Fifty Hull and East Riding funeral directors have been visited in the wake of the ongoing police investigation into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Ltd. Public protection teams from Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council have spent three weeks speaking to funeral directors and carrying out visits to their premises  to review compliance with health and safety regulations, operational procedures and care of the deceased, and to offer support and advice to businesses. While the sector is not formally regulated, the visits were an opportunity for the public protection officers to look at a number of key areas of funeral directors’ business and provide reassurance to both customers and businesses. Rachel Stephenson, head of public protection at Hull City Council said: “The businesses we visited were all welcoming and receptive if any advice or suggestions were made. It is very clear from our visits that the ongoing incident at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Ltd is in no way typical of the funeral industry in our area.” Angela Dearing, director of housing, transportation and public protection at East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: “We would like to thank all the funeral businesses for their cooperation, professionalism and for their support of these visits. “There is currently no national statutory regulation of funeral directors, so councils don’t have specific powers or responsibilities to oversee these businesses. “Therefore, these voluntary visits were conducted in partnership with funeral directors, in order to give reassurances to customers and our local funeral directors.” The visits were supported by the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF).

On March 20th, 2024, Lincolnshire experienced a remarkable convergence of visionaries, investors, and innovators at the Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo. The occasion served as a beacon of opportunity, showcasing the region’s potential for growth, development, and prosperity. The day kicked off with an exhibitor breakfast that set the tone for all of the exceptional business opportunities awaiting attendees. Networking over a breakfast roll, exhibitors laid the groundwork for fruitful partnerships and collaborations. One of the highlights of the event was the informative Netzero update by Lee Marshall of Viridis. Lee’s insights into sustainable practices and their integration into business operations left attendees inspired and equipped with the knowledge to navigate the evolving landscape of environmental responsibility. It underscored Lincolnshire’s commitment to sustainability and its pivotal role in shaping future business endeavours. The fast-paced and fun speed networking session with Lincoln Business Club provided a unique opportunity for participants to expand their networks and forge meaningful connections in a dynamic environment. Additionally, attendees had the privilege of accessing the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce March Construction & Property Network free of charge, further enriching their experience and providing valuable insights into the latest trends and developments in the industry. It exemplified the event’s commitment to providing attendees with unparalleled opportunities for learning and professional development. The Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire event would not have been possible without the steadfast support of Team Lincolnshire & Invest East Midlands, whose continued sponsorship ensured the event’s success. Their unwavering commitment to promoting business excellence and economic growth in the region is commendable and deserves recognition. As we reflect on the success of the Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo, be sure to add to your diary the big East Midlands Expo on November 11th, 2024, held at EMCC, Nottingham. Exhibitor space bookings are now open, and we encourage you to secure your spot early to avoid missing out on preferred position. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect, collaborate, and strengthen relationships within the Property, Construction, Investment, Financial & B2B environment. For further information visit https://businessshowsgroup.co.uk/nottingham/ or email office@businessshowsgroup.co.uk

Hygen’s plans for one of the UK’s largest hydrogen production facilities have been approved in Bradford.

The clean energy pioneers are working in partnership with N-Gen to deliver the hydrogen production facility, with the aim of producing enough hydrogen to replace 800 diesel-fuelled buses a day with zero emissions hydrogen buses, on the West Yorkshire roads.

Plans for the Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen development, on the old Birkshall gas storage site on Bowling Back Lane, were approved by Bradford Council. Once complete, the scheme will produce low carbon hydrogen which can be used to decarbonise vehicles and industry.

At the end of last year, the the Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen facility became the biggest scheme to be awarded funding through the government’s Hydrogen Production Business Model, with the plant having the capacity to produce around 12.5 tonnes of hydrogen per day. The hydrogen will be produced through a process known as electrolysis, using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Jamie Burns, Director at Hygen, said: “The granting of planning permission is a significant step in the development of a facility which will provide enormous benefits to the people of Bradford and the surrounding area.

“Along with our partners, we have worked tirelessly to develop these plans, which will provide a blueprint for how complex projects like this can be delivered, boosting the hydrogen and green economies of the UK.”

Gareth Mills, Managing Director at N-Gen, said: “We are extremely proud to be bringing a flagship hydrogen production facility and significant investment to Bradford. The site was once home to gas holders, which stored natural gas used by the residents and businesses in Bradford, so it is fitting that the site will continue its heritage and now be used for the production and storage of hydrogen, a cleaner fuel.

“We expect the facility to be a valuable addition to the Bradford economy, providing a viable way for local businesses to decarbonise, as well as attracting new companies and jobs to the area, by placing the city at the forefront of the transition to clean energy.”

Businesses and other users in West Yorkshire will be able to use the refuelling facilities on site, with distribution experts Ryze delivering hydrogen to industrial users across the region.

Verner Wheelock are delighted to reveal that every member of their Ethical Team has recently passed their IRCA Social Systems Auditor/Lead Auditor examination. This qualification is seen as the industry standard for social auditors and is recognised worldwide. MD Alison Wheelock explains, “Our Ethical Team, including myself, is responsible for organising and co-ordinating all our audits. We liaise with both customers and our team of experienced APSCA social auditors, providing pre and post-audit support, to ensure that the whole process runs smoothly. We decided to take the training, which is based on the international SA8000 Standard, so that we all had a really good, detailed understanding of all elements of carrying out an ethical audit from an auditor’s point of view. For example, the pressures facing companies and auditors; the legal context under which they are operating; standards, codes of conduct, specifications, social issues, the benefits of a social management system etc.” The intensive 5-day course was delivered by SGS at Verner Wheelock’s training centre in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Verner Wheelock’s Ethical Team have now proved themselves capable of planning, conducting, reporting and following up an audit of a social system against SA8000, or the ETI Base Code on a SMETA audit. “We aren’t planning to carry out any ethical audits ourselves, we’ll leave that to our team of professional ethical auditors,” adds Alison. “However, we do review Audit Reports and Corrective Action Plans within the team before they are published on the Sedex platform. This training will help us to answer even more customer and auditor queries and has given us a sound understanding of what our auditors do and the challenges they can face on a typical audit.” Perhaps better-known for outstanding results in HACCP, Food Safety, Auditing and specialist training for the food industry, Verner Wheelock has been delivering ethical audits for almost 20 years. Last year the company undertook 270 SMETA ethical audits for growers and manufacturing sites in the UK and Ireland.  Verner Wheelock is an Affiliate Audit Company (AAC) with Sedex and a member firm of APSCA (Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors). “We are extremely busy and always looking for more social auditors to join our nationwide team,” says Alison. “If there is anyone out there who has experience in this field and is interested in working with us, or becoming an auditor, please get in touch.” Contact details can be found on Verner Wheelock’s website: www.vwa.co.uk