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Manchester-based online money transfer provider ACE Money Transfer launches a major advertising campaign with banking giant Bank Al Habib.

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  • Campaign alongside Pakistan-based Bank Al Habib celebrates Manchester roots with a fully-wrapped Manchester bus.
  • The campaign also features ads on 500 London buses and 25 Tube stations.

Manchester-based money transfer provider ACE Money Transfer has launched a major advertising campaign alongside Pakistani banking giant Bank Al Habib.

The campaign celebrates ACE Money Transfer’s Manchester roots with a full advertising wrap of a Manchester bus, highlighting the firm’s seven-second average time taken for money transfers to Pakistan. The bus will be on the city’s streets for the next six months.

The UK to Pakistan money transfer corridor is key for many people of Pakistani heritage in Manchester and the wider UK. A significant proportion of the British Pakistani community sends money back to family members in Pakistan.

Bank Al Habib is one of Pakistan’s largest banking groups, with around 1,000 branches in more than 400 towns and cities across Pakistan.

ACE Money Transfer’s campaign will feature advertising on more than 900 buses as well as 25 tube stations across multiple cities in the UK. The firm has also placed billboards advertising in 100 different locations countrywide.

Founded in 2002 in Manchester, ACE Money Transfer is one of the UK’s fastest-growing remittance providers. While its service originated in supporting the British Pakistani community in sending money to Pakistan, it also has a significant number of customers sending money to countries including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It now serves more than 100 countries and 1.3 million customers.

As it reaches its 20th anniversary, the firm has completed millions of secure and swift money transfers on behalf of its clients. The firm was established in Manchester in 2002 and is still based in the city.

The business started with just one branch in Bolton. It now operates in over 100 countries worldwide, offering one of the best remittance transfer services.

Rashid Ashraf says: “We’re proud to be a Manchester business – it was a natural choice for us to focus our advertising campaign here.”

“We started by serving the British Pakistani community in Manchester. 20 years later, we ensure that expat communities everywhere can get money back to their loved ones worldwide in seconds.”

Promoting legal channels of remittances to Pakistan

The campaign comes as ACE Money Transfer and Bank Al Habib join forces to promote legal channels of remittances to Pakistan.

ACE Money Transfer warns that using non-regulated channels like the hawala and hundi transfer systems could put expats’ hard-earned money at risk and negatively impact Pakistan’s economy.

To promote the use of regulated channels, customers can benefit from Free transfers in seconds when they send money from the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia and Switzerland to any Bank Al Habib account via ACE Money Transfer.

Amazon expands UK electric cargo bike deliveries with new micromobility hub launches in Manchester and London

E-cargo bikes and walkers are expected to make more than two million UK deliveries a year to Amazon’s customers

Amazon is set to roll out further UK micromobility hubs over the coming months, as part of its £300 million, five-year investment in the electrification and decarbonisation of its transportation network

The company’s e-cargo bike fleet is expanding across Europe, with new hubs launching in Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Bologna, Milan, Naples and Genova

Today Amazon announces the expansion of its UK e-cargo bike fleet, with the launch of three further micromobility delivery hubs in Manchester and London. Unveiled as part of a five-year £300 million investment in the electrification and decarbonisation of the company’s UK transportation network, e-cargo bikes and walkers are now expected to make more than two million deliveries a year. These deliveries will take traditional delivery vans off the nation’s roads, alleviate city centre traffic congestion and improve air quality.

Amazon has opened these new hubs ahead of Black Friday to deliver to customers with reduced emissions deliveries during this busy shopping period. The hubs join Amazon’s existing central London e-cargo bike fleet which was recently announced in July. Amazon has already made more than five million deliveries so far in 2022 using its e-cargo bikes and electric van fleet within London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.

Making e-cargo bike deliveries to Manchester’s customers for the first time, Amazon’s electric delivery fleet will operate across the City of Manchester. New delivery hubs based in London’s Wembley and Southwark will also more than triple the e-cargo bike fleet making deliveries to Amazon’s customers across the capital.

Amazon also this week announced further micromobility expansion plans across France and Italy. E-cargo bikes and on-foot deliveries are now operational from hubs in more than 20 cities across Europe. In addition to this delivery fleet expansion, Amazon is investing in thousands of chargers across its European facilities.

“With more than €1 billion committed to electrifying and decarbonising our European transportation network over the next five years, including more than £300 million in the UK alone, we remain laser focused on reaching net carbon zero by 2040,” said John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon. “These new hubs will not only bring our customers more electric-powered deliveries, but also support local authorities looking for ways to reduce congestion and find alternative transportation methods. We look forward to expanding our e-cargo bike fleet further in the coming months.”

“E-cargo bikes can play a vital role in reducing emissions, and that’s why we’ve already helped hundreds of firms to use them for deliveries,” said Decarbonisation and Technology Minister, Jesse Norman. “With ever more people buying goods online, it’s more important than ever that we move to greener alternatives, and today’s announcement is one step closer to achieving that goal.”

More than 1,000 electric delivery vans are already in operation on UK roads, in addition to five fully electric Heavy Goods Vehicles – these 37-tonne vehicles are among the first in the UK, the first in Amazon’s fleet, and replace traditional diesel trucks.

Amazon is the co-founder of and the first signatory to The Climate Pledge, a commitment to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. With more than 375 signatories, including more than 100 from the UK alone, the Pledge signatories are working together on initiatives to preserve the natural world and invest in decarbonising technologies. Amazon also recently announced that it has surpassed 100 renewable energy projects across Europe. As the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy globally, Amazon reached 85% renewable energy across its business by the end of 2021, on its path to reaching 100% renewable energy by 2025.

Andy Burnham champions leading role of city-regions on global stage at Manchester Consular Association’s 140th Anniversary Gala Dinner

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Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has spoken on the importance of “real practical relationships” and how non-capital cities “can play a key role and step forward to lead on international relations” at the Manchester Consular Association’s (MCA) 140th Annual Gala Dinner at Manchester Art Gallery.

Hosted by current MCA president Jo Ahmed, partner at Deloitte and the Honorary Consul of Japan, Burnham spoke to an audience that included the labour leader of Manchester City Council, Councillor Bev Craig, Ambassador Hayashi of Japan as a guest of honour and several other dignitaries.

Andy Burnham said: “Greater Manchester has always been a place that did things differently. This was a city that refused to handle slave-picked cotton, that was international in its outlook back then and continues to be now.

“Going forward, cities – not just countries or capitals – can step up and play a leading role in international relations. The focus for us is on the people-to-people links, and in the real practical relationships that I hope we can continue to strengthen into 2023.

“The fact that Manchester has the longest-standing Consular Association reflects the strength of our city-region, and the Manchester Consular Association can be a force for good across Greater Manchester.”

Adding to Burnham’s thoughts, Councillor Bev Craig said: “Manchester is a global world class city – diverse and confident, speaking over 200 languages from all works of life and we wear it as a badge of honour”

Founded in 1882, the Manchester Consular Association is thought to be the oldest consular association in the world. Its membership includes officers and executives of institutions or bodies that promote trade, commercial, cultural, educational or scientific matters. It facilitates a community for consuls where they can gain knowledge, information and learning, and connect into the extensive network that each consul has.

Jo Ahmed was recently elected the MCA’s 3rd consecutive female president, but only the 4th in the association’s history.

Speaking at the dinner, Jo Ahmed said: “We are all too aware that we are in difficult economic times and I hope that the Manchester Consular Association can continue to work together and be a force for good in supporting communities across the region, as we are doing here this evening in raising funds for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s charity supporting homelessness initiatives across the city.

“Throughout the coming year I hope we can share stories of the great work of the Manchester Consular Association and the work across the communities of Greater Manchester to help promote that spirit of cooperation and understanding of Manchester’s multicultural heritage.”

Special guest Ambassador Hayashi of Japan said: “This is my fourth visit to Greater Manchester in the last year and it is so wonderful to see the strong collaborations being developed between Manchester and Japan. I am delighted that we have confirmed that Jo will continue to be Honorary Consul for a further five years.

“I really wish this wonderful city and community a wonderful and prosperous future”

Smart Ideas to Keep Business Costs Down Using Technology

It is indisputable that technology has affected how businesses worldwide operate. Technology is often thought of as a business expense but, just as a person can save money by using discount codes via browser extensions such as Honey or by checking out available bonuses and offers on comparison sites like oddschecker, businesses can use technology to save money. Read on to see some of our recommendations on how to do exactly that.

The power of the internet

One of the best ways to cut costs and increase efficiency is to take advantage of the many powerful tools available on the internet. There are a number of great online platforms that can help you promote your business at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. From social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to online directories and review sites, there are multiple ways to reach potential customers without breaking the bank.

Along with that, nowadays you can take advantage of open-source technology. Open-source software is free to use and often just as good (if not better) than expensive proprietary options. Using open-source solutions can save you a considerable amount of money on software costs.

Remote Work

There are many benefits to working remotely, including reduced overhead costs, increased flexibility and productivity, and improved work-life balance for employees. However, there are also some challenges that businesses need to be aware of, such as ensuring data security and maintaining communication and collaboration between employees.

To ensure effective communication between employees who are working remotely, businesses should invest in communication tools like Slack or Zoom. These will allow you to have video meetings, send instant messages, and share important files all in one place.

When transitioning to remote work, it is important to provide training and support for employees. This will help them feel comfortable with their new way of working and make sure they know how to use the new tools properly. Moreover, regular check-ins with employees will help you ensure that they are adjusting well and address any issues that may come up.

Automation

As a business owner, you are always looking for ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency. One way to do this is to automate as many processes as possible. There are a number of ways you can use technology to automate your business. For example, you can use automation to send out emails, process payments, schedule social media posts, and generate reports.

By automating these tasks, you can free up your time so that you can focus on more important aspects of the business. You can also avoid human error and save money in the long run. If you are not sure how to get started with automation, there are plenty of resources available online. You can also hire a consultant or virtual assistant to help you set up and manage your automated processes.

Cloud-based software

Cloud-based software has many advantages over traditional, on-premises software. Perhaps the most significant advantage is that it is much more cost-effective. With cloud-based software, there is no need to invest in expensive hardware or software licenses. Furthermore, cloud-based software is typically subscription-based, so you only pay for what you use.

Another advantage is that it is easy to scale. If your business grows and you need more features or capacity, you can simply add them to your subscription. There is no need to go through a lengthy and expensive upgrade process as you would with on-premises software.

Finally, cloud-based software is easier to maintain. Since the vendor takes care of all maintenance and updates, you can be sure that your software is always loaded with the latest features and security patches.

Zoom

Final thoughts

As your business grows, it is important to keep an eye on expenses and, where possible, find ways to cut costs. Simply by investing in technology, you can easily achieve this goal with minimal hassle.

Cost of living crisis costing employees mental health reveals UK research study

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A survey produced by Cezanne HR, the leading UK supplier of HR software for growing businesses, has discovered half of UK employers and managers believe HR needs to prioritize staff well-being during periods of recession. With the ongoing cost of living crisis looming, the findings aim to improve employee communication, preventing excess levels of staff turnover. Researchers believe the findings will encourage businesses to prioritize up-skilling their workforce.

Conducted in the November this year, researchers analysed what effects a recession may have on UK and Irish businesses.

Findings

Conducted in the November this year, researchers analysed what effects a recession may have on UK and Irish businesses. Cezanne HR’s survey discovered:

● Nearly 90% of senior business leaders believe their businesses are or will be negatively impacted by the current economic situation. Over 55% say this is already the case.
● Over 70% of managers say their staff are worried about how the recession will affect their jobs, with 60% concerned about redundancy
● Nearly two-thirds of UK and Irish businesses have already or will freeze or reduce recruitment efforts due to the volatile economy
● 80% of managers are worried a recession will drive rates of excessive staff turnover, with job insecurity cited by over a third as the reason
● 77% of managers say supporting employee morale is their top priority in a recession.

Paul Bauer, Cezanne HR’s Head of Content commented: “The worsening economic situation and cost-of-living crisis has sent shock waves through our society. With businesses having to take tough decisions, energy and food prices surging and job insecurity, many people are finding times incredibly stressful and worrying.”

“It’s comforting then that our survey found managers saying that during a recession, their HR teams should prioritize employee health and wellbeing- they really are putting their employees first.”

What can HR do to help their employees in this time of crisis?

With what HR can do to successfully support their employee’s health and wellbeing, Paul said that “HR teams need to ensure they have a sound framework in place to support people’s physical and mental health. This can include providing sources of professional help, such as counselling, to more formal benefits, such as an employee assistance programme.”

You can discover the full rundown of the results and what they mean for HR here.

About Cezanne HR

Cezanne HR is a UK HR software leader for mid-sized and growing UK and international organisations. They provide a modern, secure Cloud HR system that lets companies quickly and effectively digitise, streamline and improve human resources management.

JOSEPH HOLT RECOGNISED WITH STAFF WELLBEING AWARD

Iconic brewery Joseph Holt has netted a prestigious award in recognition of the way it cares for its members of staff.

The 173 year-old company, which has been in the same family for six generations, has been given the National 2022 Staff Wellbeing award by the Licensed Trade Charity.  Joseph Holt, which runs 127 pubs across the North West, clinched the gong in the section for companies with under 250 sites.

The award is given to the operator that has been most successful and shown the most ingenuity in making its workface aware of the work of the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) which offers support and practical help for those who work in the hospitality industry.

Judges particularly liked the way Joseph Holt promoted the charity – from posters on staff notice boards monthly emails encouraging staff to contact the LTC if they needed support.

Paula Smith, Head of Marketing at LTC said: “Through our annual awards we recognise the people and companies that mirror our own core values and help us to help more people. Joseph Holt and the team that work there are a wonderful example of that.

Working with operators, like Joseph Holt, gives us a way to reach the large numbers of employees in their head office, brewery and throughout their pub estates and ultimately help more people.  Their support is invaluable to our work to raise awareness.”

Richard Kershaw, Chief Executive from Joseph Holt added: “ Staff wellbeing is at the centre of what we do. And as well as the support we offer them directly it`s vital they should know about the LTC and the work it does. The brewery is thrilled to be recognised this way.

BRIGHTER SMILE FOR DARKER DAYS: Impress launches tooth whitening service

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–    Impress has launched a laser tooth whitening treatment in its clinic in Manchester

– The new treatment is guaranteed to make your smile 5x brighter!

 

Impress, one of Europe’s leading orthodontics chains specialising in clear aligners, has today announced the launch of a brand-new tooth whitening treatment. As a stand-alone treatment, the laser tooth whitening is available for just £300 or free when purchased in November with the oral health and beauty pack

 

Unlike at other cosmetic dentistry clinics, tooth whitening at Impress is led by a doctor to ensure that patient health is the number one priority. On your first, free consultation, a doctor will evaluate your case and recommend the best solution for you – including the number of sessions required and aftercare advice.

 

The process is simple: a bleaching product is painted onto your teeth, and a laser is shone on them to activate the whitening. Following treatment, to ensure the best results, doctors at Impress advise avoiding staining foods for 48 hours; this includes things you’d expect like coffee and red wine, but also chocolate, soy sauce and cured meats.

 

So, what can you eat? Impress experts recommend sticking to white foods where possible, for at least the first two days after each tooth whitening session. Foods such as milk, chicken and rice work well, as does yoghurt, potatoes, and bread.

 

After the first 48 hours it’s recommended to rinse your mouth after eating dark coloured foods, drink through a straw, and make sure you’re snacking on lots of dairy to strengthen enamel, and acid-neutralising foods like apples, bananas, and celery.

 

Daniel Brown, UK Country Manager for Impress, said: “We’re really excited to launch our tooth whitening service in the UK. It’s a treatment we’ve always offered as part of our invisible aligner package, but due to high demand we are now offering tooth whitening as a standalone treatment – no obligation, no nonsense. At Impress you can be sure you’re in the right hands, as a medical professional is designed to your case and will work with you to achieve the smile you want.”

 

Tooth whitening is now available at all of Impress’ flagship clinics at major cities throughout the UK. The treatment is suitable for anyone aged 18 and over, with healthy teeth, and moderate staining.

 

To book in for your consultation, visit www.smile2impress.com/uk

Digital healthcare start-up continues clinical trials following funding success

A digital healthcare start-up will continue their clinical trialling of a game-based Dementia programme after securing a six-figure sum from the UK government. Awarded by Innovative UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, the highly coveted SMART award anticipates world leading innovation that is expected to have the greatest impact on the UK economy. Ascentys, a Yorkshire based business and creators of the technology, hope the videogame will provide rapid screening and diagnostics for those suffering with Alzheimer’s.

Ascentys are working in partnership with Durham University and Hywel Dda University to trial the ground-breaking gaming and AI technology that has been recognised by the government. Leaders of the project believe the video game has the potential to positively impact NHS assessments of the disease. Currently, Dementia costs the UK’s health system £26.3 billion annually. This number is expected to increase to £55 billion by 2050, meaning the businesses new AI technology could save the NHS millions yearly. Dr Sayed Kazmi, founder of Ascentys commented:

“From its inception, Ascentys has sought to innovate and create a significant positive impact on the patients, their families and carers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and the clinicians responsible for their care.

Treatment and care of Alzheimer’s Dementia costs the NHS millions annually and desperately requires innovation to transform the current treatmentpathway for the disease to substantially reduce clinical burden and waiting list times for patients. The aim of G:DATA is to have a role in this and to raise the effectiveness and quality of care provided to patients using an inexpensive, highly engaging, and non-invasive alternative to existing approaches.”

Twice awarded as one of the fastest growing digital companies in the Leeds Enterprise region, the award adds to the company’s long list of achievements. Mr Kazmi is delighted to receive the award, adding: “It gives us great pleasure to announce this award and we are confident G:DATA will play a key role in transforming the current screening and diagnostics of Alzheimer’s Disease and ultimately work towards providing a genuinely novel treatment.”

About Ascentys

Formed in 2017, Ascentys was born from three senior academic researchers, all leaving well paid jobs after experiencing the devastating impact of mental illness on close friends and family. Ascentys works closely alongside the world’s best neuroscientists, psychiatrists, clinicians, researchers, and award-winning game developers to create truly ground-breaking digital videogames and related technologies including advanced Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence to innovate and disrupt mental health pathways for vastly more effective and efficient screening, diagnostics and treatment.

 

UK’s Digital Infrastructure Boosted by £179M to Meet Evolving Business and Consumer Needs

New investment from Equinix in support of increasing customer demand in the UK

Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world’s digital infrastructure company, today confirmed its continuing commitment to growing its data centre capacity in the UK. It is expanding two of its International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) sites in London—LD7 and LD8—and has opened a new data centre—MA5—in Manchester, representing an investment of £179 million. In total, Equinix has invested more than £1 billion in the UK’s digital infrastructure.

In an increasingly dynamic world, including competitive pressures, growing customer demands, globalisation, and challenges posed by COVID-19 and Brexit, many businesses are accelerating their digital transformation efforts and prioritising the adoption of hybrid multicloud solutions. In response, Equinix continues to invest in the UK’s interconnection capabilities to help organisations adopt future-proof digital strategies and expand their global opportunities.

Russell Poole, Managing Director for Equinix UK, said: “Our commitment to expanding the UK’s digital infrastructure caters to the increasing number of enterprises requiring ultra-low-latency connectivity, both here and internationally. This further investment will help to maintain the nation’s position as a strategic digital business hub for enterprises looking to compete on a global scale.

“The location of these data centres complements the growth of the UK’s two biggest cities. Manchester is one of Europe’s fastest growing business centres for technology and media, while London is a long-established financial centre of the world. Despite Brexit-born uncertainty, there are many reasons to be optimistic about digital transformation and technology investment in the UK.”

The Global Interconnection Index (GXI) 2023, a market study published by Equinix, forecasts that, in London, overall interconnection bandwidth—the measure of private connectivity for the transfer of data between organisations—is expected to achieve a 43% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by 2025, as the fastest growing core metro. This projected growth is due to be driven by a combination of network and financial services demand for capacity.

Furthermore, the Equinix 2022 Global Tech Trends Survey reveals the majority of UK digital leaders (64%) believe the UK is a trailblazer in technological innovation, with 57% of last year’s respondents suggesting that, globally, London is one of the best cities to do business in. Almost 8 out of 10 (79%) respondents expect the UK will remain a world-leading international business hub.

As well as underpinning the UK’s position as a hub for global business, data centres are delivering multiple career opportunities, including roles that coincide with Equinix’s own initiatives to attract new talent and tackle gender inequality within the tech sector. One such programme, recently launched and titled ‘I am Remarkable’, is encouraging women to join the industry. It is particularly focused on women who have no previous experience working in technology.

Lorraine Wilkinson, Vice President of Sales, UK, at Equinix, said: “We are hoping to attract more female talent into the industry. We know through anecdotal feedback that many candidates can be put off applying for tech roles as they believe they don’t have the right skillset. Our initiative helps women recognise that, although they may lack technical training, they hold many extremely valuable and transferable skills that make them ideal employees.

“Today, less than a quarter of IT and tech roles are filled by women, with any meaningful progress to address the imbalance being frustratingly slow. At Equinix, we recognise the value women bring to our workplace, and are working hard to address the gender imbalance.”

Liverpool Metro Bank Appeals for Toys & Games this Christmas to Support Alder Hey Children’s Charity

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Metro Bank’s Liverpool store is appealing for children’s toys, games and book donations to help support Alder Hey Children’s Charity as part of its Christmas Community Campaign to spread the warmth this winter.

Merseyside residents and businesses can donate any of the following items at the Paradise Street store, which the charity urgently needs: any toys, books and games for children of all ages. The charity especially needs arts and crafts materials as these are a great way to get children to socialise. Finally, the charity struggles with donations for babies and older children aged over 13, so they have made a special appeal for these age groups.

“As a community bank we want to really help make Christmas extra special for the children and families being supported by Alder Hey,” explains Liverpool Metro Local Director Gary Owens.  “We would encourage everyone to give just a little extra this Christmas and I want to thank everyone in advance for their generous support.”

Metro Bank’s Liverpool store can be found at 15 Paradise Street, L1 3EU. The store is open 7 days a week, Monday – Saturday: 8.30am – 6pm and Sunday: 11am to 5pm.