Tag: small business

Welding Talent Pool Generated For Future Generation

By on 22nd December 2015in Local Biz

Ten North East youngsters are on track to their dream careers after securing apprenticeships with Infinite Learning and Development and Caterpillar Articulated Trucks, with a helping hand from Generation NE…

Youth employment advisors and business advisors from the landmark programme have been working alongside Infinite Learning and Development and Caterpillar to appoint the apprentice welders as the industry works to bridge its skills gap.

Amongst the new recruits who are employed by Zenith People are Blane Raw, James Almond, Jamie Morrison, Jason Anderson, Jason Davison, Lauren Piercy, Shaun Whittle, Levi Watson, Daniel Hilton and Stephen Brook, all from Durham and the surrounding areas.

The trainee welders, who are aged between 18 and 22 years, will spend their initial four months at The Welding Academy completing practical training and their VRQ qualification, before moving on to the shop floor at Caterpillar Peterlee, where they will complete the NVQ element of their City & Guilds Engineering Level 2.

To help with the recruitment of the new starters, Generation NE, which connects businesses in the region with the next generation of employees to future-proof their workforces and enhance their business offering, provided tailor-made support and advice, whilst County Durham Housing Group assisted with securing employability funding for a number of the apprentices who are tenants.

Keith Corbett, operations director at Infinite Learning and Development, said: “Generation NE was extremely supportive throughout the entire process. We work across a specialist industry, however the team put a huge amount of faith in us and have helped to recruit a fantastic team of future welders, including the academy’s first female welder, who I am confident will all go far in the industry.”

Claire Maddison, employability and skills officer at County Durham Housing Group, added: “We are delighted to be able to provide additional financial support for schemes such as these, especially when we’re helping people to carve their future career path.”

The Welding Academy was set up in partnership with Infinite Learning and Development, Caterpillar and New College Durham in 2012 to address a regional shortage of skilled MIG welders experienced by Caterpillar and its supply chain. Since its launch, the academy has now trained 57 junior welders, and the programme and partners were recognised by SEMTA in February 2015, after they were named as finalists for the National Training Partner of the Year Awards in London.

Helen Hopper, employee services manager at Caterpillar Articulated Trucks, said: “Approximately four years ago, we were looking into the market to try and recruit experienced welders, but found that in the North East there was a shortage of these skilled welders.

“Since we partnered with Infinite Learning and Development and developed this bespoke Welding Level 2 apprenticeship programme, we have seen the retention rate for welding staff stabilise with approximately 90% of these ‘Junior Welders’ retained on completion of the programme, and the majority moving on to start their Level 3 qualifications.

“The standard of welder produced proves that the training programme is working, and it’s in Caterpillar’s best interests to keep the programme and the success story going.”

The youth employment programme, Generation NE, is a collaboration between five local authorities, including Durham County Council, and the NELEP, which is working with local businesses to support up to 2,000 young people aged between 17 and 24 years into sustainable employment over the next three years.

Cllr Neil Foster, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development at Durham County Council, said: “This is another great example of how the Generation NE programme is helping to link companies which have vacancies with potential candidates.

“As well as helping employers to find new recruits, the scheme also offers tailored support to young people to help them gain the skills and qualifications they need. I wish all of these apprentices every success in their future career.”

For more information on Generation NE, visit www.GenerationNE.co.uk or call 0191 230 0491.

Top Tyneside Hotels Slash Prices For 2016

By on 20th December 2015in In & Around

Shoppers heading north to snap up New Year sales bargains can extend their stay with a Sunday saver…

Two top Newcastle hotels are slashing their room rates on Sunday nights in January and February.

The New Northumbria and Grey Street Hotels are offering double rooms for just £20.16 per person based on two people sharing, on Sunday nights only.

Grey Street Hotel takes its name from its location on Newcastle’s most famous city centre Regency street, while the New Northumbria is at the heart of the upmarket Jesmond area of the city.

For further information about the Grey Street Hotel, call 0191 230 6777 or visit www.greystreethotel.co.uk and to find out more about the New Northumbria Hotel call 0191 281 4961, or visit www.thenewnorthumbriahotel.co.uk.

The offer is subject to availability, and callers must quote SUNDAY2016 at the time of booking.

Sunderland Family Win A Christmas VIP Experience

By on 19th December 2015in In & Around

Christmas has come early for one lucky family in Sunderland, who will be getting the VIP treatment throughout the festive season…

As part of their summer events programme, WEAR All Bonkers Here, Sunderland BID ran a special competition for the city’s visitors, which gave families the chance to win a package of festive treats and experiences.

Father of two, Keith Lawler – who lives with his family in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland – won the VIP Christmas Experience. He said, “We’re so excited to have won this prize. It’s given the kids plenty to look forward to during the holidays, and it will help us to make this Christmas absolutely amazing for them.”

The prize included a free pass to Sunderland’s Frost Village and Winter Fair at Keel Square, tickets for Aladdin – which is this year’s pantomime – at the Sunderland Empire Theatre, a free visit to Santa’s Grotto at the Bridges with free parking, a £50 gift card, a cut and blow dry for a family of four, and £50 worth of beauty treatments at Estrella Hair and Beauty.

The festive package also included a festive afternoon tea at the National Glass Centre, a Marks & Spencer Christmas hamper, and festive afternoon tea at the Sunderland Marriott Hotel on Christmas Eve.

“We’re delighted to be able to give Keith and his family an early Christmas gift,” said Ken Dunbar, chief executive of Sunderland BID.

“And the competition offered us a great opportunity to showcase the amazing programme of festive activities in Sunderland.

“We have some really exciting thing going on throughout December, including our special Frost Village and our fantastic outdoor ice rink.”

“We really hope that everybody will come along and celebrate the festive season with us.”

Both the WEAR All Bonkers Here summer event, which celebrated the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s novel Alice in Wonderland, and the Christmas events in Sunderland are designed to attract families to the city and increase the amount of time people are spending in the area.

For more information about Christmas in Sunderland, visit www.experienceithere.co.uk/christmas.

Rent A Cop Christmas Special Clips Released

By on 18th December 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV

The final episode of the Rent A Cop series may have aired last night, but there’s still more to come…

Fans of the show will be pleased to hear that the Rent A Cop Christmas Special will be aired on Tuesday 22nd December.

The festive episode is set to see the return of faithful Sparta sidekick Luke ‘Pembow’ Pemberton, and the debut appearance of ‘Sparta Claus’.

Ahead of the episode’s first airing, BBC Three have released two exclusive clips as a taster. See the clips below…

Sparta frontman Francis Jones is also reported to be stepping back into the boxing ring, where he’ll be living up to his nickname ‘Fearless’. Secretary Rachel will be taking on the role of drill instructor as Francis works to shed the pounds before his comeback charity match.

Word on the street in Darlo is that the Sparta gang have had their Christmas tree up since early November, so the episode should be full to the brim with festive cheer and – hopefully – some wintery justice… Francis Jones style.

Have you seen Sparta’s Christmas tree? Are you looking forward to the Christmas Special? Leave a comment below!

Lakes Single Malt Whisky One Year On And Maturing Well

By on 17th December 2015in Local Biz

England’s largest whisky distillery raises a glass, as the country’s newest single malt whisky reaches a major milestone in its maturation…

The Lakes Distillery started production of its Lakes Single Malt in December 2014, the same month it officially opened its doors to visitors.

The spirit, which will officially become whisky after three years maturing in oak casks, will be ready for drinking from spring 2018. Early feedback from the distillery’s team, which includes some of the UK’s foremost whisky experts, is that the Lakes Single Malt is on track to be one of the finest.

“After only one year maturing, already it is smooth and sweet and very drinkable” says Distillery Manager John Drake. “It is quite outstanding.”

In just 12 months, The Lakes Distillery has also become one of Cumbria’s leading tourist attractions, welcoming more than 70,000 visitors through its doors. Meanwhile, the acclaimed Bistro at The Lakes Distillery has built up a tremendous reputation, being popular with tourists and locals, thanks to head chef Andrew Beaton with renowned chef Terry Laybourne overseeing the bistro.

The Lakes Distillery has also been named as a ‘Top 50 Cumbrian Icon’ in only its first year.

Founder and Managing Director of The Lakes Distillery, Paul Currie, who founded and ran the award-winning Isle of Arran Distillers in Scotland before opening England’s largest distillery, said: “This has been a phenomenal year for the business. The reaction from the drinks industry, the public and the local businesses in the North West has been fantastic.

“We feel honoured to have been awarded a string of accolades from different industry bodies in our first year. Our spirits have picked up awards at the IWSC and International Spirits Challenge (ISC), while the Bistro at The Distillery has been listed in the Michelin Good Food Guide 2016 and picked up Open Table Diner’s Choice Awards several months in a row.”

In 2016 Paul will not be resting on his laurels, and already has big plans for the distillery’s second year of business – including a series of talks and events at the venue.

He continued: “We’ve run a couple of events this year, including one with former Olympian Jonathan Edwards, an ambassador of our whisky, a gin themed evening with Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott, and a night of fine dining with Michelin-starred chef Nigel Haworth. All the events have been very successful, and we’re planning an exciting schedule for next year.

“We are situated in one of the most stunning places in the world, which we think gives us a real edge, and that, combined with the unique spirits we are producing, makes us a strong contender in this industry. Our aim is to ensure The Lakes Malt is recognised as one of the finest malt whiskies in the world, making us a challenger to Scotland.”

Already the creators of artisan spirits The Lakes Gin and The Lakes Vodka, The Lakes Distillery offers a blended British Isles whisky called The ONE, which is currently available in a limited edition sherry cask finished bottle, marking the distillery’s first birthday.

For more information on The Lakes Distillery, visit www.lakesdistillery.com or for further details on The Bistro at The Lakes Distillery, visit www.bistroatthedistillery.com.

Evolution LLP Appoints New Corporate Finance Director

By on 15th December 2015in Local Biz

North East accountancy practice, Evolution LLP, has appointed a new Corporate Finance Director as it adds to its ever-expanding team…

With over 10 years corporate finance experience, Konrad Rutkowski is the perfect choice for the ambitious Wynyard-based company, which prides itself on always looking for opportunities to grow its service and its team of experts.

Originally from Coventry, Konrad has worked on lead advisory and transaction support assignments, which he gained working for both accountancy firms and specialist corporate finance boutiques, specialising in transactions up to £30 million. He also has experience from his previous role as an acting Financial Director, and has sat on various boards – meaning he fully understands and appreciates the challenges of running a successful business.

The father-of-two is looking forward to working alongside his knowledgeable, new colleagues and playing a significant part in the dynamic company’s future.

He said: “I am pleased to be joining as Corporate Finance Director with the opportunity to work with Andrew Fotheringham in helping to develop the already established team and grow the Evolution Corporate Finance presence in the North East and Yorkshire.

“Evolution is a revolutionary firm which already has a great track record, and the intention is to move this forward, focusing on disposals, acquisitions and equity fundraising transactions.”

Konrad is the latest employee to join Evolution – which now boasts over 60 staff following a major rebrand last year – and brings something different to the existing finance team.

Talking about his latest employee, Martin Barber, Managing Partner of Evolution LLP said: “Konrad has a wealth of business and lead advisory experience, and he will bring a very strong boardroom presence to our offering.

“He is absolutely on brand as we seek to bring the very best talent to the region. Konrad is a great addition to an already outstanding team, and will help Evolution become a leading corporate finance house in the region.”

For more information on Evolution LLP, which provides business accounting, auditing, taxation and corporate finance services, visit: www.evolutionllp.com.

Redcar Handmade Bouquet Business Is Blooming

By on 14th December 2015in Local Biz

Brides all over the UK are exchanging bouquets for buttons, thanks to the talent and craftsmanship of a North East business woman…

Cute as a Button is the brainchild of Danielle Rigg, who creates bespoke wedding bouquets out of buttons and brooches.

The mum-of-one has seen her business bloom since setting up in 2013, with some of her designs making it as far as Italy and Las Vegas.

Working out of her Redcar home, Danielle spends more than 20 hours working on a single bridal bouquet, and already has over 28 orders placed for next year.

Talking about the popularity of her handiworks, she said: “I honestly can’t believe how crazy business has got in the last two years. It’s been incredible how Cute as a Button has really taken off.

“Some of the bouquets I have designed and created have made it all over the world, which is amazing, and I’ve started to get interest from wedding companies abroad, as they’re much easier to carry around and pack in a suitcase. Plus they last longer than traditional flowers… in fact they can be kept forever, which is a great memory!

“I think people also like how personal the bouquets can be, as I’m often asked to put family brooches, bits of jewellery or even photos into the designs.”

It was while organising her own wedding that Danielle created her first bouquet, having been inspired by pictures she saw on Pinterest.

She said: “I thought it looked easy and wanted to give it a go for my own wedding, but after trying it, I found out it wasn’t easy at all.

“My friend Tracy, who owns Sugarcraft in Middlesbrough, offered to help me with the first one, and it took us ages but I really enjoyed making it.

“Lots of people commented at my wedding about how amazing and original the button bouquet looked and then someone contacted me to ask how much I charge for them and it went from there.”

Danielle sources all the materials she needs from the North East – with the bulk coming from Thornaby’s Cleveland Wholesale Supplies and Country Baskets, in Gateshead, and the silk, handmade flowers coming from Scarborough’s ZBaccessory.

“It really is a North East business in every sense of the words, which feels great,” said Danielle.

“In the future, I’d love to be able to work out of a summer house in the garden, as the way things are going, my spare room just isn’t big enough!”

To find out more about Cute as a Button or to place an order, contact Danielle via her Facebook page.

Is your business blooming? Let us know, and we could feature you on In & Around Online!

Sunderland Recruitment Agency Celebrates Growth

By on 11th December 2015in Local Biz

A North East recruitment agency has moved into larger premises to accommodate its growing numbers, following a number of successful contract wins…

 

Sunderland-based Willow Hudson was set up by recruitment specialist Gemma Lonsdale in February, and has now moved into new offices at St Peter’s Gate, Charles Street.

Gemma, 31, made the decision to move into the University of Sunderland-run complex after recognising that her company was growing at an impressive pace.

“Since launching Willow Hudson in February, we’ve had some really significant wins, and we have two new members of staff starting with us in the new year,” she said.

“The business has been growing steadily, and we then decided to move into the offices to ensure we had the space we needed going forward.”

Although the company has been in operation for less than a year, Gemma has more than ten years’ experience in recruitment.

Originally from Northern Ireland, she has worked for a range of well-known companies before deciding to go it alone.

Willow Hudson specialises in sales and marketing recruitment across a range of industries, with their current clients including everything from waste management to engineering, along with recruiting for software companies and the oil and gas industry.

“The company has really got off to a flying start,” said Gemma.

“And we’re looking forward to a really busy year in 2016.”

For further information, visit www.willow-hudson.co.uk.

Rent A Cop Episode Seven: Twitter Turns On Francis

By on 11th December 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV

Episode seven of ‘Rent A Cop’ just aired. What do we think?

Well… we enjoyed it.

Francis has been up to his usual shenanigans in this week’s episode, taking charge of event security at Middlesbrough’s balloon festival, and on the hunt for a mischievous fish burglar. It’s a fine display of professionalism and dedication, especially considering he spends the latter half of the show with his arm in a sling.

Meanwhile, and despite having lost his job last week, Pembow is still out on the hunt for new business, doing his best to give away free promotional Sparta Security stickers. Admittedly, his efforts were largely unsuccessful, but fair play to the lad for his determination. A phone conversation between him and Francis reveals that he finally moves on and finds himself new emplyment in industrial cleaning.

Best of luck to him! But will we see him again?

Following Pembow’s dismissal, Francis is forced to pull together a band of local security experts to run operations. A selection of Darlington’s finest attend Sparta interviews, but sadly none quite make the cut.

 

As usual, the episode is packed full of laughs and – of course – Francis’ now famous one-liners, but the tides of opinion seem to be changing over on social media.

On Twitter, comments have been less-than encouraging…

Still, it can’t be all bad, as Francis is now such a huge TV star that he even has his own parody account. You can follow it here: @FrancisJonesNOT.

There’s just one episode left in the series, but with news of a Christmas special on the way, there should be plenty of Francis left to go around. The question is… will he catch the nuisance bikers before the series is out? We really, really hope so…

If you missed episode seven, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer.

To read our write-ups on previous episodes, click here.

What do you think of Rent A Cop and Sparta Security? Well-intentioned and genius, or ridiculous and embarrassing? Leave your comments below!

Darlington Mowden Park RFC Announce Harvey & Hugo Sponsorship Renewal

By on 11th December 2015in Local Biz

Darlington-based PR and Social Media agency, Harvey & Hugo, have announced the renewal of its successful partnership with local rugby club, Darlington Mowden Park RFC…

The thriving rugby club has had a fantastic year hosting numerous events, and has attracted sponsorship from prestigious companies such as Carlsberg, SG Petch and The Northern Echo.

Mowden Park has quickly transformed into one of the largest club rugby venues in the country, and is a key business hub for the region, with its community scheme also continuing to grow which is creating a lasting legacy for sport, education and training.

It is this combination of opportunities which Mowden Park can offer – along with an existing love for sport – that is the reason Charlotte Nichols, Harvey & Hugo’s Managing Director, is looking forward to continuing the partnership.

She said: “As partners, we share the same passion for sport and the North East, and it’s our pleasure to be able to help Mowden Park reach its full potential.

“This will be the second year of our sponsorship, and it’s great value for money. In return, we receive genuine business opportunities, which is fantastic, and it also gives us a chance to be part of the local community.”

Andrew McGreevy, sponsorship and events manager at Darlington Mowden Park RFC, added: “I’m thrilled to be renewing our partnership with Harvey & Hugo. They are an innovative and – most importantly – local business, with a great wealth of experience in the sector.

“We share the same drive to build a positive and sport filled community, and this partnership will help us achieve this.”

For more information on Harvey & Hugo, please visit www.harveyandhugo.com or tweet them at @harveyandhugo.

For more information on Mowden Park RFC, visit their website, Twitter and Facebook.

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