A fast-expanding business services group with revenues soaring towards £10m has
moved to new headquarters to accommodate its growing team.
WeDo Business Services has relocated to Meadowbank House, on the Meadowbank
Business Park in Chadderton, Oldham.
The group previously had its head office at the nearby Hollinwood Business Centre.
WeDo provides a range of services to small and medium-sized companies, including
invoice and trade finance, start-up funding and HR, back office, IT, digital and payroll
support, with a focus on the recruitment sector.
The business was founded by Mark Lindsay and Chris Robinson in 2019 as WeDo
Finance with just four staff and has grown rapidly through organic expansion and
acquisition.
Turnover for the year to July 31 is forecast to be £9.5m, an increase of nearly 60 per
cent.
The group has offices in Colchester, Sheffield and Swindon as well as at
MediaCityUK in Salford and at Chadderton, and employs 95 staff in total.
Its new HQ gives the group scope to accommodate more recruits as well as staff
visiting from its other offices.
Group chief executive Mark Lindsay said: “The move to Meadowbank House is
transformational for the business. We had been at Hollinwood since our creation in
2019 but our expansion meant we required more space for our head office team.
“Many of them live in and around Greater Manchester, so it was important that our
new base was close to the Metrolink and the motorway network, with plenty of
available free parking for staff and visitors. Most staff have a short commute, and
some can even walk to our new offices, which is great.

“We are easily accessible and can be in the city centre quickly if necessary, so it’s an
excellent location for us.
“The new office also gives us scope for further growth as we look to continue our
organic expansion and seek acquisitions to bolt on new services.”
WeDo’s new office features breakout areas with a pool room and a PlayStation.
Mark said: “We encourage staff to get away from their desks regularly and create a
social environment that supports creativity, positivity and productivity as well as
positive wellbeing.”
He said the pandemic and its lockdowns had presented growth opportunities for the
group, as clients sought additional areas of support such as HR advice, business
forecasting, business advice and investment.
“We’ve developed rapidly by becoming a true business service partner to our clients,
helping new and existing businesses to significantly improve their cash flow, their
operations and their earnings potential,” he added.
“Our strategy is to continue to expand the range of services we are able to offer and
to further strengthen our relationships with existing clients as well as helping us to
attract new ones across the country.”

After 16 months with no events due to the pandemic, Skiddle has expanded its team, built new partnerships and signed a brand new Manchester office

With an 183% increase in growth in the past year, Skiddle, the events discovery platform, has successfully bounced back after 16 months with no events due to the pandemic, making its 21st year one to remember.

For most, the pandemic saw events come to a standstill for the first time, so platforms like Skiddle had to find new ways to keep the event industry going until they returned again. To help promoters, Skiddle provided support including one-on-one industry advice from its team of former national event organisers, venue owners and performing artists. Skiddle also hosted an networking event in London in March 2022 to get businesses within the events industry back together.

Skiddle has demonstrated its strong growth, almost doubling its team of staff, going from 39 employees at the start of 2022 to 71 employees to date, including senior roles such as PHP and React Developers, Business Development Managers, and a Senior Marketing Manager.

Lisa Braithwaite, Senior Marketing Manager, who joined the team in January 2022, commented: “Joining Skiddle has allowed me to take the next step in my career, whilst being surrounded by an amazing and supportive team. The growth that the company has seen in the 6 months that I have been with them has been great and I look forward to pushing the brand forward and helping us grow even more in the future.”

Due to its team expansion, Skiddle has opened doors to more promoters, and has now worked with over 60,000 promoters. As well as promoters, the event discovery platform has also started collaborating with brands like JET2 and ISawItFirst, a new pathway for the Skiddle team, with new partnerships also in the pipeline for the rest of 2022.

As a result of its new opportunities and expansions within the team, Skiddle has upgraded its Manchester site. With offices in Longridge, Liverpool and London, the team has moved its Manchester office to the indie hub of the Northern Quarter, right at the heart of Manchester’s favourite music and comedy venues and surrounded by a multitude of indie businesses. The upgraded office is 1500 sq ft and has been able to bring the team back together after two years apart working from home.

Jamie Scahill, Head of Marketing at Skiddle, said: “After a tough two years, it’s great to see the successful return of events and we are back to doing what we do best – supporting promoters and other businesses within the events industry. Our strong growth is down to our innovative approach and finding new pathways we could tap into. We have an exciting year ahead with partnerships in the pipeline and a host of new team members, ready to support the event industry further.”

21st July 2022 – Peak District-based specialist independent brokerage, Montane Finance, part of the Montane Group, has supported the Wood Care Group with a seven figure refinance deal to support the growth of the business including the purchase of a new care home The Fountains Care Centre in Swinton, Salford.

The Wood Care Group is a family business run by Andrew, Tom and Jenny Wood who have over 30 years’ experience in the care home sector and have established an impressive presence and passion to provide the highest standards of care. With a focus on people centred care, the Wood Care Group’s team aim to help residents retain independence and a high quality of life.

This latest funding means Wood Care Group now operate five care homes offering 24-hour residential, nursing and dementia care. The homes are Longwood Lodge Care Home in Oldham, Broom Lane Care Home in Rotherham, The Cedars Care Home in Doncaster, Riverside Care Home in Barnsley and The Fountains Care Centre in Salford.

Working with the team at Wood Care Group, Montane Finance has been able to leverage its relationships with lenders and its experience in the healthcare sector to structure the right funding package. Montane Finance were particularly impressed with the family team behind Wood Care Group, and their passion for the care sector and forward-thinking approach.

Scott Murcott, MD of Montane Group said: “We are thrilled to have been able to support such a passionate, hardworking, and talented business as Wood Care Group with the successful refinance of their care group. Andrew and the team hold a unique blend of compassion, humility, and dedication in all that they do. Having successfully navigated the pitfalls of Covid, the Group stand in a great position to continue to push forward through this next phase of growth and expansion. This is another key marker for the Montane Group, highlighting our key vision of being the debt advisor of choice for acquisitive and ambitious operators within the care sector.”

Andrew Wood, Wood Care Group added: “Working with Scott and the team has been an absolute pleasure, they understand the care market making the whole process much easier. Additionally, Scott was only ever a phone call away should we need anything. We’re delighted to have developed this relationship with Montane and will certainly be using them again as our group continues to grow.”