Business startup support offers window of opportunity for stained glass conservers

Stuart Pearcey
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Business startup support offers window of opportunity for stained glass conservers

A ‘start and grow’ scheme operated to help new businesses has opened a window of opportunity for a stained glass studio in York.

Woodside Stained Glass was created by Megan Barnett and Zoe Harrigan, who conserve and restore panels of glass that can date back several centuries, as well as making new stained glass commissions.

As newcomers to business they have been supported in its early business stages by a startup programme commissioned by City of York Council through Momentic’s Start and Grow York programme, commissioned through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to deliver tailor-made support for start-ups and early-stage businesses in the city.

As newcomers to setting up a business, Zoe and Megan faced received advice from Lydiatt, Business Advisor at Momentic, on everything from the practicalities of getting formally registered as a business to developing their marketing and sales strategies and identifying initial priorities to focus on. With Steven’s advice, the pair felt more confident in making key business decisions, like opting to outsource finances to an accountant rather than handling everything themselves. The business is looking into ways to help preserve their craft for future generations. Having already taken on two interns from the University of York over the summer, Megan and Zoe are hoping to explore working with apprentices as well as running public workshops and community engagement projects to help as many people as possible engage with stained glass. Claire Foale, Interim Director of City Development at City of York Council, said: “It’s great to see how our UKSPF partners like Momentic are helping businesses of all shapes and sizes to get a foot in the door as they get established, and grow, in our city. “For centuries, York has been world renown for the skill and quality of our stained glass.  With more medieval stained glass in the city than anywhere in the UK, stained glass is part of the city’s DNA. It’s fantastic to see how people like Megan and Zoe are now carrying on this legacy, literally making history everyday as they provide opportunities for the next generation of craftspeople to ensure that this at-risk trade survives for future generations to enjoy over the centuries to come.”

Hospitality venues urged to put effective tech on the menu in run-up to Christmas

Stuart Pearcey
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Hospitality venues urged to put effective tech on the menu in run-up to Christmas

As hospitality venues gear up to the festive season, almost half believe they will achieve their revenue targets this year, with a further 30% on track to exceed expectations.

That’s according to new data from payments technology company, Dojo, which reveals that more than half of managers forecast at least 10% revenue growth.

They see payments technology is key to continuing this growth trajectory, with one in five saying operational efficiency can be improved through better technology integration – the top opportunity in the next year.

Jon Knott, Head of Research & Market Insights at Dojo, said: “While there are positive signs from the hospitality industry that it’s seeing some shoots of recovery, many venues have been impacted by economic and technological turbulence. This year has seen a 139% growth in reservation numbers, underlining the pressure on hospitality businesses to deliver for their customers and the opportunity that awaits them should their payment systems maintain their reliability and performance.

“Bars and restaurants need to ensure that every customer touch point via technology, from the booking system to paying the bill, is seamless, reliable and pain-free. Investment in reliable technology and digital tools will be critical to the hospitality industry’s growth in 2025.”

One in five venues said payment failures or downtime were of particular concern, with payment system failures disrupting over half of businesses every week.  In July, about 8.5 million systems crashed in one outage alone, described as the largest outage in history.

Efficient time management: key tools for busy executives in Yorkshire

Tess Egginton
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Efficient time management: key tools for busy executives in Yorkshire
Mastering time management is vital for busy executives, particularly in Yorkshire, where thriving local industries demand focused leadership and effective planning. Whether you’re steering a manufacturing firm in Sheffield, managing an agricultural business in Lincolnshire, or overseeing operations in the bustling corporate sector in Leeds, the pressure to balance meetings, deadlines, and decisions can be relentless. However, honing effective time management skills tailored to regional challenges can enhance productivity and foster growth across these dynamic counties. Understanding Time Management Tools Time management tools encompass a range of resources designed to streamline tasks, crucial for executives managing diverse operations in Yorkshire. These include digital planners, prioritisation frameworks, and project management applications. Utilising project management software can enhance communication and transparency among team members, whether you’re coordinating operations in Leeds, overseeing projects in Grimsby, or managing teams spread across rural and urban areas. Meanwhile, time-tracking applications shed light on how you spend your day, providing invaluable insights for identifying inefficiencies and optimising workflows. In fact, many professionals in the region find that enrolling in a time management course offered by local business hubs or training centres provides deeper insights into leveraging these tools effectively. Incorporating these tools can transform your approach to daily tasks. They foster a more collaborative team environment and improve overall outcomes, helping executives navigate the unique challenges of Yorkshire’s dynamic business landscape. Prioritisation Techniques for Yorkshire Executives Effective prioritisation is crucial for executives in the region, where diverse industries coexist, and priorities often shift rapidly. From balancing export demands in Humber ports to overseeing infrastructure projects in Leeds, categorising tasks based on urgency and importance is key. Delegating less critical responsibilities allows executives to focus on strategic initiatives that benefit their organisation and the local economy. For example, in Lincolnshire’s agricultural sector, prioritising tasks during harvest seasons can make or break the year’s productivity. Scheduling for Maximum Impact in Yorkshire Yorkshire’s unique business landscapes demand structured schedules. Executives overseeing operations in multiple locations, such as logistics in Doncaster and food production in Grimsby, benefit greatly from time-blocking techniques. Assigning specific time slots for high-priority tasks ensures uninterrupted focus amidst a busy schedule. Incorporate regular breaks into your day to maintain high energy levels, especially when travelling between Yorkshire’s urban centres or Lincolnshire’s rural areas. A brief walk in one of the region’s scenic locales, such as the Yorkshire Wolds or Lincolnshire’s coastline, can refresh your mind and boost creativity. Digital calendars are invaluable for scheduling across regions, allowing you to coordinate meetings in Hull, factory visits in Scunthorpe, and strategy sessions in Harrogate. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your schedule ensures alignment with regional objectives and avoids last-minute conflicts. Cultivating the Right Mindset for Local Success Time management success in Yorkshire extends beyond tools—it requires a positive and adaptable mindset. Treating time as a valuable resource reflects the ethos of these industrious counties, where efficient planning drives success in manufacturing, retail, and agriculture alike. Mindfulness practices can enhance awareness of time management habits, helping you identify areas for improvement. Reflecting on your daily activities and staying present enables you to adapt to the fast-paced changes often seen in Yorkshire’s dynamic business environments. With these tips in mind, executives across Yorkshire can lead their organisations to success, fostering growth and innovation in the heart of England’s economic powerhouse.

Frontier Software named as supplier on G-Cloud 14 Framework

Tess Egginton
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0
Frontier Software named as supplier on G-Cloud 14 Framework
Frontier Software have been named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s G-Cloud 14 Framework, Lot 2: Cloud software, for applications that are accessed over the internet or private network and hosted in the cloud. G-Cloud 14 is an online catalogue hosted on the Digital Marketplace. It offers a quick and easy way for the UK public sector to procure and organisations using the frameworks can make purchases without a lengthy procurement or tender process. Crown Commercial Service (CCS) supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2023/24, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits equal to £4.9 billion – supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers. Frontier Software has 40 years of experience in the provision of HR & Payroll software/services and is pleased to be a named as a supplier on the framework. The Frontier Software ichris software (International Comprehensive Human Resource Integrated Software) is a functionally rich, highly configurable, and fully integrated system for cloud or on-premise. The company has offices across the UK, including one in Nottingham providing outsourced payroll services to a wide range of organisations across all market sectors.

Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult gets new CEO from Sheffield’s AMRC

Stuart Pearcey
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Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult gets new CEO from Sheffield’s AMRC
The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult has appointed Steve Foxley as Chief Exec, to replace Andrew Jamieson. He will take up the post early next year. Steve is currently the CEO of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, having also led Siemens Building Technologies Division. ORE Catapult Chair Ronnie Bonnar said: “Steve’s extensive national and international experience of driving innovation, investment and growth will be a huge asset not just to ORE Catapult but to the whole of the offshore renewable energy sector. “His experience of working within the Innovate UK Catapult Network will also ensure ever greater collaboration across the Network, delivering massive benefits to the UK as we look to scale up offshore wind to meet our Net Zero goals and become a clean energy superpower”. Steve Foxley said: “Offshore wind is a sector that has long held my fascination for its capacity to regenerate forgotten communities; to provide green energy to homes and businesses; to push the boundaries of innovation, and to make industrial scale impact globally. “I am very much looking forward to joining the team at ORE Catapult to support this critical sector and to deliver on the country‘s ambitions.”

Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority takes another step forward

Tess Egginton
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0
Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority takes another step forward
The Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) has taken another significant step forward, after the relevant order was laid by the Government in Parliament. This formal, legal step will allow closer working across the region on key strategic priorities to boost the local economy. The MCA will be led by an elected Mayor, with voters going to the polls on Thursday 1 May 2025. Elections will then take place every four years. The Chief Executive of Hull City Council, Matt Jukes, said: “I am delighted that we have moved another step closer to unlocking vital empowerment and investment for our region, which are two of the many benefits that devolution will bring. “The creation of the Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority will bring with it more powers to make big decisions locally. “Representatives from the city council are helping to form the MCA, and we are working hard with our colleagues in the East Riding to make the preparations for the Mayoral election.” The interim Chief Executive of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Alan Menzies, said: “It’s fantastic to see this landmark step in the devolution process. “We look forward to working with the new authority to ensure that devolution delivers real benefits and unlocks investment for our region. “We will work closely with the new authority and Hull City Council, to manage the election and to maximise the benefits of devolution in the years ahead.” Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council will both retain their independence, continuing their work as separate councils as normal alongside the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority. The new MCA will take on powers relating to transport, where it will become the Local Transport Authority for the area, allowing it to develop a single strategic transport plan for the North Bank of the Humber. A £400 million investment fund will be available to the MCA, money that is moving from central Government to decision-makers in the area.

Education solutions firm The Twinkl Group acquires Natterhub

Tess Egginton
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0
Education solutions firm The Twinkl Group acquires Natterhub
Sheffield-based The Twinkl Group, which provides teaching and learning resources, has acquired Natterhub, an interactive, gated platform that gives schools and parents all they need to teach learners how to stay safe online and be responsible digital citizens. By providing a ‘sandbox’ for pupils to practise navigating the digital world, Natterhub embeds crucial online safety discussions and experiences into the curriculum, rather than isolated events that limit engagement. The platform provides interactive social media-like features, as well as impactful lessons that resonate with students – making learning, and the discussions about online safety, more meaningful and effective. “With reports showing children are spending more time online than ever before, there is added pressure to equip them with the knowledge to explore the digital world safely,” said Caroline Allams, co-founder and Product Director, Natterhub. “Meanwhile, new technologies such as AI are increasingly inuencing how children develop social and emotional skills. Joining the Twinkl ecosystem will allow us to help schools better address these challenges and prepare the next generation.” Natterhub adds to The Twinkl Group’s existing B2B education offerings used by schools and multi-academy trusts around the world – including Twinkl resources, Twinkl Phonics Training, and online assessment tool Educake. “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Natterhub and look forward to helping them grow and have an even bigger impact,” said Jonathan Seaton, founder and CEO of The Twinkl Group. “This marks a signicant step forward in Twinkl’s ongoing mission to help those that teach, allowing us to address even more challenges for schools, educators, parents, and students alike.”

New youth enterprise hub to be developed in Hull

Tess Egginton
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0
New youth enterprise hub to be developed in Hull
Hull City Council is engaging with contractors to help create a new youth enterprise hub and business incubation facility in the city centre. The council has allocated £1.5m of government funding for the refurbishment of 161 High Street. The plans will be developed by the council’s Building and Design Services and initial works will focus on regenerating the ground and first floors of 161 High Street to be used as a hub for young entrepreneurs. The new project aims to support start-up businesses and entrepreneurialism in the city. It also ties into Hull’s community plan to help create an enterprise culture which is vital to establishing a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive economy for Hull. Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, the council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “The development of a new youth enterprise hub at 161 High Street is great news for the city’s economy. “As a council, we want to grow Hull’s economy and by investing in young people and enterprise, we’re doing just that. “This new hub will provide a much-needed friendly and welcoming space for young people from all over Hull to grow their skill base and self-confidence by learning from local business experts and inspiring peers. “The aim is that, for whatever length of their engagement with the hub, young people come out of it better prepared for the world of work.”

West Yorkshire Mayor pledges almost £90m to unlock new homes

Tess Egginton
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0
West Yorkshire Mayor pledges almost £90m to unlock new homes
A multi-million pound programme is supporting the delivery of thousands of new homes across West Yorkshire. Speaking at the largest annual gathering of Northern social housing leaders in Leeds, regional Mayor Tracy Brabin pledged almost £90 million by March next year to help unlock over 5,400 new homes. The funding is being distributed to housing providers working across 28 sites in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield. Work is already in progress or completed on 16 projects, with work on the remaining 12 due to start before March 2025. The developments on previously developed, disused “brownfield” land include:
  • Saxton Lane in Leeds, which will deliver 204 new, affordable apartments
  • Newport House in Wakefield, which has delivered 37 new, affordable apartments
  • Cow Green in Calderdale, which will deliver 122 new homes
  • Manchester Road in Bradford, which will deliver 107 new, affordable homes
  • Plane Street in Kirklees, which will deliver 30 new homes
In her keynote address at the Northern Housing Consortium’s (NHC) summit, Mayor Brabin warned that the funding was a “sticking plaster” over the region’s housing crisis, with over 80,000 households on waiting lists for a council home, and over 1,500 households living in unsuitable temporary accommodation. However, she struck an optimistic tone, pointing to a landmark partnership with Homes England to boost the delivery of 38,000 homes on brownfield land, and the Deputy Prime Minister’s pledge to build 1.5 million new homes, including the biggest increase in social and affordable housing for a generation. Speaking at the NHC Northern Housing Summit, Mayor Tracy Brabin said: “This is personal for me. Growing up in a safe and secure council flat was the foundation on which my life was built, and I want every child in West Yorkshire to have that start in life. “It’s unacceptable that we have hundreds of children in temporary accommodation, doing their homework on the bathroom floors of hotel rooms, because working families have been priced out of having a roof over their head. “We’re turning the tide with almost £90 million to build 5,400 new homes on brownfield land, but we could unlock 38,000 more with the right freedoms and flexibilities from the government. “Working together with our dedicated housing partners and the Deputy Prime Minister, we’ll build a greener, more secure region with thousands more affordable and sustainable homes.” Under the previous government, each new brownfield housing development had to demonstrate financial benefits that outweighed the cost, making it difficult for regional leaders to back new housing projects in areas where the land values are relatively low. Tweaking this “cost benefit rule” to look at the overall financial benefit of multiple sites, instead of each site on its own, would allow for more housebuilding opportunities across the whole of West Yorkshire, not just in certain areas of high land value. The new Government has pledged to “Get Britain Building” by reforming the national planning system and giving greater flexibilities to local areas, with West Yorkshire leaders hoping to build an additional 38,000 new homes on brownfield land, for which planning permission has already been secured. Cllr Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Place, Regeneration and Housing Committee, said: “Thousands more families are living in safe, secure, and affordable homes because of the decisions of our West Yorkshire Mayor in partnership with local Councils. We’ve really made the most of the powers and funding devolved to our region so far. “But now we need to accelerate this work even more. For too long, strict Government rules over where our brownfield housing fund is spent have blocked our plans. This has limited too much of what we’ve been able to achieve to places where land values are already high. “With the backing of a new Government, and the promise of greater flexibility in how we can make decisions, we can build 38,000 new homes. That is at the heart of delivering a region which everyone can be proud to call home.”

Government makes £3bn available for housebuilders in new support package

Stuart Pearcey
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Government makes £3bn available for housebuilders in new support package
A new £3bn support package for housebuilders has been launched by the government to help builders apply for more accessible loans, reducing the risk for lenders and encouraging them to increase the supply of credit for housebuilders. It’s hoped that housands of new homes will be delivered across the country as a result, supporting the ambition to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years. This includes doubling the ENABLE Build scheme to £2 billion so smaller housebuilders and firms can support the delivery of over 10,000 new homes, including more student accommodation and specialised housing for older people, in areas most in need. Build-to-Rent developers will also see the Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme reopen at the end of the year, with nearly £2 billion available to ramp up housebuilding. A broader variety of projects will be eligible to access additional lending, so more housing projects can be completed without unnecessary delays. Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said: “SME housebuilders and Build to Rent operators have a crucial role to play in delivering the government’s target of 1.5 million new homes in this parliament. “The significant additional support provided by our housing guarantee schemes will enable them to access low-cost loans and support the building of thousands of new homes across the country”. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “SME house builders have a crucial role to play in helping to deliver the Government’s ambitious target to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. In recent years, small house builders have faced a particularly difficult set of financial challenges. Diversification of the UK’s housing market is essential to deliver the number of homes needed. “The Government’s announcement providing greater support for small housebuilders is welcome news. For the Government’s plans to succeed, it will be crucial that this lending is available for those small house builders who need it most and can build the homes this country needs.”
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