Coventry & Warwickshire in business
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New state-of-the-art convention centre Paul Michael (Commercial Director, Coventry Building Society Arena) and Zamurad Hussain (CWLEP).
Work is underway to create the new south pavilion entrance to Coventry Building Society Arena ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It is the fourth stage in a multi-millionpound project to create the state-of-the-art Commonwealth Convention Centre at the venue. The new south pavilion will be the main gateway to the convention centre and provide seamless access to the 7,750 square metres of indoor conference and exhibition space at the Arena. Work already completed includes the renovation of the 6,000 square metre Indoor Arena, the aesthetic transformation of the existing 1,750 square metres of space beneath the Arena, which is now the convention centre, and the creation and launch of a popular new sports bar, The Anecdote.
When completed, the pavilion entrance will provide access to the new Convention Centre Lobby, an open plan multi-purpose reception space offering flexible options for event organisers. The south pavilion is the centre-piece of the multi-million-pound redevelopment of the venue and will be clearly seen from Jimmy Hill Way. The Commonwealth Convention Centre is set to open its doors in early 2022 as Coventry Building Society Arena gears up to host rugby sevens, judo and wrestling at the Commonwealth Games. After the games, the convention centre will further cement the Arena as a modern, flexible and market leading facility for the conference and exhibition industry. The project is funded through the £3.8 million granted to the venue by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), via the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund. An additional £1.4 million has also been made available to Coventry Building Society Arena via CWLEP from the Local Growth Fund and Growing Places Fund.
Stephen Vaughan, Wasps Group Chief Executive, said: “The south pavilion entrance will provide the perfect gateway to our new state-of-the-art convention centre. “In recent months, the Arena has undergone a significant transformation and the updates we have made so far have been incredibly well-received by organisers holding their conferences and exhibitions with us. “We are making these changes to further establish the Arena as a market-leading convention and conference centre. The creation of the new south pavilion is integral to those plans and to see construction underway is fantastic. “With the completion of the south pavilion we will be ready for the attention of the world to be focused on Coventry Building Society Arena as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.” Sarah Windrum, Chair of CWLEP, added: “It is fantastic to see another step forward in creating the south pavilion which is certain to attract delegates from across the UK to the city and boost our economy. “This type of venue is vital not only during Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture 2021 and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games but also to secure the long-term future of conferencing in the region.”
Recognition for property and construction company The Wigley Group has been named joint winner of the Property and Construction Business of the Year at the Coventry Live Business 2021 Awards.
Partnership brings new opportunities
The company was one of 30 finalists in 11 categories that celebrated the finest businesses, entrepreneurs and organisations in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Wasps Rugby have partnered with a college in the birthplace of rugby to launch a new rugby programme in Warwickshire. The partnership with Rugby College, which is part of WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group), will create opportunities for young rugby players aged over 16 to secure a college qualification while developing their skills on a rugby pitch. Players will study for a Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Sporting Excellence and Performance while also representing Rugby College in the British Colleges Sport League. The course will include strength and conditioning workshops, training sessions and matchdays. It will cover health, wellbeing, nutrition, anatomy, physiology, sport massage and more units focused on professional sports performance. The first cohort of students/players will start on the course in September 2022 and will be based at Rugby College while also accessing local facilities for strength and conditioning, training and competitive matches. Students will be given opportunities to visit
Over the past year, The Wigley Group has completed the first phase of the regeneration of the site of the former Daimler car factory in Coventry, with the major refurbishment of the powerhouse building into a £2.4million creative hub.
Wasps’ state-of-the-art Elite Performance and Innovation Centre and home stadium Coventry Building Society Arena. The partnership is set to bring wider benefits to students and staff across a wide range of courses. Simon Philpott, Assistant Principal at Rugby College, said: “To be partnering with Gallagher Premiership rugby club Wasps on this programme is a major boost and the programme will give young people from across the region the chance to study and play the sport they love at the same time. “The programme aims to motivate young people by combining sport and academic studies to maximise their potential. “We have seen great success at Moreton Morrell College with the Leamington FC Academy and hope to mirror that success with this partnership with Wasps. “The partnership will bring a wide range of benefits across a range of courses and departments at the college and we are now recruiting for the first cohort of students to join the associated new course.”
Theo Vukasinovic (Wasps senior squad), Sam-Amos Simpson (16), Marley Forrest (16), George Nixon (18), Simon Philpott (WCG) and Kevin Harman (Wasps).
Kevin Harman, Head of Recruitment and Academy at Wasps, said: “This is the first time Wasps has entered into a partnership of this type and we’re looking forward to strengthening our relationship with WCG and Rugby College. “There will be a number of opportunities from the programme away from the rugby pitch, from masterclasses and work placements, to special visits and career advice sessions. “While the programme with the college won’t provide a direct pathway into our Wasps Academy set-up, we are always looking for excellent rugby players to join our academy and there will 100 per cent be a chance for students at Rugby College to show us what they can do.”
New advisory board members required
A leading college group is calling on industry leaders in key sectors to help it deliver on local, regional and national skills agendas. WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group) is looking for individuals to join the advisory boards of each of its six colleges – and new board members will have a key role in ensuring the college delivers skills to support the economies it works in. The college group operates across Warwickshire and Worcestershire, and is seeking new advisory board members for Royal Leamington Spa College, Rugby College, Moreton Morrell College, Warwick Trident College, Pershore College and Evesham College.
www.cw-chamber.co.uk
It is particularly looking for representatives in sectors which are key to the localities in which its colleges are based. The key sectors in which the college is seeking new advisory board members range from hospitality, horticulture and IT, to engineering, railway engineering and construction. Advisory boards at each college play a central role in identifying key local needs and ensuring the college offering is responding to those needs. The boards meet each term to discuss new strategies on the educational character of the colleges and the needs of local stakeholders, while counselling on whether their curriculum matches the area’s economic needs. Angela Joyce, CEO of WCG, said: “As a college group we look to involve businesses at every stage in the development of our courses and apprenticeship provision. “This has been backed up by the Government in recent months as they have
urged all FE colleges to work closer with businesses in their surrounding areas. “Our advisory boards are one of the means by which we ensure that we are using our resources in the right places to support the economy in the regions where our colleges are based. “By strengthening ties with WCG, advisory board members get access to new contact networks and a direct link to the brightest young talent to support the future of their businesses. “While we are looking for people to join our boards across all sectors, we are particularly keen to speak with industry leaders in hospitality, horticulture, IT, engineering and construction to help guide our provision in these areas.” For more information about joining an advisory board at WCG contact executiveoffice@wcg.ac.uk and to find out more about the college group and its colleges visit www.wcg.ac.uk
Other significant projects completed include the high-performance training complex in Henley-in-Arden for Wasps Rugby Club, the purpose-built Red Kangaroo trampoline park in Exhall, Coventry, and the first phase of improvements at Ashton Lodge Country House in Warwickshire, an Edwardian property that is now run as a wedding venue. All four were carried out by Wigley Building & Development. The Wigley Group has also sealed two seven-figure commercial property deals and carried out its own internal reorganisation with all of the newly-created roles filled through internal promotions while previous participants of its graduate and placement schemes have been given permanent jobs. A £10,000 annual community fund to support people living around its HQ has been launched, and the four-year sponsorship of former paratrooper Jaco van Gass culminated in the cyclist winning two gold medals and a bronze medal at the Paralympic Games. James Davies, Chief Executive of The Wigley Group, said: “It has been very much foot to the floor for our businesses during the pandemic, and this award is great recognition of the work all of our teams have done in what have at times been very challenging circumstances. “This is an exciting time as we continue to adapt in order to drive the growth that we have seen in recent years.”
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