Tag: business

Yarm Health Clinic Expands Following Major Rebrand

By on 24th February 2016in Local Biz

A leading health clinic has expanded its services and team following a major rebrand…

HealthHub Clinics, formerly known as Yarm Osteopaths and Physiotherapy Clinic, consists of 13 associate practitioners, who are experts in delivering first class health services and treatments.

Based on Yarm High Street, the clinic has built up an outstanding reputation as one of the North East’s leading providers for musculo-skeletal pain reduction and maintenance programmes.

Following the rebrand, which has also seen the clinic invest in a new website, HealthHub Clinics now offers a full range of physical, mental and social wellbeing services including Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi, Nutrition and Naturopathy, Counselling, Mindfulness and Mediation, among others.

Established in 2000, the clinic has treated over 6000 patients across the Tees Valley and beyond, and it was a change of focus on wellbeing and demand for its services which led to the rebrand.

Osteopath Julian Crossley said: “Since we started 16 years ago, we have been known for our musculo-skeletal services, such as osteopathy and physiotherapy, and have built up a fantastic reputation for our work in these areas.

“However, over recent years there has been a huge increase in other health related therapies and wellbeing, which we are developing and expanding.

“We realised that now, more than ever, was the perfect time for us to add to what we already offer.”

The leadership team and its associates chose the name HealthHub Clinics as they believe it explains perfectly – yet simply – what clients can expect from the clinic.

Julian continued: “We decided on the name HealthHub Clinics as it encompasses all the various treatments and wellbeing services that are trending with people and current health awareness.

“We wanted to make sure that while the new brand made people aware of the extra services we now offer, they realise they will still receive the same excellent standards they have since we first opened.”

2016 looks set to continue a year of growth in both services and staff appointments for HealthHub Clinics, as the next few months will see the clinic welcome to its team, some of the region’s most reputable figures in the fields of health and wellbeing.

To find out more about HealthHub Clinics, visit www.healthhubclinics.co.uk. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Multi-Million Pound Data Centre Launches In Teesside

By on 22nd February 2016in Local Biz

A North East ICT firm has launched a multi-million pound data centre in Teesside…

Agile Group – which uses tailored products and solutions to make IT and Communications work better for businesses – hopes the centre will help to establish itself as the leading ICT provider in the North East and beyond.

The 4,000 square foot data centre will allow businesses to store equipment and data in a safe and secured undisclosed location, with services available including data backup, co-location of server equipment and email hosting.

Head quartered in Stockton, Agile Group offers a wide range of solutions such as IT support and equipment, telecoms, internet connections solutions and network infrastructure services. The company has taken this step towards offering data centre solutions after recognising significant changes in the ever evolving IT industry.

Gavin Scotchbrook, chief operations officer at Agile Group, said: “In an industry that is constantly evolving, Cloud Computing is the next best thing. To be able to offer our own data centre facility and solutions means we can deliver effective cloud solutions before our competitors, and add value to businesses.

“Our customer base is constantly growing, and their ICT needs are evolving and changing. We want to give our customers quicker access to markets, and by launching our own data centre, we’re able to offer the more streamlined and efficient solutions that will help businesses do that.”

Paul Jones, chief technical officer of Agile Group, added: “Our new data centre facility is a massive leap forward for us as a business.

“We can now provide our customers with products where we can guarantee their end to end reliability. This is because we now directly control the back end cloud infrastructure where they are delivered from.”

To help with the launch of the data centre, Agile Group obtained the help of Psyche Managing Director Steve Cochrane, and multiple charity founder and Venture Capitalist Andy Preston.

Psyche has been a customer of Agile Group for more than 18 months, using the company for IT support services and equipment, therefore understanding the benefits of having data backed up and located in a secure location.

Steve said: “We have been working with Agile Group for a while now, and the staff are brilliant at understanding our needs and delivering a solution towards that.

“Straight away I saw the benefit of the data centre, and I feel comfortable knowing where my data is and how it is being managed.”

Considered one of the leading figures within the local community, Andy Preston, added: “It’s great to see what the team at Agile Group is doing and the investment it is putting into its business.

“It is exciting to hear a Tees Valley company with such ambitious plans, and it all makes for a great offering for customers.”

This year has already seen Agile Group – which employs 35 staff – add staff members to its sales, finance and technical departments, and the company is currently recruiting for more sales and technical staff, with the intention of employing an additional 50 staff in the near future.

The company’s existing headquarters will not facilitate this number of staffing levels, so a new premises move is also on the agenda for 2016.

For more information, visit www.agile.uk.com or follow @AgileGroupLtd on Twitter.

5 Teesside Kids Represent England At Kickboxing Championships

By on 22nd February 2016in In & Around

Boro Taxis has kick-started a fundraising campaign to support five talented Teesside youngsters who have been selected to represent England at the World Kickboxing Championships…

The children, aged 6 to 12, are all members of the M.A-X Training Academy in Middlesbrough, and have been crowned national or European titleholders to qualify for the World Championships.

Heading for the prestigious October competition in Portugal are Adam Ullah and his sister Angeli, Warren Green, Holly Underwood, and Saran Hill.

The achievements of the young kickboxers were brought to Boro Taxis’ attention as Adam and Angeli are the children of one of their taxi drivers, Ashik Ullah.

In preparation for the tournament, each of the five-strong team is dedicating six days a week to training, putting in at least an hour a day.

Mohammed Bashir, founder of Boro Taxis, one of the largest firms of its kind in the North East, said: “It is fantastic that five local youngsters have qualified for the World Kickboxing Championships. It really is a proud moment for Teesside, as well as for M.A-X Training Academy and all its members.

“When we heard from Ashik about his children’s success, and the fact their club needed financial help to pay for the accommodation, flights and other expenses to get them to Portugal, we were only too happy to help.

“These youngsters are a credit to the area, and they are working so hard to achieve their dreams. We wish them well at the World Championships, and are sure they will do Teesside proud.”

Samantha Johnson, M.A-X Training Academy Manager, said: “We have never had so many members qualify for the World Kickboxing Championships at one time, and they are all an inspiration to the whole club.

“We are extremely proud of Adam, Angeli, Holly, Saran and Warren, whose dedication is second to none. Attending the World Championships will be a brilliant experience for them.

“It will cost about £6,000 for the six days that the team will be in Portugal, and we are very grateful to Boro Taxis for getting our fundraising efforts off to such a good start with its generous donation of £1,000.”

During the last few years, the youngsters have all notched up a number of significant victories on their journey to being selected for the World Championships.

At the age of 7, Saran became the youngest kick boxing black belt in the North East, attaining the highest A+ grading. She has achieved Silver and Gold at national level, and won Bronze and Silver medals in the European Championships.

Angeli has won Silver at the Europeans, and Bronze at the FSK Grand Championship. Both she and her brother Adam took Gold in this year’s English National Championships.

Warren has been Gold and Bronze medallist at national, and a Silver medallist at European level.

Holly’s achievements comprise Gold and Silver in the English Championships, and Gold and Silver in the Europeans.

Samantha added that learning martial arts was a great way of helping people to not only get fit, but also to help with their dexterity, including eye and hand co-ordination. It also has emotional and mental wellbeing benefits, such as boosting self-esteem and confidence.

M.A-X Training Academy, based in Bright Street, Middlesbrough, has been in existence 16 years, and has almost 200 members aged from 4 to 60+.

Tees Valley Supply Chain Briefed On Rail Project Contract Opportunities

By on 21st February 2016in Local Biz

Representatives from 200 supply chain companies in Tees Valley have been given the inside track on contract opportunities that will be generated by two of the UK’s most significant rail projects…

They attended an executive briefing, where presentations were given by key executives connected with the high speed rail project, HS2 and Crossrail, the 100 kilometre railway line under construction in London and surrounding areas.

The breakfast event was hosted by Tees Valley Unlimited in partnership with Teesside Engineering Network (TEN).

The keynote speakers comprised:

  • Joanna Sloane, HS2 Supply Chain Manager, who presented a project overview including the contract opportunities, tendering timetables, and how potential suppliers can identify business opportunities.
  • Mark Lomas, HS2 Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) outlined its approach to EDI and what this means for suppliers.
  • Simon Pain, Crossrail Principal Programme Supply Chain Manager, covered the many remaining opportunities that will be generated by the mechanical, electrical and station fit-out elements. Crossrail’s main contractors need to recruit a range of specialists to enable the creation of a functional railway ready for Crossrail’s opening from 2017.

Delegates also were able to speak directly to the speakers during a Q&A session.

Joanna Sloane said: “We want to engage as many businesses as possible from across the UK to put them in the best position possible to compete for the opportunities offered by HS2 as part of a fair, transparent and open procurement process.”

She added: “The high volume of sign-ups to this event shows that businesses are taking the right approach towards the procurement opportunities of HS2.

Simon Pain said: “It has always been important for Crossrail to engage with potential supply chain members, especially SMEs, in order to highlight the opportunities that are available in huge programmes like Crossrail. Working with bodies like Tees Valley Unlimited gives us exactly that opportunity.”

He added: “We want as many competent suppliers as possible to know about Crossrail contracts and have the opportunity to go for them. It’s good for Crossrail and good for UK Plc to have a healthy mix of companies of various sizes and from different regions. This is part of our work towards promoting greater economic sustainability.”

The briefing was told that Crossrail’s contractors still have mechanical and electrical equipment to procure.

Cllr Bill Dixon, Leader of Darlington Council and Leadership Board member at Tees Valley Unlimited, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Tees Valley, said: “The well-attended executive briefing provided the ideal platform for Tees Valley businesses to learn directly about the substantial contract opportunities associated with two of the UK’s biggest transport infrastructure investments.

“There are companies in Tees Valley that have the skills and ability to contribute to the delivery of HS2 and Crossrail, and it is important for them to be made aware of the business potential and how they can bid for contracts.”

Rob Johnson, Director of Axiom Engineering Associates Ltd, one of the TEN founders, said: “The briefing was a fantastic forum for delegates to learn directly from and engage with executives associated with two major rail projects.

“One of TEN’s aims is to provide an arena where larger companies can showcase their vision and present their supply chain needs to let Tees Valley firms know how they can win work from large scale regeneration and infrastructure development schemes.”

SSI Task Force Assists Ex-Steelworker Launch New Business

By on 19th February 2016in In & Around

A former Steelworker who was made redundant following the collapse of SSI UK has set up his own sport coaching business, having secured funding through the SSI Task Force…

Andy Baker, 42, from Middlesbrough, was left devastated when SSI UK was liquidated in October last year, ending what he thought was a job for life.

Hearing of the various Task Force Funds available in the media, Andy contacted his local Job Centre Plus to find out more information. He very quickly saw the closure as an opportunity to fulfil a dream of setting up Velocity Sports Coaching.

Over the last eight years, he has volunteered as a football coach at Nunthorpe Athletic, and has always had a passionate for coaching.

Andy said: “I thought it would be great to make a career out of a hobby. I will be working in local schools to deliver coaching for children aged between 5-11, and my wife Claire is planning to get involved to help grow the business.

“Applying for the SSI Task Force Business Advice Start Up Fund was brilliant. It was very easy, and I felt very supported by my mentor who helped me to develop my business plan. From submitting the plan to receiving the grant, it only took a week. I was amazed at how quickly it all worked. I’d certainly recommend the scheme to anyone. It was first class.”

Amanda Skelton, Chair of the SSI Task Force, added: “It’s not unusual for someone to decide that they want a complete change of career after being made redundant, and I am pleased that Task Force funding has been able to support Andy to do something that he is passionate about. The funds are there to support both individuals and businesses, and I would encourage people to get in touch to see how we can help.”

Jonathan Armitage, Andy’s Business Adviser, added: “This fund has been amazing in its flexibility. It has been great to be able to work with and offer former SSI workers advice on starting their own business. The grant scheme, which could provide a start-up grant of up to £10,000 to help make a business a real opportunity, has been invaluable in helping lots of people affected by the SSI closure work towards and actually start their own business.”

The Business Advice Start Up Fund administered by NEEAL has already proven extremely popular, with more than 200 people receiving advice and guidance, and nearly £300,000 of funding awarded to 46 people starting their own businesses.

Anyone interested in the scheme and looking for further information should contact NEEAL on 0191 516 6093, or visit www.teesbusinesscompass.co.uk.

Submit Your Ideas To Strengthen Rural Economy

By on 18th February 2016in Have Your Say

Over £2m worth of European funding is now available for projects to strengthen the economy of rural areas across the North Pennine Dales…

 

The North Pennine Dales (NPD) LEADER programme is seeking applications for the grant to fund projects which increase farm and forestry production, boost rural tourism, or support small and micro businesses and farm diversification. Bids are also welcome for projects which provide cultural and heritage activities or offer rural services.

Running until 2020, Durham County Council acts as the accountable body for the NPD LEADER programme, which covers an extensive rural area across Gateshead, County Durham and south of Northumberland.

The aim of the €2.666m programme is to create jobs and support strong and sustainable economic growth, as well as helping to conserve the unique nature of the local landscapes. By funding projects put forward by people, groups and businesses in the area, it also hopes to target areas that the communities themselves see as a priority.

Cllr Eddie Tomlinson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for rural issues, said: “The LEADER programme promises more jobs and stronger economies for rural areas across the region. By offering funding towards priorities that local communities themselves feel are important, these projects can make a real difference for generations to come, so we’d encourage everyone in the area to get in touch with ideas.”

Find out more by contacting northpenninedales@durham.gov.uk or calling 03000 266 895. You can also visit www.durham.gov.uk/npdleader.

Care Village Teams Up With Teesside College To Tackle Skills Shortage

By on 18th February 2016in Local Biz

A Teesside college is helping a North Yorkshire care provider to tackle a chronic skills shortage in the industry…

Sixteen apprentices from Redcar & Cleveland College are currently employed at the Abbey Care Village in Scorton near Richmond. Eight of the students are working towards a Level 2 qualification in Health & Social Care, seven are studying for a Level 3 Diploma in the same subject, and another student is nearing completion of a Level 3 Diploma in Hospitality.

Now the college has announced it is supplying another tranche of apprentices to the care village, which had previously struggled to find workers with the requisite skills. Fifteen students will work towards a Level 2 qualification in social care while gaining valuable work experience at the company, which provides residential care, nursing care, a mental health support service, a respite service for carers, and support for people with learning disabilities.

The announcement comes as the care industry battles to overcome a crippling skills shortage. Figures from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) show that up to two million more workers will need to be trained and recruited by 2022 to meet demand – more than half the current care workforce.

Shirley Leighton, training manager at Abbey Care Village, said: “It’s no secret that we need new talent coming into the industry. Not just young apprentices, but also older workers with the necessary skills and experience. Our partnership with Redcar & Cleveland College is helping us to tackle the issue head on.”

The partnership also highlights the college’s commitment to adult apprenticeships. All fifteen of the new tranche of apprentices are over the age of 24, as are the seven Level 3 Health & Social Care students from the first batch. This replicates a trend across the Tees Valley; recent data from the Skills Funding Agency showed a 30% rise in the number of adult apprenticeship starts in the area in 2014-15.

Steven Winterburn, apprenticeships manager at Redcar & Cleveland College, said: “The care sector is a major employer in the North East and North Yorkshire, so it’s vital that employers have access to the right skills. Apprenticeships are a fantastic way of helping employers to create jobs and tackle industry skills shortages.

“Our Health & Social Care apprenticeships are proving to be really popular, particularly among people over the age of 24. Many students are getting the necessary qualifications so that they can forge a career in the sector.”

With the Government aiming to create another three million apprenticeships by 2020, Redcar & Cleveland College has focused heavily on promoting its offering in this area and building partnerships with employers across a variety of sectors, including Health & Social Care, IT, engineering, manufacturing, green energy and sport across the North East and Yorkshire. The college also offers apprenticeships and other vocational training courses at its Oil & Gas International Training Academy, which is based at the Corporation Road campus.

For further information, call 01642 473 132 or visit www.cleveland.ac.uk.

Handbag Clinic Expands Workshop Following Major Success

By on 18th February 2016in Local Biz

Handbag Clinic has significantly expanded its repair workshop to cope with demand for its high-end restoration services, after cleaning and restoring designer bags worth more than half a million pounds over the last 12 months…

The firm, which cleans and repairs handbags and accessories from the world’s most prestigious designers, has expanded the floor space of its handbag repair centre in Burnopfield, County Durham, by 15% to 3,800 sq ft.

Additional space is necessary because of steady growth at Handbag Clinic, which has recently opened a store in Mosley Street, Newcastle, following an earlier launch on King’s Road, Chelsea.

Over the past 12 months, the firm’s restoration experts have brought 6,500 handbags back to their former glory. Alongside this, Handbag Clinic runs a service to restore red soles of Christian Louboutin shoes. There has also been investment in high-level security facilities, including a cage that staff entering the repair centre must walk through, to protect customers’ designer accessories.

Handbag Clinic has also taken on new handbag buyer Charlotte Staerck, along with three new apprentices in the past few weeks, as part of a recruitment drive to employ two new members of staff every month to ensure it has the skills needed to deal with designer accessories from the likes of Chanel, Hermés and Celine.

The firm is bucking the trend in the luxury goods market. A recent global report by consultancy company Bain and Co found that the global luxury goods market is now worth more than £700bn, but demand slowed during 2015 compared to the previous year for personal luxuries including jewellery and handbags.

MD Ben Staerck said: “We needed increased workspace to make sure we have the capacity to deal with a soaring demand for our specialist services.

“We’re finding that while customers may not be buying a new Hermés Kelly or a Celine Phantom, they are either coming to us to source a pre-loved bag or they are giving their existing accessories a bit of TLC.”

Handbag Clinic was launched in 2013 by Ben Staerck. Since then, it has swiftly gained a loyal celebrity following, including many of the Made in Chelsea cast and reality star Imogen Thomas.

It offers cleaning, protection, stain removal, repair and restoration services for handbags, shoes and other leather accessories. Find out more at www.handbagclinic.co.uk.

Ramside Hall Completes £150,000 Conference Suite Refurbishment

By on 17th February 2016in Local Biz

A leading North East hotel is preparing for more conference and events business, following a £150,000 refurbishment of its biggest suite…

Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham, is one of the region’s most popular venues, hosting a wide variety of business events, celebrations, awards and charity dinners.

And now the hotel is welcoming more business, following on from a complete makeover of its Bishops Suite.

The suite can take up to 600 guests, and can also be divided into three smaller rooms, making it a flexible space suitable for meetings and for balls or awards.

The refurb has included redecoration, new carpets and curtains to give the room a brighter look.

The two bar areas have also undergone a revamp and new mood lighting has been installed.

“The Bishops Suite is always in great demand, and we’re expecting this to increase further now that it has been refreshed,” said John Adamson, owner of Ramside Hall Hotel.

“We have already had great feedback from people who have seen it, and we fully anticipate that it will continue to attract events.”

The hotel also has a ballroom which can take up to 320 guests, along with the Fountain Room which can take up to 60, and a number of smaller meeting rooms.

The refurbishment of the suite is the latest investment at Ramside Hall, following on from the creation of a £8m luxury spa, the addition of a wing of rooms and an additional championship golf course in the past 18 months.

For further information, visit www.ramsidehallhotel.co.uk.

Sunderland Distillery Tastes Success With Artisanal Spirits

By on 17th February 2016in Lifestyle

A new ‘wild spirit’ is making its way into bars and retailers across the North East, following the launch of an independent small batch distillery…

Poetic License, based in Sunderland, currently crafts two gins and a vodka, which are all individually bottled, wrapped and labelled by hand.

The business, which produces around 400 bottles per week, is the brainchild of North East entrepreneur Mark Hird, who has more than 25 years experience in leisure and hospitality, including a stand-alone microbrewery, which he launched in 2012.

Mark said: “The recent revival in gin has been astounding. I noticed demand climbing and spotted a gap in the market for high quality, artisanal spirits that mixed traditional techniques with modern flavours, and set about bringing my vision to life.”

After attending a comprehensive course in distilling, Mark invested in a 500L pot still and recruited a passionate, full-time distiller to help create the perfect blends.

Months of experimentation followed, with various flavour combinations and processes being discounted, before the duo were finally able to settle on three core products – and Poetic License Independent Small Batch Distillery was born.

Four months on, and the distillery’s Northern Dry Gin, Old Tom Gin and Graceful Vodka, are already being stocked in bars, hotels and restaurants across the North East, including popular cocktail bars As You Like It and Floritas in Newcastle, as well as the four star Wynyard Hall Hotel, County Durham.

All three products are also available to buy in high-end, regional department stores, including Fenwick and Lewis and Cooper Ltd, with moves now being made to find stockists and distributors nationwide.

“The name Poetic License symbolises our desire to break away from the norm. To create a drink for the wild spirits out there, which blurs the traditional with the unconventional and appeals to those imperfect perfectionists who want to enjoy a tipple that has been carefully crafted and packed with character.

“We’re delighted that so many leisure operators and retailers have already been able to embrace this philosophy and appreciate the unique style of our spirits, and hope that more across the UK will soon follow suit.”

After mastering gin and vodka, Mark and his distiller Luke Smith are now planning to develop limited edition flavours and extend their range with the addition of a dark and white rum and an absinthe.

More information about Poetic License and their products can be found at www.poeticlicensedistillery.co.uk.

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