Category: Business

Personal Support Network adds two support workers to its team

By on 16th January 2019in Business
Personal Support Network

We have been working closely with the Personal Support Network recently and are pleased to report on their success.

They offer person centred care and support services to individuals who live in the Middlesbrough locality. They offer a wide range of services which include domiciliary care, social support, educational and work support, 24 hour care, rapid response call out, family support and more.

They have just added two new workers to their team of support workers. They have welcomed a new support worker and welcomed back another who will fit community duties in-between sessions of university study. Ian Mendum, has returned to the Public Support Network. He is currently in the second year of a degree course at Teesside University as he studies to become a social worker. He will assist with on-call duties at PSN and also work part-time in the community.

Ian Thompson will be a great addition to the team and the company are excited about his future at the Personal Support Network.

The team are still recruiting for another Support Worker, living in the Middlesbrough area.

Diamond celebrates a sparkling year

By on 20th December 2018in Business
(L-R) Director of Transformation and Growth, John Jones, Financial Director, Hazel Burns, Operations Director, Gary Rodgers, Managing Director and Owner, John Burns and IT Director, Colin Grant.

North East-based Diamond Group providing holistic business solutions within key areas people process and technology, is celebrating an outstanding year seeing significant sales growth and profit providing the capacity to invest in more team members moving forward.

2018 has seen the company’s turnover increase by 20 percent and it has appointed a new director of transformation and growth, service technician managers, sales executives and business development managers, to support its comprehensive operational programmes and ambitious growth plans.

Diamond has made significant investments in further technology, including a six-figure datacentre upgrade; the upgrade focussing on developing its full service offering of ICT, communications, DBS and people development.

Managing Director, John Burns said: “We have seen significant growth this year, due to the holistic nature of what we offer. Our business has been set up for success, allowing it to adapt to our needs as well as our customers as it grows.

“Our 2018 has been all about technology, process and people, encouraging empowerment and resilience so that each member of the team can make an individual contribution to our success.

“We anticipate that 2019 will be no different; we intend to continue to grow, transform and prosper with confidence. Our service approach will be enhanced due to our sustainable dynamic solutions and we will continue to focus on ensuring that our people understand and uphold our vision, mission and values.”

Based in Team Valley, Diamond Group offers a holistic approach to promote transformation, growth and prosperity for businesses in the North East and beyond. The company focuses on people, process and technology to add value to its clients’ businesses, adapting the service provided as their needs evolve.

For more information on Diamond Group, see www.diamond-group.net  

North East Optometrist’s invention set to have a national impact

By on 18th December 2018in Articles, Business, Inspiration, Lifestyle, What's New?

Simon Berry, North East based Optometrist, has invented a simple, yet effective way to make eye tests less frightening and intimidating for those with learning difficulties.

Working with Durham University, Simon Berry has created the VFS (Visual Fixation System), which allows patients to watch a video while their eyes are being tested. For many children with learning difficulties, a trip to the opticians can be stressful, but this invention gives them a chance to watch their favourite video while having their eyes tested. The VFS works by splitting a beam of light reflecting the image from a phone to the patient, allowing the Optometrist to examine their eyes.

Simon Berry has been an Optometrist for over 20 years, having worked in a hospital paediatric clinic throughout his professional career. Over 16 years ago, he set up his own independent optometry practice in Gilesgate, Durham and he also works at Sunderland Eye Infirmary as a specialist Optometrist. This week, Berry appeared on BBC’s Look North discussing the success of the device and his plans to take it nationwide.

Berry sees a lot of children and adults with learning disabilities and keeping these patients engaged whilst trying to complete the various clinical measurements required can be challenging. The VFS was specifically designed for this reason. These are a very important patient as they have an increased risk of having eye problems, with one in ten having an eye disease and 40% will need glasses, a far higher percentage than the general population.

Simon has been working on the device for over three years and hopes it will help a wide range of patients. In particular, it has been used on Autistic patients who may find eye contact uncomfortable, as it hides the Optometrist’s face as they complete the test. It is also useful for young children and babies who find it hard to sit still, and he predicts it will be useful for patients with dementia, too.

The initial prototype was made in collaboration with Durham University and the technology is now licensed to Optimec, a UK company based in Malvern, specialising in the design and manufacture of optically based instrumentation and devices. The VFS is already an invaluable aid in helping examine children and patients with a learning disability in his own practice, since its launch in September. The product is now being tested by Optical Specialists around the UK.

Great Ormond Street Hospital has expressed interest in the device and it is currently being trialled by Aston University, Cardiff University, ABDO (Association of British Dispensing Opticians), and SeeAbility (a national charity). Berry hopes it will be used by Optometrist’s nationwide.

To find out more about Simon Berry’s Visual Fixation System, call their office on 0191 375 7544.

Jak HQ’s growth set to accelerate following appointment of new Non-Executive Director

By on 11th December 2018in Business
Jak HQ

Jak HQ, a leading creative agency based in the North East of England, has announced the appointment of its new Non-Executive Director, Gary Lumby.

Since being established in 2004, Jak HQ has flourished and is now one of the leading creative agencies in the North East, specialising in all aspects of design, print, marketing and copywriting.

The Managing Director, Benjamin Kerry, said: “We have taken a wide range of small to large businesses from strength to strength, and anticipate further success with our recent contracts, which include Biochemica, Burdon Pharmacies and The House of Roo Gin Company. At the heart of Jak HQ is the philosophy that our clients are more than just clients – they are our partners, and this is what truly sets us apart. I am looking forward to working with Gary and I am sure that his valuable expertise will only escalate our achievements.”

With over 30 years’ experience in the banking sector, Gary Lumby is sure to bolster the company’s growth. Gary has acted as a Non-Executive Director for a large number of SMEs across Yorkshire and the North East of England where he advises owners and directors on growth strategy including acquisitions, sales and marketing, financial performance, HR , risk management and corporate governance. In 2008 he was presented with a MBE by Prince Charles in recognition of his services to the finance sector.

Gary Lumby said: “I am delighted to be joining Ben at Jak HQ as Non-Executive Director and helping him guide the business through a significant period of growth across all areas of our digital services. We have already secured a large number of new clients this year and I intend to ensure that this growth continues and that we invest in appropriate people and asset resources to enable the growth to accelerate.”

To find out more about Jak HQ’s work, head to www.jakhq.com or call their office on 0191 388 2698.

£3m Investment Secured for City Centre as Businesses Vote Yes to Sunderland BID…

By on 4th December 2018in Business
Business Improvement District

Sunderland Business Improvement District will continue for a further five years, after city centre businesses voted yes to secure its future.

The results of the ballot for the BID to continue for a second term was announced this morning (29 November) with an overwhelming vote in favour.

72.7 per cent of votes cast by businesses supported the BID, which amounted to 77.1 per cent of businesses by rateable value.

More than 51 per cent of businesses voted – way above the national average.

And that means the BID will now be able to turn into reality its long term strategy to make the city centre a welcoming, safe, clean and attractive environment for businesses and visitors.

Sharon Appleby, Head of Business Operations at Sunderland BID, said the organisation now has the opportunity to build on the foundations which had already been laid.

“This is a great vote of confidence in the work that has already been done and we can build on those successes to help Sunderland city centre become the vibrant and prosperous place it deserves to be,” she said.

“Going forward it is about continuing to work in close partnership with leading organisations, the council and of course the levy payers so that we can turn the vision for the city into a reality.

“We’d also like to thank all the businesses who have given their support and who have put their confidence in us.

The BIDs plan for the next five years is built on three main priorities – City Pride, City Promotion and City Voice – with the bid already unveiling some of its ideas for each of these areas.

This includes strengthening its street ranger team as part of City Pride, along with plans for a food and drink festival and the continued Christmas programme under its City Promotion pledge

The BID is also planning to take an active role in bidding for a share of the High Street Fund, recently announced by the Chancellor.

“We can bid for up to £25m and the BID will be playing an important part in ensuring that Sunderland gets a share of this fund,” said Sharon.

Today’s good news has also been welcomed by chair of the BID board, Alan Patchett, who said it was great news for the city.

“We are absolutely delighted the BID has won the support of the city centre businesses, who see its value and have given us the opportunity to work on their behalf going forward,” he said.

“I’d also like to thank the BID team for their hard work over the last five years. They have played an important part in us achieving this great outcome.”

Cllr Graeme Miller, Leader of Sunderland City Centre, added that it was a good day for the city.

“We’re delighted that city centre businesses have agreed to a second five year term for Sunderland Business Improvement District,” he said.

“The BID has played a key part in helping increase the vibrancy of Sunderland city centre in the last few years by introducing popular attractions like the twice yearly restaurant weeks, the Fanzone, Hadrian’s Tipi and the Christmas ice rink at Keel Square that help bring people into the heart of the city.

“Voting the BID in for another term will allow them to carry on this good work at the same time as trying some new things like the introduction of street rangers as well as continuing to give city centre businesses a voice.”

The BID’s new term will begin in April 2019.

North East’s Encore Envelopes Secures Future in Yorkshire

By on 4th December 2018in Business
Encore envelopes business

Washington-headquartered business and the UK’s largest independent manufacturer of printed envelopes, Encore Envelopes Limited, has secured the future of its Leeds operation with a 10-year property deal.

After acquiring Great Northern Envelopes from administrators in February 2018 and safeguarding a significant number of jobs, Encore has moved production from Morley to a better-suited, 25,000 square foot site in Dewsbury offering high quality facilities to futureproof its growth.

Russell Croisdale, managing director of Encore Group, said: “The acquisition was a difficult period, but we are in a stronger position now and saving so many jobs is something we are proud of.

“The new site on Shawcross Business Park is just what we have been looking for and provides us with everything we need to develop the business further.”

Encore is investing in the new premises with a full refurbishment of the offices and installation of LED lighting throughout the property. The company is also recruiting both qualified and trainee printers to help shape the thriving business.

Paul Mack, director at Gent Visick who negotiated the transaction on behalf of the landlord said: “We are clearly delighted to see Encore Envelopes acquire GNE out of administration and safeguard so many jobs. On behalf of the landlord we were very pleased the company selected this building, which looks to be ideal for its needs.”

“The transaction was particularly complicated given the timescale in which Encore needed the premises, whilst at the same time having to negotiate an early surrender with the outgoing tenant.”

Langleys Solicitors, which has offices in York and Lincoln and acts on behalf of private individuals, owner managed businesses and large national organisations, have assisted and worked closely with the management team at Encore on a number of projects and transactions.

James Bradley, senior associate at Langleys Solicitors commented: “We have a long-established relationship with Encore and have acted on a number of property and corporate transactions for the firm. The company has seen impressive growth during this time and clearly has an exciting future ahead.”

The new site will enable the envelope overprint and sales operation to thrive. Between Leeds and Washington, the company is now able to offer a diverse range of products and quality of service which cannot be matched anywhere else in the UK.

For more information on Encore Group, see www.theencoregroup.co.uk.

North East Businesses Hop On Board to Drive Digital Double Decker Crowdfunding Success

By on 28th November 2018in Business, charity
double decker bus

Newcastle-based volunteer group Success4All is converting a double decker bus into a multi-functional digital learning hub thanks to local businesses who hopped on board to help.

Work is underway to transform the London bus into a state-of-the-art learning facility, complete with built-in WiFi, STEM equipment and a café.

Once the conversion is complete, workers at the charity plan to take their range of fun, hands-on activities, such as STEM and computer coding clubs, direct to communities that it otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach.

Following a donation of £30,000 from North East engineering charity Reece Foundation, the group launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise the remaining cash to fund the project.

Long-term supporter of Success4All, Newcastle-based law firm Muckle LLP, was one of several kind-hearted businesses to donate and also reached out to its network of business contacts to help raise awareness of the remaining funds required. Hays Travel and HTL also supported the project and, as the crowdfunding deadline dawned, The Watson Family Charitable Trust generously donated £7,000 to take the charity beyond its target.

Success4All provides safe and relaxed learning spaces, called Learning Hubs, for children and young people living in areas marked by low academic achievement.

Its eight hubs with six STEM and CODE clubs deliver a total of 24 weekly sessions from Monday to Saturday in eight different areas in Newcastle and North Shields for 420 children and young people, with the support of 179 volunteers.

Caroline Afolabi-Deleu, founder and CEO at Success4All, said: “We’re so grateful to all the businesses and individuals that have supported us in our drive to convert the bus.

“Our strategy was focused on acquiring the bus and converting it into a digital learning hub for the benefit of communities which are in need of extra educational support.

“We also want to dispel the myth that academic support is boring. Success4All is a fun experience and this new mobile learning bus will help us to reach and help more children in more communities where suitable facilities may not be otherwise available.”

Anne Reece, chair of the Reece Foundation, which was established to support education relating to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), said: “We are pleased to be supporting this innovative project that aims to provide young people with opportunities that are otherwise not found in their area or are too costly.

“The North East needs more engineers and we hope that with its in-built STEM facilities, this very special bus will give more young people the chance to get hands-on and discover the wide-range of exciting career opportunities studying STEM can bring.”

Ian Watson, Chief Executive of Hadrian Healthcare and founder of the Watson Family Charitable Trust, said: “We have supported Success4All initiatives in the past and when we heard the charity was £7,000 short of its target and in danger of losing all its crowdfunding donations, we decided to step in and help. It’s a wonderful, local charity which is helping children for the benefit of us all and is just the kind of cause the Watson Family Charitable Trust strives to help.”

Hugh Welch, Senior Partner at Muckle LLP, added: “Our firm has been a long term supporter and contributor of the valuable work of Success4All, so we were happy to help and encourage our business network to do the same.

“Unfortunately, there are still many areas of deprivation throughout the North East and we are delighted Success4All are now able to expand their invaluable academic support programmes to other areas in need across the region.”

Success4All works to fill the gap between home and school in areas of Newcastle marked by low academic achievement through independent, collaborative or paired learning.

The charity lends academic support in: Primary School subjects at Key Stage 2 and 3; GCSE and A-level subjects; GCSE and A-level preparation in minority foreign languages; basic numeracy and literacy; academic writing; and study and careers advice for parents to support their children.

Most of Success4All’s Learning hubs and clubs are run by local volunteers, including young people, parents and retired people.

To find out more, please visit www.s4a.org.uk

Sapere Develops Teesside University Startup Sessions

By on 7th November 2018in Business
Software Partnership

Stockton-headquartered software development company, Sapere, is building on its partnership with Teesside University to offer free, informative seminars designed to make software more accessible to businesses in the North East and beyond.

With the company having started through the university’s business incubator at Teesside Launchpad, Sapere is developing its relationship with the scheme by rolling out its ‘Sapere Sessions’, advisory seminars focusing on taking an idea for an app and turning it into a piece of software that can underpin a business.

Lizzie Dixon, enterprise coordinator at Teesside Launchpad, said: “We are always keen to support growing businesses in the Tees Valley, so working with Sapere in this way enables us to help each other, with Sapere sharing knowledge and expertise and Launchpad hosting the workshops.”

Taking place at Teesside University’s Victoria Building on Friday November 23rd, Sapere is teaming up with Endeavour Partnership, covering topics such as monetising an app, marketing considerations and development timescales.

Endeavour Partnership will provide free legal advice on intellectual property and terms and conditions.

Martin McKinnell, senior associate and technology associate at Endeavour Partnership, said: “We’re excited to work on this project again with Sapere following the first successful session back in July. There are many creative minds in the North East that we want to offer a helping hand to; it would be great to see some of their ideas come to life.”

Free to attend, there will be two sessions to choose from; 10am to 12pm, and 5pm to 7pm.

Sapere continued its partnership with Teesside University with a tenancy at the university-managed Fusion Hive on Stockton’s North Shore, which offers a state-of-the-art workspace, as well as access to the university’s significant business networks, expertise and training provision, and help in sourcing potential funding.

Paul Drake, operations director at Sapere, said: “We are honoured to be hosting the sessions at the Launchpad, and to be able to give back to businesses that are beginning their journey.

“These sessions are a gateway for the creative minds that the university is cultivating, and businesses in the area. It’s not the sort of advice found in a textbook – we’re pooling over 30 years of bespoke software development experience within our business to pass on to others.”

 

To book a free place on this Sapere Session, see the following links:

 

Morning session: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sapere-software-startup-sessions-in-partnership-with-endeavour-morning-tickets-52217719605

 

Evening session: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sapere-software-startup-sessions-in-partnership-with-endeavour-evening-tickets-52220378558

For more information on Sapere see www.sapere.co.uk

North East BIC launches new round of innovation funding

By on 11th October 2018in Business

A programme designed to unlock the innovative potential of North East SMEs has been relaunched by the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC).

The new programme will build on the success of the BIC’s previous SME Innovation Programme and will assist businesses in the region to become more innovative, enabling them to increase their competitiveness and exploit more opportunities – bringing huge benefits to the region.

The BIC has received £899,250 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

And over the next three years, the programme will support over 70 SMEs by providing the advice and funding required to outsource innovation experts who will help SMEs to develop new products, services or processes and / or help bring them to market.

Innovation Manager at the North East BIC, Elizabeth Shaw, said: “North East SME’s have a growing appetite to invest in research and development so I’m delighted that we have the opportunity to continue putting the region on the innovation map.

“In order to prosper, businesses must innovate and whilst most would agree with the sentiment, it can be difficult to know where to begin.

“We take pride in the relationship we build with SMEs and partners and, as a result, gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge and skills required to take ideas from concept to reality.

“We’ve already engaged with so many diverse sectors and there’s certainly an upsurge of businesses reinventing their core activity to innovate and think differently.

“Over the last six years we have worked with a plethora of clients who have gone on to launch innovative products or services ranging from antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development and DNA-based technology, to digital engineering solutions, clean energy and seaweed-based technology.

“These innovators – on the back of our support – have made a great start in changing the perceptions of the innovative potential of SMEs across the North East.”

The previous SME Innovation Programme ran until August this year.

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