RETRO MORRIS VAN GOES ELECTRIC

Repair cafe set to launch at UWE Bristol’s School of Engineering

The BBC’s Repair Shop is inspiring similar projects all over the UK.

Worcestershire business

Morris Commercial has joined the race started by Volkswagen’s ID Buzz to bring retro cargo vans to market.

The start-up, based at Hinton-On-TheGreen, is reviving the iconic 1950s Morris J-Type van. With a multi-millionpound funding round completed, Morris Commercial says it should have cargo vans on the road by next year.

The Morris JE electric van draws inspiration from the iconic Morris J-Type, arguably one of the most recognisable vans of the 1950s and combines modern battery technology and lightweight carbon-fibre construction with classically inspired British design. Most components of the Morris JE are recycled and recyclable.

Substantial funding and resources have already been invested to bring the Morris JE from concept to a production prototype.

The funding will enable Morris Commercial to recruit further expertise, and strengthen its partnerships with core suppliers. Morris Commercial expects that deliveries of the Morris JE will begin in early 2024.

Dr Qu Li, Chief Executive O cer of Morris Commercial, said: “With this new investment, we will be able to accelerate product development and take the Morris JE to market. I am very excited about the future for Morris Commercial and look forward to delivering our iconic van to our many thousands of pre-registered customers around the globe.”

Bristol and Wiltshire firms celebrate wins at Small Business Awards

Bristol and Wiltshire firms are celebrating after claiming titles at the FSB South West Small Business Awards.

The UK’s first women’s urinal business snagged two titles. Peequal, set up by Bristol University graduates Hazel McShane and Amber Probyn, won both the best Business and Product Innovation prize and the best Start-Up award.

Devizes-based chartered accountants Charlton Baker scooped the FSB Larger Small Business title, Swindon’s Top Professionals Access Limited won the new Diversity and Inclusion award, and Dan Yates from Warminster-based

Greener won the Young Entrepreneur title.

It was the second consecutive year that the FSB Young Entrepreneur accolade had come to Wiltshire following the success of gardener Alfie Jones, of Royal Wootton Bassett in 2022.

For Peequal, the awards are the latest boost to their growing business which has captured widespread national media interest and already seen the company’s unique women’s urinal in operation at a number of key festivals including Glastonbury, Wilderness, Green Man and Shambala.

The latest is a repair café which is opening at the University of West England’s Frenchay Campus this year, following nearly £90,000 funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Engineering students are setting up the MAKERS project (Making and Knowledge Exchange for Repair and Sustainability) to improve representation from women and people from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic groups, alongside those from under-represented backgrounds.

Working alongside community groups from Easton, Eastville and St Paul’s, which have established similar schemes in their areas, the café is hoping to open in the university’s School of Engineering in October.

Using UWE Bristol’s engineering equipment, the project will help solve problems and fix broken goods, upskilling those involved in the scheme and supporting the circular economy. The repair café will run until May next year and will build on UWE Bristol STEM partnership projects in the city.

Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers, UWE Bristol Associate Professor for Engineering in Society, said: “At a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet, MAKERS will help by giving new life to valued things; make new friendships between the University and Easton; and remove things from landfill. A real, living, example of the circular economy where it’s needed most.”