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Cottons Accountants London acquires Roberts & Co.
Cottons are proud to announce the acquisition of West London based accountancy firm, Roberts & Co. as part of its plans to strengthen their presence in the London area.
Twin brothers, David & Phillip Roberts started in partnership on 1st May 1976 as Roberts & Co and have traded ever since in various locations in West London but since 1985, they have been primarily located at 136 Kensington Church Street.
Roberts & Co work with SME businesses and private clients mainly in London & Home Counties and surrounding areas, with a big focus on artists, art galleries and service industry businesses within the portfolio.
As part of their plan to retire, it was imperative that the brothers migrated their clients over to a firm that provides the highest of service levels and understands the industry thoroughly.
“Excited to be merging with a progressive and forward looking firm, we feel that our client base is in good hands.” Phillip Roberts, Partner.
“The merging of Roberts & Co with ourselves continues our plans of expanding our presence in London. Their West London location gives us the chance to grow a client base in a different area of London. I am relishing the opportunity to modernise a traditional client base and provide added value through our extended service offering.” Ollie Warne, Cottons London Partner.
Paul Syiem-Clark, Senior Accountant, will continue to work with Cottons and he will be instrumental in the next few months of transition. Paul is a qualified accountant providing high level financial support to a select number of clients.
Ollie adds: “Lastly, a huge thank you to everyone in the wider Cottons family who has helped make this happen. We’ve worked together tirelessly to make the process as smooth as possible for the partners, as they transition towards retirement. I cannot wait to get started on this next stage of our continuous growth.”
As tempers and temperatures rise, so does business for Kenilworth cleaning company
Kenilworth company, Bear Cleaning, has reported a sharp rise in enquiries following the council’s new 123+ waste disposal schedule and recent blazing weather.
Bear Cleaning has cleaned bins in Warwick district & parts of Coventry since 2017. As part of their expansion, the family-run business now collects waste.
With general waste collection now just every three weeks and the recent spell of unprecedented high temperatures, bins have been the perfect environment for maggots, bacteria and foul smells.
Kate Hunter, Managing Director of Bear Cleaning, explained, “We continue to offer our bin cleaning service. However, we’ve been overwhelmed with interest in our new waste collection service. It’s no surprise. As a family of five (six including the dog), we recycle everything, and our refuse bin is full at the end of two weeks. The three-weekly waste collection doesn’t work for us, and we’re not alone.
Bear Cleaning’s professional waste disposal truck was purchased earlier this year. It lifts the contents of the wheelie bin with no mess. The rubbish is taken to a waste management facility in Coventry, where it’s processed through an incinerator and converted for energy. Nothing goes to landfill.
The 3.5-tonne vehicle was paid for with nearly £60,000 (£41,500 loan and £16,600 grant) in funding from CWLEP, CWRT, Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council. At the time, Alexander Vill of CWRT said, "Bear Cleaning's submission was one of the most comprehensive they have ever received for the Duplex Investment Fund.”
Kate Hunter added, “the need for extra waste collections isn’t a summer thing. We expect people to sign up for our waste collections throughout the year as they realise taking extra bin bags to the tip isn’t how they want to spend their weekends. Dare I even mention the inevitable rubbish we all have over Christmas?”
For more information visit www.bearcleaning.co.uk/domestic/household-bin-collection/#enquire]
Caludon District Scouts make a big splash at the Heart of England
The Caludon District Scouts from Coventry were making a BIG splash at The Heart of England Conference & Events Centre this June with their spectacular ‘Water Weekend’ Event.
The intrepid cubs and scouts camped lakeside overnight on the event fields 10th - 12th and 17th - 19th June.
Stephen Hammon - The Managing Director and Owner of The Heart of England said: “It’s always a pleasure to welcome local groups to The Heart of England. Seeing happy smiling faces enjoying and making the most of the beautiful countryside, park and lake surroundings we have to offer at Heart of England is a joy.
We look forward to welcoming the Caludon District Scouts back again soon.”
Any groups looking to do something similar, please get in touch with The Heart of England by emailing sales@heartofengland.co.uk
New property firm completes first deal
A new property firm set up to boost the Warwickshire economy has completed its first deal.
The Warwickshire Property Development Group (WPDG) has agreed a 10-year lease with the Little Willows Pre-School on the former Whitnash Library.
The nursery has been based at the local primary school for 24 years and the deal will provide its first standalone home. It comes after the creation of a new of a new civic centre hub which houses a multi-use sports hall, library and café. WPDG was established by Warwickshire County Council last year to realise the potential of its development sites, commercial buildings and mineral rights in the most sustainable way as possible.
The move is part of a drive to ensure that properties which are owned by Warwickshire County Council are not only fully let, but can, where possible, benefit their communities.
WPDG is tasked with realising the potential of regeneration opportunities – including the provision of affordable local housing and units for local businesses – on Warwickshire County Council-owned sites and as managing the council’s commercial property assets.
It is part of a broader £300m package of investment alongside the Warwickshire Recovery and Investment Fund (WRIF) which the County Council has launched to revitalise the local economy.
Councillor Peter Butlin, Deputy Leader at Warwickshire County Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, said Little Willows was an ideal first letting for the organisation.
He said: “This deal sees a former community asset brought back into economic vitality, it provides a home for a well loved and valuable local resource, and brings in much needed funds for the council.
“WPDG has made real progress in the last few months and there are some very exciting projects in the pipeline which will bring added jobs, homes and prosperity to local communities.”
James Devereux, of WPDG, said: “The formation of WPDG has sparked a great deal of interest and we have a very healthy pipeline of activity and inquiries across all our areas of operation and also right across Warwickshire.
“It is so fitting that our first lease helps a local organisation which serves its community so well, and will allow it to move forward to further success.”
Little Willows was established in 1998 at Whitnash Primary School offering morning sessions to 13 pre-school children, and is run as a charitable trust.
But now the nursery – which currently offers breakfast and after-school clubs to 62 youngsters – is moving to the former Whitnash Library in the town.
Stacey Coulter of Little Willows, said: “This is such a great move for us and for our children. The school has been a really good home for us over the years, but it is the right time now to move into premises and the library is perfect.
“The added room will allow us to create a sensory space which will be really valuable for children for special needs, and we will have dedicated meeting rooms where we can talk in private to parents and health professionals. There will also be a new staff meeting room.
“The new centre is right at the heart of our community and will give us a very visible presence.”
Stacey Coulter, Cllr Peter Butlin and James Devereux
Simplifying the Legal Debt Recovery Process
Coventry Law Firm, Askews Legal LLP, has recently launched its innovative and time-saving Debt-Claims portal to speed up and simplify the legal debt recovery process. It is available to all creditors, irrespective of size or entity, and will assist even with the most stubborn of non-payers.
It will come as no surprise to learn that at some point, nearly every business will have a client or customer who has not paid them. For many businesses, even one unpaid invoice can mean the difference between making a profit that month or not – let alone being able to pay their own suppliers. For many creditors, they are reluctant to approach solicitors out of fear of spiralling costs and time and therefore, the debt is written off.
With the world moving online in a bid to cut costs, the question was raised ‘why can’t law firms do the same?’. Debt-Claims was born with that in mind, to change the status quo and encourage more clients to pursue debtors by making the process quick and effective, and in most cases, cost neutral – with the debtor reimbursing the creditor the costs of legal proceedings through statutory schemes.
So how does it work? A user can register for free with Debt-Claims in a few moments at www.debt-claims.com. Once registered, a user selects whether they want to send a pre-action letter before action, issue money claim court proceedings, or serve a statutory demand. All of Debt-Claims’ prices are set out up front on the portal and there are no commission or subscription charges. Where legal costs are recoverable by the creditor, details of this are provided to ensure full transparency from the outset.
Is it as easy as it makes out? Debt-Claims uses the latest in automation technology so that it only requires you to enter basic details about the debtor and debt. From there, DebtClaims’ robots draft the necessary documents and submit/post them. Gone are the days of endless emails and telephone calls as the portal keeps its users updated whenever there is a development and offers easy points of escalation through the process where payment is not received. Not only this, but it’s fully integrated with the Court’s Money Claims Online system, meaning that as soon as there is an update from the court, it’s remitted straight to the creditor through the portal.
As an incentive to show new users how easy and effective it is to use, Debt-Claims are offering all new users the opportunity to send a Letter Before Action without charge – simply enter the code ‘FREELBA’ at the checkout.
Robin Appleyard, Head of Debt Recovery, said “Now more than ever, it is paramount for businesses to keep on top of ensuring that their invoices are paid promptly.
“Late payments have a knock-on effect that can leave other businesses further down the chain in a dangerous position, through no fault of their own.
“We believe that, with our new Debt-Claims platform, all you need is a couple of moments of your time and our robots will do the rest; we’ll keep you updated at every step.”
Debt-Claims’ portal is available to everyone and instructions are actioned on the same day where received before 3pm. If you have any bespoke requirements, such as book-debt work, then you can contact Robin directly at robina@askewslegal.co to discuss.
Slimline cabinet locking hardware from EMKA for large control cabinets
EMKA understands that the basic rule for all control cabinets is that the components inside, especially the sensitive electronic components, must be protected. However, there are significant differences, especially in the locking systems used.
When special customer requirements have to be met on large cabinets, standardised locking systems sometimes reach their limits. However, EMKA’s slimline multi-point locking systems frequently offer the right solution, by enabling the lock mechanism to release space on the door. This allows additional internal clearance, while providing exceptional closure capabilities.
Andy Billingham – MD at EMKA UK points out “Control cabinets are available in various shapes and designs, ranging from single cabinets to in-line cabinets or cabinets with double doors. All are available for indoor and outdoor applications. Environmental conditions and individual requirements significantly affect the choice of materials and the final design of the cabinet. But the cabinet alone does not adequately protect the internal components and electronics.”
He explains that “The locking and hinge solution is much more critical if the cabinet door is meant to seal securely and, if necessary, must withstand high pressure or fulfil other safety requirements. In order to find the most suitable closure and hinge solution, the environmental influences and the installation location are also decisive. Whilst housings used outdoors are mostly made of plastic and powder-coated steel, the material of choice remains stainless steel for very special applications.”
“The locking components should be made of the same material, regardless of material selection. Furthermore, high demands on tightness and the prevention of vandalism may have to be met in outdoor applications by using, for example, the IP65 protection class and security standards according to resistance classes.”
EMKA engineers have established that when designing control cabinets, a distinction is made between closures inside and outside the door seal. Locks inside the door seal are installed on interior doors and frequently outdoors. For example, a swing handle may be mounted on the door, which drives two locking bars inside the door – using either a drive or a locking cam. These systems compress the door seal and ensure a secure closure. EMKA has developed a unique compression latch system with multiple interlocking for closures inside the door seal. If using a rotating movement of a compression latch of only 90° – usually 180° – the door closes at several locking points which pulls the entire door evenly into the door seal even if the internal pressure is high.
Alternatively, the lock may be placed outside the seal so that, for example, no components protrude into the cabinet interior, the locking bars on the inside of the door are pushed into mounted locking points on the door frame with the door closed using a swinghandle or lifthandle.
The design of control cabinets demands the highest safety requirements for locking components. For example, the EMKA specialists for locking systems were asked to design an attractive swinghandle with resistance class RC2 for outdoor control cabinets for the Dutch IT system house Tecnolimit. This handle is easy to operate and can be monitored electronically.
Further information can be found at www.emka.com.
Warwickshire Agency supporting Worcestershire start-ups
Leamington Spa based research, design and marketing business, Glued, are playing a significant role in supporting new businesses in Worcestershire. Through their work with the Worcestershire County Council Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) Glued have contributed to supporting over a thousand businesses since April 2021.
The British Libraries BIPC initiative is available in many parts the UK and delivered on a local basis by libraries. In Worcestershire Glued have been planning, managing, marketing and hosting a programme of webinars and occasional live business support events. Glued were also responsible for delivering the BIPC Reset. Restart scheme in Worcestershire, focused on helping new start and young businesses build new business models in response to the pandemic.
Rob Harrison, Consultancy Partner at Glued, said “We have learnt so much, not just effective strategies for raising awareness and securing audiences, but also about business support in the shape of: finance, cashflow, confidence building, motivation and social media strategies.”
Their involvement continues with building relationships with the facilitators for the programme of webinars. Booking the schedule of events, loading them to Eventbrite; marketing them; encouraging registrants to attend and managing post event communications.
Jo Hemley appointed Glued and the Business Engagement Manager at that time said “Glued supported BIPC Worcestershire raise awareness and deliver an effective webinar and coaching programme. They were able to adapt the process to help us learn what works best to deliver results.”
Head over to bit.ly/WORCBIPC to see what Worcestershire County Council have to say about the initiative.
A place to call home
Twin Pine Mortgages' story began in February 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic. Business partners Mark and Hitesh worked for a high street lender for many years, but their employer decided to end face-toface mortgage advice from all their branches in late 2020.
With over 30 years of experience in advising and arranging mortgages between them they love helping people to get on the property ladder. They acknowledged that it would be very difficult to start a mortgage brokerage in the middle of the pandemic when 80% of the UK workforce was on furlough but they didn’t have many options so took a plunge. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and that has proven to be right for them. With a single goal in mind to help people get a mortgage and own their own home, they have managed to survive and grow their business month on month amid uncertainty, sleepless nights, sweat, tears and hard work.
The partners are proud of what they have achieved and believe everyone should have a right to buy a place they call home. Twin Pine Mortgages specialise in mortgages for clients with poor credit history and more complex situations. These clients often need more help, support, and guidance as high street lenders doors are not always open to them. So, if you like the sound of how they can help or know someone who needs support, contact Twin Pine Mortgages directly and they would be delighted to help. "Mark and I have always been passionate about the service we offered during our employment at YBS. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to do what we always wanted, which was to set up a business doing what we enjoy and utilise all those years of expertise, experience and knowledge to help people with poor credit to get on the property ladder." Hitesh Parekh, Director at Twin Pine Mortgages.
To find out more about their services please visit: www.twinpinemortgages.co.uk
The Heart of England Playing their part in the Commonwealth Games
Commissioned by CSM Live for The Birmingham Commonwealth Games, The Heart of England team provided the skills and resources to create the plinth and trusswork for the Games Celebration device, which was the centrepiece of the Smithfield venue.
Stephen Hammon - The Managing Director and Owner of The Heart of England said: “It was an exciting opportunity to play a part in the games and to work alongside the team at CSM Live on design and production of the Celebration Device. We’ve loved every minute of it and look forward to working on more projects together in the future. We’ve built many branded displays and exhibition vehicles over the years but this one was very special.
The Birmingham Commonwealth Games is local to us and has had us, just like the rest of the nation, gripped over the past few weeks.”
Giles Stanford, Project director for CSM Live, said: “it was great to work with Steve and his team, they came up with a practical proposal then built it on time and on budget, for which I am very grateful”.
Sensory experience
Billesley Manor has partnered with ESPA, a natural skincare and luxury beauty brand that is guided by the holistic philosophy of caring for the whole wellbeing, to offer a new range of treatments and wellness therapies.
This includes a variety of personalised, result-focussed facials using the latest techniques for instant and long-lasting effect such as the Active Nutrients Glow from Within or Natural Face Lift facial. The treatment menu also includes varied massages - like Hot Stone and Deep Muscle massage - that address individual needs allowing muscular tensions to be released and souls to feel soothed for renewed focus and lasting positivity.
Other treatments include prenatal and pregnancy therapies for expectant mothers and body treatments that restore and de-stress to bring out the skin's natural beauty.
All ESPA products used at the spa contain unique combinations of plant extracts, marine actives and essential oils which work in harmony for healthy skin. Every product is expertly crafted to deliver an ESPA sensory experience through the beautiful aromatherapy blends and the unique formulation textures.
Demand for planning services in Warwickshire leads to team doubling in size
Marrons Planning’s Stratford-upon-Avon team has doubled in size in less than 12 months – helping meet the needs of the planning consultancy’s growing client base in the West and South Midlands.
The six-people-strong team will take the lead in developing Marrons Planning’s offering in the regions, providing services including securing planning permission for development and promoting greenfield and brownfield land to meet future housing and employment needs.
Planning director David Fovargue joined the firm with more than 10 years’ experience helping clients secure planning permission. His experience and skills dovetails with the local knowledge provided by two additional recruits – senior planners George Smith, from Cherwell District Council who has more than six years’ experience of town planning in Oxfordshire, and Reiss Sadler, from Wychavon District Council who brings more than seven years’ town planning experience in Worcestershire.
Also supporting the Stratford-uponAvon hub’s growth are associate directors Richard Cooke and Daniel Robinson-Wells, who bring knowledge and experience from Warwickshire and the wider region.
Leading the charge is partner Gary Stephens, who has more than 20 years’ town planning experience. He said: “We’re always looking for new people to help grow our business and increase our presence across the region.
“Moreover, the planning process is not getting any easier to navigate, with everchanging policies and pressures, so having local knowledge and the ability to foresee and resolve issues is more important now than ever.
“David, George and Reiss bring expertise in Oxfordshire and Worcestershire, and will help maintain our excellent track record for securing planning permission and land allocations.”
Marrons Planning – as part of legal and professional services group Ampa – was named one of the top 100 best large companies to work for in the UK by Best Companies and placed in the top 25 West Midlands businesses. The group’s Stratford-upon-Avon hub – in Bridgeway House, just off the A3400 and near the River Avon – recently underwent an eco-friendly revamp to reflect modern, new ways of working. More than 80% of the materials used as part of the refurbishment were sustainably sourced, recycled or reused.
Jenna Hyde
How losing everything led me to delivering mindset sessions to thousands…
At 22 I set up a video and podcast production company on The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme. I loved creating videos and podcasts for companies in the midland’s region. Working with salon of the year hair salons, guardian top 50 companies and multi-national businesses, it all seemed to be going quite well, until the pandemic hit.
After the pandemic I lost everything. I couldn’t be on set to film or record and much like it did for many others the business stopped overnight. There began the clichés of everything seemingly going “wrong". I had to work extremely hard on my mindset, reading and learning as much as I possibly could.
As work began to continue once more and I started delivering media training, I added aspects of mindset in the training I did and the feedback was that people wanted more and more on mindset.
So, it began from there…having started my own business with The Prince’s Trust I have gone full circle and now co-deliver and created a Mindset & Mindfulness programme for young people to support their mental wellbeing and development, which is delivered nationally. I have co-created The Mindset Diary. A diary of daily prompts and weekly pages for positive momentum. I deliver mindset and wellbeing sessions to universities, in the education sector, and to businesses and organisations nationwide.
It is my goal to continue to elevate these sessions so that they continue to deliver psychology, science and action based methods to support the mindset of as many people as possible, focussed on the supporting people we are working with.
I am continuing onto my Masters of Science Psychology alongside further education and continued session delivery expansion…a path which I could have never predicted, but I am beyond delighted to be on.
WM5G wins £10m tender as part of a consortium to create the UK Telecoms Innovation Network to boost telecoms R&D and innovation
West Midlands 5G Limited (WM5G) – the UK’s largest 5G innovation company – has won a £10m Government tender to create the UK’s Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN). WM5G won this tender as part of a UK wide consortium led by Digital Catapult and also including CW (Cambridge Wireless) and the University of Bristol.
UKTIN, first announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in March, aims to make the UK the easiest place in the world to access and take part in telecoms research, development and innovation. It will guide businesses and researchers looking to access funding or testing facilities in the UK and enable the best use of public and private investment in R&D, as well as ensuring that knowledge is effectively and efficiently shared across the telecoms industry.
WM5G will utilise its unique experience to deliver UKTIN with a key focus on driving economic growth and inward investment by addressing key market challenges hampering innovation and new entrants into telecoms. To address these opportunities and create social value, WM5G will lead the creation of a National Telecoms Entrepreneurship, Employment and Training network, at the heart of UKTIN.
UKTIN is expected to be up and running in September, at which point it will begin to take over from UK5G to help organisations get the most out of what the UK has to offer.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “I’m pleased to hear that WM5G and the consortium have won the tender to lead on the creation of the UK Telecoms Innovation Network – building on WM5G’s formidable track record having already helped to establish the West Midlands as the best connected 5G region in the UK. Fast and reliable digital connectivity is an important element in delivering Levelling Up here in our region so I’m delighted that WM5G continues to play a vital part in helping us to do just that.”
Robert Franks, Managing Director of WM5G, said: “We’re delighted to have won this tender along with our consortium partners and DCMS. The UK already invests over £1 Billion a-year in telecoms research, development and innovation. Through UKTIN we will turbo-charge this investment – helping the UK extend its leadership in open networks and vital new technologies such as 5G and 6G – building on the strengths of our regional clusters to create more skilled jobs, attract more investment and deliver economic growth.”
