Category Archives: Midlands News

Law, Midlands News, News

Talbots Law’s recruitment campaign gathers pace with ten new trainees

Talbots Law has marked the next stage of its 150-strong recruitment campaign in 2022 by setting ten members of the team on their pathways to becoming qualified solicitors.

Adeela Ali, Cindy La, Denielle Chatta-Sandhu, Dominic Bowen, Emma McIntosh, Sharon Garcha, Shaye McInnis and Zara Rafiq became Trainee Solicitors earlier this month, each undertaking a Training Contract which will see them specialise in their chosen area of law, with the end goal of qualifying and joining the national roll of solicitors.

This is the second intake this year at the employee-owned Midlands law firm and brings the total number of current Trainee Solicitors to seventeen, with a commitment to offering a further twenty positions to other colleagues in 2023 and 2024.

The new Trainees are joined by Abbie Danks and Ethan Davis, who both started their highly sought-after Solicitor Apprenticeships. This will see them progress through a work-based degree pathway whilst working at Talbots, earning the qualifications and experience required to become solicitors.

“We are really pleased to have so many colleagues starting their Training Contracts and Solicitor Apprenticeships. This is testament to the commitment, quality and ability of the amazing people that are part of our employee-owned business,” explained Rachel Pardoe, HR Director at Talbots Law.

“Investment in staff is so important to our business; we want to support and encourage them to be the best they can be, and our track-record of career development and high retention rates speak for themselves.”

She continued: “Our new Trainees and Solicitor Apprentices should all be incredibly proud of themselves, and we hope they’re enjoying the well-deserved celebrations that mark the start of the next chapter of their exciting journey.”

Back in 2018, Talbots pioneered a new SRA-approved approach to Training Contracts which allowed Trainees to undertake thorough training in their chosen area of specialism pre-qualification.

The company, which invested £400,000 into a new HQ at The Waterfront earlier this year, builds its approach to career development uniquely focused on the individual; professional qualifications such as Training Contracts, SQE, Apprenticeships, CILEx, CLC are factored into career progression plans for existing employees alongside workplace learning and what the firm refers to as ‘role-related progression’.

In addition to professional qualifications, it has celebrated role-related promotions for over 150 of their 375 staff in 2022 alone.

The philosophy underlines part of Talbot’s ‘train to retain’ approach, ensuring Trainees are specialised and experienced enough to take on a NQ Solicitor role on their qualification and to move forward on the next step of their career progression journey.

Denielle Chatta-Sandhu, a new Trainee Solicitor with Talbots, said: “It has long been my dream to become a Solicitor and I feel incredibly grateful to Talbots for giving me an opportunity to achieve it.

“Through my legal work today, I have found a real passion for residential conveyancing and knowing I’ll now have the opportunity to specialise, build experience and, ultimately, qualify in this field has given me so much motivation to crack on and make my career everything I believe it can be.”

Abbie Danks, an Apprentice Solicitor with Talbots, added her support: “I got good A-levels, but the traditional university lifestyle and pathway just never appealed to me, despite the fact I knew I wanted to be a lawyer and that going to university was the widely accepted route to achieving that.

“At Talbots, I’ve been told since day one that I can make my career what I want it to be, and it feels incredible to have that promise fulfilled, enabling me to earn my degree and qualify as a solicitor in a way that feels so much better for me as a person. I’ve been given a unique opportunity and I’m so grateful for it.”

Going forward, Talbots will continue to recruit aspiring solicitors into permanent Legal Assistant and Paralegal roles with a view to them undertaking their Training Contracts or SQE qualifications.

The company is also actively recruiting for new positions in four of their eight offices, with opportunities becoming available throughout the year.

Rachel concluded: “A lot has happened in 2022 and this includes the launch of the prestigious new Talbots Training Academy, offering aspiring property lawyers the opportunity to join an initial intensive six-week work-based training programme before joining our National Conveyancing Department in a Legal Assistant role.”

Law, Midlands News, News

New faces strengthen the team at FBC Manby Bowdler

Fast-growing law firm FBC Manby Bowdler has appointed seven new legal experts in response to growing demand for its private client services.

Managing director Neil Lloyd is spearheading the investment in new talent and says the firm is seeing a sustained rise in enquiries in 2022 for estate planning, probate and Court of Protection work.

He said: “In 2022, we have been the top ranked law firm for our private client services in the areas  in which we operate and these quality appointments allow us to continue to deliver the stellar service and excellent legal advice we’re known for.”

The Wolverhampton office has welcomed two new solicitors to the ranks, Jessica Hubble and Chris Bate. Liverpool University graduate Jessica joins from a regional law firm and Associate Chris will take on a Court of Protection executive role.

FBC Manby Bowdler’s Shropshire private client team expands with the appointment of Associate Jonathan Edwards, specialising in estate administration, inheritance tax, wills, Lasting Power of Attorney, trusts and lifetime estate planning.

The Telford team also welcoming solicitor Adam Hawkes, who will be advising clients on all private client matters as well as specialising in contentious trusts and probate.

Three of the new faces – solicitors Victoria Upton, Nazia Riaz and Charlotte Todd – have joined the private client team in FBC Manby Bowdler’s Redditch office.

Neil added: “I look forward to all of them developing and progressing their careers in the law in the supportive environment that FBC Manby Bowdler offers to all employees.”

Appointments, Midlands News, News

Bioviate Hygienics secures hat-trick of new recruits to play pivotal role in next stage of growth

Pioneering Biovate Hygienics, which launched this year with a pledge to become the country’s ‘go to’ brand for sustainable and carbon neutral cleaning products, has announced a trio of new hires to help propel it into its next stage of growth.

Kierran Bates, aged 21,  recently joined the company with the objective of him evolving into a sales role after learning the ropes in an office-based support position. Kierran impressed his new employers with the many and diverse roles and skill sets he had developed in hospitality work, tiling, administration, e-commerce and even renovating a camper van to allow him to explore the length and breadth of the UK.

Jenny Barrett has decades of sales and industry experience, and has been passionate about biotechnology-based cleaning products for many years, working closely with the Biovate team in previous roles with distributors. Jenny has joined the team to focus on business development with Bidfood, which is Biovate’s national food service partner and also one of the UK’s largest food wholesalers. Having worked with large national distributors, Jenny is well placed to share her passion about biotechnology with Bidfood and their customers.

Nadia Winstone has an honours degree in human nutrition which included food safety and management of large scale commercial kitchens and can call upon a diverse professional background which includes acquiring an excellent technical understanding of the make-up of biological products. Her other career highlights comprise stints in the NHS as a dietitian and managing her own businesses, making her the ideal recruit for a start-up environment. Nadia is married to co-founder Nick and has been a great support behind the scenes getting Biovate up and running.

Nadia’s focus as Strategic Account Manager is to support the largest London restaurant and hotel group clients of cleaning, hygiene and catering products supplier Sybron, a key distribution partner which has supported Biovate since its inception.

Welcoming the trio of new hires, Nick Winstone enthused: “Biovate Hygienics continues to grow, with sales in the first six months of over 150,000 cases. To attract and retain talent we take a fairly unconventional recruitment approach, by looking externally and internally at the industry to secure the right people to support this growth.

“What has allowed us to grow from start up to over 24,000 cases a month in six months, is the calibre of people in our team, who are incredibly agile and multi-talented.

“To ensure we continue to support this growth, we look at the people, their skill sets and how they will fit into the team’s culture, first and foremost. With Jenny’s depth of industry knowledge, as well as Kierran and Nadia’s diverse backgrounds and skillsets, we’re really excited about these fantastic additions to the team”.

Based in Towcester, Northants, BioVate’s mission is to change the way Britain cleans by:

  • Ensuring the core products use natural biological and plant-based liquids
  • Utilising ground breaking packaging that is reusable and renewable
  • Working towards completely carbon neutral products
  • Being proudly 100 percent made in the UK
  • Using technology to provide a cutting-edge user experience
  • Innovating at all times to drive both its products and the broader industry forward in a journey towards total sustainable cleaning.

Photo Caption: NEW HIRES: (l to r) Kierran Bates, Jenny Barrett and Nadia Winstone are the new team members bringing their range of skills and experience to Bioviate Hygienics.

 

Education, Education News, Midlands News, News, Space

Everton Free School launches space balloon to mark decade of success

Everton Free School – the school set up by Everton in the Community – has marked its milestone 10th anniversary by launching a weather balloon into near-space, kicking off its next decade in style.

Former students joined teachers, current pupils and key partners on Friday 23 September for the occasion at Welshpool, with the balloon travelling a total of almost 30km.

The event was the culmination of a week-long schedule of activities designed to inspire and encourage youngsters to consider a career in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths).

Throughout the week, students had been given the chance to try their hand at a range of skills and hear from experts within areas such as forensics, medicine, astrophysics and web virtual reality development, as well as a visit to the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

The launch was an opportunity for them to track the balloon’s journey, while a 360-degree camera on board also captured images of Earth.

Set up by Everton in the Community, the club’s charitable arm, the school offers alternative educational opportunities to young people who have either been expelled or are at risk of exclusion.

Former student Zack Kelly, who says it “saved his life”, enrolled at the school when he was 13 years old after being expelled from the mainstream school he was attending, having spent much of his childhood in and out of the care system.

Zack, 23, who now works as an intervention mentor at Everton in the Community, said: “Looking back, mainstream education was just not right for me. I’d spent a long time in care and got into a lot of trouble at school – I was getting into fights and generally getting into trouble.

“But Everton Free School was completely different. I’d always been known by teachers as the ‘naughty kid’ or the ‘class clown’ but I felt I was seen as a person rather than a number at Everton and that made a huge difference to my behaviour.

“Being there 100% saved my life, I have no doubt about it. It scares me to think where I could have been now if I hadn’t gone to Everton Free School as I was headed down a very different path.

“It’s incredible to celebrate the school’s 10th anniversary – it’s a real credit to the amazing teachers who go above and beyond every day.”

As part of the launch, a specially-created Everton kit designed by an Everton Football College student was attached to the balloon, as part of a school-wide competition.

Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Everton Women’s player Izzy Christansen selected Ethan Westray as the winner, with club sponsor hummel* bringing the design to life and creating 500 shirts for students and staff.

Both the men’s and women’s first teams signed the kits before they were launched into near-space, with plans to auction them to raise money for disadvantaged students in the school and college.

Jordan said: “Everton Free School is an incredibly special place and it’s a real honour to be helping the staff and students celebrate such huge milestone.

“Ethan’s design stood out to us as it’s creative and unique – it perfectly captures the theme of the occasion and looks great too. It’s amazing to see it being launched into near-space today.”

During the event, year 11 students used GPS technology to track the balloon as it descended back down to Earth, with it landing in Eccleshall.

Principal Steven Baker, who was awarded an OBE last year for his services to education, said: “Our success during the last 10 years is a true testament to the efforts of our fantastic team, together with our students’ ambition and drive.

“Our students’ achievements have gone from strength to strength each year. But it’s not just about the qualifications they take away – it’s the life skills and experience that they take into the world after education.

“We are incredibly proud to have reached such a milestone in our history and to mark it by taking Everton into near-space is extremely special, especially with our one-off kits on-board, thanks to our talented students and hummel*.

“Now, we’re looking forward to the possibilities of the next 10 years as we continue to build on our success.”

Care, Midlands News, News

Concerns for social care funding following Government U-turn on taxes

The boss of Shropshire’s largest not-for-profit care provider has raised concerns about the future funding of social care following the government’s U-turn on National Insurance payments and scrapping of the social care levy.

The government announced today (Sep 23) as part of the Chancellor’s mini budget that it would be reversing the 1.25 percentage point increase in National Insurance (NI) from November to support people with the rising cost of household bills.

The increase, which came into effect in April this year, was meant to support the NHS and social care sector by raising billions of pounds and would have been replaced by the new Health and Social Care Levy from April 2023.

The treasury has now axed the planned levy saying the change would save nearly 28 million people hundreds of pounds a year.

Debbie Price, Chief Executive of Coverage Care Services, said the U-turn now cast doubt on the future funding of social care.

She said: “We are all struggling and whilst the Chancellor is right to look for ways to boost the economy and seek measures to ease the financial burden facing businesses, families and individuals the decision casts doubt on how the government expects to tackle the growing pressures being faced by the NHS and social care.

“It was predicted that the new 1.25p in the pound National Insurance increase would raise an additional £12billion a year. The government had promised that this money would go towards supporting the NHS and then a proportion to helping the social care sector which is currently facing huge demands.

“It has now said funding for health and social care will be maintained and come from general taxation but, as always, there is little detail, which causes concern. We need to know how the government plans to protect this funding and we urge them to address this issue immediately.

“The system is under a considerable amount of pressure to provide quality care to our ageing population. We are still facing many challenges as a result of the pandemic and coupled with recruitment issues, staff shortages nationally and already tightened government spending, this latest decision is another major blow to all care providers.”

Coverage Care Services is Shropshire’s largest independent care provider operating 12 homes across the county.

Earlier this week it announced a second pay increase for staff taking total investment into the company’s wage bill to £2.5million in 2022.

For more information about Coverage Care Services visit https://www.coveragecareservices.co.uk/.

Midlands News, News

New growth opportunities etched in metal as ACE completes £500k investment drive

Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE), which has recently boosted its workforce by 12%, has taken delivery of two Chemcut Etch machines at its Hortonwood 33 facility in a bid to meet increasing global demand from the aerospace, electric vehicle, and hydrogen fuel cell markets.

The acquisitions will increase the firm’s etching capacity by 30% and will help customers bring their designs and prototypes to market quicker, a decisive selling point that the business hopes will help it meet its two-year plan to hit £10m in sales.

It has been a busy twelve months for ACE, with turnover now back past Covid-19 levels and its best-ever month recently recorded after an influx of domestic and international orders were completed for customers keen to avoid international supply chain disruption.

Ian Whateley, Managing Director of Advanced Chemical Etching, commented: “We are always looking at ways where we can reduce lead times and have greater control over the tolerances we can offer, and this latest investment reinforces that.

“The two etching machines are currently being installed and should be fully up and running by late summer. When they go live, we’ll have a third more production capability, which means we can go after new opportunities and there’s plenty of those currently, whether its supplying busbars and lead frames to EV or critical components to the medical sector.

“This latest technology will make us faster, guarantee repeatable quality and, with energy costs rising, will reduce our electricity and water consumption considerably.”

ACE specialises in the development of precision components to customers in more than 25 countries, spanning aerospace, space, general engineering, automotive, electronics, medical, telecoms and renewables.

The scope of its activities is far and wide and can include anything from safety critical components for aircraft and F1 cars, to meshes and electronic connectors, battery interconnectors, fuel cell bi-polar plates, cooling plates and heat exchangers.

All parts are developed and manufactured at its main site in Telford or at the company’s dedicated sister business, ACE Forming Limited, in Kingswinford.

It works to the most exacting tolerances and can manufacture components in materials, such as stainless steel, nickel alloys, copper, beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, brass and, thanks to new processes, aluminium, molybdenum, titanium, nitinol and elgiloy.

Chris Ball, Executive Director, went on to add: “We operated throughout the pandemic and, thankfully, have emerged with an even stronger order book than what we went into Covid-19 with…that’s a great position to be in, especially with the amount of reshoring opportunities heading back to the UK.

“In addition to our recent investment drive, we have also strengthened our workforce with eight new people joining across our inspection, facility and plant maintenance, and our sales and marketing departments.

“There has been an increase in the number of special operation products we are getting involved in and this would necessitate the need for people to be multi-skilled and internally work across numerous projects. That’s why investment in ongoing training will be so crucial.”

Advanced Chemical Etching is planning more exhibitions this year, with its next appearance coming at the Precision Fair in the Netherlands in November (16-17th)

It is also seeing requests to do mini trade shows of its capability to many several design departments at existing and new customers.

Commercial Property, Commercial Property News, Midlands News, News

Law firm mfg Solicitors advise on multi-million Brierley Hill industrial estate sale

A Midlands law firm has advised on the multi-million pound sale of a well-known Black Country industrial estate.

Commercial property specialists at mfg Solicitors have handled a deal worth around £6million which has seen the Delph Industrial Estate in Brierley Hill purchased by property group, Telereal Trillium.

The seven-acre estate, which has 40 units let by a range of local businesses, has been sold by veteran Black Country businessman, Tony Whittaker, who opened the once derelict site in 1982 to help create new jobs.

Partner Ben Rothery and colleague Rachel Dear acted on behalf of Mr Whittaker on the deal which was completed in just four weeks.

Ben Rothery said: “The Delph Industrial Estate has provided jobs for hundreds of people over the past 40 years and been given a terrific base and launchpad for many businesses. Tony and his family have built the estate up from scratch and rightly gained a reputation as a businessman who has the community at heart.

“We were delighted to play such a central role in the deal and to complete it in just one month. It now allows Tony to move onto other projects, whilst also ensuring ownership is transferred to well-established company like Telereal Triiium who understand the estate’s history and importance.”

Tony Whittaker added: “We have built the estate up from what was a series of derelict buildings and yards after the sad demise of the Round Oak works in the 1970s. It gives us immense pleasure to have completed the project and leave things in good hands.

“We have managed the site through some extremely tough times over the past four decades but it has been great to see so many businesses continue to grow and thrive from it – including our own family business, Midland Fabric and Bar.

“I want to praise the superb work from Ben and Rachel to get the deal across the line smoothly and in an unbelievable timescale. Their advice and support has been first-class.”

Mr Whittaker, 78, a former national weightlifting champion who was born on the same road as the industrial estate, has carved out a career as a successful local businessman since the 1960s. Just one year after opening the industrial estate, in 1983 he built and opened the Nine Locks and Chainmakers pub on Amblecote Road, then the largest pub in the region.

He has confirmed that the “landmark” 64-tonne Chieftan tank, which sits at the entrance to the estate, will be retained by the new owners.

The Commercial Property team at mfg Solicitors handle a range of matters includes sales and purchases of industrial or retail premises, financial transactions, planning and development, leasing, complex land issues, and advising on all sizes of renewable energy projects.

Midlands News, News

Clarity welcome over economic policy says Q Financial Services

One of the region’s leading financial experts today said the mini-budget gave much-needed clarity over the Government’s future economic policy – but said the Chancellor must make driving down inflation and lowering interest rates a top priority. 

Mitch Gough, director at Q Financial Services, said moves to cut taxes and Stamp Duty, reverse the planned increase in National Insurance and scrap planned increases on Corporation Tax, would all help address the cost-of-living crisis and build on measures announced earlier this week to control both residential and commercial energy bills. 

But Mitch added that allowing inflation and interest rates to soar still further – and failing to support the supply of new housing developments to meet demand fuelled by the Stamp Duty cuts – would hinder future progress. 

“It is good to see the Government place such a clear priority on growing the economy and introducing a detailed set of proposals so soon after the new Prime Minister took office,” Mitch said. 

“After a period in which there seemed to be considerable drift, it is welcome that we now have a clear indication of the path the Government plans to take to help business and the commercial sector through this difficult period. 

“There is no doubt that the cut in Stamp Duty will fuel new demand in the property market, but this must be met with a sustained increase in supply if housing is to remain affordable. 

“Yesterday’s 0.5 per cent rise in interest rates to 2.25 per cent and the prospect of future increases and high inflation could mean that much of the extra cash the Government is handing back in this package is quickly eroded. 

“We want to see serious moves to tackle inflation and help reverse the trend for ever-rising interest rates, but fully support the drive for growth. 

“As ever, the devil will lie in the detail and we will be studying the Chancellor’s statement in great detail over the coming days to ensure we offer the most comprehensive advice possible to both our private and commercial clients.” 

Q Financial Services group, which has offices in Wellington and Shrewsbury, is one of the leading and fastest-growing companies in the sector across the Midlands. 

For more information about Q visit  https://www.qfinancialservices.co.uk/ 

Commercial Property, Commercial Property News, Midlands News, News

Mini-budget gives clarity after months of drift, says Bromwich Hardy

The founding partner of one of the region’s most successful commercial property firms says last week’s mini-budget finally gives business some certainty after months of drift.  

Tom Bromwich, of Coventry agency Bromwich Hardy, said the Government’s commitment to growing the economy finally offered the business community some much-needed clarity about economic policy. 

But he warned that the next 18 months would still be a challenging period as businesses negotiated greatly-increased energy costs, rising inflation, the cost of living crisis and recruitment issues. 

“After a period in which there seemed to be considerable drift, it is welcome that we now have a clear indication of the path the Government plans to take to help business and the commercial sector through this difficult period. 

“The commercial property market remains strong despite this backdrop, and more clarity on business rates and the Exchequer’s approach to commercial tax will help provide more of the certainty that business needs.  

“The reversal of plans to increase National Insurance, scrapping planned increases on Corporation Tax, the creation of new Low Tax Zones across the UK and the cuts in Stamp Duty, all have their merits.  

“But we want to see serious moves to tackle inflation and help reverse the trend for ever-rising interest rates, as well as power being given to planning authorities and their partners to bring forward the new developments needed to meet demand. 

“We at least have a starting point with the measures announced today and the plan to halve energy bills for the coming six months which gives us a foundation from which we can move forward.  

“But as ever with these statements, the devil will very much lie in the detail, which we will study in depth over the coming days so that we can offer the highest quality advice to our clients.”  

Bromwich Hardy is one of the country’s largest independent commercial property agencies, regularly featuring in independent lists of the most active firms in the industry.  

For more information about Bromwich Hardy visit www.bromwichhardy.com 

Charity & CSR, Midlands News, News

Worcestershire family business donations exceed £7,000 for charity

Droitwich-based marketing firm, PSE Offline Marketing, has raised over £7,000 as part of its ongoing support for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, a charity working towards a brighter future for everyone with cystic fibrosis (CF), by funding cutting-edge research, driving up standards of care and supporting people with the condition and their loved ones every step of the way.

The family-run business has been supporting the charity since 2020, raising vital funds through a number of initiatives including prize draws, team mountain climbs and walking challenges to help aid its work to fund research, improve care and raise awareness to ensure everyone with cystic fibrosis can live without limits.

The PSE Offline Marketing team has already exceeded its annual goal and has recently upped the fundraising target to £10,000.

Phil Newton, Chairman, PSE Offline Marketing said: “This cause is one that’s extremely close to our hearts as one of our directors’ daughters is living with cystic fibrosis so we’re determined to raise as much as we can to help drive awareness and support for the charity.

“We truly admire the brilliant work that the Cystic Fibrosis Trust does to support families, which is why we’ve smashed our initial target and have decided to raise it and continue to support in any way that we can.

“We’d also like to say a massive thank-you to our customers who have been kind enough to donate some incredibly generous prizes for us to create two fantastic prize pools for the prize draw we’re currently running. As well as the team at PSE for getting 100% behind our fundraising efforts.”

A representative from Cystic Fibrosis Trust said: “We want every person with cystic fibrosis (CF) to live a long and full life, and as Cystic Fibrosis Trust receives no government funding, we can’t achieve this without the support of incredible fundraisers like PSE Offline Marketing.

“These crucial donations will fund research into treatments that tackle the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis, as well help further our understanding of how to treat harmful lung infections and other aspects of CF like cystic fibrosis related diabetes and gut issues. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the amazing fundraising so far, we are truly very grateful.”