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Salford social supermarket expands with support from the Edward Holt Trust

CSR

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30/08/2018

Salford social supermarket expands with support from the Edward Holt Trust

Lucie’s Pantry social supermarket, based at homelessness charity Emmaus Salford, will double its capacity thanks to a £66k grant from the Edward Holt Trust.

Lucie’s Pantry provides a sustainable and affordable source of food and household essentials to members of the Pendleton community struggling to make ends meet through debt, illness or low income. The Edward Holt Trust grant of £22k per year for three years (subject to annual review), will enable Lucie’s Pantry to increase its membership from 80 to 160 households, supporting up to 800 people in Salford.

The Edward Holt Trust originated in a 1955 endowment from Sir Edward Holt, owner of Manchester’s Joseph Holt brewery and Great Uncle of Richard Kershaw, the current Chairman of the Trustees and Chief Executive of Joseph Holt’s.

Richard commented: “We are delighted to support this excellent project which enables Emmaus to provide a greatly improved service within Salford. The endowment by Sir Edward Holt was to help support the local community and expanding Lucie’s pantry certainly hits the spot.”

Pat Ekins was formerly a member of the Emmaus Salford community – a charity which offers support to people who have experienced homelessness. Pat recently moved in to her own flat and thanks to the support from the Edward Holt Trust, is now employed full-time as Project Manager at Lucie’s Pantry.

Pat said: “It’s massive what the Edward Holt Trust has done for us to allow Lucie’s Pantry to expand. There are so many people out there who’ve not got enough money, they’re not eating properly and it’s heart breaking.

“We’ve got a long waiting list so with the support from the Edward Holt Trust we can get more people signed up and benefitting from Lucie’s Pantry.”

The social supermarket model is different to food banks. People who want to use the social supermarket become members of Lucie’s Pantry. Members pay £2.50 per week and are able to choose items to the value of approximately £15.

Simon Locke, Community Director at Emmaus Salford, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Edward Holt Trust for their generous support to enable Lucie’s Pantry to help even more people and families across Salford.

“Food poverty, or food insecurity, is a growing issue affecting many people in communities up and down the country. What we try to do with Lucie’s Pantry is break the stigma and offer great food for great people who are struggling to make ends meet.”

Cabinet Office renews emergency response contract with UKFast

Blog

Sam Whitear

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30/08/2018

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Cabinet Office renews emergency response contract with UKFast

Following an open tender competition through the Digital Marketplace, the Cabinet Office has signed a renewed contract with UKFast’s public sector department for the delivery of a private cloud platform for ResilienceDirect, which supports effective response to incidents like natural disasters, terror attacks and power outages.

The secure platform delivers a suite of capabilities to prepare, exercise, respond and recover, supporting a co-ordinated and efficient response linking the national tier Government Departments COBR and the local emergency services working collaboratively with local councils, utility providers and many other sectors.

The British hosting firm won the initial two-year contact in 2016 and the extension gives the Cabinet Office access to UKFast’s industry leading government hosting services and round-the-clock support for another year, with the option of a further year’s extension.

Luana Avagliano, head of ResilienceDirect, said: “UKFast won the contract by being open, honest and proactive. The team are excellent at exploring how to maximise private cloud to make sure we are getting value for money.

“UKFast is a truly innovative company and delivers solutions to the challenges we face. Disaster recovery, for example, is expensive but we need to have that capability to allow failover. UKFast not only provide gold standard disaster recovery but our dedicated team are constantly rechecking infrastructure, security and assurances.

“We have to be as secure as anyone can possibly be – UKFast are the best in their league and really help to keep the UK safe.”

More than 36,000 users are currently registered on the platform, spread across more than 3,500 organisations. ResilienceDirect needed a solution to provide the scalability to cope with a huge spike in users logging onto the platform and sharing vast amounts of data during an emergency situation.

Steve Jewell, head of UKFast Public Sector, said: “It’s a huge honour to be given this renewed responsibility and to continue to support the government on such a critical project. It’s testament to the huge investment we’ve put into UKFast’s public sector capability in recent years.”

“We have developed a fantastic partnership with the ResilienceDirect team and know their systems well. By working closely with the whole network of co-suppliers we are able to support the whole resilience community.”

UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones said: “The government is doing incredible work to bring in more sophisticated systems in the face of modern-day terrorism and an ever-evolving list of threats. Using a cutting-edge cloud platform is the natural way to do that.

“We’re ensuring the government knows there is a British cloud option aligned to the needs of the people of this country. Government needs to know where its data is and values having people at the end of a telephone day and night to support them when they need it most.”

UKFast is a government approved supplier through the G-Cloud 10 framework and delivers services to the MoD, NHS, emergency services, education and both local and central government.

Footy Accumulators and Altrincham FC tackle Motor Neurone Disease together

Awards

Sam Whitear

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30/08/2018

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Footy Accumulators and Altrincham FC tackle Motor Neurone Disease together

Following Footy Accumulators recent sponsorship of Altrincham FC seeing Altrincham FC’s main stand at the J.Davidson Stadium being renamed the ‘FootyAccumulators.com’ stand, Footy Accumulators have also joined the club in a mission to support Motor Neurone Disease.

Former Robins captain Mark Maddox was told at the age of 37 that he was diagnosed with the disease which would’ve been such crushing news, but that hasn’t stopped him going and achieving incredible things. He ran the London Marathon on behalf of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND) back in 2013, raising an incredible £5000. Now Footy Accumulators, together with Altrincham FC want to help the MND Association in their battle against the illness with a current Robins hero.

Jordan Hulme scored 31 goals for Altrincham last season leading their way to winning the Northern Premier League Premier Division title and he’s a firm favourite with the club’s supporters. He’s made the step up to the National League North with ease too, netting 4 times in his opening 4 games, which has led to Footy Accumulators making a pledge.

Altrincham director Lawrence Looney, who was a key player in setting up the sponsorship deal, said: “This innovative collaboration is the first of its type for Altrincham Football Club & represents a very real opportunity to create, develop & grow commercial opportunities for both partners.”

For every goal that Jordan scores this season, Footy Accumulators will donate £50 to the MND Association via their official JustGiving page. The Motor Neurone Disease Association does some fantastic work and with it so close to Altrincham FC, it feels right that they support their efforts.

Local carpet company floors it

Awards

Sam Whitear

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30/08/2018

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Bury-based The Cormar Carpet Company is celebrating an awards double, adding a further pair of accolades to its growing list of industry honours.

Voted for by leading trade magazine ‘The Stocklists’, Cormar has picked up two Golds in the Flooring Innovation Awards, which recognise everything that’s new, exciting and innovative in the UK floorcoverings sector. It follows a run of industry wins that include Best Carpet Manufacturer and two Supplier of the Year awards.

Cormar’s industry-leading online trade portal, which allows flooring retailers to stock check, order online and manage payments, was awarded Gold in the Services category.

It also scooped Gold in ‘Marketing’ for its recent brand relaunch and new consumer website. The company’s brand new look – the first in over a quarter of a century – was a significant investment in moving the business forward and has been backed with a new website that has been re-engineered and re-designed to inspire and motivate consumers.

“Once again, everyone at Cormar is to be congratulated,” said David Judge, managing director at Cormar. “Awards such as these are won by a whole team of people whose efforts contribute to the quality of our offering and the efficiency of our customer service.

“We’ve had a very busy year launching our new brand identity and overhauling all our marketing collateral, all while ensuring we keep our exacting standards in our products and services. So it’s been fantastic to be rewarded by our industry with these accolades.”

TIP grows its relationship with Huntapac in new five trailer deal

Sam Whitear

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29/08/2018

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TIP grows its relationship with Huntapac in new five trailer deal

Fourth generation family company Huntapac Produce Ltd has recently taken delivery of five brand-new 13.4m Gray & Adams single temperature refrigerated trailers from TIP Trailer Services as part of a seven-year deal that includes full repair and maintenance of the Carrier trailer fridge systems.

The decision by Huntapac to acquire these latest trailers from TIP follows on from the service they received last Christmas from TIP, who supplied a number of refrigerated trailers in an emergency situation to assist with increased demand during the Christmas peak period. The subsequent five-trailer deal is the first time that Huntapac has worked with TIP on new trailer supply.

“We were really impressed by the quality of service we received from TIP during the Christmas peak period, so when we were looking at a possible alternative supplier of trailers for our fleet we decided to place this order with TIP based on their previous excellent service. We have been particularly impressed by the quality of the account management from TIP and the relationship between the two companies has worked really well so far,” said Will Hunter, operations director at Huntapac Produce Ltd.

All five G&A refrigerated trailers feature Carrier Vector trailer refrigeration systems and are expected to cover in excess of 120,000 km per annum over their seven-year life in the Huntapac fleet.

Huntapac Produce Ltd was established over 75 years ago and is one of the largest and most successful root producers in the UK, employing over 500 staff and running a fleet of 60 tractor units, 80 fridge trailers and 50 bulk trailers. With its head office in Preston, Lancashire, Huntapac supplies many of the major supermarkets in the UK, as well as independent retailers, wholesalers, food service companies, caterers and food manufacturing operations.

“Under the leadership of Warren Hunter, Huntapac Produce has grown significantly in recent times and its distinctive trailers are an everyday sight on our roads. We are really pleased to have had the opportunity to work closely with them on this new trailer deal, which allows us to demonstrate the effectiveness of the TIP customer service operation. We are looking forward to developing a strong and effective working relationship between our two companies over the full duration of this trailer contract,” said Mike Furnival, managing director, TIP Trailer Services UK & I.

Luxury dog bedding company Charley Chau shortlisted in The 2018 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards

Blog

Sam Whitear

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29/08/2018

0

Luxury dog bedding company Charley Chau shortlisted in The 2018 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards

North West based luxury dog bedding company Charley Chau has been shortlisted for the 2018 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Family Business Entrepreneur of the Year category.

Christine and Jenny Chau, the two sisters behind Charley Chau, have beat off some tough competition in order to make the shortlist, with a record number of businesses entering the awards nationally across the wide range of categories.

Now in its sixth year, the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards has celebrated some amazing entrepreneurs over the years, many of whom are now household names. Past winners include David Buttress of Just Eat, Julie Deane OBE of The Cambridge Satchel Company, James Watt of BrewDog and most recently, Hannah and Sophie Pycroft of Spectrum Collections.

Co-Founder Christine Chau said: “I am thrilled to bits that Jenny and I have been shortlisted for the Family Business Entrepreneur of the Year category in the 2018 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards. We never dreamed that an afternoon spent making our first dog bed on the sitting room floor would lead to us founding and running Charley Chau together. Setting up Charley Chau and growing this business with my sister has been an incredible experience. I left the security of a long-term career and six-figure salary for no income and an uncertain future and it has been scary at times, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I am so proud of what we’ve achieved together. We are so lucky to have created a successful business based on our love for dogs.”

Founded in 2010, after endless frustrating searches for comfortable, stylish dog beds for their own Italian Greyhounds, the Manchester-based sisters have attracted legions of Charley Chau devotees and now have happy customers in over forty-five countries around the world.

Creator of the Awards, Francesca James, said: “We have been inundated with some incredible entries this year, and all shortlisted applicants should be extremely proud of themselves! This year has yet again seen a record number of entrants and we’ve been absolutely blown away by the strength and diversity of applications.”

“We cannot wait to celebrate entrepreneurship across Great Britain with them and put a spotlight on the incredible talent within the British entrepreneur ecosystem.”

Gordon Merrylees, Head of Entrepreneurship at NatWest, said: “Following another record-breaking year, I want to thank all of the entrepreneurs who entered and congratulate those who have been shortlisted, I look forward to seeing them at the regional finals.”

“Entrepreneurial spirit is still clearly alive and well, and NatWest is thrilled to be able to continue to support these awards to celebrate success with the businesses that are the lifeblood of the UK Economy as they start, scale and succeed.”

Greater Manchester foodbanks benefit from generous donations from Equilibrium Asset Management

CSR

Sam Whitear

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29/08/2018

0

Greater Manchester foodbanks benefit from generous donations from Equilibrium Asset Management

Foodbanks across Greater Manchester have recently received donations from Equilibrium Asset Management.

Equilibrium, which provides free breakfast for its staff, in May decided to instead donate this cost for one week, every month, to a foodbank in the Greater Manchester area.

Every month this comes to a £200 donation, with Equilibrium staff also donating various foodstuffs and toiletries – including tinned goods, rice pudding, pasta and other non-perishables.

For the last four months the Wilmslow-based company has made these donations to the Brick in Stockport, Atherton foodbank and Leigh foodbank. Most recently, Equilibrium made a donation to The Trussell Trust.

These foodbanks provide much needed supplies for local families who are struggling to make ends meet and put enough food on the table.

People are more likely to donate to foodbanks during the winter when it is cold outside, but the summer months are crucial as children are at home during the school holidays.

Debbie Jukes, Partner at Equilibrium Asset Management, said: “We know that foodbanks in the Greater Manchester area are well used and need donations to ensure their shelves are kept well stocked with essential supplies.

“As a company we go a long way to providing the best possible working environment for our employees and this includes a healthy breakfast. We also wanted to reach out and support foodbanks in the local area.

“We hope our funds will go a long way towards helping these organisations continue the excellent work they do.”

The generous donations from kind-hearted Equilibrium staff have been warmly received by the organisers of the foodbanks and are particularly welcomed in the summer months when donations often fall. Each foodbank is run by a team of volunteers.

They rely heavily on donations from businesses and individuals to provide this vital service for those in the local community who may be living in crisis or who simply need a helping hand.

Stagecoach reveals ambitious £56m plans to deliver Europe’s biggest investment in electric buses for Greater Manchester

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Finance

Sam Whitear

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29/08/2018

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Stagecoach reveals ambitious £56m plans to deliver Europe’s biggest investment in electric buses for Greater Manchester

Stagecoach has announced ambitious £56m plans to deliver Europe’s largest single investment in electric buses for Greater Manchester.

The first of the planned 105 new zero emissions double-decker buses and associated infrastructure is hoped to go live from summer 2019, delivering a massive boost to local air quality and UK manufacturing, with the new fleet fully in place by early 2020.

Stagecoach, Britain’s biggest bus and coach operator, has pledged to invest £34.6m in the ground-breaking project, which is backed by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Transport for Greater Manchester and other key organisations.

New Enviro400 EV City vehicles, each with a range of up to 190 miles and capacity to carry around 80 passengers, would be built by the UK’s leading electric bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis using battery and power electronics expertise from automotive company BYD.

Multi-million-pound Investment will also be made in delivering infrastructure and power requirements at depot level. Intelligent chargers will be used to limit loadings on the electricity supply and maximise vehicle availability.

Martin Griffiths, Chief Executive of Stagecoach Group, said: “This game-changing initiative is the biggest single investment in e-bus technology anywhere in Europe. It is a clear sign of our bold ambition to transform Greater Manchester’s bus network.

“Our plans will put Greater Manchester at the forefront of the drive to improve local air quality, and help cement Britain’s position as global leader in manufacturing low-emission vehicles. It is also part of our wider partnership proposals to maximise the potential of the bus network to drive the region’s economy and better connect its communities.

“By working together, bus operators, the Mayor and the region’s local authorities can deliver the quick and sustained improvements we all want to see in Greater Manchester’s bus network, building on the major progress we’ve already made and avoiding unnecessary extra costs to local taxpayers.”

Gary Nolan, chief executive of OneBus, added: “I very much welcome this investment by Stagecoach. This is a clear demonstration of how a genuine partnership between a private sector operator and a range of public sector stakeholders, including the Mayor, TfGM and other local authorities – can have a hugely positive impact on the region’s bus services. I’ve no doubt the travelling public of Greater Manchester will benefit from a greener, quicker, more efficient bus service.”

Mobile tech entrepreneur receives honorary Doctorate in Technology

Education

Sam Whitear

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29/08/2018

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Mobile tech entrepreneur receives honorary Doctorate in Technology

Howard Simms, Co-Founder of Manchester-based mobile technology group Apadmi and CEO of their investment arm Apadmi Ventures, has received an honorary Doctorate in Technology.

25 years after graduating with a Mathematics degree, Howard donned a cap and gown to receive an honorary Doctorate in Technology (DTech) from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), in recognition of his significant contribution to enterprise and the development of innovative technologies.

Howard commented: “When I first began my career in tech, I never would have thought my career path would have led me into the entrepreneurial world and to where I am now, with the chance to stand in front of hundreds of hopeful students and deliver a speech. It was an amazing day for my family and I, a real honour from such an esteemed university as MMU, and an incredibly proud moment in my life.”

Since the company’s conception in 2009, Howard has been a driving force behind Apadmi, overseeing the delivery of some of their most iconic and popular mobile solutions, including those with the BBC, NHS, X-Factor, BT and Range Rover.

In 2016, Howard became CEO of Apadmi Ventures, a strategic technology partner to some of the UK’s most exciting start-ups. This role sees him work with entrepreneurs from many different industries, as well as with a wide investor network.

Howard said: “Being based in Manchester, a booming tech hub in the UK right now – there’s so much opportunity for entrepreneurs. It’s perfect for us, as we get to meet some of the country’s brightest digital talent early on, help them to shape their ideas and nurture their potential.

“RealityMine, Bidooh, JigTalk, these are just a few of the businesses we’ve invested in so far from very different industries. It’s been incredibly fulfilling watching them grow from strength to strength, and we’re excited for what’s to come – partnering with more start-ups and investors who want to shape the future of the technology scene.”

After graduating from the LEAD leadership development initiative, Howard was selected to join the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Ambassadors Programme with Oxford University in 2014 – a programme for key individuals within the UK’s fastest growing organisations. He also sits on the advisory board of a division of the Manchester Growth Company, the Greater Manchester Steering Group, and the Manchester Tech Trust.

Working with MMU, he’s sat on the Degree Apprenticeship Advisory Board since 2015. He’s also spoken in Westminster and at several events aimed at informing the next generation about the value of digital skills.

Building Equality leads North West’s construction industry’s biggest ever celebration of diversity and inclusion at Manchester Pride Weekend

CSR

Sam Whitear

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29/08/2018

0

Building Equality leads North West’s construction industry’s biggest ever celebration of diversity and inclusion at Manchester Pride Weekend

On Saturday, Building Equality, an alliance of construction companies working to build LGBT+ inclusion, came together to create the biggest show of equality, diversity and inclusion the North West construction sector has ever seen at Manchester Pride.

In its second year at Manchester Pride, Building Equality doubled in size since 2017; with even more senior leadership visibility than ever before and a more than 100 representatives from 18 different organisations taking part.

On Friday at Exchange Square Manchester, hundreds of members of the public enjoyed a photo opportunity with the rainbow JCB and the opportunity to find out more about the work Building Equality is doing in the construction sector to make it more diverse and inclusive sector as well as to discuss careers and opportunities.

Then in Saturday’s Weekend showcase celebration, Building Equality was joined by sponsors; Flannery, A-Plant and Hays to march together alongside the rainbow JCB to help increase awareness of LGBT+ employees working in the construction industry.

Building Equality comprises representatives from; construction consultants, engineers, developers and contractors who are passionate about working together and harnessing their collective power to drive LGBT+ inclusion in the construction industry.

Building Equality is giving LGBT+ employees a voice and a platform to promote the positive contribution they make to the industry, whilst demonstrating the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion, in order to retain and attract the best talent to a sector short on skilled workers, whatever their background. Building Equality offers greater diversity within the industry through its involvement in many built-environment initiatives aimed at promoting fairness, inclusion and respect at grassroots, including attendance at a record number of pride events; Manchester, London, Newcastle, Leeds and Student Pride.

In addition to our great work as a collective, many member companies have created their own internal LGBT+ networks. This approach is fostering an environment of inclusion throughout the industry and over the next 12 months Building Equality will continue to drive change, not just through main contractors but also through their supply chains. This aims to bring about a truly inclusive industry where all regardless of age, race, religion, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, ability or sexuality can be their true selves at work so that both individuals, and the industry, can flourish.

Luke Ives, Chair of Manchester Building Equality and Co-Chair of the Balfour Beatty LGBT+ & Allies Network, said: “What a wonderful weekend. We’re immensely proud to be able to highlight the ongoing work Building Equality’s work does in paving the way for an open and inclusive industry, which promotes discussion on equality, diversity and inclusion – opening channels for issues and opportunities to be acted upon. Allowing all in the construction industry to be their true selves benefits everyone – not only to attract and retain the best talent but by providing access to a wide range of perspectives, encouraging creativity and improving performance.”

Mark Baybutt, Co-Chair of Manchester Building Equality and Social Secretary for WSP’s LGBT+ employee network: “Over the last few years, we have expanded the reach of Building Equality from its genesis in London, to other major UK cities such as; Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds. Pride matters because discrimination still exists in various forms across the globe; be it in the form of hate crimes, workplace discrimination or the death penalty. Pride gives us an opportunity to celebrate our diversity and to show the world that the construction industry, promotes diversity and inclusion so that you can be authentic and the best version of yourself.”

John Doyle, Co-Chair of Manchester Building Equality and RICS North-West Regional Board Member: “Everyone has the right to come to work and be their very best selves. No one should ever have to hide who they are, or accept discrimination. Building Equality provides a platform to show future generations that line the streets of the parade route, that you can be whatever you want to be, and not just be proud, but be fully supported and respected within the construction industry here in Manchester.”

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