Tag Archives: development

Healthcare, HR, News, North of England, Training, Training News

PAM Group takes a leap forward with new training academy

Occupational health and corporate health services provider PAM Group has opened a dedicated training academy to enhance the learning and development of its workforce.

The PAM Academy is based on the ground floor of a two-storey building at Mandarin Court in Warrington.

The 4,000sq ft building houses client services teams for PAM’s Wellness Solutions division on the first floor alongside the group’s IT support staff.

PAM Group founder and chief executive James Murphy said the academy fulfils a long-held ambition to create a bespoke training centre for clinical and non-clinical staff. It features a series of fully-equipped replica clinics and an audio booth where PAM Group specialists can train in a realistic setting.

The academy space will also be used to stage training courses and sessions for clients, covering topics such as mental health awareness, neurodiversity and health and wellbeing in the workplace.

PAM Wellness Solutions’ client services teams have relocated from the group’s corporate headquarters in Warrington and other sites, bringing together under one roof those running the group’s employee assistance programme, physiotherapy and occupational health advisory services. The open-plan upper floor can accommodate 50 staff.

James said: “I’m passionate that PAM becomes the employer of choice for people wishing to start or develop their careers in the fields in which we operate, and the academy is a leap forward for this.

“It’s common, for example, for people from the nursing profession to join us to start their journeys as occupation health professionals.

“We are developing a new career path framework for our colleagues, branded as the Elevate Programme. This will enhance routes for career development across the group, and the facilities at the new academy provide an effective and engaging space to host the learning opportunities on offer through the programme, in a bespoke environment.”

He added: “It’s a very versatile building where we can also hold departmental and inter-departmental meetings, planning sessions and workshops.

“In terms of the client services teams, the building provides a tremendous space to bring people together and improve efficiency by inspiring greater collaboration, engagement and teamwork in a stimulating working environment.”

The Mandarin Court site is a high-spec office building which PAM Group has fitted out to include a breakout area and meeting rooms as well as office space and training facilities. It has parking for 20 vehicles.

PAM Group is a major provider of occupational health, health screening and wellbeing services across the UK and Ireland. It offers a range of integrated services to public and private sector clients, supporting more than a million employees at over 1,000 businesses and organisations.

Its services include psychological support, corporate health assessments, ergonomic and assistive technology products, mobile health screening, drug and alcohol screening and a pathology laboratory. The group operates a network of 25 clinics. It also has a retail arm which supplies fitness, exercise and rehabilitation equipment to consumers, sports clubs and sports and physiotherapy professionals.

PAM, which employs more than 750 people, posted revenues of £53m for 2023 and is on track to reach £68m this year. PAM is looking to grow turnover to £90m over the next few years through continued organic expansion and further acquisitions.

The group is backed by private equity firm LDC to support its growth and the launch of new products and services.

News

You are invited to relax and reflect over the busy festive period in ‘The Waiting Place’ at NOMA

Manchester city centre neighbourhood NOMA is welcoming people to find some quiet time amongst the noise of the festive period and visit ‘The Waiting Place’ installation.

Throughout December, ‘The Waiting Place’ offers a city centre haven and a moment to relax and reflect in the centre of a black pine tree glade of light and sound.

In line with NOMA’s commitment to being a community-led neighbourhood, it is inviting visitors to collaborate with the concept. People are invited to take a moment to ponder what they are waiting for over the Christmas period – whether that may be for the big day itself, the snow, the days to get longer or the New Year. These reflections of the city’s mood will grow throughout the month in an ever-changing public art piece.

As part of NOMA’s sustainable approach to development, no part of this installation is single use. The six pine trees are on loan from its on-site tree nursery that was born from the PlantNOMA initiative and will be returned in the New Year where they will continue to be nurtured before being planted in their permanent home in the public realm.

Curated by Standard Practice, ‘The Waiting Place’ will be open from 8th December through to the New Year.

To celebrate the idea of patience and mindfulness during the festive season, NOMA will also be hosting a free to attend ‘Slow Giving’ event across Sadler’s Yard and New Century on December 15th, 12-2pm and 4-7pm.

Visitors are invited to make and buy seasonal gifts that takes a little time, with a series of mindful festive makers workshops including gardening, print making, pottery, metal work and cookery. There will also be free treats to look forward to from NOMA residents New Century and Pot Kettle Black.

Dan Hyde, Development Director at real estate asset manager and developer MEPC, said: “Christmas can be overwhelming at times as people feel the pressure to get everything prepared and organised, with very little opportunity to reflect and relax. That’s why we’re offering people a moment to get away from the chaos and look back on 2022 or consider their hopes for the future.

“Being a community-led neighbourhood, NOMA is welcoming all members of the public to visit the installation, take a moment to catch their breath and collaborate with us as we look to grow this public art exhibition.”

News

Downing chooses First Street interior designers

Downing has appointed KKA to lead the interiors team on its £400m mixed-use scheme at First Street, with work well underway at the transformational site.
After a competitive selection process that saw five different architecture and interior design firms go head-to-head, KKA’s interiors team (KKAI) has been selected after the proposed concepts aligned with the long-term vision of the mixed-use scheme, whilst paying homage to the site’s rich heritage.
KKA will be responsible for the interior design of 2,224 co-living bedrooms and amenity space across three new towers rising to 45 storeys, as well as working in collaboration with architects SimpsonHaugh and landscape consultant Optimised Environments (OPEN) to deliver community-centric public realm for the whole neighbourhood.
The scheme provides a hectare of new landscaped public park and landscaped gardens, over half of which is accessible to the general public. Including the addition 140 new trees, and commercial units that open directly onto it, this greenspace will boost biodiversity, improve air quality and improve the wellbeing of both residents and the wider community of First Street and neighbouring areas.
Andy Thomas, Operations Director at Downing, said: “First Street is a really important project for everyone at Downing, but also for everyone in Manchester. We are delighted to be regenerating such an important plot of land in the heart of Manchester’s city centre.
“Our ambitions for the scheme is to create a community-centric neighbourhood for residents to thrive. We believe that having great outdoor space will be at the heart of this, not only for aesthetic purposes but becoming a haven for residents to soak up the outdoors and to meet and socialise with friends and family.”
The new development will create an urban residential village in the heart of Manchester. It will offer prime city centre living in an affordable, social environment.
The new development will include more than 2,224 bedrooms split across a mix of accommodation types and price-points, ranging from private studios to five-bedroom apartments, as well as conventional one and two-bedroom apartments.
A vast indoor private amenity offer will be provided to supplement the living accommodation, as well as 17,000 sf of commercial leisure, F&B and retail space.
Nicola Ball, Associate Interior Designer at KKA, said: “The whole team is tremendously pleased to have been appointed to this important, transformational scheme in the heart of Manchester, which will be our largest mixed-use scheme to date.
 “The interiors team at KKA are excited at the prospect of pushing the boundaries of this project to deliver a first-class, inspiring development for the end user. Sitting on the site of the historic gasworks, First Street comes with a tremendous amount of heritage and we plan to pay homage to this throughout our designs.”
Law, News, North of England, Property

Taylors Solicitors advises CapitalStackers as development funding deals pass £150m

A team at north west law firm Taylors Solicitors has advised real estate lending platform CapitalStackers on its latest deal, taking it past a £150m funding milestone.

Stockport-based CapitalStackers has raised £540,000 for a development of nine detached executive homes in North Yorkshire, taking the total raised by the peer-to-peer crowd-funding specialist to £152m.

CapitalStackers provides funding for commercial and residential property building projects to borrowers who are a mix of investors and developers. Bank finance has accounted for £124m of the total raised, with CapitalStackers’ investors contributing the remaining £28m.

The latest deal sees CapitalStackers provide funding for a Glam Living scheme in Church Fenton. Glam Living specialises in developing in popular, rural Yorkshire locations where there is a shortage of elegant, bespoke houses in the £500,000 to £1m price range.

Steve Robson, managing director of CapitalStackers, said: “This milestone is particularly pleasing given it’s been achieved through very strong relationships with our senior funding partners and especially our investors, to whom I would like to pass on our sincere thanks.

“Our model comprises a blend of peer-to-peer and bank finance that allows small investors to get involved in the kind of property development funding that used to be the exclusive province of the banks, and enables banks to fund projects that would otherwise be beyond their scope.

“The latest deal for Glam Living is characteristic of our borrower profile – a company run by experienced developers who produce well-designed, well thought-out housing schemes that withstand rigorous risk modelling.

“We have always adhered to our key principle of never allowing a trowel to be lifted or a penny to be drawn down until all the funding is in place. Our model forms a robust and invaluable pillar to support the UK house-building industry. Many others have fallen by the wayside because they were unable to find fresh investment in times of crisis.”

Taylors Solicitors has advised CapitalStackers on every deal since the platform’s inception eight years ago.

Matthew Catterall, a corporate partner at Taylors, said: “Having worked with Steve and the team at CapitalStackers since 2014, we have built a fantastic working relationship that is based on a deep understanding of the business, allowing us to anticipate their needs and deliver streamlined, effective advice.

“Huge congratulations to Steve and the rest of the team on reaching this milestone, which demonstrates just how great the CapitalStackers product and team are.”

Of the £152m total now raised by CapitalStackers, nearly £43m has already been repaid to banks and over £15.7m to small investors at an average return of 12.91 per cent.

The remaining £12m is still earning for investors in construction projects across the UK. The lowest return received by CapitalStackers investors has been 6.9 per cent and the highest 24.97 per cent – with zero losses. The platform has 190 active investors and around 300 waiting in the wings.

News, North of England

Plans submitted for ‘next generation’ pioneering workspace at NOMA

PLANS for two pioneering office buildings at NOMA, which pay homage to the city’s heritage and underline its status as one of Europe’s most forward-thinking cities, have been submitted. 

The new buildings, 2 and 3 Angel Square, will jointly deliver around 440,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, providing a new benchmark for sustainability, wellbeing, smart connectivity and flexible use of amenity spaces. 

Designed by architects Cartwright Pickard to connect with the public realm around NOMA, and to encourage collaboration and interaction, the new buildings will be net zero carbon operational energy*, targeting BREEAM Outstanding and targeting a five star NABERS rating. Other features include: a potential rooftop restaurant, stunning garden terraces including a water feature, a piano nobile terrace overlooking Angel Square and lower and upper ground floor commercial retail uses. 

Dan Hyde, Development Director at real estate asset manager and developer MEPC which is delivering the NOMA masterplan, said: “This flagship development will raise the bar in the North by delivering Grade A office space that is truly environmentally friendly for today and tomorrow, as well as providing enhanced amenities that will optimise the workspace.  

“We’re in a time where having sector-leading sustainability credentials matters not just to investors and funders, but to occupiers too. The next generation of employees are more sustainably conscious than ever before, and providing them with the most sustainable and user-friendly working environment with access to green space, can become the important differentiator. At 2 and 3 Angel Square, we’ll be delivering exactly that.”  

Standing 14 storeys in height 2 Angel Square will deliver 197,926 sq ft of office space and a further 17,200 sq ft of potential commercial space on the top floor. 3 Angel Square will be 13 storeys, delivering 241,531 sq ft of Grade A office space and 22,690 sq ft of commercial space. 

2 and 3 Angel Square will complement the landmark 1 Angel Square, and 4 Angel Square, which is due to be completed in early 2023 and is Manchester city centre’s largest, and most sustainable speculative development.  

Peter Cartwright, Founding Director at Cartwright Pickard said: “Designed with the future in mind, these striking, contemporary buildings will be of the highest standards, with health, wellbeing and sustainability at the core. The open plan ground floor and upper ground floors with a mix of complementary uses and interconnecting spaces will help create an inviting entrance to the building for tenants and the wider community. 

“By encouraging footfall along Thread Street and maximising the extent of active frontage around the building we believe the scheme will add incredible vibrancy to the surrounding streets and strengthen links between Angel Meadow to the north and the city to the south.” 

The façade of the buildings will be in keeping with the heritage buildings in the NOMA estate, and use glazed, angled terracotta panels, which will reflect different colours as the sunlight reflects on them at different times of the day. 

With a further nod to Manchester’s industrial heritage, the public realm around 2 and 3 Angel Square pays homage to its past – the site was the location of textile pioneer Richard Arkwright’s Shudehill Mill. 

Kevin Redhead, Landscape Architect at Planit.IE, which is responsible for the public realm explains: “The significant level change between Angel Square and Thread Street provides the opportunity to create a dynamic series of steps and planted terraces. A proposed water feature will run through the terraces, taking advantage of the natural level change and referencing the historic water wheel associated with Shudehill Mill.” 

Wellbeing is at the heart of the design, with excellent levels of natural light and access to outdoor space for office workers. More than 250 cycle spaces are planned for across the two buildings as well as facilities to encourage active travel.

By using the east-west level change to their advantage, the design team have effectively ‘buried’ amenities such as cycle storage, waste facilities and car parking in the lower part of the site. 

*Net zero carbon operational energy as defined by the UK Green Building Council 

News, Training

CREST and Hack The Box partner for cyber security skills development

Hack The Box labs will provide study support for CREST exams and build a greater sense of global community

10 May 2022 CREST, the international not-for-profit cyber security accreditation and certification body is partnering with Hack The Box, a leading cybersecurity training and upskilling platform, to support CREST member professionals to develop their offensive security skills. The two organisations will provide test labs tailored towards individuals who are planning to take CREST penetration testing and red teaming examinations.

“Hack The Box will provide our members with an innovative and interactive approach to skills and competency development,” said Rowland Johnson, President of CREST. “The HTB Labs will be aligned to CREST’s internationally recognised examination framework, with labs of every level – from entry to advanced ones – being made available to the vast HTB and CREST communities. CREST Accredited organisations will have free access to entry level labs, with the option to gain access to a wider set of labs, at a reduced cost, as a result of this new partner relationship. This will not only provide better access to training for CREST exams but also helps to build a greater sense of community across our global membership.”

CREST is working with Hack The Box to map its current content against the CREST exams to create fully bespoke CREST labs, which will cover the following exams: CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA); CREST Registered Security Analyst (CRSA); CREST Registered Penetration Tester (CRT); CREST Certified Tester (CCT – Web and Infrastructure); CREST Certified Simulated Attack Specialist (CCSAS) and CREST Certified Simulated Attack Manager (CCSAM).

“We are looking forward to working closely with the CREST team and members to develop the CREST learning and skills development community,” said Nikos Fountas, Director of Operations at Hack The Box. “The labs will have content similar to that assessed in CREST exams but not the same and will be provided in HTB’s unrivalled gamified and fully intuitive platform. This means that using Hack The Box will help indicate if someone is at the right level to take and pass the exam but will not assess everything in the exam. Candidates will always need to join lots of previously unconnected dots and reach higher if they are going to pass the high-level CREST exams. This will be just the beginning of a long-term partnership, with more and exciting projects to be planned and announced soon.”

Gaming, News

Strategic Partners Perforce Software and Microsoft, in Collaboration With GitHub, Announce New Gaming Initiatives

To Help Game Creators Spend Less Time Setting Up and Managing Their Pipeline, Perforce Software Debuts New Game Development Virtual Machine with Microsoft as well as Helix Core Actions with GitHub

MINNEAPOLIS, March 23, 2022 – Perforce Software, a provider of versioning and collaboration tools across the software development lifecycle, together with Microsoft and GitHub, launches new game development initiatives at the Game Developers Conference 2022.

Building a great game requires time to bring a vision to life. But too often teams spend more time setting up their environment and building their CI/CD pipeline, rather than innovating. Together, strategic partners Perforce Software and Microsoft, in collaboration with GitHub, are removing these challenges by providing automation and preconfigured virtual machines so studios can get to work fast.

The new GitHub Actions authored by Perforce allow studios to automate their build process so they can iterate faster and test more. Using Perforce Helix Core Actions saves creators time that would have been spent managing and performing repetitive manual processes, allowing them to become more agile in the cloud.

Brad Hart, CTO at Perforce says, “These new Actions will help automate and orchestrate game development pipelines ensuring a studio’s team can focus on more creative and important aspects of game creation.”

In addition to the release of the Perforce Helix Core Actions, the Perforce team is pleased to announce their participation in the Microsoft Azure Game Development Virtual Machine (VM). The Game Development VM is a collection of industry leading game development software — including Perforce clients — deployed on Azure via a click-to-start template.

The VM quickly spins up pre-built workstations in the cloud for faster remote development, making it easier for teams of all sizes and skills to produce games remotely. When combined with the Enhanced Studio Pack by Perforce, teams get the necessary infrastructure to build great games on Azure.

“Any game creator big or small, can get started in the cloud quickly and easily with the best tools for the job using Microsoft’s Game Development VM. We are honored to be included in this set of necessary tools for game development,” Hart says.

These gaming initiatives, coupled with the latest offering from Perforce — Helix DAM now available in beta — reinforce Perforce Software’s commitment to empowering teams so they can build great games.

Learn more about additional information on the partnership between Perforce, Microsoft, and GitHub here: https://www.perforce.com/resources/events/vcs/game-developers-conference.

Leadership, Mental Health, News

The Soke launches Founders Development Programme to provide knowledge & skills to company founders

Mental health and wellness clinic The Soke today announces the launch of its Founders Development Programme, a first-of-its-kind course which has been designed to provide vital knowledge, understanding and skills to founders at the helms of fast growth businesses.

Partnering with founders and investors, the programme will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, senior leadership coaches and media experts, to support founders in developing successful, sustainable leadership.

The Programme has been designed in response to research from Harvard Business School which listed the most important skills for founders of fast growth businesses. These included: choosing co-founders, appointing key talent, splitting equity, recruiting advisors, and managing a board (88 per cent), as well as setting and communicating vision, managing culture, ethical dilemmas, and cross-functional conflict (82 per cent).

The Founders Development Programme will include the following core modules, as well as others designed to teach and embed good leadership practices:

  • Psychological assessment
  • Leadership vs Management
  • Practicing emotional and social intelligence
  • Communication
  • Conflict management
  • Creating and sustaining corporate culture
  • Exerting influence
  • Training and delegation
  • The pro-active model for decision making
  • Key relationship mapping
  • Skills needed for the board and investors
  • Financial knowledge for non-financial people
  • Media training
  • Systemic psychotherapy

Maryam Meddin, founder & CEO of The Soke, comments:

“Whilst many founders may believe that they naturally possess the necessary characteristics for successful leadership, the reality is that few come to
the fundraising table with the array of skills needed to successfully lead an organisation from inception to growth and beyond. This is particularly the case when founders are required to run a company not purely to satisfy their own ambition but to meet the expectations of investors and other stakeholders.

“The conflict between a founder’s passions and creativity and their obligation to deliver on stakeholders expectations can be the cause of destabilising dilemmas and must be addressed through early training and support. We are therefore excited to launch The Founders Development Programme, a first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary course to provide knowledge, understanding and skills to founders, equipping them with the tools to lead their companies to successful and sustainable growth.”

News, South West

First residents move into new homes at Weston-super-Mare development

The first residents have moved into their homes at a new housing development in Weston-super-Mare.

Bellway is building 150 new homes at Mead Fields, off Wolvershill Road, and with the first properties now complete, construction is progressing well on site.

The first phase of homes at the development sold within just a few months of them being released for sale in March, reflecting the growing need for new housing in the area.

When complete, the development will include 131 homes for private sale – including two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses – and 19 affordable homes available for local people through rent or shared ownership.

Rachel Way, Sales Manager for Bellway South West, said: “It is great news that the first residents have now moved into their new homes at Mead Fields and a brand-new community is being created.

“It’s always an exciting moment when people get the keys to their new house – both for them as the buyer and for us as the developer.

“Customers here are attracted by the development’s location on the eastern edge of Weston-super-Mare. Mead Fields is only four miles from the town centre’s shops and entertainment facilities as well as the Grand Pier and the lovely beach.

“The site also has great transport links, just a mile from Worle railway station, for trains to Bristol and Taunton, and just over a mile from junction 21 of the M5 for journeys to Bristol, Gloucester or further afield.

“The variety of homes that are available at Mead Fields make this development desirable to first-time buyers, families, commuters and downsizers.”

There is a range of homes currently available to reserve at Mead Fields, including two-bedroom apartments priced from £204,995 and three-bedroom houses from £304,995.

Visitors to the development are able to look around the four-bedroom Milliner and Scrivener showhomes which can be viewed by appointment.

For more information, visit bellway.co.uk or call the sales office to book an appointment on 01749 301651.

CAPTIONS

Some of the new homes at Bellway’s Mead Fields development

Awards, News

Apprentice site manager wins top award with National housebuilder

A 20-year-old from Enfield who is learning his trade as a site manager has been named one of Bellway’s apprentices of the year.
Raik Beyoglu, who was first based at the housebuilder’s QEII development in Welwyn Garden City, was recognised for his commitment and dedication to the role.
He was one of just five people from around 180 apprentices across the company to be highly commended in Bellway’s annual Apprentice of the Year Awards.
Raik spends four days a week on site and one day studying towards an NVQ in Construction Site Management with the National House Building Council (NHBC).
Part of his role as an apprentice involves shadowing multi award-winning site manager Mark Todd, who has received a Pride in the Job award from the NHBC for the past five years.
Raik, said: “I was very pleased to receive this commendation. A lot of hard work has gone into my time at Bellway and I am glad that it has been recognised”.
“It is a very rewarding feeling to find out that I received nominations from people outside my immediate bubble of work colleagues”.
“After finishing my A-Levels, I started working for Bellway indirectly, through labouring with an agency. This is how I met my future colleagues at Bellway, who took me under their wing and helped me get employed through the apprenticeship scheme”.
“I sort of fell into the industry, but I soon realised it was meant to be and I hope to be doing this for a long time.
“Every day on site is different, as there is always that little bit of extra progress. I leave work feeling accomplished at the end of each day, which is what I love the most about what I do.”
Rob Sapsford, Construction Director for Bellway North London said: “Apprenticeships offer young people a fantastic opportunity to have a real job and get hands-on experience, while also gaining the qualifications that employers need.
“We offer apprenticeships in a wide variety of disciplines, including bricklaying, plumbing and heating, business administration and team leadership.
“Raik has a bright future ahead of him in the construction industry and it is pleasing to see that his hard work and dedication has been recognised by his colleagues.”
Ashleigh Fenwick, Group Learning and Development Manager for Bellway, said: “We are incredibly proud of all our apprentices and trainees throughout the company, as we encourage and enable our newest recruits into a career within the construction industry.
“We currently have around 180 apprentices working at Bellway across all sectors of the business, from bricklayers to quantity surveyors, and our apprentice of the year awards celebrates each and every one of our future talents.
“This year, perhaps more so than ever, we wanted to say thank you and well done to our apprentices who had been faced with unrivalled challenges in light of the coronavirus pandemic. We received a record number of nominations and it was very difficult to choose our winners thanks to the excellent pool of talent at Bellway.
“We’d like to extend our congratulations once more to each of the winners at this year’s awards event and look forward to another 12 months of building excellence among the next generation of the housebuilding workforce.”
As a member of the 5 per cent Club, a movement of employers working to create ‘earn and learn’ skills and training opportunities, Bellway is committed to driving the recruitment of apprenticeships across the UK.
For more information about career opportunities with Bellway, please visit bellwaycareers.co.uk.