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Going, going…gone: Has Covid killed off the traditional auctioneer?

Landwood Property Auctions Director Kate Lay comments:

The impact of the coronavirus outbreak is being felt across all industries.

It’s sweeping aside outmoded ways of working, while ushering in widespread efficiencies and improved ways of working.

Easier, safer and more flexible for all concerned, it’s clear that online auctions are the future for the property auctions sector. Not only do they eradicate any safety concerns, they offer an experience far superior to the traditional model.

The benefits of an online approach for buyers include greater transparency, fixed auction times to avoid hanging around a stuffy auction room all day. They also get to place a bid when they choose to, not when the auctioneer decides that they can join in.

For sellers, the upsides include no more waiting weeks for an auction date or panicking that you might miss the deadline. Sales details, guide prices and reserves can all be updated regularly throughout the marketing to reflect any changes that may come about – meaning no outdated printed catalogues.

At Landwood, we’re experts in this field – having held weekly online sales since our inception in 2018. We’ve never staged a traditional property auction and never will.

Our tech-driven approach has seen us utilise digital auction technology that dispenses with any need for a physical auctioneer. It allows more bids to be taken in a shorter space of time – maximising potential returns for sellers and giving buyers more opportunities to secure a property. A recent sale saw us receive 16 bids in under 30 seconds and no physical auctioneer could possibly register that many bids in that short space of time.

And by holding sales on a weekly basis – we can actively engage with potential buyers for longer and deliver better returns for clients. It’s an approach that consistently delivers impressive returns for sellers and a seamless experience for buyers.

A traditional auction also allocates a set amount of time per property – so they can get through the list of registered lots on that particular day. That can often result in properties not reaching their full sale potential as lots have to be moved on for further sales to take place.

Through lockdown we’ve seen record numbers of bidders drawn to our way of working – with sales likely to hit £25million by the end of the year.

Our platform has also consigned the traditional summer lull to history.

Traditional auction houses scale back or halt operations entirely between July and September as the industry puts its feet up. But, through maintaining our timetable of online-only sales every seven days we hit new sales highs in August and have seen continued success throughout Autumn.

The old fashioned auction houses are of course attempting to play catch up, with many operating a hybrid model – essentially trying to replicate in-the-room auctions digitally. This misses the point entirely and makes no use of the technology now available. It offers no benefit to either buyers or sellers.

There’s no doubt about it. The industry has reached a watershed moment. It’s time to face facts – technology has now made traditional auctioneers entirely surplus to requirements.

They’re going, going…gone.

Truth Creative supports virtual open day at Manchester High School for Girls

Truth Creative has supported Manchester High School for Girls (MHSG) with an innovative digital open event and marketing campaign.

The Manchester branding agency was briefed to emulate the physical experience of MHSG’s annual open events with a covid-secure online experience.

Truth supported awareness of the event with a fully integrated marketing campaign. Digital collateral provided by Truth included video production, press adverts, out of home creative and social media assets and strategy.

The work was designed to raise awareness of the online open events among parents within MHSG’s catchment area, while emphasising the pioneering school’s role in empowering girls to “be their best selves, academically and personally, since 1874”.

Truth devised the tagline One Day We Will: Empowering girls since 1874 and used this to promote the virtual open events scheduled from September to November, with registrations driven via www.manchesterhigh.co.uk/open

Jo Scott, co-founder and Managing Partner of Truth Creative, said: “Manchester High School for Girls has a long and distinguished history of empowering girls to achieve their potential, both personally and academically.

“The school didn’t want coronavirus to disrupt its annual drive to make parents aware of the opportunities presented by an MHSG education and we were pleased to be able to enable them to offer an innovative online alternative.”

Carolyn Murphy, Director of Development and Marketing at MHSG, said: “Working to tight deadlines with Truth, and despite the challenge of Covid-19 restrictions, we were delighted to welcome prospective parents and their daughters virtually to our Prep, Senior School and Sixth Form. The live virtual open events replicated online, as closely as possible, the warmth of our regular open days and the ethos of the school.”

Truth Creative has considerable experience in working with education providers and recently provided on-brand social distancing graphics and a virtual open day for University Academy 92.

Investment group Envoy expands to MediaCityUK

Inverness based investment group Envoy has announced exciting expansion plans which will see it launch a new North of England office within MediaCityUK’s Arrive workspace in Blue Tower.

The commitment to the creative, digital and tech hub coincides with the group’s second anniversary and follows a flurry of investments South of the Border, where Envoy has taken majority investments in a series of industrial and tech companies including; Langfields, Saftronics, WES, Avantis Marine, M-Tech, CPE and ACIEM, in the past year.

The new office in MediaCityUK is centrally located to support five key subsidiaries in Northern England, and to develop new acquisition opportunities for the future.

Envoy CEO Iain MacGregor commented, “The North of England has a rich heritage of industrial businesses led by very capable entrepreneurs and management teams. We have enjoyed our relationship with all our acquisitions in this area to date and hope that a more established presence can lead to many more.”

“I believe our investment approach is less conventional than most financial sponsors. We are a young company with innovative ideas and an alternative approach. MediaCityUK is an amazing regeneration story borne from the industrial heartland of Manchester and Salford. The area has an earthy vibrance to it which will suit Envoy, and follows precedents set elsewhere such as our head office at the University Campus in Inverness, Scotland.”

Chris Reay, MediaCityUK Property Director said: “Envoy is a growing and dynamic business who approach investment with creativity and entrepreneurial flair. They are a fantastic addition to our SME community and will really benefit from the collaborative spirit within our expanding creative workspace concept Arrive.”

Aaron & Partners strengthens international operation with key appointments

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Top legal practice Aaron & Partners has added to its new international department with the appointment of two new employment law Partners.

Ikram Malik joins the firm as a specialist in Business Immigration law with more than 14 years’ experience. His appointment will support clients that recruit overseas workers, with Ikram bringing a strong understanding of the complexities of corporate immigration and sponsor licence applications to the firm.

His specialist knowledge will see him play a leading role in Aaron’s International – the law firm’s recently launched department designed to help businesses and private clients manage the Brexit transition.

Joining Ikram is Partner Adam Haines, an experienced employment law Solicitor who is returning to the firm after working at top Manchester legal practice, Knights plc.

Adam has extensive experience in the private sector and has advised businesses of all sizes, handling many high-value and complex claims. He will now be based out of the firm’s Manchester office following increased demand from clients in the area.

Helen Watson, Partner and Head of Employment Law at Aaron & Partners said: “With the end of the Brexit transition period fast approaching, and the coronavirus pandemic still impacting all aspects of employment law, we identified a need for the specialist services that both Ikram and Adam can provide to clients.

“Ikram’s appointment is significant for Aaron & Partners and his extensive knowledge of Business Immigration law will be a huge asset to us, further strengthening the internationally-focused employment services we can offer to our clients.

“It’s also a pleasure to welcome Adam back to the team and his wide-ranging experience will, without doubt, boost our employment team in Manchester. His appointment reflects the increasing demand we are seeing from commercial clients in the region.

“Both Ikram and Adam are high calibre additions to the team and will ensure we can continue to provide the expert support our clients require during this challenging period.”

Manchester-based Swinton Insurance announces British LGBT Awards partnership

Swinton Insurance has announced that it is sponsoring the 2020 British LGBT Awards as the company looks to strengthen its commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.

The leading UK insurance company has joined an array of big name sponsors to support the annual event which celebrates the campaigners, community activists and allies who have done something to advance LGBTQ+ rights during the past 12 months.

Swinton’s support comes after company CEO, Ian Donaldson, stepped up efforts to support LGBTQ+ employees in the business and demonstrate the company’s commitment to serving LGBTQ+ customers throughout the country.

The Atlanta Group, Swinton’s parent company, recently announced plans for a brand new internal ‘Pride’ network which Mr Donaldson will lead as its executive sponsor.

The British LGBT Awards is the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ awards and annually recognises LGBTQ+ celebrities and ‘allies’. Previous winners have included HRH Prince William, Caitlyn Jenner, Sir Ian McKellen and Kylie Minogue.

This year’s ceremony will take place virtually, hosted by TV presenter, Rylan Clark-Neal, on Friday 27 November.

Swinton is sponsoring the Global Impact and the Sports Personality awards.

“The support of organisations like Swinton Insurance is what makes the British LGBT Awards,” says awards founder, Sarah Garrett MBE.

“Swinton have underlined their commitment to the entire LGBTQ+ community in the country by getting involved with this year’s awards. I am especially pleased that they’ve given their support to our first ever virtual event too. Their support, and that our all of our partners, is valued and much needed in what has been a challenging year for everybody.”

Speaking about Swinton’s British LGBT Awards partnership, company CEO, Ian Donaldson, said:

“I am proud that Swinton is partnering with the British LGBT Awards. This is an incredibly important national event which celebrates LGBTQ+ role models, allies, businesses and other organisations who are doing inspirational work to promote diversity and inclusion. Our involvement with the British LGBT Awards coincides with my appointment as Atlanta Group’s lead sponsor of our new ‘OurPride’ network which will see raising the bar even further in supporting LGBT+ colleagues and celebrating the cultural diversity of our team.

The British LGBT Awards is an exciting new partnership and we are delighted to be part of it.”

A variety of famous famous including Sir Elton John, musician Dua Lipa, Gentleman Jack actress Suranne Jones, Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander, RU Paul’s Drag Race star Michelle Visage, model Naomi Campbell, drag superstar Pabllo Vittar and former Welsh professional rugby player, Gareth Thomas, are among some of the 2020 nominees.

Meanwhile, organisations and big businesses with a track record of promoting equality and diversity are also nominated including Sky UK, Renault, Disney and Heathrow Airport. LGBTQ mental health service, Mind Out, and homeless charity, The Outside Project, are also in the running for awards.

Swinton launched its partnership with the British LGBT Awards with a special edition rainbow coloured Bentley car at the company’s headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent.

‘Made in Manchester’ eco-entrepreneur puts green credentials to the test

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‘Made in Manchester’ eco-entrepreneur Vlad Mukhachev is putting his green credentials to the test by delivering his newly expanded Wrapit range to customers by bike himself.

In the run up to Christmas triathlete Vlad is hitting the road every day from Wrapit’s headquarters loaded down with parcels full of premium kitchen accessories destined for buyers across the home counties.

So far the University of Manchester graduate has clocked up hundreds of miles delivering linen oven gloves to Kent, reusable beeswax food wraps to Cambridge and linen aprons to the Essex coast on his eco-friendly zero-carbon Wrapit Santa delivery service.

The 25-year-old seasoned triathlete Vlad took the decision to deliver all possible orders for Wrapit products by bike in the run up to Christmas 2020 to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

With online orders pouring in to Wrapit’s headquarters in London, Vlad is now on target to cover more than 300 miles every week, cycling up to eight hours a day.

Customers in the home counties can select Vlad’s personal Wrapit Santa deliveries at www.wrapitkitchen.co.uk and watch his progress on a live feed of his Wrapit Santa deliveries on the Wrapit Instagram account with videos, lunch stops recommended by followers and photos of his destinations.

The idea for Wrapit was born during Vlad’s four years at the University of Manchester studying a BA in Environmental Management but it was the support from the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre at Alliance Manchester Business School that really helped turn it into a reality.

He said: “I knew that I wanted to combine two things that I am mostly passionate about: business and sustainability.

“However, building a sustainable business in reality is very challenging as there are so many variables that you have to get right.

“The support provided by Masood Entrepreneurship Centre helped me go from an idea stage to actually understanding how to build a fully functioning business. I was surprised by how much practical and grounded advice and knowledge the Centre provided.”

Vlad was a winner of the 2019 Venture Further Business Start-up Competition (Environmental Category) for his Manchester-based company, Mindful Store.

Venture Further is the flagship annual start-up competition for all current students, researchers and recent graduates across the University of Manchester. The competition opens up a world of support programmes, workshops, mentors and networks to nurture and grow ideas.

In autumn 2019 Vlad launched new venture Wrapit which specialises in self-adhesive and biodegradable food wraps which are helping to stop food waste and kill off single use plastic cling film.

The company harnesses the power of British beeswax and great British design to produce the artisan wraps which work just like cling film but can be used repeatedly to keep food fresher for longer.

Wrapit soaks cotton fabric with their secret blend of beeswax, coconut oil and pine resin to create wraps to protect leftovers, cut fruit and vegetables and lunches on-the-go.

The firm expanded its range earlier this autumn to include sustainable handmade linen kitchen aprons and oven gloves.

Vlad said: “Everything we do at Wrapit was founded, tested and developed in Manchester. I am a graduate of the University of Manchester, so basically spent four years there planning and researching ideas.

“I highly recommend to any of our graduates wanting to launch a new venture that they begin this journey at Masood Entrepreneurship Centre as they will simply accelerate their learning curve and business growth.”

To find out more about the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre visit https://bit.ly/3nFj5rs.

Kuits advises EQL on becoming named supplier on G-Cloud 12 platform

Manchester commercial law firm Kuits has advised healthtech organisation EQL on the addition of its digital musculoskeletal (MSK) triage support tool, Phio, to the UK Government’s public procurement portal, the G-Cloud 12 platform.

G-Cloud 12 helps customers in the UK public sector, including the NHS, find suppliers and save money when procuring common goods and services.

Being listed as a supplier on the G-Cloud 12 platform is a key step in enabling EQL to supply its digital triage services directly to the NHS, via its Phio app.

Phio, a digital MSK triage support tool, remotely provides information on clinical signposting to the suitable care pathways to those with MSK injuries.

The Kuits team was led by Commercial and IP partner Caroline Brennan and associate Rebecca Bainbridge.

Caroline Brennan said: “It is a great success for our client, EQL, to be listed on the G-Cloud 12 platform. This will allow them to supply their digital triage support tool directly to the NHS, which we think will prove to be a hugely beneficial tool for the NHS to utilise during the current pandemic.”

Jason Ward, Co-founder and CEO of EQL said: “We’re delighted to be a named supplier on the G-Cloud 12 platform. Phio was created with a vision of providing patients with better access to the right MSK care. Through the work undertaken by the team at Kuits, we are now able to offer this service directly to the NHS which will allow for many more patients to experience the benefit of our digital-first support tool.”

New Greater Manchester health accelerator programme invites innovative companies to collaborate with NHS and research organisations

A new accelerator programme is inviting SMEs to collaborate with Greater Manchester’s research and innovation institutions to support the development of innovative health and care products.

The Research and Innovation (R&I) Health Accelerator is open to companies looking to accelerate commercialisation of their product or service into the health and care system.

By leveraging Greater Manchester’s specialist translational research capacity and world-class health science assets, the accelerator aims to support the introduction of new health and care innovations, establish effective partnerships and support the growth of the region’s life sciences sector.

The project is led by Health Innovation Manchester (HInM), the organisation responsible for accelerating innovation in Greater Manchester’s health and care system, in partnership with The University of Manchester (UoM), Manchester City Council, Bionow and The University of Manchester Innovation Factory. It is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

As part of the R&I Health Accelerator, SMEs will be able to access expertise and support to help progress their products and services towards adoption and commercialisation in the health and care system. Support could include information about navigating the health and care system, developing value propositions, ethics & regulatory advice and access to university-wide expertise.

There will also be opportunities to build lasting research collaborations between SMEs, researchers, Greater Manchester universities, NHS organisations and the broader health innovation community. These collaborations will be used to share knowledge, address the barriers to adoption and co-develop proposals for research and development projects.

SMEs will be able to apply for three collaborative support mechanisms as part of the programme:
Small innovation vouchers of £2,499 will be able to support market insights, contract research services, clinical and applied health research advice, expertise in NICE processes, where this would support progress towards adoption and commercialisation – including the design of follow-on collaborative projects.
Follow-on vouchers of £20,000 will support more substantial developments, wholly or partially funding collaborative projects to progress towards key adoption and commercialisation milestones.
Projects co-developed with University of Manchester academics to move innovative products or services closer to adoption, supported by 4-5 months of researcher time and access to University facilities.

The programme, which is open now and will run until June 2023, will engage with SMEs across a range of health and care products and services, but with a particular focus on AI & digital technologies, medical devices, biosensors, genomics & precision medicine, diagnostics, biopharmaceuticals, and applications of advanced materials.

Richard Deed, Associate Commercial Director at Health Innovation Manchester, said: “The Research and Innovation Health Accelerator will provide comprehensive support to SMEs to progress innovative health & care products and services towards adoption and commercialisation. SMEs will be able to access specialist insights and world-leading expertise from the NHS and University and develop in-depth collaborations to further progress towards commercialisation. We are excited to work our partner organisations and SMEs to accelerate innovative solutions, address the health and social care needs of Greater Manchester and grow the local SME health innovation ecosystem.”

Professor Chris Taylor, Associate VP Digital Strategy, Interim Director Pankhurst Institute at The University of Manchester, said: “This project represents a really exciting opportunity to work with our partners in the GM health innovation ecosystem to exploit the University’s extensive expertise in Health Technology Research and Innovation, focussed through its Christabel Pankhurst Institute, to support business growth and to make a real difference to the health and economic development of Greater Manchester”

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Small businesses are a bedrock of Manchester’s economy which is why it is crucial that start-ups have the right advice and support at their disposal. If investment in future businesses and innovators are made now then the city will reap benefits for years to come. Especially in the current economic climate, it is crucial that the Council and partner agencies play their role in shaping future prosperity.”

Geoff Davison, CEO at Bionow, commented: “The Accelerator offers SMEs an incredible opportunity to collaborate and access expertise, knowledge and facilities. Launching this programme and supporting the introduction of new health and care innovations has never been more important and Bionow is looking forward to helping to forge new partnerships and building on the remarkable projects that we already see in this world-class sector.”

The programme also aligns directly with the UK Life Sciences Industrial Strategy and with the GM Local Industrial Strategy, which features health innovation as one of four key pillars.

For more information and to apply visit https://healthinnovationmanchester.com/our-work/greater-manchester-research-and-innovation-health-accelerator/
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How to support students when making a home learning strategy

Due to the current pandemic, home learning came into focus,as it is a lot safer for students to stay at home than it would becoming into schools, colleges and universities.

Homeworking is becoming the new norm, and while schools are essential for communities and pupils, many need a flexible home learning option in case of emergencies, such as a Coronavirus outbreak. In this instance, schools can isolate affected students and let them work from home, or close temporarily if deep-cleaning is required.

In this article, we are going to discuss how to support students from all backgrounds when making a home learning strategy https://paperwritten.com/custom-essay.htm that can be implemented effectively during challenging times like these.

Where to start

With home learning becoming the new norm, it is important that you help all students to receive their education to the best standard possible. But where do you start with this? Well, it would be a good idea to start by making sure all students have access to a computer or laptop at home. If they don’t then, it is essential to make sure that they can get access to one either from their parents if possible or, from the school.

Not all families have the funds to go out and buy laptops for their children, especially if they have more than one child. As a result, the school should seek funding from leaders and education professionals to provide these essentials to pupils.

Involve community members in decision making

While teachers might know their students the best, they might not have the technological expertise to choose the right digital tools and implement them correctly. As such, they need the support of local community members, who can advise schools and become trustees or governors to help schools to make informed decisions.

The introduction of more local community members and business leaders into school boards has been championed for many years by AI Kingsley. Al is a chair of multi academy trusts and school governance, as well as a respected business leader. He advocates for local business owners and technology experts to support schools and help them to make the right decisions for their pupils.

Internet connections

Depending on where you live, you will only be able to access certain internet and broadband providers and, some might not be as fast as others. When it comes to home learning, you can expect internet connections not to be as strong as others at times so, to provide support here, it is important to make sure you communicate effectively.

Ask your students to let you know if they had missed any information as this can be vital to their education, and you wouldn’t want them making errors due to lost signals.

Additional support

Not all students can afford the latest computer, have the right workspace, or they may have other problems that can make homeworking difficult. For instance, if pupils come from different countries and don’t have a strong knowledge of the language or if they suffer from any medical problems then they will rely on more support from teachers in the classroom. This can be difficult in a home environment because no one is physically in a classroom to give an extra helping hand one to one.

To provide additional support to students who need it, it is important to consider each pupil who will need support and what kind they will need. It would help if you then looked for ways to create lessons so that all pupils are on board. Another way to provide additional support is by making sure that you schedule one to one calls or smaller group calls to those who want to cover a specific area of work.

Have the right essentials

To make sure everyone has a comfortable and practical home learning environment, teachers must make sure all students have the essential things that they need like jotters, notepads and other stationery.

You should create a list, so pupils know exactly what they need to get and then, look for ways to provide these items to children who don’t have access to these items. Students should feel comfortable enough to ask if there is something that they need. Their parents might not be able to provide these things.

Tips to make home learning straightforward

When it comes to home learning and assisting young people to ensure they receive the best education they can, it is essential to make sure they all have access to computers. You will also need to make sure you can support their learning by making sure they have a strong internet connection and that additional support methods are put in place when necessary. These tips should help you to improve home learning conditions for your pupils, so if they need to learn from home in the future, they can do so safely and effectively.

PHMG appoints Hannah Ralph as Global Head of Voice

Manchester-based creative audio technology company PHMG welcomes Hannah Ralph as their new Global Head of Voice.

In her new position, Hannah will be integral to driving a focus on the power of voice as a brand asset. She’ll be key in helping clients find their perfect vocal match to maximise all the audio touchpoints available to them. Plus, her work with international voice talent will source new, cutting-edge artists to diversify the PHMG portfolio.

“It’s a real privilege to be given the opportunity to work with a fantastic brand like PHMG” says Hannah.

“I can’t wait to share my passion of all things voice with both my colleagues and clients, and demonstrate how influential the voice can be in helping to shape a brand.”

Hannah brings a wealth of experience to PHMG – time spent managing voice talent across the globe, as well as working in casting, client liaison, coaching and directing. Artists under her guidance have gone on to work for leading name clients such as Disney, the BBC, ITV, Aldi, McCann and Netflix – and her expertise spans TV and radio, as well as industry guidelines, rights and usage models. This background has taught her what makes voice such an important brand asset.

“I share the belief of PHMG that the voice can be the most powerful communication tool. The right speaker can help shape a brand and engage the customer – so I truly understand the significance of finding the perfect voice.”

Training and development will be another key part of Hannah’s role. She’ll liaise with key teams and stakeholders across PHMG, advising on the unique nuances of commercial voice performance. Daniel Lafferty, Director of Music and Voice, commented:

“We’re delighted to welcome Hannah to PHMG. With 15 years’ experience in voice talent management, we’re sure she’ll take our product offering to the next level.”

Established in 1998, PHMG has grown to become a global industry leader – creating the sound of more than 36,000 clients such as Audi, Adidas and Samsung.