Category Archives: Midlands News

Healthcare, Midlands News, News

SLT sub-role a shot in the arm for region

Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT) has been praised for its role in the borough’s COVID-19 vaccination programme success – delivering jabs for some 40% of the adults fully vaccinated so far!

The Black Country-based charity (which runs nine leisure facilities for Sandwell Council across the borough) part converted two of its sites to approved vaccination centres at the start of the pandemic – Portway Lifestyle Centre in Oldbury and Tipton Sports Academy – and just between them they have delivered in excess of 160,000 of the *400,000+ jabs administered across Sandwell to date.

Dr Lisa McNally, Sandwell’s Director of Public Health, said: “We are so grateful to the staff of Sandwell Leisure Trust for the role they’ve played in rolling out vaccination in our area.  From the provision of vaccination venues, right through to the staff members’ encouragement to local people to get their jabs, SLT have been instrumental in maximising vaccination uptake.  Through this work, there’s no doubt that lives have been saved.”

Ash Rai, Chief Executive for Sandwell Leisure Trust, added: “We’re so proud to be able to offer our unflinching support for this far reaching, local vaccination programme. Portway Lifestyle Centre and Tipton Sports Academy were chosen because of their size and accessible location, plus our teams there have worked tirelessly and hand-in- hand with local NHS and Public Health staff to significantly contribute to Sandwell’s success rate.”

“I’d also like to say a special thank you to our customers, clubs and partners, who have all been so understanding and patient with the disruption in services whilst we have been supporting the so important fight against Covid.”

Sandwell’s completion rate has been much better than expected, and in some age groups a lot higher than the national average. This is also true of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, which traditionally have lower vaccination uptake rates.

Indeed, Sandwell MBC has just won a local government public health award for its Covid vaccination programme, which heralds the finest examples of innovation and quality delivered by councils.

*This figure doesn’t include children or third booster jabs, which are ongoing.

Pic shows l to r : Faraz Ahmed – Senior Lead Pharmacist, John Harling – Manager at Portway Lifestyle Centre, Rosie Chidlow – COVID 19 Vaccine Operational Manager, Simon Bryan – Manager at Tipton Sports Academy and Nena Mason – Senior Lead Nurse.

Charity & CSR, Food & Drink, Midlands News, News

Restaurant brand raises £169,394 for cancer charity through £1 bill donations

Thai Leisure Group, alongside its customers, have raised an incredible £169,394 through menu donations and other fundraisers, with the proceeds going to Yorkshire cancer charity, Candlelighters.

The fundraising figure is the charity’s largest amount raised by one single provider and marks the start of an ongoing partnership for the two businesses.

Thai Leisure Group – which owns Thai cuisine restaurants including Chaophraya and Thaikhun – has raised the milestone amount by giving customers across its 13 restaurants in England the opportunity to pay an additional £1 on top of their bill.

Candlelighters supports children and their families from the devastating consequences of cancer, with donations contributing research projects, round the clock support and temporary accommodation for families.

Chris Salt, Partnerships Manager at Candlelighters, said: “The incredible amount raised by Thai Leisure Group and its patrons will make an immense difference to families and children affected by childhood cancer.

“We help families throughout their treatment, when staying in or visiting hospital, as well as out in communities throughout the region. The funds raised by Chaophraya and Thaikhun will help to ensure none of these families face a child’s cancer diagnosis alone, and will be instrumental in helping to fund crucial research which will help thousands of children across the UK and further afield.”

 

Ian Leigh, Managing Director at Thai Leisure Group, said: “We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported us with donations over the past year. Candlelighters is a charity that is close to our hearts and the incredible amount raised will make a huge difference to families and children affected by childhood cancer. After seeing first hand the full extent of support that Candlelighters offers cancer patients and their families, we wanted to create a longstanding partnership where we can contribute towards the amazing work the team are doing.”

Alongside their existing charity work, Thai Leisure Group has recently launched a new partnership with Manchester-based charity, Lifeshare, to raise money to support the homeless.

Abigail Noonan at Lifeshare, said: “We are so excited to be partnering with Thai Leisure Group in the Autumn Quarter. This support will have a huge positive impact on our service and help us to better provide for Manchester’s vulnerable populations.”

Ian adds: “At Thai Leisure Group, we are proud to support charities worldwide and dedicate each quarter to a different charity that the team feel passionate about. We’re excited to launch our next partnership with Lifeshare and do our bit to support those who are struggling financially and living on the streets.

“It’s been a tough couple of years for many people, and it’s important that, as a business, we do what we can to support our local community as much as we can.”

You can donate to Thai Leisure Group’s chosen charities through an optional menu donation at any of their Chaophraya, Thaikhun, Yee Rah or Chaobaby restaurants. For more information, visit www.thaileisuregroup.co.uk

Construction, Construction News, Midlands News, News

Pave Aways joins with school to tackle construction skills gap

One of Shropshire’s leading construction businesses has formed a new alliance with a county school in a bid to tackle the industry’s skills gap.

Pave Aways Building Contractors will be providing practical training and advice to students who are studying on the BTEC construction programme at The Mary Webb School in Pontesbury.

The building firm will be organising site visits, work experience and hosting workshops and talks from its in-house experts to give students an insight into a career in construction. Pave Aways will also be encouraging sub contractors in its supply chain to get involved.

As part of its partnership with the school, apprentice carpenter Dan Davies attended the school’s recent careers fair to talk about his journey into construction.

Dan, a former Mary Webb pupil, completed his BTEC in construction at the school before going on to the Shrewsbury Colleges Group to complete his Level 1 Diploma in carpentry and joinery and subsequently securing his apprenticeship at Pave Aways.

Training Manager Michelle Benjamin said: “It is widely acknowledged nationally that there is a skills gap in construction, and we want to address that in our community, which is why we’ve committed to working with The Mary Webb School to take some practical action.

“Engaging with young people at an early stage in their career decisions in such a hands-on way will give them a better understanding of the available options available, the working environment and the route they can take as well as giving them valuable real-life skills to give them the edge going forward.”

Andy Walker, Subject Leader for Design & Technology at The Mary Webb School, said: “We are delighted to be able to call upon the expertise that Pave Aways and partners offer. We are always looking to better prepare our learners for careers in the construction industry and through this partnership they will be exposed to some of the latest developments in materials, techniques and working practice.

“Every year at our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Maths) awards evening we invite ‘inspirational sparks’, ex-students who return to Mary Webb to give our students an insight into the exciting things they have been doing since leaving our school. We look forward to future students telling us about the cutting edge construction they have been involved in as a result of the increased opportunities this will provide.”

Pave Aways’ sub contractor, Lowfield Timber Frames, will be hosting the first session at the school in January to explain more about the method of building using structural insulated panels (SIPs).

Midlands News, News, Storage

Self-storage company opens new branch in Shrewsbury

Self-storage company, Space Station, has announced the newest expansion to its UK operations with the opening of a new facility in Shrewsbury.

The new store boasts a sizable 57,000 square feet of storage space available for local customers and businesses, which includes up to 750 individual storage units to rent, providing a boost to the accessibility of externally sourced storage in the local Shropshire community.

After purchasing from fellow storage company, Rent a Space, Space Station officially opened it’s doors to its newest venture earlier this year but will retain the previous external branding in the short term, until planning permission is approved to change it.

Whilst the plan is to fully refurbish the premises later in the year, customers will now be greeted by Space Station uniformed staff for all their needs and queries.

Included in the facility are a variety of different sized storage units, available to rent with great flexibility, with both short- and long-term options available. Furthermore, the facility is fitted with 24/7 CCTV surveillance and even has workshops and office spaces available for rent in addition to storage units.

Space Station’s CEO Kevin Prince, said: “It’s terrific for us to be able to open our new self-storage facility in Shrewsbury.

“Having just expanded one of our newer stores in Solihull earlier this year, it’s exciting to continue the momentum and open our 11th store in the UK, offering a variety of storage solutions to customers and businesses in the Shropshire region.

“Our new store gives our customers access to individual storage unit, as well as office workspaces, which are all managed extremely well by the existing team already in place.  We are delighted that they have decided to remain in their positions, giving the existing customers a reassurance of a smooth transfer. We are excited to welcome them all to the Space Station family.”

This will be Space Station’s 11th store in the UK. The business was created by Alastair Caldwell, a former McLaren Formula 1 Team Manager, and is now owned by Heitman, a global real estate investment management firm. There are an additional ten locations in its portfolio throughout Greater London, Berkshire and Birmingham.

For more information about Space Station’s Shrewsbury store, please visit: https://www.space-station.co.uk/locations/shrewsbury-self-storage

Charity & CSR, Midlands News, News

Kings Norton Rhinos start season in style thanks to Bellway’s sponsorship

A junior rugby team is now playing in brand-new kit thanks to local housebuilder Bellway.

Kings Norton Rhinos Under 13s received a donation of £1,400 from the housebuilder – which is building new homes at The Oaks in Kings Norton – and the money funded new kit for the team to start the season.

The U13 Rhinos are part of Kings Norton RFC, which was founded almost 100 years ago and now has members aged from six upwards. The club is based at Hopwood Park, off Ash Lane, Hopwood.

Bellway West Midlands is building a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes at The Oaks, located off Parsons Hill, approximately four miles from the club’s ground.

Jake Morris, lead coach for the U13 Rhinos, said: “All the boys on the team are 12 years old from Kings Norton and surrounding areas, from different schools and backgrounds.

“I reached out to Bellway as I know they were building in the local area, and I felt it important that all the boys had a matching unified kit. We wanted to enable everyone to look the same, play as one and enjoy themselves, no matter their background.

“The boys were really excited when they got the kit and were inspired to come back and play rugby again after a turbulent year of cancelled training due to Covid restrictions.

“We are really pleased that Bellway was able to support us. It’s great to see a large housebuilder support the local community in which they build.”

The team is run by four coaches, including Jake, all of whom are volunteers and also have sons playing in the team.

There are 24 members of the U13 Rhinos and around 230 players in the Kings Norton RFC junior section. Each team is run entirely by volunteers.

Marie Richards, Sales Director of Bellway West Midlands, said: “We are pleased the team were happy with their new kits and excited to start the new season.

“It has been a rocky year for lots of young people involved in clubs such as this one, being unable to be involved in group activities due to Covid-19 restrictions. So we are happy these kits will enable them to come together and play as one again.

“Clubs like this one rely on funding and donations and are run entirely by volunteers, so we are glad to be able to show our support.”

Bellway is selling the final nine homes at The Oaks, where prices currently start at £257,500 for a two-bedroom house, with other three and four-bedroom properties also on the market.

For more information about the properties available at The Oaks, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/west-midlands/the-oaks or call the sales office on 0121 756 2091.

Captions:

  • The Kings Norton Rhinos showing off their new kit, featuring Bellway West Midlands sponsorship
Marketing, PR and SEO, Midlands News, News

Two new appointments at Kidderminster marketing agency Citizen amid team growth and development plans

Kidderminster-based marketing agency, Citizen, has recently welcomed aboard two new staff members as part of the expansion and development of its existing team.

Samantha Preece and Emily Hyde are the latest additions at the firm, with both having started in November and taking up positions as Marketing Director and Senior Account Executive respectively.

A resident of Bromsgrove, Samantha has worked in marketing for more than 25 years, during which time she has held a number of senior leadership roles within several high-profile consumer organisations, including HSBC, Halfords, Vax and Gtech.

An experience marketing strategist and planner, Samantha is CIM and CMI qualified, and has previously delivered marketing, management and leadership programmes, with a strong commercial focus. She left the corporate world three years ago and founded Millbrook Marketing, where she has been using her experience to support local businesses.

She became familiar with Citizen during lockdown, meeting Graeme Thurman, the agency’s Commercial Director, at a regional business networking group.

“The more I heard about the work Citizen had done, the more impressed I was,” Samantha explains.

“When an opportunity to join the team presented itself, I jumped at the chance.”

“The agency has a fantastic culture and is very welcoming, but above all I was really impressed by the level of talent here, and I could see that there was a massive amount of potential for growth.”

Emily, from Kidderminster, has eight years’ experience working in marketing, and has worked for a range of different companies, in sectors such as online retail and e-commerce.

Having studied for a degree in business management with the Open University she has worked across many areas of marketing. Directly before joining Citizen, Emily was employed as a Marketing Manager by a company specialising in supplying personal protective equipment [PPE] to large blue-chip clients.

“It’s been a goal of mine to work agency-side for a number of years now”, Emily said, “so I already knew a little about the business through research, and had a good sense for the kind of agency it was.

“I saw the job opening online and thought that it was the right time to apply for the opportunity to progress my career in the direction I wanted. I got on well with Graeme and Sam, who interviewed me, and they were so welcoming that I knew that it was the right place for me.”

Samantha will initially be picking up work on Citizen’s tender with Worcestershire Business Central, through which the agency is supporting local businesses’ marketing strategies, as well as developing Citizen’s own marketing strategy. Emily will be tasked with providing marketing advice to some of the firm’s larger corporate clients and acting as a liaison to them.

Further to Samantha and Emily’s appointments, Sam Britton, who has been with Citizen since 2018, has recently been promoted from Senior Account Manager to Client Services Director, marking the personal development of the agency’s existing team.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Samantha and Emily to the Citizen family, and with potential opportunities for further growth in the near future, this is a really exciting time for the agency,” he said.

“In my new role as Client Services Director, I am very much looking forward to working alongside Samantha within the senior management team, as well as supporting Emily in delivering a first-class service to all our clients.”

Further information on Citizen is available at https://citcom.co.uk/.

Health, Midlands News, News

Health for Life celebrates milestone birthday

Health for Life, an evidence based, award winning programme funded by Mondelēz International, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To mark the milestone, the scheme is giving schools the opportunity to receive one of three Health for Life grants of £5,000.   

The Health for Life programme was introduced in 2011 and helps adults and children in the West Midlands to focus on living a healthier life. It’s achieved through activities such as growing fruit and vegetables, learning about healthy eating, improving cooking skills and taking part in a range of physical activities.

Mondelēz International has invested over £4.5m in the initiative to date, reaching more than 225,000 children and adults in Birmingham over the past 10 years.

To celebrate a decade of Health for Life, Mondelēz International is offering three Health for Life schools from the West Midlands the opportunity to develop the programme further with a £5,000 grant, which can be used to support a project of their choice. From a brand-new cooking classroom and school allotment to an all-new dance studio and playground, schools can choose what the substantial donation will help fund for their students.

Schools hoping to receive one of the grants will need to complete a two-part submission, with entries closing in spring 2022 and successful applications announced in the summer term.

Health for Life is delivered in partnership with Services For Education and The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), through local schools and communities. To date, the programme has engaged with more than 180 Birmingham schools, positively impacting over 66,000 pupils. The initiative has also reached 160,000 adults in Birmingham including teachers, parents and community members.

Many primary schools now have better access to cooking through the development of new kitchen areas and improved equipment, inspiring a 26% increase in pupils cooking at school. They have also been given the means to create their own gardens, giving thousands of children the chance to learn how to grow fruit and vegetables.

Pupils have also benefited from new sports and playground equipment courtesy of Health for Life funding, increasing the range and opportunities for pupils to take part in physical exercise.

In the community, Health for Life has developed 17 community food growing spaces in Birmingham, giving individuals and local groups the chance to take part in TCV’s Green Gym activities; working outdoors and growing their own food.

Kelly Farrell, community affairs manager at Mondelēz International, has been driving the Health for Life scheme for the past decade. Kelly commented: “It’s truly been a privilege to be part of Health for Life and see the impact it’s made over the years. Talking to local school children and hearing how much they love having the chance to be outdoors, grow their own food and develop new cooking skills in school puts everything into perspective.

“Our aim a decade ago was simple; inspire local people to develop and sustain a healthy lifestyle culture at school, at home, and in their local community. The additional grant funding is a boost to enable three schools, with special projects in mind, to expand their efforts and offer students additional and engaging experiences to enjoy at school. We’re incredibly proud of everything the initiative has achieved and look forward to the next 10 years of Health for Life!”

For more information about the work carried out by Health for Life in schools, please visit https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/health-for-life/ and, in the community, visit www.tcv.org.uk/midlands/health-for-life.

Midlands News, News

Major Art Installation To Be Unveiled at Millennium Point

Award-winning events and conference venue, Millennium Point, is set to unveil a major new art installation next year which celebrates the wonder of planet Earth.

Gaia, a large-scale touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram, will be on display at Millennium Point from 1 February to 28 March 2022.

Created from detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface and measuring seven metres in diameter, Gaia invites visitors to appreciate the beauty and majesty of our planet on an awe-inspiring scale.

The artwork is 1.8 million times smaller than the Earth, with each centimetre of the sculpture depicting 18km of the Earth’s surface.

The artwork will be on display in Millennium Point’s impressive atrium, suspended from above and slowly revolving, giving visitors the chance to view the Earth from every angle as never before. The artwork will be accompanied by a specially created surround sound composition by BAFTA award-winning composer Dan Jones.

Abbie Vlahakis, CEO at Millennium Point said: “We are absolutely delighted to display Luke Jerram’s Gaia artwork at Millennium Point.

“Gaia is a true celebration of planet Earth and the artwork compels us to think about the place we call home from a completely new perspective. Following the COP26 global climate summit, and as the natural world faces a crisis like never before, the world’s attention is focused on conserving our planet for future generations. Looking up at Gaia, you can’t help but feel over-awed by the colossal scale of Earth and inspired to do all we can to protect it.”

The Gaia installation will be accompanied by an exciting public engagement programme, which aims to shine a light on the actions we can all take to help protect the planet. The artwork will also provide a jaw-dropping backdrop to conferences and private bookings, with a full events schedule to be announced in the New Year.

Abbie continues: “Gaia has been displayed across the globe – from Rome to Shanghai – so we’re thrilled to be bringing it to the very heart of Birmingham so that people across the region can enjoy this incredible artwork up close.”

Luke Jerram, artist and creator of Gaia, adds: “I’m excited that Gaia will be on display in Birmingham, and I hope that people from across the city and beyond will have the chance to experience a new perspective of our place on the planet.

“Following COVID-19, there has been a renewed respect for nature, and we know that the health of the planet is more precarious than ever before. I hope that Gaia helps to highlight the interconnectivity of the natural world and that we all have a shared responsibility towards one another, to ensure a brighter future for planet Earth.”

Millennium Point is an award-winning public building and conference and events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham city centre, committed to supporting STEM-related projects, initiatives, and organisations across the West Midlands.

For more information and to plan your visit or event during the installation, go to https://www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/gaia/

Luke Jerram’s ‘Gaia’ will be on display at Birmingham’s Millennium Point from 1 February 2022
Photo credit: W5, Belfast

 

Awards, HR, Midlands News, News, South East

Asbestos consultancy named Employer of the Year

A hard-working team that protects people from asbestos has been honoured for creating a culture which promotes learning and development.

Acorn Analytical Services, which has bases in Northampton, Birmingham and London, won the much-coveted Employer of the Year award at the Northamptonshire Business Awards at Park Inn Northampton on Thursday.

It is the latest in a series of triumphs for the firm which has won several awards this year, including the Excellence in People Development award at the Northamptonshire SME Business Awards and the national Asbestos Consultancy Award at the Tomorrow’s Health and Safety Awards 2021.

Company director Neil Munro was part of the team which collected the award in front of nearly 350 business people from throughout Northamptonshire.

He said: “The reason we’re one of the UK’s best asbestos consultancies is we invest heavily in our team and develop our people.

“We’re proud to say in the past few years six of our trainees have gone on to become fully fledged asbestos consultants. Once our employees are qualified, we provide them with ongoing training sessions, seminars, support and guidance so they can achieve our industry’s highest qualifications and accreditations.

“As a result of the training we provide, all our staff are passionate about what we do. We work hard to educate the public about the dangers of asbestos and our expert team provides a full asbestos support service to ensure our clients’ risk from asbestos is correctly managed, repaired or removed quickly and on budget.

“It means a great deal to us that we’ve won Employer of the Year – it’s fantastic recognition for the whole team.”

Karen Jones, of the University of Northampton which sponsored the award, said: “The judges were absolutely unanimous that the award should go to Acorn.

“They were so enthusiastic about their learning and development that it was infectious and the testimonials we received from staff members were amazing.”

For further information about Acorn Analytical Services visit www.acorn-as.com

Midlands News, News

Hereford job fair hailed huge success

A Hereford job fair, which showcased more than 500 job vacancies in the region, has been hailed a huge success by organisers and attendees alike. 

The event, which was organised by award-winning supported employment and training charity, Landau, welcomed over 125 job seekers through the doors to meet with 27 organisations that were actively recruiting for new employees. 

Caroline Richardson, Head of Employment Services at Landau, said the event demonstrated the range of recruitment opportunities for jobseekers across the area. 

“We’ve received some fantastic feedback from many of the jobseekers and employers we welcomed to the event — with reports of interviews and job offers being made just days later. 

“We know it is a really challenging time for individuals that are out of work at the moment, particularly with many of the barriers that came hand in hand with Covid-19 restrictions. 

“However, we wanted to demonstrate to people that now is the perfect time to be proactive in your job search as there are some fantastic opportunities out there.” 

Prospective employees were welcomed by organisations from a range of sectors including retail, construction and hospitality, and a team of specialist employment advisers were also on hand to provide support to anyone needing additional help to access employment. 

One jobseeker said of the event: “I’ve always struggled to put together a good CV that shows off my skills, but the Hereford Jobs Fair has been incredible — there are plenty of vacancies and the range of employers is amazing.” 

Landau supports around 3,000 individuals back into the workplace or into training schemes through its specialist support each year.  

Earlier this year, the organisation was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunities to those facing social mobility barriers.