Number of women owning business is on the rise, according to new data
The number of women owning businesses is on the rise according to new Government figures which show a record number of women making good on their ambitions to strike out on their own.
Sue Jefferson, chair of York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Business Board, said female entrepreneurs can empower themselves and redress the gender imbalance in funding and investment.
“There are two issues which I believe cause this disparity,“ she explained. “There is a hesitation for funders to invest in a female-led business, which maybe subconscious but reflects an unwillingness to look beyond their traditional considerations. But I also think women may not be pitching confidently or communicating well enough the key elements that investors need to hear.
“What will make or break a business is the people behind it. Pitchers have to come across as confident, convey a strong grasp of the critical elements, understanding what the investor needs to know.
“That’s why opportunities such as the Embrace Equity Angel Investment that happened at the York St John Enterprise Centre on International Women’s Day are so valuable for female business owners. Pitching-to-funder events can be really effective. I see, first-hand, the impact. It can be transformative.”
Charities unite to make a difference for cancer support in York
York Against Cancer are delighted to receive a generous donation of £20,000 from the Three Bears Foundation to create a ‘Family Room’ within the newly opened Leveson Centre at York Community Stadium. The donation will be instrumental in providing a safe space for those affected by cancer in the local community, offering practical and emotional support, complementing the clinical treatments provided at the hospital.
The Leveson Centre is open for people to visit from Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, to see the space and have a cup of tea or coffee over a chat. The Centre plans to offer a range of holistic support services including complementary therapy, information and advice, support groups, financial and psychological support, as well as being a welcoming place for cancer patients and their families to meet and connect with others.
Julie Russell, CEO of York Against Cancer said; “We are incredibly grateful to the Three Bears Foundation for this generous contribution towards The Leveson Centre’s Family Room. This donation has made a huge difference to the development of our new cancer support centre, helping us create a welcoming and supportive environment where people affected by cancer can come and access the support they need.”
“This donation is also a testament to the wonderful work the Three Bears are doing to raise awareness and support for pancreatic cancer across the country.”
The Three Bears Foundation was set up in loving memory of Jane Burn, who tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer in December 2017. The Three Bears Foundation received its name from Jane’s nickname for her son “Chrissy Bear”.
Since then, countless others have joined Mark and Chris in raising awareness of one of the most under-diagnosed and least understood of cancers – pancreatic cancer. Their mission is to raise as much public awareness and funds as possible to further medical research and support the families that have been affected by pancreatic cancer.
Smokehouse conservation work is almost compete in Grimsby
Conservation work on the Alfred Enderby Smokehouse on the Port of Grimsby has just about been completed.
Started last September, the work by ES Rudkin Ltd has included reinstating historic features as well as improving security features on the building.
The building listed as a Grade II structure, is one of the few remaining smokehouses in the area which still uses the geographically protected cold-smoking method. The work has been funded by a Partnership Scheme in Conservation Areas heritage grant worth £150,000, awarded last year.
The PSiCA is being delivered as part of the Greater Grimsby Heritage Action Zone. The scheme has a total pot of £1m and is a joint project between Historic England and North East Lincolnshire Council, with support from Associated British Ports (ABP).
The traditional chimney cowls have been cleaned and repaired, and cast iron rainwater goods have been completed.
Following the re-rendering of the gable wall, painting of a new advertising sign will be done after Easter, led by Sam Delaney of Creative Start Arts in Health CIC, and using traditional sign writing techniques.
Enderby’s plans don’t stop there, though! A new grant for £150,000 through the same PSiCA scheme has been awarded for works to the next-door building, building 13, the former Marconi building. This will be spent on structural repairs, making way for Enderbys to expand into it.
The grant money will be used to remove the PVC windows and doors, reinstate more authentic Crittal-style windows on the first floor, repair the roof, repair and repoint the masonry and install new cast iron rainwater goods.
Enderbys are aiming to use the new building to expand the business, and also to enable a bigger, more accessible space for group visits and tours to learn about the protected Traditional Grimsby Smoked Fish method.
Patrick Salmon, MD of Enderbys, said: “We’ve been wanting to do these repairs for a long time, but just haven’t had the opportunity to date, so it is great to see the work coming to an end to secure the original building for years to come. If our plans for the new building come to fruition, it will mean that we can involve the community and visitors more in the traditional processes and our work.”
Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports, said: “It’s great to see this historic building being revitalised and renovated. This smokehouse has been a landmark for many years on the Port of Grimsby and it’s right to see its unique character restored, as part of instilling pride in this part of the port known as the Kasbah. Patrick Salmon has done much to promote the wider seafood industry in Grimsby and the art of cold-smoking, and we look forward to continuing to work with him for many years to come.”
Skegness gets £5m cash injection to revitalise pier and theatre
East Lindsey District Council has been awarded £5million from Arts Council England’s Cultural Development Fund to support partners in transforming the Embassy Theatre and regenerating Skegness Pier and the surrounding area.
Cultural Revival: The Midlands Coast, led by East Lindsey District Council and overseen by the Connected Coast Board, will support the transformation of the culturally significant assets on Skegness Foreshore.
The funding will support continuing plans to establish the Embassy Theatre as a new international ‘Culture House.’ which will connect the Midlands Coast to other national and international venues and festivals.
Works will include refurbishing the auditorium and dressing rooms, creating a new interactive classroom and creative workspaces as well as VIP boxes and a refurbished light box to enable high quality productions, with improved access and facilities for all users, including installation of a Changing Places toilet.
For Skegness Pier, the application will support the first phase of ambitious, multi-million pound redevelopment project led by the Mellors Group to restore the Pier a significant new visitor attraction and cultural platform.
Redevelopment proposals include improved accessibility, upgrades to the pier’s façade, renewing the lighting and furniture on the pier, creating safe pedestrianised walkway on the approach, the salvaging and restoring of abandoned beach huts and the construction of a new multi-use amphitheatre space, for seating and public events.
Law firm Gordons hires senior solicitor as dispute resolution service gears up for further growth
Law firm Gordons has appointed a senior solicitor to its dispute resolution service after achieving year-on-year fee income growth of more than 10 per cent.
Phillip Feather joins from law firm Clarion where he worked for four years. His appointment to the 11-strong dispute resolution department at Gordons makes it one of the largest in Yorkshire.
With 16 years’ experience, Philip has advised clients across a range of sectors, with a specialist focus on food and drink, retail, procurement, logistics and gaming.
Commenting on his appointment, Phillip said: “Gordons has been a leading name in Leeds for as long as I can remember and has one of the most prominent client bases of any firm around.
“Joining them is tremendously exciting and I am looking forward to playing my role in the team’s and firm’s continued growth.”
Gordons’ dispute resolution clients include retailers Wren Kitchens and Ocado, chemical company BASF, parcel delivery business EVRi, Moss Bros, international brewers Molson Coors and Sky Betting & Gaming.
Welcoming Phillip to the firm, Gordons head of food and drink and dispute resolution partner, Mark Jones, said: “Our dispute resolution service has grown 10 per cent year-on-year in terms of fee income, driven by the complexity and value of the commercial litigation work we are undertaking.
“We needed to hire a senior lawyer with proven capabilities and the ability to secure and nurture long lasting client relationships.
“We identified Phillip as one of the best in the marketplace. Phillip’s experience, excellent legal skills and highly personable character make him an ideal hire for Gordons.”
Yorkshire & Humber manufacturers bounce back as clouds lighten
Yorkshire & Humber manufacturers are seeing a rebound in activity in the first quarter of the year as the domestic and global markets have improved, easing fears of a significant recession for industry this year.
The findings in the Make UK/BDO Q1 Manufacturing Outlook survey show a marked pick up on the picture in the final quarter of 2022. The figures echo the gradual improvements in other data such as the UK and European PMIs which are now only just in negative territory, as well as a strong pick up in demand from China.
According to Make UK and BDO this improvement in Yorkshire & Humber in particular could be down to strong demand in the steel and food and drink sectors where the region has a significant presence, possibly due to investment in infrastructure and construction projects.
Both output and orders picked up in the region with the order balance of +22% especially strong. This was driven primarily by UK orders which ties in with the strength of demand for steel. On the back of this improving picture employers’ intentions to both recruit and invest also improved, albeit from a very negative picture last quarter. Looking forward manufacturers in Yorkshire & Humber are more confident about prospects with output and orders predicted to increase substantially, reflected in further improving job prospects.
However, despite the improvement this quarter, Make UK is still cautioning against the worst of conditions being over and is still forecasting a contraction for manufacturing in 2023 as the substantial challenges the sector is facing show few signs of abating.
Dawn Huntrod, region director in the North at Make UK, said: “Manufacturers in Yorkshire & Humber have seen a rebound at the start of the year as conditions have improved in their major markets and business confidence has improved. However, one swallow doesn’t make a summer and it is far too early to say the worst has passed given the significant challenges the economy faces.
“However, the Budget should help boost investment in the short to medium term although ideally, full expensing should be made permanent to better reflect the investment cycle for manufacturers.”
Steve Talbot, head of Manufacturing at BDO in Yorkshire and Humber, added: “Our research with Make UK shows some good news for the region, which ties in with the demand for steel. However, inflationary pressures are continuing to hit UK manufacturers with the increased costs still being passed on.
“UK manufacturers need ongoing certainty on a range of fronts, including long-term energy support, and assistance to attract a sustainable workforce. The recent government announcements do little to address the immediate threats to UK manufacturers resulting from high energy costs.”
In terms of overall output this year Make UK is forecasting a contraction of -3.3% (a slight improvement from -4.4% forecast at the end of last year) and growth of just 0.8% in 2024.
Jobs growth under spotlight as work on updated Local Plan continues
Future job opportunities in North East Lincolnshire’s growing renewables sector and the potential of the Humber Freeport will be assessed, as a picture is painted of how local life will look in the decades ahead.
The next stage of updating the borough’s Local Plan includes external experts examining key factors that will help outline the necessary growth between 2023 and 2042.
A key priority is to establish the number of new homes required to support the local population and meet the needs of people who will come to the area or decide to stay because of job opportunities.
Reflecting on how the updating of the Local Plan will progress, North East Lincolnshire Council leader, Cllr Philip Jackson, thanked people for taking part in an initial public engagement held last autumn. And he said he looked forward to seeing others’ views when full public engagement of the draft updated Local Plan takes place later this year.
“The views of people who live in North East Lincolnshire, or who work here, or have a business interest here, are extremely important. Ideas that may not have been considered, suggestions, along with opportunity and challenge, is welcome as we look to support the development of a stronger and improved borough for us all,” said Cllr Jackson.
Every Local Authority must have a government approved Local Plan, which sets out the future vision, covering themes including the environment, health and wellbeing of residents, access to work and creating jobs in the area, meeting local housing demand, and ensuring access to education for children and young people. Adopted plans are reviewed based on a five-year cycle.
Cllr Jackson said that gaining a real understanding of the economic opportunities that are set to be a reality in North East Lincolnshire will shape the look and feel of the updated Local Plan here.
Figures already reported suggest how the low carbon and energy economy across the whole of Greater Lincolnshire is worth £1.2bn, with more than 12,000 people employed – figures that are set to grow along the south bank of the Humber estuary. Meanwhile it is predicted that the Humber Freeport development will be a driving force in the attraction of new industry in North East Lincolnshire.
“We are standing on the cusp of real and true opportunities here and we need to ensure we match the predicted business growth in other areas too. Our housing, schools, health and green offer must live up to the expectations that young people and families have. This means developing with consideration – providing the right balance of new homes and improving our urban areas whilst enhancing the natural environment,” said Cllr Jackson.
He added how work currently on-going was already in-sync with issues that were likely to come up. This work included planned new primary schools in Scartho and Waltham, unique wildlife sites along the Humber bank to offset development, and an £800,000 investment into some of the 150 acres of green space in the borough, which includes 50 managed parks and open spaces. The successful Cleethorpes LUF bid announced in January will also see a significant environmental investment with the regeneration of Pier Gardens, revamped green and activity space, and improved biodiversity.
Views captured during the initial engagement to update the Local Plan show that local people want reassurance on the scale of growth, want empty homes brought into use and for new homes to be affordable, whilst protecting green spaces and supporting a low carbon focus. These views are not made public at this stage, as is best practice, but are used alongside the expert analysis to shape the updated Draft Plan that will be published and go out for full public consultation later this year.
“As we move forward, we want people to continue to be involved and to also understand just how important it is for future generations particularly that we make the right choices with regard to both economic and domestic opportunities,” added Cllr Jackson.
Cash injection of £7m could create 1,200 new jobs in low carbon aircraft manufacture
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has approved a £7m package of investment and support for plans by Hybrid Air Vehicles to produce its pioneering low carbon Airlander 10 aircraft in Doncaster.
HAV is a UK-based leader in sustainable aircraft technology and the Airlander 10 is an ultra-low emissions aircraft, capable of carrying 100 passengers or ten tonnes of freight. The loan investment will be used to support HAV to begin investing in facilities, talent and supply chains in South Yorkshire.
HAV’s plans will create over 1,200 new high value and highly skilled jobs in new green technologies, and further jobs and opportunities from growth across the company’s supply chains at an as-yet-unnamed site in Doncaster.
By 2026, the company aims to deliver the first completed orders to its customers and build 12 new Airlander 10 aircraft per year in Doncaster after that.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “We have a world-class cluster of companies working at the cutting edge of advanced manufacturing and green technology, so I’m genuinely excited that we can support HAV in their ambitions to build a sustainable aviation cluster here in Doncaster.”
Airlander 10 will deliver 90% fewer per-passenger emissions in flight than traditional aircraft, and aims to enable zero emissions operations by the end of the decade.
The agreement with SYMCA is a major milestone for HAV’s plans to bring Airlander to market. The loan will enable Hybrid Air Vehicles to begin investing in the region and paves the way for Hybrid Air Vehicles to invest up to £310m into its production programme.
HAV is also set to work with other partners across the region, including the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at the University of Sheffield, and Doncaster UTC.
Tom Grundy, CEO of Hybrid Air Vehicles said: “At Hybrid Air Vehicles we are revolutionising views of what aviation is, and Airlander is designed for us to rethink the skies. From day one, Mayor Oliver Coppard has bought into our vision, so I am delighted that he has announced this investment which will anchor green industries and over time create more than a thousand highly skilled jobs in Doncaster and South Yorkshire.
We will work with outstanding regional partners, including Mayor Ros Jones and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, Doncaster UTC, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the University of Sheffield, to establish a world-leading cluster for green aerospace technologies, skills and supply chains.”
HAV is progressing plans to build a flagship new production facility in Doncaster, which will include facilities for the assembly of new Airlander 10, as well as testing and certification for the new aircraft. It has yet to announce the specific site and unveil the design of its production facilities.
To maximise the potential of this programme, SYMCA, HAV and Doncaster Council will also work in partnership to develop the region’s skills, talent and supply chains, with the aim of creating a new green aerospace manufacturing cluster in Doncaster and South Yorkshire.
North Lincolnshire firms to get levelling up cash to create jobs and help the environment
Almost 30 North Lincolnshire businesses across manufacturing, agriculture, retail and hospitality are set to get £141,000 to kickstart a range of projects to create jobs, grow the economy and help the environment.
Money for sustainability projects and digitalisation and marketing schemes will be used to install EV chargers, transition lighting to low-energy LED bulbs and for solar panel installation.
Council leader Rob Waltham said: “This is levelling up in action, enabling North Lincolnshire businesses to embrace sustainability and future-proof their operations. Every £1 of grant funding is being matched with £6 of cash from the businesses – this will help grow the local economy, creating more jobs for residents of North Lincolnshire.
“This latest cash injection comes hard on the heels of £200,000 given to local organisations and charities. It is another fantastic opportunity to directly shape a new, exciting future for North Lincolnshire.”
Twenty-eight businesses will receive a total of £141,154 of funding, which will back projects totalling £723,149, creating dozens of new jobs and safeguarding hundreds more.
It will also cut greenhouse gas emissions and support the council’s ambitious A Green Future strategy, dedicated to protecting and enhancing the environment while growing the economy.
The cash is part of the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, designed to increase community pride by supporting businesses and helping people achieve better outcomes, access opportunities and lead better lives.
The UKSPF is part of the suite of funds available through the Government’s £2.6bn Levelling Up agenda. It empowers each place to identify and build on their own strengths and needs at a local level.
South Yorkshire supports Rolls-Royce as it researches nuclear power for the Moon
The University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre is part of a group of organisations working with the UK Space Agency as its backs research by Rolls-Royce into how nuclear power could be used to support a future Moon base for astronauts.
Scientists and engineers at Rolls-Royce are working on the Micro-Reactor programme to develop technology that will provide power needed for humans to live and work on the Moon. All space missions depend on a power source, to support systems for communications, life-support and science experiments. Nuclear power has the potential to dramatically increase the duration of future Lunar missions and their scientific value.
The UK Space Agency has announced £2.9 million of new funding for the project which will deliver an initial demonstration of a UK lunar modular nuclear reactor. This follows a £249,000 study funded by the UK Space Agency in 2022.
Minister of State at the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, George Freeman, said: “Space exploration is the ultimate laboratory for so many of the transformational technologies we need on Earth: from materials to robotics, nutrition, cleantech and much more.
“As we prepare to see humans return to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, we are backing exciting research like this lunar modular reactor with Rolls-Royce to pioneer new power sources for a lunar base.
“Partnerships like this, between British industry, the UK Space Agency and government are helping to create jobs across our £16 billion SpaceTech sector and help ensure the UK continues to be a major force in frontier science.”
Nuclear space power is anticipated to create new skilled jobs across the UK to support the burgeoning UK space economy. Rolls-Royce plan to have a reactor ready to send to the Moon by 2029. Relatively small and lightweight compared to other power systems, a nuclear micro-reactor could enable continuous power regardless of location, available sunlight, and other environmental conditions. Rolls-Royce will be working alongside a variety of collaborators including the University of Oxford, University of Bangor, University of Brighton, University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Nuclear AMRC. The funding means Rolls-Royce can further strengthen its knowledge of these complex systems, with a focus on three key features of the Micro-Reactor; the fuel used to generate heat, the method of heat transfer and technology to convert that heat into electricity. The potential applications of Rolls-Royce Micro-Reactor technology are wide-ranging and could support commercial and defence use cases in addition to those in space. The aim is to create a world-leading power and propulsion capability for multiple markets and operator needs, alongside a clean, green and long-term power source.