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The Rt Hon. the Lord Willetts Launches Centre of Engineering Excellence at Southampton Science Park

technology

Sam Allcock

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11/10/2023

The Rt Hon. the Lord Willetts Launches Centre of Engineering Excellence at Southampton Science Park

The Rt Hon. the Lord Willetts, Chair of the UK Space Agency Board and former Minister of State for Universities and Science, officially opened a new regional center for engineering excellence at the University of Southampton Science Park.

The Engineering Centre is the latest addition to Southampton Science Park’s prestigious portfolio, providing state-of-the-art facilities for science and technology businesses. This facility includes specialised laboratories, workshops, office spaces, and collaboration zones, catering to various industrial sectors such as eco-hydraulics, electronics, transport research, aerospace, energy, unmanned systems, and hydraulic flumes. Additionally, the Centre houses the Future Towns Innovation Hub, a collaborative venture between industry and academia, led by the University of Southampton in partnership with the Enterprise M3 LEP and Research England.

Engineering is a crucial industry in the UK, employing over six million people (19% of the workforce) and is expected to grow in importance as the demand for engineering skills and innovation rises, particularly in the context of net-zero ambitions.

Lord Willetts expressed his pleasure at the opening, stating, “It is a great pleasure to be here, my first public engagement since being made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering earlier this month. This prestigious new facility which shines a light on the engineering talent that we have here on the south coast and provides a platform from which the sector can build and flourish. Judging by the people and companies that I’ve met here today, there’s no doubt that Southampton Science Park’s growing reputation, exemplified by projects like these, is making a meaningful contribution to the sustainable growth and prosperity of our region. I am delighted to be declaring it officially open.”

Dr. Robin Chave, Chief Executive of Southampton Science Park, expressed gratitude to all project partners involved in bringing this important project to fruition. He also extended his thanks to Lord Willetts and guests who attended the event, emphasising how this new facility is fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the engineering field, which plays a significant role in regional development.

Professor Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, highlighted the importance of the Engineering Centre, stating, “The Engineering Centre, housing the Future Towns Innovation Hub, is a very important investment from the University and our partners. This unique facility, which encourages smart collaboration between academia and business, will play an important role in boosting opportunities to commercialise new research, grow skills and retain talent in the Southampton area.”

Southampton Science Park, spanning 72 acres, serves as the South of England’s innovation hub, offering a wide range of commercial offices, laboratories, meeting, and conferencing facilities for startups and leading technology businesses.

For more information about Southampton Science Park, visit www.science-park.co.uk.

Sustainability awareness of fitted kitchen products growing beyond appliances

Sustainability

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10/10/2023

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Sustainability awareness of fitted kitchen products growing beyond appliances

Awareness of the green credentials of products sold in the fitted kitchen and bedroom market is growing beyond appliances, according to leading manufacturers and suppliers in the industry.

A new survey by home design portal Houzz, reveals that 94% of homeowners renovating their kitchens are looking to incorporate sustainable elements in their designs, mainly low-energy LED bulbs, energy-saving appliances and energy-efficient windows.

But now the awareness is spreading to the products used for wood-based kitchen cabinets and worktops.

Tom Sharp, northern area sales manager for EGGER, a global manufacturers and distributor of wood-based panels, says consumer focus on sustainability is beginning to influence retailers of all sizes, who in turn, want to learn more about the goods they sell from their suppliers.

KBB trade show

Mr Sharp was speaking at a KBB trade show held in Ashton-under-Lyne organised by Oldham-headquartered Hill’s Panel Products (HPP), which has been supplying doors, board, fittings and accessories to the fitted furniture market for 32 years.

He said: “We are finding more and more customers are becoming interested in our story as a company and how important sustainability is to us. We now get a lot of interest in how our products are made and how they can be recycled.

“Even the smaller scale customers like the Mr and Mrs Smith showrooms right through to the bigger companies are taking notice, they are all developing a genuine interest in our eco-credentials.”

About 500 visitors attended the day-long event, called HPX, which featured stands showcasing the latest developments and products from global brands such as fittings manufacturer Blum, chipboard manufacturers EGGER and Kronospan, alongside brands such as Congleton-headquartered Reginox sinks and Sensio lighting from South Yorkshire.

Spreading the sustainability message

Mr Sharp’s comments come after HPP’s marketing and business development director, Dan Mounsey, featured in KBB-focused media calling on retailers to spread the sustainability message.

He said: “Sustainability is a massive topic at the moment and as a distributor, HPP can help spread the message about the eco-credentials of our suppliers and their products.

“Chipboard used for fitted furniture and wood-based worktops is a carbon negative material, it stores more carbon than it releases. It has a 10-20 year lifecycle and then you can recycle it again afterwards.

“It’s good news retailers are beginning to take heed. In years gone by, sustainability was not on their radar because consumers were not asking the questions about it. Hopefully, we’re beginning to see all that changing.”

Liam Gallagher on board with surprise tram announcements

Helen Greaney

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10/10/2023

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Liam Gallagher on board with surprise tram announcements

Some might say they recognise the dulcet tones of the person making Metrolink announcements this week.

Manchester music mogul Liam Gallagher will be announcing the stops on his favourite tram line in celebration of the Bee Network – Greater Manchester’s integrated public transport system – and Beyond the Music festival.

But if you want to find out which line he chose, you’ll need to get onboard over the next few days.

Beyond the Music festival

Beyond the Music is a new music festival and change-making conference that takes place across Manchester from October 11 – 14. The spotlight is on new music, grass roots venues and developing talent and infrastructure support for the city region that will make an impact on the music and content sectors across the UK and Beyond.

More than 100 artists will be performing at 17 grassroots venues across the city – including an entire day of free concerts in partnership with Lush, titled ‘Music for Everyone’ – culminating in a secret gig sponsored by The Face.

Beyond the Music organisers are urging people to make most of the new Bee Network system to travel into the city to enjoy and support the incredible music heritage Manchester has and continues to have.

Up and coming talent

A spokesperson for Liam Gallagher said: “Liam’s doing his bit to get behind the festival and encourage people to get into the city and support new up and coming talent.

“When the request was first made by Bee Network champion Andy Burnham, Liam loved the idea of surprising tram users by doing the announcements and he was given the chance to choose his favourite line. You’ll have to get onto a tram into the city to find out which it is!”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said it was ‘truly wonderful’ to see the inaugural ‘Beyond the Music’ finally taking place with such a strong line-up in venues across the city.

The founding member of the Beyond the Music co-operative, alongside Manchester City Council, CityCo and the city centre BIDs AO Arena, Coop Live and Factory International, added: “We are supporting it all the way and are confident that it will become a fixture in the city’s calendar.

Mr Bunham added: “True to Manchester’s traditions, Beyond The Music is a cooperative endeavour which aims to give all players in the music industry an equal voice and equal say on the change it needs. By doing that, our aim is to strengthen one of Manchester’s, and Britain’s, most important exports.”

“There surely can’t be any better way of marking the launch of the Bee Network and the first Beyond The Music than getting one of Manchester’s most famous voices announcing the stops on his favourite Metrolink line.

“It means a lot to us that Liam has agreed to do this and show his support for his home city. Supporting our music venues and giving people cheaper and better public transport to and from our gigs is what we’re all about. I am sure that Liam’s dulcet tones will wake up a few early-morning commuters, brighten up many a journey and produce a lot of smiles along the way.”

Huge step forward

The Bee Network has taken a huge step forward with last month’s launch of Greater Manchester’s first locally controlled bus services in nearly 40 years. Bus franchising signifies the start of the plan for an integrated, ‘London-style’ transport network across the region, combining bus, tram, active travel and eventually rail.

Beyond The Music will take place at venues across Manchester from 11-14 October 2023. Tickets can be bought from beyondthemusic.co.uk

Former senior national journalist launches Manchester PR agency

Business

Helen Greaney

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10/10/2023

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Former senior national journalist launches Manchester PR agency

A former senior national journalist has launched a new PR agency in Manchester.

Award-winning PR expert Steven Kelly, who previously worked for several of Reach Plc’s national titles, including the Daily Mirror, unveiled Stockport-based communications and social media consultancy Finnoah PR this month.

The 46-year-old, whose work in his previous role as head of media scooped a Creativepool Award and made the Drum PR Awards final shortlist last year, will provide a range of specialist media-related services, including top-tier coverage generation, content creation, crisis communications and social media management.

Top-tier coverage

Since moving into PR in 2015, Steven has secured thousands of top-tier coverage for clients, including with Reuters, PA Media – formerly Press Association – Sky News, BBC News, ITV News, Business Insider, The Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Sky Sports, the Financial Times, and most other national UK consumer and trade outlets.

“Having worked in media for more than two decades, I have developed a thorough understanding of the media landscape,” he said. “My journalism experience has been vital to my PR success. We know how journalists think and what they want.

“Finnoah PR is an extension of my passion and determination to develop an agency which consistently delivers market-leading results. By combining credibility, creativity and media relations expertise, we aim to develop a seamless link between clients and their target audiences.”

Leading force ambitions

Despite being a small start-up, Steven, who began his media career in 2001, added that the firm has ambitions to become a leading force in the UK PR market.

“We know we can compete with the UK’s biggest agencies,” he said. “We are aiming for the very top.

“We have worked hard to develop a reputation for creating meaningful campaigns which deliver impactful results – and that will continue be our long-term commitment. I am incredibly excited to see what the future holds.”

During his previous role, Steven amassed a global coverage reach of more than 8 billion, including for a sports event which ESPN translated it into 13 languages.

He has also worked across a variety of sectors, including tech, finance, manufacturing, education, biotech, sport, health, construction, literature, housing and charity.

“Working across so many sectors has given us a broad, in-depth knowledge of media requirements,” he said. “While many agencies specialise in certain fields, we are confident we can deliver across any subject area.

“We understand what makes a compelling story, how to package it and deliver exceptional results that add real value to our clients.”

2028 Los Angeles Olympics to feature Cricket as five new sports added

Sport

Francesca Turner

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10/10/2023

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2028 Los Angeles Olympics to feature Cricket as five new sports added

Cricket looks to have won the toss to secure itself a spot in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, along with squash, lacrosse, flag football, and baseball/softball.

After months of speculation and intense discussions between LA and the ICO’s Olympic Programme Commission, the decision was always one likely to happen, given the IOC’s desire to tap into India’s huge market.

With Olympic broadcast rights in India reportedly currently worth £15.6m for Paris next year, the inclusion of cricket could see this figure rise dramatically to £150m.

However, this is not the first time that cricket will have been featured in the Olympic games.

The sport was featured as a part of the 1900 Olympics when England and France played just one single match.

Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Greg Barclay has spoken at his elation at the decision to have cricket featured in the 2028 games.

He said: “We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics.

“While this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century.”

The recommendation would be reviewed and ratified later this week by the IOC at its executive board meeting between October 12 and 14.

In the spirit of the game and since the Cricket World Cup is in full swing, what better time than now to look at what we know so far.

So what format will be used?

It will be the T20 format used in the Olympics for both the men’s and women’s teams involved.

What is T20 cricket?

T20 cricket is a match format where every team has one innings to secure as many runs as they want within a period of 20 overs (120 balls).

It has been designed with different rules to speed up the passage and flow of play to create more intense and exciting matches – perfect for the Olympic games.

When will the final decision be confirmed for definite?

There will be a meeting between October 12th and 14th in India, during the Cricket World Cup, where the IOC will approve for definite.

Malan and Topley combine to see England past Bangladesh

Sport

Jon Fisher

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10/10/2023

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Malan and Topley combine to see England past Bangladesh

Dawid Malan and Reece Topley starred as England belatedly got their World Cup defence up and running with a resounding 137-run win over Bangladesh in Dharamsala.

Malan hit a brilliant 140 as England’s top-order dominated the Bangladesh attack with fellow Yorkshire batters Jonny Bairstow (52) and Joe Root (82) also making significant contributions.

Bangladesh did stifle England in the latter overs, mostly by taking wickets at regular intervals, but a total of 364 for nine was always likely to be a stiff challenge for the Tigers and so it proved.

Left-arm seamer Topley ran through Bangladesh early on, leaving them on 14 for three and effectively quashing their chances of building on their convincing win over Afghanistan on Saturday.

Dominant in Dharamsala! 💪

Up and running at #CWC23 🙌

Scorecard/Insights: https://t.co/nojIVE04XG pic.twitter.com/4oCSdjmIG0

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 10, 2023

Having been thrashed in their opener by New Zealand in a repeat of the 2019 final, England were eying a positive start in the foothills of the Himalayas and Malan and Bairstow duly obliged.

The pair put on 115 for the opening wicket, in just 107 balls, before Bairstow had his leg stump removed by Shakib Al Hasan.

Having moved past three figures, Malan went for one big shot too many, and was bowled by Mahedi Hasan. He and Root added 151 for the second wicket.

Root and captain Jos Butler ticked the scoreboard past 300 but the former’s dismissal for 20 prompted a flurry of wickets as England failed to build on their solid platform.

Mahedi finished with four for 71 from eight overs with Shoriful Islam claiming a very useful three for 75 from his allocated 10.

Topley’s heroics put England in a position they never looked like relinquishing despite excellent knocks from Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim, who made 76 and 51 respectively.

Topley finished with four for 43 as Bangladesh were all out for 227.

Manchester law firm celebrates family legal aid contract

Appointments

Helen Greaney

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10/10/2023

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Manchester law firm celebrates family legal aid contract

MSB Solicitors has acquired a significant new family legal aid contract for its Manchester and Widnes-based practices.

The new contract follows a well-publicised increase in demand for legal aid services across the UK.

The value-led firm has also announced highly experienced new legal hires across its family law teams to support and drive forward its latest expansion.

MSB is also offering free legal training to local services to help them improve access to and awareness of legal aid for eligible members of the public.

Quality legal aid

Emma Palmer, director at MSB said: “We are delighted to win this contract and support families looking for quality legal aid. We are also looking forward to providing training for organisations who can help signpost the public to family legal aid services.

“This win has come at the perfect time for us as we have significantly invested in our family law department with notable and highly experienced hires and have plans to expand it even further.

“We are excited to offer our legal aid services to clients across the North West, building on our position as the region’s leading legal firm.”

As part of the contract win, the firm will extend its family law expertise further to provide free legal training to local services or organisations who need it. The training will provide them with the knowledge to signpost local people towards the legal aid they are eligible for.

New appointments

The new contract also follows the appointment of Katie Jackson as a senior associate in Manchester. Katie brings many years of experience to the family law team representing children in family court proceedings. Katie will play a key role in driving delivery of the new contract forward.

Joining to play a key role in the Manchester family law team is experienced solicitor Lucy Eatogh, with over 15 years of experience who joins from Higgins Miller Solicitors.

As a further significant boost to services, the firm is also adding a senior level family law expert with 20 year’s of experience to its office in Widnes, Cheshire. And solicitor Anna Streather is also announced to be joining the Cheshire team from AFG solicitors.

In addition, trainee legal executive Rebecca De Stefano has joined the firm’s Wavertree office in September from Morecrofts Solicitors. Rebecca is a fluent Spanish speaker and has been supporting with the firm’s Spanish cases.

MSB looks forward to delivering this expansion of its services which will benefit communities and drive justice across Manchester, Widnes and beyond.

Why is Health and Safety so Important to your Business’s Future?

Danielle Trigg

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10/10/2023

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Why is Health and Safety so Important to your Business’s Future?

The Northwest has always been viewed as a core regional economic hub in the UK, with Greater Manchester leading this charge.

For example, this local economy generates £56 billion of gross value (GVA) per annum, with this sum higher than the corresponding figures for the Northeast (£45 billion), West Yorkshire (£46 billion) and Merseyside (£27 billion).

Of course, all regional economies are fuelled by a huge number of individual, local businesses, each of which require a number of universal factors to succeed.

Interestingly, health and safety is one such factor, which has a multitude of benefits that extend far beyond safeguarding the physical wellbeing of employees. We’ll explore these advantages in more detail below while asking why they’re so impactful.

#1. Create a More Cost-Effective Business

The impact of absenteeism is often understated in the UK, even at a time when the region’s sickness rate reached its highest value since 2010 (with an average of 4.6 days leave taken per worker).

According to analysis of data released by the ONS last November, the increase in sick days taken between 2020 and 2021 has created an additional cost of £3.7 billion for businesses, while the cumulative financial impact of absenteeism peaked at £20.6 billion during the reporting period.

So, even on a fundamental level, protecting your workers and creating a consistent culture of health and safety can automatically reduce workplace absences and minimise the cost of absenteeism. This will simultaneously lower total operational costs throughout the business, creating a leaner and potentially more profitable company over time.

#2. Protected Employees are More Productive

Various studies and datasets have shown that individual employees are also more productive in workplaces that are fully committed to health and safety.

This applies to both physical and mental wellbeing, while companies that actively engage with their staff and take care of them are able to simultaneously reduce the downtime caused by illness and injury and create far higher levels of output.

To provide context, studies by the American Psychiatric Association Foundation have shown that depression alone costs businesses $44 billion in productivity each year.

So, businesses that have a proactive approach to discussing and safeguarding against depression (or similar mental health concerns) will reduce the potential suffering of their employees while optimising levels of morale, engagement and productivity across the board.

#3. Optimise Legal Compliance and Investment

In developed economies like the UK and US, health and safety legislation is enshrined in criminal law and creates clear legal obligations for employers to meet.

These can apply to everything from building regulations to fire safety procedures, and the failure to comply with such laws may threaten both human life and your business’s financial stability.

Health and safety failures may also cause prosecutions and long-term legal conflicts, which can consume huge amounts of company capital and potentially end in significant and debilitating financial sanctions.

Arguably, you may need to demonstrate your commitment to health and safety (and elements of corporate social responsibility) when seeking investment and corporate partnerships too. This will depend on the type of investment or partnership you’re seeking, but prioritising H&S procedures can make the difference between success and failure.

Time for Open Minds on World Mental Health Day

Health

Helen Greaney

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10/10/2023

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Time for Open Minds on World Mental Health Day

The University of Manchester has marked World Mental Health Day today (10 October) with the launch of a new publication offering insight on the causes and challenges of poor mental health.

Open Minds, produced by Policy@Manchester, is a collection of 10 evidence-based articles from the University’s academics, offering a suite of recommendations to help policymakers improve the lives of millions.

It also examines everything from the factors affecting the wellbeing of young people, to the challenges in providing mental health care to the most vulnerable, and the breakthrough treatments and therapies to help alleviate the national and global burden of mental ill-health.

Wrong end of the telescope

The online document begins with a foreword by Mark Rowland, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, who argues that “as a country, we are looking through the wrong end of the telescope” on the issue of dealing with mental health.

He said: “The evidence base for preventing mental health problems is steadily growing. There are a good number of interventions like workplace support initiatives, anti-bullying programmes, and better perinatal mental health support, where the evidence is very clear.

“Governments and health systems should urgently invest in these solutions. And we know that the toxic impacts of poverty and discrimination are two of the most important drivers of mental ill-health; any cross-government plan must ensure that these are priorities.”

Mr Rowland said: “We need to keep pushing the evidence further, harness new technologies and re-engineer our health systems to prioritise tackling the rising number of mental health problems in our society. We need new tools and new thinking. And we need to leave no inequality unaddressed in both the prevention and treatment of mental health problems.

“That’s why the work of Policy@Manchester is so vital. There are some brilliant ideas in this report. We need to follow the evidence, rigorously interrogating ideas and adopting them where they can be shown to be useful. In keeping with the title of this collection: let’s keep open minds.”

Professor Cecilia Wong, academic co-director of Policy@Manchester, (pictured) said: “This is an excellent and timely publication. Poor mental health has a terribly debilitating impact on our society. Practical policy solutions are urgently required.

“Open Minds combines leading research expertise on mental health and wellbeing with evidence-led policy analysis from across The University of Manchester.

“I hope it will be read widely and its recommendations taken onboard by those with the power to tackle the mental health crisis.”

Open Minds is available to read free of charge on the Policy@Manchester website.

The impact of gaming innovations on Manchester’s business landscape

Helen Greaney

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10/10/2023

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The impact of gaming innovations on Manchester’s business landscape

In recent years, Manchester has emerged as a hub of technological innovation, transforming the digital sector and reverberating through its vast business landscape.

The city, renowned for its industrial heritage, is now making substantial strides in adopting and integrating contemporary gaming innovations into various business arenas.

This evolution symbolises growth and a shift in how enterprises engage with technology to foster development and expansion. Here we delve into how gaming innovations significantly impact Manchester’s business environment, fostering collaborations and paving the way for a vibrant and prosperous future.

A new dawn: How Manchester is embracing the digital revolution

The modern epoch witnesses Manchester at the forefront of digital revolutions. The city has become a beacon for tech enthusiasts, attracting talents and investments alike.

Gaming innovations in this blossoming digital ecosystem have found a nurturing ground, influencing businesses to adapt and thrive in a dynamic landscape.

With their advanced mechanics and immersive experiences, gaming technologies are seamlessly integrating into corporate strategies, assisting in training programs, and even finding applications in marketing campaigns.

For instance, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are reshaping how businesses approach customer engagement, offering interactive and immersive brand experiences. Moreover, these innovations foster creativity and innovation, helping Manchester’s business community stay ahead in a competitive market.

The symbiosis between the business sphere and gaming innovations

In the heart of Manchester, a unique symbiosis is unfolding, where business meets gaming innovation. Corporate sectors are leveraging the captivating nature of gaming to devise employee engagement programs that encourage team building and enhance productivity.

Furthermore, gaming mechanics are finding their way into educational sectors, providing learning platforms that are interactive and engaging. These innovations foster a collaborative spirit, encouraging the sharing of knowledge and where expertise becomes the norm, not the exception.

It is noteworthy to mention the influence of gaming mechanics such as those found in Megaways games, which have revolutionised the gaming industry. These innovations, pioneered by the masterminds at Big Time Gaming, have introduced a fresh perspective to the gaming world.

By adapting old favourites and introducing enticing original titles, these games have managed to captivate a global audience by randomising the number of available symbols per reel with each spin and, therefore, the number of available ways to win.

Similar disruptive innovations in the business sphere could inspire a wave of creativity and novel strategies, reflecting the dynamic and adaptable nature of Manchester’s thriving business landscape.

Leveraging gaming innovations for business success

In Manchester’s bustling business sector, the conscious integration of gaming innovations stands as a testament to the city’s forward-thinking approach. Numerous enterprises have keenly adopted these technological advancements to foster growth and stability.

For instance, gamification strategies in marketing campaigns are taking centre stage in companies like The Hut Group (THG). This Manchester-based e-commerce giant leverages gaming mechanics to enhance customer engagement on their platforms, offering a more interactive shopping experience.

Additionally, THG’s immersive virtual events have opened a gateway to a realm where the boundary between gaming and e-commerce blurs, offering a delightful and quirky shopping experience that keeps consumers returning.

Manchester’s real estate sector is not far behind in adopting these revolutionary trends. Companies like Urban Splash have turned towards virtual reality (VR) to offer virtual property viewings, a leap towards integrating gaming technology in real estate business strategies. This innovation provides a novel way to explore properties and significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with traditional property viewings.

As such, Manchester’s evolving business landscape is a beacon, demonstrating a potent blend of innovation and adherence to principles that foster sustainability and inclusivity. These examples bear testimony to Manchester’s readiness to carve a niche where business success aligns with technological advancements, setting a precedent for others to follow.

KBB trade show

Spreading the sustainability message

Beyond the Music festival

Up and coming talent

Huge step forward

Top-tier coverage

Leading force ambitions

Quality legal aid

New appointments

Wrong end of the telescope

A new dawn: How Manchester is embracing the digital revolution

The symbiosis between the business sphere and gaming innovations

Leveraging gaming innovations for business success

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