Farm offers ‘Goodness Grants’ for local causes

Tess Egginton
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Farm offers ‘Goodness Grants’ for local causes

St Helen’s Farm, the goat’s milk producer, is offering ‘Goodness Grants’, pledging to give away up to a total of £10,000 to support good causes.

The family-run business, based near York, has launched the CSR initiative as a way to give back to local communities.

The ‘Goodness Grants’ encourage not-for-profit organisations and registered charities across England, Scotland and Wales to apply for funds of up to £5,000 to support projects which are doing good in their local communities.

Open to projects focused around sport, schools, clubs, wellness or to tackle social issues, the grants are for local organisations which improve the health, places or skills for families in their communities.

The ‘Goodness Grants’ initiative follows St Helen’s Farm’s CSR work last year which saw it raise over £28,000 for UK charity, Hope for Justice – which works to end modern slavery across the UK. The goat’s milk producer also gifted iPads to a local primary school to aid in learning.

Bill Randles, Managing Director at St Helen’s Farm, said: “Giving back to charities and good causes has always been close to our hearts, here at St Helen’s Farm. This time, we wanted to go a step further to support communities not just locally to us, but nationwide.

“We like to think of these grants as an extra reward for those going above and beyond to support their local areas, and it also allows us to listen and learn more about the fantastic communities around us.”

The deadline for applications is 30th June 2024, and funding will be granted in July.

Sheffield company granted strategic nuclear status

Tess Egginton
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Sheffield company granted strategic nuclear status

Sheffield Forgemasters has been awarded a crucial strategic qualification, positioning the company to support development and delivery of the next generation of civil nuclear power plants.

The company’s nuclear qualification came after an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Section III Division I NCA 3300 (NCA 3800), NCA 4000 and NQA-1 Code survey and audit, recommended it for Material Organisation (MO), and welding (NPT) accreditations.

Sheffield Forgemasters’ status as the only company in the UK capable of manufacturing reactor vessel components for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), coupled with its ASME status, make it a crucial capability in delivery of this advanced power-generation technology.

Ian Nicholls, group technical director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “We undertook the ASME audit in November and have now received confirmation that the audit recommendation has been approved by the committee. The accreditation is a huge development with heightened requirements and protocols embracing all our processes, employees and selected sub-suppliers.”

The qualification comes soon after the company announced a ground-breaking development in the acceleration of welding for large nuclear vessels, using Electron Beam Welding to reduce more than a year’s worth of manual welding to less than 24 hours.

As well as being the sole UK supplier of large, nuclear-grade forgings and castings, Sheffield Forgemasters’ MO and NPT status now makes it one of the only UK companies qualified for fabrication of the main components within a civil nuclear power plant.

Ian added: “The ASME accreditation, coupled with our development of Electron Beam Welding for large diameter, nuclear grade vessels, places Sheffield Forgemasters at the pinnacle of development for Small Modular Reactors and presents significant possibilities for the UK’s domestic nuclear new-build programme.”

The ASME code is the most comprehensive series of guidelines for civil nuclear manufacture in the world with an emphasis on doctrines that have parallels with the European Nuclear manufacturing code, RCC-M, and other submarine nuclear standards.

Sheffield Forgemasters first gained ASME accreditation as a Nuclear Materials Organisation in 1992 will now continue its work to advance manufacturing technologies for the next generation of SMR civil nuclear power plants.

Yorkshire and the Humber puts in stalwart performance as levels of business start-ups fall across most of the UK

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire and the Humber puts in stalwart performance as levels of business start-ups fall across most of the UK

One of the key indicators of a buoyant economy, the number of new businesses launching, once again fell across almost all regions and nations in March compared with the previous month, according to the latest research from the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body, R3. However, Yorkshire and the Humber saw one of the smallest month-on-month decreases.

The research, which is based on an analysis of data provided by CreditSafe, showed that the number of start-ups in Yorkshire and the Humber fell by just 4.7% between February and March 2024, with 5,132 start-ups launching last month. Although levels have decreased slightly in the region over the last quarter, the figures for March show that over 1,200 more businesses launched compared with December 2023.

In March 2024, only Northern Ireland saw a rise in start-ups since the previous month, with an increase of 19.4%. Scotland and Wales were the only other nations to perform more strongly than Yorkshire and the Humber, with falls of 1.1% and 4.2% respectively. In contrast, the greatest decreases were in the South East (-11.7%), Greater London (-11.6%) and the South West (-10.4%).

Looking at insolvency-related activity last month, Yorkshire and the Humber was one of five regions and nations to experience a fall since February. The region saw an 8% decrease in this type of activity (which includes liquidator and administrator appointments and creditors’ meetings) with 242 businesses here affected.

The most marked falls were in Greater London (-13.9%), the West Midlands (-9.6%) and the North East (-8.8%). In contrast, the largest increases were in the South West (up by 38.1%), Scotland (up by 31%) and East Anglia (up by 14.2%).

Eleanor Temple, chair of R3 in Yorkshire and a barrister at Kings Chambers in Leeds, said: “While the UK economic landscape looks far from rosy, it is certainly good news that Yorkshire and the Humber is holding its own, both in terms of levels start-ups and insolvency-related activity.

“Despite confirmation that the UK entered recession in the second half of 2023, there already appear to be some green shoots of recovery. Recent growth figures are encouraging, along with signs of a resurgence of the housing market and various consumer and business surveys suggesting that confidence is returning.

“Nevertheless, with GPD lower than before Covid and living standards continuing to fall, interest rates remain high and businesses continue to face a challenging economic environment. We urge business owners to keep a close eye on cash flow and seek advice from an insolvency expert at the first signs of financial difficulties.”

Sheffield PR agency names two new hires

Stuart Pearcey
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Sheffield PR agency names two new hires
Sheffield-based PR agency Altitude has appointed Amy Lloyd and Ellie Fish to its team, Amy as a Senior Account Manager and motorsport specialist Ellie focusing solely on Altitude’s F4 racing driver client, Rowan Campbell-Pilling.

The agency, named Best New UK PR Consultancy last year by the Chartered Institute for Public Relations, is adding new clients across a range of sectors.

New clients include not-for-profit membership organisation The Whitehall & Industry Group, renewables company Shawton Energy, national charities Teenage Helpline and Breast Cancer UK, business consultancy The Director’s Helpline and care home group Milewood.

Amy, who spent five years at B2B agency Scriba PR and has more than eight years’ experience, said: “I’m over the moon to be joining the Altitude team. Having spent five years delivering B2B PR and communications for clients in niche, often complex, sectors — from waste and recycling to technology and charity — I’m really looking forward to getting under the skin of the amazing brands Altitude works with and sharing their stories.”

University of Sheffield journalism graduate Ellie has been creating content for top motorsport sites such as The Checkered Flag since she was 16. Her role at Altitude will see her solely manage the marketing for F4 driver Rowan Campbell-Pilling as he climbs the rankings on his way to achieving his F1 dream.

She will attend track days and races, manage media interviews, liaise with Motorsport UK and engage with corporate clients and partners. British F4 races are broadcast live on ITV. She said: “This is a really exciting time for Altitude and me as this season will see Rowan gain so many new opportunities in motorsport. I’m really excited to get stuck in ahead of the F4 season.”

The Telegraph needs urgent lesson in how UK’s food supply chain works, says NFU President

Stuart Pearcey
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The Telegraph needs urgent lesson in how UK’s food supply chain works, says NFU President
NFU President Tom Bradshaw says Telegraph columnist Matthew Lesh needs an urgent lesson in how the UK’s food supply chains work.
The rebuttal follows an article in the paper in which Mr Lesh describes as absurd farmers’ claims that they’re bring undercut by lower quality imported produce, claiming that British farmers have benefitted from higher global food prices.
  The NFU response has ben a letter to the paper, in which Mr Bradshaw writes: “I am not sure where columnist Mr. Lesh buys his weekly shop, but here in the UK we already have some of the cheapest food in the world relative to income. Previous generations spent over a third of their income on food, we now only spend around 11%.
“The notion that farmers have been benefitting from higher global food prices shows the need for an urgent lesson in how the UK’s food supply chains work. Retail price increases rarely make their way back to farmers and growers which is why we have been beating the drum for fairness in the supply chain for many years. “Mr. Lesh also suggests that British farmers aren’t facing being undercut by lower standard imports, but there are currently no standards in place to safeguard farming business from imports that would be illegal to produce here. That is why, alongside the WWF, we have written to the three main political parties in England to call for the formation of a core standards commission. “With war and climate change wreaking havoc on food production across the world, does Mr. Lesh really believe we can feed our nation, and a growing global population, by relying on imports? “British farmers are not failing. They produce food for the nation to some of the highest standards in the world and have an ambition to produce more. But farms need to make a profit to invest in their businesses to continue producing food, and we need the right regulatory framework to do that. This must be a priority for government because our food security depends on it.”

Siemens Mobility takes rail safety message to more than 4,000 schools

Stuart Pearcey
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Siemens Mobility takes rail safety message to more than 4,000 schools
Siemens Mobility is partnering with Rail Safe Friendly to educate young people in more than 4,000 schools about the dangers of trespassing on railways in order to raise awareness, save lives and prevent injuries. By engaging with schools located near Siemens Mobility depots and projects, such as the Goole rail village, the company is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves. The Rail Safe Friendly programme provides schools and the rail industry with an opportunity to work together to improve rail safety awareness among young people  across the UK using content from Network Rail’s Switched On Rail Safety website. The programme launched last year after the death of 11-year-old Harrison Ballantyne who received a fatal electric shock after climbing over a fence to retrieve his football at a train depot. Currently, over 4,000 schools in the UK are participating in the programme, with funding support from various industry partners within the rail sector. Robert Evans, Health Safety and Environment Director for Siemens Mobility, said: “As an industry, there is more we can do towards promoting the safety of people on and around the railway. Education is key, especially for young people who may not fully grasp the potential dangers of trespassing on the rail network. “Supporting the communities in which we work is really important to us, and by joining forces with Rail Safe Friendly and supporting their impactful educational programme, we are taking active steps to empower the next generation with the knowledge and awareness required to travel safely on the rail network every day.”

Small firms take close watch on election year promises, says FSB

Stuart Pearcey
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Small firms take close watch on election year promises, says FSB
The further fall in annual inflation is good news for SMEs expansion plans, although the wider economic situation is still unsettled, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.
Responding to news that CPI rose by 3.2% in the year to March 2024, down from 3.4% in February, Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the FSB, said: “March’s fall in the annual consumer price inflation rate takes some more of the heat out of rising prices for small businesses. It’s difficult to overstate the toll that the cost of doing business crisis exacted on small firms, so further signs that its worst effects are firmly behind us are very welcome. “Small business owners know all too well that they can never be complacent, especially in an economic situation characterised by sluggish growth and rising unemployment. However, there are some early indications that small business confidence levels are recovering, which – if it translates into investment and expansion plans being put into action by small firms – is good news for our economic growth prospects. “Small firms will now turn their eyes and their hopes to the Bank of England, and will hope that the base rate cut many have been eagerly awaiting arrives sooner rather than later. We don’t want to risk stifling the small upward movement in GDP recorded in the first two months of this year. “We’re calling again for the Government and for politicians of all stripes to think very hard about how they can best support small business growth, to provide the best possible platform for entrepreneurs to start up new ventures, and for existing businesses to expand and thrive. “Small business owners will be watching carefully to see what is being proposed to help them in this election year. Policies which are targeted at helping small businesses to grow, take on staff, and innovate are needed, so that green shoots can take root and flourish.”

Brouns helps to breathe new life into historic quarter of Wakefield

Stuart Pearcey
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Brouns helps to breathe new life into historic quarter of Wakefield
Leeds-based Brouns & Co, the UK’s only manufacturer of linseed paint and one of just a handful of producers worldwide, is playing a key role in a £4m project breathing new life into a historic quarter of Wakefield. The city’s Upper Westgate Heritage Action Zone has provided grants to businesses since 2020 to enable them to renovate and invest in more than 20 historically significant buildings, many of which were vacant and had fallen into disrepair. The four-year partnership initiative between Historic England and Wakefield Council is using Brouns & Co’s linseed paint as part of the renovation process. Britt Harwood of Mirfield-based Inc. Architecture, a specialist conservation architect who works predominantly on historic buildings and was the overseeing architect on the Wakefield scheme, said: “Using linseed paint was crucial to this important regeneration project. Not only is it virtually identical to the original paint that would have been used on these buildings when they were first built, and even made using the same, traditional process, it also has far superior longevity and durability to plastic-based paint.”
She added: “Brouns & Co colour-matched the historic paint shades for us and on some buildings we also used their own historic colours. The fact that they make the paint right here in Yorkshire is a bonus and has helped reduce the environmental impact of the project.” Brouns & Co linseed paint was used to restore the exteriors of Westgate’s Nocturno, Flares and After Dark nightclubs, as well as the Elephant and Castle pub, among a number of the historic street’s other listed buildings. Brouns CEO Michiel Brouns said: “We’re really proud that our paint was used on this important regeneration project which has had such a positive effect on this historic area of Wakefield and helped to bring these streets back to life.” The linseed paint manufacturing process, which Brouns & Co has returned to Yorkshire for the first time since the 19th century, involves oil from flax seed grown and pressed in Collingham, being triple-milled with ground natural pigments to create paint in a range of authentic colours. Brouns & Co’s paint is used by many historic properties including Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, the restoration of Wentworth Woodhouse near Rotherham, and English Heritage-owned Brodsworth Hall near Doncaster, as well as by architects and developers.

Work underway on new 375,000 sq ft industrial estate in Doncaster

Tess Egginton
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Work underway on new 375,000 sq ft industrial estate in Doncaster

Work is underway on a major new industrial and logistics development in Doncaster that will offer five units covering a total of 376,419 sq ft, just a mile and a half from the M18.

Known as Total Park, and developed by Total Developments, the self-contained units will range from 43,525 sq ft to 128,945 sq ft and are being marketed jointly by Leeds property consultancy, GV&Co and M1 Agency.

Each unit will have a minimum BREEAM rating of ‘very good’ and an EPC rating of A, as well as benefitting from high quality, fully fitted upstairs office space, yard depths of at least 45 metres and extensive parking areas complete with EV charging points.

Daniel Walker, from GV&Co, said: “Total Park is in a central location for many businesses, close to the M18 and A1(M) which link to Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester in the North and Nottingham, Birmingham and London in the South. In addition, the site is less than four miles from iPort Rail, which provides immediate access to the national rail network and all the country’s deep sea ports.

“There are very few new units, of this standard and specification, currently under construction in South Yorkshire and with so many household names located close by, including Amazon, Tesco, Screwfix and IKEA, we’re anticipating high levels of interest in Total Park from regional, national and international occupiers.”

Henry Watson from M1 Agency said: “We are seeing specification and location be paramount to occupier requirements in the current market and Total Park benefits from best-in-class building specification and unrivalled location. We have seen a large take up of units below 150,000 sq ft across the South Yorkshire region leaving a very limited supply.”

Ed Chantler, chief executive of Total Developments, said: “Total Park Doncaster represents a continuation of our clear strategy since inception. Our track record of identifying sites and speculatively developing best-in-class mid-box warehousing and manufacturing space has established our position as market leaders in the 20,000 to 150,000 sq ft size range.

“Our focus on targeting undersupplied towns and cities where there has been a lack of high specification accommodation being brought forward has ensured our success in achieving pre-commitments and hence gives us the confidence to push on at Doncaster and ensure the development is expedited to meet demand.”

The first three units in the first phase of Total Park, which is located at Balby Carr Bank off the A6182, will offer 65,389 sq ft, 54,503 sq ft and 43,525 sq ft of space, with two further units, spanning 128,945 sq ft and 84,056 sq ft, due to complete next year.

Pure Block Management adds prestigious York developments to portfolio

Tess Egginton
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Pure Block Management adds prestigious York developments to portfolio
Yorkshire property firm Pure Block Management continues to expand its activities in York, having taken on the management of a further three residential developments in the city in recent weeks. The firm is part of Hull-headquartered Garness Group, which welcomed York-based commercial property specialist Barry Crux & Company under its umbrella in November 2023. The latest additions to Pure Block Management’s portfolio include the award-winning former St. Joseph’s Convent development on Lawrence Street, close to the city walls. The development of nine apartments and five houses is an important part of York’s ecclesiastical history, with the Grade II listed buildings on the site dating back to the 1870s, when they became home to a branch of nuns called the Poor Clare Colettines. The other York properties now part of Pure Block Management’s client base are the Piccadilly Loft apartments – a block of 10 apartments within the city walls – and a development of six modern apartments in Hebdon Court in Acomb. Pure Block Management has taken over management of all aspects of the three developments, from arranging day-to-day repairs and planned maintenance of communal areas, car parks and grounds to taking care of financial and legal matters including service charge collection. Pure Block Management director Liam Parker said: “We’re delighted to be taking on responsibility for developments of such high quality in York and working with local award-winning property developers. “We feel our expertise in managing listed and historic properties will make us an ideal management firm for many of the city’s distinctive developments. “Our industry knowledge and our proactive, professional approach has made us one of the leaders in our sector in Yorkshire, where we manage over 120 residential blocks and complexes of all types and sizes. “Our unique and personal approach helps us stand out from the rest and provides great comfort to owners and occupiers of the properties we manage.”
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