Burflex Scaffolding has become the official partner of the Norman Hunter Stand at Elland Road, strengthening its long-standing relationship with Leeds United. The company, a leading UK scaffolding and access provider, previously sponsored the Don Revie Stand.

The partnership aligns with Leeds United’s 2025/26 Premier League season, marking Burflex’s return to the club in a new sponsorship role. The agreement will feature Burflex branding across the south stand, reflecting the company’s continued commitment to supporting local sporting and community initiatives.

The collaboration demonstrates the value of sustained corporate partnerships in professional sports, combining brand visibility with regional engagement. Burflex, headquartered in Yorkshire, leverages the sponsorship to reinforce its market presence while supporting a high-profile national football club.

Leeds United’s commercial team will incorporate the partnership into its broader business and marketing strategy for the upcoming season, highlighting the role of established regional businesses in promoting both local and national sporting events.

Wakefield has published the Wakefield Futures Report, outlining a plan to grow high-skilled employment and strengthen local training provision. The report, released by the Wakefield Futures Commission, sets out recommendations to attract skilled workers and create well-paid roles across the district.

Central to the proposals is the establishment of the Wakefield Futures Centre, an employer-led hub designed to co-develop higher-level training with local businesses. The initiative aims to align skills provision with labour market demand, helping companies expand while improving earning potential for residents.

The report supports Wakefield Council’s target of 80,000 additional annual completions in high-demand sectors. Training programmes are intended to be short, flexible, and affordable, allowing learners to balance existing commitments with skill development.

Wakefield faces challenges in retaining and developing higher-level skills, despite its status as a UNESCO Learning City. The Commission emphasises the need for a coordinated approach that increases both the supply of skilled people and the availability of higher-skilled jobs.

The Commission plans to collaborate with existing providers, employers, and partners to build a skills ecosystem designed to enhance productivity, support business growth, and make Wakefield an attractive location for residents and workers.

Bond UK Limited, which through its trading company Castlegrounds Limited owns and operates Red Court Care Home and The Grove Care Home in Leeds, has been sold. Red Court was established by Royston Bond in 1984 and was one of the first care homes in Leeds. The Grove is a purpose-built facility from 2017 that has 63 en suite bedrooms and complements the adjoining Red Court. Together, they are registered to care for 101 residents and are located in the Leeds market town of Pudsey. After over 40 years of ownership, Royston Bond recently decided to retire. Following a confidential sales process with Jonathan Wickens at Christie & Co, Bond UK Limited has been purchased by Warmest Welcome, a family-run operator led by directors Steve and Tracey Holroyd, with eight other homes across West and North Yorkshire. Royston Bond, the founding director of Bond UK Limited, said: “Having reached my early 80s, it seemed that the time had arrived to retire, but it was not an easy decision to make, having devoted 40 years of my working life to this company. However, it would not have been possible without the support of my manager, Michaela Wadsworth. “I started the company in partnership with Michaela’s mother, Clare Spooner. Sadly, Clare passed away 20 years ago. Whilst Clare was managing another care home that the company had at that time, Michaela became the manager of Red Court in 1988 and has been the manager ever since. “Michaela is now very experienced, and what she does not know about the care industry could be written on the back of the proverbial postage stamp. Michaela has been ‘my rock’ over many years, and the success of the company has been very much a joint effort. “Yes, I am sad to say ‘goodbye’ to the care homes and our wonderful staff. However, I am assured that the company will be in the safe and capable hands of the new owners. I wish Tracey and Steve every success, as I say farewell to start a new chapter in my life.” Tracey Holroyd, director at Warmest Welcome, said: “We are delighted to have taken over ownership of Red Court and The Grove. Previously, we have taken over care homes that have needed some work to bring them up to standard, and we’re delighted to be able to say that Red Court and The Grove are the opposite of that! “We plan to make no changes to the way the home is run and managed, and there are no plans to change any of the staff team. We’re delighted that the current manager, Michaela, is going to stay with us and are really impressed with the way the home is run – it’s a lovely home in every way and is rated ‘Good’ in all areas with CQC. “We think that Red Court and The Grove are great – we’re delighted to be able to add them to our group, and we’re looking forward to working with everyone. Our only plans for the future are to introduce some digital solutions to make life easier for all the staff and better for the residents.” Jonathan Wickens, director – care at Christie & Co, said: “It has been a privilege working with Royston Bond over the last 20 years. We have now sold three homes on his behalf, and we wish him a long, happy, and healthy retirement. “This is the eighth home we have sold to Warmest Welcome over the years – it is always a pleasure to work with Steve and Tracey, and we are sure they will continue to deliver the high standards of care to residents at Red Court and The Grove.”

Aston University and the University of Leeds have secured £3.4 million to launch a network supporting PhD researchers in the use of publicly available AI tools. The initiative will assess how technologies like ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot are applied in research, while identifying challenges and best practices for ethical and effective adoption.

The network will create an online hub with guidance, case studies, and training resources for doctoral candidates and research support staff. It will engage universities across the Midlands and Yorkshire to co-develop professional development programmes, enabling staff and students to integrate AI responsibly into complex research projects.

The project brings together academics from both universities, with additional support from Midlands Innovation and Yorkshire Universities, as well as organisations including Jisc, Vitae, and the National Centre for Universities and Business. The initiative also complements existing Research England programmes focused on doctoral supervision and postdoctoral career development.

AI.RDN+ aims to equip the next generation of researchers with the skills and frameworks needed to leverage AI while maintaining research integrity. The programme has potential to influence AI adoption strategies across UK higher education, supporting innovation and providing models for collaboration between universities and industry partners.

Leeds United has renewed its agreement with Leeds-based AMT, maintaining the company’s role as the club’s Official Vehicle Solutions Partner for another year.

AMT first joined the club as a partner in 2021, and the renewed deal will see its branding displayed across Elland Road, both inside and outside the stadium.

The partnership includes collaborative marketing activity, including exclusive activations and promotional campaigns targeting supporters.

AMT provides a full range of vehicle acquisition and funding services, offering rent, lease, buy, sell, and subscription options for both businesses and individuals.

The renewal marks the fifth consecutive year of collaboration between Leeds United and AMT.