Business MK July 24

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Qualifications success

Newly qualified chartered legal executives Lara Marotta and Amira Abdu have good reason to smile after successfully completing their CILEX qualifications.

Amira has worked at Woodfines Solicitors since 2022 in the regional firm’s private client department while Laura has been working in the disputes team since her arrival as a paralegal in April last year.

Woodfines partner and training principal Mike Hayward, head of regulatory and dispute resolution, said: “We pride ourselves on identifying and developing gifted individuals by giving them multiple opportunities and learning the different routes into law as this opens a talent pool and helps make legal routes more accessible for many people across a broad spectrum of specialisms.

“Amira and Lara both bring great positivity and passion to their respective roles.”

A ‘huge economic boost’ to UK aviation

Saudi agreement paves the way for £300m investment in hybrid aircraft project

Saudi Arabia is to make an equity investment in a Bedfordshire company’s work to develop a specially adapted hybrid-electric aircraft that does not need a runway to take off and land.

ARC Aero Systems has signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the Saudi defence and security manufacturing specialist Life Shield to work on new aviation solutions and

promote manufacturing within the two countries. The deal will open the way for more than £300 million of investment into the two nations’ aerospace sectors.

ARC Aero Systems, based at Cranfield, is in the advanced stages of developing the modified design of the Avian Pegasus, which it hopes to bring to market in 2026.

The Avian Pegasus (pictured, facing page) is a tried and tested jump takeoff gyroplane with features including vertical lift and landing. It requires virtually no infrastructure in accessing remote communities and supporting emergency responders.

The Avian Pegasus has approval from

Teenagers considering their career options had a taste of the great outdoors at an open day with some of the operational team at The Parks Trust. They saw some of the machinery in action and learned about the opportunities on offer. The event took place at the Parks Trust’s education centre at Howe Park Wood near Westcroft.

The signing ceremony in Saudi Arabia

Amira Abdu

Lara Marotta

the US Federal Aviation Administration and can transport passengers for commercial purposes. ARC is also developing a larger nine-seat Linx P9 compound rotorcraft and a C600, one of the largest civilian unmanned aerial vehicles, capable of carrying payloads of up to 100kg across long distances.

The partnership with Riyadh-based Life Shield is supported by Saudi Arabia’s National Industry Development Center and will see both the Saudi government and Life Shield make an equity investment in ARC Systems to create a new company, Life Shield Aerospace, which will be based in Saudi Arabia.

Life Shield Aerospace will bolster UK manufacturing with the pilot production of each of ARC’s three designs: Pegasus, P9 and C600. It will then set up facilities for wider scale manufacturing of aircraft

in Saudi Arabia for domestic use by the country’s Ministry of Air Transport and for worldwide export.

The SPA also includes the delivery of UKbased pilot training and it opens the door to a strategic academic collaboration with Cranfield University.

ARC’s founder and chief executive Dr Seyed Mosheni said: “We are incredibly excited and honoured to be part of this global joint venture with Life Shield.

“Not only does this support ARC in bringing its innovative solutions to market, it also provides a huge economic boost to UK aviation by promoting manufacturing, further R&D and academic collaboration within the sector.

“The Saudi Government’s National Industry Development Center has shown a real commitment in bringing this partnership to fruition and structuring it to

ensure it will deliver reciprocal benefits to both the UK and Saudi Arabia.”

Life Shield’s chairman Hisham AlJuma’an said: “Along with the benefits it will deliver in the UK, this strategic partnership will enhance industrial cooperation and promote the exchange of expertise between leading companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other global companies in this field.

“It will also provide a significant contribution to the National Center for Industrial Development in the Aircraft sector and support the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”

Saudi Arabia is forecasting huge growth in its aviation sector, with passenger numbers expected to treble to 330 million in the next ten years.

“This underlines the potential of the air industry, which is one of the most important sectors of our national industry strategy in terms of industrial development and direct job opportunities,” said Mr AlJuma’an.

As well as providing a major boost to UK aviation and manufacturing, the global partnership marks another key step forward for ARC Aero Systems as it prepares to launch into a market estimated to grow from its current value of around $9 billion to $45 billion by 2030.

Dr Mosheni said: “This collaboration marks a significant milestone in ARC’s young history and positions the company to become a major player in the aerospace sector by the end of this decade.”

Dr Seyed Mosheni

Technology: A case of adapt or die

Regional law firm EMW has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of two new partners in Milton Keynes, including one returning to the firm after a decade-long absence.

Liz Appleyard has returned to head EMW’s commercial department. Having qualified as a corporate lawyer, she joined EMW in 2001 and built a wealth of experience as a commercial contracts specialist. She left in 2014 to work with national law firms.

“Having spent over a decade of my career with EMW, I know just how unique its approach to commercial law is,” Liz said. “I am thrilled to be back.”

Chris George has joined as a partner specialising in commercial real estate. He was a member

Managing partner James Geary (centre) with EMW’s new partners Liz Appleyard and Chris George

of the National Legal Innovation Board in his last role at Shoosmiths and is taking the lead on real estate innovation at EMW.

“Having spearheaded legal innovation in real estate in my previous role, I have a unique understanding of the opportunities evolving technologies such generative and non-generative AI present to the market,” he said.

Ex-striker hits back of the net with boardroom appointment

Former England striker Andrew Johnson has joined the Milton Keynes-based Approved Finance Group as its director of real estate finance.

Having played for Crystal Palace, Fulham, Everton and Birmingham City, he has developed his business career and is head of sport and entertainment at Band Advisory group, an accounting and advice firm specialising in the creative sector. He is also an investor in the Stelaris Group.

AFG founder Rory Dunn described his arrival as a “key advancement” for the business.

“With his experience and proven success in the property space, we are confident that his joining will be pivotal in driving our future expansion,” he added. “Andrew’s dedication to excellence and his ability to navigate complex financial landscapes make him an ideal fit for our team.

“We cannot wait to leverage his insights and experience to enhance our service offerings and achieve our ambitious growth targets.”

Having played top-level football over a 19-year career, Andrew remains involved in sport as an ambassador for Crystal

Palace and as director of football at AFC Croydon Athletic.

On his transition to the boardroom, he said: “I am eager to contribute to a motivated young business, making waves in the financial services space. The company’s innovative approach and commitment to excellence is inspiring.

“I am deeply committed to driving positive change in both the business and sporting worlds, ensuring that communities thrive as a result.

“Throughout my career, I have seen first hand how sports can unite and uplift communities and I believe the same principles apply to business. By fostering strong relationships and pursuing innovative financial solutions, we can create opportunities that benefit not just our clients but local economies too.”

“Legal tech is no longer a niceto-have and those firms that fail to adapt will be left behind – it is that simple.”

Keeping pace with technological advances is essential, added EMW managing partner James Geary. “We are thrilled to welcome Liz and Chris to the EMW family - they are both talented specialists and I have no doubt that both our clients and the wider team will benefit hugely from their experience.

“We are always looking for ways to improve for our clients and people in a changing world and keeping a finger on the pulse of new technologies and how they can benefit the firm is critical.”

Andrew Johnson

Lease specialist joins property consultancy

Experienced property professional

Julian Chappell has joined commercial property consultancy Kirkby Diamond’s lease advisory and asset management team as a partner. He will support and grow the lease advisory and asset management

functions and will work closely with the specialist industrial logistics team.

Julian previously led the national lease advisory team at commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.

Backing for landmark ethnic business report

Vital data and insights into the contribution of ethnic businesses in Milton Keynes is set to be compiled for the first time.

Milton Keynes Ethnic Business Community and city-based business consultancy Whitecap Consulting has begun work on the first Milton Keynes Ethnic Business Impact Report.

And its insights have received a major boost with confirmation that the report is to be sponsored by The Open University.

MKEBC’s co-founder Ranjit Singh (pictured above, right) said: “The OU holds a prominent position within Milton Keynes so we are thrilled to announce them as our first sponsor for this pivotal project.

“Currently, there is a lack of concrete data on how much ethnically diverse businesses contribute to the wider economy of Milton Keynes. However, it is crucial to understand and appreciate the contributions of these businesses in our community.”

The OU’s director of employers and partnerships Viren Patel, who is also chief executive of OU Worldwide,

“We

believe the insights obtained will be momentous for Milton Keynes.”

added: “The OU are proud to contribute towards this project as we believe the insights obtained will be momentous for Milton Keynes.

“This report holds the key to comprehending the important economic role played by ethnically diverse businesses. As a leading employer in Milton Keynes, the OU is keen to support the community and foster a culture of inclusivity.”

OU support is important but MKEBC is seeking other sponsors and supporters of the report from among the city’s business community. Interested parties should email info@mkebc.co.uk or visit mkebc. co.uk for more information.

“This report will provide vital insights, foster discussions and spark initiatives aimed at further economic development,” said Ranjit.

“Thanks to the OU, we are making great strides towards our goal.”

Programme aims to inspire new black leaders

A pilot programme is under way for a new initiative designed to empower the next generation of black leaders in business and the community.

The Black Leadership and Empowerment Programme, designed by The Open University Business School in Milton Keynes, aims to equip participants with the skills needed to thrive in leadership roles. It has been launched in response to growing focus on racial equity in business, highlighted by the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. The pilot already has the backing of organisations including The Prince’s Trust, AutoTrader, Manchester Airport Group and Inclusive Companies.

The programme is being led by Dr Fidèle Mutwarasibo, a lecturer in work-based learning at the OU and director of its Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership.

He said: “BLEP emerged from discussions between community partners concerned with racial inequity and the OU. The programme will explore how we can be more effective in calling for change and fighting for change.”

Advancing Black Leadership is a badged open course, co-authored by Fidèle and former OU colleagues Prof Owain Smolovic Jones and Dr Tom Morton, which launched in March.

Introducing Black leadership, another BOC co-authored by Fidele and Owain, was launched in November 2023. There is also a 30-credit module, which aims to help consolidate learning and enhance study skills.

Black employees currently hold just 1.5% of top management roles in the UK private sector, according to the The Race at Work Black Voices Report of 2020.

The Green Park Business Leaders Index of 2021 showed that there were no black executives working at the leadership level of the UK’s top 100 companies.

A two-year BLEP pilot will be based initially at a learning hub in Manchester.

Programme participants will be able to access 150 hours of free learning on the OU’s OpenLearn platform including the two bespoke leadership courses.

East West Rail names new CEO

David Hughes has begun his new role as chief executive of East West Rail. He replaced Beth West and took up his post last month.

David was major programmes director for Arup before he joined EWR. He has previously worked as director general responsible for rail infrastructure at the Department for Transport, programme director at Transport for the North and Transport for London’s investment planning director.

“I have spent my career to date delivering transport connections that both make a real difference to the lives of the communities they serve and boost economic growth as well,” he said.

“I cannot wait to meet local residents and businesses to hear your views on how to best develop East West Rail for the future.”

EWR chair Neil Sachdev said: “He brings a real commitment to the promise that EWR offers both for better public transport in local communities and in unlocking growth in this worldleading region.”

Rail depot ready for £66m redevelopment

West Midlands Trains’ engineering depot at Bletchley is to undergo a £66 million redevelopment.

The upgrade will mean that the depot becomes WMT’s principal maintenance base for its new electric-powered Class 730 Aventra fleet. The work is due to be completed by autumn of next year.

Improvements will include overhead line equipment, new ten- and five-car sidings, full refurbishment of existing buildings and the installation of a modern security systems. Once operational, the depot will support electric fleets.

The project is being financed by Porterbrook, the UK’s leading rolling stock financier and asset management company.

WMT managing director Ian McConnell said: “This private financing deal enables West Midlands Trains to undertake major refurbishment of the depot at Bletchley - a critical part of our £1 billion fleet and infrastructure investment programme.

“The enhancements will modernise the facility to support the roll-out of our new

flagship electric train fleet, the Class 730s, which will deliver a step-change in the customer experience across our network.”

Stefan Rose, chief investment officer at Porterbrook, added: “Bletchley depot has been a stalwart of our railways since the mid-19th century and we are delighted to fund the redevelopment it needs to service the modern fleets joining the network. Through private finance, we can maintain and enhance essential rail infrastructure like this to continue to play an important role in the railway for many years to come.”

Specialist lawyers at national law firm Freeths, which has an office in Milton Keynes, advised on the deal.

Real estate partner and head of transport Michael Bray said: “This is an important project delivering private finance into a regulated rail depot environment, bringing a disused rail depot back into use, improving transport for customers and helping WMT and Britain’s railways achieve their net zero targets.”

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All aboard tech park’s travel lifeline

Shuttle bus service solves work travel and recruitment headaches for employers and employees alike.

Anew shuttle bus service for employees and visitors at Silverstone Park is proving a boost to the recruitment plans of companies based there.

The service began in March and stops at four points between Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Dadford and Silverstone Park.

It follows feedback from travel surveys which showed that more companies are recruiting from London. A collection and drop-off point at Milton Keynes helps Silverstone Park occupiers by simplifying journeys for their employees who travel by train.

Silverstone Park is also planning a second shuttle bus service from Northampton via Towcester and Brackley. Employers and staff working at the park have praised the service. Nick Locke, managing director of cables and harnesses manufacturer Nicab, said: “For

us as a local employer, it is vital we have good transport links especially for our younger employees such as apprentices because many of them do not drive and either rely on parents or public bus services which can be inconvenient.

“So having a dedicated shuttle service is a real boon to our business. It means we can employ more apprentices.”

Blaisey Soj works as a R&D engineer at traffic solutions developer Traffic

Eagle Lab invests in tech sector

Barclays Eagle Labs is to plough investment into the technology activity in Milton Keynes.

It has agreed the support from its Ecosystem Partnership Programme, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Milton Keynes Council plans to use the backing in its work to deliver its Technology, Smart City, Digital and Creative Industries Strategy, approved in March. The council has also announced Protospace as its partner in its plans to nurture and accelerate the growth of tech businesses in the city.

Protospace is a not-for-profit initiative based in Milton Keynes. It will use the funding to create a calendar of knowledgesharing and networking events for the local tech sector. “Expect expert-led forums, roundtable discussions and entrepreneurial meetings to support Milton Keynes in leading in tech and innovation on the world stage,” said a council spokesman.

The council-Protospace partnership will run until next year. Barclays will also be an integral partner in a number of the events and in strategic work.

Technology. “I have used the service from day one and it has helped me a lot because I cannot drive,” he said.

“It has enabled me to get to and from work at convenient times, whereas before I was having to take taxis which were expensive. It has been a really good experience.”

The scheme is one of a range of travel options at Silverstone Park. These include a Kinto car share scheme and scooter hire. Free bicycle hire is also available.

Silverstone Park’s commercial director Chris Kimber-Nicholson said: “The opportunities available to young people here are extensive and we feel that ensuring their independence and access is key to our future success.

“As the park continues to grow, we want to ensure access for everyone so our occupiers attract the best talent available.”

Travel surveys showed that Milton Keynes and Northampton were the two key points from which to link to the park.

Travel advisor Veronica Reynolds said: “More and more companies at Silverstone Park are recruiting from London and Milton Keynes is a key point to link to the park.”

Partnership is key and we all seem to be on the same page

Improvements to public space, promoting the city centre, supporting the businesses based there and shaping the future of Central Milton Keynes are the four key pillars of a new business plan unveiled by MyMiltonKeynes Business Improvement District.

The three-year plan also places close collaboration with businesses and other stakeholders including the city council at its heart. Crime and safety initiatives, public realm improvements, events and marketing remain priority areas for the BID’s investment, said its chief executive Jill Farnsworth.

She arrived as replacement for retiring chief executive Melanie Beck in September last year. The BID was in the second year of its five year term, but the business trading environment had changed significantly since its five year business plan was written in the aftermath of the pandemic, so Jill took the opportunity to reassess BID priorities and produced a new three year plan.

The challenge has been compounded by a fall in the business levy income on which the BID relies to carry out its schedules of improvements. Levies are paid by qualifying businesses based on the Rateable Value of their premises. As a result of a national business rates revaluation, the retail sector saw a reduction in their rateable values, which reduced the BID’s overall levy income, as did a number of commercial properties being converted to residential, meaning they were no longer liable for a BID levy.

„ Bringing employees back into the offices.

„ Tackling retail crime.

„ Marketing the city centre to a wider audience.

„ A key role in planning the area’s future.

MyMiltonKeynes Business improvement District chief executive Jill Farnsworth talks to Andrew Gibbs about its plans for the city centre in the BID’s updated business plan to 2027.

Reduced funding to deliver projects is a problem facing the council too. When the BID began in 2017, part of its remit was to add to the council’s work maintaining and enhancing the city centre. “With funding cuts to public sector organisations, BIDs are increasingly taking on more public realm improvement projects and working far more collaboratively with local authorities,” said Jill.

Collaboration will be key in delivering

“Employers want their staff back in the office but those employees are reluctant.”

the 2024-27 Refreshed Business Plan, she added. “Everyone seems to be on the same page and wants to work together. We all have the same ambitions but we have to find new ways of working.”

Improving the BID area - bordered by H6 Childs Way and H5 Portway, V8 Marlborough Street and the West Coast Main Line - will deliver more return on levy-paying businesses’ investment.

“Crime and safety is a number one priority for our busineses,” said Jill. “Our shops and leisure venues want their customers to feel safe, and our offices want their staff to feel safe – and if they don’t then this will have a knock-on effect on how willing those office workers are to venture out in their lunch breaks and after work to use our businesses.”

Discussions with BID member businesses based in the city centre revealed retail crime as a major concern and the new business plan has prioritised measures to counter shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and aggressive begging. A My Local Bobby initiative is due to start this month with two local bobbies on the beat across the city centre, working in partnership with Thames Valley Police, Milton Keynes City Council and the centre’s security teams.

“We think they will make a difference,” said Jill. Thames Valley Police is preparing to increase its officers’ presence in the area from September. “Our team will be there on the ground and will hopefully be a valuable support to the new Central neighbourhood police team who are starting in September,” said Jill.

“Shaping the city centre is possibly the most important part of the business plan. The BID wants and needs to be part of the conversations going forward.”

The My Local Bobbies will cost the BID around £90,000 a year, Jill said. That is out of a business levy budget of some £855,000 annually, down from between £1.17 million and £1.3 million before last year’s Business Rates Valuation.

A key part of the Business Plan is promotion of the city centre. Work is under way ahead of a launch in September of a new city centre website highlighting everything on offer in the area, promoting events, venues, the centre’s retailers, cafes and shops and making the marketing of Central Milton Keynes simple and clear.

“There is no one place that promotes what is going on in the city centre at the moment,” said Jill. “People in Milton Keynes love Milton Keynes. They are so passionate about it, and I want to see us telling people from outside the area about how great this city is.”

The BID has partnered with centre:mk’s gift card provider and is launching a consumer gift card in September, which it hopes will be accepted by businesses across the whole City Centre, encompassing businesses in The Hub, Midsummer Place and elsewhere within the BID boundaries.

As well as its consumer focused activities the BID is looking at its B2B engagement. ”We want to work with businesses,” said Jill. “I want to improve the contact we have with them because we want to promote the city centre as a great place for business and innovation, with everyone pulling together to make it happen.”

To that end, the BID is looking to produce a series of marketing initiatives highlighting business success stories and introduce an annual awards competition based around service excellence. “I want to bring businesses together to make them feel part of the city centre business community,” said Jill.

With the opening of the East West Rail line connecting Oxford and, initially, Bedford via Bletchley, there is a big opportunity for the growth of the city centre. The Open University is also considering a move to a city centre campus. “Shaping the city centre is possibly the most important part of the business plan,” said Jill. “The BID wants and needs to be part of the conversations going forward to make sure the current business community is represented in deciding the future of the city centre.”

A key challenge for the city centre’s future is to enhance the expertise and skills levels of its workforce by providing an environment that encourages talent - particularly young talent - to begin and continue their careers in Milton Keynes rather than elsewhere. Jill will be looking at how the BID can help showcase the excellent employers in the area and the future careers opportunities we have here to students as they consider their futures.

“We are here to represent the business sector and I want us to be doing things that make a difference,” said Jill. “I want the BID to be a force for good in Milton Keynes and for us achieve positive improvements, and we’ll do this best through partnership working.”

Huge opportunity for the BID to develop and grow

Jill arrived in Milton Keynes in September last year, replacing MyMiltonKeynes BID’s founding chief executive Melanie Beck following her decision to retire.

She arrived from Watford Business Improvement District, having been its head of operations and development since 2016 and responsible for delivering the projects set out in the BID’s five-year business plan.

As town centre partnership officer working for Watford Town Centre Partnership’s board, she was also responsible for developing the BID business plan: 2016-2021 and engaging with local businesses to secure the YES vote in the inaugural BID ballot in October 2015.

“Coming to Milton Keynes has been really good,” Jill said. “Everyone has made me feel so welcomed and part of the City. I see a huge opportunity for the BID to develop and grow and I am fortunate to have a brilliant team who are willing to come on this journey with me.”

„ MyMiltonKeynes BID is a not-forprofit private limited company, funded primarily by businesses in Milton Keynes city centre via an annual BID levy. It began trading in June 2017 and renewed for a second five-year term in 2022 after more than 95% of respondents by number and rateable value voted Yes.

„ Any organisation liable to pay the non-domestic rates for a property in the BID area with a rateable value of £50,000 or more must pay the BID levy, with the exception of registered charities that qualify for rates relief.

The BID levy is charged at 1.25% of the rateable value of each eligible business on June 1 each year plus, from 2023, 3% inflation each year. Retailers that pay a service charge are charged at the lower rate of 1%.

„ Businesses may request to join the BID as a voluntary member.

„ MyMiltonKeynes BID has 422 levy-paying members and is the 10th largest BID outside London, ranked just under Birmingham and Nottingham based on BID levy income.

Jill Farnsworth

If skills gaps are the bane of your life, talk to us

by Debbie Houghton, executive director for apprenticeships, business development and commercial at The Bedford College Group

“We just can’t get the staff...”

It’s a complaint as old as the hills but one we’re hearing more and more in Britain today, with three-quarters of companies saying they’re struggling with recruitment, according to the British Chambers of Commerce.

The reality is that it’s not that the people aren’t out there, it’s that employers aren’t always looking in the right place for the people they need with the skills required. And that’s not their fault.

At The Bedford College Group, at any given moment, we’re helping around 1,000 businesses sort out their training and recruitment needs. Some of those companies are now “regulars,” who absolutely get how much we can do for them. First-timers are more often than not amazed at what we offer and at the versatility of the training we can provide. The problem is largely one of awareness. We colleges have a part to play here in getting the message out more clearly. Every sector has its own jargon and, when we talk about apprenticeships, T Levels, diplomas and so on it can be pretty meaningless to those who don’t work in education.

It’s worth pointing out a common misconception here, that colleges look after school leavers only. Far from it. A very large proportion of our work is with adults, many of whom are already employed in a business that wants them to learn new skills.

So, a bit of context.

The Bedford College Group is made up of five colleges and three digital learning centres across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire as well as a national training provider that’s also part of the team. We’re the largest Further Education provider in the region (seventh biggest in the UK) and each of our sites serves specific local or industry needs to a consistently high standard.

One of the strengths of being a big group is our ability to invest

large amounts of time and money talking to companies of all sizes, from multinationals to the smallest of SMEs and microbusinesses, to really get to grips with what their training needs actually are.

And that’s perhaps the biggest and most important reason to talk to us.

You don’t need to understand all the complexities of the courses we offer. Nobody’s going to ask you to pick from a menu of training possibilities that look like they’re written in a foreign language. You tell us what you need a new potential

“Being a large provider means we can sometimes offer opportunities some of our smaller colleagues cannot.”

recruit or an existing member of your team to learn and it’s up to us to come up with the best way to get that person the training they need.

Being a large provider means we can sometimes offer opportunities some of our smaller colleagues cannot. For example, we have the latest state-ofthe-art virtual reality kit which is already reaping dividends, revolutionising training in sectors including health and social care, sport science, electrical installation and plumbing. Working with employer groups in sectors such as logistics, health and construction has helped us pinpoint the local skills shortages faced by companies of the calibre of Ocado, Wincanton PLC, Asda and John Lewis.

So, what does that mean for you as a business person who’s in need of particular skills?

If you get in touch with us, the first thing that will happen is that you’ll be contacted by someone from our brilliant business development team. These are people who deal with enquiries from every conceivable industry every day and are highly skilled at picking up on what would work best for you.

One of our regional account managers will come out to see you and conduct a training needs analysis. Once we’ve really understood what you need, we’ll show you the various alternatives that best suit your needs.

And, whatever you decide to go for, our involvement continues right down into the detail of precisely what that training will include. If there are particular software programmes or engineering skills or management techniques you want the individual to learn, then that’s exactly what they’ll be taught. We design the training together.

So, whether you need to recruit someone to your team or to improve the skills of an existing employee, get in touch, and I promise – you won’t need a crash course in the language of Further Education to get what you need.

„ To find out more, please visit www.deliveringskills.co.uk

Debbie Houghton

Atotal 40 teams from businesses across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire had good reason to celebrate after raising a record sum in this year’s Franklins £50 Challenge.

And the leading fundraisers took centre stage at a special awards ceremony to celebrate the collective efforts of the teams and raise a glass to the grand total.

This year’s challenge raised a total of £35,733, eclipsing last year’s £20,000 total. The money is being shared between eight charities: four from each area.

Among the guests at the ceremony was Nick Hewer, TV presenter and Lord Sugar’s former right hand man on the BBC show The Apprentice. He is a staunch supporter of the fundraiser, in which organiser Franklins Solicitors gives each team £50 and challenges them with using it to make as much money as possible for the charities. “I was intrigued by the challenge and excited by it because it is clever and it works,” he told guests at the ceremony “From 40 teams, £50 each, that is a £2,000 investment and the return was extraordinary.

“I think it is tremendous communityspirited work and I have nothing but admiration for the people who turned that £50 into thousands - and for Franklins for actually driving it forward and turning it into such a success.”

The teams had used their entrepreneurial skills in creative ways of

£50 Challenge:

‘It is clever and it works’

fundraising, including retro movie nights, stone-baked pizza lunches, 12-hour bike rides, football tournaments, lawn-mowing, bake sales and raffles. Nick presented awards to the top five fundraising teams, with a team from the John Lewis Partnership in first place, raising £2,922 before Gift Aid.

Recruitment agency MIXXOS Group celebrate after raising the second highest total of the 40 teams

The top five fundraising teams also included MIXXOS Group, Travis Perkins, Amazon BHX3 Daventry and Commsave Credit Union.

Franklins partner Andrea Smith said: “We are so delighted that this year’s challenge has been a record-breaking year and are incredibly proud that, since it began in 2018, the Franklins £50 Challenge has now raised more than £135,000 for local charities - and that is including a break during lockdown.

“At the very heart of this year’s challenge was our desire to fight hunger, fuel wellness and change local lives and we hope that the money raised for the eight local charities will bring a positive impact to people throughout Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes.”

The eight charities benefiting from this year’s challenge are, in Milton Keynes, Willen Hospice, MK Act, Harry’s Rainbow and YMCA - MK. In Northamptonshire, Cynthia Spencer Hospice, Northampton Hope Centre, The Lewis Foundation and Northamptonshire Community Foundation.

Awards were also given for all teams raising more that £1,000 and the following categories:

Small Business Superstar

Sophisticake Creations

Best Community Initiative

Laugh Out Loud Theatre Company

Most Creative Fundraising Idea Aiimi

Best Example of Teamwork Soiltechnics

Best Use of Social Media

Commsave Credit Union

Meet the participating teams, benefiting charities and organisers of this year’s Franklins £50 Challenge

The John Lewis team that raised the most money receive their prizes from NIck Hewer and Franklins partner Andrea Smith (left)

Council launches new business support initiative

A new business support programme to support businesses in Bedford has been launched by Bedford Borough Council via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The programme offers free support as organisations and entrepreneurs develop their ideas, increase business growth, access experts and peer group support including set-up, business finances, marketing skills, sales techniques and more.

Management consultancy Deyton Bell has been commissioned to deliver the programme.

Cllr Andrea Spice, portfolio holder for economic growth, planning and prosperity (inc. town centres) said: “This programme offers invaluable support and will help to grow an even more prosperous business community within our area.”

Anne Pape, the council’s UKSPF project co-ordinator, added: “In any start-up, it is vital to have a strong support available and our aim is to foster a thriving business community with long-lasting connections and success.”

The project is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is now open. Find out more at beds-bb. deytonbell.com

Storage

giant seals deal for head office

Cinch Self Storage has acquired Paragon House, a headquartersstyle building on Kempston’s Woburn Road industrial estate, for an undisclosed sum.

The company fended off bids from rival suitors for the 14,500 sq ft building, which sits on a 1.4-acre site and has room for further expansion of around 10,000 sq ft. The deal was handled by joint agents Kirkby Diamond and Louch Shacklock.

Debenhams site sold in centre revamp plan

Bedford Borough Council has completed the acquisition of the former Debenhams department store building in High Street as part of its plans to regenerate the town centre.

The council paid an undisclosed sum for the 75,377 sq ft property, which has been empty for three years. It had been on the market for offers in the region of £3 million.

Tom Wootton (inset), Mayor of Bedford Borough, said: “This acquisition is a crucial move in our efforts to revitalise the High Street and establish a vibrant community hub.

“We believe that this bold step will contribute to the development of an enticing town centre experience for both residents and visitors.”

The council’s Local Plan also includes Bedford Corn Exchange, the Harpur Suite and Bedford Central Library which form part of the same block as the former Debenhams site. The site is located in a prominent position extending from the centre of Bedford High Street on

to Silver Street at the start of the main pedestrianised area of the town centre.

The plan considers how a scheme could potentially create smaller commercial units for retail or food and beverage occupiers, other leisure uses and residential opportunities on the upper floors.

Commercial property consultancy Kirkby Diamond was instructed to market the property by Kroll Advisory Ltd acting as LPA receivers. The property has potential for mixed-use development and the addition of more floors.

“Bedford Borough Council has continued its proactive approach to economic development across the borough and has acquired the property with a view to creating a more vibrant town centre,” said Nathan George, associate and head of agency at Kirkby Diamond’s Bedford office.

“Although the demise of Debenhams was a sad moment, the acquisition by Bedford Borough Council marks the beginning of a new era and an opportunity to rejuvenate the town centre.

“The former store provides accommodation over six levels and offers a fantastic redevelopment opportunity.”

Clear for take-off: AI set to reach for the sky

Artificial Intelligence is to play a key role in operating the daily programme of around 2,000 flights by low-cost airline easyJet.

The airline has opened a new operations Integrated Control Centre at London Luton Airport which has embedded AI into its day-to-day practices to deliver faster and better decision-making and an improved customer experience.

More than 250 skilled operators work in the 24/7 control centre managing more than 340 aircraft flying up to 300,000 customers to 35 countries on more than 1,000 routes to 155 airports every day. The state-of-the-art facility houses experts working to get flights off the ground and to their destination safely and on time.

Roles in the centre range from route planners, crewing teams to ensure pilots and crew are correctly allocated to flights, teams dealing with aircraft allocation and aircraft maintenance as

Blue-chip firm takes ten-year lease on prime office space

well as live customer communications.

Part of the Jetstream AI tool helps to predict standby crew requirements and is a crew planning tool which helps to recommend and select the best crew options for the needs of the operation.

Jetstream gives easyJet staff instant access to policies, procedures and information which will enable them to solve operational issues as they occur. It contains the information from eight operational manuals to aid the control centre - around 3,000 pages of manuals available at their fingertips.

“In the coming months, we plan for AI-led technology will be placed in the hands of our crew as well,” said an easyJet spokesman.

The airline’s chief executive Johan Lundgren said: “We saw the potential early on for data to improve customer experience and operational efficiency which could help us provide a better flying experience for our customers,

A Bedfordshire-based specialist recruitment company has agreed a deal on new offices in Luton.

The unnamed business is relocating to Mulberry House at Capability Green after agreeing a ten-year lease on almost 8,000 sq ft of first-floor office space.

Mulberry House is part of the Parkland Square development which comprises two detached Grade A office buildings completed in 2004.

Commercial property consultancy Kirkby Diamond agreed an off-market deal and was sole agent on the property.

“We saw the potential early on for data to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.”

crew and pilots. And while you cannot always see it, the technology is already hard at work in the air and on the ground helping us predict exactly what food and drink we need for certain routes while minimising food waste, aiding predictive maintenance decisions and helping us to ensure we have the right aircraft on the right routes to best match demand.

“We continue to invest in and deepen our knowledge and use of AI, with a rapid deployment team working on 250 live use cases across our operations and scheduling, customer service, the booking experience and easyJet holidays.”

AI’s predictive qualities are also being used to free up more than one million additional seats a year. Its predictions of additional demand on the most popular routes will enable easyJet to move its aircraft so that larger-capacity plans with up to 50 more seats are deployed to meet demand.

Aircraft are being fitted with new AI software that helps them to interact in real time with air traffic control across Europe.

“AI is helping us pinpoint precise aircraft locations with much more accuracy helping speed journeys and reduce emissions,” said the spokesman. Gill Baudot, director of network control, said: “Each and every day my whole team are responsible for, and entirely focused on, safely getting more than a quarter of a million passengers to their destinations, navigating the many and varied challenges that Europe’s busy and complex airspace can bring.

“Providing our people with generative AI solutions at their fingertips helps to speed up decision-making to solve operational issues as they occur and we can see many ways to further build on the progress we have already made and enhance this in the near future.”

The new tenant is relocating from its existing offices at Capability Green to provide flexible space for staff now on a hybrid working scheme,

“It is great to see Capability Green retain a blue-chip organisation at open market level rents,” said Kirkby Diamond agency associate Joshua Parello. The rent agreed of £23.50 per sq ft, is “a great result,” he added.

“That figure is among the highest achieved since the downturn in the office market which came as a result of the pandemic.”

Mulberry House

Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire Council, through its Be Central Bedfordshire website and services, provides a wealth of support and information to help all businesses, either established or new to the area, to thrive and grow.

The partnership paving the way to growth

Central Bedfordshire Trading Standards is often the first port of call for residents receiving poor or misleading products and services from local businesses.

In recent months one large local business, trading online and via eBay, had been the source of many complaints - it was difficult to contact, its website was misleading and there were issues in the warehouse leading to customers regularly receiving the wrong goods.

The business had already signed up to a Primary Authority Partnership, which allows a legally recognised partnership between business and Central Bedfordshire Council. It provides a single point of contact for the business to access advice and guidance in relation to regulatory issues.

Trading Standards visited the business to offer support and discuss the issues resulting in complaints. Officers reviewed its customer service policy, provided guidance on wording and advertising on the company website and suggested changes that could be made within the warehouse.

The company followed up on the advice and has seen an increase in

Seizure shows success of crackdown on counterfeiters

Trading Standards, working with the police and the AntiCounterfeiting Group (ACG), recently seized millions of pounds worth of counterfeit goods in a single raid.

A total 90 pallets of counterfeit goods with an estimated street value of £26.8 million were seized during a raid in March at a warehouse in Leighton Buzzard.

Around 64,000 items of counterfeit clothing, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, jogging bottoms, and jumpers featuring illegal Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger trademarks, were

positive reviews, reflecting a higher TrustPilot score - previously 2.5, now 4.5. It has also been recognised by eBay as one of their best reviewed traders. The business now has two new contracts with national retailers as a direct result of the

uncovered by Central Bedfordshire Council, working with the police and the ACG.

Investigations are ongoing with a view to bringing a prosecution. Counterfeit goods undermine legitimate businesses and brands, the profits of which are often used to fund more serious criminal activity.

„ Find out more at centralbedfordshire.gov.uk and search for Trading Standards

support delivered by Trading Standards.

„ Find out more about how the Primary Authority Partnership scheme could help your business at centralbedfordshire. gov.uk and search for Primary Authority Partnership

Reap the benefit of enhancing your workforce’s skills

Enhance your team’s skills with fully funded English and maths qualifications for your workforce. Invest in your employees’ development and boost your business’s performance.

Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Academy, delivery partner of Central Bedfordshire Council, delivers Functional Skills English and Maths qualifications at level 1 and 2, awarded by City & Guilds. These qualifications are recognised for providing the foundational knowledge to apply English and Maths covering the essential skills that will support an adult in employment, education and everyday life. Encouraging staff to achieve an accredited qualification can improve their

confidence, communication and number skills at work, give them access to higher level training and support their career journey in your organisation, helping to retain good people.

Applicants qualify for funding if they live or work in Central Bedfordshire or Bedford

Borough, are aged 19 or over and have lived in the UK for three years or longer. There can be exceptions to these funding rules depending on circumstances.

The qualifications are delivered in three ways to support people’s lifestyles:

„ Tutor-led in a classroom at a local community venue.

„ Tutor-led via a Microsoft Teams virtual classroom.

„ Flexible independent learning on an online platform, with weekly contact with your tutor via email.

„ Find out more at centralbedfordshire. gov.uk/besa or email besa@ centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.

Importer mines a rich seam of collaboration opportunities

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” This timeless quote by Henry Ford captures the essence of collaboration.

Central Bedfordshire Council works closely with its local businesses to ensure that they can exploit the opportunities

available through the partnerships we have forged. Unisnacks Europe has mined

“The company maintains a close working relationship with the council, resulting in key introductions.”

Dr Ranjan De Silva speaking at Cranfield University’s Strategic Marketing Careers event

these opportunities with great success.

Importers of snacks, confectionery and beverages from Asia, Unisnacks relocated to Biggleswade from Hertfordshire in 2020. The company maintains a close working relationship with the council since its move, resulting in key introductions to Cranfield University and the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce.

These have led to Cranfield University MSc and MBA students helping Unisnacks to analyse its own live commercial data, leading to improved adoption of automation and AI technology in the company’s warehouse operations.

Two Cranfield graduates are now fulltime employees at Unisnacks and director for organisational development Dr Ranjan De Silva had new students queuing up to speak to him at Cranfield’s Strategic Marketing Careers Event earlier this year.

The SME Bedfordshire Business Awards, hosted by Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, has also seen Unisnacks sponsor two categories: Entrepreneur of the Year and Retail Business of the Year.

The networking opportunities and overseas trading support facilitated by the Chamber have proved invaluable to Unisnacks trading operations.

„ Find out how your business can explore the power of partnerships at becentralbedfordshire.co.uk

Return of the Green Business Network

Building on the long heritage of the Green Business Network, Central Bedfordshire Council is delighted to support the relaunch of the network under the stewardship of Cranfield University.

Green Business Network aims to foster a collaborative environment among businesses to promote and implement sustainable practices.

Through membership of Green Business Network, businesses can assist each other in reducing energy and water consumption, eliminating waste, designing products more sustainably, increasing biodiversity, managing environmental impact, understanding connected legal obligations and prioritising environmental issues in business decision-making.

For a limited period, Central Bedfordshire businesses are eligible for a fully funded, first-year membership of Green Business Network.

Do not miss this opportunity to join a network dedicated to fostering sustainable business practices and collaborative growth.

Alan Rance, managing director of Bedford business Midas Pattern Company, shares the organisation’s net-zero journey at a previous Green Business Network event

„ Find out more about the benefits of membership and upcoming GBN events at cranfield.ac.uk/som/green-businessnetwork

Straight to the Point: Shopping centre unveils rebrand

Frasers Group, the owners of Luton’s main shopping destination The Mall, have begun the process of rebranding the centre to Luton Point’with new signage.

The signage, located at the centre’s Atrium, is the first of many to go up. With further internal and external changes coming soon, the programme of works to rebrand the centre leads into the summer.

The shopping centre has been at the heart of the town since 1972 and boasts a flagship Primark store alongside high street brands including TK Maxx, H&M, River Island and Boots.

The Mall Luton centre director Roy Greening (inset) said: “We are happy to announce we have officially kicked off the process of changing our name to Luton Point, with the first piece of signage installed at our Atrium overlooking St George’s Square.

“We are looking forward to continuing the roll out of the new brand as well as more additions in future alongside the series of fantastic openings that we have already celebrated this month.”

The shopping centre houses more than 120 shops, cafes and restaurants and has welcomed new additions such as Popeyes and BIMs.

Foreign exchange and bureau de change company The Change Group and energy supplier and community hub Utilita have also moved in.

Eyewear designer sets sights on expansion

International growth plans are under way after firm completes acquisition of fellow brand

Glasses designer Wolf Eyewear has completed an acquisition that puts it among the UK’s leading independent eyewear suppliers.

The wholesaler, based at Ledburn near Leighton Buzzard, has purchased economy brand White Optics. Both businesses will continue initially under their existing brands.

The deal follows the death of White Optics director David White and the wish of sales director Tim Peterson and operations director Donna Peacock to retire.

Wolf Eyewear chief executive Tom Wolfenden said: “Having worked closely with the White Optics team for some time, we are pleased to have completed this deal which will bring them into the Wolf ‘family’.

“Both companies have an excellent fit in terms of culture and products and joining forces means we can now offer frames to suit every budget. It will also safeguard the future of the White Optics brand and enable them to join us on our growth journey.”

Wolf Eyewear was founded in 2009 by Tom’s father Ian. The company employs 26 staff, produces ranges for children, teenagers and adults as well as a premium range and sunglasses. It sells its products mainly in the UK but also through distribution outlets in the USA, Italy, Australia and New Zealand.

White Optics, established in 1976, employs 20 staff at Peterlee, County Durham.

The acquisition was backed by debt funding from investment company Frontier Development Capital.

Investment director Simon Kelsall said: “The acquisition will bring together two complementary businesses to create one of the UK’s leading eyewear wholesalers.

“Tom and his team at Wolf Eyewear have their sights firmly set on growth and have already begun to establish distribution channels overseas. It is great to be able to support this deal, which will extend their reach in the UK and make them well positioned for further international expansion.”

Tom Wolfenden

Leaders in the national banking and fintech engineering sector have been in Milton Keynes for a major conference.

The XT24 Fintech Conference brought together senior industry figures to debate the state of the sector, including its current challenges and future trends in data compliance, regulation, Artificial Intelligence, forensic audits and cloud computing.

Also under discussion was platform engineering, automated testing and embedded banking.

It was hosted by JUXT, a boutique UK software development firm based in Central Milton Keynes and specialising in banking and fintech products. It has been part of the Milton Keynes tech community for more than ten years.

Speakers included Vlad Yatsenko, co-founder and chief technology officer at Revolut; Allen Rohner, co-founder of the newly UK-licensed Griffin Bank and Francine Bennett, interim director at the Ada Lovelace Institute.

“We wanted to celebrate our city by bringing together fintech leaders to discuss the future of banking engineering in the ‘city of the future’,” said JUXT chief executive Jon Pither.

He co-founded JUXT with Malcolm Sparks, now the company’s chief technology officer. “Fintech represents a perfect storm of complexity, privacy and security,” said Malcolm. “With XT24, we aimed to delve deep into these challenges, exploring not just solutions but also strategies for scaling and thriving in a highly regulated industry that demands speed, accuracy and serviceability.”

The future of banking in the ‘city of the future’

Senior engineers in fintech and banking have been in Milton Keynes at a conference to debate the latest technological advances and insights driving the industry’s evolution.

Malcolm Sparks (left) chats with fintech experts Fran Bennett, Mark Burgess, Vlad Yatsenko and Jason Bloomberg Gommon

Jon Pither (left) in conversation with buy-side expert Kim Johannessen, now chief technology officer at a leading hedge fund and formerly of Deutsche Bank, Bank of America and JP Morgan

Photos: Brad Gommon Photography

I knew I was in the right room with the right people

Lawyer Ben Darby is in his office overlooking the picturesque South Devon coast. In his mind, he has a plan to transform the legal sector’s customer service levels by making it more consumer-focused through technology.

The plan, developed with computer science specialists at the University of Exeter, is to develop software that would automate the more mundane and repetitive tasks that consumed so much of a lawyer’s time. In turn, that time would be freed up to enable the legal experts to work on more complex and bespoke files.

The idea has legs, the government said. It has awarded Ben, managing partner at Darby & Darby Solicitors, and the university a six-figure grant to develop it based on the academic findings of the university’s experts.

“Now we needed to find someone to help us build the product,” Ben said. He turned to the online marketplace ranking website Clutch to source a list of ten software development agencies best suited to produce the idea.

Conversations narrowed the decision down to JUXT, a boutique software development business based in Milton

Keynes that specialises in designing bespoke software systems for global banks and cutting-edge startups.

“Most of those we spoke to flattered me with sales talk,” said Ben. “JUXT was different. They asked me about data protection, cybersecurity and the need for critical infrastructure. They understood we wanted to build a fintech solution to be adapted in the legal space.

“I knew I was in the right room with the right people.”

JUXT was founded in London in 2013 by its current chief executive Jon Pither and chief technology officer Malcolm Sparks. Their background was in banking and working for premium consultancies like ThoughtWorks but they grew frustrated with the growing complexity of IT systems and yearned for simplicity. They moved to JUXT HQ in Milton Keynes in 2015.

“Our aim is to simplify IT,” said Malcolm. “We had been working in large institutions where IT is complex and firms come to over-rely on it. There are systems that you can build for 1% of the cost and do as much as you need them to.”

Today JUXT employs around 130 staff – 90% of them are software developers

“We are committed to finding the best approach and using the most modern tools that will provide the best solution business-wise.”

– in offices around the UK and works with mainly fintech clients including tier one investment banks, corporate banks, hedge funds and asset managers. But the firm also supports smaller firms and startups with new, different ideas – it worked on the launch of onthemarket.com, the alternative online property site competing against the likes of Rightmove and Zoopla.

“We are very high-tech,” said Jon. “Companies want the most modern way of doing things but the cost of technology is always rising and the way we build software is always changing. Companies turn to us because we are a boutique software company committed to finding the best approach and using the most modern tools that will provide the best solution business-wise, not just from the engineering point of view.

“JUXT is a bit different. Historically, exceptional engineers have been put in the corner – we have seen a lot of the “you can’t talk to the nerd” mentality. But today the best projects we see are either engineer-led, or at the very least engineers have a seat at the table. Companies realise that engineers have a unique understanding of the product and the business and their input is valuable.

“At JUXT we know this, this is our DNA and we put the engineers front and centre, encouraging them to take leadership and work with the client to understand what needs to be done not only from the coding perspective but first

and foremost the business challenges the software is expected to solve.”

With Ben Darby (inset) and the University of Exeter, that involved developing the software from being a lawyer support solution to becoming a consumer-driven solution providing better access to legal services and in which they could self-serve. “There are many self-serve solutions in banking and accounting, for example,” said Ben. “The legal sector is lagging behind.”

The need for the Darby & Darby/ University of Exeter project reflects the way in which the law and modern life is changing. “Our lives take place within a legal framework every day,” said Ben. “Legal services are becoming more invasive in people’s lives, and they need legal assistance and support daily.”

JUXT has built huge risk management and trading systems for global investment banks but they also partner with disruptive start-ups, such as Ben Darby’s and Artis.Works, to bring that wealth of experience to emerging technologies.

“When we apply our strategy to SMBs and start-ups, we are looking for a business doing something that has never been done before,” said Malcolm. “Startups have a vision, a unique business idea and using someone small who has more agility and can do more around the project will deliver the right results faster”.

Ben’s knowledge identified areas of the practice bogged down in repetitive tasks. JUXT’s engineers worked on the automation of those tasks. “We are not looking to replace lawyers,” said Ben. “We are looking at a technology-driven, data-

JUXT founders Jon Pither (left) and Malcolm Sparks (right), pictured at this year’s XT24 Fintech Conference hosted by JUXT at Unity Place in Milton Keynes. Also pictured is the conference’s keynote speaker Vlad Yatsenko, co-founder and chief technology officer of global neobank and financial technology company Revolut

driven solution that keeps the lawyer in the loop.”

JUXT sees its future in the international market, bringing work from around the world to its office in Milton Keynes. “We are contributing to the local economy and we are keen to strengthen this relationship,” said Jon. “JUXT has gone from strength to strength but we would love to work with more clients in Milton Keynes.”

That will involve recruiting more people and JUXT is on the hunt for top graduates and others starting their careers.

“That is important from a local business community point of view to nurture the next generation,” said Malcolm. “We need to have a thriving community of developers back in our offices. Software developers are the most likely to want to work remotely but there is a real advantage to young people working in the office with our developers from a learning point of view.

“People’s mental health is not helped by working from your bedroom. There is a need for work-life balance and Milton Keynes is a great place to recruit from that perspective.”

The name JUXT derives from a function in the developer language Clojure. Many projects, functions, even staff, are recognised by a four-letter code.

“It helps us to refer to them very quickly by typing in rather than cutting and pasting,” said Malcolm. “It is almost an unwritten rule that all of our projects are four-letter words. Every person has a three-letter code as a username. It is unique.”

JUXT’s work on developing and building the new system is playing a big part in that, he added.

“JUXT has become a trusted technology partner for someone like me who has no technological background. I have come to them with my sector knowledge and dream and they have made that into a reality. It has been a collaboration. They have project managed with me and for me and have helped me prioritise a very large project into staged deliverables.”

For JUXT, the key is delivering the best system that will give the most value to the customer while providing all the “other behind-the-scenes/under the hood” stuff that is super-important but no one looks at: “cost of maintenance, robustness, security, ability to scale and cost of storage, load management etc,” said Jon.

“All these are just as much a part of the system requirement as getting the app site to work properly,” he added.

“Precision is very important in software development and we apply that to life. We are there to support the engineers and give them what they need to be most effective.

“We see engineers like surgeons. I would only want the most experienced and steady surgeon in the room for an operation and the staff to give the surgeon the tools they need.”

Credit:

Loving the tennis?

Now meet the real ‘Hawk Eye’

While the world’s greatest players bid for glory on the hallowed tennis courts at Wimbledon, Rufus, the Harris hawk, has already nailed top seed status. The bird of prey, who calls home an aviary at Brigstock, near Kettering, has an international following and once again will be ruling the roost at this year’s All England Championships.

Rufus has undoubtedly earned his place in the hall of fame at Wimbledon.

While champions come and go, this will be the 17th year that Rufus will be patrolling the skies above The Championships, keeping a steely lookout for pigeons and other birds.

Donna Davis, from the familyrun business Avian Environmental

Annie Roberts catches up with Harris hawk Rufus and his handler Donna Davis, keeping the pigeons and other pests at bay during the All England Championships tennis at Wimbledon this month.

Consultants, is one of the handlers who works with Rufus during The Championships. She said: “While everyone else is watching the top tennis players, I think that with Rufus we have our own elite athlete.”

During the championships the day kicks off at 6am to give Rufus a work-out on Centre Court and No 1 Court where he

Rufus the Harris hawk on Centre Court at The Championships 2022

AELTC/Jonathan Nackstrand

puts his game plan in to action. Often it is his simple presence that scares off the opposition as he flies into action across the courts.

Donna who is also joined by Imogen Davis, said: “It is a real honour to be working on Wimbledon’s hallowed grounds. It is a really special place to be and we really love being there with Rufus.”

Rufus, who is also known as ‘The Real Hawk-Eye’, was born in captivity in Northamptonshire. He used to have his own security photocard pass (job title: bird scarer) and has become one of the fan’s firm favourites with his own X (formerly known as Twitter) and

Instagram accounts @RufusTheHawk and a growing fan club. When the then-Duchess of Cornwall visited the All England Club in 2015, Rufus was in the official receiving line.

A sporting venue is not his natural habitat but, at the top of the food chain, he is well placed to deliver the service to flush out ‘vermin’. His long legs and loose-feathered, highly manoeuvrable wings mean he can make the most of his ability to deliver quick bursts of energy and jinking flights from a standing start to make a hit, which is when he prevents the birds from roosting or ground dwelling without causing harm to the environment

and so they cannot disrupt play.

The retractable roofs which from a pigeon’s perspective are five-star luxury lofts are good hunting grounds for Rufus. A radio transmitter means the bird can be tracked via GPS.

“Rufus will come back because we give him food but if he does not come back we just need to be patient and, once he has slept off a meal, he will come back to us,” said Donna.

The family firm has earned an enviable reputation in the world of pest control with a range of high-profile consultants.

Wimbledon puts Rufus on a global stage and the team work at other prestigious locations including Westminster and Canary Wharf and other more traditional locations… such as landfill sites.

Rufus is just one of the birds that are part of the pest control company’s aviary. His team mates includes peregrine falcons, sparrow hawks and other birds of prey.

“This is a real family-run business,” said Donna. “Our aim is to supply bird control services using the most environmentally friendly methods available. Our birds will deter other birds from roosting or grounddwelling in areas which might harm the environment or disrupt.

“We do not shoot or use poison. Rather, our methods are based on our love of ornithology and natural history.”

Donna Davis and Rufus

Your Business Expo Milton Keynes

Almost 100 exhibitors, hundreds of visitors, conversations in abundance and valuable connections made...

Take a look back in pictures to Your Business Expo Milton Keynes, which took place at The Ridgeway Centre, Wolverton Mill, last month.

Organised by Pulse Group Media, publisher of Business MK and Business Times, visitors and exhibitors alike were delighted with the event. One exhibitor said: “I genuinely felt like it was the best one yet. The venue was fab, we all had plenty of space at our stands and there was great footfall all day.”

Planning is under way for Your Business Expo 2025 in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire. But first join us at Your Business Expo Bedford in October for our final expo of 2024.

Find out more below.

YOUR LOCAL COMMERCIAL INSURANCE BROKER

Towergate are in the ideal position to advise on the insurance solutions you require, supporting all sizes of SME businesses including those with operations overseas. Our in-depth industry knowledge, coupled with market presence and strongly forged relationships enables us to negotiate compelling propositions, helping clients to be confident they have the correct cover in place. We have access to a number of specialist products enabling us to create bespoke insurance programmes, ensuring all areas of your business are adequately covered.

Feature: Education & Training

It has the power to transform business growth, safety and compliance. Business coach Adam Fox, a specialist in using compliance to drive expansion, says that ongoing learning through Continuous Professional Development remains...

The best investment for your business

In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern business, the importance of Continual Professional Development cannot be overstated. As both a business coach and the co-owner of Consulo Compliance, I have witnessed at first hand the transformative impact of CPD on business growth, safety and compliance.

CPD is not merely an educational tool. It is one of the best investments a business can make, pivotal for nurturing adaptability, ensuring safety and meeting regulatory demands.

CPD enables business owners and their employees to enhance their skills continually and stay abreast of industry innovations and shifts. In an age where change is the only constant, the ability to adapt swiftly and effectively sets successful businesses apart from the rest. CPD fosters this adaptability by keeping your skills and knowledge up to date, allowing your business to navigate new challenges and seize opportunities.

For instance, a tech company that regularly invests in CPD for its staff in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence is often better positioned to incorporate these innovations into its operations, gaining a competitive edge in the market.

In terms of safety, the benefits of CPD are clear and compelling. Regular training and development in health, safety and compliance significantly reduce the risk of workplace accidents and health hazards. By staying current with the latest safety protocols and procedures, businesses can protect their employees and avoid costly legal issues.

I recall a particularly telling instance at Consulo Compliance when a routine CPD session on workplace safety protocols helped identify a potential risk area in our own operations that had previously gone unnoticed. By addressing this proactively, we not only averted possible incidents but also strengthened our team’s trust in our commitment to their well-being. Compliance with industry regulations is not just about avoiding fines. It is about building a sustainable and reputable business.

CPD ensures that your organisation remains in line with the latest laws and

regulations, which can change frequently. Regular training sessions help demystify these regulations, making it easier for everyone to understand their individual role in improving safety and implement new procedures and protocols.

For example, in the construction industry, where safety and compliance regulations are particularly stringent, CPD programmes that keep staff informed about the latest Health and Safety Executive guidelines can be the difference between a project delivered safely on time and one that is riddled with dangerous occurrences and incurs significant financial penalties and delays.

“As businesses continue to navigate a world where change is the norm, the role of continual learning in driving success and competitiveness cannot be ignored.”

Investing in your employees’ growth not only equips them with the necessary skills but also signals that you value their contribution and career progression. This can significantly enhance employee engagement and satisfaction. Indeed, studies have shown that organisations that invest in CPD have higher employee retention rates.

Employees often report feeling more competent and confident in their roles following CPD training. This not only enhances their productivity but also fosters a positive workplace culture where continuous improvement is valued and encouraged.

Starting a CPD programme involves several key steps:

Setting clear goals Determine what you want to achieve with your CPD programme. This could be improving specific skills, staying updated with industry trends, or ensuring compliance with new regulations.

Choosing relevant courses Select courses that meet the needs of your business and your employees. These

Adam is a seasoned business coach and a co-founder of Consulo Compliance. With extensive experience in building safetyconscious corporate cultures, Adam specialises in integrating safety and compliance into strategic planning, fostering environments that value and prioritise employee growth and well-being.

could range from online seminars to in-person workshops or even ongoing university courses.

Evaluating outcomes Regularly assess the effectiveness of your CPD activities. Are they meeting your goals? Are employees applying what they learn?

It is also crucial to anticipate challenges such as time constraints or budget limitations and plan accordingly. Offering flexible learning options, such as e-learning, can help overcome some of these hurdles.

CPD is an essential element of modern business strategy, not only for maintaining compliance and safety but also for fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. As businesses continue to navigate a world where change is the norm, the role of continual learning in driving success and competitiveness cannot be ignored.

I encourage all business leaders to invest in CPD as a priority. You are not just investing in individual employees but in the future of your business. If you are unsure where to start or how to improve your existing CPD efforts, seeking expert guidance is a great first step towards getting you on the right path.

Adam Fox

Technology

Your cybersecurity health check

It feels like you cannot go a day without hearing about another business or organisation that has been successfully targeted by cyber attackers. Indeed, half of UK businesses and around a third of charities have experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months, according to government statistics.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Lionel Naidoo, MD of Dragon Information Systems, on

the cyber threat and what businesses can do about it.

Have you conducted a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities? Do you regularly review and update this assessment?

ACCESS CONTROLS

Are user accounts properly managed? Do you restrict access to sensitive data?

DATA PROTECTION

How do you handle customer data? Is it encrypted? Do you have a data back-up and recovery plan?

Do you know where your data is stored and what type of data it is? Do you store all your back-ups off site and only permit authorised people access to them?

SOFTWARE UPDATES

Are operating systems, applications and antivirus software up to date? Do you promptly apply security patches?

EMPLOYEE AWARENESS & TRAINING

Do you provide cybersecurity awareness training to staff? Do employees know how to recognise and report phishing emails?

INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN

Do you have an incident response plan? Do employees know whom to contact in case of a security breach?

ENHANCE YOUR CYBER SECURITY

Invest in cybersecurity solutions SMEs should invest in comprehensive solutions that provide enterprise-level security. This includes computer, email and password security, back-up and recovery systems.

Employee training Essential for all employees. Aim to educate staff on how to recognise and avoid phishing scams, the importance of strong passwords and best practices for maintaining cybersecurity.

Regular security assessments Vital in order to identify vulnerabilities and address them promptly. This includes evaluating IT infrastructure, software and security protocols. Back-up and recovery Crucial for protecting data in the event of a ransomware attack or other cyber incidents. Ensure data is regularly backed up and can be quickly restored. Partner with cybersecurity experts Partner with a team of experts such as Dragon IS to stay ahead of the threats and ensure your cybersecurity measures are up to date.

Here at Dragon IS, we work with small and medium-sized businesses, helping them with a broad range of issues relating to their IT infrastructure and cybersecurity. Call us on 01908 613 080 or email info@dragon-is.co.uk

NETWORK SECURITY

While ‘cyber hygiene’ - the use of practices designed to help keep data safe and secure and to guard against cyber threats - has been improving among SMEs, there is still a lot more that could be done.

So, how well informed and protected is your business?

Here are 10 key areas to think about.

Is your Wi-Fi network secured with WPA3 encryption? Have you segmented your network to isolate critical systems?

COMPUTER SECURITY

Do you ban employees from using USB sticks and charging personal mobiles on your devices? Are screens set to lock automatically after a short period of inactivity? Do you prevent staff from using public WiFi connections?

EMAIL SECURITY

Have you set up all 3 email security records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for your email domain? Do you have a clear process to check payment change requests are legitimate?

SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY

Do you assess every company in your supply chain to ensure they have good security practices in place?

Prepare your organisation’s IT environment for AI

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Dragon Information Systems works with organisations to ready their environments for AI adoption. Assess your company’s AI readiness and configure data privacy and governance policies in your Microsoft 365 tenant to optimise your security posture as you undergo this journey.

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Be flexible and unlock the power of productivity

Employees have a greater say in where, when and how they work under new regulations introduced earlier this year – including the right to request flexible working from their first day in employment.

The new Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations came into effect in April. And employers can use them to their advantage in developing more productive, happier and healthier staff, said an HR expert.

Managed correctly, an attractive flexible working offer as part of an employment package can also appeal to a wider range of job candidates and improve performance among those already on the payroll.

Research has shown that individuals who work flexibly are often highly committed, experience increased job satisfaction and are happier, healthier and less stressed, said Rachel Collar, owner of Towcester-based HR specialist Haus of HR. She is urging employers to embrace the post-pandemic shift in workplace dynamics that continues to

The office: From a mandate to a magnet

Marketing expert Louisa Watson argues that collaboration, creativity and community is drawing employees back to the workplace.

change attitudes towards flexible working.

“By finding a balance that works for everyone, employers can unlock greater performance, enjoy increased productivity and see a drop in absence levels,” she said. “However, we understand the importance of finding a harmonious balance so flexible working also works well on your terms.

“It is crucial that any agreed flexible working arrangements do not disrupt client services or your end-users and that strategies are well planned to help maintain excellent levels of client satisfaction.”

“Flexible working is a ‘must have’ for organisations aiming to attract and retain top talent.”

Businesses should focus on building a culture of trust, autonomy and support with the emphasis on employees’ output and results rather than solely on hours worked or their physical location.

“Adopting this approach can foster a healthy balance between productivity and wellbeing,” Rachel said. “Flexible working is nothing new but it is also no longer a ‘nice to have’. Instead, it is a ‘must have’ for organisations aiming to attract and retain top talent.

“Implementing a well-structured, flexible working policy can lead to increased employee engagement, higher retention rates and a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Ultimately, this could be a winwin situation for you as a business and your employees.”

In a world where the very concept of the office is in flux, it is time for us to rethink what draws us together in the world of work.

Gone are the days when the office was simply a place where work happened because it had to - a mandate, a necessity, often dreaded. Today, we are seeing the emergence of the office as a magnet: a hub of collaboration, creativity, and community that pulls us in not because we must go, but because we want to.

At Wyboston Lakes Resort, we have witnessed at first hand the evolution of the workplace. For over four decades, our ethos has centred around adapting and

‘They lack a voice, not feeling empowered to influence

Don’t worry, be Hapi... A new app created by two employee benefits experts aims to give a voice to the

thousands of deskless workers in sectors such as retail, hospitality, healthcare and construction.

responding to the needs of businesses and professionals. The modern office is undergoing a metamorphosis, influenced by shifting work patterns, the rise of

Louisa Watson

Rachel Collar

not empowered influence change’

Specialists in employee engagement have joined forces to give a voice to the deskless workforce.

Retail associates, restaurant workers, healthcare professionals and those working in construction say they are dissatisfied with the technology they are given to do their job, leaving them feeling isolated and voiceless.

Now Workbuzz and Personal Group Holdings, both based in Milton Keynes, have collaborated to use the latest HR technology to create new and accessible

remote work, and an increased focus on work-life balance.

In this changing environment, the challenge for many is where to begin. The task of transforming workspaces to meet new demands can seem daunting. However, the secret lies in taking that first, sometimes tentative, step towards change.

Begin with the low-hanging fruit: small, impactful changes signal to the team the beginning of a new direction. Whether it is enhancing natural light, introducing flexible workspaces or embedding sustainable practices, each step counts.

A highly effective approach to meeting the changing needs of the workforce is

“Organisations must ensure they feel considered and appreciated.”

simple and anonymous means to provide feedback to their employer.

Personal Group’s chief product and partnerships officer Karen Thornley said that deskless workers are facing particular challenges that can impact their wellbeing and engagement. “They all too often feel disconnected and sidelined, with depression rates 61% higher than those of desk-based workers.

“One of the reasons is that they lack a voice, not feeling empowered to influence change. With WorkBuzz’s employee listening technology now easily accessible from Hapi, deskless workers have an effective means by which to give their opinions and ideas, ensuring they feel listened to and valued.”

WorkBuzz’s engagement surveys range from pulse surveys to better understand employee sentiment at a certain point in time, to onboarding, exit and annual surveys.

ways for workers to have their say.

Under the partnership, WorkBuzz’s employee engagement surveys will now be accessible from Personal Group’s Hapi app – a mobile-first employee benefits platform available on both desktop and smartphone. As well as deskless workers being able to access Hapi’s communications, benefits, wellbeing, and recognition functionality from their smartphones, they will now be able to launch WorkBuzz’s engagement surveys directly from the platform, providing a

to transform the workspace into a hub for both business and leisure activities, to offer a holistic work-life experience.

Here, with diverse facilities, including serviced offices, co-working spaces and leisure amenities, the line between professional and personal life is seamlessly integrated, providing a flexible environment that supports productivity and relaxation alike.

I believe in the power of place to inspire, connect and empower. While navigating the changing landscape of work, the focus must remain on creating spaces that attract talent, foster innovation, and promote well-being. By offering a blend of work and leisure, championing

Employers can then dissect and interpret the survey findings and , with Workbuzz, create meaningful action plans to improve business outcomes, from retention rates and engagement levels to performance and profitability.

Its chief executive Steven Frost (inset) said: “Organisations cannot afford to ignore their deskless workers but must ensure they feel considered and appreciated as this improves retention, reduces absence rates and increases productivity. Our partnership with Personal Group is the perfect alliance, bringing together HR tech and engagement specialists in order to extend the reach of our surveys while providing deskless workers with a richer employee experience.”

sustainability and embracing flexibility, we are helping to shape the future of work.

In an era where the traditional office is being reimagined, we have recognised that we should approach our workspaces with creativity, care and a commitment to the broader community.

The office as a mandate may be a concept of the past but the office as a magnet? That is the future - and it is a future full of promise.

Louise Watson is marketing director and sustainability lead at Wyboston Lakes Resort in Bedfordshire.

wybostonlakes.co.uk

Law Partnerships: Planning for profit and loss

When setting up a business as a partnership or revisiting your partnership agreement for any reason, it is important to consider the core topic of how profits and losses will be shared.

“There are various options for sharing profits and losses so it is paramount that you sit down with your co-partners to discuss these options and seek advice from a solicitor to determine the best approach for your business,” said Tom Bodkin, a partner with Borneo Martell Turner Coulston.

“The topic of profits and losses is at the heart of your partnership agreement so it is very important to get it right.”

Tom discusses some of the options for calculating the distribution of partnership profits and losses and highlights some of the pros and cons of each option.

Equal sharing

The most simplistic of all the modelsand one that mirrors the basic provisions of the Partnership Act 1890 - is equal sharing. This simply means that all profits and losses are shared equally

among the partners, irrespective of any other circumstances.

Proportionate sharing

This model is where each partner’s share of profits and losses mirrors their capital contributions to the partnership. It is in many respects a fair and equitable model, as the distribution reflects the degree of financial risk assumed by each partner.

Pot A and Pot B sharing

In this distribution structure, you have two different pots at the end of each financial year: Pot A and Pot B.

You can state the proportionate sizes of each pot in your partnership agreement – the two pots could be equal or different sizes. The idea is that all the partnership profits are paid into those pots in the proportions agreed.

Pot A is then shared, usually equally, among all the partners. Pot B is sharedagain usually equally - only among those partners who have hit their target for that financial year.

„ This article is published on behalf of Borneo Martell Turner Coulston Solicitors. If you are looking for advice regarding profits and losses distribution among your partners or require legal support with regards to your partnership business more generally, then our lawyers will be pleased to help.

For an informal conversation, please contact Tom Bodkin in the corporate and commercial team on 01604 622101. or email tom.bodkin@bmtclaw.co.uk

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.

Protection for the whistleblower... and for the employer

Whistleblowing - formally known as making a protected disclosure - occurs when a worker reports what they believe to be a type of wrongdoing. Workers and employers should know that whistleblowers are protected from victimisation or dismissal related to or because of their whistleblowing.

A recent court case has highlighted the issue of at what height does a drone flying over a property become possible trespass.

Drones have become increasingly popular over the last decade with many people using them for exploration and entertainment. However, with their increasing popularity comes a host of rules on where they can be flown, when and who by.

The latest consideration to make following the case of AIUL v Wainwright

When is a disclosure of information classed as whistleblowing? To qualify for protection as a whistleblower under UK law, the individual must:

„ Be classed as a worker;

„ Have a reasonable belief that the information they are providing is true, the misconduct they are reporting has already happened or is likely to happen in the future and make their disclosure in the public interest;

„ Use the appropriate channels when reporting the wrongdoing.

The disclosure must also relate to a specific kind of wrongdoing, such as a breach of a legal obligation or potential or actual danger to health and safety.

Tom Bodkin

Heavens above...

So who owns the airspace above your head?

and Persons Unknown [2023] 5 WLUK 613 is whether flying a drone over private property is or can be considered a trespass. In AIUL v Wainwright and Persons Unknown, a number or explorers were using a drone to explore the grounds of an old, supposedly haunted Catholic seminary building to establish routes of entry to explore the grounds further.

In doing so, the defendants were taking pictures and videos of their findings and publishing them to social media. This resulted in the site gaining popularity with other curious explorers wishing to participate.

Following the publication of the glamourised images, more people were

being encouraged to visit the site to explore – therefore encouraging trespass on the private grounds.

Section 76 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 states that there is no trespass “by reason only of the flight of an aircraft over any property at a height above the ground which, having regard to wind, weather and all the circumstances of the case is reasonable”.

The intention of this legislation, to allow the airspace above property to be used for planes and aircrafts typically flying at a much greater height, is now being applied to privately owned drones.

In the case of AIUL v Wainwright, it was assumed that Section 76 would apply

Workers might be afraid of whistleblowing. However, they should be reassured that legal protection is in place to help them report malpractice without fearing adverse consequences.

How should employers respond?

After receiving a potential whistleblowing report, it is vital for employers to act with integrity and transparency. Failing to appropriately respond to whistleblowing can have serious consequences.

If a worker suffers any unfair treatment after making a protected disclosure, they could bring an employment tribunal claim and seek compensation.

“It was being used to take images and videos to assist in committing further wrongdoing.”

to drones. On the face of it, it would therefore seem as though flying the drone over the building would not be deemed as a trespass.

However, the judge granted an injunction against the defendants stating that any future flying of drones over the site would amount to trespass.

The reasoning for this was because this complaint was not due to the simple act of flying but rather what is happening during the flight.

The images and videos being taken by the drone were not only actively facilitating and encouraging further trespass on the land on foot but were also being used to work out new ways of entering the land.

In turn, this was increasing the risk of injury and endangering life on a site which was dilapidated.

In this case, no consideration was made to the actual height of the drone, rather the purpose of the drone’s flight. It was being used to take images and videos to assist in committing further wrongdoing, the height of the drones was considered unreasonable and therefore deemed a trespass.

This case has outlined one of many considerations when flying drones. It also highlights the importance of preventing trespass on private land, whether that be entering personally on foot or with technology or machinery.

„ If you have an issue with a party trespassing on your land or you have trespassed on another’s land and need assistance, contact the commercial litigation team at Wilson Browne Solicitors. www.wilsonbrowne.co.uk

Published on behalf of Wilson Browne Solicitors

There is no limit to compensation in whistleblowing claims. Employers can take several proactive steps regarding whistleblowing, including:

„ Implementing and regularly reviewing a whistleblowing policy.

„ Providing all workers with comprehensive training. Whistleblowing is an issue which often relates to sensitive aspects of a business’s operations, and it can have devastating reputational consequences.

Workers seeking to report malpractice and employers dealing with such reports should always seek professional guidance on the best course of action. Find out more at wilsonbrowne.co.uk

on behalf of Wilson Browne Solicitors

Celebrity couple Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have announced they are divorcing after 14 years of marriage. The pair own a business together - Holmes & Away - so there is potential for complications when separating matrimonial assets. Tina Shah, senior associate in divorce and family law at Neves Solicitors, examines what the law says.

One of the key questions to arise when business owners divorce will be the value of the business or share of the business held by each spouse.

Consideration will need to be given to its assets, earnings, and structure. Often an expert valuation from an accountant will be relied on. This can also minimise any dispute over valuations. Arranging a valuation can sometimes be complicated and costly so it is important to get legal advice before doing so.

Protecting your business before a divorce requires careful advice. If you are seen to be moving assets or shareholdings simply to avoid future claims on divorce, this can damage your case considerably. Where transactions have taken place specifically to do this, the court has the power to set them aside.

It is worth bearing in mind several broad principles:

Prevention is better than cure A pre-nuptial agreement or post-nuptial agreement can assist in limiting claims against a business. It may be too late by the time you get to the divorce, for obvious reasons. But if you have planned well ahead, at the time you get married or subsequently - perhaps when inheriting a business - getting the agreement of your spouse not to make damaging claims against the business can be helpful. If you are currently married and own a business, it is certainly worth considering a nuptial agreement at any stage.

Do not mix your business assets with your private assets unless necessary Keeping the business entirely independent of your private wealth can help on divorce. It will help if, for example, the family home has not been used to secure borrowing within the business. While this is not always possible, it is an important consideration.

“This is where a nuptial agreement would help to determine that spouse’s interest if your relationship were to break down.”

Tina Shah

Divorce and protecting your business assets

It is sometimes tempting to involve a spouse in the business, not least for tax purposes

There is a balance to be struck. Involving your spouse helps them to make a claim by having been involved in the business and so having contributed to its success. Against that, it is a pity not to use income tax reliefs by appointing them a role within the business.

Again, this is where a nuptial agreement would help to determine that spouse’s interest if your relationship were to break down.

Sharing ownership of a business with outsiders can help on divorce

If a business is 100% owned by one spouse who is getting divorced, the courts may treat it just like any other asset - to be divided or shared unless there are good reasons not to.

If the business is jointly owned with other shareholders or partners, the court

is less likely to take steps that would damage the livelihoods of the other shareholders or partners.

„ By taking professional advice and taking time to plan, you can put measures in place to protect your business if your personal relationship were to break down in the future.

Tina Shah, senior associate in divorce and family law at Neves Solicitors, is experienced in all areas of family law including acting for clients with family farms and businesses.

THE POWER of Three

The Power of 3 runs through the core of OCM as we have three professional disciplines brought together allowing us to deliver such a powerful client focused proposition.

As an Independent Chartered Financial Planning Firm, a Discretionary Asset Manager and Tax planning specialist, we utilise the power of 3, to ensure we deliver a seamless and first class, cost and time efficient service to clients. This is because at OCM we truly believe Our Clients Matter.

CHARTERED Financial Planners

ocmwealthmanagement.co.uk

& Accounting

How will the general election result affect your business?

Tony Byrne, of Wealth & Tax Management, warns that whatever the result business should brace itself for bad news

If you read this article hot off the press, the general election will have already happened or it will be imminent.

Whichever of the two main parties is elected, Labour or Conservatives, it will be bad news for most businesses. Why?

Under the Conservatives, the government has built massive debt£400 billion from the Covid-19 global pandemic alone - and this debt has to be repaid whichever government is in power. That means higher taxes.

We already have the highest taxes in Britain since the 1950s under a Conservative government. Historically, Labour has always taxed us even more heavily so if Labour is elected then taxes

If you are interested in advice on how to reduce the negative impact of the general election result on your business, take advantage of a onehour Discovery Meeting either at our offices or via a video conference call at our expense worth £270 to each of the first three readers who contact us before 31 July 2024.You know it makes sense. We offer a great cup of coffee too.

Ring us on 01908 523740 or for free on 0800 980 4516 or email wealth@ wealthandtax.co.uk and quote JULY 2024 OFFER to book your free discovery meeting.

are likely to rise even more than under the Conservatives.

The types of businesses likely to thrive under a Labour government are ones dependent on government contracts and ones that adhere to the net zero agenda. Labour is an even bigger supporter of net zero than the Conservatives, with Ed Milliband the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero since 2021.

On the other hand, businesses involved in the fossil fuel industry are likely to struggle under a Labour administration.

What about the rest of us? Well, I expect taxation to rise very steeply. It would not surprise me in the slightest if the top rate of Income Tax were to rise to 98% again like in the 1970s under a Labour government.

What’s the solution? Emigrate to a tax haven where taxes are low, the government is friendly towards businesses and entrepreneurs and the weather is better. Join the brain drain from the UK and become a digital nomad instead.

That is certainly what I intend to do.

www.wealthandtax.co.uk

RISK WARNING The information contained within this article is for guidance only and does not constitute advice which should be sought before taking any action or inaction. All information is based on our current understanding of taxation, legislation, regulations and case law in the current tax year. Any levels and bases of relief from taxation are subject to change. Tax treatment is based on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. This article is based on my own observations and opinions.

and

other team members at a staff wellness day organised

Grants package boosts women’s business vision

Apprentice Niamh Standen (second from left), Sue Halsall (third from left)

Ann Phillips (second from right) with

by Elsby & Co

Incubation Nation’s founder Sam Poole (right) with Debbie Lewis, NatWest’s regional ecosystem manager and manager of the NatWest Accelerator in Milton Keynes

Plans to deliver support to 100 female entrepreneurs in the South East Midlands have received a £10,000 boost from NatWest.

The bank has awarded the grant to community interest company Incubation Nation, which provides business planning and development support for budding businesswomen looking to turn their ideas into successful ventures.

Incubation Nation will use the money to provide one-to-one business planning sessions for each participant as well as follow-up monthly accountability, training, networking and 30-day review sessions.

Incubation Nation founder Sam Poole said: “Our goal is to provide women whose drive, inspiration and creativity led them to start a business with the foundational support necessary for success. This grant from NatWest is

“This grant underscores our commitment to harnessing entrepreneurial spirit.”

a significant step towards achieving that goal and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on our participants.”

Debbie Lewis, accelerator manager at NatWest, added: “The mission of supporting women-led businesses to start and scale is important to us and we share Incubation Nation’s mission to empower women entrepreneurs to build on their great ideas.

“This grant underscores our commitment to harnessing entrepreneurial spirit and ensuring that women have access to the tools and mentorship that they need to thrive in the world of business.”

„ NatWest is preparing to welcome up to 2,500 businesses when its new Accelerator programme begins in September.

NatWest operates 13 physical and one digital Accelerator hub spread across the UK, including in Milton Keynes. Applications are now open for the next Accelerator cohort, with the deadline set for August 2.

“We really do see the programme live up to its name,” said Darren Pirie, head of the NatWest Accelerator. “As the UK’s biggest bank for start-ups, we understand that helping businesses succeed not just through traditional lending but with full wraparound support is crucial if we want a strong economy.

“In our accelerator hubs, we have seen a whole host of businesses secure investment, grow their teams and move into other markets.”

Apprenticeship programme targets new talent

The next generation of aspiring accountants has received a huge boost from an established accountancy firm in Northamptonshire.

Elsby & Co has launched a comprehensive apprenticeship programme to recruit and develop the brightest new talent in its industry.

It guarantees apprentices a structured learning programme, ringfenced learning time, flexible access to courses, support from a dedicated mentor and a recognised qualification at the end of the scheme.

Ann Phillips, Elsby & Co’s head of operations, said: “Everyone’s lives have got busier which means it’s harder to study in our own time than it used to be.

“Our trainees attend learning and revision courses during work time to help them prepare for their exams because we want to protect our teams’ work-life balance.

“Our approach to study dovetails with our approach to wellbeing and one of our key values - caring for your experience - and for us that starts in the office.”

Elsby & Co, based in Rushden, works with First Intuition, Northampton College and Bedford College to provide AAT apprenticeships for 16and 18-year-olds, as well as graduate ACCA apprenticeships.

Audit senior manager Sue Halsall worked as an audit manager for 22 years and as a training manager before joining Elsby & Co last year where she is a mentor to other staff members. “We have a fantastic team and I relish sharing my years of experience with them,” she said.

“It truly is a collaborative team – everyone trains one another and shares their knowledge generously.”

Staff also receive regular one-toones with their line managers and soft skills training delivered through lunchtime learning sessions, podcasts and recorded presentations.

Elsby & Co apprentice Niamh Standen said: “I did not think an apprenticeship was the route I wanted to go down and had my sights set on university. I now urge anyone thinking about an apprenticeship to apply for work experience because the week I had here changed my mind completely.”

Networking

A group for networkers looking for referrals, introductions, opportunities and sales. Northants and surrounding areas

Every Tuesday at noon.

National networking

Every Wednesday at noon. Contact Gary Thorpe for all events. Email: gary.thorpe@debt-doctors.co.uk. Tel: 07963 766052 or 01536 333425.

AYLESBURY

2nd Tuesday 12 noon-2pm: Online. MILTON KEYNES

2nd Thursday 12 noon-2pm: Online. BUCKINGHAM

3rd Tuesday 12 noon-2pm: Online. CAPPUCCINO CONNECTIONS

4th Thursday 10am-11.30am: Online. Contact: Anna Atkins-Carter, regional director North Bucks / West Chilterns. 07540 097776, email anna.atkinscarter@theathenanetwork.com or visit theathenanetwork.com.

BEDFORD

2nd Wednesday 12 noon-2pm: Online. SOUTH BEDFORDSHIRE

4th Tuesday 12 noon-2pm: Online. WOBURN

3rd Thursday 12 noon-2pm: Online. Contact: Kate Cherry, regional director Bedfordshire & St Albans. 07909 675333, email kate.cherry@theathenanetwork.com or visit theathenanetwork.com

CONNECT OVER COFFEE

July 10, 10am-11.30am: Brooklands Residential Association, Garden Leys, Leighton Buzzard Informal networking hosted with Buzzard Networking. Free event.

Book on to Chamber of Commerce events via events.chamber-business.com.

IGNITE

Tuesday 6.45am: The Turnpike, Harpole, Northampton ACHIEVERS

Wednesday 9.30am: Brewpoint, Cut Throat Lane, Bedford. PIONEER

Wednesday 9.30am-11am: Online. APOLLO

Wednesday 10am: Abbey Hill Golf Centre, Two Mile Ash, Milton Keynes. FUSION

Thursday 6.45am: Abbey Hill Golf Centre, Two Mile Ash, Milton Keynes. BLAZE

Thursday 6.45am: Mount Pleasant Golf Club, Lower Stondon nr Henlow. PAVILION

Thursday 6.45am-8.30am:

The Old Northamptonians RFC, Sir Humphrey Cripps Pavilion, Billing Road, Northampton.

PROSPERITY

Thursday 6.45am-8.30am:

The Kettering Golf Club, Headlands, Kettering. STERLING

Thursday 11.45am-1.30pm: The Old Northamptonians RFC, Sir Humphrey Cripps Pavilion, Billing Road, Northampton. ENCORE

Friday 6.45am: Holiday Inn London Luton. LIGHTHOUSE

Friday 6.45am-8.30am: Old Northamptonians Association, Billing Road, Northampton. Contact: Duncan Webster, email: duncan@bnibreakfast.co.uk or call 07977 422220. More information: bni.co.uk

July 9, 23, 6.45am-8.45am: Villiers Hotel, Buckingham Breakfast meeting + speaker. Visitors: £10.

More details: bucks-fizz.biz or contact David Babister 07796 136688.

Regional sponsor: Business MK and Business Times

Relaxed, informal, conversational B2B networking. All Business Buzz events run 10am-noon. Price: £10 + VAT.

BEDFORD

1st Wednesday: George & Dragon, Mill Street. BIGGLESWADE

4th Tuesday: Miss Vietnam, Market Square. BRACKLEY

1st Thursday: Paisley Pear, Northampton Road. DAVENTRY

3rd Friday: Arc Cinema, Mulberry Place. DUNSTABLE

4th Friday: Sugar Lounge at The Old Sugar Loaf, High Street North.

LUTON

2nd Tuesday: The Garden Cafe, Stockwood Discovery Centre, London Road.

MILTON KEYNES

3rd Friday: Pop World MK, Lower 12th Street, Central Milton Keynes.

NORTHAMPTON

3rd Wednesday: Barratts Snooker Club & Bar, Kingsthorpe Road.

TOWCESTER

4th Thursday: Towcester Mill Brewery, Chantry Lane.

WELLINGBOROUGH

2nd Tuesday: Castello Lounge, Market Street

All meetings payable in advance on the Business Buzz Booking App app.business-buzz.org/app or at the event.

Business networking and referral group. Price: £6.

MILTON KEYNES

4th Thursday, 7.30am-9.30am: Windmill Hill Golf Centre, Bletchley. Meeting fee: £16 (first meeting free).

Northampton Breakfast

3rd Wednesday, 7.30-9.30am: The Turnpike, Harpole. Northampton Evening

4th Tuesday, 6.30-8.30pm: Cheyne Walk Club, Northampton.

Wellingborough

2nd Thursday, 7.30-9.30am: The Hind Hotel.

VIRTUAL MEETINGS

Meeting fee: £6 (first meeting free).

Wednesday Breakfast

4th Wednesday, 7.30am-9am.

Thursday Breakfast

3rd Thursday, 7.30am-9am.

Friday Breakfast

2nd Friday, 7.30am-9am.

THE ACCOUNTABILITY CIRCLE

Monday 10am-11am: Online

Time management and productivity. Price: £6 per session or £12 per month. More information: buscomm.co.uk.

July 5, 19, 7am:

Windmill Hill Golf Centre, Bletchley

Networking breakfast with speaker. Price: £15 nonmembers. Contact: businessgrowthclub.co.uk or Mark Orr 07903 655169.

SUMMER EVENT – ALL GROUPS

July 1, 9.30am-11.30am: Venue tbc

BEDFORD

July 11, 9.30am-11.30am

Brewpoint, Cut Throat Lane, Bedford Host: Aruno Rao.

Brunchtime networking. Price: £26.

MILTON KEYNES

July 3, 9.30am-11.30am

The Anchor, The Square, Aspley Guise

Host: Heide Swift.

Brunchtime networking. Price: £26.

NORTHAMPTON

July 9, 9.30am-11.30am

The Chester House Estate, Irchester Host: Kirsty Parris.

Brunchtime networking. Price: £26.

TOWCESTER

July 17, 9.30am-11.30am

The Navigation Inn, Thrupp Wharf Marina, Cosgrove Host: Kirsty Parris. Brunchtime networking. Price: £26. Contact: busynetworking.net/meetings.

Networking with lunch. Price: £28.

SUMMER EVENT – ALL GROUPS

July 1 9.30am-11.30am: Venue tbc

AMPTHILL

July 11 11.45am-2pm

The Knife & Cleaver, Houghton Conquest

Host: Chandra Gardner.

BEDFORD

July 25 11.45am-2pm

The Woodland Manor Hotel, Green Lane, Clapham Host: Aruno Rao.

BUCKINGHAM

July 15, 11.45am-2pm

The Grand Junction, High Street, Buckingham Host: Heide Swift.

KETTERING

July 23, 11.45am-2pm

The Kettering Golf Club, Headlands Host: Aruno Rao.

MILTON KEYNES

July 4, 11.45am-2pm

The George Inn, Watling Street, Little Brickhill

Host: Aruno Rao.

MILTON KEYNES NORTH

July 8, 11.45am-2pm

The Cherry Tree, Olney Host: Aruno Rao.

NORTHAMPTON

July 16, 11.45am-2pm

The White Hart, Main Road, Hackleton Host: Aruno Rao.

TOWCESTER

July 24, 11.45am-2pm

The Navigation Inn, Thrupp Wharf Marina, Cosgrove Host: Aruno Rao.

Contact: busywomen.net or call 07957 284851.

NETWORKING BREAKFAST

3rd Friday, 7am-9am Astral Park, Leighton Buzzard Breakfast networking with speaker. Price: £13. Contact: info@buzzardnetworking.co.uk or visit buzzardnetworking.co.uk

July 3, 7.30am-9am:

YMCA, North Sixth Street, Central Milton Keynes

The longest-established breakfast networking club in Milton Keynes. Speaker: Jill Farnsworth, chief executive of MyMiltonKeynes Business Improvement District; Charlotte Richardson, corporate partnerships manager at Medical Detection Dogs. Book at citybreakfastclub.co.uk

VIRTUAL

July 2, 9, 30 10.30am-12 noon Online BREAKFAST, NETWALK & BRUNCH

July 4, 7.15am-8.45am; 9.05am-9.50am; 10am-11.30am, Willen Hospice Café , Willen Lake IN PARTNERSHIP EVENT with Leighton Buzzard businesses

July 11, 5pm-6.30pm, Leighton Town Football Club GOLD MEMBERSHIP BUSINESS WORKSHOP

July 16, 9am-2pm MK:U Innovation Hub MK MEET-UP EVENT

July 18, 4.30pm-7pm, Delta by Marriott Hotel, Kents Hill

All events free to attend as a non-member on one occasion. Book at the event booking diary web page at collaboratemk.co.uk. Contact: Tim Lee tim@collaboratemk.co.uk or 07786 527845.

Alternate Wednesdays 7.30am-9.30am: The Hind Hotel, Wellingborough Networking group run by its members for its members. Contact: cornerstone-northants.org or email network@cornerstone-northants.org.

July 18, 12.30pm-2.30pm

Maaya Restaurant, The Hub, Central Milton Keynes Sponsor: Pinders. Networking lunch. Price: £35.11. Book at thecurryclubs.co.uk/event/ milton-keynes-curry-club-24/.

Wednesdays 6.45am-8.30am:

The Hopping Hare, Hopping Hill Gardens, Northampton

Breakfast networking + members’ presentation opportunities. Price: £10 visitors. Contact: enigmanetworking.co.uk. email chair@ enigmanetworking.co.uk or call 07889 967779.

MILTON KEYNES VIRTUAL NETWORKING

July 12, 10am-11am: Online Networking + an update on the benefits of FSB membership. Free event for FSB members and non-members. To book on to FSB events, visit fsb.org.uk

COFFEE & CONNECT

July 11, 10am-12 noon: Frosts Garden Centre, Woburn Sands Informal networking. Price: £12.50. Book at askgoto.com/event/ coffee-connect-mk-20/

LBBC

LEIGHTON BUZZARD BUSINESS CLUB

Wednesdays 7am-8.30am: The Dukes, Leighton Road, Heath and Reach Breakfast networking with speaker + member presentations. Visitors: £10. Contact: leightonbuzzardbiz.co.uk. email LBBC chairman Steve Baker at steve@sbfinancial.co.uk or call 01296 641868.

#LOVEBIZ NETWORKING DERNGATE COMMUNITY

July 3, 12, 9.30am-11am: Online Networking community for women in business in Northamptonshire and beyond. Price: £10. Contact: Julie Cameron at juliecameron@lovebiznetworking.co.uk or lovebiznetworking.co.uk.

LUTON COFFEE CLUB

1st Tuesday 8am-10am

Mano Coffee, George Street Informal networking. Free event. To find out more, email organiser Stephen Wood at s.w@srwood.co.uk or call 01582 401221.

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS: COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE CHAMBER

July 4, 11am-1pm:

Stockton House, Rugby Road, Stockton, Southam Networking over lunch. Price: £20 + VAT Chamber members only.

CHAMBER SUMMER BARBECUE

July 16, 5.30pm-7.30pm: Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, Northampton

Informal networking. Price: £35 + VAT Chamber members only. Banner stand sponsorship: £55 + VAT.

To book on to Chamber events, visit chambermk.co.uk/events.

MEET OF MK

July 25, 5pm-7pm:

The Italian Sul Lago, Furzton Lake Sponsored by Facilities Management Solutions. Networking with speakers. Contact: mkfm.com/events/mkfms-meet-of-mk/

NETWALK

July 24, 9.15am-10.45am

Grounds Café, Salcey Forest

An informal walk, followed by coffee and a catchup. Dogs are welcome. Organised by Franklins Solicitors. Free event.

To book, visit events.bookitbee.com/franklins-solicitors-llp/

Alternate Thursdays 7.15am-9am: Beefeater, Priory Marina, Barkers Lane, Bedford Breakfast networking with speaker. Contact: nibeds.co.uk

NNBN is a business membership organisation for all of Northamptonshire which aims to help businesses in the county to recover, build and grow for a brighter future.

THE BUSINESS GROWTH AND TEAM DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP

July 3, 11.30am-1.30pm: Holiday Inn Northampton, Bedford Road Workshop led by Business Doctors. Free event. ONLINE NETWORKING

July 5, 4pm-5pm Free event to NNBN members and non-members. MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP

July 8, 6pm-7.30pm: Poppy Design Studios, Desborough Networking + workshop. Free event, NNBN members only.

EVENING BUSINESS NETWORKING

July 11, 7pm-8.30pm: Kettering Park Hotel, Kettering Parkway

Informal networking. Free event for NNBN members; visitors £10.

CARBON REDUCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY

July 24, 3pm-5pm: Lutyens House Meeting Room, Northampton Led by ActNow Consulting. Free event for NNBN members.

Networking

HOTDESKING

July 26, 9am-5pm: Vulcan Works, Northampton

A day of co-working. Free event for NNBN members.

For more information and to book, visit nnbn.co.uk/events/.

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS:

COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE CHAMBER

July 4, 11am-1pm:

Stockton House, Rugby Road, Stockton, Southam

Networking over lunch.

Price: £20 + VAT Chamber members only.

CHAMBER SUMMER BARBECUE

July 16, 5.30pm-7.30pm: Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, Northampton Informal networking.

Price: £35 + VAT Chamber members only. Banner stand sponsorship: £55 + VAT.

MEET THE JOBCENTRE

July 17, 8am-10am: Kettering jobcentre Plus, Derbyshire House, Lower Street Find out more about the Jobcentre services for employers, including employment advice and work coaching. Free event for Chamber members and non-members.

To book on to Chamber events, visit northants-chamber.co.uk.

Connecting corporate & community with great conversations, meaningful networking, and inspiring updates.

City Breakfast Club Milton Keynes is the longest-running, premier networking event connecting you with the city’s top business leaders. The event takes place on the first Wednesday of each month*.

To book your place, visit citybreakfastclub.co.uk

Steve Freeman Chairman “I am looking forward to ensuring we continue to deliver an informal, informative and interactive networking experience for our guests ” *No events in January and August

Fridays 6.45am-8.45am: The Cock Hotel, Stony Stratford Networking breakfast, with more than 40 members from a wide range of businesses. Businesses referrals, business support and training. Contact: tfinetworking.co.uk.

12 noon-2pm, networking lunch.

Bedford & Ampthill

1st Tuesday: The Swan Hotel, The Embankment, Bedford / Online.

Leighton Buzzard

3rd Wednesday: The Dukes, Heath & Reach / Online.

Luton

2nd Monday: South Beds Golf Club/ Online.

Sandy & Biggleswade

1st Wednesday: Stratton House Hotel, Biggleswade. Contact: Louise Yexley on 07989 020647, email louise.yexley@wibn.co.uk or visit www.wibn.co.uk.

Milton Keynes

1st Tuesday: The Brasserie at Milton Keynes College, Sherwood Drive, Bletchley. Contact: Edith Samambwa on 07802 581838, email edith.samambwa@wibn.co.uk or visit www.wibn.co.uk.

SUMMER NETWORKING PICNIC

July 12, 12 noon: Venue tbc For menu choices and to book, visit womeninenterprise.co.uk.

BUSINESS ROOM

YMCA, 1 North Sixth Street, Milton Keynes MK9 2NR

7:30 - 9:00

The Business Room is a one business per area group for business owners, those in employed positions, MLMs and franchised businesses.

BEDFORD

3rd Thursday 9.30am-11.30am: The Barns Hotel. KETTERING

2nd Tuesday 12 noon-2pm: Kettering Park Hotel & Spa. NORTHAMPTON

2nd Thursday 12 noon-2pm: Sun Inn, High Street, Hardingstone. OLNEY

2nd Wednesday 9.30am-11.30am: The Cherry Tree Restaurant & Bar. SOUTH NORTHANTS

3rd Tuesday 12 noon-2pm: The Fox & Hounds, Whittlebury. WELLINGBOROUGH

3rd Wednesday 12 noon-2pm: The Stanwick Hotel, Stanwick. THE CONNECTIONS CLUB - NORTHANTS For business owners, influencers and decision-makers. NORTHAMPTON

1st Tuesday 11.45am-2pm: Delapré Abbey, Northampton. Contact: Barbara Hodgson 07504 946 585 / 01933 652884, email barbara@yourbusinessmatters.co or visit yourbusinessmatters.co.

It takes you to another place... that is the joy of music

By day, she looks after the people working at a busy Northamptonshire law firm. Away from the office, she is part of a national TV phenomenon.

Sally Mitchell talks to Andrew Gibbs about her love of singing and life as part of the Northants Sings Out choir after reaching the final of the TV show Britain’s Got Talent.

Ever since she was a child, Sally Mitchell has loved to sing. She grew up with song – her father was a vicar – and her love of music has followed her throughout her adult life.

By day, Sally is human resources manager at Northamptonshire law firm Wilson Browne Solicitors, looking after the personnel side of the business . Out of office, her life is just as busy; one of the cub pack leaders in Brixworth and a member of the Wellingborough Community Gospel Choir.

She is also one of 65 singers chosen from the five choirs that make up Northants Sings Out who made it to the final of TV talent show Britain’s Got Talent. The choir finished in the final’s top ten but nonetheless the aftermath has been “surreal.”

Northants Sings Out has been booked to perform at a string of festivals including A Perfect Day in the grounds of Delapre Abbey, Northampton, last month. They were also invited to join the vocal quartet G4 when the group’s 20th anniversary tour performed in Kettering.

The choir performs versions of classic songs from every genre of music, adapted by musical director Gareth Fuller. Her fondness of song stems from her father, a vicar, who led his church choir at services and other occasions. “I have always sung in church choirs,” Sally said. “It has always been such a huge part of my life. There is something so joyful about going out into the community, performing and watching people just enjoy the music.”

Musical genes seem to ruin in the family. Sally’s parents both sung in the choir. “My brother is a very talented

“I was always in the orchestra at school because I really liked being part of something’.”

pianist, playing the organ in church,” Sally added. As well as her soprano voice, Sally played the cello in her junior and secondary schools. “I have always just loved singing. I was always in the orchestra at school because I really liked being part of something.”

She joined Wellingborough Community Gospel Choir when she and her family >

Sally, her father and brother sang together in the church choir

Sally Mitchell at work (left) and (above centre) in full voice in a performance on Britain’s Got Talent

> moved from St Albans to Northamptonshire in 2020. It is one of the five choirs across the county that make up Northants Sings Out.

The choir had been signed up for the TV show by musical director Gareth. They travelled to Manchester for the auditions,

“Gareth keeps telling us: ‘Don’t fight the funk’.”

making it through to the semi-finals and final, broadcast on ITV. Among their performances were versions of religious songs, pop and R&B. The choir’s version of Madonna’s 2000 hit song Music drew the attention of the artist herself, who shared a clip of the choir’s performance with her 19.8 million followers on social media.

Sally’s family background favours the more traditional music but, as part of Northants Sings Out, she has learned another side to understanding and performing music.

“Gareth keeps telling us all: ‘Don’t fight the funk’.”

Practice began only after Christmas ahead of the first recordings earlier this year. “They were songs that we know and we all know how Gareth works. We go to concerts and he gives us the first note of the song and we just know exactly what we are doing. Then there is the choreography which we have to learn too.

‘Gareth is an absolute legend, such a creative and wonderful man but so humble with it.”

The Britain’s Got Talent journey required support from Sally’s family and colleagues at Wilson Browne. “They have all been amazing,” she said.

“A lot of the practice take place in the evenings and at weekends but it has been full on and I have needed a couple of days off, which Wilson Browne have been great about.

“My husband has been amazing too – I can’t thank them all enough.”

Reflecting on Northants Sings Out’s success on Britain’s Got Talent, she added: “It still gives me goosebumps and that is the joy of music. It takes you to another place.”

‘Everyone drew energy from each other’

Singing from the wings in each performance was Ernieford Barrett, customer service assistant in the University of Northampton’s Library and Learning Services team.

He grew up in Jamaica, singing his way through school before moving to Northamptonshire and continuing his choral journey with The Royal and Derngate.

“Since I was a child, music has always been an important and enriching part of my life,” Ernie said. “From singing as a young boy in my Anglican church choir, to joining my high school choir, to signing up for The Royal and Derngate Community Choir and Northants Sings Out – singing gives me a feeling like no other.

“When we stood on the Britain’s Got Talent stage for the first time, in front of all those people and judges, everyone in the choir drew energy from each other. It just felt electric. We were living in the moment, taking it all in and enjoying the memory of a lifetime as it was happening.

“I’ve never told our choirmaster Gareth this but his choice to include gospel song It Is Well With My Soul in our audition was really special to me. When I was young, I sang alongside my dad - he as bass, and me as an altar boy - and I always remember this was one of his favourite songs.

“To be part of Northants Sings Out, as a man and as a father myself, singing this in front of hundreds of people in the auditorium and hundreds of thousands of people through the TV is an experience I will never forget.”

Ernie moved from his home town of May Pen in Jamaica nearly 15 years ago with his wife and our children, hoping to build a brighter future away from the turbulent political state of Jamaica at the time. He began work at the university in 2012.

“I have not looked back since. I have never been afraid of meeting new people and starting a conversation, which is perfect for my role.

“I pride myself on filling my time with things that give me joy. I am currently in my final year of studying engineering part-time at UoN, I enjoy supporting my wife with her local business Caribbean Dutch Pot and I am a member of several choirs, including Northants Sings Out and the UoN Staff Choir.

“One thing is for sure. This will not be the last time you see me on a stage.”

Business of Sport

‘Important decisions to be made’

New county cricket chair pledges to build on progress

Gary Hoffman, who joined the board of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club earlier this year, is to take over as chair from October when Gavin Warren steps down.

He has been confirmed as chair-elect until the end of September.

Gavin is the longest-serving county club chair in England & Wales cricket but is stepping down under designated governance term lengths under the club’s constitution. He has been involved with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club for more than two decades and chair since 2014.

His successor has experience aplenty in in financial services, sport, media as well as the charitable and community sector. “It is a county with a proud tradition and recent successes,” he said.

“There are lots of moving parts in cricket - on and off the field - and there are important decisions to be made on behalf of Northants and its supporters.

“Gavin will be a difficult act to follow but I will do my best to build on what he and the board have achieved.”

Gavin and his fellow directors have transformed Northamptonshire CCC over the past decade. In that time, the board has changed the club’s ownership, removed its entire debt, improved facilities at the County Ground and have had their say on ECB policies.

Broker backs bowler

Ben in sponsorship deal

Insurance broker Wentworth Alexander is to continue as sponsor of Northamptonshire bowler Ben Sanderson as part of a new two-year sponsorship deal.

The Northampton-based broker will also have its branding around the County Ground and welcome guests for some corporate hospitality as the t20 season gets into full swing.

“WAIB could not be more pleased to continue our relationship with the Club that has endured over many years,” said director Alex Hammon. “We are very much looking forward to supporting the team over the coming seasons and watching some exciting cricket.”

Broadcaster joins Cobblers board

Broadcaster Jim Rosenthal has joined the board of Northampton Town FC.

The former TV and radio presenter, who has worked for the BBC, ITV, Amazon Prime and Channel 5, has been a regular at the Cobblers’ Sixfields stadium for the past few seasons.

“He is one of the most respected men in sport and is very, very well connected across both the sports and media industries,” said Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas. “He has a wealth of knowledge and experience that we can lean on and input that we can benefit from.”

The new board member is joining at a

Gary Hoffman

time when attendances are high and the team is looking to build on its 14th-place finish in League One last season.

“I am looking forward to help in the development of the club in any way I can,” he said. “I have enjoyed watching the team and the club progress under the stewardship of Kelvin Thomas and David Bower, both of whom I have known for many years

“The development of the new East Stand is a positive and a concrete sign that this club is moving forward and I am delighted to play my part in helping with that.”

He also served on the EBC’s 100 Board for four years, helping to build the 100ball game that has drawn a whole new audience, and on ECB committees. He is the current chair of the representative board on behalf of the 19 first class cricket county chairs.

“I have been privileged to serve Northamptonshire CCC for over 20 years and to be chair for 11 seasons,” Gavin said. “I am eternally grateful to the members, shareholders, directors, staff, players, coaches and especially my family for their unconditional support.

“The early days were very tough but I am proud of the progress we have made together and I am confident that Gary and the new board of directors will build on the solid platform that we have

Skoda backs Silverstone sustainability drive Club celebrates kit partnership

Kit provider Canterbury, which sponsors the British & Irish Lions, is the new official provider to Ampthill Rugby Club for the next four years.

Canterbury becomes a senior partner to the club and sponsor the 1st XV squad. “They are synonymous with rugby and share our values of “Rugby for All”,” said the club’s director of rugby Mark Lavery.

Ampthill is the highest-ranking English club sponsored by Canterbury, he added.

“I am looking forward to seeing the partnership develop over the next four seasons.”

Škoda has become the official car partner to Silverstone in a deal that will see the Czech brand work closely with the circuit over the next 12 months.

The marque has supplied a fleet of Škoda Enyaqs to help Silverstone to become a more sustainable operation. The circuit has recently installed 24 electric car chargers as part of its mission to cut carbon emissions and encourage more sustainable transport.

Nick Read, chief commercial officer at Silverstone, said: “This partnership with Škoda is a significant step as we transition to a greener fleet of vehicles and continue to put sustainability at the heart of all we do at Silverstone.”

Software upgrade ‘transformative’ for manufacturer

A manufacturer of performance car upgrades for motorsport racing is forecasting greater competitiveness and improved profitability after introducing a new Enterprise Resource Planning system.

Xtreme Motorsports, based on the Pages industrial park in Leighton Buzzard, has used an entry-level ERP system developed by software specialist Forterro to overhaul its production processes.

The company, which specialises in Nissan GTR-R35 clutch upgrades, had relied on traditional tools such as spreadsheets and extensive paperwork to manage its production.

The implementation of the Fortee system enables Xtreme Motorsports to manage increased batch sizes and streamline complex manufacturing stages, such as in CNC machining.

It says the change has been “transformative” for staying competitive.

“It is so satisfying to be in control of everything - overseeing costings, routings, the bill of materials and the structures,” said business development manager Antony Allsop. “It gives a sense of being on top of everything and knowing exactly where we are headed. The business is now positioned for significant expansion and diversification over the next few years.”

The company is now more proactive and in control of its inventory and stick levels, he added.

“There has been less panic and knee-jerk reactions across the business. We have a number of new and ambitious projects in the pipeline.”

Forterro launched Fortee in the UK earlier this year. Based on Forterro’s successful cloud ERP solution Sylob, it is an out-of-thebox SaaS ERP solution, designed for SME discrete manufacturers and industrial startups.

Blues in the pink after firms renew support

Longstanding sponsor SDG has renewed its backing for Bedford Blues for the 2024-25 rugby union season. The mechanical and electrical contractors will have its logo on all club kit for the new season as well as sponsoring Blues playercoach Michael le Bourgeois.

This is the 19th year that SDG, a mechanical and electrical contracting company, has sponsored the Blues. The business, based on Bedford’s Elm Farm industrial estate, will also feature on sponsorship boards around the club’s Goldington Road ground.

Managing director Gavin Spendlove said: “It is important for us to maintain our relationship with the Bedford Blues family and, in particular, we are looking forward to many entertaining days and nights of rugby at Goldington Road.”

Bedford Blues chief operating officer Gareth Alred said: “Gavin and his family have supported the club for generations and this sponsorship, as with many here at Bedford Blues, is about much more than just advertising and brand awareness. We are grateful for their continued support.”

„ “It is about backing a club that is a vital part of the Bedford community.” The words of Simon Ayres, managing director of Bedford Battery, on why his company has increased its backing of Bedford Blues ahead of the new season.

The company, based in Bedford’s Wellington Street, has upgraded to become a Club level sponsor, with its logo on every club kit. Last season Bedford Battery supported the club in installing its new PA system and becomes ticketing sponsor for the new season, alongside

player and match sponsorships. The company also sponsors the club’s kit van.

Managing director Simon Ayres said:

“Supporting Bedford Blues is about more than just sponsorship for us at Bedford Battery. It is about backing a club that is a vital part of the Bedford community. It is hugely important to us that a club with such a fantastic heritage continues in Bedford.”

„ IT and telecommunications company CMC Technology Group has also extended its support of the club for the new Championship season. The Milton Keynesbased firm has installed new gigabit fibre internet and guest wi-fi at Goldington Road, updated the club’s IT equipment and committed to sponsorship of players, matches and hospitality signage.

CMC managing director Simon Wright said: “Being Bedfordshire born and raised, I was well aware of the club’s status within the town. Subsequently, I have found myself immersed in the wider Blues family and it is a great place to be.”

The company acquired the principal naming rights of The CMC Marquee in 2022.

“Simon and his team have brought a lot to the club in the past two years, not just through sponsorship assets but as one of our main partners,” said Blues chief operating officer Gareth Alred.

„ American IT conglomerate Service Express, which acquired Bedford technology company Blue Chip four years ago, has renewed its sponsorship deal for another season. It continues Blue Chip’s partnership at Goldington Road which began in 2007.

with the group’s HQ in the USA and its facility in Banbury. Andretti Global is headed by former US CART racing champion Michael Andretti, son of 1978 FIA F1 world champion Mario Andretti.

Opening a new facility at Silverstone Park is part of motor racing team Andretti Global’s bid to enter the FIA Formula One World Championship. The facility houses manufacturing, electronics, R&D and office staff and works

Business Soundbites

A snapshot of what business people have been telling us.

“I carry with me the stories of our residents, the challenges we have overcome and the triumphs we’ve celebrated together.”

CllrJo Gilford, chairman of West Northamptonshire Council for 2024.

“Throughout my career, I’ve seen first-hand how sports can unite and uplift communities and I believe the same principles apply to business.”

Ex-England striker Andrew Johnson, who has joined Milton Keynes-based Approved Finance Group’s property finance division as director of real estate finance.

“Maths was not my strongest subject in school but it clicked later in life when my university lecturer took the time to explain it.”

Rene Scholtz aims to ignite a passion for the subject among learners from reception to GCSE level by launching the maths-only learning centre Mathnasium of Milton Keynes.

“If we want AI to work for everyone, we need to make sure not to let just a handful of people make the decisions for everyone.”

University of Bedfordshire graduate Hannah Claus as she begins her PhD at Cambridge University on a scholarship funded via the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“The strongest woman I know and has always pushed me to go as far as I can.”

Nashe Mataya, Milton Keynes College Group’s overall student of the year, reserves special praise for his mother.

“Social interactions, team bonding and incentives like food and drink clearly can have an impact on the inclination of people to return to the office.”

Tracy Evans, group HR and quality director at recruitment firm Pertemps, whose recent online poll found that free food could persuade 12% of respondents to return to the office.

“Don’t fight the funk.”

Musical director Gareth Fuller’s advice to the Northants Sings Out choir ahead of their appearance in the final of Britain’s Got Talent.

Freedom award for community champion

Businessman Naz Islam has been handed the Freedom of the City of London in recognition of his charity work and commitment to the community in his home nation of Bangladesh.

During a 27-year career, he has raised almost £100,000 for local charities and established a school and orphanage in one of the poorest areas of Bangladesh with the help of his family.

“Receiving this honour means the world to me and I am grateful beyond words for this recognition,” Naz said. “It was a very special moment and one I will treasure forever.”

Naz (pictured), who owns the Saffron restaurant in Northampton, has worked tirelessly to support Northampton’s growing Bangladeshi community and helped to establish strong links between his homeland and the University of Northampton, where he arranges flag-raising ceremonies to mark the

country’s Independence Day and Victory Day to remember the fallen heroes of the liberation war of 1971 with the Northampton community.

“I care passionately about my community, both here in Northampton and in Bangladesh,” he said.

Principal’s praise for ‘brave but really sensible decision’

Hard work, talent and a determination to overcome personal struggles have earned graphic design student Nashe Mataya the title Milton Keynes College Group’s Student of the Year for 2024.

Having already won the Creative & Digital Arts category at the group’s annual awards, Nashe heard his name as the overall winner at the ceremony held this year at Silverstone Circuit.

“Nashe took the brave but really sensible decision to take some time away from his course, only coming back when he felt stronger and more able to cope with the rigours of his studies,” said Sally Alexander, the college group’s chief executive and principal. “He came back stronger and has produced some wonderful work, as well as helping other students as a surrogate tutor, which shows what a level-headed and kind young man he is.”

friends at the awards ceremony, he said: “I am shocked but also blessed to win this award. Everyone who came tonight showed me such love and support.

“The people on my table are the people who got me here and I am so grateful to them all.”

Now Nashe (pictured) is set to continue his graphic design studies as he begins a degree in the subject at the University of Northampton. Sitting with his family and

The Students of the Year Awards cheered winners in 20 categories covering the group’s Further Education provision, adult learning, inclusive learning, ESOL, the South Central Institute of Technology in Bletchley and its prison education services. Catering and hospitality learners prepared, cooked and served the food, performing arts students entertained before and during the awards and games and animation student Sienna Rogers was a co-host for the evening.

“I am gutted to be leaving,” said Nashe. “I have met so many cool people here and I will always remember my time at the college with great fondness. I want to thank my teachers for everything they have done for me.”

Afamily has launched a new bursary scheme in memory of their son who died six years ago.

Harry Chadwick’s parents Jessica Pilkington and David Chadwick have linked up with Northamptonshire Community Foundation - the county’s largest independent grant-giving charity - to launch Harry’s Fund, a new bursary scheme for young people across the county with neurodiverse conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD to support their education.

“Harry lit up a room,” said mum Jessica. “He was hilarious, loyal, loving, loved his friends and family and we miss him every single day.

“Harry was autistic so, before he got ill, we had been focused on helping him prepare for his future, his life after secondary school. Disabled youngsters can, if they are lucky, get good support at school but life can be daunting when they leave and that is what we want Harry’s Fund to address.”

Harry’s Fund has been made possible thanks to the generosity of Harry’s family and friends, who raised funds in his memory after Harry died of cancer at the age of 19. It will help teenagers with neurodiverse conditions to make the move into further education, an

‘I think Harry will be smiling right now’

apprenticeship or employment after secondary school.

“A huge thank you to the Northamptonshire Community Foundation team for helping us make this happen,” said Jessica.

“David, myself and Harry’s sister Polly are really proud to be launching Harry’s Fund. I think Harry will be smiling right now.”

Northamptonshire Community Foundation manages a range of funds and bursaries set up to improve the lives of people across the county.

Northamptonshire-

‘Thank you’ has the power to lift spirits

Patients and visitors at Milton Keynes University Hospital can now send personal messages of gratitude to a member of staff who has made their day, thanks to a new initiative launched

by Milton Keynes Hospital Charity.

The My Thank You app enables patients, their families and friends to express their appreciation, with the opportunity to make a donation to the

based students aged between 15 and 21 who have a confirmed diagnosis of a neurodiverse condition can apply to Harry’s Fund for an award of between £150 and £250 to support their transition into sixth form, college, an apprenticeship or volunteering opportunity.

Northamptonshire Community Foundation manages a range of funds and bursaries and continues to accept applications. To find out more, email the grants team via enquiries@ncf.uk.com.

NCF’s grants manager Alex Rex said: “We are very proud to be launching Harry’s Fund in partnership with Jess and David from Pilkington Communications. This bursary scheme will provide vital support to students with neurodiverse conditions.”

charity. Its associate director Vanessa Holmes said: “A few words of thanks really do have the power to lift spirits and boost morale for both frontline workers and those behind the scenes.

“We recognise the profound effect of receiving appreciation. ”

„ Pictured: (from left) Professor Joe Harrison, chief executive at Milton Keynes University Hospital; medical student Sarah Fabyan, the face of My Thank You and Vanessa Holmes, associate director at Milton Keynes Hospital Charity. Also pictuted, the charity’s chief corporate affairs officer Kate Jarman, chief corporate affairs officer, Butterfly Volunteers co-ordinator Lauren Handley and Jodie Fardoe, individual giving and marketing lead

Harry with his mother Jessica and (below left) father David

‘Contributions have touched lives’

Eight former councillors have been honoured for their contributions to the council and the local community.

The title of Honorary Alderman, presented at West Northamptonshire Council’s Extraordinary Full Council meeting, is the highest honour offered to a former councillor.

The recipients of the Honorary Alderman title are: Sandra Barnes; Caryl Billingham; Liz Griffin; David Harries; Chris Millar; Judy

Shephard; Suresh Patekl; Mary-Anne Sergison-Brooke.

West Northamptonshire Council chairman Cllr John Shephard said: “These extraordinary individuals have dedicated their lives to serving our community with unwavering passion and dedication.

“Their contributions have touched the lives of countless residents, leaving an enduring legacy of service and compassion.”

Pride festival shows solidarity for all

Northampton Town Council is headline sponsor for this year’s Northampton Pride festival, which takes place on July 13.

Local firm GXO Logistics is to sponsor the stall village where local products, food and drink will be on sale, including Beastly Boutique and Dam Good Dough.

St John’s Ambulance will also be on hand to provide first aid support, funded by Northampton BID.

The event, organised by the Northampton Pride Committee and West Northamptonshire Council’s LGBTQ+ and Allies Forum, will feature live performances, walkabout entertainers, stalls, food and more.

Northampton Pride takes place at the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus from noon to 6pm. Organisers anticipate this year’s event to be the biggest yet.

Cllr David Smith, cabinet member for planning and communities on West Northamptonshire Council, said: “This event is about people coming together in celebration and to stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community, who are an important part of West Northamptonshire.”

Cllr Jane Birch, chair of the Northampton Town Council’s community services committee, added: “We are really excited to see the event grow year on year.”

Documentary highlights plight of homeless

Anew campaign to raise awareness of homelessness is using a documentary film sharing real-life stories of homelessness and recovery in Northampton alongside a virtual reality experience portrayed through the eyes of people with experience of rough sleeping.

Streets of Change follows people’s journey from sleeping on the streets to recovery and signposting to the support available for those in a housing crisis.

Film makers One to One Development Trust have been working with West Northamptonshire Council’s outreach team. Each day the Outreach Team, alongside colleagues from social care charity Change, Grow, Live, check on rough sleepers in Northampton and support their specific needs.

“There are a lot of preconceptions

about people who are homeless,” said the film’s director Judi Alston. “This project aims to address some of those stereotypes and bring more awareness to the stories of those affected by showing the importance of agencies working together to support this growing societal problem.”

Homelessness is an escalating problem across the UK. In January, 92 people were known to be homeless in West Northamptonshire and the numbers are rising with up to five new referrals every day. The council works with partner agencies including Northampton Hope Centre and Midland Heart as well as dedicated voluntary groups to support people in need.

Council leader Cllr Adam Brown said: “Eradicating homelessness is a top priority

for the council and we are committed to working with partners to take a preventative approach when it comes to homelessness and rough sleeping.

“This documentary film is testament to this work which has resulted in people moving off the streets and into secure accommodation where they have an opportunity to start fresh and live safely and well.”

One to One Development Trust has also produced an immersive Virtual Reality experience showing what it is like to be alone and homeless on the street at night. It uses poetry and artwork created by homeless people.

The film and virtual reality experience launched last month and will continue a regional, and national tour of screenings at Film Festivals and events this year.

Volunteering: ‘Doing this work has been a real eye-opener’

Business is booming for property entrepreneur Tom Green. Yet his volunteering commitments continue to come first.

“I have learnt it is important to have a good mix of business and pleasure, which is why I make sure I prioritise my volunteering,” he said. “I honestly think my role there gives me an enormous sense of wellbeing and pride.”

The role is as a Pets as Therapy Dog Service volunteer at the mental health charity St Andrew’s Healthcare in Northampton.

Tom has volunteered there for the past five years, taking his dog Dexter to see the patients every fortnight.

“Doing this work has been a real eye opener,” he said. “I knew dogs and humans had a special connection but I never would have thought that our family dog could bring so much joy and happiness to the people we visit.”

owns a set of period properties in Northampton town centre that have been renovated to provide office and meeting space. “We have taken over one of the town’s oldest buildings and we are now operating very premium office space.

But we are so much more than that - we provide a real sense of community.”

Volunteers complement the work of charity staff, making a huge contribution to the wellbeing and recovery of patients, said St Andrew’s Healthcare chief executive Dr Vivienne McVey.

Tom Green and Dexter at St Andrew’s

At work, Tom runs Square Feet which

“I have seen Tom around the charity with Dexter and it is a joy to see how our patients respond.”

Tom has researched the benefits of PAT dog therapy. The results are “quite staggering,” he said. “Faces light up when we enter the room and the patients cannot get enough of Dexter. It has made me realise how important the role of volunteering within our local community really is.”

Lawyers backing free will campaign

Four law firms have signed up to a scheme to encourage more people to make a will and support Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

Most charities focus on the free Make a Will Month which happens in March and October, however, Cynthia Spencer offers the service all year round.

Law firms Borneo Martell Turner Coulston, DFA Law, Franklins Solicitors and Tollers have agreed to not charge for their services when they write simple or mirror wills. If a more extensive will is required, the solicitor will discuss the circumstances and confirm any additional fee.

Testators can choose to make a donation to the charity in lieu of the solicitor’s fees for the simple or mirror will or bequeath a specific sum to Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

Cynthia Spencer Hospice’s director of income generation and communications Anita Frith said: “These gifts in wills are crucial to the support we provide to local people – in fact, these thoughtful gifts pay for the care of one out of every five patients we look after.”

„ To find out more about the Make A Will scheme, visit cynthiaspencer.org.uk

Making a profound difference: Partners win national award

Personalised baby brand My 1st Years has won a national award for its partnership with humanitarian charity Goods for Good.

The company, based in Northampton, has been supporting Goods for Good since 2017, providing warehousing and logistics support and donating thousands of pounds of clothing and toys to children living in natural disasters, war and poverty. The two organisations received the award for Best Emergency Response Project at this year’s Business Charity Awards.

“We are making a profound difference to the lives of people who most need help, providing life-changing goods that help restore hope and dignity to vulnerable communities,” said My 1st Years cofounder Jonny Sitton.

The company does this by donating and also accepting donations from other businesses. “We then sort by age and category and ship these much-needed goods to children in need here in the UK and across the globe. We are well on our way to supporting an incredible one million children this and every year.”

In 2022, in response to the war in Ukraine, My 1st Years opened its warehouse in Northampton as an Aid Hub to help Goods for Good respond to the

rapidly unfolding humanitarian aid crisis.

“We were inundated with large volumes of donated goods and urgently needed somewhere to store the donations before they could be delivered to the millions of people fleeing the country,” said the charity’s founder and chief executive Rosalind Bluestone. “The team at My 1st Years offered a lifeline.”

My 1st Years also launched its Child In Need initiative in July last year, making a donation to Goods For Good for every customer order placed. More than £14,5000 has been raised in just ten months, contributing to nearly 5% of the charity’s income.

Jonny Sitton and Rosalind Bluestone receive the award from ceremony host comedian Zoe Lyons

Regal boys rule the roost

Gaming company MERKUR has raised more than £12,000 for its community arm which supports charities and other good causes across the UK.

The company, based in Central Milton Keynes, hosted a five-a-side football tournament at Tattenhoe Sports Pavilion in aid of the MERKUR Initiative.

Regal (pictured above), a team represented by staff from a sister company Regal Gaming Technologies, lifted the men’s trophy. Winner of the women’s competition was Foleshill Women’s team.

MERKUR Casino UK’s chief operating officer Mark Schertle said: “It might not quite have been on the scale of the Euros but it was great to see so many of our business partners and employees come together for a fantastic afternoon.”

A dash and added splash of colour

It has been hailed as an “explosion of rainbows and joy”… More than £11,500 has been raised at this year’s Northampton Colour Run.

Some 400 participants ran, jogged or walked the 5km course at Overstone Park while being splashed with paint powder. The event was co-organised by local charities Cynthia Spencer Hospice and The Lewis Foundation, which will share the proceeds from this year’s event.

“We are already planning next year’s event to make it bigger and better,” said The Lewis Foundation’s chief executive Lorraine Lewis. “The money raised will make such a difference.”

Heroes live up to their name

More than 600 spectators, 100 players and £13,000-plus raised for two Northamptonshire charities… “We knew it would be a good day,” said Martin Goodes, chairman of Whitworth FC.

The club hosted its annual end-ofseason fundraiser at its Wellingborough ground, raising money for Kelly’s Heroes and the Maxwell Mallows Brighter Future Fund. And it was the Kelly’s Heroes team who took home the winner’s trophy, player-manager John Hewitt (pictured) accepting the cup from Martin George, director of main sponsor Whitworths Ltd, and Martin Goodes.

John said: “The success of this event is a testament to the community’s spirit and generosity from those organising, playing and attending. All who attended have a real passion for the charity - we are completely reliant on fundraiser support as there are no local authority grants available at this time.”

Live music from Louisa Nixon, food and a raffle with more than 100 prizes donated took the entertainment into the evening. “We are already thinking about how to improve the day for an even bigger and better event next year,” said Martin Goodes.

SUPPORTING LOCAL CHARITIES

Hospice opens info hub

A new digital information hub for people with a life-limiting illness their families, carers, and professionals has opened at Cransley Hospice Trust in Kettering. The hub is part of the new Palliative and End of Life Care strategy for Northamptonshire developed by the trust with the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board and Cynthia Spencer Hospice. Visit the new hub at cransleyhospicetrust.org. uk/care-support/

Golfers hole out for charity

Recruitment agency and online training provider Simon Acres Group has raised £1,000 for Cancer Research UK by hosting a golf day for the KBB and construction industries.

More than 60 players took part in the event, held at Overstone Park Golf Club, Northampton. The best team score was carded by the quartet from Dunavox Wine Coolers while Kris Tolbod, of Premiere Klasse Kitchens, led the way with the best individual total. Fundraising was boosted by an auction and raffle.

“It was a fantastic day,” said Simon Acres Group’s managing director Simon Acres.

Donations pack a punch

Logistics company Xtra Express Logistics has been supporting The Frank Bruno Foundation in its plans to create a new sensory room.

The Frank Bruno Foundation Centre in Northampton was officially launched by boxer Frank Bruno in 2021 and works with young people and adults to improve their mental health and wellbeing through specialist programmes and non-contact boxing. Now the charity wants to turn one of its rooms into a sensory room to create a safe and quiet space.

Xtra Express Logistics, which has supported the charity since its inception, has donated items for the new sensory room, including a large bean bag, stress toys and a music system. “It is important for us as a company to support the community that we live and work in,” said sales director Zealia Gharu. “The Frank Bruno Foundation does an amazing job so we are more than happy to do anything we can to help them to deliver these vital services.”

The foundation’s business manager Lisa Calvert said: “We rely on the generosity of our supporters to continue our mission. Donations like this will really help to bring our dreams of a sensory room to life.”

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Zealia Gharu with Frank Bruno

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