Category Archives: Midlands News

Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce reveals results of its latest Quarterly Economic Survey

The majority of Northamptonshire firms expect their turnover will increase during 2022 but are bracing themselves for rising prices, according to the county’s largest business survey.

Service sector companies were the most upbeat about 2022 and although the majority of county manufacturers were also confident about their future turnover figures, this was offset by many suggesting they expected to see their profits fall in the next 12 months.

The revelations came in the latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) carried out by Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce at the end of 2021 to find out how businesses were faring.

Northamptonshire Chamber head of policy Sean Rose said: “It’s good to see that Northamptonshire businesses are positive about the future.

“However, despite the optimism, concerns about price pressures are once again dominating our survey results.

“Almost 90 per cent of service firms and nearly 60 per cent of manufacturers who responded to our survey indicated that they expect prices to increase during the first three months of 2022.”

The survey also revealed that nearly half of the county’s service firms had seen a rise in their domestic sales during the last quarter whilst more than 80 per cent of manufacturers had seen their current and advanced domestic orders remain constant or increase.

Nearly 80 per cent of Northamptonshire’s service firms reported that their overseas orders had increased or remained at the same level as the previous three months.

Around half of service firms said their workforce had grown at the end of 2021 and nearly 70 per cent of manufacturers reported that their numbers had remained stable.

However, businesses in both sectors which tried to recruit at the end of 2021 said they had experienced difficulties in hiring new staff.

Northamptonshire Chamber’s QES is part of the biggest and most representative survey of its kind in the UK. QES data is used by the Bank of England to inform interest rate decisions, by the Treasury to help formulate economic policy and by international finance institutions to assess the UK’s economy.

Sean added: “We’d like to thank all the businesses which took the time to complete our latest QES because these findings strengthen our voice when we are lobbying on behalf of Northamptonshire’s firms at a local and national level.”

Northamptonshire Chamber’s next QES will be open to businesses between 14 February and 10 March.

Derbyshire Institute of Sport gives a warm welcome to new board member, David Nelson

PKF Smith Cooper’s David Nelson – who has a huge love of sport – has been appointed to the Derbyshire Institute of Sport’s board.

Keen cyclist and golfer David Nelson is Senior Partner at leading Midlands-based accountancy and advisory firm PKF Smith Cooper and has joined the board as the institute enters a new stage of sustained growth.

David has a long association with amateur sports having spent seven years as finance director at UCI Professional Cycling Team Raleigh GAC – later known as Vitus Pro Cycling – as well as running local Under 13s football team Allestree Romans FC.

David said: “Both myself and PKF Smith Cooper have been supporters of DIS for some time and have watched with great interest the success they have had over recent years.

As a gold sponsor, I am proud that we have helped fund vital training for young athletes in the region. Having been involved in amateur sport for many years, I know the dedication and commitment it takes both by the athletes themselves and the support teams around them.

With a passion for sport, I look forward to working alongside Chloe and the board at DIS to see where we can take the Institute over the coming years. With the Commonwealth Games coming up just down the road in Birmingham, there is no better time for businesses to come together to support our local athletes.”

DIS board chair Michael Kirkland said: “I am absolutely delighted David Nelson from PKF Smith Cooper is joining our board.

David brings a wealth of financial and operational experience with him which will be invaluable as we push on to our next period of growth.

Both myself and my fellow board members wish David a very warm welcome to the DIS and we look forward to working with him through 2022 and beyond.”

DIS managing director and founder Chloe Maudsley said: “A warm welcome to David Nelson, who I know will make a huge difference to us as we plan our commitments for the next few years.

I’m proud of the resilience the board members and staff have shown through the pandemic. We are now working on our plans to raise more money in 2022 and help even more athletes in Derbyshire.”

The links between PKF Smith Cooper and DIS are strong. The DIS’s Dr Phil Clarke has held sports psychology sessions for PKF Smith Cooper staff to encourage high achievers and improve wellbeing.

Also on PKF Smith Cooper’s payroll is elite athlete and trainee accountant Alex Knibbs, aged 22, from Duffield, who became 400m British champion at the 2020 British Athletic Championship.

Alex said: “DIS has helped me greatly since I was 15 and I’m now back in Derby after studying at Loughborough University and on the DIS ambassador program, focusing on my strength and conditioning.

I have enjoyed my first few months at PKF Smith Cooper and the team’s hard work and driven ethos reflects my attitudes on the track. I can’t thank the firm enough for supporting me in achieving my goals in athletics and starting my accounting career off the track.

DIS have been a huge part in my development as an athlete so far and I wouldn’t be the athlete I am today without them.

Hopefully, with their continued support, I can work to achieve my Olympic dreams and beyond. The opportunity they give local young talented athletes is perfect for the development to reach elite level within their sports.”

* DIS had ten athletes represent Team GB at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 and is aiming for a bumper turnout at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Its latest initiative is the Performance Prep squads at three Derbyshire schools for youngsters aged nine to 11.

PKF Smith Cooper announce latest promotions

Starting the year on a positive note, and effective from 1st January, the award-winning accountancy and business advisory firm announces a string of promotions across a number of divisions.

PKF Smith Cooper’s promotions across their Derby, Nottingham, and Birmingham offices follow a period of sustained, strategic growth for the Midlands firm, not only signalling its aim to continue expanding but also the focused investments in team members, which Managing Partner James Bagley cites as their “most important asset”.

Within the Corporate Finance division, Tom Joy has been promoted to Corporate Finance Manager, which acknowledges the integral nature of his role in a number of deals for the team throughout 2021. His talents have already earned him a nomination for Insider Media’s ‘Emerging Dealmaker of the Year 2021’, marking him as ‘one to watch’.

The Audit and Tax teams have also been strengthened by promotions, with Beckie Furniss and Charlotte Martinazzoli being promoted to Assistant Managers in Derby, while Jessica Richardson has become Assistant Manager in the Nottingham office.

Stacey Sykes, who joined the firm in 2018 as an Assistant Manager, has continued to climb the ranks and has now been promoted to Senior Tax Manager, recognising her role in developing and growing the tax compliance service in Derby.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Smith has been successfully promoted to Senior Executive within the marketing team, a move that celebrates her fundamental role in shaping the firm’s marketing strategy.

James Bagley, Managing Partner comments: “Nurturing and growing talent is something we pride ourselves on here at PKF Smith Cooper, which is why I am particularly proud to announce these latest promotions. These team members have been with us since very early in their careers – with the majority initially joining us as an apprentice or graduate – and have worked their way up through the ranks.

All six promotions are really well deserved, and I wish Tom, Stacey, Jessica, Beckie, Charlotte, and Charlotte all continued success in the future.”

Derbion announces search for local charity partners

Derby’s best-loved retail destination, Derbion has announced an incredible new charity initiative for 2022, with the launch of ‘Derbion Cares’.

Set up by Derbion employees, the initiative aims to support several local charities over the course of the year. East Midlands charities can apply to become one of three charities that the centre will support; this will include partnership and support in fundraising, offering of free space with Derbion for events or activities, as well as Derbion employees being given additional time off to volunteer for each given charity.

The initiative officially launches in January 2022 and local charities are being asked to submit an application, outlining what the organisation does and how Derbion can help to support it. The Derbion Cares Committee will then review the applications, with three final charities selected for the year and announced at the end of the month. Following the selection process, the Committee will then devise a calendar of events to support the charity.

Adam Tamsett, general manager at Derbion, commented: “With Derbion sitting in the heart of the city, it’s vital that the centre supports local organisations. By creating our own charitable scheme, we can contribute to initiatives that support the key issues facing our community.

“The centre’s employees are exceptionally driven and want to give back to the region, whether that’s being part of the Derbion Cares Committee, or volunteering for our chosen charities. We will be offering every team member an additional two days paid volunteering time, as a sign of our dedication to the initiative.

“We hope Derbion Cares will benefit the local community, so we’re especially looking for registered charities that are based in Derby and Derbyshire that Give support to our community post the COVID pandemic – examples could include, but are not limited to, mental health, health, education, employment, children services and social welfare.

“The centre has a long history of supporting local charities such as Treetops Hospice, and we see this activity very much building on the fantastic work that the team already undertakes.”

Applications for Derbion Cares will close on Friday 21st January, to find out more and to submit an application, please www.derbion.com/derbion-cares/.

Leading home lifestyle store reveals new management team

An iconic lifestyle store has a new look management team as it starts work on a range of exciting new developments.

Bell of Northampton has welcomed Jamie Bedford as its new Kitchen, Bathroom and Tiles Manager and has made several significant in-house promotions to draw on the decades of experience in its existing team.

Dave Richardson, who has worked for Bell for 24 years, has recently joined its board of directors. Responsible for Bell’s logistics and the contracts side of its business – which generates 25% of its annual income – Dave had previously been one of the firm’s associate directors.

Richard Kingston has also stepped up to become a departmental director for its popular fires, stoves and outdoor living ranges. In addition, Richard is responsible for Bell’s e-commerce stream which accounts for a further quarter of the firm’s revenue.

The management team is completed by managing director Lee Ferris, Calor Gas director Zen Hynda, who also oversees outdoor living with Richard, financial director Michael Barton and installation manager Mark Simmonds.

Managing director Lee Ferris said: “We’re thrilled to have promoted Dave and Richard who have both played huge roles in Bell’s success over the years.

“We were also delighted to have welcomed Jamie who had already built up an impressive career in retail management with a major national retailer before joining our team.”

All this comes at a time when Bell is working on several major projects which will further enhance its offering.

This month one of its concessions, CCE Landscaping, is starting to create an exciting new display area for customers next to Bell’s rear car park. It will feature items from CCE’s popular landscaping and outdoor ranges, including garden rooms and artificial grass.

Bell also plans to unveil a new Contract Specifications Suite for its commercial customers later this month. The suite will enable builders, property developers and architects to choose from Bell’s range of commercial fixtures and fittings for new developments across southern and central England.

The store is also halfway through a major project to renovate its iconic 100-year-old Northern Lights roof and is investing in a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to further improve the growing e-commerce side of its business.

Lee explained: “Our online offering has been incredibly successful in the past few years and this sophisticated system will help us to continue to grow this part of our business.

“This new system combined with our new Contracts Specification Suite, the new outdoor display area and our new management team means we’re embarking on another exciting year in Bell’s history.”

Bell of Northampton is located in Kingsthorpe Road, Northampton. To find out more, go to www.abell.co.uk.

Financial planner earns profession’s highest qualification

A Northamptonshire-based financial planner has now achieved the highest global certification available to financial planners in the UK.

Conor O’Sullivan, of O’Sullivan Financial Planning, has achieved the Certified Financial Planner TM certification from The Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).

To be successful, individuals must meet rigorous competence, ethics and professional practice standards and have completed a challenging examination and case study.

According to Which, only 22 per cent of candidates pass the exam and only eight per cent are like Conor and pass the case study first time. The qualification is so challenging that fewer than 1,000 of the UK’s tens of thousands of financial advisers have qualified as Certified Financial Planner professionals.

Conor said: “It was the most detailed and challenging qualification I’ve ever completed, and I have a huge amount of respect for the small group of people in the UK who have achieved it.

“To be a Certified Financial Planner practitioner means I’m in the upper echelon of my profession in terms of my knowledge and experience.

“When people first become financial advisers, the qualifications are very heavily product focussed, ensuring you’re matching the right products with client needs.

“Lifestyle financial planning is very different. The product is almost irrelevant because you’re much more focused on the client and their ambitions and goals for the future. They may have half a dozen conflicting dreams and you need to use your expertise to work out how to use their resources to help them achieve their goals.

“The best analogy I can give is the difference between going to see a builder or an architect.  A builder will give you exactly what you ask for. An architect will take time to listen to you, understand what you’re trying to achieve and work with you to design an optimum solution prior to laying the first brick.”

Through the CISI’s only accredited training partner for the case study, Conor is also now training to run the Certified Financial Planner training courses to pass on his knowledge and experience to future candidates.

All this comes at a time when his business is growing dramatically.

Conor explained: “Much of the work I do now is with business owners. A lot of their wealth tends to be tied up in their organisations and I help them to ensure that their business generates wealth for them and their families, and they become independently wealthy. As a result, my services are in high demand.

“Our business has grown a lot during the past year and we’re busier now than we have ever been, so we’ll be looking to grow our team further during 2022.”

For further information about O’Sullivan Financial Planning visit www.osullivanfp.co.uk

Businessman gives festive thank you to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity

A businessman who credits the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity with saving his life after a near fatal car crash has donated £1,000 to the charity as a festive thank you.

Kevin Stevens, Managing Director of the E5 Group, which has property, care and minerals interests and is based near Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire, handed over a cheque to fundraising executive Kay Starkey at the charity’s Stourbridge headquarters in lieu of his business sending Christmas cards.

He has been a regular donor to the airborne medics since the 70mph crash in 2012 that resulted in him sustaining catastrophic injuries when a suspected stroke at the wheel caused his right foot to slam on the accelerator. After clipping a tree, this car spun uncontrollably and crashed into a tree side on, causing Kevin to suffer further life-threatening injuries.

The timely rescue and medical intervention that included land ambulances, the fire service, police and two air ambulances, including one of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s helicopters, played a crucial role in ensuring Kevin went on to make a full recovery.

He said: “I have little memory of what happened on that day but I’m in no doubt that I wouldn’t be here today if it hadn’t been for the emergency services and the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

“I know I received advanced critical care to stabilise my condition whilst I was extracted from the vehicle before being flown to the major trauma centre at Coventry’s Walsgrave Hospital where I was in a medically induced coma for over a month.”

Kevin’s extensive injuries included several fractures to his skull and he broke all but three ribs and his back. His heart went into cardiac arrest 17 times while he underwent surgery.

Since going on to make a miraculous recovery, Kevin has been a firm supporter of the charity and organised events and made donations to support its lifesaving work.

Kay Starkey, West Midlands Regional Fundraising Executive for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, added: “Kevin’s incident was so traumatic that our critical care team was rapidly dispatched and took advanced care, medicines and equipment to the scene. We are so glad Kevin is still with us and are truly grateful for his generous gift this Christmas.

“The donation will help fund four further lifesaving missions in our critical care cars, which alongside our air ambulance helicopters, tend to incidents just like Kevin’s.”

Brierley Hill digital transformation firm rolls out apprenticeship scheme to help get local youngsters into tech

Brierley Hill digital transformation specialists, Vantage 365, have recently launched an apprenticeship scheme aimed at helping local, aspiring tech professionals to hone their skills with Microsoft 365.

The firm, which is based at The Waterfront business park in the West Midlands town, is currently offering opportunities for junior consultants to work alongside its existing team of experienced consultants on SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Power Platform projects, with plans to expand the scheme further in the near future.

As a contribution to the Black Country Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Black Country 2.0 initiative – which focuses on supporting young people from across the area in finding employment and developing their skills – Vantage 365 aims to draw on the pool of local digital talent when selecting candidates for the scheme.

Vantage 365’s Managing Director, Matt Weston, was motivated to launch the apprenticeship scheme after reading a report stating that the average age for entry into Microsoft specialisms is 30 and above.

Matt explained: “There is a great career path for anyone who wants to specialise much earlier than that, but often this is not highlighted at college or in university education.

“Our scheme will place greater emphasis on this career strand from an earlier age and help shape a new generation of consultants, not only by introducing them to technology but also instilling them with the culture and values that we hold dear as a company.”

Applicants are not required to have higher education qualifications, and the scheme is focused on providing training and learning on the job.

To find out more, visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship or contact Rachel Allen at Halesowen College via rallen@halesowen.ac.uk.

Further information on Vantage 365 is available at https://www.vantage365.co.uk/.

Northamptonshire Chamber welcomes its first female president

An organisation which supports around 1,000 businesses from across Northamptonshire has welcomed its first female board president.

Award-winning personal insurance expert Robyn Allen, of Robyn Allen Solutions Ltd, became the first woman president in the Chamber’s 104-year history at the end of its annual general meeting today.

Robyn, who at 33 is also the organisation’s youngest ever president, had been an active member of the Chamber board for two years prior to taking up her new role.

She said: “I originally joined the Chamber board because I felt it was important that we have a diverse collection of voices to represent our wide range of members.

“There’s a bit of a weight on my shoulders because I’m the first female president but I’m very excited about my new role.

“I love the Chamber and what it stands for. It gives organisations so many opportunities to raise their profile as well as access to a wide range of fantastic support services.

“My focus will be on the needs of the Chamber membership so that together we can ensure the Chamber continues to lead the way, grow and move forward.

“I’m already looking forward to next year’s Northamptonshire Business Awards and to seeing how we can help Northamptonshire Chamber’s Women With Vision network and Next Generation Chamber to further develop and grow.

“I’m also excited about the Chamber’s first exhibition next year – I know their team is already working on great plans for it involving the Women With Vision network and it promises to be a fantastic event.”

Robyn also paid tribute to the Chamber’s outgoing president, Kevin Rogers of Wilson Browne Solicitors, adding: “Kevin has been a fantastic example of what being a good president looks like and I hope he will mentor me as I take on this new role. He’s an incredible human being.”

In her spare time Robyn is a trustee at HomeStart Kettering, a governor at Montsaye Academy in Rothwell, mentors new start-up businesses and is a trained mentor to teenagers.

For further information about Northamptonshire Chamber visit www.northants-chamber.co.uk or call 01604 490490.

Pride campaigners seek rainbow of support

LGBT awareness charity Chase Pride is encouraging locals to lace up and speak up in support of greater diversity in sports.

The organisation, which is bringing the first ever Pride event to the Cannock Chase area in 2022, is teaming up with local shops and venues to sell rainbow laces as part of a national campaign to eradicate homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in sports spaces for players and fans.

Bella’s Coffee Shop in Market Street, Hednesford, is the first venue to sign up to sell the rainbow laces, but Chase Pride would love to hear from other shops and venues willing to host a box.

Each pair of laces costs £3. As well as raising awareness of the campaign, the sales will help Chase Pride further its educational programme.

The Rainbow Laces campaign was started by equality charity Stonewall to help ensure people who are lesbian, gay, bi and trans feel welcome in sports environments.

Millions of people engage with the initiative every year, either wearing laces or sharing information on social media. A number of sports men and women will show their support this month.

The Premier League and EFL were among those kicking off a visible show of support wearing laces at recent games and seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton made a powerful statement at the Qatar Grand Prix in November by wearing a rainbow-coloured helmet bearing the slogan ‘We Stand Together’.

Chair of Chase Pride, Kathryn Downs, said: “This is a really important campaign with a message that needs to be shared.

“Sport should bring people together and create a sense of belonging and community through shared passion. It should be accessible to people from all walks of life and LGBTQ+ people deserve to be a part of this. We shouldn’t feel excluded or shut out just because of who we are.

“As a charity promoting greater understanding and inclusivity for the LGBT community across Cannock Chase, we felt this was an initiative that deserved a local voice.”

Kathryn added: “There are still some worrying statistics.”

She said relevant findings included:

  • Research carried out last year by ICM for Stonewall showed that one in five sports fans still think anti-LGBTQ+ language is harmless if it is just meant as ‘banter’.
  • And a recent study found that across Europe, eight in ten (82 per cent) of LGBTQ+ people active in sport have witnessed homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the preceding 12 months.
  • A survey in 2019 conducted by Out in Sport found a third (33 per cent) of LGBTQ+ people who participate or follow sport are not out to anyone in their sporting life.
  • In 2017, Stonewall discovered 43 per cent of LGBTQ+ people thought public sporting events weren’t a welcoming space for them. (YouGov for Stonewall, 2017).

“This campaign, however, is making a significant difference,” Kathryn added.

The same survey, from last year, showed two thirds of sports fans who saw Rainbow Laces consider they have a responsibility to stick up for LGBTQ+ fans of the teams and sports they follow – an increase on the previous statistic.

Kathryn added: “Whether you’re a team, an individual sports player or a fan, showing your support by sporting rainbow laces can help make a difference.

“The more people who lace up and speak up for LGBTQ+ inclusion, the more chance we have of making sport everyone’s game.”

To find out more about Chase Pride visit www.chasepride.org.uk

To show your support and host a box of rainbow laces throughout December, please email kathryn.downs@chasepride.org.uk