Business Times Newspaper January 2023

‘A stronger, more exciting future’

Regeneration plans for Northampton promise an exciting future for businesses in the town, delegates at a conference have been told.

Key industries in the town were in the audience at the Filmhouse to hear about a series of redevelopment and regeneration projects set to take place this year, including the transformation of Market Square, improvements to public space and

the opening of Vulcan Works this month.

Attendees received an update on the work of Northampton Museum and Arts Gallery, including an announcement that the museum has regained full Arts Council accreditation Report: page 23

The event was organised by West

Northamptonshire Council. Cllr Daniel Lister, cabinet member for economic development, town centre regeneration and growth, said: “Northampton has changed rapidly in recent years. To ensure that it remains a vibrant town, rich with heritage and culture, we are committed to embracing this to

ensure that we contribute towards an even stronger and more exciting future.

“As a council, we are transforming the heart of the town and building a new community around the strong cultural foundation which has emerged.

“New leisure opportunities and improved connectivity are key components in developing a reenergised town centre which works for everyone.”

Once it was a grade II listed ironworks factory. Now, after a £14 million transformation, Vulcan Works is ready to open its doors to Northamptonshire’s creative businesses.

The building in the heart of Northampton’s Cultural Quarter, is to become home to up to 68 start-up businesses in the creative and digital sector. An open day later this month is already fully booked and Oxford Innovation Space, which has been appointed to run the building, is handling a stream of enquiries for available space.

Vulcan Works is due to open officially next month. It is estimated that it will support around 150 start-up businesses in its first ten years, creating around 500 jobs. The centre has also pledged to work with local contractors and agencies, ploughing more money back into the local economy.

Oxford Innovation Space has been managing similar properties around the UK for more than 30 years. “Each centre is different,” said OIS managing director Jo Stevens. “We are hugely excited by Vulcan Works and it

has been an honour to be part of such an inspiring regeneration project. We cannot wait to see some talented creative businesses move in and hope they feel just as inspired by this space as we are.”

The construction and refurbishment works have been funded by West Northamptonshire Council and the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership, which facilitated a Local Growth Fund contribution of £6.3 million, together with £3.06 million from the European Regional Development Fund. Construction was completed in August.

Cllr Daniel Lister, West Northamptonshire Council’s cabinet member for economic development, town centre regeneration and growth, said: “We are thrilled with how Vulcan Works has turned out. The space has been finished to an exceptionally high standard while retaining a number of period features which provide a nod to our local history here in Northampton.

“The project is really gaining momentum now and is close to opening its doors. I look forward to finding out more about the creative start-up

Vulcan Works: The former ironworks in Northampton is preparing to open its doors to its first creative and digital sector start-up tenants

Council outlines progress on creation of a ‘re-energised’ Northampton

Showroom nets exclusive deal

Rushden-based Croyland Car

Megastore has been appointed as the exclusive approved dealer for CamperKing in Northamptonshire. The dealership will sell all new campervan models.

Croyland Car Megastore general manager Mark Swindells said: “We have seen a rise in the number of Croyland customers choosing

campervans and motorhomes as staycations soared in popularity.”

The business is already an approved Swift Motorhome dealer. “Their position as one of the best-known automotive sales businesses in the East Midlands will ensure our campervans will be accessible to an even larger audience,” said CamperKing’s dealer network manager Steve Hayward.

Asbestos specialist celebrates

Asbestos management specialist Acorn Analytical Services has been named as one of the UK’s best consultancies at the National Building and Construction Awards. The company, based in Northampton, won the silver award in the Consultancy of the Year category. Director Neil Munro said:

“We are delighted to have received this award in front of some of the biggest names in the construction industry and it shows just how far Acorn Analytical Services has come over the past nine years.”

Acorn Analytical Services is one of the last independent asbestos consultancies in the UK, specialising in asbestos management and compliance.

The company also educates about the dangers of asbestos through a programme of training sessions, a bestselling book Asbestos: The Dark Arts and the Asbestos: Knowledge Empire podcast.

Acorn Analytical Services was named Employer of the Year at the SME Northamptonshire Business Awards in June.

Success bells chime for venue

A17th-century restored barn complex set in the Northamptonshire countryside features among the top ten most popular wedding venues in the UK for 2022.

Dodford Manor, near Daventry, has been included on the roll of honour compiled by wedding planning service Hitched. In its annual poll of venues receiving the greatest amount of interest and enquiries over the past 12 months, Dodford Manor was listed the third most popular.

The venue includes a 1680s threshing barn, a 1790s dairy barn and a contemporary oakframed barn.

Dodford Manor’s owner Simon Steel said: “We are absolutely chuffed to bits. It is an amazing achievement.”

Business to benefit from £5.4m funding boost

West Northamptonshire’s economy has received a £5.4 million boost from the government.

The area’s council is to receive the money over the next three years from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The amount is the largest allocation in the South East Midlands and will be used to increase skills, support

local businesses and create stronger communities.

Business will benefit from the largest share - just over £2 million - while the skills agenda will have £1.8 million in investment, the council says. Measures will include support for new business start-ups as they grow and driving employment growth, with tailored support and

A farming family force to be reckoned with

Meet the Mees, a farming family whose booming business has been named as Family Farming Business of the Year.

Peter and Zoe, their children Charlie and Emily, and Charlie’s fiancée Charlotte Foster were among the winners at the British Farming Awards for their work on their blueberry farm at Nassington near Oundle.

The farm harvested 150 tonnes of blueberries last year, most of which were sold in Waitrose and M&S stores around the UK. But 27 tonnes of ripe berries would not have had the seven-day shelf life required by the supermarkets and would have been classed as waste, consigned to become animal feed. However, the Mees have launched a new range of products to get the best of the excess berries they grow, including a blueberry juice, vodka liqueur, gin liqueur, jam and chutney.

“We wanted to find a way to use our waste and to add value,” said Emily, who works in the family business after completing her chartered accountancy qualifications. “During lockdown I made a jam using the berries and it tasted great, which gave us the idea to create our own range of blueberry products.”

Blueberries are popular because they are rich in antioxidants and considered a superfood. Diversifying into blueberry production is the family’s most recent

and financially significant leap of faith. The Mees have been farmers for several generations and moved to Northamptonshire from Essex in 1994. Today they run their 700-acre enterprise as well as contract farming 600 acres. They also provide storage and drying facilities for Frontier Agriculture, the UK’s leading crop production and grain marketing business.

Peter and Zoe work with Emily and Charlie, who both are full-time on the farm. Emily manages the weighbridge facility and initiated the blueberry product development. Charlie, who returned from agricultural college at 18, manages the farm’s arable and contracting and Charlotte, 24, is the packhouse manager. Most fresh fruit, grown under polytunnels, is sold to UK customers, with some exported to Dubai and Oman.

“We did not want our best and sweetest fruit going to waste,” says Zoe. “So we decided to freeze the fruit and use it in product development but Covid-19 delayed the product development plans. We saw an opportunity to sell the frozen fruit through social media to the local community.”

The Mees are changing processes to regenerative farming to help make the farm environmentally and financially sustainable in the long term. “Our key driver for farm improvement is always our children and building resilience into the business for

training to help people into work.

Cllr Dan Lister, cabinet member for economic development, town centre regeneration and growth, said the funding will help the council’s work to provide the best support to businesses, communities and residents across West Northamptonshire. It will fund opportunities, skills,

development and training to those most in need, he added. “We have worked closely with stakeholders, community groups and local partners to analyse the greatest needs for this funding, and most importantly, to deliver economic prosperity in West Northamptonshire, making it a place where everyone will thrive.”

An additional £1.9 million in

Multiply funding is specifically targeted at improving adult numeracy to advance people’s chances of progressing their careers.

The council also expects to receive £1.367 million from the government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund to support small business and community infrastructure in rural areas.

future generations,” said Zoe. Sustainable initiatives include solar panels, rainwater harvesting, a ground source heat pump for the farmhouse and the creation of on-farm compost to reduce the need for additional fertiliser.

“Their diversification enterprises are delivered with creativity and flair and together they are a force to be reckoned with,” said the British Farming Awards judges. “The Mee family work as an exemplary collective unit, with each member taking on different roles within this hugely diverse business.”

Zoe said: “We spent a number of years building a business to make an opportunity for our children to come and work for that business and we have achieved that. However big or small, simple or complex you think your business is, you have to reflect on what you have achieved and you have to congratulate yourself and each other and be proud and shout about it.”

‘We cannot wait to start building a community’

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businesses who will call this unique space home and seeing what they achieve through the dedicated support on offer.”

As part of the Vulcan Works offer, Oxford Innovation Space will provide access to a programme of workshops, seminars, oneto-one coaching and networking. It has also appointed centre manager Garrick Hurter, assistant centre manager Gail Haddon and commercial manager Kelly Boosey to

oversee the day-to-day running of Vulcan Works.

The centre is planning further Open Days ahead of its official opening to meet demand, Ms Boosey said. “We cannot wait to start building the community at Vulcan Works,” she added. “We are more than just space.

Along with the fantastic specialised business support we offer, we are going to create a brilliant hub for start-ups and scale-ups in Northampton.”

HIGH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

B r o o k l a n d s T e c h n o l o g y P a r k , c o m b i n i n g a h i g h r a t i o o f o f f i c e t o w o r k s h o p s p a c e i d e a l f o r t e c h n o l o g y , r e s e a r c h & m a n u f a c t u r i n g e n t e r p r i s e s B u s i n e s s U n i t s f r o m 4 , 0 0 0 s q f t t o 8 ,

The Mee family celebrate their success at the British Farming Awards

Stylist shows she is a cut above

Stylist Rebecca Jacques celebrates with her salon boss Daniel Granger after she was named Hairdresser of the Year in the Eastern region at the British Hairdressing Awards. The 26-year-old, who works at Daniel Granger Hairdressing Salon in Northampton, is pictured after receiving the award at the ceremony in London. “Winning this top award and surrounded by some of the very best in the business is incredible,” she said. “This is proof that Northampton punches above its weight and that you can get an award-winning cut and service right here.”

Law firm seals partnership deal with golf’s rising star

Tollers are delighted to announce for the 2023 season, and hopefully beyond, they will be partnering with Lauren Taylor, a Ladies European Golf Tour professional.

Lauren started playing golf at the age of ten when her father took her to the local driving range and ignited her passion for the game. She joined Woburn Golf Club at the age of 11 and started to progress through the golfing ranks as an amateur, beginning at club level, moving to county level and eventually on to represent her country and play for England.

Lauren was the youngest ever winner of the British Ladies Amateur Championships at the age of 16, which led to her winning the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year 2011.

As a professional golfer, in 2022 Lauren has had her first full year on the Ladies European Golf Tour, participating in competitions across all four corners of the globe and jetting from the USA to India to Dubai. She is now back in the UK planning her schedule for 2023.

2022 also saw Lauren win the Women’s Professional Golf Association’s inaugural WPGA Woman’s Masters held at Hurlston Hall in Ormskirk, where she became the first WPGA Women’s Champion, she shot a fantastic 66 - six under par - to break the course record and win by three shots.

When Lauren is not travelling around

the globe participating in the Ladies’ European Tour, she will be found at Northampton Golf Club where she is currently in her third year of PGA training under the expert guidance and tutelage of head professional Nick Soto, who is her PGA putting coach.

As part of her trainee course Lauren also has the opportunity to coach members of the club, as well as keeping her hand in on the course.

“Tollers are absolute thrilled to be able to support one of our local up and coming sporting professionals as she starts another busy golf season,” said the regional law firm’s chief executive officer Duncan Nicholson. “Not only is Lauren a great person and player, she is also a great coach. I speak from personal experience having had the benefit of her coaching skills - hopefully I can put her wise advice into practice.

“Everyone at Tollers is behind her and we know that the future has so much more to offer Lauren. We hope she has a fantastic 2023 season.”

Lauren is delighted at her partnership with Tollers. “I am really excited to developing my new partnership with Tollers and am very grateful, as a young woman in sport, to know I have the full backing and support of everyone in the firm,” she said. “I know our relationship will go from strength to strength.”

Both Tollers and Lauren look forward to what the 2023 women’s golf season will bring. Good luck, Lauren, in all your upcoming endeavours.

Lauren Taylor

As a young woman in sport, I am very grateful to know I have the full support of everyone at the firm

Physio’ looks forward to Abbey move

Aphysiotherapy business is the first company to move into the new wellbeing hub at Delapré Abbey in Northampton.

Thanks to support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust is on track to transform a rundown former block of stables in its grounds into a wellbeing hub - due to be completed and open to the public for the spring of 2025.

Move4 Physio, a physiotherapy and rehabilitation business based in Northampton, is to make the move as part of its expansion plans.

Managing director Lee Daggett said: “This marks a big step forward for our business. To be part of the Stables, alongside likeminded organisations, is exciting. The Abbey is already a magnet for people wanting to exercise so to be able to help people continue on their exercise journey is a perfect fit.”

The move has been prompted by increased demand for Move4 Physio’s expertise during and since the pandemic. “We now see around 300 people every month but there are so many more people who would like our support so we look forward to becoming an

integral part of this new wellbeing hub,” said Mr Daggett.

Restoring the old stable block will generate valuable revenue for Delapré Abbey, says its chief executive Richard Clinton.

“This redevelopment is all about restoring a sense of pride. The hub will be here for the community, it will create jobs and opportunities and it will secure an income for that will ensure Delapré Abbey is here for generations to come.”

Move4Physio have reserved a 500 sq ft unit at the abbey and already has plans for a treatment area and a gym space. The company also plans to host specialist pelvic

health physiotherapy clinics aimed at helping pre-and postnatal women. These services will also assist with issues caused by the menopause and provide muchneeded education and treatment for women in need of their help, says Mr Daggett.

£477,000 of development funding was awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund last year to help Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust to carry out essential restoration work on a number of buildings at risk in the grounds of the historic 12th century Abbey. The project aims to create 42 jobs.

Firms rise to £50 charity challenge

Take £50 and turn it into a magical amount of cash for five local charities. That is the challenge to businesses and organisations across Northamptonshire.

Law firm Franklins Solicitors has thrown down the gauntlet, offering £50 seed funding to all entrants. In exchange, teams will work with their chosen charity on a plan to make as much profit as possible over a threemonth period.

Entries are open for the challenge, which begins on February 13 and runs until May 13. The charities to benefit this year are Northampton Hope Centre and Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton, as well as MK Act, Willen Hospice and MK Food Bank in Milton Keynes.

“This year all the money raised will go to five local charities tackling the cost of living crisis and improving wellbeing,” said Andrea Smith inset, head of business services at Franklins. “Taking part is an

opportunity for team building, getting creative and having fun while raising money for very worthwhile causes.”

Digital marketing agency onefoursix took part in the 2022 competition, using its £50 to create a fundraising barbecue event. “Who doesn’t love a BBQ?” said managing director Dave Williams.”We had no idea that it would take off as much as it did. We must have done over 100 orders that day.”

onefoursix has already signed up for 2023. The challenge is open to any business, organisation or community group and entrants can fundraise as creatively as they like. To enter, visit www.franklins-sols. co.uk/50-challenge/

Louise Danielczuk, fundraising and marketing manager at Northampton Hope Centre, said: “This challenge will make the lives of those who are hungry a little easier. We encourage all businesses to get behind this amazing challenge and get their fundraising caps on.”

Jennie Jahina is a specialist employment lawyer, helping all sizes and types of private sector business, and public sector organisations. Jennie deals with strategic projects (restructuring, compliance, business relocations and outsourcing/insourcing exercises), day-to-day operational and people management matters, and employment tribunal representation.

If you need help with employment issues, call Jennie on 0800 088 6004.

Jennie

Move4 Physio founder Lee Daggett (right) and physiotherapist Thea Jackson are pictured with Delapré Abbey’s chief executive Richard Clinton

Law practice’s appeal: We provide the cash, you create the profit

‘It helps show we are more than just a business’

The Chester House Estate for its work supporting customers, other businesses and local community services during the pandemic. The estate has welcomed more than 200,000 visitors since it opened in October 2021.

The

of

Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire has been celebrated at the Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2022.

Awards were presented to four businesses across five categories at a ceremony held at Harrowden Hall, home of Wellingborough Golf Club in Great Harrowden.

Chamber president Pritesh Ganatra said: “We are privileged to recognise the best of business in Wellingborough and East Northants with our annual business awards. It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these outstanding businesses and all their hard work.

“A massive thank you to everyone who entered the awards this year, there were some great entries which really displayed the success and excellence of business in the area.”

Winners were judged on their excellence, pioneering approach to business and commitment to furthering the success of the area.

The five categories up for grabs this year were the Services Business of the Year Award, Retail Business of the Year Award, Industry Award, Community Award, and the Excellence Hero Award.

Northamptonshire courier service AJS Express Parcels collected

both the Industry Award and the Services Business of the Year Award. Founder and managing director Tony Spooner said: “We believe that surviving the last three years alone is an achievement to be celebrated so receiving not just one but two awards on top of that is an honour. It demonstrates that our hard work has all been worth it, which means a great deal to us.”

Wine Chateau Ltd, the first UK

importer and supplier of Moldovan wines, based on Silver Street in Wellingborough, was named Retail Business of the Year. “Being a niche small family business, winning this award will help us increase our credibility to customers for the quality service and products we are offering,” said managing director Constantin Paunoiu.

A new award this year is the Excellence Award, which went to

“It helps show people we are more than just a business,” said Chester House business manager Jack Pishhorn. “We have already welcomed a number of businesses which are now flourishing.”

Ailsa’s Aim, a charity supporting families, friends and care providers of people in England and Wales who suffer from cancer or those who have experienced premature and problematic childbirths, received the Community Award. Trustee Niven Whatley said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Chamber has recognised everything we are doing for our community.”

Richard Osborne, an inspiring entrepreneur who is regarded as an authority in the company formations sector, was the keynote speaker at the awards ceremony.

Northamptonshire Council

The winners are pictured with Chamber president Pritesh Ganatra (centre) and keynote speaker Richard Osborne

Meet

Business owners could hit their targets and have their best year to date if they place more focus on their HR.

That is the message from an HR specialist in Northamptonshire who says that greater business growth can come into closer view by making sure HR documents are up to date, training and development are prioritised and areas for improvement are addressed. And it all comes down to making sure employees are happy, focused and feel valued.

“Every business owner wants to make sure their team is happy in their role,” said Rachel Collar, pictured, owner of Haus of HR in Towcester. “But it is easy to become complacent, especially when you feel like things are ticking along nicely.”

If a problem occurs and an organisation’s HR policies are out of date or it misses an opportunity to help a star employee progress through the business, the end result could be trouble, she added.

Business owners need to plan out their HR in the same way they plan other strategies as a new year begins. “When you have a clear plan for what needs to be done, not only does it make the getting it done easier but also it makes reaching those big business goals faster,” Ms Collar said.

“That is never truer than when you are taking care of your people. Treat them well and you will get the same back. In a business that means increased engagement, higher productivity and a much better workplace culture.”

n Haus of HR has produced a free guide to help business owners ensure they are compliant with the latest regulations. Find out more at https//hausofhr.com.

New year, new regulations... now is the time to review all documentation

Business planning will be as crucial as ever in 2023 given the changes and challenges faced universally write Wilson Browne Solicitors. Plans should include a review of the organisation’s key documentation, including employment documentation. Documentation should keep pace with changes the organisation has made or is intending to make, especially related to a change in the way of working; for example, introduction to hybrid working.

Of course, as with any review, an organisation may find that there is little, if any, change that they need to make to the documentation. There are three key questions that should help you decide what, if any, revisions may be needed.

Do contracts and handbooks take account of the 2020 changes to the law on written statements?

It is not just the timing that has changedwritten statements must now be issued on or before the worker’s first day - but also the detail that statements must contain: n Information on training, including cost;

n Probationary periods and associated conditions;

n Whether working hours are variable.

As well as reflecting an organisation’s culture, does the employment documentation reflect its working practices?

When an organisation changes its working

practices, such as allowing home working, contracts of employment need amending to reflect this. Policies should provide a framework for how the working practices should be managed. It is also important to avoid conflicts between either the contracts of employment and handbooks/policies or between individual policies. Is the documentation future proofed?

This is a trickier question to answer, given that new employment law changes which may lie ahead are far from certain. Recent changes to the government have led to legislation predictions being difficult to make. However, most agree that a few bills will be passed in some guise.

The first is the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. This has been heralded as one of the most important changes to employment law seen in recent years. If it is adopted in its current form by the end of 2023, it will repeal a number of EU laws which currently apply in the UK unless specific legislation has been implemented to retain those laws. This could mean changes to laws relating to: n Holiday and annual leave entitlements; n Limitations on working hours; n Maternity and parental leave rights. However, amendments to the Bill have been tabled in recent weeks. One is to extend the current ‘end of 2023’ date to 2026. Other amendments that have been tabled include retaining rights relating to annual leave and maternity.

The law in relation to data protection is also likely to change. The UK is to replace GDPR with a bespoke British data protection system. The government has indicated that the new system will be business and consumer friendly while still ensuring that data is kept safe and that privacy is maintained at all times.

The new system is expected to be modelled on those adopted by countries which do not recognise GDPR, such as Israel, Japan, Canada and New Zealand. However, there is very little information about how the new system may operate or the date by which it will be in place.

It is expected that the Information Commissioner’s Office will issue updates in relation to any new data protection laws and systems as and when further details is made available.

If, after your documentation review, you conclude that the documentation requires some revision, check if those revisions could affect contractual terms. If they do, this will need careful handling. And even if contractual terms are not impacted, identify how any changes should be brought to the attention of the organisation’s workers.

No organisation will want to go to the trouble of revising its contracts or policies to later find those changes are ineffective.

n To discuss employment documentation reviews or to benefit from our free contract template audit, call Wilson Browne Solicitors on 0800 088 6004.

Moulton College introduces apprenticeship scheme to support local employers

Moulton College has launched a brand new apprenticeship programme, paving the way for local employers to find new talent and access tailored training support.

The college has a long history of developing well-rounded and work-ready students armed with qualifications in areas including construction, sport, agriculture, and animal welfare. Now the college has extended its provision to include an apprenticeship programme that will support local employers and provide a launchpad for students looking to make the move into the workplace.

To celebrate the introduction of the scheme, the college recently held an Apprenticeship & Skills Programmes event, which was attended by more than 40 representatives from businesses across the region.

It was an opportunity for local employers to meet the college’s apprenticeship and curriculum teams and for Moulton to learn more about what local businesses are looking for, so it can further shape its provision.

Matt Smith, Executive Director of Skills & Business Development at Moulton College, says: “We’ve introduced the programme based on demand, as local businesses are keen to recruit and develop employees in new areas.

The scheme also gives us the chance to identify opportunities for full time students looking to progress into employment.”

Apprenticeships are increasingly under the spotlight because of the benefits they offer employers and individuals looking to build rewarding and successful careers. 80 per cent of an apprentice’s time is spent in the workplace, with the rest utilising training and development opportunities at college on a day release, study time, or block release basis.

This combination of being able to

‘earn and learn’ is seen as an essential route to fill gaps in the workforce and boost productivity and as a way to help individuals realise their full potential.

Moulton College is offering a full recruitment service, working with employers to recruit apprentices where they don’t already have one in place.

By partnering with businesses, the college can adapt the curriculum and format of the programme to develop bespoke solutions to that best meet their requirements.

Moulton welcomed its first cohort of apprentices to the college in autumn

2022 with 30 bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing and stone masonry apprentices from a range of employers including the National Trust. A further 60 apprentices across a range of sectors including construction and food and drink are joining the college in spring 2023 with more scheduled for later in the year.

Matt adds: “Apprenticeships are the government’s flagship initiative and will only grow as the labour market becomes more challenging. It’s a crucial way to provide employers with the skills they need to help their businesses grow.

“By working closely with local businesses, we can identify potential opportunities for apprenticeships in other areas such as agriculture and animal care, while showcasing the bespoke nature of our offering and our extensive facilities.”

He concludes: “We’re delighted to be able to play a key role for local employers by delivering high quality apprenticeship programmes that will make a tangible impact on the local economy.”

Promotion

Plan... and ‘get it done’ more easily

Conference is flying the flag for diversity

What is the This Is Us Conference and Awards? What is it all about?

MC Diversity and inclusion are being brought to the forefront of companies and should be recognised at a local level. Our conference and awards will promote the values of equality, diversity and inclusion and aim to raise awareness, educate and inform companies about D&I.

The event is a day conference and awards ceremony in the evening. The awards are designed to celebrate the great achievement in diversity and inclusion and raise a glass to everyone for the part they play.

It is really important to recognise the achievements of businesses that are doing great things in diversity and inclusion alongside celebrating the achievements of unsung heroes.

It is about supporting and improving corporate cohesion and productivity in teams by championing inclusivity and diversity in an organisation. What inspired you to launch the event?

I have a very close friend who is a crossdresser and he inspired me to produce a conference which

originally focused solely on LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace.

I have shared his crossdressing journey with him, learning about the challenges he faces in society, and wanted to use my event management company to produce an event to educate and inform companies about being more inclusive. This expanded to include BAME and women in later years, and 2023’s event will see a strong focus on intersectionality and bringing people together

I come from a mixed-race family and I found it a real challenge to become recognised easily in the workplace. I was highly educated, good with clients and an extremely professional events manager but there was always a reason not to promote me. I had to work so much harder than some of my less experienced and less qualified counterparts.

I feel companies need to think outside the box, look at people with different skills and from different backgrounds and be less prescriptive in the type of candidate they are looking for.

Which companies should attend and what can they expect?

This Is Us is aimed at any businesses and individuals keen to learn more about D&I and make it more of a priority within their organisation, from HR and recruitment professionals to educational establishments, learning and development professionals and members of internal or external networks and alliances.

They can expect to hear insight from D&I experts, gain practical tips to be a more inclusive organisation, share best practice and network with

industry professionals.

Attendees will develop an understanding of corporate diversity, learn practical ways to create an inclusive workplace environment, understand how to communicate inclusion, realise the importance of allies and role models, understand sensitivity to multiple discrimination and more.

What problems does the event seek to solve?

The aim of the conference is to bring together organisations that are seeking better engagement and employability with their current and future workforce.

What topics will the conference explore?

The conference will explore fostering open, honest and equitable dialogue.

Attendees will learn how to hold the space and find physical and mental ease to allow others to be vulnerable.

Allyship aims to deconstruct and eliminate discrimination and we will discusss uniting people through differences and finding commonality.

The benefits of LGBTQ+, young

people, disabled, gender and BAME role models will feature; ,how people can act as role models, the purpose of a role model and visibility. We will also highlight mental health and wellbeing and how we can support it in the workplace.

Why is this year’s conference going to be bigger and better than ever?

We have chosen a venue that is a very central point in the UK, making the event easy to access from all parts of the Midlands and East Anglia.

The This Is Us Awards are designed to reward the individuals, organisations and unsung heroes who help make the world and the workplace more inclusive for everyone in the region.

Everyone has a right to equal opportunities and esteem without fearing harassment or prejudice and our aim is to celebrate this and the companies that embrace it.

We believe that by continuing to fly the flag for equality, diversity and inclusion across these areas we can help make the UK a better place to work for everyone.

An inspirational conference and awards ceremony is to take place in Kettering in January 2023, highlighting the importance of workplace diversity and inclusion. The This Is Us Conference and Awards will run at Kettering Conference and Exhibition Centre, on January 12, bringing together organisations from across the region and wider UK that are seeking better engagement and employability within their current and future workforce. In an exclusive conversation with Business Times, the conference and awards founder Meena Chander shares what visitors can expect from the event and why it is more important now than ever for businesses to have diversity and inclusion firmly on their agenda.

awards ceremony at

Meena Chander

Tech specialists link up to back new products

Collaboration between two trailblazing organsations is set to create a new engineering to production pipeline that will enhance Northamptonshire’s reputation as a leader in advanced technology.

KW Special Projects and the Digital Manufacturing Centre are to combine KWSP’s end-to-end programme delivery with the DMC’s world-class additive manufacturing to offer automotive original equipment manufacturers and other advanced sectors with an expert external partner for niche projects.

KWSP has strengthened its connection and collaboration with DMC, its sister company, since the former’s move to Silverstone Park where the DMC, a manufacturing, engineering and production solutions provider that uses the latest metal and polymer additive technologies, is based.

The two work with customers

New director joins board

Building supplies

plc Travis Perkins has appointed construction and infrastructure industry expert Louise Hardy as a non-executive director.

She is due to take her seat on the Northamptonheadquartered company’s board from January 1 and will also join its remuneration committee.

A civil engineer by background, Ms Hardy below has held senior roles at London Underground, Bechtel, Laing O’Rourke and as infrastructure director responsible for the portfolio of projects for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Her most recent executive appointment was as European project excellence director for infrastructure consultantcy AECOM.

Travis Perkins chair Jasmine Whitbread hailed ‘her deep understanding of the sector’.

without in-house capacity to develop initial concepts through to development, testing, production, assembly, validation and ongoing support.

Kieron Salter, inset, chief executive of both KWSP and DMC, said: “This is hugely advantageous for our customers, with projects benefiting from the combined know-how of both teams as well as access to one of the UK’s most advanced digital manufacturing facilities.

“Whether we are working on a branddefining hypercar programme or developing novel aerospace technologies, the synergy between KWSP and the DMC offers a substantial and unique advantage. It allows OEMs to outsource complex or time-restricted projects with confidence. This collaboration has already delivered a number of OEM projects and we are excited to see it strengthen and evolve.”

Help your team navigate the cost of living crisis

Operations chief touches down at helicopter company’s HQ

More than 40 decades of experience in the helicopter industry has arrived at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire with the appointment of Mark Abbey as operations director at Sloane Helicopters.

Mr Abbey, pictured above, will oversee all operational areas of the company including maintenance, Part M, logistics, flight operations and flight training. He has arrived from helicopter services company CHC for whose EMEA division he was chief executive and regional director.

“His wealth of experience within the aviation industry not only strengthens but brings greater resilience to the management team,” says Sloane Helicopters chairman David George.

Mr Abbey began his career as an engineering apprentice

with BAE Systems and has held several executive positions including managing director for Hampson Aerospace plc.

“I am excited to be joining such a multifaceted company as Sloane,” he said.

Sloane Helicopters is a European onshore helicopter company providing a full suite of aviation services including engineering, flight operations and training. The company, founded by Mr George more than 50 years ago, has been the sole UK and Ireland distributor and authorised service centre for Leonardo Helicopters for more than 27 years. Sloane also is an approved Robinson Service Centre.

“Mark’s appointment underpins the company’s longterm investments in support of its continued expansion and forthcoming growth plans,” says Mr George.

Distribution firm invests in growth with senior hires

Logistics giant Dachser UK has made two senior appointments designed to strengthen its business growth potential in the UK and Ireland.

Mark Cosgrove arrives as regional sales and commercial manager responsible for both countries. Chris Radley, as branch manager, air and sea logistics, Northampton, assumes responsibility for Dachser’s UK air and sea logistics, which reported record growth last year.

UK managing director Mark Rollinson said changing trading conditions for exporters and importers in both the UK and Ireland have brought new opportunities for customers which Northampton-based Dachser’s extensive road distribution services in Europe, as well as its logistics capabilities, can help them exploit.

“The growth trend of air and sea logistics provides us with an ideal opportunity to invest further in this element of our business,” Mr Rollinson added.

The right employee benefits package is vital - making your company the one people want to work for.

Partnering with Commsave is a great way to boost the financial wellbeing of your people, providing a convenient way to save, with access to affordable credit.

Council urges firms to back crackdown on fly-tipping

Businesses are to work with officials at West Northamptonshire Council as it intensifies its campaign against fly-tipping.

The council has unveiled its flytipping charter, headed by a tough enforcement policy pledging to discourage and prosecute offenders.

Heading the charter is a detailed plan of action including targeted patrols, the use of CCTV and working with businesses, town and parish councils and residents to prevent fly-tipping and to gather

intelligence ahead of prosecutions.

The council will also work with businesses, landlords and homeowners to ensure they manage their waste responsibly.

Cllr David Smith, cabinet member for regulatory services, community safety and engagement, said: “Flytipping and other environmental crimes are absolutely unacceptable and impact every one of us in our communities. They spoil our streets, parks and open spaces, create an environmental hazard, and the clean-up costs and work involved

to remove waste places a significant financial burden both on our council and on private landowners.”

The Fly-Tipping Charter complements the Litter Charter launched by the council last summer. Education and a tough line on offenders is key, said Cllr Smith. “We are absolutely committed to tackling fly-tipping across West Northamptonshire and creating a cleaner environment for everyone. By working together we can reduce waste on our streets and create cleaner communities.”

PR firm raises a glass to milestone

Making a difference in diabetes has been the mantra for PR company Orange Juice Communications as it marks its ten years in business. Raising a glass are directors Daniel Owens and Oliver and Claire Jelley with their team of 12 staff.

The company, based at Brixworth, has become a major player in the ‘big pharma’ sector, working with pharmaceutical giants and medical device manufacturers all over the world. It also works with Northamptonshire clients including Northampton Town centre BID and Northampton College.

“Reaching ten years in business, despite everything that has been thrown at us including a global pandemic and an economic downturn,

is no mean feat and it’s certainly something the team deserves to celebrate,” said Mr Jelley. “We have worked hard to carefully carve a niche for ourselves, particularly within diabetes and optometry, and we enjoy working with some of the biggest names in ‘big pharma’. We see ourselves as a small family firm in rural Northamptonshire but with an ever-growing reach right around the world.”

Among its work are two awareness campaigns within the diabetes sector, Hypo Awareness Week and Insulin Safety Week, which it runs every year across hundreds of UK hospitals.

The concept has already been exported to Australia and there are plans to roll this out further in the future.

Staff at Whittlebury Park Hotel and Spa near Towcester are celebrating after being named Sales & Marketing Team of the Year at the miaList 2022 awards. The awards are made by the Meetings Industry Association, which supports the UK business meetings and events industry.

A happy new year from all of us on Brackmills Industrial Estate...

Here are just a few highlights from 2022, an exciting year and one packed with opportunity, creativity, targeted support and innovation … When we, Brackmills Industrial Estate, secured our status as a Business Improvement District for a third five-year term we agreed to focus on four key objectives:

n To provide a great infrastructure and smart working environment for business to operate and people and services to access and move around, safely, and effectively.

INFRASTRUCTURE

We have continued to invest in improving our roads, including repairing damaged verges to protect underground infrastructure utilities that were otherwise at risk of being damaged. Winter gritting has continued to be prioritised. We are always prepared and committed to keeping our estate moving, whatever the weather may hold.

ENVIRONMENT

We invest in masses of additional landscaping, which includes a focus on cycle ways, green spaces, footpaths and our six roundabouts. We also invest in litter picking, estate cleaning... and we never forget the festive lights over the Christmas period.

OUR PEOPLE

We are proud of our website www.brackmillsindustrialestate. co.uk, which is packed with news, events and our business directory. On this site we promote our monthly drop-in surgeries as well as a host of other events.

We are proud supporters of the Northamptonshire Logistics Awards, which are due to take place in January 2023. We also support our staff with a host of events and training opportunities. In addition we have a partnership with Aquarius Life, a workplace support service which supports people affected by alcohol, drugs and gambling and offers support to employers via policies, training, and workshops.

n To work closely with the police to maintain a safe and secure working environment for business to operate and people and services to access and move around, safely, and effectively.

n To provide a smart, tidy, and safe environment which supports the values of the businesses who work on the estate.

n To support businesses on Brackmills to grow, develop and invest by creating a great working environment.

More than three years into our BID term, here are a few highlights from 2022:

CRIME PREVENTION & SAFETY

We continue to work closely with the police to maintain a safe and secure working environment for business to operate and people and services to access and move around, safely, and effectively.

So if you are a logistics company looking to relocate your operations or are an investor seeking property, look no further than Northampton’s Brackmills Industrial Estate, a thriving logistics and transport estate set within the UK’s premier hub for logistics - the ‘Golden Triangle’ of distribution. Brackmills, as well as being home to leading brands such as John Lewis, Panasonic, Dachser, Decathlon, Travis Perkins and igus, attracts a diverse array of small and growing companies - everything from sign makers and printers to charities, chemical companies, nurseries and recruitment companies.

We, the Brackmills BID board of directors and our BID Chief Executive Sara Homer pictured above, wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. We have a host of plans in the pipeline and look forward to seeing you, working with and supporting your business and staff in 2023. Please get in touch. We’re looking forward to hearing from you and discussing how Brackmills can help your business move to the next level.

Our crime rates continue to stay at an all-time low and we have strategically placed cameras – CCTV as well as Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras. Our full-time Police Community Support Officer Paul Hurst pictured patrols the estate and provides advice and crime updates for businesses and we invest in additional security over the Bank Holiday weekends.

The business networking events this month across Northamptonshire

FSB member to join in.

Northamptonshire

January 10 10am-11am: Online

Free event for Next Generation Chamber members. To book, visit www. nextgenerationchamber.co.uk

A group for networkers looking for referrals, introductions, opportunities and sales. A tried and tested model offering dynamic weekly online meetings and an experienced management team: 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

If you are serious about growing your business, BNI works. Last year BNI members in the UK generated more than £482 million worth of business for each other. To find out how, visit a local chapter meeting and see for yourself. Each chapter has a personality of its own and finding where you fit best helps you get connected.

Elite BNI (Kettering)

Tuesday 6.45am-8.30am: Online Ignite BNI (Daventry)

Tuesday 6.45am-8.30am: The Turnpike, Harpole Northampton Pioneer BNI (Northamptonshire)

Wednesday 9.30am-11am: Online Pavilion BNI (Northampton)

Thursday 6.45am-8.30am:

The Old Northamptonians RFC, Sir Humphrey Cripps Pavilion, Billing Road, Northampton Prosperity BNI (Kettering)

Thursday 6.45am-8.30am: The Kettering Golf Club, Headlands, Kettering Sterling BNI (Northampton)

Thursday 11.45am-1.30pm: The Old Northamptonians RFC, Sir Humphrey Cripps Pavilion, Billing Road, Northampton Lighthouse BNI (Northampton)

Friday 6.45am-8.30am

Franklin’s Gardens, Weedon Road, Northampton

Contact: Duncan Webster. e: duncan@ bnibreakfast.co.uk or call 07977 422220

With the right support at the right price it is possible for any small business to succeed. Members believe there is so much to gain with a positive attitude of mutual face-to-face. All monthly breakfast meetings, 7.30am9.30am.

WELLINGBOROUGH

1st Thursday: Great Doddington Club, Lower Street, Great Doddington Price: £16.

NORTHAMPTON

3rd Wednesday: The Turnpike, Harpole. Price: £16.

VIRTUAL MEETINGS

Price: £6

Brunch

2nd Tuesday 9.30am-11am: Online Breakfast

4th Wednesday 7.30am-9am: Online 3rd Thursday 7.30am-9am: Online 2nd Friday 7.30am-9am: Online

Afternoon

Fridays 3pm-4pm: Online

Money back guarantee if you do not find a meeting of value. Visitors welcome.

THE ACCOUNTABILITY CIRCLE

Monday 10am-11am: Online

A regular virtual meeting helping small businesses get tasks from ‘to do’ to ‘done’. Advice and tips on time management and productivity. Price: £6 per session or £12 per month. Find out more at buscomm.co.uk/ourevents

Hosted by Sally Wood, director of Sally Wood Consultancy Limited and FSB area leader for Northants, Leics & Rutland.

To book and for details of other networking, support and webinar events online, visit www. fsb.org.uk/events.

NNBN is a business membership for North Northamptonshire which aims to help businesses in the North Northants area recover, build and grow for a brighter future.

200 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

January 4 9.30am-11.30am: NNBN HQ, Poppy Design Studio & Marketing, Elgee Works, Victoria Street, Desborough Free event for NNBN members; visitors £10.

EVENING BUSINESS NETWORKING

January 9 7pm-8.30pm: Kettering Park Hotel & Spa An evening of open networking, member presentation, testimonials, 60-second business intro and more. Free event for NNBN members; visitors £10.

NNBN ONLINE

January 19 9.30am-10.30am

Informal networking. MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP January 26 9.30am-11am: NNBN HQ, Poppy Design Studio & Marketing, Elgee Works, Victoria Street, Desborough Find out more about the benefits of NNBN membership. Free event, NNBN members only.

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

UK BUSINESS FORUM NORTHAMPTON

2nd Wednesday 5.30pm-9pm: Delapre Abbey, London Road

A friendly, informal and relaxed networking event for small business owners in the area to come together, make connections and build relationships. Each event features a short educational presentation on topics to support business owners followed by casual socialising. First drink of the evening is on us (or our drinks sponsor).

UK Business Forums has been the home of small business community support and advice for nearly 20 years. Membership is not necessary but join for free and maintain the business relationship you make at our networking evenings through our free online business support forums.

Free event. To book, visit www.ukbfevents.co.uk

Practical support to help businesses grow their business. The Business Room is a one business area group for business owners, those in employed positions, MLMs and franchised businesses.

BUSINESS ROOM

Attendees maximise their time out of the office and in the room by ensuring all the attendee information is shared in advance.

NETWORKING BREAKFAST

January 18 7am-9am: Daventry Town FC

Hosted by Rollasons Solicitors, the aim of Daventry Means Business is to provide a platform where mutually beneficial business relationships with other professionals can be cultivated , enabling businesses to build strong networks within Daventry and the wider area to aid business and career success in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

January 11 5.30pm-7.30pm: Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, Abington Road, Northampton Informal networking. Price: £10 + VAT Chamber members; non-members £15 + VAT.

LOCAL SKILLS IMPROVEMENT PLAN

January 31 8.30am-10.30am:

This gives attendees time to plan their networking session so they can get more out of each meeting, therefore making it as profitable as possible. Each meeting involves structured networking, a session where a member will share their knowledge, business story or insight and a Business Exchange, where members respond to the requests for help and contacts. These are lock out groups so only one business area is represented.

KETTERING

January 9 12 noon-2pm:

Kettering Park Hotel

NORTHAMPTON

No fuss, no membership, pay as you go... The Business Buzz format is relaxed, informal, conversational B2B networking. Our town focused events meet face-to-face, allowing visitors to build better and more robust relationships. These are complemented by regional virtual events.

All Business Buzz events run 10am-noon

Brackley Buzz

January 5:

Paisley Pear, Northampton Road.

Price: £8.

Northampton Buzz

January 18:

Fox & Hounds, Harborough Road.

Price: £8.

Wellingborough Buzz

January 10:

Castello Lounge, Market Street

Price: £8.

For more details, download the Buzz App or visit www.business-buzz.org/about/locations/. Book and pay for your favourite Buzz at https://app. business-buzz.org/app or at the event.

Speaker: Ian Taylor pictured, management consultant at Tinderbox Ltd.

Price: £12.

To find out more, call Rollasons Solicitors on 01327 301771 or email info@dmb.co.uk

Northampton College, Booth Lane Networking + information event, funded by the Department for Education. Come along to our Local Skills and Improvment Plan event to have your voice heard about the skill gaps within your employment.

Free event, Chamber members and non-members welcome. This event will include a light breakfast and refreshments.

Contact: Visit www.northants-chamber.co.uk/ events

January 12 12 noon-2pm: Old White Hart, Far Cotton

WELLINGBOROUGH

January 18 12 noon-2pm:

The Stanwick Hotel, Stanwick

SOUTH NORTHANTS

January 17 12 noon-2pm:

The White Horse, Silverstone

THE CONNECTIONS CLUB - NORTHANTS

Only open to business owners, influencers and decision-makers, this is a structured and professional group, which gives people the opportunity to connect with other business owners who are serious about growth.

Networking events provide a platform to meet and build relationships with peers and fellow members. The group also hosts personal development sessions, with talks from business leaders.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

January 18 5.30pm-7.30pm: Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, Northampton Speaker: Jamie Cochrane. Subject: How to tackle financial difficulty, with advice and suggestions for what to do.

It allows you to take away a valuable skill, learning or insight from every meeting and meet valuable contacts. It is not lock-out but each session is limited to a maximum of three business areas.

NORTHAMPTON

January 10 11.45am-2pm: Delapre Abbey, London Road, Northampton.

Contact: Barbara Hodgson 07504 946 585 / 01933 652884, email barbara@ yourbusinessmatters.co or visit www.yourbusinessmatters.co

The FSB has 2,000 members across Northamptonshire. These include a monthly FSB Northampton virtual networking at which everyone is welcome - you do not have to be a

Q&A

Where business people discuss their motivation, ambition, experience - and themselves. In the spotlight this month is Jason Bridger, plant manager of can maker Ball Corporation

We have a great opportunity to create something quite special

What was your first job?

My first job, aged 16, was as an apprentice engineering technician at a car design studio in Worthing, where I grew up.

Seven years later I joined pharmaceutical company SmithKline Beecham - now GSK - as an analyst and then later moved into logistics and manufacturing.

Twenty years later, I took the opportunity to join Rolls Royce Motor Cars before joining Ball Corporation.

Why did you choose your particular career?

I love being close to making things.

Throughout my career I’ve been a part of manufacturing interesting products, from cars to medicines and now infinitely recyclable aluminium beverage cans.

I enjoy the complexity of this work. There are always problems to be solved and improvements to be made.

And that’s what sparks me.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Becoming Ball’s plant manager in Milton Keynes and this year being recruited as the plant manager for Northamptonshire’s new plant. Our new plant, located between Kettering and Barton Seagrave, is set to produce one billion fully recyclable cans in its first year. This is Ball’s third can manufacturing plant in the UK and its 26th in the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia region.

What a privilege and a challenge. …and the low point?

All challenges have led me to where I am today although I did have an early disappointment. My ambition as a young man was always to fly helicopters in the Royal Navy but when I went for the medical at the age of 18 I discovered – and had had no idea before – that I was short-sighted. My heart dropped, my ambition and dream was suddenly deemed impossible.

I’ve still never been in a helicopter. What’s the best advice you’ve received in business?

Listen to people, involve people, put people first and remember - to get trust you have to earn trust. I draw on this advice every day. Who in business do you respect the most?

I’ve had bosses that I have learned from and some very good mentors who have given me a nudge in the right direction and offered good counsel. Those are the faces I remember. We all have a responsibility to pass the baton over and support the future workforce.

Not sure this falls into the ‘business’ category but the person I would most love to have a cup of tea with is Tom Hanks. He is humble, down to earth and helps others.

What annoys you the most in business? The idea of wearing a tie. I haven’t worn a tie

for about 20 years. I also hate unnecessary red tape. People love and should be involved in decisions and crafting the future.

What’s your career ambition?

My ambition had been to be a plant manager – now I am. I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to lead the new Northamptonshire plant. My ambition now is to shape and create a very inclusive place to work where people can be themselves. We have a great opportunity to create something quite special, if we do it the right way.

I’m often asked why a diverse workforce is important. Put simply, the more diverse a business is, the healthier and wealthier it will be. We need different views and voices to be heard and the more we do that, the better we are going to be.

To be successful in the long term and build something sustainable we - everyone - need to open the doors wider. That’s why we want to

attract people from all backgrounds to explore the opportunities we have.

What’s important for us is get to know who you are, not what you are or where you’re from.

…and your life ambition?

I want to go to Graceland. I am a huge Elvis fan - he’s not dead to me.

How do you relax?

I have an allotment and love DIY. We live in an old house so are working our way through it and modernising. I love carpentry, painting and decorating.

My wife does not let me do the plumbing, though, as there would definitely be leaks.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Getting my Elvis albums out. Old-fashioned vinyl...

What’s your most treasured possession?

My granddad’s war diaries. My dad’s dad, George, was a prisoner of war during the

war he never spoke a word about his experience but his diaries cover every year he was imprisoned.

I have read them all - most are about food and lack of it and he talks about being moved around.

My granddad was already married before the war and I also have the letters my grandparents exchanged during the war. Tell us something you regret.

Nothing work-wise but I definitely wish I had spent more time with my two daughters when they were younger.

Tell us a secret about yourself.

I am scared of spiders. My wife Lynn deals with all those and when you are 6ft 5 that’s rather comical.

Another one, I am missing some of my fingerprints. As a toddler I burnt my fingers. What are the first 3 things on your bucket list?

n To meet Elvis.

n Travel the Blues and Jazz highways from New Orleans to Chicago - of course, via Memphis.

n Complete a skydive.

MY FAVOURITE

FOOD Sausage, mash and beans.

MUSIC / SONG Yakety Sax. I want it to be the theme when my coffin is carried in at my funeral.

BOOK Don’t Cry for Me, Sergeant-Major by J Hands and R McGowan).

FILM Wild Geese.

TV PROGRAMME I like crime and spy thrillers.

RESTAURANT My local pub The Chequers in Ravensthorpe. They do fantastic steaks.

DESTINATION North Wales.

whose new factory near Kettering is due to begin manufacturing this month.

Second World War and kept diaries while he was in the camps. He was captured in 1940 just outside Dunkirk and spent the whole of the war in camps. After the

There are always problems to be solved and improvements to be made. That’s what sparks me

Jason Bridger

GRIFFITHS AIR CONDITIONING

Energy efficiency is the priority

At the start of another new year, what does 2023 promise for Griffiths Air Conditioning & Electrical Contractors?

The Burton Latimer-based business, established in 1999, continues with steady growth in all aspects of the building and engineering services sector. That encompasses air conditioning, domestic gas, electrics, evaporative coolers, heat pumps, plumbing, solar panels, underfloor heating and ventilation.

Griffiths’ customer base is varied, with domestic, commercial and industrial clients not only from Northamptonshire but also Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Rutland, Warwickshire and, occasionally, beyond.

The emphasis in recent years has been on energy efficiency, with the government, households and businesses all looking at ways of reducing use of the world’s precious energy resources and at the same time saving money. Griffiths realised the business potential of this situation many years ago and became accredited installers of heat pumps and solar panels under the government’s Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

In fact Griffiths were the first

Northamptonshire installers to gain MCS status for heat pumps back in 2008. Since then, several hundred have been installed, with most also being regularly maintained by Griffiths.

In 2013 Griffiths opened their Energy Efficiency Centre showroom on Burton Latimer’s High Street and welcomes visitors to view working examples of heat pumps.

Following the COP27 climate summit in Egypt and the UK government publishing its Heat and Buildings Strategy, there has been much publicity regarding heat pumps and the objective of reducing the use of fossil fuel boilers over the coming years. The government’s financial incentive Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides an upfront grant of £5,000 for end users replacing an existing gas or oil boiler or night storage heaters with an air source heat pump.

n Contact Griffiths Air Conditioning on 01536 420666, visit www.griffithsaircon.co.uk or the Energy Efficiency Centre showroom at 111 High Street, Burton Latimer, open 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.

Trial the technology your company needs at new Experience Centre

Who is AM Labels and what does the company do?

AM Labels is a Kettering-based, awardwinning supplier of complete labelling solutions including manufacturing and warehouse automation, barcoding and RFID systems. We manufacture blank, preprinted and customised labels of the highest quality.

We are also leading experts in colour label printers, offering a comprehensive portfolio of user friendly, cost-effective solutions, providing companies with the capability to improve and customise their labelling operations.

What benefits will AM Labels’ Technical Experience Centre offer local businesses? We relocated to new, much larger premises at the beginning of 2022 as part of the expansion of our business, which included expanding our product portfolio, increasing operations and boosting production capacity. Following the relocation, we have been investing in the creation and build of our Technical Experience Centre.

Our Technical Experience Centre will be accessible to businesses locally and across the UK, where demonstrations of the latest and most innovative technology can be experienced, including label printing, barcode scanning and RFID equipment, as well as robotics and automation.

The space will act as a hub for businesses to view and trial the right products for their company, while providing the opportunity to speak to our experienced team about the range of software, installation and technical support services available.

When and where is the opening of AM Labels’ Technical Experience Centre taking place?

The three-day event will take place January 24-26 at our head office in Telford Way Industrial Estate, Kettering. The occasion will be sponsored by leading printing technology manufacturer Epson.

Why should businesses attend the opening of AM Labels’ Technical Experience Centre?

Businesses that attend will be able to learn more about us, our products and how we can support them in reducing costs, increasing marketing effectiveness and introducing sustainable solutions.

Visitors will be invited to tour our Technical Experience Centre and in-house label production facility. They will be able to view demonstrations of the latest technology, including colour label printers, applicators, finishing machines and scanning, barcoding and RFID equipment, as well as the innovative Epson SCARA T6 robot and the Afinia x350 digital roll-to-roll press.

Businesses will benefit from exclusive promotions that are only available to attendees, and our knowledgeable team will be on hand to provide assistance and support.

What should businesses that are interested in attending the opening event do?

For more information on the opening of our Technical Experience Centre and to register your interest in attending, visit https:// amlabels.co.uk/openingevent, call the sales team on 01536 414222 or email sales@ amlabels.co.uk

AM Labels Limited is celebrating the opening of its brand new, state-of-the-art, Technical Experience Centre in Kettering with a three-day event in January.

Tony Mariani, pictured, AM Labels’ Managing Director, highlights what benefits the Technical Experience Centre will offer businesses and how AM Labels can improve local companies’ labelling operations.

AM LABELS

s we celebrate the start of a new year, national architects GSSArchitecture reflect on another busy year and look forward to further success in 2023.

Celebrating its 143rd year in 2022, the practice has gone from strength to strength with award nominations and wins alongside successful client and charity events. GSS also celebrated the completion of many projects including the Macmillan Cancer Support Centre at Kettering General Hospital and the new affordable housing residential development in Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes. The practice also achieved planning permission for a number of listed inns in the Lake District with the Inn Collection Group, as well as the beginning of refurbishments at other projects including the newly renamed Tynemouth Castle Inn.

GSSArchitecture celebrated the reopening of the South Central Institute of Technology in both Bletchley and Oxford, which specialise in delivering technical and digital education and completed refurbishment of the historic Bishop Cosin’s Library for Durham University which underwent significant conservation works to improve the Grade II* listed building.

In Wellingborough, works started on site at Glenvale Primary School and Nursery which forms part of the wider masterplan of the award-winning Glenvale Park development.

GSSArchitecture also celebrated award successes. The practice was

COMMSAVE CREDIT UNION

‘A big thank-you to our wonderful clients and friends’

named Employer of the Year at the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards and was shortlisted for the Land and Development Award for its work at Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, which also won at the Town and Country Awards in October.

Bishop Cosin’s Library was shortlisted for the Conservation and Regeneration Award at the Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards in January.

Due to sustained and planned growth, the GSS Newcastle studio moved to a larger premises. The practice also opened its Leeds Collaboration Hub in June which will continue to assist their clients in the Yorkshire region.

GSSArchitecture has also celebrated staff promotions and achievements, including Phil Hunt being promoted to associate and Shannon Walker passing her apprenticeship to become a chartered architect.

In 2023, GSS are looking forward to seeing the projects currently under

construction progress and complete, including the Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre for Teesside University, as well as the £500 million Campus for Ageing and Vitality in Newcastle. The practice is looking forward to hosting its annual events for each of its national offices which will bring clients, friends and stakeholders together to celebrate the achievements in their local areas.

Senior partner Tom Lyons says: “It has been another great year for GSSArchitecture, with many celebrations throughout 2022. I want to say a big thank you to our wonderful clients and friends who we have worked with us and supported us throughout the year and we are very much looking forward to what 2023 will bring.”

n To find out more about GSSArchitecture’s extensive portfolio of projects or to keep up to date with the latest news from the practice, visit www.gssarchitecture.com

Expo offers a different way to do business

All successful businesses care about the wellbeing of their employees. Look after them and they will look after your customers, as the saying goes.

Most firms these days are aware of the importance of physical wellbeing and promote things like healthy eating and cycle to work schemes.

Many firms are also doing great things to support the mental wellbeing of their teams, with awareness having increased substantially in the last ten years.

However, a key challenge that businesses face right now is understanding what they can do to help their teams achieve financial wellbeing. In a survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 70 per cent of respondents cited the cost of living crisis as one of their biggest challenges for 2023.

Ask many business leaders about what they are doing to support employees’ financial wellbeing and they will mention things like making salary advances available or laying on a ‘lunch and learn’ budgeting workshop. These have their place but against the backdrop of double-digit inflation and soaring energy bills, employers are wondering what more they can do to prioritise financial wellbeing for their teams.

There are three key strands behind a successful financial wellbeing approach.

Encouraging staff to save

One of the keys to enabling staff to achieve financial resilience is helping them build a regular savings habit. Figures suggest that one in six adults in the UK have no savings

at all, while a quarter have less than £100 put away. It is recommended that everyone should aim to have three months worth of expenses saved. Helping teams to save for rainy days and unexpected bills is therefore vitals.

Enabling staff to borrow

Unless they are extremely fortunate, most people will need to borrow at some point in their lives. So enabling them to do so safely and affordably is important.

Often people find themselves excluded from the financial mainstream due to having an impaired credit rating. Many more only need to borrow a few hundred pounds to replace an essential household item, not the thousands that the banks want to lend. Faced with a borrowing need, many end up resorting to high-cost sources of credit or, even worse, loan sharks.

Providing access to affordable credit is therefore key, avoiding the risk of employees falling into a debt spiral

Help staff make informed financial decisions

The third strand of employee financial wellbeing is providing them with the information and tools to help them make the right financial choices.

There are numerous resources online that can help with this, including Commsave’s CURight website www.curight.co.uk - an online wellbeing portal designed to help members better understand their finances.

n To find out more about how Commsave can support your team with their financial wellbeing, call 0303 0402 660 or visit www. commsave.co.uk/partners.

‘W

hat the best digital marketers do differently’ will be revealed by experts from Qoob Group at next month’s Your Business Expo.

The full service marketing agency is headline sponsor for the exhibition at Hangar One at Sywell Aerodrome on February 8. Alongside a wide range of exhibitors, insightful workshops include qoob Group’s managing director Alan Perkins and chief executive Matthew Rigby-White, who will share their expertise in digital marketing.

“The qoob group has helped many businesses of different shapes and sizes to see vastly improved results from their digital marketing - turning losses into profits, small wins into big wins, and disadvantages into advantages,” says Matthew.

“In this session, we’ll share the techniques that we, and other top digital agencies, use to achieve these stellar

results. Expect new ways of thinking and doing digital marketing to help your business.”

Your Business Expo exhibitors receive exclusive benefits to help them make the most of the opportunities generated from the event, including . exclusive access to a portal containing a marketing pack with free resources such as graphics for use on social media to templates for press releases and flyers.

Your Business Expo aims to create opportunities for quality sales leads, to meet with key decision-makers and to increase awareness of each exhibitor’s individual brands.

Matthew said: “The Expo is a real opportunity for businesses to reach, engage and connect. It costs money to exhibit so we want exhibitors to get excellent value for their money. Your Business Expo is promising a different way to do business.”

Extra payment says thanks to hosts of Ukrainian refugees

Payments for host families of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war in their homeland have increased from £350 to £550 per month until March to offset the rising cost of living.

Northamptonshire residents hosting under the Homes for Ukraine scheme opt in to receive £350 monthly payment administered by West and North Northamptonshire Councils on behalf of the government. The payment assists hosts with additional costs and the council has now implemented a discretionary increase of £200 from a special grant.

“We recognise that hosts

may be facing additional pressures over the coming months due to the increases in the cost of living,” says Cllr David Smith, West Northamptonshire Council’s cabinet member for community safety and engagement. “We are extremely grateful to all those who have expressed an interest in becoming a sponsor and those who continue to host our Ukrainian guests.”

North Northamptonshire has received just over 500 arrivals since the scheme started, with 390 currently staying with hosts across the area. West Northamptonshire has welcomed more than

660 arrivals, with 480 Ukrainians still residing in the area. In total 407 sponsors have registered to receive Ukrainian guests, with 290 currently hosting.

For those not staying with hosts, some have moved into their own accommodation or to other areas in the UK. Others have returned to Ukraine or relocated elsewhere in Europe.

“We will continue to do all we can to help,” says North Northamptonshire Council leader Cllr Jason Smithers.

n Find out more about the Homes for Ukraine scheme at www.westnorthants.gov.uk or www.northnorthants.gov.uk

Runners are on their marks

Five spaces in this year’s London Landmarks

Half Marathon are up for grabs as Northamptonbased charity The Lewis Foundation begins its search for runners to raise funds in its name.

Starting on Pall Mall and finishing by Downing Street the route takes in landmarks including Big

Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Shard and the Tower of London. “It is a fantastic opportunity for those who could not get into the full marathon,” said The Lewis Foundation chief executive Lorraine Lewis, above

n Find out more at www. thelewisfoundation.co.uk/ events

Donation helps families in need

Building products manufacturer Forterra has donated £1,000 to Home-Start Kettering.

The funding from the firm’s Community Fund will enable Home-Start to recruit, train and support volunteers who spend two or three hours a week with families in Kettering to support parents with the skills and time they need to nurture their children.

Forterra is headquartered in Northampton. Its Community Fund is for organisations to apply for funding or building products for projects in their local community.

“The work Home-Start does in Kettering is brilliant at helping new families to adjust,” said marketing director Caroline Wildman.

Museum regains Arts Council accreditation

Its decision to sell an ancient Egyptian statue raised more than £15.7 million to fund heritage projects across Northampton but cost Northampton Museums their accreditation by Arts Council England. Now that accreditation has been restored after Northampton Museum & Art Gallery demonstrated its commitment to delivering a top-class facility that protects its collections for the future.

The nationally agreed standards set out to ensure that museums are sustainable, focused and trusted, inspiring the confidence of the public and funding and governing bodies.

Over the last nine years, Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, right, has worked tirelessly to demonstrate its commitment to preserving and showcasing the county’s history.

“We acknowledge the mistakes of the past and we would like to set out our assurance that West Northamptonshire Council has robust governance processes to prevent anything similar from happening again,” said

Cllr Adam Brown, cabinet member for housing, culture and leisure.

The statue of the scribe Sekhemka had been owned by Northampton Museum since being donated by the Marquess of Northampton in the late 19th century. The statue, which dated from the Fifth Dynasty (2494-2345 BC), was sold to an anonymous buyer in 2014 for, at the time, a record sum for Egyptian art. However Arts Council England withdrew its accreditation saying the sale did not meet its accredited standards for museums in managing their collections.

Now accreditation has been restored and Northampton Museum & Art Gallery received National Portfolio Organisation status by Arts Council England in November, securing a grant of £150,000 a year for three years to deliver on its Let’s Create strategy. The phase of works is set to begin on 24 Guildhall Road, a new innovative hub for artists.

Reaccreditation means that Northampton Museum & Art Gallery and Abington Museum will be part of Arts

Community foundation honours Northamptonshire’s unsung heroes

Acharity supporting children who have experienced trauma, a group tackling litter and a cookery course for survivors of domestic abuse… three of the winners at this year’s Northamptonshire Community Foundation Awards.

The awards, presented at the Royal

Council England’s portfolio for the next three years. Peter Knott, Arts Council England’s Midlands area director said: “The museum is an important part of the cultural landscape for the region with collections which fascinate, educate and inspire those who visit and we are also pleased that Northampton Museum & Art Gallery alongside Abington Park Museum will be part of our National portfolio over the next three years.”

Added Cllr Brown: “This news comes at an exciting time for arts and culture in West Northants.”

& Derngate in front of more than 300 guests, showcase the work of volunteers and community groups across the county.

Congratulating the winners and finalists, Community Foundation chief executive Rachel McGrath said: “Our five-year strategy is built around the

recovery and revival of our communities, supporting them at this extraordinarily difficult time, recognising the huge scale of the challenge and the economic and social impact that will be felt for many years to come.”

Best Newcomer Award

Sponsored by SugaRich Northants Litter Wombles

Trailblazer Award

Sponsored by Novacroft

Sound Foundations Early Intervention & Psychotherapy Hub

Brilliant Group

Sponsored by University of Northampton Power of the Mind Networks

The Edge Award

Sponsored by Bambino Mio KidsAid Foundation

Lifetime Achievement Award

Sponsored by Wilson Browne Solicitors.

Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire

Lady Juliet Townsend Award for Volunteering Vince Doherty, The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation

High Sheriff Initiative Award

Growing Together Northampton

Inspirational Woman Annual Award In partnership with AVON

Teresa McCarthy-Dixon, The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation

University presents honorary degrees

Former chair of the South East Midlands

Local Enterprise Partnership Dame Ann Limb is one of four recipients of honorary degrees from the University of Northampton. She and retired consultant anaesthetist Dr John Hare have received honorary doctorates.

Rowena Bird, co-founder of cruelty-free and environmentally friendly cosmetics brand LUSH, accepted an honorary Master of Arts degree. Jacquie Marshall, former director of swimming at Northampton Swimming Club, was awarded an honorary fellowship.

They collected their awards at the university’s graduation ceremony.

Dame Ann Limb is an educationalist, business leader, charity chair and philanthropist who was made a Dame in the 2022 Birthday Honours List. She chaired SEMLEP from 2011 until 2019 and founded the social mobility charity the Helena Kennedy Foundation in 1998.

“It is a huge honour to receive a doctorate from the university,” she said. “It is something I am honoured to accept and pleased to be associated with a university I have watched develop and change over the past 25 years.”

(from left) Dame Ann Limb; Dr John Hare; Jacquie Marshall; Rowena Bird