28 minute read
Around the Region
The Safetyflex universal slimline planter — the world’s smallest crash-rated security planter — in situ outside a UK shopping centre.
Safetyflex Barriers, the Coventrybased manufacturer of antiterrorism bollards and barriers, has added a uniquely designed surfacemounted product to its innovative crash-rated range of street furniture that can stop vehicle threats in public places.
The surface-mounted barriers do not require any foundations or ground fixings so can provide instant protection on a permanent or
Safetyflex Barriers granted UK patent for new surfacemounted crash planters
temporary basis, and are supplied with a bespoke cladding which means they can also be used as functional street furniture and attractive planters.
They are crash-tested to industry standards BSI PAS68 and IWA14 to withstand impact at speeds of up to 50mph.
Safetyflex has already received orders to install them at key buildings, public realm spaces and shopping centres across the UK.The company has also been granted a UK patent, meaning that it now has more than 30 of its products patented in the UK and around the world.
Marcus Gerrard, director at Safetyflex, said: “We’ve been asked by many city centre projects for a crash-rated planter solution with a shallow foundation, so our design team came up with a surfacemounted, crash-rated product that can be used as a planter or street furniture with absolutely no need for foundations.
“After a year of research and development, we believe they are truly innovative and a real gamechanger because of the flexibility and functionality they offer while still providing industry-leading security protection.
“They can be picked up and relocated to suit changing needs, as we have seen in town and city centres during the COVID-19 pandemic, and adds to our range of crash-rated street furniture which already includes bike racks and signposts.
“As the world begins to open up and large-scale gatherings slowly resume, our latest products will allow us to help our customers react quickly to emerging and changing threats to public safety and security, with a desirable effect because while these new products will look pleasing to the eye, no-one will be aware that what is hidden inside is a crash-rated, anti-terrorist solution.”
New figures reveal Bromwich Hardy success story
A thriving independent commercial property specialist has been revealed as one of the most successful in the country.
Coventry-based Bromwich Hardy outperformed many of its larger rivals in 2020 according to new figures compiled by industry publication Estates Gazette – and has also made a hugely impressive start to 2021.
The figures – which compare all agents signed up to Radius Data Exchange – show that Bromwich Hardy was the eighth most successful agent nationwide last year for both retail and hotel & leisure sales and lettings.
The firm concluded retail deals covering 83,248 sq ft and hotel & leisure deals running to 20,671 sqft. It also recorded the fifteenth best figures in the country for industrial sales and lettings, with 609,270 sqft of deals concluded.
Regionally, Bromwich Hardy was the second most successful agency in retail, with 83,248 sq ft of deals in the West Midlands, third for industrial deals at 463,448 sq ft and fourth for office deals with 117,735 sq ft.
Figures for January this year show the agency is the top-performing firm in the industrial sector in the West Midlands, having already clinched deals for 67,538 sq ft of property – the sixth best across the country.
“We have a first-class team with decades of experience behind them and the knowledge and expertise that clients are demanding in these difficult times,” they said.
For more information visit www.bromwichhardy.com
Tom Bromwich and Richard Hardy
Pamela Cain, Group Director of the Marchant Cain Group, with Lynn Lee, headteacher and pupils Jordan, Georgia and Josh.
Coventry schoolchildren are being assisted with their learning thanks to a generous donation by an engineering design and manufacturing company.
The Marchant Cain Group has provided much-needed digital devices to a local primary school, Leigh Church of England Academy.
Donation boosts education of Coventry schoolchildren
The company moved to Wickmans Drive in Coventry two years ago and wanted to make sure it was part of the community and build relationships, so the firm got in touch with the school to see how it could help.
After discussions with headteacher Lynn Lee, it was revealed that the school was very much in need of some Amazon Fire tablets to help support children during the zCOVID-19 pandemic.
Pamela Cain, group director of the Marchant Cain Group, said: “We heard on the news that pupils who are trying to learn from home during the pandemic are often trying to do so without any digital devices, or schools are operating with too few so we wanted to do something to change that.
In total, Marchant Cain donated 17 tablets to the school and it is hoped that now there is a relationship there, the firm can help the local school in the future.
What made the donation even more poignant for Pamela is that she is a former pupil of the school with extremely happy memories.
The Marchant Cain Group is a member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.
Hazel Pilling, membership manager at the Chamber, said: “It is always fantastic to see members giving back to the community and being part of it. Businesses do play a massive part in their local area, from offering employment through to supporting good causes.”
Coventry City signs up apprentices to bolster groundskeeper team
Coventry City Football Club has signed up two new apprentices to help future-proof the club’s groundskeeper team.
The Sky Blues have forged a new relationship with college group WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group) to expand the grounds staff department and give young people an opportunity to join the profession.
The apprentices are based at the Championship club’s Ryton Training Ground and will be studying at renowned horticulture centre Pershore College during the two-year sports turf apprenticeship.
College group WCG includes seven colleges across Warwickshire and Worcestershire and is the nearest provider of apprenticeships of this type for Coventry City FC.
The club decided to introduce apprentices to the groundskeeper department after a senior member of staff left, leading to a reshuffle and a need to expand the team.
Colin Wilson, head of grounds at Coventry City FC, said: “We had a senior staff member leave the department and after shuffling around current job roles, we were able to bring in two new apprentices to expand our team.
“The football club as a whole builds its foundations on bringing through young talent. We are pleased to be a part of that philosophy and it’s great to see young people coming into the turf industry.
Dave Coutts, sports turf and golf greenkeeping trainer assessor at WCG, said: “The apprenticeships with Coventry City FC provide a fantastic opportunity for young people to get their foot in the door of a competitive industry and learn their trade in a professional sports club environment.”
Colin Wilson (Coventry City Football Club) and Peter Dawson (Apprentice).
Sarah Perry, managing partner at Wright Hassall
An initiative aimed at spreading kindness throughout Coventry and Warwickshire is underway to celebrate the anniversary of one of the Midlands’ top law firms.
Leamington-based Wright Hassall is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year and to mark this major milestone, the firm is appealing for the general public to support its drive to carry out and recognise 175 acts of kindness in the community during 2021.
Throughout the year, members of the public are being asked to complete a form via www. wrighthassall.co.uk/175-acts-of-kindness to share the acts of kindness that they or others have recently carried out in their community.
Kindness project celebrates 175th anniversary milestone
Each month one entrant will be selected to receive a £175 prize that they can donate to a charity of their choice.
In addition, the firm will be running several events throughout the year. Some of these will involve fundraising for four local charities that have been chosen by Wright Hassall staff, and include Warwick District Foodbank, Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre, Helping Hands Community Project, and Warwickshire Young Carers.
Sarah Perry, managing partner at Wright Hassall, said: “Our local community has been the bedrock of our success over the years and as we celebrate this momentous occasion, we wanted to ensure that we recognised this.
“We would, of course, have liked to have been celebrating against a more positive economic and social backdrop, but there is no doubt that the pandemic has brought communities closer together and brought out the best in people. We hope that our 175 acts of kindness initiative will help to spread this strong sense of community spirit even further.”
St. Modwen secures occupier to let speculative scheme in Tamworth
St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics has completed a deal to bring an international e-commerce solutions provider to St. Modwen Park Tamworth, signing a 15-year agreement to occupy the 321,204 sq ft speculatively-built unit.
Providing integrated supply chain solutions for cross-border e-commerce companies, the international e-commerce solutions provider will use the space as a distribution centre. With warehouses in China, the UK, United States, Germany and Australia, the business has more than 700 employees worldwide.
The lease follows a strong 2020 when St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics completed 1.2m sq ft of developments and reported good customer demand going into 2021, with 78% of the £7.5m ERV associated with 2020 completions already let or under offer. The company is continuing to target the delivery of at least 1.5m sq ft in 2021 and is already on site with the majority of these schemes.
Known as T321, the global e-commerce solutions provider’s new unit at St. Modwen Park Tamworth boasts a 53m yard, 15m haunch height, enhanced Grade A office accommodation and an “excellent” BREEAM rating, while the inclusion of solar panels allows for the building to be operationally carbon-neutral. St. Modwen identified and brought forward this speculative build in response to the lack of supply of “big box” industrial units in the immediate area.
Gregg Titley, development director at St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics, said: “The completion of T321 – one of our largest speculative industrial and logistics builds – was a significant moment for us last year and signified our growth plans as a business. We’re delighted to be welcoming a global logistics firm to St. Modwen Park Tamworth and look forward to working in partnership with them as they take advantage of the site’s range of additional benefits.”
Familyowned firm opens new facility in Leamington Spa
Martin Sprocket & Gear has formally opened a new 40,000-square-foot facility in Leamington Spa.
The newest venture for the familyowned company will focus on bringing its renowned dedication to quality, inventory and service to new and existing customers throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
With over 70 years of experience, the firm has proven it is ready to meet the ever-changing needs of the international market with this simple but steadfast philosophy – “make a quality product, have plenty of it available and be easy to do business with”.
Managing director Phil Hewett said: “Whilst Martin have been servicing the EMEA market for many years from our factories around the globe, the new UK facility means we can offer same day/ next day service for standard and re-worked power transmission products in small or large batches. This new flexibility will be a huge benefit to our existing and new customer base.”
A state-of-the-art homeless centre which is set to transform lives in Stratford-upon-Avon is due to open its doors this summer.
The iconic building at 41 Guild Street, formerly the Fred Winter department store, has been converted to provide a food bank, office space, café and specialised accommodation for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The ground-breaking project has been masterminded by Springs Housing Association after it secured the building on a 15-year lease from Leamington-based commercial property experts, ehB Reeves.
Two housing associations, along with Citizens’ Advice and Job Centre Plus, will all be based at the site, which is earmarked for a lateJune opening and will be called the Fred Winter Housing Plus Centre.
Dominic Bradley, group chief executive of Springs Housing Association, said: “The big thing for us was creating a housing partnership and also employment, which is key to keeping people out of long-term homelessness.
“It’s a situation which has been brought into sharp focus by COVID-19. Stratford has a lack of affordable housing and has seen a huge increase in Universal Credit applications, which can be a precursor to homelessness.
Simon Hain, director of ehB Reeves, who brokered the deal with Springs Housing Association, said: “This development is a stateof-the-art homeless centre that will transform lives in Stratford. It’s a wide-reaching partnership between the town council, several charities and other organisations, who are all coming together to offer a ground-breaking service.
For more information visit https://ehbreeves.com
Homeless centre to transform lives in Stratford
An artist’s impression of the new Fred Winter Housing Plus Centre
Alsters Kelley opens fifth office with acquisition
Coventry and Warwickshire solicitors Alsters Kelley has announced the acquisition of Stratford-based Bonell & Co Solicitors, further extending its presence across the region as it brings its total number of offices to five.
It is an exciting development for the Legal 500 firm which already operates in Coventry, Nuneaton, Leamington Spa and Southam and represents its first acquisition for 15 years. The move has resulted in Alsters Kelley becoming one of the largest solicitor’s firms in the region and will increase turnover by an anticipated 10% in the first year.
Six members of staff at Bonell & Co, including founder Andrew Bonell, will remain at the firm, taking the total Alsters Kelley workforce to more than 80. Bonell & Co, which is situated in Chestnut Walk, Stratford, has been established for over 30 years. It currently offers services in conveyancing and family law.
The deal will allow the firm, which will become known as Alsters Kelley incorporating Bonell Co, to extend its range of services to the region whilst continuing to provide a high level of personal service for which it has always been renowned.
Cathy Wahlberg, managing director at Alsters Kelley, said: “The acquisition of Bonell & Co marks the start of an exciting new chapter for both firms.
“Bonell & Co boasts an impressive pedigree and has a highly talented and experienced workforce. It has an excellent reputation throughout the
Alsters Kelley team raises a glass to celebrate the acquisition of Bonell & Co. From left to right: Top row: Neil Raiseborough, Andrew Bonell & Alma Nicol. Bottom row: Julie McGarrigle, Cathy Wahlberg & Erica Kemp.
Stratford region and the acquisition seemed like the next natural step in Alsters Kelley’s own journey.
Warwick business receives regional award
Four key men behind the success of a landmark Leamington development have collected a regional award.
Construction Director Dave Henley and site managers David Pearson, Chris Hill and Steve Lydall were the driving forces for Warwick-based property development company AC Lloyd throughout the 30-month building of phases one, two and three of the eye-catching Station Approach.
The company was voted the winner of the Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development in the West Midlands region of the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Awards 2020 which were announced via social media due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The trophy was posted to AC Lloyd and David, Chris and Steve returned to the £22 million project to pick up the building excellence award.
The LABC Awards have a number of categories to recognise a high standard of technical work as well as reward the talent of people working within the building industry.
The two-and-three-bedroom homes and apartments were built by AC Lloyd for Platform Housing Group in partnership with Warwick District Council close to Leamington Spa Station – and will be seen by the thousands of visitors who flock to the town during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Alistair Clark, the managing director of AC Lloyd Homes whose headquarters are at Tachbrook Park, said the high standard of the work of the quartet had been crucial in the creation of the development.
“Dave, David, Chris and Steve fully deserve to be recognised for the integral role they played day-in, day-out during the creation of the development,” he said.
From the left, Steve Lydall, Chris Hill and David Pearson from AC Lloyd Homes with the LABC Award
Houlton expands selection of homes with Civic Living launch
A new range of contemporary modular homes are coming to Rugby’s new neighbourhood, Houlton.
The launch of Civic Living this year will see the growing community, delivered by main developer Urban&Civic, further expand its offering of highquality homes to prospective homebuyers.
Part of the Urban&Civic group, the selection of two and three-bed homes will offer open-plan flexible living space at an affordable price point in the heart of the desirable development.
Delivered in partnership with modular construction firm, Top Hat, Civic Living will join Houlton’s four premium housebuilders – Davidsons Homes, Redrow Homes, Morris Homes and Crest Nicholson – which are already offering a selection of three, four, and five-bed homes on site.
With a host of amenities already available to residents, including its first primary school St Gabriel’s, award-winning eatery The Tuning Fork, community centre The Barn, state-of-the-art adventure play park and acres of outdoor space, nature trails and cycleways, the newest addition means even more homeowners will be able to enjoy the idyllic lifestyle Houlton offers.
Committed to creating communities with quality homes, first-class facilities and extensive outdoor spaces, Urban&Civic will also deliver a wide range of additional amenities on site, including a secondary school opening this September, a further two primary schools, a nursery and a coop convenience store.
Mike van den Berg, senior development manager at Urban&Civic, said: “Through our role as master developer at Houlton, we are dedicated to bringing a range of different housebuilders onto our site, to provide people with high-quality homes in a variety of tenures and styles. The addition of Civic Living to our already impressive portfolio of housebuilders will further diversify the choices at Houlton – especially to those looking for contemporary, low-carbon homes.”
Employers are invited to WCG’s Digital ‘T Party’
Employers are being offered the chance to find out how they can help mould the next generation of workers at a digital event hosted by a leading college group in March.
Digital support service T Levels will be offered from the college’s facility at Malvern Hills Science Park in Worcestershire and at Royal Leamington Spa College in Warwickshire.
T-Levels, equivalent to three A-Levels, are new national qualifications that form part of the Government’s flagship reforms to technical education in England. They combine classroom theory and practical learning with industry placements of at least nine weeks to give students real experience of the workplace.
By offering work placements, employers will get early access to new talent and ideas in the workplace, support the development of their existing employees through mentoring opportunities, improve productivity by getting help with specific projects, and get the opportunity to offer masterclasses at WCG to help shape skills and knowledge of their potential future workforce.
WCG virtual ‘T Party’ takes place on Tuesday 23 March, between 11am-12pm, to talk in more detail to employers across the region about T Levels and the benefits of being involved. The event is free to attend, but places must be booked in advance at wcg.ac.uk/tlevelemployers.
Steve Ellis, head of WCG’s Business and Digital Technology department, said: “Employers should see T Levels as a way of bringing talented young people into their business to assess them as a potential employee, as well as benefiting from new ideas that they could bring to help them grow their business.
WARWICK TRIDENT COLLEGE strengthens apprenticeship relationship with Telent
Warwick Trident College, part of college group WCG, has partnered with one of the country’s largest telecommunications companies to provide a stream of new talent for its railway infrastructure division.
Telent, which is headquartered in Warwick, will be working with the college to train new apprentices to support its railway telecommunications workforce.
The firm, which employs nearly 100 apprentices across the business, is already training five rail apprentices through the college and is expecting that number to nearly double next year.
Apprentices will complete their rail engineering technician qualifications over the course of a three-year apprenticeship through WCG, which involves working trackside all over the country for Telent and studying in blocks at Warwick Trident College. Richard Giddings, Graduate and Apprenticeship Manager at Telent, said: “We’re excited to be strengthening our relationship with WCG and working closely with the college to bring through the next generation of workers for our rail telecommunications provision. “We were previously working with a provider based in London because there was a belief you had to go there for high-quality apprenticeships. However, after meeting with WCG we realised that wasn’t the case and we were able to support a local institution by moving our apprentices up to Warwickshire.
“By working with the college, we are hoping to be able to bring a steady stream of rail specialist skilled apprentices through to future proof our workforce. “
Andrew Moore, Work Based Learning Manager for Engineering at WCG, said: “We’re working in partnership with Telent to ensure the training being delivered is tailored to the requirements of the business and perfectly prepares students for their day-to-day roles.
Heart of England Training receives “excellent” reviews on Government website
All apprenticeship providers are impartially rated by the employers they work with on the Government website, and the staff at Heart of England Training are delighted with their reviews so far. Celebrating pass rates more than 10% higher than the national averages, Heart of England Training offers businesses a range of top-quality apprenticeships and professional courses, including administration, customer service, leadership and project management, as well as salon and school-based apprenticeships.
You can read reviews, compare pass rates and explore training offerings on the Government’s apprenticeship website: https://findapprenticeshiptraining. apprenticeships.education.gov.uk
Heart of England Training’s mission statement is “to deliver outstanding training and support throughout all our sectors”, driven by a common set of values: to continually strive for excellence, to act with integrity and be respectful at all times, to be responsive and flexible to learner/employer needs, and to encourage and support high aspirations.
Matthew Barry, Marketing & Recruitment Director for Heart of England Training, said: “We are one of the region’s leading providers of business apprenticeships and we are dedicated to helping businesses and individuals alike achieve success. We have over 50 years of experience in delivering business training and development programmes and we’ve worked with over 500 employers from small businesses to multinationals and local authorities.”
Thanks to the new cash incentives available from 1st April this year (whereby employers can receive £3,000-£4,000 for each apprentice hire), businesses are now presented with an exciting opportunity to hire and train new members of staff. These cash incentives can be used to pay for uniforms, apprentices’ travel or their salaries. They do not have to be repaid.
Furthermore, Heart of England Training is pleased to be working alongside the Warwickshire Apprenticeship Progression Programme, which is designed to support small to medium-sized businesses by offering a £1,000 incentive to Warwickshirebased businesses who want to invest in the progression of their staff and build upon a previous qualification which contributes to the new needs of the business (the learner must have completed a previous apprenticeship with the current employer within the last 3 years).
Heart of England Training is far more than a training provider; working with learners and employers every step of the way to ensure that all parties gain the greatest benefit from their training partnership.
To learn more and make contact, go to: www.hoet.co.uk
Mentoring scheme smashes 10,000 target
Pictured at the Mayor’s Mentors round table event are (clockwise from bottom left) Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, mentor Iain McGhee, mentee Emma van Dun, mentor Gordon Shipley and mentee Luis James
More than 10,000 young people have received personal mentoring on how to kickstart their careers or get back into work thanks to a flagship scheme led by Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street.
The Mayor’s Mentors programme has smashed its original target of recruiting 10,000 people willing to draw on their life and work experiences to personally guide and inspire a young person setting out on their own life journey.
But the scheme has taken on added significance in recent months as young people bear the economic brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual Prince’s Trust Tesco Youth Index Report, which researches young people’s happiness and confidence level, showed almost a quarter of young people do not feel confident about their future work and that a quarter felt unable to cope with life.
Now the Mayor and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have issued a “Our Young People Need You” rallying cry, urging even more people to get involved in the scheme.
“But our young people now need our help more than ever. Many of them work in those industries hardest hit by the pandemic, such as hospitality and retail, and many have lost their jobs or been furloughed.
“Whilst we are putting a variety of schemes in place to help our young people get back into work as soon as possible, a guiding hand and words of wisdom from someone with years of employment experience would also go a long way at such a difficult time. I would urge anyone who thinks they can lend a helping hand to get involved in Mayor’s Mentors.”
How do you grow and evolve your business in the COVID era?
As COVID-19 continues to change the way in which companies do business, it has never been more important for leaders to think strategically and adapt quickly to address new challenges.
This is why at Warwick Business School (WBS), we have designed the Senior Leaders Business Growth Programme, to equip participants with the latest tools and theories to navigate this rapidly evolving business landscape. Whether you are a company looking to upskill your senior management, or an individual looking to futureproof your career and business, this programme will enable participants to develop personal and organisational strategies that build resilience and create sustained growth for their business.
The programme focuses on five key themes that are critical to business performance; Innovation, Productivity, Digital, Resilience and Leadership. These themes will be explored in the current business context along with considering how to deliver them strategically, particularly during periods of uncertainty and a challenging economy. It will be essential that participants bring along an identified strategic challenge they are facing, so the programme can be directly applied to their business needs.
Throughout six workshops, participants will gain access to learning focused on practical outcomes, and the opportunity to apply sessions to real issues facing their businesses. The workshops will feature expert faculty, peer-learning, and executive coaching to ensure learning is both direct and indirect from the group of senior leaders who will participate.
Commencing in September 2021, these workshops will be taught in two-day blocks hosted by WBS, at Warwick Conferences, an in-house conferencing centre that is fully committed to delivering a safe and engaging in-person experience.
For further information about the programme and to download a brochure, please visit: www.wbs.ac.uk/go/SLBGP “The programme focuses on five key themes that are critical to business performance; Innovation, Productivity, Digital, Resilience and Leadership. These themes will be explored in the current business context along with considering how to deliver them strategically, particularly during periods of uncertainty and a challenging economy.”
Employers can help Coventry Crosshairs reach Next Level
Coventry College’s Esports team is reaching out to employers to help them progress to the next level.
Coventry Crosshairs are making giant strides on the sports gaming scene as they pit their wits against competitors online.
The group have put themselves firmly on the national map and the College is also launching a new Esports National Diploma programme from September 2021.
Now Coventry Crosshairs are looking for businesses to back the team and new qualification as they go from strength-to-strength.
The group have already brought together the best of UK Esports talent by hosting the Coventry Crosshairs Arcade Festival (in collaboration with Vulpine Esports) in February. Plans are also in place to create the Coventry Crosshairs Esports Academy for current college learners.
Esports is a combination of sport, skill, professionalism and competitive video gaming which has become extremely popular.
Shoubna Naika-Taylor, Esports Team Manager for Coventry Crosshairs, said: “Our Coventry Crosshairs Esports team continues to evolve and with that comes the launch of our new Esports qualification at Coventry College.
