Mansfield Pollard CEO wins national recognition
The CEO of Bradford-based Mansfield Pollard has been included in the 2024 E2E Female 100 Track in association with The Independent.
She’s Louise Frankland, who said: “Being recognised on the E2E Female 100 Track is not just a personal accolade; it’s a testament to the extraordinary capabilities and dedication of our entire team at Mansfield Pollard.
“This recognition shines a spotlight on the UK’s manufacturing industry, underscoring its significance on a national scale. Together, we’ve fostered a winning culture that drives innovation and excellence, propelling us forward in these challenging times. It’s an honour to be listed among such remarkable enterprises, and this achievement highlights the relentless spirit and hard work of every member of our team.
Shalini Khemka, founder of E2E said: “The E2E Female 100 has allowed us to highlight the amazing companies throughout the UK with a turnover in excess of £25million. These are companies that despite a challenging economy and in fact a challenging few years, have generated exceptional turnover results and are continuing to grow at a rapid rate.”
APSS sponsors prestigious county swimming championship
The annual Lincolnshire Open Water County Championship returns for a 3rd year, sponsored by Lincoln-based commercial interior design and fit out business APSS Group.
The event on 16th June at Activities Away, South Hykeham, organised by the Lincolnshire Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and Swim England, is seen as a springboard for swimmers who want to compete at a regional and national level.
APSS Group’s Commercial Manager Sean Cuffley will be one of the estimated 100 swimmers of all ages and abilities taking part.
Managing Director Laurence Barrass said: “APSS Group is committed to giving back to the local community and contributing to the growth of the sport within the county.
“We’re pleased to be sponsoring the championship for the second year in a row. Last year was a huge success with competitors and spectators from across the county coming together on the day.
“We’re looking forward to seeing everyone take part, including Sean. In 2023 he came fourth overall and was county champion in the 35 to 44 age group. We’re very proud of his achievements.”
The annual Lincolnshire Open Water County Championship attracts some of the top swimmers in the region and is open to age groups 11 to 17 years and 18 plus.
Suzy Hegg, Lincolnshire County Swimming’s Open Water Officer, said: “Open water swimming is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, and Lincolnshire is committed to developing swimmers to compete in and out of the pool.
“We have added a new para-swimming category this year as we want this event to be as inclusive as possible.
“Last year’s event was a record year for the championships. We had 79 competitors (46 Age Group and 33 Masters). The competitors came from nine separate clubs around the county. The youngest was 11 and the oldest 71.
“The county championship’s aim is to provide a springboard to other competitions, and we achieved that goal. Following the event 14 went on to regional championships and five qualified for English National Open Water Championships.
“The 2024 Lincolnshire open water competition is a week before the regionals, so this provides the perfect platform and vital practice ahead of this event.
“We are hopeful for an even bigger event this year and we are targeting 100 of the best swimmers from the county.
“With the help of our sponsor APSS, we have significantly raised the profile of open water swimming in Lincolnshire.”
Appointments and promotions made at Aon’s Leeds office
Aon plc, a professional services firm, has made four appointments and two promotions in its Leeds advisory commercial risk team following a period of growth.
Aon has appointed Jessica Kelly and Lee Maddison to client director. Jessica and Lee, who have 25 years and 10 years’ experience respectively, will be responsible for managing existing client relationships and business development.
In addition, Emily Gray and Lucy Joyce join as client service advisers. With 20 and 13 years’ experience respectively, they will be responsible for broking and placement of new business, renewals and mid-term adjustments for commercial risk clients.
Leading the promotions is Cheryl Archibald, who has been promoted to client service manager. In the five years since joining Aon, Cheryl has held the role of senior broker and successfully completed her Chartered Insurance Institute Diploma.
In her new role, Cheryl will oversee a team of client service advisers, manage a book of clients and advise them on all aspects of commercial risk insurance. In addition, William Mason has been promoted to client service adviser after relocating from Peterborough to Leeds.
James Fell, head of office, Aon Leeds, said: “Congratulations to everyone on their well-deserved promotions and welcome to our new colleagues, who, with their wealth of experience, local market knowledge and expertise, have further strengthened the advisory team.
“By acquiring and nurturing highly skilled talent and creating a supportive culture that places colleagues at the heart of the business, we continue to invest in our capabilities and ensure that our clients receive a top class service.”
Cheryl Archibald, client service manager in Aon advisory, said: “I love working at Aon. Being a part of a supportive culture that fosters talent by providing a clear development plan has resulted in my promotion.
“Aon is an excellent employer and I am grateful and pleased that they have recognised my hard work and promoted me to client service manager.”
More than £6m AI upskilling fund launched to help SMEs
From today (1 May) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can bid for a share of £6.4 million to help train their workforce to use artificial intelligence and in turn boost productivity and efficiency.
Sectors set to benefit include law, accountancy, scientific research and human resources, with the UK Government making up to £10,000 available for each business so they can embrace cutting edge and efficiency boosting new technology.
SMEs in these areas will be able to tap into the power of AI to streamline tasks, boost productivity, and drive growth. This could include accountants using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to draft documents, develop new software which could help to tackle fraud, and legal professionals harnessing the power of AI to analyse lengthy documents such as contracts to provide concise summaries, freeing up time to focus on other critical areas.
By adopting the enormous potential of AI technologies, SMEs across the country will be able to not only improve productivity and drive down costs, but to devote more time to identifying new areas of growth which will deliver new and improved services for consumers.
Expected to support around 2,000 SMEs across the country, businesses employing under 250 staff can now apply for the support, which will see successful applicants reimbursed for up to 50% of the cost of investment in AI skills training.
The move is to future-proof these businesses and incentivise investment in AI skills to ensure they retain a competitive edge through increased productivity and reduced costs, as they begin to integrate AI into their operations – building a pool of technological talent alongside supporting employee growth and development.
Whilst human supervision, judgement, creativity and empathy remain vital requirements in the workplace, augmenting AI into monotonous tasks like inputting data and filling out paperwork can increase speed and efficiency and play a major part in increasing business productivity.
Delivered through the UK Government’s Flexible AI Upskilling Fund, the pilot launched today will support SMEs in the Professional and Business Services (PBS) sector, with SMEs encouraged to apply between now and 31 May for grant funding to deliver training before March 2025.
Businesses specialising in professional services such as law, accounting and market research, alongside those providing business services such as HR, administration and leasing consumer goods are already seeing some of the benefits AI can bring to their day-to-day operations. This includes analysing large volumes of text, answering customer service queries and generating images and text for a variety of applications, including advertising campaigns, contracts and blog posts.
AI is also having a huge impact in specialised areas like drafting legal documents for law firms and creating virtual renderings for architects.
While smaller enterprises often acknowledge the benefits AI can bring to business operations, many require support when it comes to identifying the training employees should undertake to suit business needs.
The AI Skills for Business Framework, also launching today, will help businesses to grip the huge opportunities AI has to offer, driving innovation and future-proofing their workforce.
With the support of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Innovate UK and The Alan Turing Institute have developed this new framework for businesses, to identify the skills and knowledge their employees might need to use AI in the workplace and make the most of emerging technologies.
Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “Businesses of all sizes and across all sectors, from architecture to law and HR to advertising, are identifying the huge benefits that AI can bring in helping staff boost their productivity while cutting business costs.
“I have launched this new pilot to help SMEs interested in AI adoption make it a reality by contributing towards the cost of upskilling their employees – ultimately increasing efficiency so companies can retain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world.”
Vinyl record manufacturing start-up takes on new premises in York
Start-up business Vinyl Press UK Ltd has leased 2,500 sq ft premises at Monks Cross – the first pressing plant of its kind in the city of York.
Vinyl Press was established by musical entrepreneurs Lucy Johnson (managing director), Neville Proctor (financial director), and Susie Proctor (director), who realised an opportunity to offer smaller to mid-sized labels with much needed vinyl record manufacturing facilities in the north of England.
The opening of the facility coincides with demand for vinyl records having increased for the 16th year in a row last year, with 6.5 million sold, taking overall sales above £170m. Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was the best-selling LP, followed by the Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds.
Vinyl Press has launched the business with a small team but expects to recruit several more members of staff within the next 12 months as the company’s order book and client roster grows. The client list already extends into Europe, and they have quickly become part of a global network of manufacturers and industry experts.
Lucy Johnson said: “I have been involved in the music industry for over two decades, so we’re absolutely delighted to see vinyl records enjoying a renaissance in the mainstream and among the younger generations across the UK.
“Since opening the doors to our new pressing facility, we have produced several records of different sizes and colours for a wide range of genres, from drum and bass and jazz, to punk and folk.
“As well as working with established record labels, we’re keen to develop relationships with smaller independent record labels to find ways to make vinyl production more accessible again on a grass roots level.”
Neville Proctor said: “It’s an exciting time to start manufacturing in the music industry. Our goal is to establish relationships with our customers and consistently produce high quality records whilst also innovating and exploring the creative possibilities so integral to physical music releases.”
Chris Waterhouse, real estate and property partner at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, said: “Having acted for the Proctor family for over 20 years, it has been particularly pleasing to assist Neville, Lucy and Susie with Vinyl Press and to ensure that their best interests are protected as tenants. I wish them the very best for their new venture.”
Free business briefings bid to boost region’s digital economy
A series of free business briefings set up to drive the development of the region’s digital economy is expecting another full house next week for its milestone tenth event.
Organisers of Hull’s Power Hour have again assembled a trio of digital marketing experts from top Yorkshire agencies who will present to the audience at Social in Hull on “Why Creative Matters”.
Will Slater, Creative Content Specialist at host agency 43 Clicks North, will offer “Ten tips to improve your copy prised from the terrible claws of the Gruffalo”.
Josh Hedges, Founder and Director or another Hull-based agency beHuman, will speak to the theme of “Connecting the dots: How to maximise revenue, minimise ad costs and build brand equity with creative strategy.”
Samm King, Paid Social Analyst at Leeds-based agency Journey Further, is expected to explore some quirky content ideas with “Storyselling to Storytelling: Centring the User in Social Creative”.
Power Hour was launched by 43 Clicks North as a post-pandemic quarterly event to present top tech talent from East Yorkshire alongside some of the key players from bigger cities. All eight sessions have taken place at Social in Humber Street, Hull, and have attracted audiences of around 100 people from digital agencies and their clients across a range of business sectors.
Mike Ellis, MD of 43 Clicks North, said the event is doubly significant as the tenth Power Hour and as the latest to attract sponsorship, with Lexus Hull have agreed a partnership for the rest of 2024.
Mike said: “We’ve been building audiences ever since our first event and more recently we’ve been generating stronger interest from other business sectors. That’s really encouraging because it shows people outside our industry are increasingly aware of how we can help them, and that will help us drive the development of digital skills.”
Power Hour will take place at Social, Humber Street, Hull, at midday on Friday this week.
York firms support care leavers into employment
Young care leavers in York have been able to learn new skills, increase their independence and get life-enriching experiences thanks to the support of local businesses.
City of York Council has been working with local businesses to help care leavers gain access to work experience, training and employment opportunities.
The partnership has included GMI’s bespoke ‘Construction Cares’ Programme at York College, led by GMI Construction Group PLC, enabling young people to improve their DIY skills as they transition into independent living. Activities included learning how to hang shelves, putting on locks and door handles and painting and decorating.
GMI Construction Group PLC is one of a host of organisations across the UK which have signed up to the Care Leaver Covenant and is a Signatory Partner. The covenant is a national initiative which supports care leavers aged 16-25 to live independently, creating education, employment and training opportunities.
Businesses, education providers and other organisations can sign up to the Covenant to pledge their practical support to care leavers.
Other businesses across the city have offered support for care leavers in other ways, including providing work experience opportunities, Christmas gifts and tickets to local sporting events.
Claire Preston – Head of Responsible Business at GMI Construction Group PLC, said: “GMI Construction Group PLC created their bespoke ‘Construction Cares Programme’ in 2023 and have so far delivered this programme in Birmingham, Manchester and York and have had over 55 care leavers attend.
It is so important to teach young people life skills so they can adapt them when moving into a home of their own. Three care leavers from the programme have gone into full-time apprenticeships and four have signed up for a Construction qualification.
“I really believe that companies of all sizes can create support offers for care leavers. If you can get senior buy-in and you have the will to support young people, you can overcome challenges that SMEs might face in signing up to programmes like the Covenant.”
Cllr Bob Webb, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “The businesses we’ve been working with have already demonstrated how keen they are to provide opportunities for our care leavers and it’s fantastic to see the city supporting its own.
“I know that many other local businesses may want to get involved but may not know where to start. I’d encourage them to look at the care leaver inclusive employment guide [toolkit] on the care leavers’ covenant website or get in touch with our dedicated employment and opportunities lead for care leavers in York who will be able to advise them how they can best help.
“Care leavers have been supported by social workers and foster carers for periods of time during their childhoods because they weren’t able to live with their birth families. This may mean they have fewer opportunities compared to their non-care experienced peers when they reach 18 years of age. That’s why it’s so important that we pull together as a city to nurture them through early adulthood, just as the parents of any young person would do.”
Online pension checker makes pension top ups easier, says HMRC
An updated online pension forecast checker to help people enhance their state pension has been launched by the Government.
The Check your State Pension forecast is a joint service by HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions, and has been enhanced to include a fully end-to-end digital solution.
The service will show customers by how much their State Pension could increase and details of the voluntary NI contributions they would need to pay to achieve this. It allows most people under State Pension age to view gaps in their NI record and pay voluntary contributions to fill those gaps, if it will benefit them.
Anyone with NI gaps in some of their tax years that could increase their State Pension if filled, can use the new digital service to choose which years they would like to pay to fill. They can then pay securely through the service and will receive confirmation that their payment has been received and that their NI record will be updated.
Customers can access the Check your State Pension forecast via GOV.UK or via the HMRC app.
Those who are eligible have until 5 April next year to pay voluntary contributions to make up gaps in their NI record between 6 April 2006 and 5 April 2018. From 6 April 2025, people will only be able to pay voluntary contributions for the previous six tax years, in line with normal time limits.
Nigel Huddleston, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: “Having peace of mind when planning for retirement is crucial to ensure people can enjoy later life. That’s why HMRC has launched this new online service today, making a real difference for thousands of pensioners in their retirement while providing certainty to those in their middle years and those still planning ahead.”
Associated British Ports appoints Group IT Director
Associated British Ports has appointed Sean Kelly, above, as Group IT Director to head the company’s programme of investment in digital strategy for port operations, customer service, and cyber security.
He said: “What attracted me to ABP is the company’s great culture coupled with the ambition to carry through its leading position in the UK ports sector to the areas of technology, digitisation and cyber security. State-of-the-art IT infrastructure and new ways of working are essential to be at the forefront of the digital revolution in the maritime industry.”
Sean has extensive experience leading IT teams in different businesses including Microsoft, BT, EY, RBS. He was most recently the CIO of Business Platforms at Dentsu, one of the largest global marketing and advertising agency networks. His experience has included leading the delivery of IT programmes such as digital transformation and ERP solutions for global businesses and implementing functional and connected digital journeys.
ABP’s CEO Henrik L. Pedersen, said: “It’s great to welcome Sean to ABP. Sean will be driving forward a well-established IT organisation, developing and executing the next phase of our digital strategy, including developing a broader IT landscape supporting all areas of ABP’s business.
“Building smart, flexible and resilient technology platforms to deliver on customers’ needs and business optimisation is a key foundation of our strategy. We’ve made some great strides forward but we’re ambitious about where technology can take us, our customers and partners further.”
Forgemasters buys 21 acres of Sheffield for redevelopment scheme
Sheffield Forgemasters has bought 21 acres of brownfield land to pave the way for development of additional facilities alongside its Brightside Lane operations.
The company is already building a 13,000 tonne Heavy Forge facility, and has earmarked the largest plot of land, on Weedon Street, for a machining line that will house 17 highly advanced machining centres, which do not exist anywhere else in the UK, and will underpin production for the UK defence programme.
Gareth Barker, COO at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The purchase of additional land is a game-changing venture for the company and will see state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities built in the historic centre of Sheffield’s industrial heartland.
“The recapitalisation programme is completely transforming the company’s facilities as our modelling reshapes the site for optimum use.
“The opportunity to purchase land immediately adjacent to our site will enable faster, more cost effective recapitalisation than trying to reconfigure existing facilities, with the added benefit of keeping production in full flow through the existing plant.”
“The main focus of the land acquisition is to enable development of a new machining facility, to house .”
The company also recently completed the purchase of 10,000 sq ft of offices at Riverside Court on Brightside Lane.
