Accelerate Places Manchester has enjoyed a spectacular start to 2019. The dynamic office and co-working space, has seen the arrival of the NHS, its newest and largest member, and two of its entrepreneurs have achieved outstanding success with one member being mentored by Dragon’s Den star, Theo Paphitis, and the other the face of a global advertising campaign.

A newly formed digital innovation team, from Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, has become the newest and largest member at the shared office space on Princess Street, taking a mix of co-working desks and private office space.

The team of 18, which works across Greater Manchester to optimise the sharing of information between organisations to support patient care, was successful in securing national funding to be one of the first NHS trusts to roll out the new programme.

Paul Moore, Acting Head of Interoperability for Salford Royal NHS Delivery Team, said: “We have come together with a wealth of experience, and from a range of NHS and non-NHS organisations, to deliver this programme and we are excited by the opportunity this gives us to make a contribution to the 2.8m people living in Greater Manchester.

“We selected Accelerate Places as it was an ideal location for us as we have partner organisations based at offices right next to the two train stations, Piccadilly and Oxford Road. The move into the new premises has been seamless and the team love the modern feel of the dedicated space and positive vibes. We are already seeing the benefits of having a shared, dynamic office space and are looking forward to an exciting future.”

Matt Bird, founder of clothing brand, We Are Gntlmen, received a visit from former Dragon’s Den star, Theo Paphitis, earlier this month after winning the 2018 Many Hands Campaign.

Matt, who has been a member of Accelerate Places for just over a year, won the campaign following his launch of the ‘Humphrey’ shirt where 100% of the proceeds were donated to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Matt said: “I started my business in 2013 in my spare bedroom, so having the opportunity to meet with one of the UK’s highest profile entrepreneurs felt incredible. By winning the campaign, we had the opportunity to meet with Theo in our offices to talk about our business, our plans and the future for our brand. Theo offered some in-depth retail knowledge and advice and also showed interest in the steps we’re taking and we’re already planning our next meetings with him.

“I’ve been at Accelerate Places since 2017 and have found it a great place to grow a business. Being surrounded by great entrepreneurs who are on the same journey really helps and they make a real effort to bring everyone together and make the working space a nice place to be.”

Entrepreneur, Josh Turner, has been based at Accelerate Places in Manchester since November 2017 after launching his business, Stand4Socks. Josh reverse engineered the most comfortable socks, which are ethically made, and has grown the business by over 600% in the last year. Thanks to his incredible achievement, Josh was recently selected to be the face of a Vodafone advertising campaign featuring successful entrepreneurs.

He said: “It was great to be selected by Vodafone for the advert and the profile it has brought to the business has been fantastic, something I wouldn’t have ever expected when I came up with the idea of changing the world with socks.

“We moved to Accelerate Place to be around a number of like-minded people. The space is extremely professional and productive but also relaxing – which is important for a digital creative business like ours. A number of my close friends are running business from the space, some of our suppliers and partners are only a few desks away. It doesn’t feel like an office in the traditional sense. We also love the flexibility to grow provided by Accelerate Places. Although we are currently a very small team, we can double in size overnight if we needed to and this is very important to us.”

“The laid-back feel of the office means quite of few of us barely leave, working late and over weekends which I feel is because of the culture and environment here. It really is a second home for ambitious entrepreneurs!”

Georgia-Kaye Berry, Community Manager at Accelerate Places Manchester, said: “We have had a fantastic start to the year and are really excited that the new digital innovation team from Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust has now joined us. We have a variety of spaces available here for businesses of varying sizes and with different requirements so we can always find a space to suit.

“Our membership is a community of entrepreneurs so it’s a very vibrant place with lots of ambitious businesses looking to innovate and disrupt, so it’s no wonder they are all doing incredibly well. However, Matt and Josh have really stood out this month for their incredible achievements and we are so privileged to be a part of their journey, to watch them grow and to celebrate with them along the way.

“The phenomenal success of our members is really putting Accelerate Places on the radar of a growing number of businesses looking for bespoke and flexible office space in which to start-up, grow or even house brand new teams, all at the heart of our beautiful and very special city.”

Mason Advisory, independent IT consultancy, has been selected as one of the leading management consultancies in the UK for Digital Transformation and IT Strategy.

The company features in the Financial Times’ special report. The UK’s Leading Management Consultants 2019, published in partnership with Statista.

Alongside the rankings and analysis of businesses, the report explores the new regulatory landscape for the big four professional services, gender diversity, disruptive data-driven initiatives and the impact of Brexit in the consulting sector. The inclusion of Mason Advisory is a public acknowledgement of the company’s reputation and performance within the British consulting industry.

Based at MediaCityUK, Mason Advisory provides IT consultancy and advisory services, solving complex business challenges through the intelligent use of IT resources including IT strategy and transformation, sourcing, architecture, cybersecurity and IT delivery. It operates in sectors such as education, retail, finance and banking, health, insurance, government and private security. In the last three years, overseas sales have grown significantly following projects in the UK and all over the world, including in the USA, Switzerland, Norway, Ireland, Jamaica, Qatar, and Mauritius.

Steve Watmough, Mason Advisory CEO, said: “It’s a real privilege and an honour for us to be included in this report as it’s compiled based on recommendations from industry peers and clients.

“It’s such a comprehensive list and our whole team is delighted to be recognised for our work in digital transformation and IT strategy. We know there are many consultancies in the UK providing specialist expertise so to be included on the list, alongside such well-respected industry players, really raises our profile and will hopefully propel us towards the next stage of our international growth.

“Now is an exciting time for the British consultancy sector and for businesses in the North West region and we’ve got exciting expansion plans for 2019 and beyond.

“To be featured in the FT report is testament to the outstanding work we have delivered and the high calibre of consultants in our team, who are really driving our business forward and producing quality results and solutions for our clients in the UK and around the world. We’ll continue to deliver innovative and transformational IT projects across the UK and abroad so this accolade will certainly enhance our reputation.”

The butchers in local farm shop, Albion Farm Shop in Saddleworth has been approved as a member of the exclusive Q Guild of Butchers.

The Q Guild is a seal of excellence marking Britain’s best independent butchers and represents an elite group of the finest quality meat retailers in Britain. It is a symbol synonymous with skill, craftsmanship and above all, quality.

The butchery counter at Albion Farm Shop, managed by Head Butcher Kyle Mottram, sells a range of top quality produce which it sources locally and rears on the farm with its panoramic views from Delph across to Lydgate. It’s known for its selection of award winning homemade sausages, including the bestselling Black treacle with spring onion sausage. When the season is right, the butchery counter can source game from the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

Q Guild Chairman, David Lishman, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Albion Farm Shop’s butchery counter to the Q Guild. Kyle and his team, like our other members, are an inspiration in terms of knowledge, skills and above all, quality. They are a valuable part of the country’s food and retail landscape and I look forward to their participation in regional meetings, social and product evaluation events.”

England Lacrosse has announced a new four-year partnership with North West based Kukri Sports that sees the international sportswear brand become our official kit supplier.

Kukri will provide bespoke playing and training wear for all England national squads and academies with the England Senior Women sporting the new off-field Kukri training wear when they visit California to take on World Champions USA later this month.

In a first for England Lacrosse, a range of official replica kit and England Lacrosse leisurewear will soon be available to buy online through Kukri’s England Lacrosse online store to show your support for Team England.

Kukri provides bespoke kit for some of the world’s leading sports teams including the England Commonwealth Games team, Leicester Tigers Rugby and Lancashire Cricket.

Caroline Royle, Marketing Manager, England Lacrosse, said: “Kukri are highly experienced in delivering innovative, quality bespoke teamwear for sports teams around the world and we’re delighted to have agreed a partnership for the next four-year cycle.

“We’ve been through an extensive tender process to find the most suitable partner that match our passion and values and are able to deliver a high-quality product to the growing needs of our organisation.

“As our national squads continue to go from strength to strength, Kukri’s performance-enhancing designs will ensure our teams are best prepared for success on the field, in addition to the official retail range that will allow us to further promote and develop the England Lacrosse brand.”

Chris Marshall, Kukri Sports Sales Director of GB and Europe, added: “We are looking forward to the next four years with England Lacrosse, providing them with high-quality performance playing kit as well as their training and travel ranges. We have a great admiration for the work they’ve already done to increase participation levels in the sport. We’re proud to now be part of that journey.

“Kukri is committed to showcasing to the world how fast and exciting the sport of lacrosse is, from grassroots through to elite level. The importance of the athlete journey is an integral part of our mindset as a business and we aim to grow together for the good of the sport.”