time and money. None of these are achievable if you get the right software but fall down on implementation and staff training.

Here are some key points to remember.

First of all it has to work within your existing infrastructure and be operated by your team.

Allow for these two points, work out how it will integrate with your current processes, software and how will your team be able to adapt to it. Remember training of the team is an essential part of the implementation, failure to do this will mean that the software will not get used.

Make sure that you have a very clearly defined

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list of outputs or reports that you want from the new software, this will determine the data that needs to be entered. Remember, bad data in results in bad data coming out.

Set a realistic timescale for implementation.

Too many businesses expect to take delivery of their new system and have it fully operational within hours. This is unrealistic and leads to frustration and disappointment. Set an end date but work into that time; analysis, design, planning, testing and training as well as setting some time aside for the unknowns.. If the software is not implemented properly then it will not be used properly by your team and you will not see the intended results.

Call in the experts. The chances are you consulted your IT provider before you chose your selected package. If not then, go back to them and either ask them to act as your Business Analyst or recommend someone who can. This is where your technology provider really adds value in creating a framework to allow the different software applications to be properly compared to your business requirements. They can work as part of your organisation to understand your problems, needs, opportunities and goals. They can then work out a realistic timetable for a successful implementation of the selected application.

Your people will always be your biggest challenge and opportunity for success, remember that no one likes change initially, so you can always include the team in part of the

process. New software demands new skills and training. Do your people have them? Do they want to embrace them?

Bellingham IT can make a difference as we have over 15 years experience in operational software implementation, from scoping out the initial requirements to support after Go Live. We can help identify skills gaps, provide training and ensure that the correct software application is selected to meet your business needs.

You rarely change or upgrade your IT software.

When you do, make sure your investment pays for itself and get it implemented properly.

Choosing software can make or break your organisation and we want to help you get the best option for your business. Give us a call on 01924 253205 or email: paul@bellinghamit.co.uk.

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Vehicle hire firm supports children’s charity Yorkshire-based vehicle-hire firm, Arrow Self Drive has donated three new vans to local children’s charity, Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

The three bright purple vans, dubbed Pip, Patrick and Percy began collecting and delivering furniture at the end of May 2017; for distribution at Forget Me Not’s nine charity shops in the region.

Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice provides support to hundreds of children across Yorkshire and East Lancashire with lifeshortening conditions. Support includes nursing care, days out, listening, respite care, therapy and much more.

Gareth Pierce, Head of Retail at Forget Me Not, commented: “We’re thrilled with the new vans. We are now selling second hand furniture in some of our charity shops and we need these larger vans to deliver large pieces of furniture. We’ll also be using them for collections and house clearances, where people kindly donate furniture to be sold in the shops. Not only that, but the newly designed graphics look great and really help raise awareness of Forget Me Not on the road, wherever they go! These vehicles have arrived just in time for the opening of our new Superstore on Manchester Road in Huddersfield, which opened last month.”

Arrow Self Drive’s managing director, James Hill said: “We’re pleased to be able to provide the charity with transportation and hope they find our support useful in delivering their much-needed services to the community.

We hope to be able to continue working in partnership with the charity long into the future.”

F

ounded in 1988, Arrow Self Drive is a family-run business and the largest independently owned car, van, minibus and truck rental company in Yorkshire. With eight depots based around region, the firm offer competitive rates and a first-class service on a wide range of vehicles from small economy cars, to vans, luxury MPV’s minibuses and trucks.

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The firm initially began supporting Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, three years ago, originally sponsoring one small van but recently increased its level of support to include a fleet of three vehicles.

Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is also running a competition in conjunction with their new vehicles, where the public is encouraged to take a photo and post it social media if they spot the vans on the roads around Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield or Bradford.

Bradford sign-writing company, Leading Edge Signage and Graphics supplied the eye-catching vehicle wraps for the vans.

The winner will be selected by the Hospice in July and the prize will be a family ticket to Forget Me Not’s Lantern Trail in October 2017.

Wakefield&District Wakefield based Consulting Engineering firm, Service Design Partnership, (SDP) has been accepted on to the Procure 22 framework as a supplier to Interserve for the National Health Service.

The 30 year old company has built a reputation on creating high spec, complex pharmaceutical, research and medical Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) designs that enable improved healthcare and greater efficiencies in key sectors.

SDP is also closely involved in the refurbishment and redevelopment of the GSK site at Barnard Castle in the North East and a number of private health care developments in the Midlands and East of England working closely with main contractors from the earliest stages of any development through to handover.

Wakefield designers accredited to ProCure 22

The company, which has recently moved to new offices at Calder Park, is working closely with Interserve on the modernization of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and has established itself as a reputable partner worked closely with the contractor for many years.

partner effectively with other providers of construction services to deliver high value complex capital projects within tight timelines and in budget.

Being accredited to the NHS framework will give the team of specialist Consulting Engineers access to a range of other clinical and research projects around the UK. It is further proof of SDP’s ability to innovate,

The P22 framework was established to streamline procurement within the NHS, drive up clinical excellence and improve efficiency to provide a better service for patients more affordably.

Chris Armistead said: “ProCure 22 is the successor of P21 which started the process of improving procurement within the NHS. Its success and our ability to be accredited to the framework is testimony to the skill and sophistication of the Wakefield team who have worked hard to deliver high quality innovative designs and ensure they are implemented successfully.”

ISSHO experience with Barclays TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler was delighted to attend an event hosted by Barclays at the new ISSHO Restaurant in Victoria Gate, Leeds, two days ahead of its official opening.

Barclays welcomed their Managing Director and Head of Business Banking UK, Adam Rowse who, along with many Barclays staff and guests, hosted a great debate about business, the economy and Northern Powerhouse.

Victoria Gate. Guests enjoyed a five course sampling menu that was fresh and contemporary including seared Scottish Salmon, wasabi & yuku dressing and spicy pork bao bun.

ISSHO is a new Japanese Restaurant with exclusive dining and private roof terrace above

The restaurant officially opened on 21st June and booking is advised.

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TopicUK partners with Yorkshire Asian Business Association As part of its continued growth across the north of England, TopicUK has teamed up with the Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA).

The partnership will see TopicUK supporting and promoting YABA’s work, which concentrates on providing a voice for Asian business on a regional, national and international level.

Working under the framework of the Federation of Asian Businesses, YABA is an independent organisation that works with its members to create a better environment in which they can trade and prosper.

TopicUK group editor, Gill Laidler,

commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with YABA to promote the work it does across Yorkshire and beyond.

“The Asian business community makes a significant contribution to the UK plc, with a share of over 11% of the UK’s new business startups.” She continued: “We launched TopicUK with the aim of offering a platform for businesses to collaborate, create social capital and strengthen our local economy.

YABA was established with much of the same aim in mind, with a passion for business and delivering value to its members across the region to help them grow. The partnership is a great fit for both organisations.”

Wakefield&District YABA is currently receiving entries for the third anuual YABA Gala Awards Dinner, which takes place at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford on Thursday 28 September.

Designed to celebrate the success and diversity of Asian businesses across the Yorkshire region, award categories include: • • • • • •

Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Food & Drink Business of the Year International Business of the Year Retail Business of the Year SME Business of the Year Microsoft Special Award for a Valuable Contribution to Yorkshire

Entries for this year’s awards can be submitted by visiting yabaawards.com, where tickets for the grand dinner and award ceremony can also be purchased.

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Business Hive June / July 2017

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Wakefield&District

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Kevin and his partner dined as guests of Ego @ The Bull’s Head, Southfield Lane, Horbury, WF4 5AS Website: www.egorestaurants.co.uk

Boosting the Ego Kevin Trickett, President of Wakefield Civic Society, pootles over to Horbury for his latest review….

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ooking back through my diary, I discovered that it was in 2011 that members of Wakefield Civic Society’s Dining Club last ventured out along Horbury Bypass to the Bull’s Head so a revisit was somewhat overdue.

However, a change of management and the introduction of a new brand provided just the push we needed so, at the beginning of May, members, myself included, went back to try out what is now, to give it its full name, ‘Ego Mediterranean Restaurant and Bar @ the Bull’s Head’. It gave me a chance to have a word with Martin England, the deputy manager, who was on duty that evening, to see if they would be

interested in my doing a review for TopicUK. Not surprisingly, they agreed and so it was, a few nights later, that I returned with my partner for something of a ‘private viewing’.

The first thing you notice on entering the building is that the place has been given a very stylish makeover by the new management.

Smart and contemporary, with a mix of modern and retro touches, Ego is very much ‘bang on trend’ as they say in the fashion magazines. Larger than it looks from the outside – the restaurant can accommodate up to 130 people with an additional 32-seat private dining room (and 36 more sitting outside if you fancy a bit of al fresco dining on a warm summer’s evening), it retains a pleasantly intimate feel, thanks to the sub-division of the interior spaces into a number of separate dining and seating areas.

The restaurant is now one of a group, part of Ego Restaurants Ltd, based in Bolton, with fifteen Ego establishments across the north of England and the Midlands. Ego @ The Bull’s Head opened in its new guise on 9th March this year. Judging by the number of customers, it is already proving to be very popular. Just as

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well, then, that there is a large car park!

So, what’s it like to eat there? Well, to start with, there’s a very comprehensive menu, with a strong Mediterranean influence.

Special diets can usually be catered for – there’s a full gluten-free menu, for example, so be prepared to ask if you need something that’s a bit ‘off-menu’.

Prices are very reasonable and typical of what you might expect – starters from £4.95 to £7.95 and mains from £8.45 (for a pizza Margherita) up to £17.45 for the Andalusian Pork Fillet, wrapped in prosciutto, pan roasted & served with apricot & sherry cream sauce with dauphinoise potatoes. Steaks come in a tad

Wakefield&District Telephone: 01924 265828 Also on Facebook and Twitter - @ego_bullsHead Follow Kevin Trickett on Twitter - @MrTrickett Tuesday is Steak Night where 8oz steaks starting at just £10; Wednesday is Tapas Day, with three tapas dishes for £12, offered all day; Thursday is Kebab Night with Kebabs starting at £10; and on Sundays, roasts start at just £10.95.

There’s a good wine list too and, should you wish to have a cocktail, you’ll be well-catered for with a large selection available: better still, the classic cocktails are 2-4-1 every day until 7pm! Nor do you have to miss out if you’re the designated driver for the evening – the list includes some non-alcoholic cocktails as well.

If you see yourself becoming a regular at Ego, it is possible to join their Ego Club. Not only will this entitle you to receive their newsletter and details of special offers, but it will also give you some specific benefits such as 25% off the à la carte menu from Sunday to Friday, a free 3-course meal on your birthday, and a free bottle of Prosecco on a special anniversary day of your choice!

more expensive at £18.85 for the 8oz Sirloin, £22.95 for the 10oz Ribeye, and £23.95 for the 8oz Fillet, each chargrilled & served with confit vine plum tomato, rocket & skin-on fries. A variety of side orders can be added at extra cost. Desserts range from £4.95 to £6.45 but there is also a number of ‘Ego Minis’ mini desserts with any tea or coffee included for under £5.

Look out for the fixed-price menu which is served from Monday to Friday until 7pm, Saturday until 6pm, and Sunday from 5pm onwards. This offers 2 courses for £12.95 or 3 courses for £15.95.

Menus are available to view on-line should

When I visited with the Civic Society’s Dining Club, the friendliness of the staff shone through. When I returned a few nights later, my partner and I were looked after personally by the manager, Craig Humphriss, who made time to answer our questions in between serving and chatting to other customers and he introduced me to the chef, Emma, whose culinary efforts we had sampled during the evening. The food was of very good quality and well-prepared while the portion size was more than generous; so much so in fact, that we had to settle for one of the Ego Minis each when it came to dessert! you wish to do your homework in advance and it’s definitely worth having a look as there are special offers and/or themes on most days of the week – Monday’s offer is two courses from the à la carte menu for just £19.95 each including a full bottle of wine per person;

All in all, we had a very pleasant evening and I can certainly recommend Ego @ The Bull’s Head to you – definitely not one to be by-passed! mini desserts with any tea or coffee included for under £5.

June / July 2017

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Wakefield&District

LEGAL MATTERS

Each issue Ramsdens Solicitors, share with our readers information to keep us all within the law. If you

have a legal question, or need to know about a particular subject, email editor@topicuk. co.uk

Under one roof: buying a house with your new spouse

The ink is barely dry on your wedding photographs and already you’re scouring the internet for your dream property.

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efore you even begin to wrestle over your different aesthetic preferences, you first need to work out what your budget is. Bear in mind, whatever figure you come up with also has to cover the fees involved such as stamp duty, survey, searches and the conveyancer’s fee.

The key questions to ask are:

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2017 June / July

•

• •

Do either of you have a property to sell and if so, what equity will be released from that?

How much money do you have saved?

What are your income and outgoings?

All these will then determine the mortgage amount you are likely to get.

You will also need a sum of money for a deposit. It’s possible to obtain a mortgage

with just a 5% deposit. Generally speaking though, the greater the deposit, the cheaper the mortgage rate becomes. It’s a good idea to talk to a mortgage advisor or company to get an idea of what you can borrow and to get a mortgage in principle in place.

This means that you will be in a stronger position to move forward when you find the right property.

Once you’ve found a property you want

Wakefield&District 0800 988 3650 www.ramsdens.co.uk text LAW to 67777 to buy, you make an offer through the estate agent. If it’s accepted, you then appoint a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the purchase for you. If either of you has a property to sell, the conveyancer can deal with this too.

The business of buying and selling houses can at times be confusing and frustrating, but a good conveyancer will guide you through this. They will carry out searches to see if there are any issues you need to be aware of and raise questions with the vendor about aspects of the sale.

When the finances and the terms of the transaction have all been agreed then the contract between the seller and the purchasers can be signed and exchanged. This is legally binding and from this point neither party may withdraw without incurring financial penalties.

Karen James, Head of Residential Conveyancing at Ramsdens adds: “When buying a house with a spouse it is typical to purchase under a joint tenancy agreement. This means that when one of the owners dies, the property automatically passes to the surviving owner.

Your conveyancer will now coordinate with you and the seller’s conveyancer to agree a date for completion. On this date, the conveyancer will work with the mortgage lender to release the funds to pay for the property. They will also pay for any disbursements such as stamp duty and Land Registry fees.

When this has all been done, you can finally collect the keys to your new home together.”

The dangers of social media during divorce In an age where many people’s lives are lived through social media it is understandable that divorcing spouses and partners may take to social media in order to vent their frustrations and feelings during what can be a stressful and emotional time. We must, however, warn of the potential dangers of social media.

Using social media to abuse your spouse or make accusations about them could lead to negative consequences during any Court Proceedings. At worst, it could lead to proceedings being taken against you by the police or by way of a Family Court NonMolestation Order, which can prevent you from having any form of communication with your spouse.

Helen Thewlis, Head of Family at Ramsdens comments: “Our advice is simple, leave your feelings and thoughts in relation to your spouse away from social media. Instead, seek support through counselling and your GP. Posting potentially damaging comments on social media simply is not worth the risks involved.”

At Ramsdens, we are members of Resolution.

Resolution seek for divorce and separation to be dealt with as amicably as possible. We feel this is incredibly important. We want to ensure divorces are dealt with in such a way to reduce the emotional strain involved, as well as keeping costs to a minimum.

Are you considering divorce? Is your spouse or partner posting abuse about you on social media? If you feel you need our help and advice then please do not hesitate to contact one of our expert family lawyers at any of our 12 offices.

June / July 2017

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Wakefield&District

for all your legal needs call your local solicitors Ramsdens with 10 offices across West Yorkshire we’re never too far away

#knowyourlawyer #askRamsdens

01924 669510 www.ramsdens.co.uk 40

2017 June / July

Wakefield&District

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0113 234 6609 Over recent months, I have had discussions with numerous business owners who sell their time for money.

Consultants, trainers, coaches, business mentors, NEDs and more.

A common theme is that they don’t feel that they are getting the rates they want for the experience and qualifications that they have.

By Gary King Managing Director Give Gary a call on 0113 897 0900 to discuss how he could help with your strategy.

For many, we get into business without months of planning. Either we have a corporate career change forced upon us or we see an opportunity and just go for it. This often means that there isn’t enough planning done in the formative stages from which to build the right business. This leads to frustration, a lack of income, working all hours and starting to question if you have done the right thing.

The key area that requires focus if you are not getting the rates is positioning. Think about the following:

1. Proposition - what makes you unique and why prospects should buy from you. Make is short and memorable 2. Target market - be clear on who you want (and don’t want) to work with and where they hang out 3. Problems solved - nobody cares what you do, only what problem you solve. Focus on what the prospect wants rather than needs 4. Brand/ reputation - what people are saying about you behind your back Once you have got the above nailed and you have tested it, you need a dose of confidence to implement it. If you get this right, you should be able to double or even treble your prices. Hopefully that sounds attractive to you?  TO QUICKLY DIAGNOSE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES IN YOUR BUSINESS AND SEE INSTANTLY WHERE TO FOCUS FIRST, TAKE TENDO’S FIVE-MINUTE BUSINESS SUCCESS TEST HERE HTTP:// BUSINESSGROWTHINDICATOR.COM/

June / July 2017

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Wakefield&District

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2017 June / July

BANKING & ECONOMY

Wakefield&District Barclays answers some of the most common questions posed by business owners.

Persuading the bank to invest in your business  Keith Waddington, Barclays Business Manager

There comes a time in a business’ life when investment and growth plans mean that additional funding is needed, and many businesses choose to borrow from their bank.

When such funding is required, how can a business ensure that it presents a convincing case to the bank and secures the right finance?

Barclays offers the following tips for businesses when meeting with their bank manager.

First of all, you will need a good idea of the aims and objectives for your business, as well as how you intend to cope with any eventualities, all clarified in a business plan. This gives the bank manager the confidence that you understand your market and have thought about the development of your business.

Present yourself positively and demonstrate your commitment and enthusiasm for your business. Bank managers place a great deal of importance on this when assessing proposals.

Demonstrate that you have the appropriate experience, training and drive to plan and run your business effectively. An up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae will provide evidence of your abilities.

Show that you have the ability to produce up to date and accurate financial information to reassure the bank about your control over the business. It is important that you know its current position and make sure you present as much historical information on your business’s financial performance as you can. Records going back three years or more will give a bank much more information to work with to prove your business is sustainable and creditworthy.

Explain in detail your reason for seeking bank funding. This will enable the bank to inform you of the most appropriate type of funding to meet your business’ needs.

Ensure that you establish the correct amount that needs to be borrowed, allowing for unexpected expenses. Borrowing too much will cost you more interest than you need to pay, and too little may mean you need to return to the bank at a later date.

Be clear about the source of repayment.

Develop cash flow and budget forecasts that accurately show what you expect to happen to your business over the period of your facility and outline the sources from where you expect repayments to be met. The bigger your cash buffer, the higher your chances of

getting a favourable response from a bank. In a recession, liquidity is key and your bank will be looking at your working capital in detail.

Protect yourself and your business. Take steps to protect the repayment of your loan, in case you are unable to meet the cost of borrowing from normal trade due to unforeseen circumstances. This may mean taking out insurance to cover you and key personnel in the event of an accident or illness.

Look at what you are willing to stake in your business. What is your loan to value? If you are not willing to put your own money into an investment, a bank is unlikely to want to put their money at stake.

Finally, Keith Waddington, Barclays Business Manager for West Yorkshire says: "We endeavour to be open and honest in our dealings with our customers and are always keen to explain how we assess business proposals. Bank managers look first and foremost at the character, ability and experience of the business owner and the cash generating capacity of the business itself.

In this respect, it is essential to stress the importance of proper planning and forecasting before any meeting with the bank manager."

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Wakefield&District almonds and pine nuts, and served with rice.

The ancient city of Petra needs no introduction. And while guidebooks and travel blogs often picture the treasury building - it really is a city, which needs at least a day to be explored. It takes around half an hour to reach from the nearest town, for which you’ll have to travel through the narrow gorges that lead you to the city itself.

If you’re not feeling up to walking in the heat, camels provide an interesting method of transportation to the ruins.

Jordan: an undiscovered gem Exciting, historic, vibrant - Jordan has been on the adventurer’s radar for some time now, and it’s only a matter of time before this relatively undiscovered gem of the Middle East gets popular.

The outstanding beauty of Petra; probably Jordan’s most famous asset, is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World - and while it is definitely a must-see, it certainly isn’t all this unique country has to offer.

Most visits start in the capital on Amman, which is an experience in itself. Fusing traditional charm with a contemporary ethic; you’ll find international clothing brands along with quaint souks selling pretty much everything, to old-fashioned style cafes and modern chic eateries. For those interested in cuisine, Jordan’s national dish is called ‘Mansef’. Usually made from lamb or goat, the meat is cooked in yogurt and seasoned with herbs and spices, sprinkled with

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The desert region of Wadi Rum is much more than just sand. This incredible landscape has been used in numerous films (including ‘Star Wars’ and ‘The Martian’) for its lunarlike qualities. 4x4 Dune Safaris and Camel Trekking are popular activities here, but for the true nomad, opt for a traditional Bedouin experience under the stars by spending the night here. With open fires, dinner prepared by locals and luxury tents, it’s more glamping than camping, but equally as brilliant.

Many are familiar with images of newspaperreading floating bathers, however those who aren’t should try and keep their mouths closed whilst swimming in the Dead Sea! It’s advisable not to spend over 20 minutes at a time in the water due to its high salinity (which makes floating on the surface very easy) - but when you’re not in the water, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking.

Dead Sea Mud is a famous exfoliant and regularly used in overpriced cosmetics - you’ll see plenty of bathers covering themselves in it. It’s somewhat customary, so get it slapped on and enjoy!

Wakefield&District

Back to business and Brexit

By Natalie Sykes, Regional Director, Institute of Directors The General Election has been and gone and minds are now focussed on the negotiations required to secure a good deal for Britain as we exit the European Union.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) is at the forefront of providing platforms for business leaders to debate the issues at stake, post the Election and pre Brexit.

Across the Northern Powerhouse region, we are staging a series of events to ensure the voice of business is heard and taken into account as the Government progresses the Brexit negotiations and importantly, a final trade agreement.

At the same time, we are driving forward the Northern Powerhouse agenda to grow the voice of business, the economy and connectivity in the North, partnering with key organisations such as Transport for the North.

The next few months therefore are going to be busy for business but there is time to take stock at our prestigious Director of the Year Awards being held on Wednesday 5 July at the Principal York Hotel.

leaders we have across Yorkshire and the North East.

Their achievements cannot be overestimated and our awards highlight their hard work and dedication to growing successful companies – and the Northern Powerhouse economy.

Congratulations to all our winners who will go forward to the national IoD Director of the Year finals later this year.

• The IoD’s 99 Club is the perfect membership package for young business leaders It enables founders and entrepreneurs to take their start up to the next level, networking with 1,400 like-minded individuals.

FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.IOD.COM/MEMBERSHIP

These annual awards are a timely reminder – and a celebration – of the breadth of inspirational entrepreneurs and business

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE IOD IN YORKSHIRE AND THE NORTH EAST, EMAIL IOD. YORKSHIRE@IOD.COM

June / July 2017

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The Wakefield First Bondholder Scheme is a private sector initiative that aims to accelerate the growth of the Wakefield District by branding, marketing and promoting it nationally and internationally. It now boasts representation and support from companies of all sizes and from a variety of sectors including manufacturing, professional services, creative and digital as well as cultural and leisure.

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2018 WAKEFIELD GALA DINNER & VARIETY PERFORMANCE FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018

5:45pm Champagne Reception & Black Tie Gala Dinner, Unity Hall 8pm Variety Performance, Theatre Royal Wakefield Evening concludes with guests and cast members enjoying a post-show party

“Wow….... I thought last year’s Gala Dinner was good but last week’s was even better, well done to all concerned. The meal was again of good quality and the show just outstanding” 2017 Gala Dinner Table host “Last night was a complete triumph. We have a true mix of people on our table and they all thoroughly enjoyed it. Well done guys – fantastic effort and a real reflection of all that is amazing about the Theatre.”

2017 Gala Dinner sponsor Following the outstanding success of this year’s Gala Dinner we are pleased to announce

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Please return the booking form to jon.ingham@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk or call 01924 334 116

Wakefield&District

AD:VENTURE Case Study Information:

Infinity Works is a Software Consultancy with offices in Leeds and London. Consisting of leading IT Engineers and Technologists, offering a variety of consultancy services to help organisations solve any problem, deliver any project and strengthen their organisation.

Specialising in Agile / Lean methods the team offer a range of services, through a no nonsense approach and total transparency with clients’ .

• Project, Programme and Portfolio Delivery • Training • Dev Ops and Engineering across

various IT systems and services • Organisational Optimisation practices.

space was a big one to make!”

Back in 2014, the team had initially linked up with the Tech Hub, though Leeds Beckett University and had taken advantage of the incubation to present a professional frontage to manage bigger clients as they continued to expand. They then moved to their first tiny office in Leeds, and as a result, more work and more recruitment followed! This led to a move to the first big office in Leeds in November 2016.

Infinity Works has seen tremendous growth over the last 12-18 months, growing existing key accounts with other Leeds based firms such as NHS Digital and SkyBet, at the same time as establishing new customer accounts. A good proportion of those new customers were requesting that work was completed by their specialist teams in Leeds.

Paul adds “Having the initial network through the Tech Hub, and having the support of our growth manager, has been vital to us – It’s not easy for new businesses to know what’s out there and what they could be using to accelerate their growth – The LEP growth managers have been so helpful signposting us to business growth support we can really take advantage of. I recommend to anyone who is starting out, reach out for help – This sort of stuff really saves time for me as a business director, and seriously save money and time – a resource no new business can afford to waste”

With great new work opportunities coming in, the space they had just wasn’t enough!!

Paul Henshaw, just one of Infinity Works 6dynamic directors said “The rate of growth was fantastic, but after starting out hot-desking at coffee shops and cafés, and on occasion, the local pub, the decision to commit to leased

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Fast forward to 2016 and the continued growth opened up further opportunity, but, with further challenges and costs!

As growth over the previous 2 years showed, there was great demand for the service in the regions Infinity Works operated in and those further afield. The company planned to build their client base across Leeds and London whilst continuing to provide a great service for existing clients.

Moving to a new larger Leeds office was the way to address this, and with the help of grant funding through the AD:VENTURE programme, has enabled the team to transform the office into a collaborative working space with the capacity to help run and drive new customer accounts, in addition they now have the space to deliver community events!

An example of the is the Agile in Leeds Meet Up Group https://www.meetup.com/Agile-in-Leeds/ Paul says “We loved working with Bal at AD:VENTURE as the grant process was surprisingly simple. Having our business plan and strategy in place was a key element of this of course, but Bal and the team were happy to support wherever possible and helped us right through the application, to getting the thumbs up at the grant panel!”

With project costs of £74,000, the company used the funding from AD:VENTURE to help leverage the benefits their new 10,000 square feet office space provides.

The grant application was a success, and the company secured £16,400 towards the project costs. The new office will support recruitment of 12 new staff members, including graduate recruits and high skilled IT engineering roles.

The team are now in the new office, and excited about more growth yet to come.

Infinity Works are going to infinity……and beyond!!

Watch this space……….

To find out more about Infinity Works, their progress, services and events visit https://www. infinityworks.com/ Want to join us on an AD:VENTURE to grow your venture?

If you would like to talk to us about the programme, and how any part of it could support your business growth, register now at www.ad-venture.org.uk or email support@adventure.org.uk

Wakefield&District

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Wakefield&District

Barclays super sizes card readers for older and disabled customers

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ith over 5m people experiencing some form of sight loss or dexterity issues*, these developments will help customers access services more easily and further protect them from fraud.

A card reader, or ‘PINsentry’, is a small handheld device that provides an extra level of protection for customers logging into online banking from home or verifying themselves within a bank branch. Following feedback that some customers, particularly older ones, found the card reader difficult to see and use because of its size, Barclays has developed a fully accessible talking card reader with bigger buttons and screen to meet a broader range of access needs. This was tested in conjunction with customers and AbilityNet to ensure it was easy to use.

Barclays has also made an enhancement to its existing popular range of high-visibility debit cards. In addition to the high contrast and brightly coloured designs and tactile notch for easy orientation, the three-digit security number on the reverse of the card has been made bigger after customers told Barclays they were struggling to see it.

Ashok Vaswani, Chief Executive of Barclays UK, said: “We are always looking for new ways to support our customers and make their finances even more secure.

“Often it’s when you think about how to meet specific needs that you find solutions that help the widest range of people and customers, which is why we thread this thinking through every business decision we make. This new development is yet another example of how we are responding to the needs of our customers.”

Nigel Lewis, Chief Executive of AbilityNet said: “As a leading advocate of accessible digital design, we know that putting the user at the centre of the design process delivers better products and services to every customer, not just people with disabilities.

Barclays commitment to accessibility, shown most recently by the launch of the large card reader and improved high-visibility debit card, will have a positive impact on the lives of the millions of people who use their services every day.”

These new developments follow on from a range of UK high-street banking firsts by Barclays to help older customers and those with disabilities better access its services:

Barclaycard website, giving people access to telephony agents from the comfort of their own home.

P Voice security – In 2016 Barclays launched voice security technology for all customers, meaning they no longer need to use a password to access telephone banking services. Barclays also added finger-print security verification within their mobile banking app. Both of these technologies make it easier for customers to access their account, especially those who struggle to remember passwords.

Debit card hub – In early 2017 Barclays gave customers new levels of control over when, where and how their debit card works, offering customers the choice to instantly turn ‘on’ and ‘off’ whether their card can be used to make remote purchases and even set their own ATM withdrawal limits. This helps all customers to protect themselves from fraud by helping them stay in control of their money.

P High-Vis Personalised Debit Cards – In January 2013, Barclays launched brightly coloured debit cards with contrastingcoloured arrows, so that they stand out in wallets and a tactile notch so that customers can tell which way to insert them. These cards are free to order via branch, telephone, online and mobile banking channels.

P SignVideo - In 2015 Barclays became the first bank to offer instant access to British Sign Language interpreters in-branch, via a SignVideo app on branch iPads. It is also available via Barclays.co.uk, and the

June & July 2017

Wakefield&District

Brexit

Jobs must be a priority Jobs and prosperity must be the focus of upcoming Brexit negotiations according to the recruitment industry and I must agree.

Growth as IT group surpasses £22m revenues

IT business the Pure Technology Group has surpassed £22m in revenues in a “fantastic” year.

For the year to May 2017, the company posted £22.7m revenues, although accounts have not yet landed on Companies House.

By Andy TURNER Managing Director - First Choice Recruitment

W

hen Article 50 was triggered by the Government in late March this began a two-year withdrawal from the EU, a two-year process which could prove to be painful in many ways. The UK labour market has performed well since the EU referendum, employers are continuing to create jobs and employment has reached record levels. As Brexit negotiations begin, we need the Government to prioritise a deal which creates more jobs and prosperity.

This was a 19% increase on the year before, and the company said it also increased gross profitability. is part of the solution but we also need our immigration policy to reflect the labour market needs. The Evening Standard columnist Antony Hilton recently made the point that whilst politicians are focused primarily on Brexit, “there are greater challenges in jobs and education ahead”.

We must focus everyone’s minds on what the post-EU landscape might look like.

Ideally we will maintain a dynamic and agile employment eco-system but our core policy mission remains exactly the same: to work with policy makers to build the best jobs market in the world.

Back in 2007, the REC ‘Recruitment 2020’ project with leading think tanks were bullish and concluded that “intermediaries have become hugely important; they tell us where to shop, who to do business with and who to hire”. More recently a conclusion from the World Employment Conference in India was that the pace of change will require more people to make sense of the constantly evolving employment landscape which could actually make the role of intermediaries even more important.

Access to staff and skills remains an immediate concern; our industry body (the REC) show that 51% of employers are expecting candidate shortages, with 78% reporting no spare capacity. So if these figures are reasonably accurate – what is the solution?

Everyone’s role not just the Chamber of Commerce, the REC, FSB’s etc is not only to pre-empt forthcoming challenges, but to influence the direction of travel wherever we can. As Abraham Lincoln once famously said:- “the best way to predict your future is to create it”!

Improving UK Skills and driving inclusion

Exciting times lie ahead…….

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The Leeds and Wakefield-based group created 16 jobs during the year bringing staff numbers to over 90, and doubled its training and development budget.

Pure Technology, formerly Pure Data Group specialises in IT services to SME, corporate and public sectors.

It was founded in 2007 and now has more than 1,200 customers. It is aiming to double staff numbers to 150 and increase revenues to £40m in the coming years, with ambitions to grow through acquisitions as well as organic growth following its last acquisition of Servatech in 2014.

In a statement the group said: “With a detailed growth strategy underpinned by a dedicated and talented team, the pure technology group is well on track for another successful year.

“Thank you to everyone at the pure technology group for working hard to achieve this success. We’d also like to thank suppliers and partners but most of all our customers for placing trust in us.”

Wakefield&District MAGAZINE FOR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, APPRENTICES AND STUDENTS

tomorrow Sponsored by

June / July 2017

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Wakefield&District

Boarding schools make sense.

By Anton Maree, Headmaster, Ackworth School

Many years ago I attended a big boys school. I was one of very few day pupils, as a result I had no difficulty finding friends who invited themselves home for the weekend. My mother still tells everyone how popular I was at school. Sport was an important focus after lessons, mostly rugby or cricket, in my case, but at the end of a long day I would make my way home. I could!

Boarders envied my liberty, with town leave granted only once a week. Worse, they had to wear straw bashers to make sure that everyone knew they were boarders and walk downtown in twos or in crocodile formation. Despite this I envied them, especially the straw bashers, and I must admit the massive trunks filled with what seemed to be a never ending supply of food! As far as I could see they spent most of their time playing games or courting girls.

Forty years ago boarding schools did not have to consider offering the options available to parents today, doubtless a few of these options existed, were considered innovative and were probably more commonly found at small schools with fewer boarders. Today many options exist; there is weekly boarding and flexi-boarding, or you could just stay for dinner and supervised prep after school. Some schools offer Friday nights with activities on Saturday morning to allow parents to go out on a Friday night and sleep late before picking up their children. It is a good idea, try it!

There are other options that reflect the innovation that results from competition, competition that emanated from the demise of the English speaking boarder at boarding schools. One school in the south of England allows sixth formers a boarding appetiser, two weeks for free. They are inundated with requests, many day pupils never considered boarding until they experienced it for the first time.

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Boarding schools have all the resources to make a success of enticing day pupils to arrive earlier and stay for longer. Catering is on hand, staff are available to supervise and facilities are there to be utilised. Spectacular facilities in fact, fitness suites, modern theatres, heated swimming pools, glass backed squash courts, tennis courts, and so on, and all of it accompanied by expert advice.

From the schools perspective, day pupils can alter the balance between a vastly international boarding community and the mostly English speaking day pupils. This results in more interaction with the international pupils, who are exposed to English culture which is what their parents want and day pupils are exposed to foreign cultures which will give them an international outlook on life, and is what their parents want.

Sounds good, but why would you consider sending your children to a school that has boarding? It is likely that they may do just as well at day school! There are many benefits.

Boarding schools can't close at the end of the school day, boarders have a full range of activities which requires supervision. The availability of staff after hours creates an irresistible opportunity. Staff who work in boarding schools are usually willing to give up a precious commodity, time, and do so willingly. Typically they are all passionate about their subject and love teaching. Why not give it a try!

Editor becomes a dragon TopicUK Group Editor was delighted recently to be asked to be a ‘dragon’ at an event organised by The University of Huddersfield, journalism department.

Wakefield&District

New head for Ackworth’s Junior School

Ackworth School has appointed a new Head of its Junior School at Coram House.

“Unlike the television version, fellow judge Chris Shaw and I were not asked to put up any cash, but we were asked to offer feed back on four presentations by second year journalist student projects, where they were asked to create a business plan and project to set up a magazine,” said TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler.

“We were presented with four very different ideas from cookery to music and entertainment magazines.

“Working together in groups of four to six, students set themselves an area of responsibility such as designer, salesperson, accounts manager, researcher etc.

Sally Slater, who has been Acting Head for the past five months, steps into the role with immediate effect. “I’m absolutely delighted”, said Sally. “We have a wonderful school community at Coram House, and I’m excited to build on our legacy as a centre for excellence in education even further.”

continue to be a great asset to Ackworth School.”

Ackworth School Head, Anton Maree said, “Sally’s extensive knowledge and innovative ideas greatly impressed the selection committee. As Head of Coram, House she’ll

“Our small class sizes, averaging just 13 students, ensures a high level of individual attention; a characteristic of a good independent education.”

Each then worked on the project, first researching the need for a magazine in the chosen area in the first place, how they would raise the funds, what the content would be, distribution, sales and printing.

“Having done all this ourselves four years ago when we launched TopicUK, it was interesting for me personally to see what work they had put into it. I don’t think people realise the hard work that goes into setting something like this up, and I managed to pick up a few tips and ideas myself from the students!” Gill continued.

“Coram House is a dynamic place of learning,” added Sally.

“Young children receive a solid foundation for life here. Our Early Years Programme, from Reception to Year 2, stands them in great stead for the rest of their school career.

outside business. The students were nervous presenting to business people and hopefully the feedback that they received from Chris and I was valuable. I was able to explain the pitfalls and the mistakes we made, how we rectified them and explained how you have to stay passionate about the project as we are if it is to work.”

“I think this is an excellent initiative by The University of Huddersfield to engage with

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There was an air of excitement at Wakefield College this week after the keys to the new £7m Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre were handed over to senior College staff.

The new centre, based at the College’s City Campus, will welcome its first students later this month before the official opening in the Autumn, and promises to transform highlevels skills education and training in the District.

Wakefield College Principal, Sam Wright said: “This is another milestone for everyone associated with Wakefield College and marks a new chapter in our recent history. With the keys now firmly in our hands we can really look forward to opening our doors to this fantastic and vibrant new facility in the heart of City.”

The facility includes specialist engineering labs, a 90-seat lecture theatre, a large Apple Mac suite, IT rooms and business incubation spaces where local entrepreneurs can bring their business ideas to life with advice and support on hand.

ASIC will focus on innovation and enterprise in order to promote economic growth in the District and help to fill the region’s skills shortages. University-level provision from areas including engineering, creative and digital industries, game development, web technologies, computing, sports and teacher training will also be delivered from the facility.

The College has been working closely with businesses, students and employers on the development of the project and is planning a

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College receives keys to new £7m Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre (ASIC) series of tours and events to showcase the new centre and highlight the facilities it has to offer in the coming months.

The ASIC project has received £3.3M investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of investment to accelerate good growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

Pictured front centre, college principal Sam Wright with Paul Campbell, partner at Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors.

Wakefield&District

Benefits of starting early independent education Independent schools have a lot to offer children today, especially when they enrol at an Early Years age (4-7 years old).

M

uch of what they offer cannot be offered at state schools: small class sizes; breadth of educational programme; and level of parental involvement and teacher accessibility, to name at least three.

Average Pre-Prep Years class size is just 13 pupils. This guarantees close and careful teacher and teacher aide supervision.

Compare this with 27 pupils in state primary schools, where time spent with individual pupils is far less.

Smaller classes also enable teachers to be more attuned to students’ needs. Every student and his or her family are well known to staff, which is instrumental in forging a productive educational relationship.

Independent schools also provide children an environment in which they can become confident, well-rounded individuals. A focus on mental resilience helps children develop a problem-solving mindset they can use in tackling everything they do.

Students who attend independent schools are controlled, committed, confident and like a challenge, research by leading

psychometric test publisher AQR International has revealed.

The research into soft skills and mental toughness shows students at Independent Schools Council independent schools, have good attainment, wellbeing and behaviour.

They’re more resilient, better at dealing with setbacks and more open to learning as a result.

One parent, with sons at Ackworth School, said, “I feel my boys have had such a great start. The small class sizes and individual support has allowed them to be successful in all aspects of their lives.”

“The teachers have time to give each child the individual attention they need – this is crucial for their development and has helped my child gain the skills needed to succeed at Senior School.”

“The variety of activities allows my child to experience most other schools cannot offer,” said another parent. “Forest School gives the children such a confidence boost when working in a team.”

“At Ackworth, we value a meaningful education, and teaching that teaches

to students’ needs, not to test papers,” said Sally Slater, Head of Coram House preparatory school . “That’s why we don’t have the SATs exams.”

“Our teaching is underpinned by continuous informal assessment and differentiated planning means we tailor the curriculum to each child’s individual and changing learning needs.”

At the end of the school day, the fun doesn’t stop there. The After-School child-minding programme provides pupils with a great place to play, learn or relax after the school day.

The free Before-School service offers parents the opportunity to get away to work early, and helps students get ready for the day ahead.

We all know that parents play an important role in the education of their children, and parental involvement is greatly encouraged in independent schools.

Parent involvement goes both ways too.

Many parents happily devote time to talking classes about their own time at work, and there are ample opportunities to help with school activities, like school productions and the Parent and Staff Association.

Being part of an all-through school, junior pupils enjoy the use of the excellent facilities at the school, including an indoor heated swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, cricket pitches, football pitches, tennis courts, all-weather hockey pitch, as well as the auditorium and science labs. The school’s development strategy ensures the facilities are modern and class-leading.

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Students and staff visit Tanzania In October 2016, 45 students and six members of staff from Silcoates School, travelled to Tanzania to renovate a school in Malangi, working with Inspire Worldwide and the Livingstone Tanzania Trust.

meant we were able to get involved in the Tanzanian life and culture, meeting everyone from the elders to the children everyday on site, as well as on community visits. It was interesting to see how they work, and to learn about their daily lives and their culture. Additionally, the project benefited the local community further by employing local construction workers, called ‘fundis’, who taught us vital skills such as bricklaying, plastering, and painting.

In order to fully immerse ourselves in the Tanzanian culture, we made visits both to the local Church and Mosque, where we met various religious leaders. It was interesting to observe how different religions can operate in harmony together, but it was also fascinating to compare the different traditions of religious ceremony between this country and our own.

For us, the most rewarding aspect of the trip was meeting and interacting with the children. Throughout the trip, we were welcomed almost like celebrities – you could really tell just how much they appreciated our support, and this was conveyed through their incredible hospitality, which was demonstrated especially during the welcoming and leaving ceremonies. It was heart-warming to see that people, who have so little could be so happy, despite clear socioeconomic challenges faced in, often corrupt, nations such as Tanzania.

T

he trip was the culmination of 18 months of fundraising and, having smashed our target with over £50,000 raised, wecould make a big difference in the communities.

It was incredibly rewarding, during the course of the trip, to watch this immense project progress; we fully renovated seven classrooms, inside and out, laid floors and pathways to keep the children safe, built a new kitchen, and also started work at another site, in Hangoni. We also built a community

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garden, to not only grow food, but to educate the community about sustainable farming.

Additionally, we installed rain catchers, which will provide the school with 40,000 litres of safe water. Working in the intense African heat was tough, but the team made an enormous effort and went above and beyond expectations, carrying enough buckets of cement and stones to last a lifetime!

However, it wasn’t all hard work, as we lived side by side with the community, which

The problems are painstakingly clear: just 50% of children in Tanzania go to a primary school, and even less go to secondary school.

The average life expectancy in Tanzania is just 65. Too often, we can get so caught up in our own world, that we forget to recognise and appreciate just how privileged we are.

The most important lesson that we took from the trip is to always have a positive outlook, similar to that of the local community, and to always be grateful for how lucky we are. It’s also important to keep a global perspective of the ‘bigger picture’ – of what really matters here. At Silcoates, we recognise this and, as a result, we will be sending 35 further students and teachers to Tanzania in 2018, with a vision

Wakefield&District Independent Education for Boys & Girls Aged 3-18

Silcoates School An all-round education with an academic edge

“ Our pupils are happy,

motivated and talented individuals, prepared for the 21st Century

“

“ Silcoates School is set in 50 acres

of beautiful grounds in Wakefield.

We have been successfully educating the pupils of Yorkshire since 1820.

“

We are less than five minutes from Junction 41 of the M1 and Junction 29 of the M62 and only eight miles from Leeds

admissions@silcoates.org.uk www.silcoates.org.uk - 01924 291614 to continue the Tanzania project on a bi-annual basis.

Both Inspire Worldwide, and the Livingstone Tanzania Trust have clear goals of changing lives through education, instead of simply through offering financial aid. In the words of Malala Yousafzai: “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” The work we have carried out will provide these children with a safe environment where they can gain an education to enable them to break free from poverty and, for us, this has been the most vital aspect of the project.

Tanzania was, for us, a once in a lifetime opportunity. The project has been an incredible journey from start to finish, and the trip wouldn’t have been possible without all those who contributed to the fundraising. Overall, the Tanzania 2016 project was an incredible opportunity enjoyed by the whole team. Therefore, the team would like to thank everyone who contributed to the trip’s success. Thanks also go to the School staff and leaders at Inspire Worldwide for all their hard work in making the trip so brilliant.

Isabelle Lawley and Joe Reid Silcoates School Lower Sixth

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Ackworth School An Early Foundation for Life Early Years and Junior School for ages 2½ - 11 Years Limited vacancies in Reception to Year 3 September 2017

Ackworth School Pontefract Road, Ackworth, Pontefract, Wakefield, WF7 7LT Tel: +44 (0)1977 611401 l Email: admissions@ackworthschool.com www.ackworthschool.com l M /AckworthSchool l N @ackworth_school

Wakefield&District

Students pick up College awards The annual Wakefield College 14-16 Awards took place recently and saw a great number of awards for students at local schools.

The event acknowledges and celebrates the successes of 14-16 learners from local secondary schools who attend College on full or part-time vocational pathways.

This year’s award winners were: 14-16 Student of the Year in Construction – Logan Benn (Castleford Academy) 14-16 Student of the Year in Hair and Beauty 54e– Ele Turgoose (Kettlethorpe High School)

14-16 Student of the Year in Engineering & Motor Vehicle – Maciej Uniatowski (Castleford Academy) 14-16 Recognition Award – Lauren Harvey (Castleford Academy) 14-16 Principal’s Award (Joint Winners) – Kelsey Greening (St Thomas a Becket Catholic School) and Ashley Wicks (Minsthorpe Community College) 14-16 Student of the Year – Blaize-Marie Myers (Home Educated)

James Pennington, Partnership Manager at Wakefield College said: “We have had another excellent year working with partner schools and once again have some remarkable success stories to celebrate.

“We are delighted to offer students, who have a keen interest in a vocational area, the opportunity to either come to College a year early, or combine vocational learning with their GCSEs in school.

“We are immensely proud of all our students and this event is important as it allows us to celebrate the achievements of a group of students, many of whom have not previously been recognised for achieving in education.

“This is just the start for them and I look forward to seeing many of them back studying with us next year.”

June / July 2017

Wakefield&District

New grant to help families build hope in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield A partnership of six West Yorkshire voluntary and community organisations has secured a Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund grant to help individuals from the regions most socially excluded families.

The programme aims to benefit local communities by reducing poverty and anti-social behaviour.

Halifax Opportunities Trust and lead partner, Pluss, will begin to deliver the £2.4 million programme in June for the next three years alongside partners Yorkshire Children’s Centre, Groundwork, Dominion Training and NOVA. Halifax Opportunities Trust’ Chief Executive, Alison Haskins, said “We are really pleased that we are one of the partners delivering the Hopeful Families programme. This programme builds on the Trust’s excellent record of working closely with local people to develop new skills and to support their personal growth which supports their own ambitions, aspirations for their families and for the type of employment they want to find” Pluss’ Chief Executive, Steve Hawkins, said “Hopeful Families will support hundreds of people across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield to overcome a range of barriers and build a brighter future for themselves and their families.

“Securing the funds to deliver this programme is a proud moment for all six organisations. Our partnership will deliver significant positive social change at a time when local devolution means West Yorkshire is taking on more responsibility for its own future.”

T

he first programme of its kind in West Yorkshire, ‘Hopeful Families’ will help over 620 individuals who are out of work to build their confidence and overcome the challenges they face in

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finding employment. The programme will be personally tailored to individual needs and will include help with personal development, health and wellbeing, and to develop life-skills including digital technology.

Hopeful Families has been co-designed over the past six months by people from local communities, and Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield Councils.

Hopeful Families is a new project jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities programme.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.PLUSS.ORG. UK OR CONTACT GERALDINE SCOTT-SMITH ON 07766 367267.

Wakefield&District

Advanced Skills & Innovation Centre – the new hub of high-level skills in the region

Opening 2017!

The new Centre will transform high-level skills training in the District. Not only will it become the new hub of our University Centre at Wakefield College, bringing modern teaching and learning facilities for our students, it will also become a focal point in the District for innovation and entrepreneurship, allowing enterprising students and local start-up businesses to bring their business ideas to life.

businessschool at wakefieldcollege

Working in partnership with nationally recognised professional bodies, our Business School at Wakefield College will help train the business leaders of tomorrow.

So whether you have a passion for accountancy, management, personnel, legal services, procurement, or leadership, our Business School could be your ticket to success.

ASIC Engineering Centre Students will benefit from learning in our superb new engineering centre. The centre will provide opportunities to study higher-level courses developed with leading industry employers, including Coca-Cola Enterprises and BOSCH. This allows our students to learn the relevant skills and knowledge to progress into industry, and have a head start in their careers.

With the creative and digital industries identified as key growth areas locally, our creative and digital industry students will benefit from high quality facilities and collaboration with local businesses to nurture the talent of the future and help to fill the regional skills gap.

Nationally, the Creative & Digital industries contribute

6%

of GDP and employ over

2 million people

‘We expect our future growth to come from increasing demand for and investment in areas including engineering, finance & business services, transport & logistics, and creative & digital’ Leeds City Region Skills Plan, 2013-2015

Notes: ▪ This drawing is copyright.

▪ Do not scale dimensions from this drawing.

▪ This drawing is to be read in conjunction with all other relevant drawings.

▪ All discrepancies on this drawing are to be reported to the architect.

▪ Do not modify any element of this drawing.

▪ Use drawing only for purpose(s) issued.

North Sign / Key Plan

The following external model files are included within this drawing:

Supported by 0mm

100mm

This project has received investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

3 2 1 Rev Client

04/11/16 Colours altered.

07/09/16 Alternative Materials 13/09/16 First Issue Date Revision Notes

TB TB TB Drawn

Review

Wakefield College

Intelligence Buildings Infrastructure

www.ibigroup.com

Project

Proposed ASIC, Wakefield College City Campus, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 2DH

Drawing Title

Internal Views

Job Number

Date Created

Scale@A1

Purpose

50379

Drawing Number

EL(40)02

PAS 1192 Status Code

Revision

3

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Wakefield&District

80’s Icon

Flame haired

comes to Wakefield

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Wakefield&District

T’Pau became one of the most successful and biggest selling bands of the 1980s with huge hits like China In Your Hand, Heart and Soul and Valentine

L

ed by flame-haired singer Carol Decker, they rode the crest of a wave, enjoying a quadruple platinum number one hit with their debut album, Bridge Of Spies. The album produced a string of worldwide hits, which saw Heart & Soul, staying on the U.S billboard chart for 6 months, peaking at No 4, and of course most notably, China In Your Hand, which occupied the No1 slot in the UK for 5 weeks.

T’pau toured continuously with the likes of Bryan Adams & Nik Kershaw eventually selling out their own arena shows such as Wembley and The NEC. Ahead of Carol’s appearance at Warehouse23 Wakefield on 7 July, TopicUK editor Gill Laidler caught up with her to find out a little more.

I suppose the first question that Carol gets asked, and I was no exception, is where did the name T’Pau come from?

Many Star Trek fans will remember it as a character from the TV series and Carol admitted that is where the band name came from, but did stress that although she liked the series, she is no big trekki fan! “Admittedly, I was sitting watching TV one night and the series was on. I kept hearing the name T’Pau T’pau and I thought it was great. As the band had come up with several names, none really very good, this was the best and so it stuck!”

Carol started T’Pau with her ex Ronnie Rogers. “We wrote songs and made music in a garage then toured around the country in a crappy van arriving at gigs where we were the only one’s there,” she laughed. “It was tough, we rarely got paid and rarely did anyone turn up to see us.”

The turning point came in 1987 when they broke into the music scene with the hit ‘Heart & Soul’ taken from the debut album, Bridge of Spies, that reached number four in both the UK and US charts.

Signed to Siren Records, the band comprised of songwriters, Carol and Ronnie who was also guitar, Dean Howard lead guitar, Paul Jackson bass, Michael Chetwood Keyboards and Tim Burgess on drums.

Heart & Soul led to a meteoric rise in T’Pau’s fortunes and following a UK arena tour supporting Bryan Adams, the band toured UK city halls as headliners to tie in with their next single, the classic ballad, China in your Hand. Nobody could have predicted the enormous impact of ‘China’ which stayed at number one for five weeks, becoming the longest serving number one of the year and one of the most played songs of the 1980s. Further hits followed such as Valentine, I will be with You and Sex Talk, the Bridge of Spies

Tickets

for the WAKEFIELD Warehouse 23 show are available from: Warehouse 23 Box Office No: 01924 200162 Website – http:// warehouse23.co.uk/events/ Tickets - £18.00 Doors – 7.00pm

album was certified quadruple platinum in the UK selling 1.2m copies. Further albums followed boasting over 4 million world-wide sales.

The original line-up split in 1991 but Carol has continued her career non-stop since, building a new T’Pau around her and appears at many UK summer festivals and 80s revival gigs.

There was a short break when she dabbled in acting, “but with two small children it would have been a huge commitment with drama classes etc, so I decided to stay with my music, whilst doing some radio and TV presenting,” she explained.

This year sees T’Pau’s 30th anniversary and to celebrate they have launched the Virgin Anthology box set that features all the tracs, demo’s and B-sides from their Virgin albums.

Carol’s book Heart and Soul is also out now. For the first time, Carol is lifting the lid on the highs and the lows, the make-ups and the break-ups. It’s the book fans have clamoured for, and features rare photographs of Carol and her band.

Apart from appearing at Warehouse in July, Carol is touring the country, appearing at Let’s Rock London, Rewind Scotland, Camp Bestival and at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.

They also make an appearance at Wembly Arena on 14 December with the Big Let’s Rock Christmas Party, alongside other 80’s icons, Tony Hadley, Kim Wilde, Nik Kershaw, Go West, Nick Heyward and many many more. For any the above concerts, tickets are available on the T’Pau website at: www.tpau.co.uk

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Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Biscuit provides a complete IT service and flexible office IT solutions for businesses and organisations throughout the UK.

Our IT Solutions services support your team in thinking about the bigger picture when it comes to your IT systems.

hello@biscuit.uk.com 01924 241281