Yorkshire firms offered peep through the window of business opportunity offered by University of Hull

Stuart Pearcey
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Yorkshire firms offered peep through the window of business opportunity offered by University of Hull

Businesses across Hull, East and North Yorkshire are being given the chance to find out more about the help, advice and support on offer from the University of Hull.

At a forthcoming networking breakfast on May 16th firms can take part in a 30-minute Speed Support Session of their choice, minimising the amount of time they need to spend away from their business.

Taking place at Aura Innovation Centre at the Bridgehead Business Park near Hessle, the Business Speed Support event is an opportunity to connect with support networks and programmes led by the University of Hull. Sarah Clark, Operations Manager at Aura, said: “We fully appreciate how busy business owners and leaders are, so we’re bringing our support programmes and schemes together under one roof to allow businesses to drop in and meet them – all in one place and at the same time! “It will be hugely worthwhile for businesses to visit the event because, in just 30 minutes, they’ll get a clear snapshot of the wide and varied range of support on offer to them.” Sarah added: “Whether you’re looking to consult with our experts, develop your people or drive innovation, I’d encourage you to start your day by attending this fast-paced, fun and engaging session. The format is just like speed dating – but without the chat up lines – and has been designed to make it quicker and easier for businesses to connect with the University’s many different support programmes. Simply choose your preferred 30-minute speed networking slot or come along to network at a time to suit you.” To book a free place, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/business-speed-support-free-networking-breakfast-event-tickets-617096721907

Livestock industry skills training enhanced by new facility at Askham Bryan

Stuart Pearcey
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Livestock industry skills training enhanced by new facility at Askham Bryan

New £2.7 million facilities to train students in the latest high tech livestock industry skills have been launched at Askham Bryan College in York.

Around 35 business, education and civic leaders attended the opening of a £1.7m precision livestock facility and a £1m Digital Skills Academy. Tim Whitaker, Chief Executive Officer and Principal, Askham Bryan College, said: “This new high tech facilities will benefit our students and employers. Individually and collectively, we are all custodians for our environment and the demand for sympathetic management of that environment, be it for food production, environmental protection, crisis management or future planning, will be paramount to a stable, sustainable future. “It is vital that our curriculum keeps pace and equips our students with new higher level technical skills that support the region’s employers.” The £1.7 million precision livestock facility has been funded by the Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology. Comprising a calf rearing facility and beef grower unit, and a teaching and learning space, the state-of-the-art equipment is being used by diploma and degree level students studying at University Centre Askham Bryan. The facility takes a fully digitised approach to sustainable high welfare farming. Students complete research and make animal husbandry and welfare decisions based on real time data. This includes recording each animal’s growth and health including its food and water intake via electronic wearable devices. The £1 million Digital Skills Academy is funded by York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership through the government’s Getting Building Fund. The academy focuses on equipping students, and those already in the workforce, with enhanced skills in line with emerging digital technology industry trends. The facilities include immersive technology such as virtual reality headsets, the use of augmented reality, as well as environmental management applications of lidar scanning. David Dickson, Chair of York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Place & Infrastructure Board, said: “The Digital Skills Academy is an excellent development. It gives the current and future workforce the tools they, and their employers, need to flourish. York and North Yorkshire has ambitions to be a greener, fairer and stronger economy, and schemes such as these will help us get there.”

Cash injection will help workplace health advisors meet growing demand

Tess Egginton
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Cash injection will help workplace health advisors meet growing demand

A Rotherham firm that helps employers to reduce work-related ill health has secured a £125,000 loan from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

The funding will enable Workplace Scientifics to invest in new equipment and meet the growing demand for its occupational hygiene services. The company – which advises on ways to mitigate workplace hazards such as noise, vibration, hazardous substances and chemicals – was founded in 2020 by entrepreneurs Dave Lombardi and Thomas Wood, who have a background in the industry.

They set out to deliver services in a different way, offering ongoing support to help employers improve safety, in addition to providing one-off assessments. The company now employs a team of eight and serves a growing list of clients including Masonite, Magnet, Howmet Airspace, Severfield and Phillips 66. The funding will enable it to create three new jobs over the next six months and provide additional working capital to take on new contracts.

Thomas Wood believes companies are increasingly seeing the value in taking a pro-active approach to health at work. “Authorities are taking a tougher stance on worker health protection. Breaching the rules can cost millions, but perhaps more importantly, attitudes are changing. Organisations are taking worker health more seriously and understanding their moral duties to create safer working environments,” he explains.

“As occupational hygiene practitioners, we not only help employers to identify hazards that might otherwise go unnoticed, but also situations where they are taking unnecessary precautions, which can be wasteful and costly. For example, we visited one business where the workers had worn disposable ear defenders for years, which was uncomfortable and created lots of plastic waste. We were able to find ways to reduce the factory noise to a level where hearing protection was no longer required. Each company is different and it is about having the right measures in place.”

Andy Tyas of Mercia said: “Employers increasingly recognise the value of good working practices in safeguarding their reputation and the health of their workforce, and reducing absence and staff turnover. Dave and Thomas are passionate about delivering a high-quality, expert service. The business has gained rapid traction since its launch and its services are in growing demand. This funding will help them to invest in new equipment and expand the team to support its continued growth.”

Julia Wilkinson of Funding Round provided fundraising advice to the company.

Run With It charity names Hull businessman as new chair

Tess Egginton
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Run With It charity names Hull businessman as new chair

A charity which provides educational support for young people across East Yorkshire has appointed Shaun Watts as its new chair.

Shaun, who is chairman of Hull-based Chameleon Business Interiors, succeeds Wykeland Group’s Dominic Gibbons who has been an integral part of the Run With It charity for over ten years.

Run With It, based at the MKM stadium in Hull, focuses on raising the levels of literacy and numeracy in the region. Indeed, since it was established over twenty years ago, it has helped over two thousand young people by getting them out of the traditional classroom for real-life experiences which support their studies.

Shaun said: “I feel privileged to assume the role of chair for this exceptional charity.  Witnessing the profound impact that Run With It has on the lives of young children is truly remarkable and I am convinced that the organisation has the potential to make an even greater difference by providing invaluable support to thousands more children in the future.”

Working with schools and education providers, including special needs and adult learners, all programmes are designed to support the delivery of the national curriculum.

Lisa Dawson, who set up the charity, says she is looking forward to working alongside Shaun.

“We are so pleased that Shaun has accepted the position as our new chair. It will be great to have a fresh set of eyes at board level as we look ahead to our future growth.    

“Not all children respond to the classroom environment so, with our programmes, they often don’t even realise they are learning and improving all the time. We have had great success over the years.

“All of a sudden they understand the purpose of what they are being taught at school because they are seeing it in a real-life, practical context. In addition, we help with self-esteem, mental wellbeing and key workplace skills that they are going to need both now and in the future.

“We’d also like to say a big thank you to Dominic Gibbons for all the help, support and commitment he has given us, getting us set up as a charity and establishing our Board of Trustees.”

Meanwhile, Wykeland remains on the board with finance director Ian Franks becoming a registered trustee.

The charity has three separate locations which act as backdrops for their learning programmes: Hull’s MKM stadium, the Flemingate shopping centre in Beverley and Bridlington Town Football Club.

Over twenty local businesses already support the charity across the three sites, but the charity is looking for more to come on board in order to help even more young people across the region.

Officials alert businesses to introduction of ‘Martyn’s Law’

Stuart Pearcey
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Officials alert businesses to introduction of ‘Martyn’s Law’
Officers from North East Lincolnshire Council, Humberside Police, Counter Terrorism Policing, and Equans have visited Grimsby Town Centre businesses to raise awareness around counter-terrorism and promote the Governments “Run Hide Tell” message ahead of the expected implementation of Martyn’s Law. Martyn’s Law is expected to come into effect in the coming months, and follows the Manchester Arena terror attack in 2017, in which 22 people died. The proposed law would introduce responsibilities for business premises of a certain size to consider additional measures to safeguard customers and staff. This could include additional security training for employees and introducing lock down procedures in the event of a terrorist attack to safeguard the public. A spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council said: “Whilst the risk of an attack in our part of the world is thankfully very low, it is important that local businesses understand what they can do to be as prepared as possible in the event of a terror attack. “We’re keen to support local businesses and retailers in readiness of any new legislation and have offered local face-to-face training in May to raise awareness and provide opportunity for them to raise any concerns and to ask any questions they may have.” Any businesses across North East Lincolnshire interested in signing up to training sessions to be held in May are encouraged to email nelcsp@nelincs.gov.uk.

Yorkshire funding and investment group backs property business

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire funding and investment group backs property business
Venturian Funding & Investment Group has backed property firm Home & Manor. The business will focus on sales, lettings and property management across residential and commercial property. Initially Yorkshire-centric, Home & Manor has much wider and far-reaching aspirations says co-founder Kelly Day: “Our intention is to grow rapidly within our initial Kirklees focus areas and progressively expand to other areas. “Our agency will be enabled by technology and data in a far more sophisticated way to the current estate agency market standard approach. We see this as giving us the tools to best serve our customers and to also map the areas where we can expand our business at speed.” Kelly, having more than 20 years’ experience in estate agency and property management herself, brings a wealth of knowledge to the business. Greg Allsopp, investment director at Venturian, added: “Home & Manor’s ambitions to become a technology led regional force in the property and property management marketplace is extremely exciting in an interesting marketplace. We have been looking for an agency business for a while. “Kelly brought us a compelling product combining the principles Kelly has set with our desire to have the business focussed on using technology and analytics at its core. We see this as providing some clear points of difference for the business for its customers, but also the platform for the quick growth of the business.” Co-founder Kelly Day said: “This has taken shape rapidly with Venturian quickly seeing the potential. I’m delighted to be working with them not only to consolidate our position in Kirklees, but to expedite our plans for regional and national expansion in our fields of expertise.”

Huddersfield direct marketing company set for Management Buyout

Tess Egginton
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Huddersfield direct marketing company set for Management Buyout
The founder and long-time CEO of Huddersfield-based Propack Direct Mail, a direct marketing company, is retiring from the business. In his place, Jason Clough will be taking on the company as part of a Management Buyout (MBO), with the full support and approval of Neil Lloyd. Lloyd founded Propack Direct Mail over 28 years ago, building the company from the ground up to become a leading player in the direct marketing industry. Under his leadership, Propack has grown to serve a wide range of clients, including: Tui, Travis Perkins, Mercedes-Benz, providing a range of services from creative design to printing, mailing and fulfilment. “It has been an incredible journey, building this business from scratch and watching it grow over the years,” said Lloyd. “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved, and I am excited to see what the future holds for Propack under Jason’s ownership.” Clough has been with Propack since 2006, working his way up through the ranks to become Managing Director. He has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth and success in recent years, and Lloyd has full confidence in his ability to lead the business into the future. “I am honoured and humbled to be taking on this role, and I am committed to continuing the success that Neil has built at Propack,” said Clough. “We have a fantastic team in place, and we are committed to helping our clients communicate effectively and increase their revenue.” The Management Buyout will see Clough taking full control of Propack Direct Mail, with Lloyd stepping down from his position as CEO. The deal has been in the works for several months, and has been approved by all relevant parties. “We are confident that Jason has the vision, drive and expertise to lead Propack to even greater success in the future,” said Lloyd. “I wish him and the whole team all the best for the future.”

Levelling Up grant to bring Hull heritage building back into use

Tess Egginton
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Levelling Up grant to bring Hull heritage building back into use
A pop-up arts and culture venue will be created thanks to Levelling Up Funding from Hull City Council. A grant of £76,418.81 has been awarded to Fruit Market LLP to help bring back into use 66-68 Humber Street. The heritage building will become 1-2 Pier Street and will be used as a pop-up space for the arts and cultural scene. Renovations will include the installation of a new shop front, a new roof, cladding to the walls, a renovated interior, installation of heating and cooling systems, plumbing works and the fitting of fire systems and fire doors. Garry Taylor, assistant director for major projects, culture and place at Hull City Council, said: “The council is delighted to be able to award this funding to Fruit Market LLP. “It’s pleasing to see another unused building being brought back into use, whilst also supporting the city’s flourishing arts and culture scene.” The regeneration of the Fruit Market is being led by Wykeland Beal, a company formed by commercial developer Wykeland Group and housebuilder Beal Homes, as part of the Fruit Market LLP joint venture with Hull City Council.

Esh secures £60m new refurbishment contracts

Tess Egginton
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Esh secures £60m new refurbishment contracts
Leeds-based contractor, Esh Construction, is set to deliver more than £60 million refurbishment work for registered social housing providers following a series of contract awards. Clients including Thirteen Group, Broadacres Housing Association and Riverside have appointed Esh to deliver refurbishment and upgrade works to housing stock across the North East, Tees Valley and North Yorkshire. Boasting more than 20 years of experience delivering refurbishment schemes across the region, Esh has secured a place on Thirteen’s Capital Delivery Framework which will see £50 million of home improvements delivered throughout the next five years. The framework is part of Thirteen’s £150 million home investment programme. Colin Ford, operations director at Esh Construction, said: “We pride ourselves on maintaining successful working relationships with our clients and we are delighted to have secured several notable contract awards to kickstart 2023. “We look forward to working collaboratively with our clients to improve living conditions for tenants, while building on our extensive experience of delivering refurbishment works for more than two-decades.” In North Yorkshire, Esh is set to commence work on a five-year kitchen and bathroom programme for Broadacres Housing Association, marking the first refurbishment contract with Broadacres in 14 years. More than 1,300 properties will benefit from the work undertaken. A retirement living investment programme for Riverside adds to the pipeline, which will see Esh refurbish two occupied residential developments. The first scheme is located in South Shields and will include the installation of bathrooms, mechanical and electrical works, and refurbishment of communal areas. The first project to get underway via Thirteen’s Capital Delivery Framework is the £5.9 million Holmes V project, with another four in the pipeline for the coming months. Modernisation works will be delivered in more than 400 homes across the estate in Thornaby with residents benefitting from new kitchens, electrical rewires and boilers. Ford added: “At Esh, we are committed to making a lasting difference within the communities surrounding our developments through our ethos of employing local, supporting local, engaging local and procuring local. “Each new contract award will allow us to create employment opportunities and generate a significant amount of work for our local supply chain, while also delivering social value initiatives such as volunteering and donations, school and college engagement, and training opportunities.”

Profitable seafront hotel in Redcar sold

Tess Egginton
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Profitable seafront hotel in Redcar sold
The seafront Park Hotel in Redcar has been sold. Positioned near the town centre, the hotel has steadily grown in popularity under the ownership of Lee and Claire Dexter. The property boasts panoramic coastal views throughout its 32 bedrooms and large bar and restaurant. Former owner, Lee Dexter, says: “Claire and I have owned The Park Hotel for 20 years and we have enjoyed some great times. We felt that the time had come to focus on other business interests and we are proud to pass on a very popular hotel with a healthy trade and profits. We wish the new owners all the best in their venture.” The hotel has been purchased by Redpark Leisure. A spokesperson advises: “We have always known and been aware of this fantastic hotel and restaurant, so we were delighted when it became available. Such well known businesses do not come up very often and we very much hope to build upon the good work of Lee and Claire and continue the hotel in the years to come.” Handling the sale for the Dexters was Christie & Co hotel director, Mark Worley. He says: “I have known Lee and Claire for many years and have kept them updated and appraised of the hotel market, both on a local and regional basis. I am so pleased to have been able to sell the hotel for them especially as I know that it will remain as a hotel and it is in good hands with investment planned to ensure its longevity.”
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