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Northwest sourdough specialist, Lovingly Artisan, named as the best artisan bakery in Britain

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

Northwest sourdough specialist, Lovingly Artisan, named as the best artisan bakery in Britain

Cumbria & Manchester’s Lovingly Artisan Bakery has been named as the top bakery in Britain as part of the 2023 Bakers’ Dozen – which lists the best artisan bakeries in Britain as voted for by industry experts.

The Bakers’ Dozen was revealed on Tuesday 31st January at the first ever meeting of The Artisan Collective, held at The Compound, in Birmingham sponsored by Bako, Brook Food & Bakery Equipment, Craggs & Co, and Dawn Foods.

The Artisan Collective is an initiative created by British Baker, the leading source of information for the baking industry, to celebrate artisan bakeries and the people behind them while offering a platform to facilitate conversations and share skills. Among them was Lovingly Artisan’s Catherine Connor, who joined an expert panel discussion examining cost effective marketing for bakery businesses alongside journalist Vince Bamford, Matthew Bond, from Project D and Vhari Russell, from The Food Marketing Experts.

When it came down to voting time for the Bakers’ Dozen more than 100 specialists, including artisan bakers, consultants, suppliers, and lecturers, were asked to vote for their favourite artisan bakeries. Each voter was hand-selected by British Baker with the voters broken down by region to ensure bakeries across Britain had an equal opportunity to shine.

Aidan Monks, co-owner of Lovingly Artisan Bakery commented on winning top spot in the Bakers’ Dozen: ”We were totally shocked to be included in the top 13 let alone being voted the UK’s number one artisan bakery. Being named in the top spot is even more special for us knowing that our industry peers have voted for us. Hopefully the fact that we are trying to create the very best bread we can using the finest ingredients available and to put quality, wholesome, healthy breads at the heart of every family table again, has really resonated with them because it’s exactly what they are trying to do too.”

Amy North, British Baker editor added: ”The Bakers’ Dozen celebrates the best of the best. Each bakery on the list has been recognised by others in the industry as a beacon of dedication, passion, and skill, as demonstrated through lovingly handcrafted products and the people who make them.”

An artisan bakery is where baked goods – such as sourdough, bread, buns, pastries, and cakes and more – are made by skilled bakers by hand, often utilising longer and more traditional processes. Quality of ingredients and the end products are high on the agenda, and as a result, artisan bakeries typically only have a handful of sites.

The 2023 Bakers’ Dozen is as follows:

1. Lovingly Artisan, Cumbria & Manchester

2. The Street Bakeshop, Basingstoke

3. E5 Bakehouse, London

4. Bread Source, Norfolk

5. Bread Ahead Bakery, London

6. Northern Rye, Newcastle upon Tyne

7. Poppyseed Bakery, Eastbourne

8. Peter Cooks Bread, Hereford

9. The Dusty Knuckle, London

10. Pollen, Manchester

11. Fabrique, London

12. Levain and Cherry, Birmingham

13. Freedom Bakery, Glasgow

Three Victorian townhouses in Wigan to go under the hammer this month

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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Three Victorian townhouses in Wigan to go under the hammer this month

Later this month, three adjoining Victorian townhouses on New Market Street in Wigan will be put up for auction. Dating back to the 1880’s the three-storey dwellings will appear in auctioneer Pugh’s online property auction on 21st February.

Number 1 New Market Street has a guide price of £80,000 with a guide price of £160,000 for the combined lot of 3 and 5 New Market Street.

Cited as a rare example of Victorian three-storey houses in the town, the properties retain many original features and are in need of a complete programme of modernisation and repair. They are centrally located with town-centre shopping, and facilities such as Wigan & Leigh College and the recently re-developed Wigan bus station, close by.

Edward Feather, associate director at auctioneer Pugh, said: “These lots present a unique opportunity for an ambitious developer. Planning permission for the conversion of 1-5 New Market Street into nine two-bedroom flats was previously granted and, although now lapsed, this demonstrates the potential for the right developer to reimagine these properties subject to the necessary permissions.

“This is an exciting time for Wigan and these properties are perfectly placed for the £135m Galleries redevelopment scheme in the heart of the town centre which is due to be completed in 2025.”

Bidding on the properties, as well as the other lots in Pugh’s online property auction, opens on 21 February and closes the following day. To view the full catalogue, go to www.pugh-auctions.com.

Last stage of Manchester to Chorlton Walking and Cycleway set to commence

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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Last stage of Manchester to Chorlton Walking and Cycleway set to commence

The final stage of the landmark Manchester to Chorlton Walking and Cycleway scheme is set to begin.

Construction on this section – Area 3B – is scheduled to begin on Monday 6th February, after several years of planning and consultation.

The final design will include two CYCLOPS junctions, a feature which has become well-known in recent years through the roll out of this project.

They will be located at the junction of Barlow Moor Road/Wilbraham Road (Four Banks), and the junction of Barlow Moor Road/High Lane and Sandy Lane.

Other features of the improvements taking place include:

– Right-turn bans from Barlow Moor Road to Sandy Lane, and from Sandy Lane into Barlow Moor Road, again to avoid congestion and delays.
– A segregated cycle lane along the length of the route that bypasses bus stops and parking/ loading bays where possible.
– Narrowing of the road at junctions with side roads, by building out the footway, along with raised tables to slow traffic.
– Sustainable urban drainage (rain gardens) to improve the street scene, while also improving the drainage and helping to prevent flooding.
– Upgrading the crossing near Ransfield Road to a toucan crossing, which allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross at the same time.

Full details on the scheme can be found by visiting our website: https://bit.ly/40q1YNy

Work will begin on February 6 and is expected to run until September. However, this date may be subject to change as the scheme progresses.

Residents with concerns about the scheme, or who would like to make feedback can contact the Council by emailing chorltoncyclescheme@manchester.gov.uk.

Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: “The Manchester to Chorlton Walking and Cycleway has been a huge undertaking, and demonstrates how we are able to combine multiple modes of travel into a single project.

“We need to be creating clean and green networks of travel to and from the city centre which is why it’s incredibly exciting to see this scheme come to its conclusion.

“This walking and cycling route will be another forward step towards the Council’s plan to be zero-carbon by 2038 as well as providing a wealth of benefits for the communities it runs through.”

4 Angel Square becomes first office building in Manchester to receive NABERS Design target rating of five-stars

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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4 Angel Square becomes first office building in Manchester to receive NABERS Design target rating of five-stars

NOMA’s latest development, 4 Angel Square, has been officially announced as one of the UK’s most sustainable office buildings, being the first in central Manchester to achieve the industry leading NABERS Design for Performance Target Rating of Five Stars.

The 200,000 sq ft building designed by SimpsonHaugh is set for completion this Spring and has been thoroughly assessed.

Run by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), NABERS UK is a well-established system for rating the energy efficiency of office buildings across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and is fast becoming the gold standard for assessing operational efficiency across the UK.

It provides a benchmark for a building’s energy efficiency, enabling fair comparison across the industry and involves extensive modelling to mitigate the performance gap between predicted energy consumption and the energy used in practice.

Spanning across 11 storeys, this latest certification reinforces NOMA’s claim that 4 Angel Square will be the most sustainable and smart building in Manchester. It is set to become one of the first operationally Net Zero office building in the North West market and has been already accredited with an BREEAM Outstanding in design and is targeting an EPC A rating.

4 Angel Square will utilise an energy efficient heating system of air source heat pumps and benefit from energy generated from the building’s photovoltaic panels. Additional features include 212 cycling spaces, 56 parking spaces of which 26 will have electric charging points, a tenth-floor terrace and will be a smart-enabled building.

It is part of a bigger sustainability story in Manchester’s city centre as NOMA looks to deliver the largest and most sustainable speculative masterplans in the area. Plans are well underway for the future next-generation buildings, 2 & 3 Angel Square, which will join 1 & 4 Angel Square in the 20-acre neighbourhood.

This is not the first-time developer MEPC has achieved a NABERS Design for Performance Target Rating of Five Stars. Its recent development in Leeds (11 & 12 Wellington Place) became the first office building outside of London to achieve the certification.

Dan Hyde, Development Director at real estate asset manager and developer MEPC, said: “With 4 Angel Square, we’ve really set the benchmark for energy efficient, smart-enabled, high quality office space and being accredited as the first building in central Manchester to achieve the industry leading NABARS standard is testament to that.

“4 Angel Square is a building that is truly sustainable for today and tomorrow and it will help occupiers attract the next generation of talent. The building will deliver lower occupational costs, as well as future proofed, cutting-edge design. Given the completion of the building is fast approaching, the first half of 2023 promises to be an exciting time as we build out our plans for 4 Angel Square and the wider NOMA estate.”

Road map published by Manchester City Council for ambitious Active Travel plans

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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Road map published by Manchester City Council for ambitious Active Travel plans

A bold and ambitious strategy is being developed by Manchester City Council to greatly increase active travel across the city.

It is the Council’s belief that everybody in Manchester should be able to walk, wheel or cycle as part of their everyday lives – for school, work, shopping and socialising, in safety, comfort and happiness.

As a result the Council has been developing the Manchester Active Travel Strategy and Investment Plan (MATSIP) to achieve this goal.

Because of this, a target has been set to make walking the natural choice for short journeys and that the mode share* of people cycling in the city will double by 2028.

Other key ambitions within this strategy include:

– Making walking the natural choice for short journeys.
– Reducing the default speed limit in the city to 20mph, and reduce 40mph speed limits to 30mph by 2028 where justified and consistent with road safety.
– Deliver one school street per ward by 2028.
– Enable at least 70% of primary school and 40% of secondary school pupils to walk or cycle to school by 2028.
– Remove all access barriers to walking and cycling paths which prevent access to non-standard cycles by 2024.

– This is a key part of the Council’s desire to create an inclusive and accessible Active Travel network.

The draft MATSIP will set out the significant benefits that Active Travel will bring across a range of policy areas including public health, clean air and zero carbon.

Four broad aims have been set that will allow the Council to measure the success of this plan.

They are:

– Improving access to the city centre, district centres, parks and other key destinations.
– Enabling safe access to schools and colleges.
– Improving citywide health and wellbeing.
– Reflecting the diversity of Manchester and addressing transport inequalities.

A solid base already exists on which the Council can grow this plan. In Manchester walking is the dominant mode of transport for journeys under 2km, with 59% of journeys being made this way (based on figures from 2021). Currently cycling has a 6% share for all journeys in the city, a figure which the Council aims to grow to 12% by 2028.

As well as working with partners across Greater Manchester on how this plan can be developed, the Council also reached out to communities in Manchester to learn what their priorities were.

One of the most cited barriers to people walking, wheeling or cycling was the speed and volume of traffic – with 64% of respondents mentioning this problem.

Additionally 53% said crossing busy roads and junctions was a barrier, and 42% citing the poor physical condition of pavements.

When exploring solutions to the above barriers, 70% of respondents suggested creating segregated spaces for cyclists, 53% suggested putting filters in place to create low-traffic streets, and 38% thought level surfaces and dropped kerbs would remove barriers.

These proposals on the MATSIP will be heard by Councillors on the Environment and Climate Change Scrutiny Committee on February 9, before going before the Council’s Executive on February 15.

To view the full strategy follow this link – https://bit.ly/3RsldBV

Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: “Active Travel is one of the most important policies in recent memory that Manchester City Council has proposed.

“We know how important it will be in not only creating a greener and less polluted city – contributing to our goal of becoming zero carbon by 2038 or earlier – but in shaping our neighbourhoods to become more vibrant and safer, as well as improving health across generations.

“School safety also plays an incredibly important part in the work we are doing. Providing safe and accessible spaces for our young residents is something the Council is eager to work on as in many areasschools lie at the heart of our communities.

“Most importantly, this work will be inclusive and we will work hard to make sure that every one of our residents is represented. Our city is for everyone to enjoy and it is crucial that no one is left behind for any reason. We must work tirelessly to identify barriers that get in the way of active travel ensure that Active Travel works for everyone.

Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council said: “We want Manchester to be one of the best places in the country to live and work. That means attractive, green, and connected neighbourhoods with safe streets which prioritise residents.

“Running alongside Greater Manchester’s launch of the Bee Network we feel this policy puts detail on Manchester City Council’s long-running ambition to make sure our roads our safer and that air pollution can be tackled.”

AS WOMEN’S FOOTBALL POPULARITY SOARS, FEARLESS ADVENTURES INVESTMENT IS SECURED BY OFFICIAL WSL KIT BRAND FOUDYS

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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Fearless Adventures, a venture capital firm that supports direct to consumer (DTC) entrepreneurs, has invested in the Manchester-based women’s football e-commerce business, Foudys.

The company specialises in official women’s football merchandise. It prints official, authentic club football jerseys and fan apparel for Women’s Football League (WSL) teams including Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as the Champions League. Foudys has the WSL printing rights for the UK and Europe and has recently signed deals with Nike and Puma.

Wilmslow-based Fearless Adventures will inject cash, support fulfilment and provide growth marketing expertise to help scale Foudys internationally, to tap the women’s sports apparel opportunity. That market is now valued at $26.8bn and continues to grow.

Helen Hardy, founder of Foudys commented: “I’m so excited to work with Fearless Adventures. They’re entrepreneurs who have been on fast growth journeys, and their experience and expertise are hugely valuable. For me, this journey is about so much more than launching a successful e-commerce business, it’s about growing women’s football by increasing brand awareness and spotlighting products that focus solely on the women’s game. Unlike other investors, the Fearless Adventures team understands my motivations offering a tailored approach that will help take Foudys to the next level.”

Rachel McDonald, Managing Director, Fearless Adventures, added: “We are looking forward to supporting Helen and Foudys on its growth mission. We truly believe that Foudys will be the standout disruptor in women’s football with customers searching for something other than the male-centric retail platforms.”

Founded in October 2021 by a trio of the country’s brightest young entrepreneurs, David Newns, Dominic McGregor and Charlie Yates, Fearless Adventures uniquely offers each partner entrepreneur a platform of support to help their business scale.

PULL A HISTORY LESSON WITH A PINT OF AWARD WINNING STOUT

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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<strong>PULL A HISTORY LESSON WITH A PINT OF AWARD WINNING STOUT</strong>

As a pioneer of the Northern brewing industry, Joseph Holt is a standout name in the history of beer making.

Now the eponymous founder of the 173-year-old Joseph Holt brewery has been immortalised on a limited-edition pint glass to mark his influence in Northern beer making, as well as the social contribution the family made to Manchester and beyond.

The glasses will be used to serve Holt`s recently launched Trailblazer stout in the breweries` 127 pubs across the North West. The drink is the first time Joseph Holt has brewed its own stout. Already, Trailblazer has trounced Guinness – a brand which has been going for 250 years old – in a blind taste test.

As well as Joseph Holt himself, the new commemorative glasses honour other `trailblazers` among the six generations of the Joseph Holt family who have contributed so much to the industry and the community at large.

In the first of the series and artfully stencilled with white and red graphics, the glasses feature a portrait of brewery founder Joseph Holt and notes key dates in his life. These include 1849 when Joseph Holt started his brewing career, 1860 when he built the current brewery on Empire Street in Manchester and 1861 when he opened his first pub. It has since been in the same family for six generations. Its beers are supplied to over 500 locations nationally

The wording and portrait of Joseph Holt becoming pronounced when Trailblazer, with its dark velveted body and firm creamy head, is poured into the glass so creating a perfect contrasting background to such historical details.

Said Paul Longmire, head of marketing at Joseph Holt : “As a person, Joseph Holt was a real trailblazer. The son of a weaver, he started work as a young lad as a carter at a local Manchester brewer before setting up his own business in a small house in the city, making his own beer. This has grown to be one of the most recognisable and successful brands in the Northwest . What’s more, Joseph Holt has resolutely retained its independence, having been in the same family for six generations. It seemed a perfect fit to commemorate our founder’s legacy and those who followed with a glass that salutes these `trailblazers` as well as our new Trailblazer stout which is proving such a soaring success.”

New glasses will be released shortly featuring other key figures in the Joseph Holt story including Lady Margaret Holt and Sir Edward Holt. Together the duo acted as a political and charitable powerhouse, making the Holt name known on a national scale. Their impact on Manchester life, which included providing a fresh water supply from the Lake District to Manchester, ultimately led to Edward being knighted.

Joseph Holt 20 01 238216 — Sir Edward Holt pint glass.

“Trailblazer may be a relative newcomer to the stout market and Guinness is over 250 years old “said Phil Parkinson, head brewer at Joseph Holt “Even more satisfying is that, having blind tested drinkers of all ages, so many younger people enjoyed Trailblazer too.”

Brewed with distinct roasted barley, Trailblazer has a smoky, dark roast coffee aroma with hints of chocolate, treacle, liquorice, and nutty notes. With its velveted body and firm creamy head, it also strikes a subtle bittersweet taste with a fine, dry finish. The industry has already recognised the quality of the product after Trailblazer took a silver medal at the 2021 International Brewing.

Stout itself was first brewed in this country at the beginning of the 18th century. It was originally known as porter since it was popular with London street market workers: the strongest variety was known as stout porter, which was eventually shortened to just stout.

Added: Phil Parkinson: “At Joseph Holt we are so proud of our past at the same time as always looking to the future. In fact, since launching Trailblazer stout we have had 63 per cent increase in the number of younger drinkers ordering a glass. Now they and everyone who orders our award-winning stout can also enjoy a slice of history too The decision for Joseph Holt to brew its own stout – in the face of long-time established brands – has been a trailblazing moment for us.. So now all that history is wrapped up with our own brewery and served in these special commemorative glasses.”

LOCKTON’S NEW TEAM LEAD HIRE HELPS EXPAND UK COMMERCIAL WHOLESALE BUSINESS

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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LOCKTON’S NEW TEAM LEAD HIRE HELPS EXPAND UK COMMERCIAL WHOLESALE BUSINESS

Lockton, the world’s largest privately-owned independent insurance broker, has hired Ryan Willis as Existing Business Team Manager within its Commercial Wholesale team, located in Manchester. Willis takes up his new role with immediate effect, reporting to David Lee, Senior Vice President – Head of UK Commercial Wholesale.

In his new role, Willis holds responsibility for leading and motivating the Wholesale Existing Business team. Willis will oversee the day-to-day operations and performance of the team, communicating the company’s goals and leading on long-term strategic planning as Lockton continues to grow the number of clients it serves in the UK.

Willis brings 15 years of commercial broking experience to Lockton, joining after seven years with Verlingue UK, where he was most recently Corporate North Client Service Manager. Prior to this, he worked at Finch as a Corporate Account Handler Team Leader. He has also held a range of other corporate account handler roles at insurance brokers including Gallagher, Towergate and Beaumonts.

Willis’ arrival follows a strong year of growth for Lockton’s Commercial Wholesale team, with year on year revenue growth over the last three years exceeding 35%.

David Lee, Senior Vice President – Head of UK Commercial Wholesale, said: “I am pleased to welcome Ryan to our ambitious and growing UK Wholesale division based in Manchester. He has a solid track record of success, having led a number of teams to exceed both their immediate and long-term targets. His skills will be highly valuable and I look forward to working with him as our own growth accelerates, where we are committed to helping Agents manage ever-complex risk profiles and achieve their business objectives.”

Willis said: “Lockton is a business I have always respected, and I am excited to be joining the team now. The business’ various accolades as a ‘Best Place to Work’ in insurance speaks volumes, but I was really attracted to how this plays out in reality andthe team’s forward-thinking culture. Lockton’s independent nature means our team can be flexible and responsive to client needs, while taking advantage of significant opportunities for growth – both individually, as a team and at a corporate level.”

Manchester Airport offers British Sign Language interpreting for Deaf customers

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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<strong>Manchester Airport offers British Sign Language interpreting for Deaf customers</strong>

Manchester Airport has partnered with the online interpreting service, SignLive, to provide Deaf customers with interpretation in British Sign Language (BSL) when using and contacting the airport.

The new service allows customers who want to communicate in BSL to connect via video with a certified interpreter who can provide two-way translation between the customer and an airport team member.

Customers can simply log on to the SignLive app on iOS, Android, or a web browser and find Manchester Airport in the Community Directory to use the service.

British Sign Language is a visual language using gestures, facial expressions, and body language. Sign Language is used mainly by Deaf people.

The introduction of SignLive is one of Manchester Airport’s many initiatives to become a more accessible airport for everyone. Manchester Airport’s quality of assisted travel provision was rated as ‘good’ in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last reporting period for April-October 2022.

Manchester Airport has a close collaborative relationship with its Accessibility Advisory group, a diverse group of disabled people who advise the airport in areas like customer experience, training, monitoring, innovation and recruitment.

Jennifer Byrne-Smith, Terminal Director at Manchester Airport, says: “We are delighted to announce the introduction of the SignLive app, which will help our Deaf passengers. Manchester Airport is committed to ensuring that all of our services are accessible for everyone, and we will continue working closely our assisted travel groups on further inclusivity initiatives.”

FW Capital celebrates double promotions in Manchester

Olivia McHugh

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03/02/2023

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<strong>FW Capital celebrates double promotions in Manchester</strong>

FW Capital’s Manchester office is celebrating the promotion of Adam Husband and Laura Rees. This signals the firm’s commitment to investing in its future talent and rewarding high-performing individuals.

Adam and Laura have been promoted to Senior Investment Executive, following FW Capital’s ‘Career Path’ programme which delivers a structured approach for staff to gain relevant experience and future progression. In their roles they are focused on the delivery of working capital and growth loans loans of £100,000 to £750,000 to SMEs in the North West through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

Both Adam and Laura come from strong banking and finance backgrounds. Adam joined FW Capital in 2017 as an Investment Executive and prior to this worked at NatWest. Laura has worked at FW Capital since 2020 as an Investment Executive after previous roles at Catalyst Finance, NatWest and RBS Invoice Finance. Their promotions mirror areas of growth for FW Capital and supports the demand for investment by businesses across the region.

Gary Guest, North West FW Capital Fund Director said: “I would like to congratulate Adam and Laura on their promotions which are testament to their hard work and significant achievements over the past few years. We have a dynamic and ambitious team at FW Capital who are committed to supporting growing North West SMEs access funding. Ensuring we continue to develop future leaders and invest in our people is an important part of this. By strengthening our team we can work together to fuel new opportunities for businesses via the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.”

Adam Husband Senior Investment Executive at FW Capital said: “Career path is a great initiative and is a tangible demonstration of FW Capital’s commitment to developing and rewarding its people. I’m delighted to be promoted and look forward to providing further flexible finance to dynamic businesses in the North West.”

Laura Rees, Senior Investment Executive at FW Capital added: “The FW Capital team is going from strength to strength as we concentrate all our efforts on helping businesses across the North, for the life of the investment. This culture is embedded in the way we work and my role at FW Capital puts me in a great position to help make things happen, whilst adding value wherever we can for Northern businesses seeking essential funding.”

Sean Hutchinson at British Business Bank, said: “With the recent appointment of Junior Bent, these new promotions are a positive indication that investment in the North West is active and continues to reach fast-growing companies. Laura and Adam will no doubt continue to bring transformational access to finance opportunities from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund to enterprises in their new roles.”

FW Capital can provide loans of £100,000 to £750,000 in the NPIF region with a focus on Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, and the Tees Valley.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European.

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