Apprentice training earns awards in Lincoln

Stuart Pearcey
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Apprentice training earns awards in Lincoln

The achievements of Lincolnshire apprentices, trainers and employers have been recognised at an awards ceremony in Lincoln, with winners across eight categories.

Highlights of the event included the presentation of the overall Apprentice Champion of the Year award to Molly Fitch from Louth. Nominated by First College, Molly completed a Customer Service apprenticeship through East Lindsey District Council, and overcame dyslexia and self-confidence issues to achieve a distinction in her final assessment.

Apprentice Champions were also awarded in sector categories, with the winners being:
  • Health and care – Zara Lewis from Lincoln who undertook Level 3 Business Administrator with Lincolnshire Community Health Service.
  • Education – Christopher Fitzpatrick from Frieston in Boston who undertook Level 3 Digital Marketing at Brooks and Kirk (Assessor Training) Ltd.
  • Government and public services – Molly Fitch from Louth who undertook Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner with East Lindsey District Council.
  • Visitor economy – Ben Spencer from Faldingworth who undertook Level 2 Animal Management at The Parrot Zoo Trust in Friskney.
  • Construction, engineering and technology – Graeme Matthews from Lincoln who undertook Level 2 Engineering Operative at ProAmpac.
Cllr Patricia Bradwell, executive councillor for adult learning at the county council, said: “All the apprentice nominees had achieved personal successes as well as qualifications, so it was really hard to choose the winners. Those who came away with awards should be so proud of their achievements and show the huge variety of apprenticeships available for people of all ages and backgrounds.” In other categories, the Employer award was given to Boston Endeavour Academy – a special education  school that has worked closely with Boston College to train teaching assistants with the specialist skills needed to work in SEND settings. Their Level 3 Teaching Assistant apprenticeship programme offers a range of additional training including Makaton and awareness of medical conditions, such as epilepsy and gastronomy feeding, and offers a supportive environment for their apprentices. Clare Hughes, from the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Apprenticeships are a real priority for us and we recently launched our new Apprenticeship Strategy for Greater Lincolnshire. They are becoming the qualification of choice not just for individuals, but for employers, recognising the tailored approach they offer.” Credit Services Association were the winners of the training provider award, having been nominated by Lincolnshire Trading Standards for their legal training. Gail Dunn, Chair of the Lincolnshire Public Sector Compact group said: “This was such an amazing event celebrating the achievements of all of the winners. It also provided a great platform for promoting and showcasing apprenticeships.”
 

Northern Gritstone secures first close of £215 million ahead of making its first investments

Tess Egginton
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Northern Gritstone secures first close of £215 million ahead of making its first investments
A new investment company founded by the universities of Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester to help boost the commercialisation of university spinouts and start-ups in the north of England has announced a first close of £215 million. Northern Gritstone, chaired by Lord Jim O’Neill and led by Chief Executive Duncan Johnson, is expected to begin deploying capital and making its first investments in innovative start-ups over the coming weeks. Professor Dave Petley, vice-president for innovation at the University of Sheffield, said: “We are delighted that Northern Gritstone has received such strong endorsement from investors, who have recognised the immense potential in our universities’ world-leading research and innovation. “This investment power will help to unlock solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges through the rapid scale-up of spin-out companies at the forefront of a range of sectors. This is a significant milestone for Northern Gritstone, and for economic growth and prosperity in the north of England.” Northern Gritstone has attracted funding commitments from a broad and diverse base of investors encompassing local authority pension funds, high net worth individuals, institutional investors and real estate investors active in the tech and science ecosystem of the region. These include Greater Manchester Pension Fund, West Yorkshire Pension Fund, M&G, Columbia Threadneedle, Lansdowne Partners, Bruntwood and Greater Manchester Combined Authority as well as Andrew Law, the CEO of Caxton Associates, and Keith Breslauer, Managing Director and founder of Patron Capital, both in a personal capacity. With plans to raise £500m overall, having hit this initial fundraising milestone the company will continue to welcome further backers over the coming months. Now that the first close has been achieved, Northern Gritstone plans to begin making its initial investments into its proprietary pipeline of world class science and innovation based businesses located in the north of England. Having launched in July 2021, Northern Gritstone was founded by the Universities of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield to support the commercialisation of science and intellectual property-rich businesses originating from these three research-led institutions. Many of these opportunities are in the UK’s most exciting emerging sectors such as advanced materials, health technology, cognitive computation and AI. Northern Gritstone was founded with the philosophy of ‘profit with purpose’, combining attractive returns for shareholders with wider positive, societal and economic impact, including supporting Levelling Up and high-skilled job creation in the north of England. It announced the appointment of its first chief investment officer, Marion Bernard, in December and this month has added James Hadley to its leadership team as chief financial officer, who brings more than two decades’ experience working in the financial services sector, including most recently as CFO at a tech-focused venture capital investor. In its fundraising Northern Gritstone was advised by Lazard Venture and Growth Banking led by Garri Jones. Its legal advisers are Macfarlanes and Pinsent Masons. Northern Gritstone chairman Lord Jim O’Neill said: “The strong endorsement of Northern Gritstone we’ve seen from investors is testament to the huge scale of the opportunity in northern England’s world class science and innovation hubs and the spin outs they are producing. By investing in Northern Gritstone, asset managers are directly buying into the brightest prospects for Britain’s future economy. “Today marks a significant milestone as Northern Gritstone continues to build its investor base allowing the company to deliver its philosophy of ‘profit with purpose’ which underpins all we seek to do.” Northern Gritstone Chief Executive Duncan Johnson said: “There is rightly huge excitement about the innovative, science-led spin outs emerging from our leading research universities and the ecosystems they support, and this has been reflected in our conversations with investors so far. We are greatly encouraged by both the size of our first close, and also the range and quality of investors that the Northern Gritstone proposition has attracted. “Whilst fundraising will continue, this first close and the backing that Northern Gritstone has received from investors so far, allows us to begin making our first investments shortly. It also importantly enables us, alongside our friends and colleagues in the wider northern venture ecosystem, to accelerate the development of a northern innovation hub to rival the UK’s Silicon Fen and ultimately Silicon Valley.” Jane Madeley, the University of Leeds’ chief financial officer and a non-executive director on Northern Gritstone’s board, said: “This successful first close for Northern Gritstone speaks to the ground-breaking nature and world-class quality of research and innovation taking place at all three universities. “It recognises the tremendous strength of our pipeline of spin-out enterprises. These cover a broad range of emerging technologies that will be critical in offering innovative solutions to global challenges.” The University of Manchester deputy president and deputy vice chancellor, professor Luke Georghiou said: “Northern Gritstone will transform the investment landscape for our spin-out companies and for the North of England more generally. Our academic entrepreneurs, supported by the University’s Innovation Factory, have produced record numbers of spin-outs in the past two years. “This huge potential can now be far more easily realised as the investments will enable them to scale-up businesses which are there to solve the world’s problems. These include new treatments for devastating medical conditions, transformative applications of data analytics to farming and exploiting the amazing properties of graphene across multiple applications to name just a few.”

New Hull city centre bakery, bar and restaurant receives £70,000 grant

Tess Egginton
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New Hull city centre bakery, bar and restaurant receives £70,000 grant
A new bakery, bar and restaurant will open in Hull’s Old Town thanks to a £73,356 Levelling-Up Fund grant. The council has published a decision record that confirms the grant to Hearth Family Ltd, who will open the unit at 10.5 King St, in Trinity Square. The company already occupy the second floor of the unit, and this grant, along with exact private match funding, will be used to redevelop the ground and first floors. The company have already received a Historic England grant of £22,574 that was privately matched with £5,644. Ryan Telford, director of Hearth Family Ltd, said: “As a team we are so thankful to have been awarded this grant from the council. “With it, we can make our dreams a reality by creating a beautiful restaurant and bakery ready to put our years of experience gained at Michelin starred restaurants to the test! “We’re hoping to open our doors this summer where we cannot wait to welcome (and feed) the wonderful people of Hull.” The grant has been awarded as part of the city centre regeneration projects which includes a number of grant schemes and funding projects. Whitefriargate has benefitted from £1m from the Humber LEP’s Humber High Street Challenge Fund and secured £1.75m from Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) programme. Funding can be used to restore heritage buildings, improve dilapidated buildings, convert buildings to sustainable use, create permanent jobs and bring unused floor space back into use. Garry Taylor, assistant director for major projects, culture and place, said: “It is great to see another new business receiving funding to open in the heart of the Old Town. Hearth Family Ltd will be a great addition to this already vibrant area.” It is hoped that the business will open later this summer.

7 in 10 business leaders are concerned about cyber attacks

Tess Egginton
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7 in 10 business leaders are concerned about cyber attacks
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the shift to hybrid working, the Institute of Directors has found that 72% of business leaders view cyber risk as a significant concern for their organisation, with 58% believing that the risk of a cyber attack on their organisation has increased.
In its poll of nearly 600 directors, the IoD also found that:
  • 54% believe that every board member has enough expertise to understand the potential impact and value of cyber security in respect of their organisation
  • 61% state that their organisation has appropriate controls and monitoring mechanisms in place which assure them that their cyber security measures are effective
  • 46% state that their organisation ensures that cyber security is considered in every business decision
  • 54% state that their organisation has an incident management plan in place for cyber attacks
  • 46% state that their organisation is able to access cyber insurance cover
Dr Roger Barker, the Institute’s director of policy, said: “The results of our survey provide evidence that many businesses are taking cyber security seriously. However, a higher level of awareness and expertise is needed on boards of directors in view of the unprecedented shift to home working and heightened geopolitical tensions. “Hybrid working is here to stay. However, a remote workforce brings with it enhanced cyber risks, with employees relying on their home networks – and sometimes their own devices – to complete tasks. Companies have not yet fully adjusted to this reality. “Furthermore, cybersecurity authorities have warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exposes organisations both within and beyond the region to increased malicious cyber activity. “A significant proportion of IoD members are concerned about their ability to access cyber insurance cover. During the last year, cyber insurance rates have increased significantly, and there are uncertainties around what is and isn’t covered by insurance, particularly with respect to exposure to state-sponsored cyber attacks. “The National Cyber Security Centre is a key source of guidance for companies seeking to address current cyber challenges. In particular, the NCSC’s toolkit for board members represents an essential reference point for directors in their oversight of cyber security.”

UK manufacturing grows at fastest pace for ten months, CBI’s new figures show

Stuart Pearcey
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UK manufacturing grows at fastest pace for ten months, CBI’s new figures show
UK manufacturing output grew at its fastest pace in ten months over the quarter to May –but output still failed to keep pace with demand, according to the CBI. However, as the volume of stocks of finished goods became less adequate compared with last month. The balance of firms expecting to raise selling prices in the three months ahead increased slightly, moving closer to March’s record high. The survey, based on the responses of 249 manufacturers, found:
  • Manufacturing output growth picked up in the three months to May (balance of +30 from +19% in the three months to April), with output increasing at the fastest rate since the three months to July 2021. Although output growth is expected to ease in the three months to July (+23%), the pace of expansion will remain comfortably above the long-term average (+9).
  • Total new orders were above normal to a greater extent than last month (+26% from +14% in April), matching the record high seen in March. Export order books were above normal to the greatest extent since January 2018 (+19% from -9% in April).
  • Stock adequacy for finished goods deteriorated in May (-15% from -3%). 26% of manufacturers this month said stocks were inadequate, with 11% saying that stocks were more than adequate and 54% saying they were adequate.
  • Expected domestic price growth for the three months ahead picked up slightly in May (+75% from +71% in April), moving closer to March’s survey record high (+80%).
  • Confidence showed a further decline in the quarter to May (-30%), while investment plans for buildings (-6%) and plant and machinery (-2%) remained weak.
Anna Leach, CBI Deputy Chief Economist, said: “Manufacturers have reported output growth and order books improving in May. But cost pressures remain acute and are pushing manufacturers to raise prices. Sentiment among manufacturers has fallen in recent months as the outlook has deteriorated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and investment plans are being scaled back. “Rising costs are hitting consumers and businesses alike, and the Government can and must take action now to support the economy through the challenging months ahead. Putting pounds in the pockets of people already struggling should not be delayed, and must be coupled with action to support firms’ cashflow and to stimulate investment.”

Business Doncaster backs Kirk Sandall firm in securing development grants

Stuart Pearcey
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Business Doncaster backs Kirk Sandall firm in securing development grants
Kirk Sandall-based Fastline Services has secured two business grants through the assistance of the Business Doncaster team, and expects to create new jobs as a result. The Digital Innovation grant has assisted in helping the business to develop its online presence, representing them at a much higher standard than their previous website could. The funding has also helped to build an ecommerce section which when complete will increase revenue significantly. Receiving the Productivity grant has enabled them to purchase additional plant and specialist equipment that in turn, has led to increased productivity and the recruitment of two additional employees to the installation team. It was the perfect boost to help the business expand after facing tough times during the pandemic, and as well as the funding, the business received help and advice to help keep them on the right path. The business was launched in 2016 as a family team of two, servicing a number of sites for Amazon as a subcontractor. The company now provides direct services to some of the UK’s market leading logistic companies, including Amazon. it has also secured a framework agreement with supermarket chains, Lidl UK. They now have seven employees and are actively recruiting for a number of other positions to help facilitate their continued growth. MD Adam Fletcher said: “We hope our continued embryonic growth will see the business achieve a minimum 100% financial growth. We are looking to have doubled our workforce in this time and potentially increase the operational size of our warehouse and facilities.” Fastline Services has also gone on to sell and distribute its own range of branded safety products and recently signed a reseller agreement with ASAFE, the market leading impact protection manufacturer.

Doncaster wins city status

Tess Egginton
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Doncaster wins city status

Doncaster has won city status as part of the celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

After a bid with support from residents and businesses across the borough and the region, Doncaster was given the honour along with 7 other locations. The Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition required applicants to demonstrate how their unique communities and distinct local identity meant they deserved to be awarded city status. They were also required to highlight their royal associations and cultural heritage. Team Doncaster, which is made up of the main public sector organisations and businesses across the borough, put the city status bid together to showcase the pride in Doncaster, its achievements, its future aspirations and to outline why the borough should be given this accolade. The judging panel highlighted the following as reasons why the bid was a winning one:
Community spirit – Doncaster’s community spirit and resilience was demonstrated during Doncaster Floods in 2019 as the community rallied to provide relief. It has more than 70 places of worship and spirituality, with its mosques and gurdwaras serving as pop-up vaccination centres during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rich history – Originally a Roman settlement, Doncaster is almost 2000 years old. Its industrial heritage is built on rail and coal, with The Flying Scotsman and The Mallard both built there. Doncaster is synonymous with the St. Leger, founded in 1776 and the oldest classic horse race in the world. Royal link – The link between the Royal Family and horseracing is central to the relationship between Doncaster and Buckingham Palace, with regular attendance and involvement in the St Leger Festival by the Royal Family. The Prince of Wales (later George IV), The Duke of Clarence (later William IV), Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and HM The Queen have attended the St Leger Festival.
Mayor Ros Jones said: “This is brilliant news for Doncaster. I am utterly delighted that our borough has been recognised in this way as part of the Queen’s Platinum jubilee. “To become one of the UK’s newest cities underlines our firmly held belief that we think, act and feel like a city. I’ve said for a long time that we are a city in all but name and now we can proudly say that Doncaster has achieved city status. “This royal seal of approval will mean we can continue with our vision to drive our borough forward and realise our aspirations. Being a city will help boost the profile of Doncaster on many different levels from attracting new and growing business, underlining Doncaster as a tourist destination, upping our role on the national stage and giving us a stronger voice. “I would like to personally thank Dan Fell, the Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber for his leadership of this bid, and proof of what we can achieve when we work together across the Team Doncaster partnership. “Thank you to everyone who has supported our bid across Doncaster and who, like us in Team Doncaster, want Doncaster to be recognised for how far we have come and our exciting future ahead. Congratulations too from Doncaster to all of the other city status winners.” Speaking about how this will benefit the wider region, Dan Fell, Chief Executive Officer of Doncaster Chamber, said: “The campaign to earn city status is one that we have been pursuing for a long time and it is tremendously gratifying to see all that hard work pay off. “With both Doncaster and Sheffield, the South Yorkshire region is now home to two cities, which means that we will have an even bigger seat at the table when it comes to engaging national government. With this enhanced platform, we will be in a better position than ever before to drive the levelling up agenda in South Yorkshire, to hold policy-makers to account and to fight for the interests of our business communities. “What’s more, the addition of another city in South Yorkshire will help bring more inward investment to the region, as we will have increased prestige and will be recognised as a more attractive prospect for those outside the UK, who are looking for places to conduct their trade. “With a leading airport, strong connectivity to the rest of the country, established inks in the rail industry and now official city status, Doncaster is truly developing into a fantastic place to do business. We really have come a long way in the past few years. “I am looking forward to an even more prosperous future for South Yorkshire now. We’re going to see huge reputational and economic benefits from this, attracting more businesses and skilled workers into the area. I would also take this opportunity to offer my deepest thanks to all the businesses and residents who got behind this campaign and lent their voices in support of it. They exemplify the ambitious communal spirit of Doncaster and this would not have been possible without their vital contributions.”

Employment law specialist joins Sills & Betteridge LLP

Tess Egginton
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Employment law specialist joins Sills & Betteridge LLP
Sills & Betteridge LLP has welcomed Aleksandra Flack as an associate solicitor to its employment law team this month in a move which will benefit employers, public sector organisations, charities, HR professionals and employees across the region. She provides assistance and advice on all aspects of employment law and has considerable experience and a very successful track record of representing clients in Employment Tribunal proceedings where she has negotiated many favourable and significant settlements, for both employees and employers. Additionally, Aleks delivers bespoke training to HR professionals and managers, and is a popular event speaker. Stephen Britton, head of employment law, is delighted with the appointment: “Aleks is a perfect addition to the team. She has a high level of expertise and her energy, enthusiasm and genuine passion for putting the client first really shines through.” For Aleks the position represents an exciting new opportunity: “I am really excited to start my role at Sills & Betteridge Solicitors and look forward to supporting businesses and individuals with the employment-related matters and challenges they face. Sills & Betteridge is a well-established firm that puts clients first and I am delighted to be part of its ambitious plans for the future.” The firm has grown significantly over the last 5 years through organic and acquired growth, and now has 15 offices and over 330 partners and staff.

Increase in NI contributions described as ‘body blow’ for small firms

Stuart Pearcey
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Increase in NI contributions described as ‘body blow’ for small firms
Questions asked of more than a thousand employers have uncovered a series of negative impacts from the increase in National Insurance contributions, described as a body blow to small firms. The British Chambers of Commerce, which conducted the research, found firms saying the rise in employer contributions to National Insurance from 13.8% to 15.05% had increased staffing costs, forced some to put up their prices, and meant they would be limiting their investment. As part of its call for an Emergency Budget, the BCC is calling for the rise to be immediately reversed for at least a year, as firms battle surging costs on multiple fronts. The BCC is calling for action to give businesses a chance to keep a lid on rising prices, boost productivity and ease cost pressures. Hannah Essex, Co-Executive Director of the BCC, said: “Businesses are telling us that the rise in National Insurance contributions has been a body blow as they try to get back on their feet. When firms are already facing a toxic mix of surging inflation, rising energy costs and supply chain disruption, this increase is very hard to swallow. “The tight labour market is already pushing up staff costs and the NI rise has only served to exacerbate that pressure, without having a positive impact on recruitment. “With firms’ profits also taking a further hit, after two years of the pandemic, it is no surprise that their investment intentions are also weakening – but it is not too late to change tack and push the increase back until firms are in a better place to take on the extra burden. “The costs crises facing firms and people in the street are two sides of the same coin. If we can ease the pressure on businesses, then they can keep a lid on the price rises. “Acting now will also put businesses in a better position to create the future profits needed to fill tax coffers.” The other two Emergency Budget proposals are: • Help firms manage the impact of rising energy prices by cutting VAT on their energy bills from 20% to 5% for a minimum of one year. • Address labour shortages by reinstating free Covid tests for companies to ease the strain on productivity caused by persistent high absences

Doncaster retirement adviser receives significant investment from private equity investor

Tess Egginton
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Doncaster retirement adviser receives significant investment from private equity investor
Palatine has revealed a significant investment in fast-growing, Doncaster-based retirement adviser, My Pension Expert. The at-retirement adviser, with its telephone and video-based services, provides independent financial advice on a national scale. My Pension Expert, which has a team of 65, will use Palatine’s investment to accelerate its growth plans, expanding its business proposition to ensure people of all wealth brackets can receive independent financial advice and achieve their desired retirement outcomes. Palatine has identified significant growth opportunities for My Pension Expert to accelerate its strong growth to date and will be working alongside My Pension Expert’s management team to scale-up its operations and fulfil its mission of increasing consumer access to independent financial advice. Andrew Megson, executive chairman of My Pension Expert, said: “We are delighted Palatine have chosen to partner with and invest in My Pension Expert. Throughout the entire process, Palatine has supported management and identified the huge opportunities for My Pension Expert to expand and accelerate growth. “Palatine’s focus on sustainability was also a key factor in accepting the significant investment. And My Pension Expert will certainly harness this expertise over the coming years to enhance our own existing environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) credentials. Suffice to say, we are incredibly excited about what the future holds.” Senior investment director Kieran Lawton, who led the deal for Palatine alongside James Painter, Gary Tipper and Ed Fazakerley, said: “Andrew and his team have done an outstanding job to date, and we are very much looking forward to working alongside them to help the company grow quickly and reach its potential. “Our focus will be on supporting the team through value enhancement initiatives across digital, technology, people and sustainability in order to help Andrew continue to build a highly-trusted and fast-growing pensions advisory business with technology at its core.” The deal will be funded through investment from Palatine’s Buyout and Impact Funds. It builds on the mid-market investor’s strong track record in the financial services sector, which includes successful investments in Wren Sterling, Wealth at Work, Money Plus Group and Chase Templeton. Beth Houghton, partner and head of Impact Fund, added: “Affordable, accessible and high quality pension advice is essential for those at or nearing retirement age with small or medium sized pension pots. My Pension Expert helps members of the public to navigate the increasingly complicated pensions environment at an affordable cost, and we are delighted to be working with the management team to increase the number of people who can access this advice.” My Pension Expert was advised by Addleshaw Goddard, Park Place and BDO Tax. Palatine was advised by Gateley (legal), Quinn Partnership (people), Kroll (regulatory and financial), Lockton (insurance), Open Partners (digital) and Equator (technology). The deal remains subject to FCA regulatory approval.
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