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New sponsorship sees Salford City getting a taste of Vimto

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15/01/2018

Vimto has today announced that it will partner with Salford City Football Club to support the Club’s Academy 92.

To launch this partnership, Vimto is calling on talented youngsters to submit their own trick shots to @RealVimto on Twitter or Vimto on Facebook using #VimtoSalfordChallenge for a chance to win a trick shot masterclass with Class of 92 stars, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.

Academy 92 was founded by the Class of 92 in July 2017, in association with Salford City FC, with the aim to unite the best in class football coaching with an education for life.

The initiative, also known as A92, offers ambitious youngsters aged under 17 the opportunity to improve personal development skills, such as independence and confidence, as well as football skills and fitness to help further their careers in football.

The partnership with Salford City sees Vimto honouring its North West roots on the 110th anniversary of the business, after the drink was created in Manchester in 1908, with its first factory in Salford.

Emma Hunt, Head of Marketing, at Vimto, a Nichols Plc brand, said: “Our new partnership with Salford City FC to support the Academy 92 Foundation will mean we’re a part of ensuring young aspiring football stars have the opportunity to develop their own skills and education.

“We’re excited to see all of the talented youngsters showing us their trick shot skills and then host lucky winners with some of our Academy 92 team. We’re delighted to be working with another organisation that sees the importance of education and support for young people.”

Vimto will also offer football fans the opportunity to win tickets to see Salford City FC vs Bradford Park Avenue on Saturday, Feb 3^rd, which will see Vimto zorb fun at half time as well as various Vimto giveaways on the day.

Digital Cinema Media announces regional expansion

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Sam Whitear

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15/01/2018

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Digital Cinema Media announces regional expansion

Digital Cinema Media (DCM) has today announced it is to open a regional office based in Manchester, as the company looks to grow its presence across the UK. The new office will be led by DCM’s current Business Director, Steven Lorenzini, who has been promoted to the newly created role of Regional Sales Director.

Continuing to report in to DCM’s Sales Director, Davina Barker, Steven will lead a core team of four, with the office officially opening its doors on 1 March 2018 in Manchester’s city centre.

Over the last few years, DCM has seen significant growth. Cinema ad revenues have hit record-breaking levels, with the medium repositioned as an intrinsic part of AV schedules. DCM previously used Media Link as its representative but, after consultation with the agencies, decided to move its regional business in-house, believing now is the right time to have a further established presence in the regions across the UK, with big ambitions to continue to grow.

Davina Barker commented: “The regions represent an important part of the media business and we are looking forward to developing personal, long-term relationships with new and existing customers. There’s now a real sense of momentum for cinema and the expansion of DCM in this way marks the beginning of a new realm of opportunities for the cinema medium and our clients.”

Steven Lorenzini, Regional Sales Director, DCM, added: “Being from Manchester, I’m really excited to be heading back home and to be spearheading DCM’s expansion into the regions. By having our own presence there we will have a core team that can be 100% dedicated to the promotion of the cinema medium and developing the best possible solutions in partnership with agencies and clients.”

GVA appointed to leading public sector procurement framework Fusion21

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Sam Whitear

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15/01/2018

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GVA appointed to leading public sector procurement framework Fusion21

GVA has been appointed to Fusion21’s national Consultants Framework, gaining a place on its newly created Valuations lot.

The public sector procurement framework, worth approximately £90 million over a four-year period, covers a full range of consultancy services suited to the construction, property and built environment and has 10 lots tailored to specific UK regions.

Following feedback from Fusion21 members, the newly added Valuations lot offers residential and commercial property valuations as well as planning, development and funding, compulsory purchase work, feasibility acquisition and disposal services.

Additional lots for Heritage and Conservation and Principal Designer duties have also been added to the framework.

GVA’s Andrew Watson said: “This framework gives us a fantastic opportunity to build on our already extensive public sector relationships, which account for 40% of all fees generated by GVA across the UK.

“As a national business, we are well placed to support Fusion21 members with their valuation requirements.”

Fusion21 provides procurement services and OJEU compliant frameworks to the public sector and is committed to making a difference in communities across the UK.

Its Consultants Framework will provide access to a wealth of consultancy knowledge and expertise and will save Fusion21 members – including social landlords, local authorities, NHS trusts, education institutions and blue light organisations – time, resources and cost efficiencies.

The Landing @MEDIACITYUK welcomes new Commercial Director

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Sam Whitear

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12/01/2018

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The Landing @MEDIACITYUK welcomes new Commercial Director

The Landing @MediaCityUK has appointed Paul Billington as its new commercial director to oversee the delivery of The Landing’s ten-year strategic development plan.

Paul’s role will focus on making The Landing the place to be for digital and tech companies to start, scale up and grow, helping them to become high-growth, sustainable businesses. Under his remit will also be links to the Salford community, which The Landing supports with 600 jobs a year, and the redevelopment of Floor 7 at The Landing as a tech-led conference facility.

Paul said: “The Landing is a dedicated technology incubation hub for businesses in sectors including healthcare, VR and AR, government and education. With my team, I will be working hard to raising The Landing’s profile and excellent reputation at the forefront of digital and tech.

“The next ten years is full of amazing opportunities and partnerships and I want to help The Landing become the best place for digital in the world. I am truly excited by what lies ahead.”

Paul has a wealth of commercial experience and over 20 years of experience and understanding of digital and developing industries in tech. Originally in banking and IT, Paul started a digital agency in 1998, selling it in 2005. Over the years, he has helped many digital and tech businesses, also holding a few high profile interim roles and board level positions in the North West, including Challenger Technology Limited and Prodo Digital.

Jon Corner CEO of The Landing says “Paul is a fantastic appointment for The Landing bringing a wealth of commercial experience to our growing dynamic team. 2018 will see The Landing extend its operations into key sectors and I’m looking forward to the journey”

The Landing creates a unique environment where tech-led SMEs can thrive and grow, offering interactive testing labs such as Barclays Eagle Lab, an exciting working community and state of the art events spaces. It contributes more than £25m a year and 1500 jobs to the Greater Manchester Economy, almost £83m to the UK economy and has strong community roots, with over 450 Salford residents taking part in digital skills programmes in the past year.

Non-Executive Directors course comes to North West for the first time

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Sam Whitear

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12/01/2018

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Non-Executive Directors course comes to North West for the first time

The Institute of Directors’ acclaimed Non-Executive Directors (NED) day and evening event is to visit the North-West for the first time.

Taking place on 29 January 2018 at The Principal Hotel, Manchester, the comprehensive programme is designed to equip potential Non-Executive Directors with practical strategies to build their network, raise their profile to secure an appointment and add value in the boardroom.

A previous attendee commented: “I’ve really enjoyed this evening. The panel was very knowledgeable, comprising a very broad range of experienced people across a diverse range of roles and companies.”

Claire Ebrey, Regional Director, IoD NW said: “Our events programme aims to help Directors gain invaluable practical advice on how to excel in their roles, regardless of the sector.

“The continued success of this London event has led to a demand for a similar event in the North-West. All attendees can expect a warm and friendly welcome from our Institute of Directors members and the chance to network with some key Directors from several sectors.”

For further information, please go to https://www.iod.com/training/open-courses/role-of-the-non-executive-director.

HRH Prince Edward Meets Team UKFast on Royal Visit to Manchester

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Sam Whitear

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12/01/2018

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HRH Prince Edward Meets Team UKFast on Royal Visit to Manchester

UKFast was proud to receive HRH The Earl of Wessex as a guest at its Manchester campus today, during a royal visit to Manchester.

During the tour of UKFast Campus in Hulme, founders Lawrence and Gail Jones explained the firm’s recent growth and contribution to the community, their partnership with The Dean Trust and the planned opening of a school in 2018.

The Earl met a number of UKFast’s staff and learned more about their contribution to Manchester’s thriving technology sector.

Prince Edward took a particular interest in UKFast’s office space, which includes sleeping pods, slides, a crèche, chill out and gaming areas, as well as a training lab, an auditorium and a bar.

UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones said: “Today was a huge honour for myself, for Gail and for everyone at UKFast. When we set UKFast up 18 years ago we never imagined we’d be receiving royal visitors.

“To have His Royal Highness come and take such a keen interest in what we’re doing is fantastic and it’s a day I’ll always treasure. It’s great that the royal family take such a keen interest in business and in education across the UK.

“We discussed the journey that UKFast has been on and how the business has evolved from a small organisation to the position we are in today. We discussed our plans for the future and the further development of the campus here in Manchester. It’s an amazing moment for the whole of the UKFast team.”

During the day, The Earl also visited Gorton Monastery and the Royal Exchange Theatre.

UKFast has developed educational partnerships as part of its mission to promote innovation and reach out to a new generation of digital superstars. Working with 50 schools and colleges, reaching 57,000 young people in Greater Manchester, UKFast’s team make more than 100 school visits a year. The firm’s team of full-time teachers run masterclasses, workshops and code clubs and also deliver an award-winning technical apprenticeship scheme.

Boohoo announces record revenue

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Sam Whitear

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11/01/2018

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Manchester-based fashion retailer Boohoo.com, who also has a site in Burnley, today announced record revenues across its brands.

The group, which includes the PrettyLittleThing and Nasty Gal brands, saw revenues in the final four months of 2017 increase to £228.2m. As a result, group revenue growth for this financial year is expected to be around 90%, an increase on previous guidance of around 80%.

Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane, joint CEOs, commented: “We are delighted to report another set of strong financial and operational results, with record sales in the four months to December across all our brands. The Black Friday period was our most successful ever and we traded well throughout the period under review. Boohoo has continued to perform well, delivering strong revenue growth on increasingly challenging comparatives last year.

“PrettyLittleThing has continued to deliver exceptional results and Nasty Gal is making excellent progress in its first year. Our focus remains on the customer proposition: offering the best range of the latest fashion at affordable prices, coupled with great customer service.”

Equilibrium Asset Management launch Greater Manchester community support scheme

CSR

Sam Whitear

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11/01/2018

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Equilibrium Asset Management launch Greater Manchester community support scheme

A wealth management company has launched a community support scheme in Greater Manchester, which gives the region’s charities, voluntary groups and not-for-profit organisations the chance to win grants of up to £500.

Wilmslow-based Equilibrium Asset Management continues to run identical initiatives in both Cheshire East and Chester and has awarded more than £11,000 in funds to a raft of organisations since 2015.

The Greater Manchester launch comes after Equilibrium broke through the £7 million turnover barrier, having also landed more than £100m of new assets under management in 2017.

Applications are now open to the scheme, which serves to support organisations that help disadvantaged people, promote sport and the arts, support education and develop and benefit the environment in Greater Manchester.

Equilibrium Asset Management Partner, Debbie Jukes said applications to the first round of this year’s Greater Manchester scheme can be submitted up until March 25.

She said: “We have taken great pride in being able to support the incredible work done by so many organisations in Cheshire East and Chester for the past three years.

“At Equilibrium, we are passionate about giving back to the communities we work in. We don’t want to help just one charity or community group – we want to help as many as possible. That is why we introduced our community support scheme in the Greater Manchester region.

She added: “We hope that plenty of applications will be submitted, and organisations that subsequently win funding will be able to use it to benefit the communities they serve.”

The community support scheme is one of many initiatives the financial planning expert runs as part of its charitable foundation, which aims to raise £250,000 for local charities by 2020.

Winners in round four of the 2017 community support scheme for Chester, which ran between September and December, included mental health charity, Chapter.

Applications are reviewed quarterly, with grants awarded ranging from £100 to £500. The scheme only considers applications from groups whose work benefits the local community.

Projects that promote party political activities or religious causes, projects that benefit or involve animals and commercial enterprises are not accepted.

Manchester Airport celebrates a bumper year

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Sam Whitear

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11/01/2018

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Manchester Airport celebrates a bumper year

Manchester Airport is celebrating a record breaking 2017 after more passengers than ever flew from the UK’s third largest airport.

Last year 27,791,274 passengers passed through the airport’s three terminals, an 8.5% increase year on year, with cargo up 9% to 123,576 tonnes.

The year saw the launch of new routes to destinations such as San Francisco, Muscat, Boston, Riyadh, Granada and Seville. The first flight to San Francisco saw a 30-strong delegation of leading figures from the tech sector across the North head state side opportunity to meet leading US universities and funders, pitching investment and collaboration opportunities in the North.

Last year was also a good year for passengers flying to the Far East as both Cathay Pacific and Hainan Airlines increased their services to Beijing and Hong Kong to daily. In November an economic report by Steer Davies Gleeve revealed that in its first year of operation the Manchester-Beijing route has driven a significant increase in exports, inward investment, and international student numbers into the North.

April saw a new VIP lounge open in Terminal Three. It was aptly named1903, after the year of the first Wright Brother flight.

The Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, also visited Manchester Airport in July to see work begin on its 10-year, £1 billion transformation programme. In November the first apprentices through the airport’s on-site academy were rewarded with full time jobs and building work on the site is now well under way.

In August, the airport welcomed back Andrew Cowan from Stansted Airport, as he became CEO of the UK’s global gateway in the North.

In December the airport had its busiest ever Christmas period with 1,833,620 passengers jetting off – a 1.5% increase on December 2016.

Andrew Cowan, CEO of Manchester Airport, said: “It’s been another strong year for Manchester Airport as passenger numbers continued to grow and we celebrated the launch of a number of key routes.

“The start of the building work for the Transformation programme was another key milestone for the airport. The project will allow us to unlock the full potential of our two runways and provide our passengers with a great customer experience. As we look ahead to 2018, we expect that passenger numbers will continue to grow and we’re looking forward to the launch of a new route to Seattle with Thomas Cook Airlines.”

UKFast opens up tech campus to startups

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Sam Whitear

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10/01/2018

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Leading Manchester technology brand UKFast is creating a 30,000 sq. ft. incubator space for tech startups at its newly expanded campus, with Tech Manchester managing the community.

The Tech Manchester initiative is dedicated to supporting the development of early-stage technology businesses and is making the FastForward working space at UKFast’s thriving tech campus its new home.

The region’s startups are set to benefit from subsidised space with zero business rates, whilst plugging into Tech Manchester’s network of mentors and links with existing incubator and accelerator projects, along with a host of benefits from UKFast.

Facilities at FastForward include meeting areas, TV and recording studios, an auditorium with room for 500 attendees, free parking, telephone and reception services, a yoga studio, slides and a health food café, as well as networking and conference facilities with an impressive bar area.

Tech Manchester leader Patricia Keating said: “With the combination of world-class working environments and support from Tech Manchester and UKFast, it’s an extremely attractive proposition for any UK tech startup.

“I’ve been excited about this move since the very first day I met Lawrence when he explained his vision for what Tech Manchester can do and what is possible if we all pull together.”

UKFast Campus in Birley Fields, Manchester, is currently home to a number of fast-growing businesses, including cloud hosting firm UKFast, cybersecurity firm Secarma and technology magazine BusinessCloud.

UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones said: “We started UKFast as entrepreneurs in a spare bedroom in a flat in Oxford Road and then took the plunge to rent a shared office space. That journey up to now gives us an insight into what tech startups need. For starters they won’t be paying business rates. This is something we can subsidise to offer a helping hand.”

UKFast Campus is located just off the Princess Parkway in Manchester Science Park, less than a mile from Oxford Road. The campus is set for further significant development before 2020.

Jones continued: “We’re a fast-paced business, but it’s very difficult to predict the exact speed we’re going to grow at. In order to ensure we have enough surplus to grow into, we acquired the building next door, even though we don’t need all of it yet. It makes perfect sense to offer that out for up and coming entrepreneurs to use.

“The rationale behind Tech Manchester and this startup space is to allow people that might not otherwise be able to afford to work in an environment like this, access to the space at significantly subsidised rates. There are a lot of office spaces being dressed up as tech incubator spaces and being let at exorbitant prices.

“Building a tech community is not just about space. It’s about encouraging the right types of passionate, forward-thinking entrepreneurs to hang out and collaborate.

“We have learned a great deal from the feedback from the thousands of people who have used our auditorium and existing UKFast facilities over the past three years. This extension is certainly very exciting.”

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