MKM’s new Rotherham branch opens with hospice donation
Hull-based MKM has opened its 130th branch in Rotherham, creating 18 new jobs and supporting the area’w charities.
Branch Directors Ryan Brooks and Jack Griffiths, both lifelong residents of South Yorkshire, bring a combined experience of over 35 years from some of the UK’s largest merchants. Their deep-rooted connection to Rotherham and passion for the local community is evident in their approach to the new branch.
Said Ryan: “The opportunity to lead MKM Rotherham and create jobs in my hometown feels incredible. I’m proud to be from Yorkshire, and as a community Rotherham is still small enough to know and care about the people that live here.
“We want Rotherham to feel the benefit at home. We’re not just here to provide building materials; we’re here to be a part of the community. We’ve already started building relationships with local charities like Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and are eager to explore more ways to give back to the town that means so much to us.
“I also want to be the first person that people think of when they’ve got a building project, I can’t wait to start seeing our bags pop up, knowing that we have supplied that site.”
Jack Griffiths, who has spent his entire career in Rotherham’s building merchant sector, added: “For me, this branch is about more than just business; it’s about creating something from the ground up that genuinely serves the people of Rotherham. Our team is made up of local people who understand the needs of local customers, and we’re committed to delivering a personal, community-focused service.”
£2.2m grant secured to revamp Goole’s Victoria Pleasure Ground
Goole Town Council, together with the Goole Town Deal Board, has secured grant funding from the Football Foundation for more than £2.2 million towards plans to refurbish the town’s Victoria Pleasure Ground.
Via the Football Foundation, the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government will provide 31 per cent of the total £7,266,385 million cost of the project.
The home of football in Goole for more than 100 years, the Victoria Pleasure Ground (often referred to as the VPG) is home to the town’s semi-professional football side Goole AFC (Goole Association Football Club), which plays in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, along with Goole Vikings Rugby Club, a semi-professional rugby league side competing in the Yorkshire Men’s League. Several other local sports clubs and groups also use the VPG.
The site is owned by East Riding of Yorkshire Council (having formerly belonged to Boothferry Borough Council) and is leased to Goole Town Council for a 30-year period. No longer fit for purpose, it is in need of investment if it is to remain open. Goole Town Council currently subsidises the VPG to the tune of £32,000 per year, just to keep the venue open and operating.
Fears for the long-term viability of the ground prompted the Goole Town Deal Board to prioritise the site’s redevelopment as part of its strategic proposals to reinvigorate the town centre by allocating it a share of the town’s £25 million in Town Deal funding.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government made some early funding allocations to towns involved in the Town Deal process, which had to be spent by a strict deadline. Some of this money was used to install energy efficient LED (light emitting diode) floodlighting at the Victoria Pleasure Ground, helping to reduce the running costs of the venue and making it more environmentally-friendly. This new lighting will also be incorporated into the redevelopment plans.
Councillor Barbara Jeffreys, who represents Goole Town Council on the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “This is wonderful news for the Victoria Pleasure Ground, and for the town as a whole. The funding award from the Football Foundation has required an enormous amount of work and its success demonstrates the strength of our shared commitment and vision to secure the VPG’s long-term future and enable it to serve many more people and organisations.
“To know that our local sports clubs, together with the hundreds of children and young people who are part of the various grassroots teams in Goole, will soon have sporting facilities that we can all be proud of is just the best news. The late Councillor Josie Head, together with Councillor David Jeffreys, were huge ambassadors for the VPG and I feel proud we are close to making their wish to safeguard its future a reality.
“In fact, this grant funding allocation means that we are able to deliver a sports stadium that will be far superior to anything that we could have envisaged originally. It will be something the town can be proud of, both for people now and for generations to come.”
Phil Jones, Chair of the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “From the very beginning, we’d always set out to secure match funding from the Football Foundation for the VPG project but, until now, that was not a given. The Board is delighted to learn that Goole Town Council’s grant application to the Football Foundation has been successful and everything is now finally in place for us to be able to proceed.”
Councillor Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “This is yet another major investment in Goole! We’re absolutely delighted that the Football Foundation saw the enormous potential of refurbishing the VPG and understood the many benefits that it will bring to so many local people, and to the town centre as a whole.”
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.
“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.
“This grant award to Goole Town Council and Goole Town Deal Board towards to revamping the facilities at Victoria Pleasure Ground is fantastic news for the local community and will help give more people access to a great place to play.”
A business case developed for the site estimates that the proposed improvements will increase the number of visits to the VPG by 376 per cent, from 13,000 to 63,000 per year. It also forecasts that the VPG will become financially viable within three years of the improvements being carried out, with no need for Goole Town Council to subsidise it beyond that.
Goole Town Deal developed the visionary business case for the Victoria Pleasure Ground, working in close conjunction with Goole Town Council and specialist consultants Steve Wells Associates, who bring their vast experience of developing top class sporting venues nationally to the project.
Planning permission for this project was secured in 2023 and work is due to start this year, with completion in 2025.
Rob Burrow’s family make lasting impression on centre being built in his name
The family of rugby league legend Rob Burrow have made their mark on the first of a series of concrete paving slabs to be used at the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease being built at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds.
Macy, 12, Maya, nine, and Jackson, five, made their handprints in concrete along with their mum Lindsey and their grandparents.
Marking the next milestone in the new centre, the Burrow family created the first in a series of concrete paving slabs, which will be used throughout the centre’s landscaping, whilst the concrete foundations were poured on site. A series of paving slabs with prints from others involved in the creation of the site, including Dr Agam Jung and specialist nurse Claire Lang, will form the Hands of Hope Walk and sit in the gardens, a key part of the new site.
Craige Richardson, Director of Estates & Facilities for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says: “It’s exciting to mark this milestone in the new centre build and it was a really touching moment to be able to do this with Rob’s family. The type of building and construction that we opted for means that people are going to pretty quickly see the centre take shape, and that feels like we’re moving ever closer to getting it open and working for our MND patients.
“I’m grateful to everyone involved in the build for making this moment possible. It means the family will always have a connection to the place their father inspired and helped make a reality.”
A full construction schedule is in place, with the frame expected in November and the centre open by summer 2025. Leeds Hospitals Charity continues to fundraise for the centre, now just £400,000 short of their £6.8m target.
Paul Watkins, Director of Fundraising at Leeds Hospitals Charity says: “It has been great to involve the Burrow family in the new centre in this way, they have been a crucial part of this appeal from the start and, alongside Rob, have been dedicated to fundraising and to raising awareness of MND. It’s really exciting to share the progress of the build with the public; it won’t be long now before there is a shell in place for people to really appreciate what the centre will look like and the positive impact it will have on patients.”
Leeds Beckett helping to boost growth of Leeds-based national programme management consultancy
Leadership and marketing experts at Leeds Beckett University have formed a new partnership with Mercury3 Consult, a programme management consultancy primarily specialising in the rail sector, to support the company’s growth into new services and markets.
The project is a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK. Academics based in Leeds Business School will lead the project to embed in-house, sustainable, skills and expertise within Mercury3 – allowing them to develop new strategic opportunities.
Dr Karen Vollum-Dix, Senior Lecturer with the Leadership, Governance and People Management subject group at Leeds Business School, explained: “Mercury3 Consult are an ambitious and successful business that want to grow to include the delivery of products as well as services, and to reach new clients and markets.
“This KTP will directly address the need for a wider, strategic approach to marketing and re-positioning of the company. We will embed strategic insight within the business, and the skills to measure, analyse and address new opportunities, and increase brand awareness.”
Mercury3 Consult is a specialised programme management consultancy, based in Leeds city centre, with offices in Middlesborough and team members helping to deliver programmes of work nationally.
Mercury3’s relationship with Leeds Beckett University began when one of its three owning directors, Trevor Marshall, took part in the Government-funded Help to Grow: Management programme and discussed the company’s ongoing growth ambitions with the Leeds Business School tutors.
Trevor Marshall said: “Mercury3 is built around the provision of high-quality knowledge and expertise in our team. We want to recruit and retain new talent, and support the development of our team, to grow the business and ensure our knowledge and skills are captured and shared.
“This project will embed a new business model that reflects our diverse and evolving team, whilst also addressing one of our key strategic aims to improve our coordination and efficiency between functions of the business and across our sites.”
The work will be managed by a KTP Associate – a skilled graduate who will be recruited as a full-time member of Mercury3, with the full support of the Leeds Beckett academic team. Alongside Dr Vollum-Dix will be a team of experts in Leeds Business School, including Dr David Andrews – Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Help to Grow tutor and business coach.
NFU President takes farmers’ concerns to Number 10
The NFU has repeatedly called for government policies to deliver transparency in markets, food labelling, public procurement and food messaging, including the need to develop core production standards that apply to agri-food imports. He said the government could “send a really strong message” to the industry by taking action on this. “With the right support in place, farming can be a key partner to deliver the Government’s missions around economic growth.”
Harvest concerns, bovine TB, the agriculture budget and fairness in the supply chain were high on the agenda at his meeting with advisers across business, Defra and DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero).
Topping out ceremony marks completion of military’s medical centre at Catterick
A topping out ceremony for the 12,000m2 Catterick Integrated Care Campus has taken place to mark completion of the building’s steel frame.
Tilbury Douglas started work earlier this year on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and has now completed the supporting structure. The next stage is to attach external cladding and curtain walls before installing the roof. The building should be wind and weather-proof in early 2025 when work will begin on the interior of the building.
David Salmond, DIO’s Major Projects and Programmes lead for UK Strategic Command, said: “We’re pleased to reach this significant construction milestone for this groundbreaking new facility. The success of the project to date is thanks to the working relationships built between the MOD, NHS, AECOM and Tilbury Douglas, and we look forward to those relationships continuing to bear fruit as we focus on the next stage of construction.”
The building will host medical services for military personnel based at Catterick Garrison, as well as some primary and community NHS services for members of the public and military families.
The building is the first MOD-NHS integration of this scale, providing benefits to both parties and residents of Catterick and wider Richmondshire through shared learning and experience.
Representatives from the MOD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Defence Medical Services , the NHS, contractor Tilbury Douglas, and Technical Support Provider Aecom attended the event and were briefed on the progress of the project.
The building is expected to be completed in early 2026, with medical services moving in later in the year.
Bassingham-based firm joins Uptech in Kings Lynn
Lincolnshire IT firm Jalapeno Business Services has joined Kings Lynn-based UptechLtd, signalling a change in name for the Bassingham-based company.
Mark Brown, owner and director of Jalapeno Business Services, said: “This partnership allows us to provide our clients with even more comprehensive and robust IT solutions, backed by Uptech’s decades of experience and success.
“Our clients will benefit greatly from the additional resources and expertise now available to them.”
James Fowler, Business Development Manager at Uptech Ltd, said: “This merger marks a significant milestone, promising enriched service offerings and greater innovation.
“Jalapeno’s clients will benefit from Uptech’s extensive knowledge base, cutting-edge technology solutions and industry-leading expertise.”
Despite the change in branding, all Jalapeno’s current employees will stay on board, continuing to operate from the same office locations. This continuity will ensure that the company’s clients will receive consistent and familiar support while gaining access to the expanded capabilities that Uptech brings to the table.
Duncan & Toplis acquires North London business
Accountants and business advisers Duncan & Toplis has acquired Haines Watts North London.
This move will see Haines Watts North London rebranded as Duncan & Toplis, with all team members remaining in their roles. Amilios Costa, Managing Partner, will continue to lead the team in this exciting next phase of their growth journey.
Damon Brain, CEO of Duncan & Toplis said: “It was clear from the first meeting that Amilios and his team share our focus on culture and growth for the right reasons. He brings incredible expertise, energy and experience and will be instrumental in supporting growth in the region. I’m delighted to welcome our new team members and help them deliver on their own ambitions, as part of Duncan & Toplis.
Amilios Costa said: “Joining forces with Duncan & Toplis represents a fantastic opportunity for both our clients and our team. The amazing combination of deep-rooted history and a profound ambition to grow in the right way is a huge cultural synergy. It means we can offer a wider range of services and even greater support to our clients, as well as provide our team with new opportunities to progress their careers at a company with serious growth ambitions.
Duncan & Toplis, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, is on course for the biggest period of growth in its history after securing private equity investment in 2023. The company’s strategy is primarily focused on strong organic growth, supplemented by a number of highly strategic acquisitions that broaden the service offering to clients and expand the business geographically into new key locations.
Guitar case specialist marks 20th year in business
Hull-based international guitar case manufacturer Scott Dixon Inc. is celebrating its 20th anniversary and the 70th birthday of founder John Dixon.
The brand, which launched in 2004, is market leader in lightweight aluminium flight cases and is very much focused on the touring music industry.
The Scott Dixon signature product is the Triple Row Guitar case, a lightweight case that safely holds three guitars – and is used by bands worldwide.
MD Dave Hutty, who heads up the management team, including his wife Tracy along with John & Lee Dixon, said: “In the last year alone, our cases have been sent to The Pretenders, Niall Horan and Seal, to name just a few. We also produced some bespoke cases to support Bruce Dickinson’s recent Mandrake Project Tour.”
Having survived the global pandemic on the touring music industry, the team is now working hard on several new products to expand its range both within the music industry as well as looking at other markets where a lightweight case will make a great impact. Dave continued:
“It’s a very exciting time to be a part of this company – and myself and the team are looking forward to the next twenty years of developing new and exciting products. We can make a case for pretty much anything!”
Founder John Dixon said: “It’s great to have Dave and Tracy on board, along with my son Lee. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next twenty years brings.”
Work to start on 187 new homes in Doncaster
Work is set to start on 187 new homes in the Cantley area of Doncaster.
Housebuilder Persimmon received planning approval from Doncaster Council for the new houses to be built on land south of Doncaster Road allocated for housing in Doncaster’s Local Plan. Everingham Place, as the new development will be known, will provide homebuyers with a range of house sizes and types ranging from one-bedroom terraced, to four-bed detached. All homes will be fitted with EV chargers and built to new building regulations, ensuring improved energy efficiency and helping to reduce energy bills for homeowners. The development will have significant areas of public open space, including an on-site play area and a trim-trail. 43 of the new homes will be made available through shared ownership and affordable rent schemes. Over £1 million will be provided by Persimmon to fund additional school places at two local schools. Joel Frank, Land Director at Persimmon Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted to have received planning approval and are looking forward to getting on site later this year. “Everingham Place will provide much needed high quality new homes, with a range of properties to suit all local homebuyers.”