There is a golden opportunity right now for companies working to fill vacancies by taking on prison leavers. Not only does it help grow the economy but it is proven to cut crime.Over 90% of businesses employing prison leavers report they are motivated and trustworthy – making them prime candidates to plug some of the current skills gaps in the UK.
Scheme attempts to get ex-offenders into work with household name companies
Hundreds of prisoners are being encouraged to take jobs in the retail and logistics sector on release to plug skills gaps in entry level roles, helping reduce reoffending while supporting businesses.
‘Unlocking Retail and Logistics’ events were held in over 30 prisons across England and Wales with the aim of helping British businesses fill some of the estimated 1 million vacancies in the UK by employing qualified prison leavers.
Events were run by businesses including supermarket giants The Cooperative and Iceland plus well-known retailers and logistic companies such as Oliver Bonas, Greggs, and DHL.
The campaign is part of a wider drive from the government to get more prison leavers into work as evidence shows it grows the economy and cuts crime.
Ex-offenders in full time employment are up to nine percentage points less likely to reoffend when released and more than 90% of surveyed businesses who employ prison leavers report they are motivated, have good attendance and are trustworthy.
Not only does this grow the economy but by keeping prison leavers on the straight and narrow it also helps tackle the £18 billion annual cost of reoffending and cut crime.
Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said:
Red Arrows fly-past marks opening of newly built dye bay facility
The Red Arrows staged a fly-past over RAF Waddington to celebrate the opening of a new £3.6m facility to help prepare the aircraft for the team’s exciting displays.
Eight of the iconic Hawk T1A jets flew over their home station to mark the opening of the new Dye Bay facility, built on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) by VIVO Defence Services and Henry Brothers Construction.
The facility, which is next to RAF Waddington’s runway, formed part of a pre-planned aerobatic training flight at their home base on Thursday.
The 260m2 facility is the first of its type built to enable an aerial display team to carry out the critical maintenance required on the aircraft’s dye pods. It features a purpose-built plant to create the famous red, white and blue plumes, cleaning and washdown areas, a maintenance workspace, storage for spare parts and office space.
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, formed in 1964, recently completed its move from RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, to nearby RAF Waddington.
Wing Commander Adam Collins, Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, said: “Colourful smoke trails are a vibrant feature of displays and flypasts by the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team. The trails have an important flight safety role too. They allow the pilots to judge wind speed and direction and to locate other aircraft when different sections of the team’s formation are several miles apart.
“Responsible for replenishing the Red Arrows’ smoke pods are two dedicated dye teams. Working to tight timescales, these engineers ensure the red, white and blue trails look the part when Red 1 calls ‘Smoke on, go!’.
“The official opening of the new dye bay marks a step change in the quality of infrastructure and working environment for dye team personnel. The new bespoke facility allows the critical processes of smoke-pod maintenance and servicing to take place in better surroundings, increasing efficiency and safety.
“The project is a real team achievement between VIVO, Anderson Green, Henry Brothers, DIO and RAF Waddington Works Services and ensures that the Red Arrows’ signature red, white and blue trails will delight and inspire global audiences for years to come.”
Adell Vass, DIO Regional Delivery Central Region Head, added: “The Red Arrows are such a beloved element of our national identity that to provide support to their 2023 Display Season, on their relocation to RAF Waddington is to be celebrated.
“This team came together, to successfully deliver both a temporary and permanent complex Dye Bay solution, at short notice and to tight timescales. The collaboration and engagement by all parties was key to this success and I am very proud of their achievements.”
VIVO Defence Services acted as the Principal Designer and Contractor on the £3.6m project and Henry Brothers were contracted to carry out the construction. Other members of the team included lead designers Anderson Green, whose team included CBP Architects, civil and structural engineer Hexa and Fuels consultants BPS Ltd.
Jerry Moloney, VIVO Managing Director, said: “Everybody loves the Red Arrows and to be able to watch them carry out a fly-past over something your organisation has been involved in is just incredible.
“We at VIVO led the construction of this building with a number of partners and the Red Arrows are so pleased with what has been produced they wanted to mark the occasion in this way, that is amazing and well done to everyone involved.”
Ian Taylor, Henry Brothers Construction Managing Director, added: “The Red Arrows are famous around the world, and we were very excited to have been appointed to build a maintenance facility at the new home of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team. The dye pod facility is absolutely crucial in helping the display team to create the famous plumes that we see in the air when the Red Arrows perform their amazing aerobatics.
“Henry Brothers has strong links with RAF Waddington, having worked on several different schemes at the base, and we are proud to have supported the Red Arrows in the team’s next chapter, helping them to continue to provide the breath-taking air displays that they are renowned for.”
As the new home of the Red Arrows, RAF Waddington will receive further investment under the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) AIR Programme. The project will deliver refurbishment and modernisation of over 8000 m2 of existing infrastructure including space for aircraft parking and runway access as well as maintenance capabilities, a refurbished aircraft hangar and office space.
Plans also include new, modern Single Living Accommodation (SLA) to replace the existing life-expired accommodation as part of a wider scheme to deliver replacement SLA across a number of projects. The uplift in facilities will see about 150 additional personnel operating from the site once complete.
Greener future ahead for cleaning product manufacturer following £175,000 investment
A West Yorkshire cleaning product manufacturer which supplies the hospitality and leisure sectors has secured £175,000 investment from Finance Yorkshire.
The Proton Group was established more than 50 years ago and specialises in cleaning products for the hospitality sector. Known for innovation they work closely with many of the UK brewers and have unique product and educational offerings.
The Proton Group employs more than 25 people at its manufacturing plant which includes warehousing and distribution facilities. The business is targeting £5m turnover this year.
Managing Director Murray Angus says the investment from Finance Yorkshire’s Business Loans Fund will support the company’s growth strategy as it develops new, innovative products which are more environmentally friendly.
He said: “The investment gives us a cash boost to invest in our plant and equipment while also working on new products for our customers. Innovation is important to us, and we have just seen the launch of a new specialist product range that will be used by technicians within the trade, aimed at saving money and time for the brewers.
“We have a focus on sustainability and currently pursuing how we can support this both with alternative packaging solutions and less harmful chemicals.”
Alex McWhirter, Chief Executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “The Proton Group is a well- established Yorkshire business with a strong track record of innovation and product development which has been integral to its success over the last five decades.
“We are pleased to support the company as it continues to innovate and win new contracts in its target markets.”
West Yorkshire business joins forces with university to revolutionise water monitoring
Leeds Beckett University has joined forces with Aquatrust Water and Ventilation Limited on an innovative new project to create a bespoke remote system to monitor water for Legionella bacteria.
Aquatrust are a water hygiene and treatment business employing around 40 staff, based in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire. They will work with academic experts in water quality, robotics, and artificial intelligence at Leeds Beckett on a 32-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme, part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK.
Aquatrust are experts in the field of water hygiene, water treatment, water regulations and Legionella control. They currently provide on the ground services to local authorities, housing associations, the care sector, schools, and the private sector across the UK. Reducing Legionella is the responsibility of every building owner and manager and Aquatrust are a key part of the process that mitigates risk against this potentially fatal form of pneumonia.
Dr Martin Pritchard, Reader in the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing and project lead, said: “Aquatrust are a visionary business who want to revolutionise the current industry practice of on-site measurement services to clients.
“Through the KTP, we will create a novel remote management capability to enable Aquatrust to remotely monitor conditions to prevent the formation of Legionella in water pipework systems – but with the opportunity to expand into other monitoring areas. Using their own bespoke hardware monitor devices and integrated software, they will be able to report and analyse results and proactively mitigate risk for clients. This remote solution will be more cost-effective, less labour intensive, and far better for the environment.”
As part of the KTP, new skills and capabilities will be introduced into Aquatrust, including hardware and software development and transitioning colleagues from on-site monitoring roles to more consultancy-led opportunities.
Dr David Love, Course Director for Electronics and Robotics Engineering in the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing, said: “Importantly, all current Aquatrust staff will be retained and will be upskilled. Supporting life-long learning is at the heart of what we do at Leeds Beckett University and this is a great example of a local company investing in the long-term skills of its staff as new technologies change the way an established business works.”
The KTP aims to create a new, more sustainable business model for Aquatrust, where they become a solutions provider as well as a service provider, developing their own in-house products and services.
Paul Kenny, Sales Director at Aquatrust, said: “I’ve been enthusiastic about introducing new innovations and improvements within the business for some time – for example, I’ve been introducing Internet of Things remote solutions for our compliance checks on water systems, and have been setting up a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to help support our sales team to be more dynamic.
“I took part in the Help to Grow: Management programme delivered by Leeds Beckett last year. This really supported me with the ideas and know-how to improve the business further and develop my skills as a director. I was also connected to the KTP team and academic experts in our field through taking part in the programme.”
Dr Pritchard has more than 20 years of experience working in water quality in industry and academia. His research includes the application and monitoring of novel water purification systems for developing countries.
Jo Griffiths, Head of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships at Leeds Beckett University, added: “There is high demand for innovation in this field and this project directly aligns to the UK government’s agenda to foster a robust economy, boost innovation and productivity and for levelling up regional economies.”
The KTP will begin with the recruitment of a full-time KTP Associate, who will be an experienced graduate, and will be embedded as a full-time member of staff at Aquatrust for the duration of the project. The Associate will lead the project, with the full support and input from the academic team at Leeds Beckett.
Future of Leeds law firm secured, safeguarding 540 jobs
The future of Plexus has been secured following a sale of the business and certain assets out of administration to Axiom Ince Limited.
James Clark and Rick Harrison of Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators of Plexus Legal LLP and Plexus Law Limited, and James Clark and Blair Nimmo of Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators of Plexus North LLP on 7 July 2023.
Headquartered in Leeds, Plexus is a defendant law firm with a national footprint which specialises in the handling and litigation of insurance claims. Plexus Legal LLP operates via six offices in Chelmsford, Evesham, Leeds, London, Liverpool and Manchester and is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Plexus North operates from one office in Edinburgh and is regulated by the Law Society of Scotland (LSS). Plexus Law is the limited company set up under the Alternative Business Structure as part of the 2007 legal reforms which allow law firms to be owned by non-lawyers.
The group was incorporated in 2017, acquiring certain business and assets of the former legal business Paribas law. Following the acquisition, a new management team was introduced to the business which thereafter detected financial irregularities in relation to historical financial performance. After a forensic review, it was discovered that contingent fees were over-recognised in the group’s accounts leading to an overstatement of profits in FY20 and FY21.
Filing of the FY21 statutory accounts was delayed as a result of the forensic investigation and the arising adjustments reduced previously reported profits to a loss-making position. This prompted a significant cash requirement which was then further exacerbated both by the impact of COVID-19 and declining sales in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
As a result of this, Interpath Advisory was approached to examine the options available for Plexus including new investment or sale. A number of parties expressed an interest in the business, including Axiom.
Immediately following their appointment, the joint administrators concluded a sale of the businesses and certain assets to Axiom. As part of the transaction, 520 employees and 20 fixed share partners have transferred to Axiom.
James Clark, Managing Director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “Undoubtedly, it has been a very difficult few years for Plexus, and so we’re pleased to have been able to conclude this transaction which not only secures the future of the business, but importantly secures 540 jobs without any need for redundancies.
“Right from their initial expression of interest, Axiom were determined and committed to acquiring the practice, safeguarding jobs and importantly, helping to protect client interests.”
James Clark added: “We’d like to thank all stakeholders for their work in delivering this complex transaction, and wish everyone at Axiom all the very best for the future.”
Administrators appointed to bingo business
Tim Bateson and Chris Pole from Interpath Advisory have been appointed joint administrators to Majestic Bingo Limited.
Majestic Bingo is an independent operator of retail bingo, operating eight clubs across England and Wales and employing 143 people at the time of the appointment of the administrators.
Historically profitable, the company was adversely impacted by lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic which caused significant reductions in admissions which have since failed to fully recover.
In May 2021, the company’s bingo hall in Spalding, which was a profitable venue, suffered a serious fire as a result of an electrical fault and subsequently never reopened.
More recently, the cost-of-living crisis and the fall in disposable incomes seen across the UK since late 2021 has also adversely impacted the business.
Consequently, the financial performance and position of the group has declined in recent years, leading the company to experience cashflow challenges. As a result, the directors resolved to place the company into administration.
Following their appointment, the joint administrators will continue to trade the business and all eight venues as a going concern while they explore options for a sale of the business and its assets. All members of staff have been retained by the administrators to enable trade to continue.
The joint administrators have confirmed that they will honour customers’ Electronic Bingo Terminal (EBT) funds and any valid gift vouchers for the period whilst trading continues.
Majestic’s online business, Majestic Bingo Online Limited, is a separate entity which is not in administration and continues to operate on a solvent basis as usual.
Tim Bateson, director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “Majestic is one of the UK’s most recognisable independent bingo operators, but in recent years has seen trading adversely affected by the impact of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the cost-of-living crisis.
“We will continue to trade the business in the immediate term while we seek a buyer for the business, and would encourage any interested parties to make contact with us as soon as possible.”
Yorkshire Building Society pays way for change at the helm
After nine years at the helm of the Yorkshire Building Society John Heaps is to step aside to be succeeded by Annemarie Durbin, who will join the Board as Chair Designate by the end of the year.
Annemarie is currently Chair at Cater Allen Private Bank and a non-executive director and chair of remuneration committee on the boards of Santander UK, Persimmon and Petershill Partners.
With over 30 years’ experience in retail, commercial, corporate and institutional banking, she is a qualified lawyer with expertise across general management, operations, HR, legal and compliance, as well as being an executive coach and mentor.
Annemarie is relinquishing her roles at Santander and Cater Allen to take up her role as Chair Designate at the Society during her handover period with John Heaps. Her appointment is subject to regulatory approval.
Susan Allen, chief exec at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Annemarie’s expertise in the financial services sector and beyond will be invaluable to ensuring we continue to build on our strong heritage with the future in mind.”
Annemarie said: “It’s a privilege to join the Board of such an established and purposeful organisation. As the organisation continues to grow, the mutual values Yorkshire Building Society holds so dear will remain central as we evolve in the best interests of our members.”
Music events boost Sheffield economy by more than £4m, says City Council
Arctic Monkeys’ two huge hometown gigs brought an estimated £4.1million economic benefit to b businesses in the city, new figures from Sheffield City Council reveal.
The gigs saw 74,000 people visit Hillsborough Park for two nights of shows from the band, which became Sheffield music royalty after releasing five albums. Money spent on hotels, food and drink, and transport contributed to a boost for Hillsborough and Sheffield as people travelled from across the world to visit the city for the gigs.
Councillor Martin Smith, Economic Development and Skills Committee Chair, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Arctic Monkeys home for two gigs at Hillsborough Park earlier in June.
“The boost for local businesses is huge, with an estimated £4.1 million pumped into the city over the weekend. Businesses in Hillsborough, particularly food and drink venues, benefitted from fans enjoying the day and in the city centre, and we saw an uplift in hotel bookings and footfall during the weekend.
“These events go to show how beneficial large-scale shows can be for Sheffield, bringing both entertainment and economic benefits to the city. It was brilliant to have the band back in the city and we’re looking forward to Tramlines at Hillsborough Park next month.”
Janine Lawson from the Hillsborough Tap and the business group Hillsborough Together, said: “The recent concerts in the park were a great boost for us at Hillsborough Tap during what is historically a quiet period in the Hillsborough area. It’s great to see so many new visitors to the area and it allows us to showcase what an amazing area Hillsborough is. The feedback we received from visitors was fantastic and it was great that so many people loved our little business as much as we do! We hope that this will create repeat business for us in a time that is very difficult for independent businesses like ours.”
South Yorkshire company expands into Germany with opening of new premises later this year
The all-new ITM Power Germany GmbH will officially open its doors in Linden, north of Frankfurt, in October this year.
ITM Power, the Sheffield-based green hydrogen company, says this expansion further strengthens its position as a leading manufacturer of large-scale electrolysers for active projects in Europe today, as well as for future projects which are now in bidding stage.
In its initial fit-out, ITM Power Germany’s new facilities will have office space for more than 50 employees, and a warehouse with special equipment for storing our state-of-the-art stacks in lightweight skids ready for quick deployment as after sales spares. It will also house facilities for repair and maintenance, as well as for training of customers and partners.
As ITM is increasingly deploying stacks into the field in active customer projects, the firm says a rapidly growing amount of real-world performance data will enable it to drive advancements in the areas of core technology and product improvements, development of new business models around remote monitoring/operations and predictive maintenance, as well as commercial certainty around tightened system performance guarantees. These activities will be led by our new global Data and Industrial IoT team which will be based in Linden.
ITM Power Germany will also be home of ITM’s global business development function, of various engineering disciplines, aftersales technicians, field engineers, procurement and other functions.
Dennis Schulz, CEO, said: “This expansion in Germany will not only support responsive aftersales in the heart of the EU as our core market today, but will also be home for various business functions that are enablers for ITM’s accelerated growth. As we are scaling our operations, this is a major step in gearing up for an increasing degree of local content creation in the EU.”
Green energy firm wins SME Employer of the Year
Green Building Renewables has been named as SME Employer of the Year at the first-ever North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards.
As well as winning the best SME in North Yorkshire, the company also had two nominations in the Engineering/Manufacturing Apprentice category with Charlie Shipley, a second-year apprentice at York College and Curtis Ball, a first-year apprentice at Selby College.
The North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards recognise and reward the apprentices and their employers excelling across the region. The award ceremony was hosted by TV and Radio Presenter Rich Williams.
MD Chris Delaney said: “We are humbled to receive the SME Employer of the Year award. This recognition is a testament to our ongoing commitment to investing in the future of our industry and supporting the next generation of talent. Our apprenticeship scheme not only equips young people with invaluable skills but has also contributed to the growth and success of our company.
“Renewable energy installation is going to be essential to the UK economy over the next few years, and we are confident of the role that we can play in helping to create the skilled workforce that is needed to ensure that technologies like solar and heat pumps are installed correctly across the UK. We pride ourselves on our technical expertise, and it doesn’t matter if our engineers have 20 years’ experience or one year’s experience; we will train them to the highest level.”
Angela Jones, People Manager at the company, added: “Our commitment to providing opportunities for young people aligns with the government’s wider agenda of fostering apprenticeships to address the skills gap and drive economic growth. The need for skilled renewable energy installers will be paramount as the country aims to meet its future carbon emission and environmental commitments. By nurturing local talent through our local offices and promoting renewable and low-energy solutions, we are actively contributing to a more sustainable future.”
