Business Times May 2023

‘Incredibly proud’: Winners celebrate their King’s Awards

Outstanding achievements of businesses across Northamptonshire have been recognised in the first King’s Awards for Enterprise. The awards recognise achievements in innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.

Four companies based in Northamptonshire will welcome the county’s HM Lord-Lieutenant James Saunders Watson to their premises to receive the award, which is valid for five years. The Alternative Pallet Company, known as Pallite Group and based in Wellingborough, has been awarded a King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation for its innovative paperbased storage and racking warehousing system PIX which uses 80 per cent recycled materials.

Enterprise Minister hails the entrepreneurial spirit of UK firms

James, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive one of the first King’s Award. It has been a tough few years with the pandemic, the extraordinary cost increase of raw materials and energy as well as export shipping costs but despite this, and thanks to our colleagues and business partners, we have ended up successfully navigating these choppy waters.”

that we have been presented an award of this magnitude that recognises and celebrates our commitment to providing vital quality, health, safety and environmental services globally.

“We are honoured to have been personally approved for this award by His Majesty The King following a recommendation from the Prime Minister. We are delighted to have been recognised alongside so many fantastic businesses.”

Daventry-based Brian James Trailers, which has a global reputation for its car transport and commercial trailers, is celebrating after receiving a King’s Awards for Enterprise in International Trade.

Chief executive Lewis James, grandson of business founder Brian

Fulkrum Technical Services, based in Corby, supplies staffing and services to support complex projects in the energy, engineering and construction industries. It also won a King’s Award in the International Trade category.

Co-founder and commercial director Owen Gibbons said: “I am thrilled

Viridian International in Daventry is a family run company specialising in the manufacture and sale of ‘effective, ethical and pure’ health supplements.

It is the third Northamptonshire company to receive an International Trade award.

The company’s founder and managing director Cheryl Thallon said: “It is a great honour

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Careers fair bids to help employers to fill their vacancies

More than 80 jobseekers took steps towards finding employment when they attended a free careers fair in Northampton.

West Northamptonshire Council partnered with employability organisation

Jobs 22 to host the fair at The Guildhall.

Jobs 22 participants who have been unemployed for more than nine months met prospective employers including Elysium Healthcare, GeoAmey, Goodwill Solutions, Dr Martens and Northampton BID and discuss employment and apprenticeship opportunities.

“Supporting local residents to secure

sustainable, local employment is a top priority for the council,” said Cllr Daniel Lister, cabinet member for economic development, town centre regeneration and growth. “We want to ensure employers can fill their vacancies by utilising the local labour market resulting in a greater economic benefit for everyone in West Northants.”

The council’s West Northants Employment Service contains free employment support and advice.

Jo Fensome-Peak, employer services consultant at Jobs 22, said: “Jobs 22 was formed to support people in getting

back to work, giving them access to all the tools, advice, training and guidance they need to thrive. The event was a great success and gave our candidates an opportunity to engage with potential employers offering support for those wanting to gain new skills and start a new career journey.”

n Find free employment support on the West Northamptonshire Council website or subscribe to the monthly employment e-newsletter to learn more about job vacancies, upcoming events, training opportunities and more. www.westnorthants.gov.uk

Demand is strong for logistics park

Developer Chancerygate has achieved practical completion on its 55,000 sq ft urban logistics scheme in Brackley.

The Boundary43 development on the Buckingham Road industrial estate comprises 14 high-spec Grade A units ranging from 2,100 sq ft to 19,200 sq ft.

“There is already strong demand from businesses in Brackley and the surrounding region for high-quality, sustainable urban logistics accommodation on both a freehold and leasehold basis,” said Chancerygate’s development director George Dickens. “The region has a shortage in supply of small to medium-sized Grade A industrial and warehouse accommodation. Boundary43 will act as a key development to meet this demand.”

Each property has achieved an EPC A rating and has electric vehicle charging points. The units are constructed from highperformance building materials to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and energy costs.

“The scheme’s strategic location in one of Brackley’s most prominent industrial estates means occupiers will be best placed to serve both the town and wider region,” Mr Dickens said.

The Boundary43 logistics development at Brackley

Chamber: Ministers must act to inspire growth

More needs to be done to help the UK economy to grow after new figures show that it continues to ‘flatline’.

The latest GDP figures from the Office of National statistics report zero growth in February and are in line with forecasts that the UK economy will shrink by 0.3 per cent this year.

Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce has called on ministers to act to tackle the high energy prices, recruitment challenges and inflation - issues that are holding business back. Its parent body the British Chambers of Commerce also expects GDP to contract in 2023, a view echoed by the IMF forecast in its latest World Economic Outlook.

Sean Rose, inset, head of policy at Northamptonshire Chamber, said: “The latest figures come as no surprise and reflect the national picture that economic growth is going to remain stagnant. There are some fundamental drags on growth that are impacting businesses across all sectors, such as high energy prices, inflation and a recruitment crisis, to name but a few.”

The BCC says the business environment must improve quickly to ensure confidence does not fall back to

the levels of 2022. The Budget in March delivered several positive measures but did not go far enough to accelerate growth. In particular, ministers must address issues of energy prices and the labour market.

Mr Rose said: “It is vitally important that these issues are tackled to allow companies across Northamptonshire to flourish. On top of that, we would like to see much more emphasis, support and encouragement for overseas trade as this is a massive driver for domestic, economic growth.”

He urged local businesses looking for support for their growth plans to seek advice from the Chamber.

The BCC has also called on the government to make global trade a priority. Exporters have seen major admininstrative costs as a result of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU. “The focus must now be on ensuring the new customs and paperwork arrangements work smoothly for businesses both side of the Irish Sea,” said head of research David Bharier.

Optimism among SMEs is growing but is yet to translate into improved busines conditions, he added. “It is now clear we are stuck in a prolonged period of almost no growth.”

Excited Saints march into high performance training centre

Welcome to the new High Performance Centre now being used to enhance the standard on the field and in and recruitment at Northampton Saints.

Club chairman John White and chief executive Mark Darbon were joined by captain Lewis Ludlam, director of rugby Phil Dowson and senior executives from project

manager GSSllp, construction firm Warwick Burt and pHp Architects at the official opening of the club’s new training ground. The new centre adds to the facilities already at the club’s cinch Stadium in Franklin’s Gardens and will help to bring major sporting events to Northampton.

GSSllp partner Paul Vega said: “This was a great local project to

be involved in. It will be a great addition to the club and will provide an indoor year-round training facility which will allow the club to train effectively on site in all weather conditions.”

Mr White said: “We know we must continue to invest in our facilities to underpin our ambition to be successful on the pitch and attract the best players in the world. We are delighted to see this project finally come to life after a huge amount of planning and effort over a long time from many different stakeholders - there is a lot of excitement around the club to begin using the facility.” The High Performance Centre will also help the club’s community engagement work, he added. Mr White also paid tribute to the work of GSS, pHp Architects, Warwick Burt and the Saints’ operations and grounds staff. “This is an extremely exciting development for everyone at the club and we cannot wait to welcome our supporters through the doors.” GSSllp were appointed as project managers and quantity surveyors on the scheme.

Business leaders in Northamptonshire are facing challenges to recruit the right level of talent and say that the problem is holding back economic growth.

The latest figures from the ONS showed that the unemployment rate has risen to 3.8 per cent at a time when the UK economy has more than one million job vacancies. The statistics are supported by data gathered in Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey. Chamber chief executive Louise Wall said businesses are rightly concerned. “We have never known a time like it where we have businesses saying that they have orders and

they have the demand but they cannot get the people to fill these posts to meet that demand. This is causing a huge drag on growth both locally and nationally.

“The Chambers of Commerce has been making the case on this matter for months and know that if our economy is going to get back to growth, we must address the skills challenges here in the UK. Our Chamber is leading the Local Skills Improvement Plan, with the sole aim of putting business at the heart of the skills agenda.

“It is absolutely fundamental that we solve this problem for the long term but, equally, there is a short-term crisis that needs to be fixed.”

Tyre giant to move to new distribution unit

One of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers has signed an agreement for a new build-to-suit unit at Prologis Apex Park in Daventry.

Hankook Tire & Technology has agreed terms with Prologis to take DC9, a new high-spec unit

of just over 357,000 sq ft on a 22-acre site on the park where it already bases its main distribution hub. Construction is due to be complete in early 2024.

The new development at Daventry is part of its business growth plans in the UK. Hankook Tyre UK’s managing director Chang

Yool Han said: “Apex Park was the obvious choice for growth as it meant we were able to provide continuity for our existing staff and to execute our growth in the utmost sustainable and eco-friendly manner plus it serves as an excellent central location for the UK market.”

Award winners ‘exemplify talent and innovation’

> From page 1.

to accept this award acknowledging not only the success of our team and customers but also our ethical commitment to spreading health and happiness across the globe. King Charles has long championed organics

and complementary medicine and we applaud his continued work in these and other fields.”

Minister for Enterprise Kevin Hollinrake said: “I congratulate the first ever recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise, who exemplify the talent,

innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of British business.

“I wish them every success and commend the invaluable contributions they make to communities both at home and overseas, helping to grow the UK economy.”

HCR

GSS partners join Northampton Saints executives and players at the centre opening

‘We have never known a time like it’

Financial control: It’s not rocket science

Since starting my business in January 2021, primarily to help SMEs and start-ups to establish financial controls in their business, one of the most common questions I am asked is: “What do you actually mean by ‘Financial Control?”

Initially this caught me out writes Adrian Goodman (pictured), managing director of PPX Consulting. Before setting up my business, I had worked in finance for most of my adult life. My career included multiple director-level positions, advanced finance projects and roles at very large businesses where financial controls were understood and accepted as key elements of the business.

When I began working with smaller organisations, there was rarely an internal finance team and the business owner was often preoccupied with meeting customers or working on the product offering as opposed to the peripheral elements of the business such as finance, strategy or business development.

I was frequently asked why financial control is necessary and how it adds value to the business. Many of my clients were under the impression that as long as they had engaged the services of an accountant, the finances of the business were taken care of.

I started my business with the explicit intention of helping smaller businesses to

achieve the same level of financial control that I had engineered at larger businesses.

I made this decision in 2019, after my then-employer announced that they were entering administration, shortly after my appointment, and that my colleagues and I were out of a job. This happened a few weeks before Christmas so you can probably imagine the degree of anguish in that room.

I still maintain that this could have been avoided had financial control had been monitored and prioritised so I set out to help as many businesses as possible avoid the same fate.

Instrumental in this mission was my Four Points of Control framework, a control mechanism I devised and implemented at many businesses. Follow this approach meticulously and it is almost inevitable that financial control is achieved. The make-up of the mechanism also answers the question many of my new clients were asking.

Financial control is established by asking three questions about your business and answering them objectively:

IT’S NOT JUST A JOB.

Manufacturer seals £170m loan to hit ESG targets

■ “How are we doing?”

■ “Is it good enough?”

■ “Are we doing the ‘right’ thing?”

Or, as I call them, the three ‘Elements of Control’:

■ Performance evaluation

■ Economic viability

■ Compliance

If a business focuses on these elements intently and ensures that they are promoted throughout the organisation, financial control is achieved. Since all aspects of business carry a financial impact, this means that total control is achieved - the key to attaining consistent, profitable growth as opposed to making decisions on the fly and hoping they pan out.

The bad news is that it does not just happen. It takes robust processes, an understanding of rudimentary financial concepts and commitment to getting it right. The good news is that it’s not rocket science.

adrian.goodman@ppxconsulting.co.uk www.ppxconsulting.co.uk 01536 856 740

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.

Brick and concrete manufacturer Forterra has secured a £170 million loan to support its progress towards achieving its sustainability goals.

The Sustainability Linked Loan, co-ordinated by HSBC UK and funded by a syndicate of five banks, refinances the company’s existing bank loan and aligns its financing with its environmental, social and governance targets.

“By securing a Sustainability Linked Loan, we have greater liquidity to reinvest in our sustainability initiatives over time as we focus on reducing our carbon impact and plastic consumption while positively benefiting our employees,” said Northampton-based Forterra’s chief financial officer Ben Guyatt.

Forterra launched its People, Planet and Product sustainability pillars in 2019. These include a commitment to be net zero carbon by 2050,

to improve the environmental impact of its products and provide greater opportunities to staff.

The loan, which refinances a previous loan, contains specific ESG targets, which include:

■ Reduce CO2 emissions in Forterra’s clay brick business;

■ Increase the percentage of employees combining study with practical experience to enhance their career;

■ Reduce the group’s overall plastic consumption.

■ HSBC says the loan will also create new opportunities for Forterra’s employees.

“Sustainability has become a strategic priority across the construction industry,” said HSBC UK relationship director Richard Bacon. “We expect to see greater adoption within the industry as leading construction businesses invest in their sustainability strategies.”

No tears as consultancy wins warehouse contract

Recruitment firm Wills Consultants has completed the recruitment of 49 staff for a new warehouse facility in Sheffield run by online retailer Boohoo.com. The project was run with global engineering company SSI Schaefer, which has Boohoo.com as one of its clients. It had

negotiated the contract and called in the Kettering-based company to source workers for the warehouse. First to arrive was the management team to lead recruiting for the less senior roles. “We were delighted to be brought in on this high-profile project,” said Wills Consultants director Simon Wills.

Directors’ liabilities: Know your obligations and act within the law

While becoming a director brings both authority and status, directors have certain obligations and duties, which can lead to personal responsibilities or ‘liabilities’.

If you are a company director, there are certain situations where you may find yourself personally liable for your actions.

Although some directors are lulled into a false sense of security as a result of ‘limited liability’, they should be aware that it is not a ‘one case fits all’ situation, and it is possible for a company director to be held personally liable when a commercial litigation claim is commenced against the company.

The Companies Act

2006 sets out a minimum requirement of competence and experience necessary for any director, including exercising reasonable skill, care and diligence and to act within its constitution and powers. You must also consider any likely long-term consequences of decisions you make and take the interests of your employees into account.

If you take part in illegal acts or you act beyond your powers, you may be sued personally for any losses, including any losses that have resulted from a failure to use sufficient skill and care.

If you allow the company to trade while it is, or is likely to become insolvent, you could also be held personally liable. You must at all times make a clear distinction between your personal interests and those of the company to avoid acting unlawfully.

“I pride myself on providing practical and clear advice, striving for outcomes that save businesses time, money, stress and reputation… It’s what I do.”

Jennie Jahina Head of Employment

Creative sector strikes gold at former iron works

Start-up businesses are setting up home in a new hub for organisations working in the creative and digital sectors.

Vulcan Works, which was created through transforming a Grade II listed former ironworks factory in Northampton, is the result of a £14 million project funded by West Northamptonshire Council and South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership.

Invited guests networked over cocktails and canapes and toured the building and applauded speeches by key players in the centre’s construction at the official opening on Wednesday (April 19). Twelve businesses are already in situ in Vulcan Works, with others taking advantage of its hot desking and co-working options.

The purpose-built hub is managed by Oxford Innovation Space and provides lettable office space, workshops, meeting rooms and co-working spaces for start-up businesses. The space mixes the old with the new by retaining quirky original

features and naming its rooms in honour of its shoe-making history. The redevelopment work completed in February.

Centre manager Garrick Hurter said: “We have been so busy getting Vulcan Works up and running and facilitating show arounds to prospective customers over the last few weeks and months so it is wonderful to see all that hard work come to fruition and officially launch this fantastic space to the public. We want to build a real community here and a space that is supportive and nurturing to young and growing businesses in creative industries and today is the start of that.”

Vulcan Works expects to 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.

Cllr Daniel Lister, cabinet member for economic development, town centre regeneration and growth at West Northamptonshire Council, said: “Vulcan Works

provides a unique offer for West Northants creative and digital industries. The rejuvenated historical hub combines flexible office space, with first-class support to help businesses flourish.

“It was great to have the opportunity to speak to many businesses who are already calling this space home and meet those who are due to move in over the forthcoming weeks.”

Oxford Innovation Space’s

Steelworks opens £4m distribution facility

Tata Steel’s Corby works has opened a new £4 million storage and distribution facility for its world-class steel tubes.

The new warehouse is part of a wider site reconfiguration programme, which also involves the installation of a new combination tube mill, new offices and testing facilities. The work is being partly funded by the sale of existing land on the Corby site.

The new warehouse, which brings together three former facilities on site, is now in operation with the capacity to store up to 20,000 tonnes of steel tubes.

As well as new cantilevered racking, the facility uses multi-directional trucks

to manage the storage and distribution of tubes for use in stadia, construction, engineering and building services applications across the world. The famous Wembley Arch was made using tubes from Corby.

Angela Long, process manager warehousing at the plant, said: “As well as the new physical structure, we have put in an updated software system, which has ‘safe working limits’ programmed in for every location.

“Each bundle of tubes - which can weigh up to three tonnes - is scanned into the system so it is stored at an appropriate location. The same system also advises on the correct dispatch point, giving

faster customer service and better stock accuracy.”

Works manager Gary Blackman added: “This is a critical and fundamental piece of the Corby infrastructure that reduces steel movements, improves the quality of our service and makes our workplace safer.”

managing director Jo Stevens added: “This centre is more than just flexible office and workshop space. It is a place

with both a rich heritage and brand new facilities that have been purposely and thoughtfully constructed to

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Invited guests joined dignitaries for the official opening of Vulcan Works

provide young companies with a place to grow and feel supported and part of a community.

“Now that the centre has officially launched, our newly appointed team can get to work offering business support services and holding events that will help our tenants to grow, learn, make new connections and thrive.” Funding for the project came from West Northamptonshire Council and SEMLEP, which facilitated a Local Growth Fund contribution of £6.3 million and £3.06 million from the European Regional Development Fund.

Skilled advocate and negotiator joins specialist family law team

Sills & Betteridge LLP welcome solicitor

Lisa Churchill to its Northampton matrimonial team this month.

She joins the team to deal with divorce and separation cases involving complex financial issues including Armed Forces and public sector pensions and business and farming assets. She also has significant experience and an outstanding track record in contentious child arrangements matters including internal relocation and parental alienation.

Lisa pictured qualified as a solicitor 11 years ago. She has spent most of her career in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire law firms, where she was a member of Cambridge and District Law Society and chair of YRes. She continues to be a member of Resolution and adheres to its highly regarded Resolution Code of Practice which aims, where possible, to minimise conflict between parties.

Helen Derry, Partner and Head of Family Law at Sills & Berridge, says: “Lisa combines exceptional technical knowledge of the

law with astute advocacy and negotiation skills which make her an excellent fit for the firm’s matrimonial clients.

“She joins a very strong team in Northampton who are going from strength to strength since we opened the practice there in 2018. The results they are achieving in not only matrimonial matters but also complex care proceedings and domestic abuse matters already puts them among the highest quality lawyers in the area.”

Lisa adds: “I am excited to join as prestigious and progressive a firm as Sills & Betteridge and its highly regarded family team. Like them, I am committed to guiding clients through the inevitable stress of relationship breakdown in a practical and empathetic way.”

Sills & Betteridge family team are currently in the Top Tier of firms independently recognised by the Legal 500 (The World’s Leading Legal Directory) and were recently nominated for Family Law Firm of The Year [Midlands & Wales] in the Lexis Nexis Family Law Awards.

www.sillslegal.co.uk

Meet the team welcoming visitors and tenants to the transformed Vulcan Works in Northampton. Pictured are (from left) customer experience assistant Hannah Tanner, Vulcan Works centre manager Garrick Hurter, business growth manager Darren Smith and assistant centre manager Gail Haddon. Read their stories online at www.business-times.co.uk.

Tech Park reflects an Art Deco inspiration

In May 2019 a fire destroyed 88,800 sq ft of factory, office and storage areas at Brooklands Gate on Sywell Aerodrome. Talks began around what to do with the site. Whatever comes next must both meet the current and future needs of the business community and be environmentally sustainable. A planning application was submitted 12 months later for a new Technology Park.

Brooklands Technology Park had been designed to compliment the aerodrome’s existing Art Deco style, with a huge amount of thought into its aesthetics and environmental impact.

Planning permission for Brooklands Technology Park was granted in October 2020.

The Brooklands development is composed of two separate Blocks, A and B, with a total of 11 units. Each combines office and workshop spaces ideal for technology, research, and manufacturing enterprises as well as specialist distribution. The units provide a range of spaces for B1, B2 and B8 use classes, with ancillary external spaces including extensive parking, service yards and soft landscaping.

The design of the buildings’ exterior reflects the mix of façade treatments on the site, complimenting the distinctive Sywell Art Deco style. Each block has its own character, using the common form of a simple two-storey pitched roof structure. Both buildings have a colonnade on the front elevation providing a strong unifying feature to lift the character of the building above ordinary industrial buildings.

The most visible building faces Wellingborough Road and has adopted some of the features of the site’s Art Deco heritage.

Silver and white coloured bricks contrast blue and grey brick features around the large polished stainless steel windows and as a base for the facades. The other building above right features stone facings combined

with red brick detailing, to match that of the adjacent Hall Farm building.

A key objective for both buildings is to provide a sustainable, environmentally friendly space. Features include

sustainable urban drainage, electric charging points, soft landscaping and low energy services. The aim of each building is to be carbon neutral, subject to the occupier’s power consumption needs. Each unit has been finished to a high spec with LED lighting throughout, broadband connected, Art Deco detailing and high-quality kitchen and toilet facilities.

The office spaces are flooded with natural daylight, with the floor to ceiling windows offering views across arable fields from Block A and views across the airfield from Block B. Every office is fitted with dado

NEW HIGH TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS UNITS

4,200 sqft I 6,300 sqft I 8,400 sqft - workshop

trunking with multiple power and data points, data cabinets, air conditioning and Karndean flooring. The workshop areas are two storeys high with LED lighting, electric loading bay doors, polished concrete floors and additional kitchen and toilet facilities.

The functionality of the units has been carefully considered and designed to ensure they offer versatile and efficient spaces.

Brooklands Technology Park offers the ideal base for research and development enterprises as well as offering an attractive and creative environment to work in.

Uniquely, Sywell Aerodrome also boasts a 59-bedroom Art Deco hotel, a bar, restaurant and

/ office space

Profit, people and the planet: B-Corps lead debate

Lights... camera... action

Companies committed to the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability have met in Northamptonshire to discuss best practice and to share experiences.

All 11 certified B Corporation organisations based in the county were at the Brixworth headquarters of reusable nappy specialist Bambino Mio, the newest company in the county to receive official B Corp certification. They discussed how each is reinventing the way they do business by committing to purpose as well as profit. B Corp Certification reflects the entire way a business operates, covering the key areas of governance, workers, community, environment and customers.

The certification process is rigorous, with applicants required to reach a benchmark score of above

80 and providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency.

“Like our fellow B Corps, we opened up every area of our business for scrutiny and a rigorous independent assessment to ensure we are committed to having the best positive impact on our people, our planet, and future generations,” said Bambino Mio’s founder Guy Schanschieff inset. “We are delighted to collaborate with fellow B Corp businesses. We

Northamptonshire’s B Corp businesses are: Akerlof Construction; Averil Phillips & Family; Bambino Mio; Fill Refill Co; Honeywell Bakes; Jelley Distilleries; New England Financial Solutions; People & Transformational; The People Experience Hub; QSA partners; Warners Distillery.

want to be a powerful force for change and hope that our accountability to sustainability and our commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others.”

Sustainability has been at the root of Bambino Mio’s products for more than 25 years. It encourages parents

to use reusable nappies so that fewer single-use nappies are made and dumped in landfill.

Bambino Mio was certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit organisation behind the B Corp movement, as having met the highest social and environmental standards - its commitment to goals outside of

Nishi Patel, the managing director of Northampton business N-Accounting, is pictured at work in the firm’s new YouTube recording studio. The studio is the location for filming of content for the company’s dedicated YouTube channel and other social media. N-Accounting also records its Unrelenting Drive podcast there.

shareholder profit. The company achieved a score of 93.4 - average company score is 50 - and gained two Impact Business Models for delivering results for specific business stakeholders, one for resource conservation and another for toxin reduction.

Mr Schanschieff said: “I believe that all businesses should feel a responsibility to consider people and our planet rather than making decisions just based on profit. We believe that this fundamental component can have a lasting significance, for generations to come.”

Worldwide 6,279 businesses

The studio is part of a move by the firm into more office space at its base at Burlington House in Wellingborough Road. “We are thrilled to be able to record our video content in-house,” said Mr Patel. “We were keen to stay in the great location of Burlington House so it is fantastic that they have been able to accommodate our growth.”

have certified as B Corps. In the UK there are more than 1,100 companies across a broad range of industries and sizes, including brands such as innocent, Patagonia, The Body Shop and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole.

“Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector,” said B Lab UK’s executive director Chris Turner. “Welcoming Bambino Mio is an exciting moment. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support Bambino Mio in paving the way for a new way of doing things.”

Forum aims to be a ‘force for change’

Energy efficiency: New standards are no joke

While many play jokes on others on April 1, you cannot be a fool this year if you have an interest in commercial property writes Mohammed Rahman, solicitor at Borneo Martell Turner Coulston April 1 2023 is the most recent key date in the implementation of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations. From that date, it is now unlawful for a landlord to continue to let commercial premises with an EPC rating of F or G unless they have a valid exemption registered. By failing to comply with the regulations, a landlord risks incurring a financial penalty and the breach being publicised.

Although landlords of

commercial premises that have a valid EPC of ‘E’ or above are safe for now, the government has consulted on plans to raise the minimum standard from ‘E’ to ‘C’ by 2027 and then further to ‘B’ by 2030.

As such, with the green agenda very much on the government’s manifesto, landlords need to be planning now for future compliance with the regulations, as standards will inevitably rise.

In particular, landlords may need to start:

n Identifying any sub-standard properties within their portfolio;

n Considering the optimum time for any necessary energy efficiency works to be carried out and how to fund them;

n Apportioning responsibility within leases for compliance with MEES or carrying out necessary energy efficiency works;

n Considering whether any exemptions may apply.

Landlords need to remember and appreciate that just because they have let a property out - whether on a short-term or long-term basis - they are not released or absolved from their responsibilities in relation to energy efficiency.

For advice or assistance on any commercial property matters, contact Mohammed Rahman at mohammed. rahman@bmtclaw.co.uk or one of the other members of the commercial team on 01604 622101.

Borneo Martell Turner Coulston Solicitors have offices in Northampton and Kettering.

Have your say on plans for renewable energy park

Plans for Kettering Energy Park have taken another step forward with the publication of a draft masterplan.

First Renewable Developments, which is responsible for the site, say the park - east of Burton Latimer, next to the Burton Wold

Wind Farm - will provide on-site renewable energy for businesses and meet the government’s 68 per cent reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions. The 460-hectare site is intended to generate a mix of wind and solar power.

North Northamptonshire Council is coordinating the public consultation, which closes on May 22.

n Find out more and have your say at https://ketteringenergypark. co.uk/development-updates/

Experts give lift up to engineering company

Ametal working and elevator company has reflected on the success of its collaboration with academics at the University of Northampton.

EES UK, based on the Round Spinney industrial estate in Northampton, worked alongside the university’s engineering team to create fireproof gates that provide a barrier for lift shafts when the lift door is not in place, preventing people from falling and a fire from spreading.

The collaboration took place under the Knowledge Transfer Partnership initiative, which aims to help businesses to improve competitiveness and productivity through the knowledge, technology and expertise at the university.

Businesses work with with a UoN academic team and a graduate or postgraduate student to develop a particular business initiative. The KTP can be as bespoke as required, with up to 75 per cent of the cost funded by Innovate UK.

“With the university’s

lift engineering, they were absolutely the right fit’ for us,” said EES’ production manager Neil Clark. “The partnership has helped our research and development department and created a role for an associate here.”

The experience has raised EES’ profile, he added. “It has opened our eyes to new possibilities and opened our doors to other industries we may not otherwise have had access to.”

UoN research assistant Mateusz Gizicki worked with EES on the project.

“The product went from just an idea, through the concept stage, to development of a solution certified for use,” he said.

“The whole process has been very successful. As the associate, I was employed full time to address what EES UK needed and looked at the problem from a new perspective.”

Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce and Innovate UK hosted two breakfast discussion and networking events last month to promote

Infrastructure improvements on Brackmills Industrial Estate

IN THE LAST 12 months this Northampton estate has invested in a host of road improvements on and around the estate.

RELAYING At the bottom of Landimore Road, where the road had deteriorated and road patching was no longer a viable option, the BID paid for the road to be relaid, with the work taking place over a weekend to minimise disruption.

This is one of the busiest routes on the estate so investing in the infrastructure was essential to keep the estate moving.

POWER To protect a series of underground power and communications cables, the BID reinforced a section of Caswell Road that had been compromised due to trucks repeatedly mounting parts of the kerb.

The BID invested in wire caging to protect the cables so the road can continue to support heavy duty vehicles without a risk of disruption to the estate.

WINTER GRITTING The BID funded 51 applications of gritting, to keep the estate moving and in business during cold and frosty times.

VOI SCOOTERS These electric powered scooters are proving extremely popular, enabling businesses and staff

to get around safely and speedily. In 2022, more than 96,000 journeys were taken to and/or from Brackmills. August proved to be the most popular month, with 10,855 people hopping on to a Voi Scooter on Brackmills. ILLUMINATION Salthouse Road pictured is illuminated again thanks to the determination and hard work of the estate’s team. The lighting had been so poor that vehicles at night would often turn on their full beams when driving along it and pedestrians were reluctant to walk or cycle along it in darkness. It has taken time but the lights are now back on, increasing visibility at night and making it easier for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

Brackmills Police Community Support Officer Paul Hurst says: “This lighting will help to reduce the risk of accidents and improve safety for everyone. Well-lit streets are less likely to be targeted by criminals, as they are more visible and less secluded. “The improved street lighting will also help to increase surveillance and will deter potential offenders from operating in the area. An added bonus is that well-lit streets can encourage people to spend more time outside and to walk to work on the estate.”

Read the Brackmills BID Annual Review 2023 at www.brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk/bid-resources

A sparkling experience is the pledge as jewellery store unveils £1m refit

am delighted to see the company remain true to its ethos and support Northampton,” Mrs Jones says. “This is a town that has had its fair share of problems but the future is looking bright and I am delighted that Michael Jones Jeweller will play a big part in that success.”

The independent jeweller, which is run as a co-operative, has been in the town for more than 100 years and has extended into the former Burton’s unit in the shopping centre - a store it previously occupied in the 1970s.

Delivering a memorable experience to its customers is the aim of the newly relaunched Michael Jones Jeweller in Northampton town centre.

The shop in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton is welcoming customers after a seven-figure refit.

The result is a new experience-led luxury retail space with a VIP consultation room.

“Retail in the 21st century has to be an experience if it is to compete with online sellers,” says Michael Jones Jeweller’s managing director Stuart O’Grady. “We want our customers to sit down in a lounge area with a glass of champagne while choosing their wedding rings. We want them to select a luxury watch in a room that is suitable for such an occasion. That is something you simply cannot replicate on the internet.”

The store lived up to its billing as a ‘hidden gem’ after lucky couple Kelsey Collings and Tom Sumpter from Thrapston won a £2,300 diamond encased in a specially commissioned ice sculpture to mark the relaunch. Theirs was the closest guess to exactly how long it would take for an ice sculpture to melt and reveal the jewel inside.

The redesigned store was officially opened by Anne Jones, the wife of the original founder. “I

The new store features a number of concessions, with dedicated areas for leading watch brands including Longines, Bremont and Tissot. Jewellery suppliers such as Brown and Newirth, FOPE, Clogau and Ti Sento have fully branded counters alongside brands including Gucci, Baume and Mercier and Raymond Weil.

Mark Mullen, operations manager of Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District, said: “It is good to see such a prominent retailer reaffirming their faith in Northampton’s retail offer and investing in their premises. We are looking forward to seeing the impact this new store has on attracting more shoppers into our town centre ahead of the completion of the Market Square redevelopment.”

New equity partner and promotions at Tollers Solicitors

Regional practice Tollers Solicitors has announced a number of promotions at the firm on the back of another successful year of trading.

The firm’s head of commercial property, Simon Chambers pictured, has been promoted to the position of equity partner. Simon joined Tollers in 2019 and has been a stand-out performer from the start.

The firm’s commercial property practice has grown under Simon’s guidance turning over £1.3 million in the year to 31 March 2023 which equates to growth of 65 per cent over the last three years.

Duncan Nicholson, CEO of Tollers, says: “Simon Chambers’ elevation to equity partner is thoroughly deserved. Tollers is so lucky to have Simon leading our commercial property team and I am absolutely delighted that Simon has accepted an offer to become an owner of the business.”

In addition to Simon Chambers, Tollers also announced the following promotions:

n Chris Lucas (trusts and estates) - partner;

n Kimberley Osborne (residential conveyancing) - partner;

n James Willoughby (trusts and estates)senior associate;

n Suzanne Bingham (dispute resolution)senior associate;

n Sarah Horn (trusts and estates) - senior associate.

Tollers business continues to thrive. Annual growth of 8.5pc in the year to 31 March 2023 saw turnover close in on £10 million, reflective of the ambitious targets for growth that the firm set last year for its Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire bases.

Key appointments through the year have assisted the firm in delivering such impressive results. Amy Edwards has joined as a partner in the employment team. Another partner, Tiffany Benson now heads the firm’s contested probate team and Suzanne Evans has joined from a regional practice to lead Tollers’ elderly and vulnerable client department.

Added to that, the firm’s residential property team has been boosted by the arrival of partner Karen Stewart from a national practice.

Duncan says: “Businesses in the service industry can only grow on the back of great employees. Tollers prides itself on the quality of its staff and the additions that we have made as well as the promotions announced are further evidence of that. As a firm we seek to invest in our staff. They are our strength and our future and by rewarding the very best our teams will be strengthened ensuring that our clients receive the quality of service and legal advice that they rightly demand and expect.”

What was your first job?

Working as a retail assistant in a bookshop - the ideal place for a bookworm.

Why did you choose your particular career?

I studied business studies at A Level and went on to study it at university. In my final two years I had to specialise in either finance, marketing or HR. I chose HR, because, having worked since I was 15, I found it easier to relate to HR and work psychology.

I was lucky to jump straight onto an HR graduate development programme with Accenture HR Services and the rest is history.

What’s the best job you’ve had and why?

Hands down it has to be running my own business. By far it has been the most rewarding and it has tested my resilience to the max but I have developed so much more as a person and a business professional in the last 18 months since launching Haus of HR. …and the worst and why?

Working in a call centre processing unsecured loans. It was an evening job while I was studying for my degree.

At times it would be soul destroying, especially if there were no calls coming through because that was before it became the norm to have an email account and internet access so I just had to clockwatch the evening away.

What’s the best advice you’ve received in business?

To keep learning, because the business world is constantly evolving and it is important to stay up to date on industry trends, new technologies, and best practices.

Continuously learning and expanding my knowledge helps me stay competitive and able to make informed decisions.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Starting my own business. I never thought it would have been possible so to experience so much success in the 18 months since launching the Haus of HR has to be my proudest moment. …and the low point?

I can’t think of a particular low point, because I always try to stay positive. Maintaining a positive attitude can be challenging during a low point in your career but it is important to stay optimistic and believe in yourself.

I always think of setbacks as temporary and with hard work and perseverance, you can overcome them.

Q&A

Where business people discuss their motivation, ambition, experience - and themselves. In the spotlight this month is Rachel Collar, founder of HR consultancy Haus of HR and a newly appointed non-executive director of Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire Chambers of Commerce.

which one to eventually call home.

What has been the best moment of your life?

Without doubt it has to be getting married, which was in February 2020 just before the pandemic started. Of course our honeymoon was cancelled, and it has not yet been rebooked. …and the worst?

From solo at The Stables to my Greek island dream

Who in business do you respect the most?

I’m a big Dragons Den fan so it has to be Deborah Meaden. I admire her entrepreneurial spirit having run several successful businesses throughout her career and her willingness to take risks.

As a philanthropist myself, I admire her involvement with charities and her passion for animal welfare, and supporting animal rights. She has overcome obstacles and setbacks throughout her career but uses her experiences to inspire others to pursue their dreams.

I was lucky to meet her briefly when I completed the London Marathon which her husband was also running in. She kindly donated lots of food and drinks for the runners of the charity I was supporting.

What annoys you the most in business?

Poor communication: when there is a lack of clear communication or miscommunication between team members, it often leads to frustration and errors that could have easily been prevented. Being in HR, I have seen a lot of issues escalate quickly and often unnecessarily due to poor communication.

… and in life?

People who are rude, inconsiderate, or selfish, who are set on making life difficult and stressful for everyone else.

What’s the best thing about where you work?

The best thing is I can play the music I want and I have created a working environment around me that is relaxing - which is so unlike the corporate world I used to work in.

…and the worst?

The worst thing is having direct access to the biscuit tin all day...

What’s your career ambition?

For Haus of HR to go from strength to strength and be recognised as a leading provider of HR and people solutions to businesses in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes.

Alongside that, the growth of Haus of Coaching, providing executive, leadership and career coaching to both businesses and individuals, enabling them to unlock their true potential.

…and your life ambition?

To retire to a Greek island. I am still exploring them all before making the final decision on

My husband having a heart attack the day before our first wedding anniversary. It was such a scary and worrying time, especially because I was not able to visit him in the hospital.

How do you relax?

I enjoy going for long hikes deep into the countryside to find geocaches. It is an outdoor activity which uses GPS technology to find hidden containers - geocaches.

For some proper downtime I like to do pilates and tai chi.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Watching reality TV. I am an absolute addict but it is pure escapism from the world of work and I do not need a brain to watch it.

What’s your worst fault?

When I am passionate about something, I do not always know when to shut up.

What’s your most treasured possession?

Apart from my husband, it has to be my rescue cat Buddy who also is the ‘Chief Happiness Officer’ at Haus of HR.

What are you afraid of?

Spiders - of all sizes!

Tell us something you regret.

Not keeping up with my language skills. I have an A-level in German so I wish I could speak a second language fluently.

Tell us a secret about yourself.

I have a grade 8 in keyboarding which I got while I studied at the Yamaha Music School - which used to be based in Bletchley - and I got to perform a solo piece at The Stables in Wavendon.

Which historical figure would you most like to talk to and why?

I used to volunteer at Bletchley Park so it would have to be Alan Turing, who contributed to the Allied victory by helping to decipher the German Enigma code. I would love to know his views now on artificial intelligence.

What are the first three things on your bucket list?

■ To attend the Air Guitar World Championships.

■ Ride Route 66 in a pink Cadillac.

■ To walk the Inca trail in Peru. What music/song would you like played at your funeral?

Ave Maria sung by Aaron Neville.

When I’m passionate about something, I don’t always know when to shut up

Photo: Jane Russell Photography

The business networking events this month across Northamptonshire

Franklin’s Gardens, Weedon Road, Northampton

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

2nd Friday 7.30am-9am: Online

Afternoon

Fridays 3pm-4pm: Online

Visitors welcome.

THE ACCOUNTABILITY CIRCLE

grow for a brighter future.

GET OUT THERE WITH VIDEO

May 3 9.30am-11am:

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

Regional sponsor: Business Times; Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce

No fuss, no membership, pay as you go... The Business Buzz format is relaxed, informal, conversational 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 10amnoon.

Brackley Buzz

May 4: Paisley Pear, Northampton Road.

Price: £8.

Northampton Buzz

May 17: Fox & Hounds, Harborough Road.

Price: £8.

Wellingborough Buzz

May 9: Castello Lounge, Market Street

Price: £8.

For more details, download the Buzz App or visit www.business-buzz.org/about/locations/. Book

Monday 10am-11am: Online

Advice and tips for small businesses on time management and productivity. Price: £6 per session or £12 per month. Find out more at buscomm.co.uk/ourevents

Holiday Inn Express, Kettering Workshop introducing delegates to basic equipment, editing, how to add your logo and branding, transitions between video clips, adding text to a video and getting it seen.

Aimed at small businesses, charities and organisations wishing to explore more about video. Free event for NNBN members; visitors £10.

BUSINESS NETWORKING

May 11 7pm-8.30pm:

Kettering Park Hotel & Spa

The FSB has 2,000 members across Northamptonshire. Northamptonshire

May 25 10am-11am: Online

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.

May 22 7pm-8.30pm:

Delapre Abbey, Northanpton

Free event for NNBN members; visitors £10. For more information and to book, visit https://nnbn.co.uk/events/

Monthly breakfast meetings, 7.30am-9.30am.

WELLINGBOROUGH

1st Thursday: Great Doddington Club, Lower Street

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

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

ASPIRING LEADERS

May 16 5.30pm-7.30pm

Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce offices, Northampton

Delivered by Tom Clife. Aspiring Leaders is an interactive development programme recognised by CMI and CPD and is aimed at those preparing to take a first step into a management role. To book, email info@nextgenerationchamber.co.uk

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

May 11 11.30am-1.30pm

Staverton Park Hotel & Golf Club, Daventry Co-hosted with Northamptonshire and Coventry & Warwickshire Chambers of Commerce. Chamber members only. Price: £20 + VAT. For details of all Chamber events, visit www.northants-chamber.co.uk

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

UK BUSINESS FORUM NORTHAMPTON

2nd Wednesday 5.30pm-9pm:

Delapre Abbey, London Road

A friendly, informal and relaxed networking event for small business owners. Each event features a short presentation on topics to support business owners followed by informal networking.

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. Book at www.ukbfevents.co.uk

BUSINESS ROOM

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

KETTERING

May 8 6 12 noon-2pm:

Kettering Park Hotel

NORTHAMPTON

May 11 12 noon-2pm:

Old White Hart, Far Cotton

WELLINGBOROUGH

May 17 12 noon-2pm:

The Stanwick Hotel, Stanwick

SOUTH NORTHANTS

May 16 12 noon-2pm:

The White Horse, Silverstone

THE CONNECTIONS CLUB - NORTHANTS

Only open to business owners, influencers and decision-makers.

NORTHAMPTON

May 2 11.45am-2pm:

Delapre Abbey, Northampton.

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

Youth charity set for expansion

Youth charity the lowdown has won a Youth Investment Fund grant to extend and refurbish its Kingswell Street building in Northampton and to expand its service offer across the county. The funding means that the charity will support up to 3,000 young people a year when the project is complete - almost doubling its capacity - and deliver new youth services for 11-18 year olds.

The lowdown is one of 43 youth services in England to benefit from the first wave of YIF grants announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the charity Social Investment Business.

Over the next two years the funding will go to a total 300 youth services across England to enhance health, wellbeing, skills and opportunities for young people. New services include a new Youth Advisory Board which will feed into new youth activities and wellbeing groups. The funding will also go towards improving accessibility to the lowdown’s services and its infrastructure as it grows.

Sharon Womersley, chief executive of the lowdown, said demand for its services had increased fourfold since 2019. “Our Kingswell Street location is a discreet, trusted, safe, nonjudgemental space and has been since we opened in 1989, hence the need to further develop this site.”

The charity opened its Lowdown Lounge space in December. “Our new Youth Advisory Board will help us develop our new services to ensure they meet the needs of the young people who will use them,” said Ms Womersley.

Donation boost for food banks

Recruitment company Gi Group UK, which has a branch in Northampton, has donated a range of food items and household toiletries to food banks in the town.

“It is really important to our teams that we support our local communities,” said GI Group’s people partner Sally Charlton.

“The cost of living crisis has put a huge strain on communities which is why we want to support those around us and make a real local difference.”

Get your boots on: Football fundraiser sets goal of a bonanza for hospice Cricket commentary service calls for volunteers to take up the mike

Vehicle leasing company Silverstone Leasing aims to hit the back of the net with its fourth football fundraiser this summer.

The Northampton firm has raised more than £5,000 in total for its nominated charity Cynthia Spencer Hospice through its annual five-aside soccer tournament. Silverstone Soccer 2023 will see businesses from across Northamptonshire take to the field to compete at the event on July 2 at Daventry Town FC. Kick off is at 10.15am.

Up to 16 teams will compete for the winner’s title, which last year went to Euro Building and Maintenance Contractors. Ox Seven Talent Partners finished runner-up. There will also be a grand raffle.

Registration is £300 + VAT per team, which includes a teambranded shirt for each player

Drive historic F1 circuit...

Scalextric style

Put yourself on pole position for a spin around the iconic Silverstone motor racing circuit… Scalextric style.

The new On Track Scalextric exhibit is the latest attraction to be unveiled at Silverstone Museum, recreating the worldfamous circuit in miniature - a two-lane Grand Prix track.

Sky Sports F1 duo Anthony Davidson and commentator David Croft were joined by former England, Tottenham Hostspur and Liverpool defender Neil Ruddock to put the Scalextric track through its paces.

Said Mr Davidson, a former racing driver: “The museum is a celebration of everything that has not just gone on here but in motorsport around the world.”

“If I lived closer, I would come here every day,” said Mr Croft after putting his skills to the

Recognising that charity is serious business

The fundraiser is the idea of Silverstone Leasing’s sales manager Ryan Bishop, who first organised the tournament in 2020 to raise funds for the hospice. “Cynthia Spencer has been our chosen charity for a number of years and is close to all our hearts,” he said.

Nina Gandy, corporate partnerships fundraiser at Cynthia Spencer Hospice, said: “The event has become a real key event in the summer calendar. Silverstone Leasing are a fantastic corporate partnership. Relationships such as these make a significant difference to those who need support dealing with the most challenging circumstances.”

n Sign up for Silverstone Soccer at https://www.silverstoneleasing.com/ silverstone-leasing-soccer-2023. For sponsorship details, email Ryan at ryan@silverstoneleasing.com

Acall has gone out for new volunteers to join the team providing commentary for visually impaired spectators at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club’s matches this season.

The Ball by Ball service provided by Northamptonshire’s sight loss charity NAB is marking 15 years of live commentary at NCCC first team home games at the County Ground.

The service is thought to be the only one other than that at Lord’swhere it was introduced in 2007 - to have run for so long.

The commentary team provides detailed descriptions of what is happening during play so that visually impaired spectators can appreciate what the crowd are reacting to via their headset. The live match commentary can be heard

at the ground using headsets which are free to hire, subject to a £5 refundable deposit.

NAB’s then-general secretary John Wood, who remains a long-standing supporter, attended the launch at the home of Middlesex CCC. He identified the equipment required and any potential costs to bring the service to Northamptonshire.

NAB raised funds to purchase the transmitter, receivers and headsets and Northamptonshire County Cricket Club agreed to support the service.

“As they say, the rest is history,” said a NAB spokesman.

n Call NAB on 01604 719193 or email helpline@nab.org.uk to find out more about the Ball by Ball service.

Foundation hails firm’s £20k gift

Northampton-based building products manufacturer

Scalextric test. “It has all the right corners, as close as we possibly can, to what I still think is the greatest track on the F1 calendar.”

The museum is preparing new family activities including the opportunity to build your own Scalextric circuit, a journey through Silverstone’s history and a ‘Design your own livery’ competition, with the winning design recreated on a model car.

“To see Silverstone Circuit recreated in such detail by the Scalextric team is fantastic and we

know the new attraction will be a winner with motorsport addicts, families and car fans alike,” said Silverstone’s head of marketing Rachel James.

Scalextric is delighted with the Silverstone collaboration. “With our collective passion for racing together with the museum’s unparalleled collection of artefacts and racing memorabilia, we are creating an experience that’s not just fun and exciting, but also informative and educational,” said head of brand Simon Owen.

Forterra has given £20,000 to Northampton Saints Community and Foundation programmes. The partnership will help fund Northampton Saints Foundation, which uses sport to inspire, support and educate young people. Forterra’s contribution will support five students on their pathway to employment through the Foundation’s partnership scheme Sponsor A Student.

Saints chief executive Mark Darbon, a trustee of Northampton Saints Foundation, said: “This fantastic partnership will enable us to further the great work that we do across the Foundation and Community programmes.”

Adds Stephen Harrison, Forterra’s chief executive: “We have been very impressed by the work that Northampton Saints and its Foundation does to support young people in Northamptonshire.”

NAB volunteers John Wood (right) and Kevin White in the commentary box at the County Ground for Northamptonshire’s County Championship match against Middlesex last month

Victory a la kart: Rotary winners celebrate chequered flag and endurance record

Three Northamptonshire charities are to receive a share of £10,000 raised in a karting endurance competition by The Rotary Club of Nene Valley.

The Rokart competition has taken place since 2016 and has raised a total £70,000 for charities across the county. This year’s funds are going to The Lewis Foundation, which provides free gift packs and support to adults going through cancer treatment in hospitals across the Midlands, and Northampton’s Cynthia Spencer Hospice. Also to benefit is Eve, the women’s refuge organisation in Northampton.

The team from structural

engineers David Smith Associates pictured, which has taken part in the race every year since its first green light, took first prize with a record 300 laps. They were pushed hard by runner-up Forti Tiling, who finished only a lap behind with GP Karting taking third place.

The trophies were presented by club president Tony Bilson. Teams from some of Northampton’s leading employers entered, along with those from law firms, family businesses, villages and Northampton Hospital.

DSA team member Joe Butter said: “The real winners, though, are the charities.”

n Major refurbishment is set to begin at a women’s refuge in Northampton.

Rotary Club of Nene Valley is project managing the work replacing 39 windows and repairing the external walls at Eve’s training and support centre.

The work will be carried out by building company Stepnell. Now Rotarians are appealing to Northamptonshire businesses to help fund the repairs, which are due to begin this summer.

“This work will ensure that Eve will be able to function for many years to come,” said the Rotary Club’s immediate past president Geoff Yeowart.

Eve provides a women’s refuge with 18 family units and outreach services for a further 40 families. It has been working in Northamptonshire for 40 years.

n To find out more, contact the Rotary Club’s David Harding at davidcloudshill@gmail.com

Awards highlight importance of volunteers

They are back and ready to celebrate Northamptonshire folk who go above and beyond to support their local community.

The Rose of Northamptonshire Awards have opened and are seeking nominations from around the county.

Barrister turned charity founder Lorraine Lewis has put pen to paper to reflect on her journey from the courts to support for cancer patients in hospital.

She took advantage of the pandemic lockdowns to collate her daily journal entries into a powerful book, published last month. Dare To Dream records Lorraine’s decision to follow her heart, to abandon her thriving law career and to set up the Lewis Foundation, a charity that today delivers thousands of free gift packs to adult cancer patients in 17 hospitals across the Midlands. It shows, she said, that anything is possible.

The book reveals Lorraine’s take on the personal challenges, experiences, highs and lows that she and husband Lee went through in setting up the charity. The inspiration behind it was four years of hospital visits when Lee’s mother had cancer treatment. Recognising the challenges, upset and loneliness for individuals and their loved ones, the couple set about sourcing donations and packaging and delivering gifts and support items to patients in oncology wards.

Now their work is backed by a team of almost 50 volunteers and

hundreds of regular supporters.

“I have kept a journal my whole life

Book reflects highs and lows of founder’s journey

and I finally took the opportunity during the first lockdown in 2020 to pull all my notes

together into a book,” said Lorraine, pictured. “It was a bit of a reflection exercise in a way and I realised wanted to throw everything into the charity - it is where my heart was.”

She took a sabbatical from her law career in 2022 and gave up her career to concentrate on the charity in 2023. “I was still working as a barrister at the time and somehow managing to carry out my charity work on the side. But I knew I had more to give.”

Today The Lewis Foundation delivers more than 2,000 gift packs every month to patients alone in hospital. Each contains items including overnight essentials and toiletries, letter writing kits, miniature radios complete with batteries and headphone.

Dare To Dream was launched at a party over afternoon tea at Delapre Abbey in Northampton, hosted by business author, broadcaster and leadership coach Dr Audrey Tang.

“People have been telling me for years that I should share my story but I have never really had the time or confidence to take the leap,” she said.

“By sharing my journey, I really hope others are inspired to pursue their calling.”

n Dare To Dream is available to purchase on Amazon and online through most bookshops. It is also available direct from the publisher https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/autobiography/dare-to-dream/

Tourism hub will deliver boost to county’s visitor economy

English Tourism Week marked the opening of the Discover Northamptonshire hub at Rushden Lakes.

The venue promotes days out, attractions, walks, town and village offerings, places to eat, sustainable transport, heritage, accommodation and events across the county. There is also a space for retailers

to showcase their products to the six million visitors to Rushden Lakes annually.

“The opening is very much the start of the Discover Northamptonshire hub’s journey and the offering will continue to grow and develop,” said West Northamptonshire Council’s deputy leader Cllr Helen Howell, executive

Recognising that charity is serious business

member for sport, leisure, culture and tourism. “It is a very positive move for the industry.”

The council is working with its

North Northamptonshire colleagues ona strategy to promote the county as a tourist destination. “The hub will have enormous benefits

The awards are being run by Northamptonshire Community Foundation with North and West Northamptonshire Councils. They were first launched in 2021 as part of the Unsung Heroes Initiative to identify and thank those who had worked tirelessly to keep communities safe and businesses moving during the pandemic.

HM Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire James Saunders Watson and the county’s High Sheriff Crispin Holborow are fully behind the awards. “This gives all of us in Northamptonshire an opportunity to recognise the incredibly valuable contributions that individuals and groups make to our lives in the county,” said Mr Saunders Watson. “This also highlights the importance of volunteering, which is one of the key themes of the Coronation.”

To nominate, find the form and criteria at the Northamptonshire Community Foundation website www.ncf.com.

Both local authorities are backing the awards. West Northamptonshire Council chairman Cllr André González De Savage said: “Those brilliant people do what they do in such selfless and generous ways and deserve our full recognition.”

His North Northamptonshire counterpart Larry Henson agrees. “This is such a wonderful way to recognise and reward the many outstanding individuals, charities and groups in our county who go above and beyond.”

to the local area,” said North Northamptonshire Council leader Cllr Jason Smithers.

Both councils are working with the Crown Estate, businesses, schools, colleges and universities to provide learning and volunteering opportunities for those interested in working in the tourism industry.

Discover Northamptonshire has received £245,000 from the government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The hub opens Monday-Saturday 11am-6pm, and 11am-4.30pm on Sunday.

‘I realised I wanted to throw everything into the charity. It is where my heart was’

ELSBY WEALTH MANAGEMENT

New division is trusted to manage £28m worth of assets in its first year

An organisation which began offering a level of wealth management normally only experienced by clients with multi-million pound portfolios to firms across Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes a year ago is already managing £28 million of assets for its customers.

Elsby Wealth Management started trading last May and is the brainchild of the award-winning regional accountancy practice Elsby & Co.

Bringing together experts in wealth management, estate planning, mortgages and insurance, the firm is a one-stop shop offering clients a joined-up approach to managing their finances.

Head of wealth Andy Kennedy, who has worked in financial services since 2008 and held key positions at major firms in the City of London, says: “Most clients will only receive this kind of wealth management if they have a multi-million pound portfolio and are with

a big banking and wealth management group in the City.

“We have been there and worked for those clients and we feel there is no reason that anyone should not be able to access that service at any level of wealth.

“We are bringing bigger institutional wealth management to clients who would not normally get the chance to access it.”

Elsby Wealth Management is helping clients to reduce their income tax bills, giving them a stable platform on which to build their business and working with them on their wealth, mortgages, insurance, wills and powers of attorney.

“Clients’ lives are changing dramatically because of what we are doing,” says Mr Kennedy.

The wealth side of the business is mainly focused on working with accumulating business owners because it has good links with corporate finance, commercial lending and Small Self-Administered

GRIFFITHS AIR CONDITIONING

Keep your cool: Specialist engineers are on air con alert for businesses

Schemes. With the backing of leading wealth performance management firm Prydis, it can also offer clients access to a professional adviser remotely if they want a lower cost option or a one-off piece of work completing.

Key to Elsby Wealth Management’s success is head of mortgages and insurance Victoria Todd, who had worked in the City since 2006 until she joined the firm four months ago.

“As soon as the mortgage process starts and the requests come in for various documentation things slow down which can mean clients miss out on properties,” she says. “Here, everything is inhouse so I can go to a client’s account manager and have the paperwork mortgage lenders need in as little as ten minutes.

“In the past clients thought they would be OK arranging a mortgage themselves but it has never been as vital as it is now to get professional support to ensure you get the right product.”

Griffiths Air Conditioning, based in Burton Latimer, are ready to respond to the increase in demand for new air conditioning systems and any issues with existing installations, as the warmer weather arrives.

Working closely with the world’s most popular air conditioning manufacturer, Daikin, Griffiths offers a wide range of cooling, heating and ventilation options to suit any commercial requirement. These high-specification, energy-efficient solutions will provide optimum comfort in any commercial building and in all weather conditions.

To meet current legislation and reduce the environmental impact of air conditioning, Daikin have introduced the nextgeneration refrigeration gas R32. Its benefits are lower global warming potential, superior energy efficiency and a smaller refrigerant charge needed.

Griffiths are using R32 systems wherever possible in order to pass on these end user benefits.

Griffiths are Daikin

D1+ Approved Installers and their experienced installation and maintenance teams are all fully trained on the wide range of Daikin products. With

ever increasing regulation on energy efficiency and controls relating to refrigerant gas to reduce global warming, Daikin are constantly updating their products to stay ahead of the game.

Meanwhile, Griffiths are matching these state-of-theart products to the needs of their customers, making sure they have the best solution for any given situation.

As Griffiths are also installers of the full range of building engineering services, any complimentary ductwork or electrical requirements can also be undertaken to provide a onestop shop for any project.

PROP-SEARCH

Another major industry award as property agency celebrates 15 years in business

Prop-Search has clinched another major industry award, reinforcing its position as the pre-eminent commercial property agent across Northamptonshire and the Midlands in the year it celebrates 15 years of trading.

The national property publication, Estates Gazette has named PropSearch ‘The Most Active Agency’ in Northamptonshire following an impressive year of commercial deals.

The deals competition is an independent survey based on Radius Data Exchange, which provides a detailed breakdown of full-year transaction volumes on both national and regional levels, and across various property types: industrial, office, retail and leisure sectors, and investment markets.

Simon Toseland, a director of Prop-Search, says: “Since 2008

we have won more awards for commercial property transactions in Northamptonshire than any other UK agent. Indeed, we have won awards in ten out of the 15 years we have been trading - the first coming just three years from forming the business in 2011.

“This is a fantastic achievement especially when you consider our competition.”

In 2022 Prop-Search completed ten times more transactions than industry giants such as JLL and LSH. “With our 90 reported deals eclipsing the competition, says Mr Toseland. “This is a true reflection of our detailed knowledge of the Northamptonshire market and its businesses. We pride ourselves on our interaction with the regional occupier market, as well as working closely with investors and landlords.”

In every sector of the commercial property industry, Prop-Search offers unrivalled market knowledge and experience across Northamptonshire and the Midlands. This enables the company to evaluate and advise on value trends, take-up, supply and demand, not only providing essential information in helping businesses and landlords in rent

reviews, leasing and purchasing but also assisting developers in understanding the viability of development.

As well as working on more than one million sq ft of rent review and lease renewal work, the PropSearch team is currently advising on the UK’s largest Combined Renewable Energy Park, based in North Northamptonshire and generating close to 200GWh from wind and solar.

The project boasts an associated Innovation & Science Park, with a direct wire power feed from the Energy Park at a pivotal time as the cost and supply of energy continues to have a signnficant impact on businesses and the role of sustainable renewable energy generation fast becomes a priority.

Prop-Search was also ranked in fifth place in both the industrial and

retail markets in the East Midlands, with associate director Samantha Jones securing a mention as being ranked as the sixth Most Active Agent in the East Midlands. She is the only Northamptonshire surveyor to appear in the top ten listing.

n Find out more at www.propsearch.com

Andy Kennedy

Victoria Todd

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

Simon Toseland Samantha Jones

Bill aims to end EU legacy and employers must adapt

More than 90 per cent of HR professionals do not fully understand the implications of forthcoming changes to UK employment law.

The changes, being proposed by the government around the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, are daunting and confusing for many, new data reveals.

The Bill aims to introduce legislation to replace the 2018 European Union (Withdrawal) Act - part of the UK leaving the European Union with agreement to allow the UK to retain most EU legislation in its domestic legislation even after Brexit.

The Bill, introduced in September last year and if passed, will mean that most retained EU laws will no longer be in force. Every clause within it will require agreement, change or deletion.

The latest SME Business Survey by Northamptonshire HR consultancy HR Solutions finds that 44pc of participants admit that they need further support on employment law. A recent study by HR

Solutions’ parent company Worknest found that 93pc of HR professionals admit to not fully understanding the EU Reform Bill’s implications.

HR Solutions, based in Kettering, uses its annual SME Business Survey results to inform the support the firm offers clients and the wider business community. The business hosted a recent employment law seminar to address some of the concerns and provide advice and will focus specifically on the EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill and its implications for employers at a webinar on May 11.

“We highly recommend that if you are unsure about anything surrounding employment legislation, you should prioritise seeking expert advice and

SAXON BLINDS

Modern blinds built to meet education’s needs

For schools, academies, colleges and universities looking to invest in commercial childsafe blind systems, now is the perfect time to start planning for installations during the main school holidays.

than the traditional curtain systems, Saxon Blinds is also helping more and more education clients fit systems that can be deployed should there be a security breach.

training.,” says HR Solutions chief executive Greg Guilford. Employment law governs what employers can ask of their staff, what they are expected to provide and an employee’s rights at work. “It is vital that you have a clear understanding of what is required on both sides,” says Mr Guilford to employers in Northamptonshire and beyond.

HR Solutions has created an Employment Law Reform Hub as a result of its survey to keep business owners informed and with guidance on how employers can protect their business, their employees and themselves. In it, experts share news updates and specialist articles to keep business owners updated.

n Find out more at https://www.hrsolutions-uk.com/your-employment-law-reform-hub/

Saxon Blinds once again spent Easter and the halfterm holidays working on projects throughout the education sector, taking advantage of the buildings being empty to complete our works with the minimum fuss and disruption.

Many of the heavy duty blind systems we install in schools are transforming the performance and look of classrooms, school main halls, sports halls, making them more suited to modern technologies and the time now spent looking at screens. They can also increase the potential use of the building when it comes to hiring out to other outside groups or organisations, so increasing the opportunity to generate additional income into the school.

As well as modern blinds systems that look better and work more efficiently

Roller blinds can be instantly lowered where there are signs of intruders, or where there is a situation the might be upsetting to the children.

“Our bespoke systems are all manufactured in our Northampton factory and as such are built to suit any given situation,” says Saxon Blinds managing director Mark Grainger. “The are compliant with safety regulations, so there are no dangling cords or anything that might prove hazardous, and blinds systems are closely fitted to each individual window, leaving exit doors and fire exits clearly accessible.”

Saxon Blinds produces a complete range of products, offering choice, flexibility and competitive pricing, as well as a fiveyear guarantee on all commercial blinds.

All Saxon Blinds staff are DBS checked and part of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme.

Playing football with friends, Tony Entwistle suddenly felt dizzy. His legs buckled from underneath him. He collapsed, having suffered a cardiac arrest. “I was actually dead,” he says.

Calls for help from his friends brought Elliott Holmes, general manager at the GOALS sports complex in Northampton where Tony was playing, to the scene. Grabbing the centre’s defibrillator, Elliott raced to pitchside. Already administering critical CPR was former fireman Ryan Grant, who had also been playing football at the centre. Between them, they managed to restart Tony’s heart.

“Thankfully Elliott was working that day when he and Ryan quickly realised CPR was not restarting my heart,” says Tony, co-owner of Northamptonbased construction project management consultancy Fed3 Projects.

Elliott, who had previously had training to use the defibrillator, knew it was time to use the machine. He restarted Tony’s heart and he and Ryan continued CPR until the ambulance crew arrived.

Tony has since stopped playing football but now coaches youth teams and still enjoys an active lifestyle. He and Elliott have become firm friends.

“On the day it happened a call went out for a doctor as someone had collapsed on pitch. Just the day before I had refreshed my first aid training, including using a

defibrillator and I took our onsite device with me when I rushed to the scene,” Elliott recalls.

“Tony was unconscious and not breathing. Ryan arrived to support me administering CPR. I was determined and due to my GOALS training I knew what I had to do.”

The story arose during a conversation between Elliott and his long-time friend Samuel Scott, sales director at distribution company Panther Logistics, which has a depot in Northampton. The benefit of having the defibrillator on site immediately inspired Samuel and his managing director Gary McKelvey to install defibrillators at every Panther Logistics premises around the UK.

Panther depots join a nationwide network of defibrillators that not only protect colleagues on site but also are accessible to all emergency medical crews if required in the towns and cities where Panther’s businesses are based. Already 24 Panther employees have

undergone specialist training in how to use the devices.

“When Elliott told myself and Gary how he had been able to help save Tony’s life by using a defibrillator, we knew immediately we had to have the devices in situ at all our sites,” says Samuel. He urges other businesses to consider installing a defibrillator.

Grateful Tony nominated Elliott and Ryan for British Heart Foundation Awards to recognise their courage and quick thinking that saved his life. “Elliott and Ryan are my heart heroes,” he says.

“Having heard about my personal story, I think it is fantastic that Panther has installed defibrillators at all of the company’s depots. More than 30,000 people in the UK suffer cardiac arrests every year and if you are not near a defibrillator your chances of survival are tiny.

“I was lucky - I was in the right place at the right time.”

HR Solutions chief executive Greg Guilford

Consultancy boss pays tribute to ‘my heart heroes’

Tony Entwistle (left) with Panther Logistics director Samuel Scott and GOALS general manager Elliott Holmes (right)

n Contact Saxon Blinds on 01604 601888, email sales@saxonblinds.co.uk or visit

SAFFRON RESTAURANT

Award-winning Saffron is best known for its authentic dishes that bring incredible Asian flavours right to our home town of Northampton, making this the dining spot that is not to be missed writes

Chanelle Bradshaw

Established 22 years ago, the restaurant offers a seasonal fine dining menu and recently underwent a £250,000 refurbishment. We recently took a visit to Saffron to try it for ourselves and to see if it really lives up to its reputation. Here is what we thought…

Besides the excellent ambience, Saffron’s menu features an array of authentic dishes that take you on a journey through culinary history. We start our meal with A Nest Of Imperial Jewels, which is a platter for two. This features onion bhaji, chicken tikka, sheek kebab, tandoori king prawn and chicken pakora. Marinated with spices and cooked to perfection, the dish leaves us in awe of the fantastic flavours.

For mains, we try the Lamb Bhuna and the Mango Chicken, accompanied by

keema naan, pilau rice and a side of Bombay aloo. The ingredients and attention that have gone into these dishes are second to none. Each one has an authentic taste that makes us feel as though we were in the heart of Bangladesh.

The Mango Chicken is in particular a great hit, and if you love a sweet dish, this is the perfect choice for you.

Saffron’s menu is unique and features complex spice blends that have been carefully crafted by the team of award-winning chefs. Each dish stands out with its own distinct flavour profile and there is a new cocktail menu to enjoy with your meal.

A nest of jewels begins a journey to savour through culinary history

“We have a deeprooted commitment to Northamptonshire produce and producers,” owner Naz Islam below, inset tells me.

“We believe it is vital that we should support each other wherever possible. We want to celebrate the best the county has to offer while showcasing the cuisine of our forefathers in our own countries.”

Just like the food, the service at Saffron is top notch. The staff are courteous, knowledgeable and go out of their way to ensure that

our dining experience is exceptional.

They are ready to answer any questions we have and make us feel welcome from the moment we walk in. If you are unsure about what to order, Naz and his team are more than happy to suggest some dishes that will suit your tastebuds.

We want to showcase the cuisine of our forefathers

If you are looking for an out of this world culinary experience, look no further. Whether it is a catch-up with the girls, a date night or a family celebration, Saffron is the perfect spot for any occasion. The restaurant can hold up to 60 diners at one time and large groups and corporate booking is welcome.

The restaurant also offer a takeaway service which allows you enjoy the flavours but in the comfort of your own home.

Dine in or takeaway... either way, you will not be disappointed.

01604 630800 saffronnorthampton.co.uk

Are you ready for those big summer events including Royal Ascot, Lords and Henley or family and friends’ weddings?

Are you ready for those big summer events including Wimbledon, Royal Ascot, Lords and Henley or family and friends’ weddings?

Discover stunning new fabrics from across the globe available at Saint Crispin Bespoke Menswear, make an appointment for your bespoke consultation today.

Discover stunning new fabrics from across the globe available at Saint Crispin Bespoke Menswear, make an appointment for your bespoke consultation today.

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

TAXATION & Accounting

DISCRETIONARY Asset Managers