TopicUK January 2020

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Y O R K S H I R E

J A N U A R Y

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Amanda

Owen A Yorkshire Treasure

Whitby TopicUK GRANDLAND IS IN THE BLACK Business WOMAN SPORT As the town welcomes the Goths

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Delivering quality and style

The power of us We believe that when businesses work together, we can achieve amazing things. Together, we have that power; the power to change the status quo; the power to create a better future for your business, your employees and your customers.

Change rarely happens in isolation, but when businesses work together, anything is possible.

Just imagine what we could do together.

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ADVERTORIAL following 2019’s ‘Zara’, which saw a giant puppet in the courtyard, and ‘Fiers a Cheval’ – a magical herd of inflatable white horses from French outdoor theatre specialists Compagnie des Quidams. There will be further announcements to the programme in spring 2020.

Get set for an incredible year! of art, play, music and more at The Piece Hall

Following on from an extraordinary year of breath-taking sculpture, independent food festivals and a game-changing live music weekend which saw the major artists including Elbow and Embrace enthral crowds in The Piece Hall’s stunning piazza, 2020 looks set to deliver a spectacular programme of events at this iconic Georgian landmark.

Having welcomed more than 5 million visitors from all over the world since re-opening and acted as a major catalyst for the economic regeneration of Halifax and for Calderdale as a borough, The Piece Hall has cemented its reputation as a major heritage and cultural destination.

The 2020 programme will kickoff with a new outdoor sculpture commission, ‘People Play’ by London-based artist, Alice Irwin.

A series of colourful characters ranging between 5ft and 9ft tall will animate The Piece Hall’s courtyard from 28 February – 1

June 2020. Opening alongside a specially curated exhibition, events and activities, the work represents families who have contributed to Halifax as a town for making and production from Georgian times through to the modern day.

Throughout the year, visitors can also enjoy the many independent shops which house a treasure trove of locally made and sourced products, from exquistive gifts and curated gift hampers at ‘Hudson Belle’ to bespoke jewellery at ‘Leon K Dewhurst’. Make sure to refuel at one of the many eateries and bars including ‘The Trading Rooms’ restaurant or the family-run ecofriendly ‘Just Gaia’, a plastic-free shop and café.

live music from internationally acclaimed artists including Elbow and Mac DeMarco, firmly establishing The Piece Hall as one of the most magical settings for live music in the North. 2020 sees an incredible line-up of music across two weekends in June and July including The Specials (27 June) Richard Hawley (3 July) and the Kaiser Chiefs (4 & 5 July).

History buffs can also join The Piece Hall’s expert volunteer tour guides at one of the free year-round heritage tours and learn all about the building’s fascinating past, from its inception in 1779 through to the present day.

The Piece Hall looks forward to welcoming you for what is set to be a stellar year.

For more information on The Piece Hall’s programme of events, or to find out more about the shops, bars and restaurants, visit www.thepiecehall.co.uk

The summer will also feature a ‘Festival of Play’ to keep everyone In May, the ‘Tour de Yorkshire’ busy over the holidays, with a mix returns and The Piece Hall will of free and ticketed events for all the once again provide an iconic family. Having wowed audiences as backdrop for the cyclists, having one of the most beautiful settings hosted the start line for the final day for open air cinema, summer at The of racing in both 2018 and 2019.

Piece Hall will be brought to a close with a series of new film screenings.

Last year’s phenomenal ‘Big Gig The Piece Hall is developing a Weekend’ saw more than 10,000 national reputation as a unique music-lovers enjoy four days of venue for outdoor arts spectacles TopicUK January 2020

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This issue

Group Editor Gill Laidler

Design

Rob Blackwell

This issue’s cover features Shepherdess and mother of nine, Amanda Owen.

Business Executive Mandy Taylor

ASSOCIATE EDITORs

Amanda lives high on the Pennines at Ravenseat Farm with her children and husband Clive. Many readers will know her from the popular T V series Our Farm, but many won’t know that Amanda is also a successful speaker, author and photographer.

TopicUK Group editor caught up with her to find out more.

Ed Asquith Perry Austin-Clarke

Distribution Manager James Longbottom

Illustration

Buttercrumble

Official Photographers

Duncan Lomax/Roth Read Photography

The Arts

Murray Edwards The Grand Theatre

Legal Matters

Cover : Amanda Owen Image : @ianforsyth

AWM Signs deal with Core

Smart cities: Bringing science fiction to Leeds Amanda Owen A Yorkshire Treasure

Jordans: Celebrate 70 years of business Whitby Is in the black

Ramsdens Solicitors Chadwick Lawrence

page

page page

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09 17 20 44 54

Printed By: Charlesworth Press Wakefield

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Food & Drink

Kevin Trickett MBE

Recruitment Stafflex

Information technology

Paul Heigham, Bellingham IT

Banking

Barclays Bank

Health & wellbeing Natalie Anderson

Travel

Laura Bartlett

To Partner TopicUK

Tel: 07711 539047

The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/ editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing Limited, Paragon Point, Paragon Business Village, Red Hall Crescent, Wakefield WF1 2DF. Law pages are written by Chadwick Lawrence & Ramsdens Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.

by Group Editor Gill Laidler

Welcome to the first edition of TopicUK for 2020. As we enter this, our seventh year, it is with some excitement as we have lots of new projects in the pipeline that we are able to share with our partners and readers.

OUR PARTNERS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Dakota Hotel Leeds RJ Burgess Rogerthorpe Manor Community Foundation Calderdale The Piece Hall Applied Digital LS Live Ramsdens Solicitors Chadwick Lawrence Bellingham IT KC Communications Wakefield College / Wakefield Council Leeds Council (Ad:Venture) CityFibre Jordans Solicitors Eaton Smith Solicitors Hansons Bramleys Stafflex Fostering to Aspire Wakefield Theatre Pontefract Hospice Scriba PR Kirklees College Buttercrumble University of Law Avenue hq/Barclays Eagle Lab Yorkshire Payments Easy Fireplaces Welcome to Yorkshire Social Progress Contedia BeVic Town Hall Dental Associated waste management Fantastic Media

This edition we welcome another new regular columnist, Nicky Pattinson who will share with us how she found her business success and give us some invaluable sales tips.

Our new App is now live (available in the App store) Do drop us a line to find out how you can get your news featured. Of course for our partners this is all included as part of their existing package.

We also have a new website www. topicuk-woman.co.uk which will not only feature business women from across Yorkshire, who currently feature in our print edition and on the TopicUK website, but will include health, beauty, fashion, home and much much more. Check it out, we welcome your feedback.

Our cover this edition is the multitalented Amanda Owen. Shepherdess, wife, farmer, businesswoman, author, photographer, TV star, her skills are endless, all whilst looking after nine children, of whom she has to home school sometimes during the Winter months if they are snowed in at the farm. All this and she still manages to look fabulous. Check out Amanda’s story on page 20.

We have partnered with #ThriveWomen for 2020 and will be bringing you some amazing networking events for women over the year, starting in March. We will once again be supporting Forward

Ladies at their national awards and the Institute of Directors and their Director of the Year awards in July. Children of Courage will be celebrating their 10th anniversary and once again, TopicUK will be media partners.

Last year we donated space and promotion to the wonderful Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract who celebrated 30 years since they opened the doors to their first patient. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with them and we will continue to be Club 5 members and distribute TopicUK through this event during 2020.

Our charity for 2020 is Wakefield Hospice, who are also celebrating their 30th anniversary, when Queen Elizabeth II officially opened this fabulous facility. As with Prince of Wales Hospice, we will donate space and help promote their events during 2020.

It’s that time when everyone returns after the Christmas break, feeling energised and ready for planning the year ahead. This is the perfect time to give us a call and find out how we can help promote your business over the course of the year at very affordable rates. Our partners enjoy a complete package that includes promotion for their business in print, online, on our App, on social media, our extensive networking and recommendations and assistance with PR and marketing.

Call or email to find out what we can do for you, no obligation, but I think you will be surprised at what we offer at budgets to suit all.

Contents & Comments

Editors notes

Gill Group Editor - Gill Laidler Twitter: @gill_laidler Instagram: gilllaidler TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

Brewfitt supply dispense solutions for two UK stadiums Brewfit t, which is based in Huddersfield, was selected by the London Stadium and another UK-based national stadium to provide its Lindr mobile dispense units at kiosk bars around the arenas’ concourses.

Brewfitt, which is based in Huddersfield, was selected by the London Stadium and another UK-based national stadium to provide its Lindr mobile dispense units at kiosk bars around the arenas’ concourses.

Fo l l o w i n g t w o s u c c e s s f u l trials of the Lindr 155k units, each venue chose the solution Brewfitt supplied, with one stadium deciding to purchase over 30 units and the concession company, Your Catering Solutions, purchasing three on behalf of the London Stadium.

Brewfitt said operators chose their units after identifying problems with efficiency and high levels of congestion at kiosks.

James Paxman, managing director

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of Brewfitt, said: “When we were contacted with the dispense problem, we knew the Lindr units would be the perfect solution. They are compact, portable and pour great tasting beverages, making them a great dispense addition at busy venues.”

Brewfitt suggested that the Lindr mobile dispense units would be ideal for the stadium operators as no gas is required and they have a continuous cooling capacity, meaning the units are ready to pour a beverage within 10 minutes.

Damien Cusack, of Your Catering Solutions, said: “The Lindr units have been a great addition to our dispense equipment. It has allowed us to become more efficient and quicker when serving customers but also as they are portable, we can offer drinks dispense in other areas of the venue.”

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N E W S U P D AT E

AWM signs major waste deal with Core Facility Services Leeds integrated waste management and energy producer, AWM has agreed a significant partnership with Huddersfield facilities management firm Core Facility Services in a move that will deliver greater budget and service certainty for Core’s clients.

Two Yorkshire firms, both TopicUK partners, have joined forces in a major deal designed to protect the region’s businesses from the impact of rising costs in the waste industry.

businesses depend on us to take care of their waste management and compliance reporting in the most cost-effective and streamlined way possible but we have been frustrated by increasing price and service volatility from some suppliers.

The deal will also deliver greater sustainability, supporting AWM’s commitment to waste to energy “ B y d e v e l o p i n g a c l o s e through Combined Heat and partnership with AWM we can Power Plants, which last year offer our clients more stable generated enough energy to pricing and a far higher level of power more than 30,000 homes reliability whilst strengthening & businesses throughout the UK. our relationship with a fantastic Justin Holley (pictured) of Core local business,” he added.Tim Facility Services said: “Yorkshire S h a p c o t t , U K C o m m e rc i a l

Director representing AWM said: “As part of the Beauparc Utility Group, AWM is a significant player in the waste industry operating our own fleet of vehicles and employing 360 staff across 5 sites and processing more than 600,000 tonnes of waste per annum.

“This deal will make it even easier for Core to guarantee value for money and service excellence to its customers across waste management and environmental compliance.” smoothly.”

Fake it or make it The Visual Media Conference (VMC) will return on 7 April 2020 with feedback from the 2019 conference making two things clear. One, the event is recognised as a source of new thinking illustrated by powerful case studies and two, the industry wants to know what is authentic and what is not.

There is currently a backlash against the hype of online marketing compared with printing. People are suspicious of fake trust pilot reviews, fake followers and a slew of fake news.

The very latest marketing technology will be discussed and demonstrated by experts.

Big names in the industry are already preparing their presentations on Artificial Intelligence, which is being used as a tool for campaign planning. You’ll be able to see how the Virtual Reality headsets they previously showed have been harnessed to navigate big data as if it were a 3D World.

They are not forgetting the heart of the business with printing technology and the craft of graphic arts. Ongoing support from the founding partners - HP, Jaywing and ProCo, means they continue to be ambitious.

The VMC is free to attend but as the event is popular, you will need to book early. To do this visit www. visualmediaconference.com

So, for 2020, organisers have chosen the theme ‘fake it or make it’ to address these issues.

They will expose the fakery and provide positive alternatives that can be substantiated.

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

switch, but where then do these businesses begin? Whether a professional buyer, facilities manager - or FM company serving clients - head of finance or energy broker, the process of going out to the market - the whole market - for competitive quotations simply doesn’t exist in a way which is practical and efficient by any current measure.

EXPERTISE

Two Yorkshire entrepreneurs to make a ‘big splash’ Following de-regulation of the English non-domestic water retail market in 2017, only a fraction of the number of businesses that the market might have expected to switch have actually done so, and the results are in as to why that seems to be.

Unlike the energy market, which was deregulated well over two decades ago and has had ample time to mature and establish stability and normality, we are but a short time outside of the honeymoon period where this industry is concerned.

Why is this then? With so many advancements in business technology and our familiarity with all manner of switching and procurement systems, at home as well as in our workplace, why have less than two-hundred and fifty thousand businesses out of the 1.2 million switched water supplier, when over 50% are aware of the opportunity to do so? And, what are some of the other issues, perhaps unforeseen, that have emerged following deregulation?

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It’s not unreasonable to suggest that one of the reasons why small businesses haven’t addressed switching water supplier is due to the perception had by many, that there is little benefit in doing so. In addition, it would appear, that with such small financial savings to be gained by many micro businesses and SMEs, that the perception is being bolstered by the ‘cost’ (time, which could be given to other business activities) being disproportionate to the returns, and so it’s likely that as things stand today in the market, the perception may well be warranted.

Imagine trying to gather water billing data on dozens, if not hundreds of sites, perhaps for the first time, which is represented in bills from a number of retailers, in different formats, and then co-ordinating a tendering exercise that allows for an accurate and reliable method of consolidating and comparing responses. It’s difficult to image, because presently an effective, repeatable methodology doesn’t exist in the water industry, but moreover, to provide one would require significant experience in the industry and factor in a solution to one of the side-effects of deregulation, which has been the loss of an element of the market data and tariffs that has had the result of many businesses seeing their prices increase following deregulation. This particular topic is, as yet, unrecognised to many and the expertise to address it is in even shorter supply.

SIGNIFICANT

This is perhaps one of the most compelling reasons why the ‘open water market’ has yet to gain momentum like it was envisaged.

That the technology so commonplace in the energy market is unsuited to the Water Retail Market and that, in addition, there is a gap in the water-specific expertise that can help identify and correct the data, where error exists, and where it leads to incorrect customer billing.

So, what then of the larger businesses who are consuming significant volumes of water, or which operate multiple sites; surely there’s a stronger argument to support the organisations switching, or at least carrying out an exploratory exercise and seeking quotations? Of course, word on the street seems very much to indicate more of an awareness and of an appetite to

Two businessmen from Yorkshire have joined forces to tackle the problem headon, provide a solution that aims to help kick start the industry and contribute to it realising the potential so many still see, for the good of the industry and customers alike. Graham Mann has over 30 years’ of experience working in the non-domestic water retail industry, he

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and his skilled team have been consulting for nearly twenty years.

Graham’s business partner is Tim Guest, a technology expert with nearly twenty years’ experience delivering custom business process applications and complex, datadriven web projects. Tim’s core business is well-known in the North of England as one of only a handful that contain both the technical skill sets and commercial and industrial acumen to sympathise with its customers’ unique challenges and to develop transformative solutions. Together, Graham and Tim are pioneering what is likely to be the first water-specific procurement platform to reach the market and is launching the first of its offerings, a tendering portal for larger or multi-site water users, in Q1 Of 2020. SwitchWaterSupplier.com will directly address the challenges the industry faces, looking at one and then another, and has an original approach that aims to bring the water retailers and customers together.

This platform is not to be confused with any other price comparison site as the Switchwatersupplier.com site is much more than just a price comparison it has many other high value features and is totally transparent, impartial and independent, where the customer makes the choice based on the best value deal. With water industry experts on hand to support customers it will be recognised as the place for customers to Switch Water Supplier “Bringing Customers and Water Retailers Together”

N E W S U P D AT E

Smith Brothers secures ICP contract with P3P Partners High-voltage power contractor Smith Brothers has secured an Independent Connection Provider (ICP) contract with sustainable energy specialist P3P Partners, to provide turnkey electrical engineering services on a forthcoming North Yorkshire project.

A leading provider of combined heat and power (CHP) services, P3P develops energy-efficient centres across the UK and has previously delivered state-of-the-art solutions to such household names as Jaguar Land Rover and Hilton Hotels.

Having located the site, negotiated with the landowner and Northern Powergrid, and ultimately secured the connection, Smith Brothers has now been appointed by P3P as the ICP for the forthcoming mixed technology project.

Smith Brothers will be responsible for delivering a 66kV, 49.9MW ICP connection and private works across the site.

The sche me of works will include the design, construction, installation and testing of a Northern Powergrid (NPg), 66kV substation, and a private, 66/33kV substation. Due to the nature of the site, the team will be required to conduct specialist Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) for a section of the cable route.

Commenting on the partnership, P3P’s project manager Evan Thomson said: “We have worked with the Smith Brothers team previously and were impressed by their efficient project management and delivery. We’re looking forward to working with the team on this and subsequent schemes.”

Dave Ogden, managing director at Smith Brothers, added: “We are delighted to be working with P3P once again – particularly on one of our own sites. As one of the CHP sector’s biggest players, it’s great to cement their place within our growing client portfolio with this second project.

“Of course, we are no strangers to complex renewables assignments, having completed over 50 large-scale connections in the past year alone.”

Headquartered in Elland, West Yorkshire, Smith Brothers is a high-voltage power engineering contractor and accredited ICP, specialising in delivering turnkey network connection packages across an array of sectors – including renewable energy, utilities, industrial and commercial.

The duo have confirmed contract values of over £50m are already registered and eagerly awaiting the portal going live in the New Year, but are working with SwitchWaterSupplier. com clients now to audit their existing water bills and identify incorrect tariffs and over- or under-charging.

if you’d like to express your interest in being able to tender your business portfolio’s water contracts to the entire retail market and realise any potential savings with ease, email hello@switchwatersupplier.com

SmithBrothers Solar farm TopicUK January 2020

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Vote for TopicUK’s Mandy To p i c U K’ s b u s i n e s s executive Mandy Taylor has been nominated for a Yorkshire Choice Award as local fundraiser of the year and we are appealing to our readers to vote for her.

Mandy, also known as Charity Mandy, is well known for giving her time generously for many different causes and has raised substantial amounts of cash. She is an ambassador for a number of charities and is often called upon to host events and auctions.

In the last four years, the Yorkshire C h o i c e Aw a r d s h a s g r o w n considerably, celebrating the very best from Yorkshire, raising money for local charities along the way.

In 2020 the chosen charity is Simon on The Streets. This is a fantastic charity offering street based support for those in need and those living on the streets.

Readers have until Friday 1 February to cast a vote: https:// www.yorkshirechoiceawards. co.uk/votehere TopicUK January 2020

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NOENWTS HUEP M DA OTVEE

On The Move New Appointments throughout our region A dual qualified (English and Russian) employment solicitor with experience in the Middle East, UK and Russia, Irina has advised business from a variety of sectors including local and international banks and financial institutions, retail giants, property developers, international hotel chains and various government authorities in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Eaton Smith welcome new solicitor Eaton Smith is delighted to welcome Irina Polyakova to the team. Irina joined the firm at the beginning of November as a senior solicitor in the Employment Law team. director at the company.

It firm supports apprentice Bellingham IT, the Wakefield based specialist, has strengthened its team with the appointment of Sean O’Toole as an apprentice infrastructure technician.

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of commercial property work, including landlord and tenant matters, acquisitions and disposals of business property, preemption, option, overage and lock out agreements, plus development work and secured lending for both lender and borrower.

Prior to working abroad Irina successfully developed and managed an employment law department at a UK law firm. She has significant experience of advising individual and corporate clients, pursuing cases against national and international companies in the UK, conducting advocacy at Employment Tribunals and negotiating financial settlements for clients.

New energy head sparks growth

Irina said, “I am really excited to join Eaton Smith. The firm works with some very high calibre businesses both in the local area, nationally and abroad who I am very much looking forward to working with.”Deborah Melluish, Partner said “Irina is a fantastic addition to our team. She will further strengthen our services to businesses and individuals through her expertise in employment law.”

Brandon joins Jordans from Huddersfield firm Eaton Smith, bringing a wealth of experience in a broad range of commercial property transactions amassed over 25 years, advising both in the private client and in-house corporate sectors.

Sean, started his apprenticeship after hearing about the opportunity through Estio Training.

team as they deliver first line support and assistance on data protection, security, cloud services, backup and disaster recovery.

Currently working towards his Level 3 Infrastructure Technician qualification, Sean will progress to a Level 4 Networking Engineer a p p r e n t i c e s h i p. H e i s a l s o undertaking additional training including a Cisco IT course at Leeds City College. As part of his apprenticeship, Sean will support the

Law firm Jordans Solicitors has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of Brandon Titterington as Head of Property.

Based at the Wakefield office, he will be responsible for all types

Sean comments: “I’m really enjoying my time at Bellingham IT. I get to learn from and work alongside a great mix of people. It’s fast-paced and productive so I can learn and grow in a real environment.”

Managing Director Paul Heigham

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Managing Partner, Christine Sands, “We are delighted to welcome Brandon to the firm. With his knowledge of the corporate sector, he is commercially aware and understands the requirements for quality work to be turned around within tight time frames He will play a major role as we move forward on both the commercial and private client sides of our business.”

Brandon said, “Jordans has always had a strong reputation for quality work with high levels of customer service. This is a great opportunity to play a part in the future of an expanding law firm.”

Brandon is married with two grown-up children and enjoys travelling, the challenge of learning conversational Italian and good food and wine. comments: “Sean is a great addition to our team. He is already thriving thanks to the support and guidance that he is receiving. We recognise the value that apprentices can bring to an organisation, not least in helping us to fill the skills gaps within our sector.

“As a result, we have established a safe yet practical environment that supports learning without impacting on our clients and the critical areas that we support them with.”

ADVERTORIAL to charity throughout the year, but especially at Christmas.

Keep receipts for your donations and claim them against your company’s Corporation Tax bill.

STAFF PARTIES

Make the most of profits with these easy company tax breaks Money is always going to be a major factor in the success or failure of a business, so ensuring you are making the most of relevant tax breaks is a smart way to keep more of the money your business earns.

Here are a few tax breaks that limited companies need to be aware of.

EMPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE C l a i m i n g t h i s re d u c e s y o u r National Insurance Contributions (NICs) by £3,000 a year, but from 5 April 2020 you can only claim this allowance if your employer NICs are less than £100,000/year.

Claimed through your monthly payroll, it means no Employer NICs are due until the whole £3,000 allowance for your company is used up.

ANNUAL INVESTMENT ALLOWANCE (AIA) The Go ve rnme nt is kee n to encourage investment, so you get

a one-off tax break of 100% of the purchase price when you buy (not lease) what’s called “machinery or plant”. You might hear this called Capital Allowances.

In reality there are more things i n c l u d e d t h a n t h e c a te g o r y would suggest, including some bathrooms and kitchens installed in your office and also some cars (but not company cars) so it’s worth checking about whether your planned purchase will qualify.

PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS Mo n e y p u t i n t o r e g i s t e r e d company pension schemes for employees and directors can be

offset against corporation tax and is also exempt from National Insurance Contributions of 13.8%.

Contributions are capped at £40,000 a year (unless a “carry forward” is possible. Speak to your accountant about this, as it’s a complex subject.)

One final benefit which is tax deductible is the annual office party. There are a few rules around what will qualify – you can only spend £150 per employee, a penny more and the whole lot is disallowed, and the function must be available to everyone – but it’s a really great incentive to say thanks to your team. The £150 allowance can be split over a number of functions and you don’t have to hold the event at Christmas, although many companies do; it just needs to be something that happens every year.

To get advice on the tax breaks available for your business call the friendly Parsons team on 01924 669500.

For advice about Making Tax Digital in relation to your business give one of the friendly Parsons team a call on 01924 669500.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) TAX CREDITS Another complex subject, but there are tax breaks available for the research and development of new products and services. It’s an area which needs an expert to provide advice, with lots of exceptions and specifics to be aware of, so if you think you’ll be developing something new, speak to your accountant.

Ian Parsons is managing partner of Parsons Accountants in Wakefield.

DONATING TO CHARITY Many companies make donations TopicUK January 2020

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ADVERTORIAL

30 years of hospice care in Wakefield T h i s y e a r Wa ke f i e l d Hospice is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The hospice is proud to support the Wakefield community by providing end of life care to people facing a life-limiting illness and support to their families at such a difficult time.

It was the dream of a group of eight nursing sisters approaching retirement that a new hospice was needed to provide care to the people of Wakefield. The eight nurses who had all been friends since they trained together at Clayton Hospital decided to raise the money to build the hospice.

During the 1980s the local community came together to support the capital appeal to raise the funds needed and five of the nurses continued to be instrumental in driving the appeal forward.

members of the public who manage to fundraise so tirelessly for the service despite this.

DATES FOR 2020

Over the course of the thirtieth year, there will be new and exciting developments which will enable the hospice to maintain and extend their care to more people. Work to refurbish the hospice entrance and reception starts in January and is hoped to be completed by the end of March. The work funded by the Morrisons Foundation will widen the main entrance to the hospice with the installation of new automatic sliding doors, providing a clear opening width for ambulance beds, motorised wheelchairs, and bariatric furniture as well as developing the inside reception area and shop.

For the thirtieth year the hospice has taken the opportunity to refresh its brand with a new logo. The leaves of the tree representing the eight nurses that helped set up the hospice.

Wakefield Hospice accepted its first patient on 2 April 1990. The The new logo includes the message hospice had cost £920,000 to build, ‘sharing the care now and for future £60,000 to furnish and at that time generations’ and with the continued cost £450,000 a year to run. support of the local community, it is hoped Wakefield Hospice will be Wakefield Hospice, in common with around to support future generations so many others, faces remarkable for many years to come. challenge this year in the context of a decline in funding from the NHS For more information please (now less than 25%), and the everyday contact Keeley Harrison : financial pressures experienced by 01924 331400

Top : HRH Queen Elizabeth II visiting in 1992 Centre : The Hospice Bottom : Duchess of Norfolk who was Chair of Help the Hospices at the time with medical director, Paresh Gadjjar and Matron, Judith Powell at the official opening of the hospice in April 1990.

Here are some event dates planned for the Wakefield Hospice thirtieth anniversary:27 January - Wakefield Hospice AGM, The Mechanics Theatre 29 February - 30 years, an exhibition of photographs, The Cluntergate Centre 29 March - Wakefield 10k and Mini Run, Thornes Park 28 April - London Marathon 1 May - A Night to Remember ‘celebrating 30 years of care at Wakefield Hospice’, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School 26 June - Golf Tournament, Wakefield Golf Club 4 July - Midnight Walk 16 August - Butterfly Appeal, Wakefield Hospice 15 September - Sporting Dinner, Cedar Court Hotel 4 October - Wrapped in Care Sponsored Walks, Wakefield Hospice 14 November - Anniversary Ball, Cedar Court Hotel 6 December - Elf Yourself, Trinity Walk Shopping Centre

TopicUK January 2020

15

Simon Dyson OUT OF OFFICE

In this issue Mandy talks to Simon Dyson, general manager, food & beverage at The Trading Rooms, The Piece Hall, Halifax.

By Mandy Taylor

Q: You arrive home on Friday night after a busy week. What’s the first thing you do?

Upon arrival at home, I stoke up the log fire and endeavour to “leave work on the doorstep” as such (although it’s never far from my mind) and open a bottle of my favourite red wine. Friday evenings are ones for reflection and relaxation, whenever possible.

Q: It’s time for the weekend.

What are we most likely to find you doing, and where?

O ne of the jo ys of living in Yorkshire is that we have amazing countryside right on our own doorstep, and subject to the weather, nothing beats a winters day on a mountain bike in the rambling hills of the Holme Valley.

I firmly believe in keeping a healthy body and a healthy mind, and if the weather really is inclement I will head to the gym for a good workout to kick start the day.

Q: Saturday night arrives.

What’s your idea of the perfect way to spend it?

I like to get out and about on a weekend. The Holmfirth Picture drome is a brilliant venue for live music, so we regularly go there to see bands play. Sometimes we’ll venture further afield to see a movie.

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I also like spending time with the kids at the park before heading home for a nice Sunday roast, using veg from the garden of course...

Q: It’s Sunday already. What tasks are usually on your ‘to-do’ list?

look at how we can improve the experience for our guests.

Again, as I spend so much time working inside, I like to get fresh air on a weekend. This part of Yorkshire has fantastic terrain for cycling so if the weather’s good, I’ll head out on a bike ride. I also like spending time with the kids at the park before heading home for a nice Sunday roast, using veg from the garden of course.

At this time of year, it’s all about incorporating the best seasonal produce into our menus and creating inventive new dishes for our ‘specials’ menu which changes weekly.

Q: Work again tomorrow.

Do you get the Sunday blues or look forward to getting back – and why?

I always look forward to my first day back, to see if there’s been any challenges over the weekend and

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Q: The weekend’s almost over.

What’s the last thing you do before you hit the hay ahead of another week?

The weeks are so hectic working in a busy restaurant, so I like to take the time on a Sunday night to relax.

My favourite way to unwind is to have a nice long soak in the bath.

You can’t beat it.

ADVERTORIAL

Smart cities: bringing science fiction to Leeds high street

By Kim Johnston, City Manager for Leeds at CityFibre

You may have heard of Smart Cities as a concept, but for many it remains frustratingly vague.

Simply put, it’s about combining technology and information to improve people’s lives and local services. Think of Leeds as a massive orchestra, and instead of different instruments, you have various sensors. From traffic lights and post boxes, to lampposts, bridges and pavements - all of them connected, and all of them working in symphony.

It’s likely that, in the very near future, you could see smart technology become ubiquitous in Leeds. In our homes right now many of us have voice-activated

devices, lightbulbs intelligent enough to switch off when they aren’t needed, and almost all of us are tethered to our smartphone. In time we will start to see a similar proliferation of smart devices in our local communities.

Expertise Of course, if we are suddenly going to be ramping up the amount of data cities are producing and capturing, we need to make sure the infrastructure is in place to handle it.

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networks – like the one CityFibre is building across Leeds – are capable of dealing with vast amounts of data. At the moment, just 10% of the UK has access to full fibre.

Instead, the country is reliant on legacy networks built on copper dating back decades, some all the way back to the Victorian era.

Essential It is here where the UK is falling behind as the rest of continental Europe, which is way ahead in establishing full fibre networks.

But this is changing and most within the telecoms industry are working toward rolling out a full fibre network to the UK by 2025.

and Leeds will be able to further embrace smart city technology because they will have a network capable of handling the massive amount of data it needs to work.

There is a long way to go, but the case for building smarter cities is compelling. While installing the devices needed and laying the essential infrastructure required will be a challenge, a smarter Leeds will drive benefits for everyone.

To find out more about the Gigabit City infrastructure in Yorkshire visit: https://www. cityfibre.com/gigabit-cities/

When that happens, Britain will go from digital laggard to leader TopicUK January 2020

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How Our Work with Leeds United Highlights Our Commitment to Patient Care

By Rachel Dilley

At Town Hall Dental, we are incredibly proud of the services we offer to our patients, and continually strive to increase the effectiveness and range of treatments to help everybody get the smile they deserve. The dental industry is one of regular change and staying up to date on new technologies is a full-time job in itself. Despite all of this, the achievement we are most proud of at our practice is our constant commitment to providing the highest quality of patient care for everybody who comes seeking help. No better is this illustrated than with our work alongside Leeds United Football Club.

When we began speaking to Leeds United, we immediately came to understand what a large task this could potentially be. Providing advanced dental care for patients was not a new concept to us, but the need to get work done so quickly and with minimal disruption was vital not just to the patient, but for the benefit of the squad. With so many fixtures, and training to boot, we could not afford to have players waiting nor be side-lined for any period of time. Having previously won ‘Best Patient Care UK’ at the Dentistry Awards, we knew that we would have to go above and beyond to meet these needs.

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implemented mean we can see even more patients every day, all of which receive the same level of care that they deserve, and is expected from even our most highprofile clients. Our work doesn’t end inside the practice, as we also operate a service providing dental care for the homeless in Leeds City Centre and look forward to working closer with the Leeds United Foundation, helping them with their vital work in the local community.

From a regular check up to a full smile makeover, caring for our patients is the most important part of what we do, day in and day out. We’re delighted to be able to see such fantastic patients, and we always welcome new faces through our doors.

We are thankful to announce that not only do we provide the services required by the Leeds United squad, but that the procedures put in place have further benefitted all the patients who come to see us. Every player is seen on the day they need treatment, and the efficiency improvements that were

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N E W S U P D AT E

The last year’s been an absolute ‘Ball’ For the last twelve months, TopicUK have supported the Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract, as they held a year of special events to mark their 30th anniversary. 2

everyone on their feet playing ‘heads and tails’.

Each edition, the hospice have received a free full page space where they have been able to share their events and updates with the business community, helping to raise vital funds, as well as receiving our support at networking events and other promotion online.

Sadly we had to wave goodbye to the lovely staff and volunteers who work so hard in the community, but not before we joined them at their annual Charity Ball at Oulton Hall Hotel, which was hosted

by Christine Talbot and Duncan

Wood from ITV Calendar. “The event was a real glamorous affair and we were delighted to see so many of the hospice’s volunteers attending, some who began raising funds even before the first brick was laid back in 1989,” said TopicUK group editor Gill Laidler.

Following a three course dinner, there was a grand auction, with TopicUK’s Mandy Taylor assisting the auctioneer, helping to raise a whopping £4,000 from the auction alone. There was a raffle with some fabulous prizes and Christine and Duncan had

A s w e m o v e o n to s u p p o r t Wakefield Hospice during 2020, who will also celebrate 30 years since they were opened by her Majesty The Queen, we hope that some of Prince of Wales corporate partners will take up our offer to help support the PWH in 2020, by purchasing a page or half page within TopicUK for the hospice, branded with your company logo as a sponsor. They need just six companies to do this for them and that will give a whole second year of valuable promotion. It will tick your own CSR box too!

If you’re interested in helping, do contact us: editor@topicuk. co.uk or speak to the hospice direct.

Double Tree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa Grand Opening

By Mandy Taylor, Business Executive lounge bar, reception, lounge public areas, event and function suites, 14 meeting rooms and guest bedrooms too.

As the Double Tree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa officially l a u n c h e d , To p i c U K ’ s M a n d y Ta y l o r j o i n e d guests at the glitzy party.

Sitting in beautifully landscaped

“We were greeted at the door by fire eaters and stilt walkers, and throughout the evening taken on gardens that overlook the spa a gastronomical tour of the venue, town, this impressive landmark including Carters Champagne building has undergone a £15m Bar & Grill and Frederick’s Piano transformation by owners, The Lounge whilst being entertained Cairn Group resulting in the by an array of musicians and magnificent 184-bedroom venue performers ranging from classical undergoing a thorough and full to an exceptional swing band,” refurbishment of its restaurant, said Mandy.

No expense had been spared and the standard of food, drink and service were quite simply outstanding.

Speeches on the night were delivered by DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa General Manager, Matthew Hole and Hilton Senior Vice President Patrick Fitzgerald.

With the addition of the former Majestic Leisure Club redevelopment into the £2m Harrogate Spa, this venue is clearly one that which is well placed to attract discerning guests, travelling for business or pleasure.

TopicUK January 2020

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I N C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H . . .

A Yorkshire treasure

TopicUK caught up with Amanda recently to find out how she juggles so much in her life, whilst still managing to look amazing.

Amanda Owen is a Shepherdess, author, photographer, businesswoman and mother of nine, well known from her popular Channel Five TV series, Our Yorkshire Farm, filmed high on the Yorkshire Pennines at Amanda and husband Clive’s remote farm, Ravenseat.

Born in Newsome, Huddersfield, Amanda, moved to Ravenseat after a chance meeting with Clive. “I was working on a dairy farm in Cumbria when I was asked to deliver a Tup to a farm high on the Yorkshire Pennines. That farm was Ravenseat, where Clive lived alone, living off Bacon, Cornflakes and shop bought pies,” she laughed. “Two weeks later I received a message from Clive, who is originally from Doncaster, asking me out for a drink. I had no plans to return to the remote farm in the middle of nowhere so I ignored it. Not long after, I received another message saying he needed some help with a sheep that had a broken leg and could I go and help. I couldn’t resist helping an injured animal, although there were many surrounding farmers who could have gone to his aid, so I retured to the farm, that was 1996, we stayed in touch and we married four years later in 2000.”

Noteably Although Amanda wasn’t brought up in the countryside, she quickly settled in and shortly after the couple married, Amanda was expecting their first child, a daughter who they named Raven after the farm. “I am very lucky because although I have always enjoyed the countryside, I was brought up in a multi-culturalHuddersfield so I think that I am very fortunate to have everything. I wake

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I N C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H . . .

First and foremost Amanda is a Shepherdess, looking after around 1000 sheep. “Most days you will find me out on the moors with my dog, looking after our sheep, or lambing or sheering, depending on the season, but since moving to the farm, other opportunities have come along.”

limelight and into the homes of the many people who tuned in to watch. This programme led to the one we enjoy today, Our Yorkshire Farm, which has commanded huge audiences with as many as

Limelight

Having all these children does make life very hectic on the farm, but I wouldn’t have it any other way... every morning to see beautiful hills and countryside.”

Raven is now eighteen and studying at York University and much has happened in those years, most noteably eight other children, six girls and three boys, the youngest aged just three. “Don’t ask me all their ages inbetween,” laughed Amanda, “I would have to think about that. Having all these children does make life very hectic on the farm, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Each child has a job, helping out and they are so lucky to grow up in this environment, they run, they play, they learn, they really do have an idyllic childhood.”

The stunning landscape attracts lots of walkers to the area, many of whom walk across Amanda and Clive’s land. One day one of those walkers who stopped for a chat and a Yorkshire cream tea (another entrepreneurial idea from Amanda) was TV presenter Julia Bradbury, who was filming Britains Best Walks. “We chatted for a while and she seemed fascinated with our lifestyle,” continued Amanda, “but it was still a surprise many months later when we were contacted by a television producer who asked if we would be interested in taking part in a show about the Yorkshire Dales, hosted by Ade Edmonson.”

That programme ran for three series and propelled the family into the

two million tuning in on Bonfire night. “We love doing the show, people do like to have a window into other people’s lives. Nothing is staged, everything viewers see on television is really our lives, we do forget that the cameras are there most of the time.”

Following the success of the programme, another surprise came for Amanda in the form of a literary agent asking if she would be interested in writing a book. “I’m not one of these people who believe that there is a book in everyone, but thought, what do I have to lose, so I gave it a try, using many of the images I took myself which had originally been intended for my private collection of watching our children grow up, and ended up on the best seller list!” Another two books have followed since!

Today, Amanda is in much demand, appearing around the region talking about her life. “Although life has changed over the last few years, I wouldn’t change anything. I think it is important to embrace what life throws at you and I am enjoying every second of it.”

TopicUK January 2020

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08/11/2019 10:07

Engage builds first of its kind app

N E W S U P D AT E

Results-driven digital agency Engage launches new app ‘Super Stars’ to help empower young people in disadvantaged areas of Leeds to develop the skills, knowledge and experiences to make a positive difference in their local communities.

Super Stars has been designed and developed for Harehillsbased charity CATCH, set up by West Yorkshire Police Officer, Ash Razzaq MBE. It aims to support the charity in its mission to sculpt the lives of young people in the area by encouraging them to partake in positive activities that encourage good ethical and personal values.

Engage has donated over 1,500 hours developing and improving the app, based on the feedback from the children who are using it daily. Alongside the £150,000 worth of working hours that have been donated, Engage has been fundraising for CATCH through their Olympics initiative.

Alex Willcocks, co-founder of Engage, explains how the app works: “We’ve essentially built a digital volunteer development programme. At the heart of the app are the Star Badges, with each badge being made up of a number of tasks in areas such as Leadership and Teamwork. By completing the tasks, users slowly work their way towards achieving their Star Badges.

“Super Stars badges are directly l i n ke d to i n c e n t i v e s , f ro m expe rie nces, vouche rs and

physical rewards through to actual badges, t-shirts and other gifts.

“The tasks themselves are loaded with content which is directly linked to employment and a strong set of positive values, which make a measurable positive impact on the young people engaged with the app.”

The app is the first of its kind and gives users proof of positive extracurricular activity involvement which aims to help them when searching for e mplo yme nt.

With their Ambassador, sporting legend Kevin Sinfield MBE as guest speaker, the conversation flowed as he shared with guests his story, one which was

Ash Razzaq is the founder of CATCH and the driving force behind creating this platform. His vision with starting the initiative was to create a safe space where they could positively develop their social life and the app is a key part of that.

Ash said: “Since beginning the project I have had a vision to transform the lives of young people.

Super Stars is genuinely turning lives around and providing hope for young people who previously had very little hope for their futures at all.”

Kevin’s a lifelong ‘Leed’er Weetwood Hall Hotel was a perfect location for a very relaxed and delicious lunch, when TopicUK, Gill and Mandy guests along with fellow professional partners and clients of Chadwick Lawrence.

CATCH are also finding the app is supporting the development of young people who were previously involved in crime or struggling at school by equipping them with essential coping mechanisms.

fascinating indeed, having played his entire professional career with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League, and captained the team to seven Super League championships and two Challenge Cup successes.

Now Director of Rugby for Leeds Rhinos his passion for the club, startling back to when he was only 13 years of age, and business acumen will no doubt prove to be an invaluable asset to them.

CATCH is one of the largest youth clubs in Leeds and has a membership of over 1000 young people from a mixture of backgrounds. It was recognized as the ‘Best Place for Children and Young People’ in the 2018 Child Friendly Leeds Awards.

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

Personal sketches from Yorkshire’s own artist

We first met Yorkshire artist Ashley Jackson in 2015 when he appeared on the cover of the first edition of TopicUK Barnsley and South Yorkshire.

So, when he sent us a copy of his new book Watercolour Sketches we were delighted.

Ashley has a great love of the Yorkshire landscape which is reflected in his paintings. His new book however is a collection of sketches and raw drawings that were never really for public viewing, they are intimate thoughts and feelings personal to Ashley.

His book is a delight. Almost 150 pages of coloured sketches each taking a page, with a descriptive subject facing page and explaining

Ashley’s thoughts. One of our favourites is of the Black Sheep Inn, Wensleydale and the beautiful village of Appletreewick, but every page brings a surprise and a beautiful illustration.

Ashley’s paintings are atmospheric, you will normally find him on the moors when the weather is bleak and inhospitable, enabling him to capture the most beautiful scenes.

If you love Yorkshire, you will love

Ashley’s book. It is a joy for art lovers everywhere and invites you to take your own Yorkshire journey through beautiful landscapes and villages. Signed copies with a sketch, are exclusively available at Ashley’s Holmfirth gallery, or we have a signed copy to give away to one lucky reader. Just email us at PR@topicuk.co.uk your name and telephone number and the first name drawn after the closing date of March 1st, will be the winner.

T&Cs There is no cash alternative and the editor’s decision is final.

No personal contact details are

Tree planting marks end of 150 Days of Community Partnership Colleagues from Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk joined forces with the Air Cadets from 127 City of Wakefield squadron, to plant a tree in St James’s church yard, in Wakefield.

The occasion marked the ending of a partnership that began in May, when the two joined forces, to celebrate Sainsbury’s 150th birthday.

Both parties have attended St James church in Wakefield each week to tend the Commonwealth War graves. General up keep, the

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building of a peace garden and other duties were also carried out by Sainsbury’s colleagues who volunteered, as part of their working day. The Cadets banked over £4000 at the close of partnership by taking up the four in store fundraising opportunities, offered throughout.

Sponsored by

The award-winning public relations business specialising in B2B communications

Company of the Month

Savvy Sam bolsters newly launched tech enterprise Machine learning (ML) and AI brand Third Foundation has grown its team even further following the arrival of a vastly experienced technical director.

either passed to a third party of retained on file. You will not be contacted for any other offer.

Sam Kirkbride joins the tech start-up with the core focus of leading a team of engineers to help businesses to integrate the enterprise’s intuitive programme, Prime Radiant, into their existing systems. This intuitive, proprietary tech sits at the heart of Third Foundation’s ability to deliver a real difference using AI and ML. Following nearly a decade with strategic marketing agency HOME – where he became the firm’s head of technology – Sam has vital experience in leading web development projects, building chatbots and voice assistant-based

systems. He was also a key driver in upskilling the organisation’s data and SEO teams in computer programming so that they remained ahead of the curve.

The former website developer is now utilising his vast technical knowledge to bolster Third Fo u n d a t i o n ’ s c r i t i c a l d a t a expertise and helping companies to understand how to extract crucial online detail so that they can make stronger, commercially savvy decisions.

W i t h T h i r d Fo u n d a t i o n recognised as a Google Cloud P a r t n e r, S a m w i l l m a n a g e collaborative projects via the platform and also play a pivotal role in further enhancing Boostify – a customer experience optimisation business in which his new firm co-runs.

Cadet’s CI, Charlotte Pickering said, “we would like to thank Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk for choosing us to be their 150 Days of Community partner.

The efforts of both the colleagues

from the store and the customers who gave so generously were appreciated by everyone in our squadron”Store Manager, Phil Butterfield added, “It’s great to make a difference in the local community, and I’m proud of the

efforts my colleagues have made through the 150 Days”

“It’s an exciting time to be part of an organisation which is eager to revolutionise the marketplace utilising the power of ML and AI. I’m looking forward to a fresh challenge and bringing my experience to the fore,” said Sam. TopicUK January 2020

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ADVERTORIAL

Why January is the perfect time to get ahead It may feel as though 2019 is a far gone distant memory and suddenly we’ve all been flung head first into a new year. But don’t panic. Despite the rumours and reputation, the start of the year doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom!

It allows time to reflect and refocus The start of the year may be slow for a number of industries, but this doesn’t need to be a major cause for concern. Take this time to reflect on the year gone, in order to react for the year to come. Approximately 80% of resolutions have failed

by February, so why not take a different approach to goal setting? Jot down and review your professional accomplishments from 2019, then build on them in order to create realistic goals for the future.

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As mentioned, January provides a perfect opportunity to shake things up a little. If your working environment is feeling a little

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month we dedicate an entire week to wellness, making it that little bit easier for members to actively improve their wellbeing, at work and beyond. The programme begins on the gloomiest day of them all. Blue Monday.

drab and dreary, why not consider moving to a new HQ? You’ll most likely be refining and implementing a new strategy for the year ahead, and a fresh start within a new office could mirror this change perfectly. In Leeds we will be hosting ‘Free Fridays’ within the coworking space - providing the perfect chance to see what Avenue HQ has to offer, without any membership commitments.

Ultimately, working in a new, inspiring location could really give your productivity levels the kickstart they need at the beginning of the year. Change is good: go and embrace it.

Focus on your wellbeing at work January is jam-packed with green smoothies, salads, and some form of healthy new hobby. Which if we’re being realistic, may go by the wayside before you can say the word ‘spin class’. However, from a professional perspective,

AHQ Week of Wellness, will incorporate a wellness orientated event each day of the week, focusing on different areas of wellbeing, from mindfulness, mood boosting breakfasts and even pet therapy!

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January provides the perfect opportunity to focus on striking a better, more wellrounded work/life balance, improving your wellbeing at work, without the need for unrealistic fad diets.

At AHQ we’re aware that January can be a bit of a struggle, with an abundance of promises of healthy eating, more exercise and less drink. So, to help our members throughout the

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Ultimately, there’s so much more to this month than the promise of learning a new language or completing dry Jan. Push aside the ‘got to get through this’ attitude and utlise January well to ensure this year is the best yet, both personally and professionally.

Experience the AHQ life and join our community for Free Friday to make January a month to remember!

Lessons in Business

This issue, our regular look at a local business leader is Steve Sykes, owner of Applied Digital Marketing.

After starting work in engineering, a move into the creative industry satisfied both sides of my brain.

Design and Technology didn’t exist as a subject when I was at school but if it did, it would’ve been the perfect curriculum for me.

Since entering into the creative industry when ‘digital marketing’ was still known as ‘New Media’, I feel privileged to have helped businesses in all types of sectors succeed, and have had massive variety in my role. I have always been driven by the pat on the back from a job well done rather than squeezing out the last penny from a client, and I still think that’s the way to go for the longer term success of our business.

There are a few rules I try to apply that have been forged by experience, but I have to admit it’s easier to say this than stick to it!

Gut is usually (but not always) right.

Sometimes, it seems like all the analysis in the world just confirms what you first thought… but that’s no excuse for sending that reactionary email in the heat of the moment. Write it, then save to drafts. Just in case.

Don’t wait too long.

The biggest regret is sometimes delaying the inevitable. If you k n o w… r e a l l y k n o w. . . t h a t

something isn’t right, don’t keep putting off that decision.

It’s almost guaranteed that the main thing you’ll regret is not acting sooner.

Learn every day.

So many people out there have so much experience to give. I’ve had a few mentors, advisors and coaches over the years (sometimes just good friends to have a beer with) and have benefitted from every one of them, both in business, and on a personal level. Different perspectives are great, and allowing someone to push you to

see something from another point of view can leave you mentally exhausted but ultimately much better off.

happened. Sweeping things under the carpet just leads to lumpy carpets. And no-one likes a lumpy carpet.

Be genuine.

Everyone makes mistakes.

Owning up and keeping your integrity is a much better strategy in the long term.

If you deal with a problem I have always been in the right way you driven by the pat can actually on the back from come out of a job well done... the situation looking better than if t h e p ro b l e m h a d n e v e r

Look longer term.

When making a promise, do everything you can to over deliver. It’ll pay off in the long term if the relationship is right, and if the relationship isn’t right you’ll find out sooner. Over delivery on a project, whether it’s in the odd extra feature, or exceptional service, has a disproportionate effect on customer delight.

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

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ADVERTORIAL

A final farewell doesn’t have to be sombre

Nobody wants to think about arranging a funeral, least of all arranging your own, but have you ever thought of attending your own? With living funerals becoming more and more popular, now you can.

then turned into rings, necklaces, bracelets and even paperweights.

Sensitive If you do settle on a traditional funeral but don’t want a black hearse to take you to your final resting place, why not try a more fun departure in a pink, a Union Jack, a rainbow or even a leopard print hearse? You can even arrange to take your final journey on a motorbike with a coffin carrying sidecar! The options are endless.

How many times have you heard the phrase, he / she would have loved to have been here and seen all the family and friends together?

Well why not, you can now arrange to have your wake and say goodbye to family and friends in person.

Firework R J Burgess, serving the Wakefield district, can take care of the living wake arrangements for you, even organising a disco or perhaps a Northern Soul dance.

Not for you? Things still don’t need to be sombre. There are lots of options to make your funeral, shall

Ashes are placed into special pods that are fired into space, carefully monitored until the right moment, when the ashes are released.

If you would like to discuss a personal funeral for yourself, why not speak to R J Burgess today.

The service is sensitive, discrete and confidential. You also have the opportunity to discuss finance plans should you not wish to leave this burden with your family.

For a more down to earth option, ashes can be specially treated and turned into a glass like substance

To arrange an appointment call 01924 894017 or visit the website www.rjburgess.co.uk

the stars or actually arrange to have them sent into space!

we say different! Why not organise a firework display, shooting off to

| C A R E , C O M PA SS I O N, C H O I C E

Yorkshire Award for John Sentamu tie event takes place on Friday 6 March at the Hilton Hotel Leeds and a limited number of tickets are still available at £80 per person.

A number of awards will be announced on the night, recognising noted people from across the Yorkshire region.

The Archbishop of York John Sentamu, will be amongst g u e s t s a t T h e Yo r k s h i r e Society’s prestigious Awards and Gala Dinner when he

will be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ho s te d b y B B C ’ s H a r r y Gration, this exclusive black

Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

To reserve a place or make an enquiry email: awards@ theyorkshiresociety.org TopicUK January 2020

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E AT I N G O U T

Well, well, well: it’s time to ‘drop in’ at The Pledwick, as Wakefield Civic Society President, Kevin Trickett MBE, discovers on a recent visit.

It’s been a while since I’ve dined at The Pledwick on Barnsley Road near Wakefield, so a recent change of ownership was all I needed to persuade me to go back there – oh, that and a TopicUK deadline to meet!

Anyone who has travelled along the A61 Barnsley Road will be familiar with the pub. Despite having been The Pledwick extended over the years, the core of 434 Barnsley Road, the building dates to the early 1830s Wakefield, when a much earlier pub, The Bull, WF2 6QE was demolished and the Pledwick Restaurant Opening Times: Well Inn erected in its stead. The Monday – Friday: Open from Midday: name, of course, refers to the ancient Saturday & Sunday: Open from 11am well to be found in the grounds.

Lunch (Monday - Saturday): 12pm - 2pm As part of the parish of Sandal Sunday Lunch: 12pm - 7pm Magna (which is mentioned in the Domesday Book), the settlement Dinner (Monday - Saturday) 5pm - 9pm (NB – A newly introduced Quiz at Pledwick goes back to at least Night means that no food will be served after 6.30pm on Monday evenings. medieval times. (The suffix ‘wick’ Also, please note no food is served after 7pm on Sunday) in a place name can often indicate Anglo-Saxon origins and has been ascribed various interpretations  Email: gm@thepledwick.com including that of farm, hamlet or  https://thepledwick.com/ settlement.) The pub was one of  : 01924 255599 By: Kevin Trickett, MBE, President of Wakefield Civic Society

30

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the lots offered for sale when the Kettlethorpe Hall estate was put up for auction in 1908 with the auction catalogue referring to the pub as “the well-known Pledwick Hotel”.

Since then, there have been numerous changes of ownership and licensee, the latest being in the spring of 2019 when it was taken over

by The Little Acorn Pub Company, a Wakefield-based enterprise established by the Crecraft family.

It was director Anna Crecraft who invited me over to have a look at what they’ve done with the place.

Cosy The Pledwick stands some three miles outside Wakefield city centre and will prove popular with both residents from the Sandal area and with people visiting the nearby Newmillerdam with its lake and countryside walks. I’m told that Sunday lunches at the pub are particularly popular.

If you’re travelling by car, you’ll be

E AT I N G O U T interested to know that the pub has a large car park. Entry to the building is today via a side door off the car park, the original front entrance having long since being closed off and replaced with a window. On entering The Pledwick, you find yourself in the bar area, which has a distinctly cosy, cottagey feel, with a large fireplace and seating. Walk through the bar area and you’ll find the dining area. It’s all open plan, so you can see who’s in and, if you like people watching, you can keep an eye on all the comings and goings.

There’s also a large outdoor terrace where, in more clement weather, it would have been nice to sit out overlooking the garden, but it was a quiet Tuesday evening in November when my partner and I arrived at The Pledwick and a there was a smack of winter in the air, so we hastened inside.

the offing. What follows, therefore, applies to the menu we sampled – do keep an eye on the website for details of the new menus when they become available. If the food is as well presented as it was when we visited (and I’m sure it will be!), then you’ll not be disappointed.

Delicious Being vegetarians, we always like to see a range of vegetarian options – having one vegetarian choice which never changes isn’t really offering a

The pub looked inviting and we received a warm welcome from barman Brandon...

Now, I do need to flag up that, at the time of our visit, there were changes afoot! The Pledwick had appointed a new chef who was due to start just a couple of weeks after we were there, and a new menu was in

‘mushrooms on toast’ – actually, pan-fried button mushrooms served on grilled ciabatta (£6.95). In the interests of research, I did, of course, take a bite out of this myself and it’s true, dishes don’t have to be complicated to be delicious! We both enjoyed my partner’s starter!

For my part, I opted for the grilled asparagus served with a crispy hen’s egg (£5.95), also very good and there was no stinting on the asparagus!

So, what did we have? Well, for starters, my partner opted for

Attentive For the main course, we both opted for the roasted aubergine (£11.95). This came with a spiced nut crust, ‘heritage carrots’ and sundried tomatoes. For the omnivores amongst you, there’s quite an extensive range of meat and fish dishes, including ‘pub classics’ such as home-made steak pie and fish and chips, as well as steaks and mixed grills. Prices for main courses start at £9.95 for sausage and mash and go all the way up to £55 for a 16oz Chateau Briand – ideal for sharing between two (but only served on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays).

The pub looked inviting and we received a warm welcome from barman Brandon, our waiter Richard and bar manager Alex. Once our orders for drinks and food were placed, I took the opportunity to have a look around. The establishment boasts over 12 cask ales and draught

lagers, as well as bottled beers & fine wines and a generous selection of spirits which includes many craft gins and premium cocktail ingredients.

dishes’ and a similar number of vegetarian starters. There was only one vegetarian main course on offer but, with a mix of side dishes and the starters and sharing dishes that could be combined, vegetarians won’t go hungry. However, the new chef might want to take note! Most of the dishes marked with a ‘v’ look like they would be suitable for vegans as well, but it would be worth checking before ordering.

‘choice’ – and with the increasing number of vegetarian and vegan diners, all restaurants need to think about the variety of dishes they serve. It was pleasing therefore to see that the evening à la carte menu offered three vegetarian ‘light b i te s a n d s h a r i n g

And so we moved on to the dessert menu, with cheesecake for me and a sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream for him.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening – good food, comfortable surroundings and attentive staff. As regular readers will know, Wakefield Civic Society runs a monthly Dining Club for its members. I’ve already recommended that we should take our members to The Pledwick in 2020. What finer recommendation can there be?!

Kevin and his partner dined as guests of The Pledwick.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @MrTrickett TopicUK January 2020

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I T U P D AT E

As people continue to l e a d i n c r e a s i n g l y technologically driven lives, Bellingham are true believers that the need to make our cities smarter is greater than ever.

In essence, a smart city combines data and the latest communication methods to manage assets and resources efficiently, improve results across city operations and further develop services such as power, transportation and utilities.

Ultimately, by implementing big data applications, smart cities can monitor how they are evolving whilst effectively enhancing the quality of life for residents, visitors and businesses operating within this environment.

An advocate of using technology to benefit communities, Paul comments: “Smart Cities are undoubtably more prepared for dealing with the challenges of the 21st century. They are recognised globally for tackling widespread issues, whilst also offering innovative solutions which have the potential of revolutionising everyday city life.”

Benefit

The concept of ‘smart cities’ is not new; it has continued to be developed over the past five years and now is becoming more and more relevant due to digital transformation and the need to engage with communities in a more efficient way. Now, more than ever before, people and authorities are more willing to adopt these changes and recognise the significance of keeping up with technological advances.

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The importance of smart cities in an age of digital transformation

By Paul Heigham - Director of Bellingham IT It’s evident that digital and datadriven solutions are helping cities all over the world to operate more efficiently. This in turn benefits us all, but also enables informed, datadriven decisions to be made by all that live in and visit these cities.

Many sectors within public services, if not all, can benefit hugely from adopting the Smart City methodology. The retail sector can monitor visitors to and around the city by making use of sophisticated and readily available tracking technologies. While the leisure and recreation sector can utilise digital sign postings to engage with tourists and promote city initiatives.

As an example, Bristol and London who are early adopters of smart city technology, are currently UK’s

leading smart cities, providing integrated monitoring and management of city infrastructure such as traffic management, control and available parking spaces.

Furthermore, another key element of a smart city infrastructure is public safety and security. With the help of smart technologies, residents and visitors can assist authorities and help to reduce criminal activity by easily reporting crime and antisocial behaviour.

Embracing

Bellingham IT recognise all the benefits smart cities have to offer and believe the concept is no longer just a vision for the future, but instead finally becoming a reality for many towns and cities.

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Paul concludes: “Technology is fundamentally changing the way people live. With the next generation communicating and engaging solely through the use of mobile devices, it is now more important than ever for councils and city centre planners to adopt the Smart City methodology.

“By embracing digitalised solutions to create efficiencies, improve sustainability, create economic development and enhance the quality of life, all themes that resonate with the young people of today, authorities can better engage with the future generation and revitalise a positive relationship to keep communities running.”

Business of the Month TopicUK have teamed up with Eaton Smith Solicitors as media partners, to celebrate their Business of the Month Awards, that recognise the hard work, brilliance and innovation of businesses in the Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield areas.

Voodoo SMS L-R: Jenni Morgan, Action Coach - Helen Fletcher, NFU Mutual - Ben

Specialist Glass Products L-R: Julie Sheffield, MYCCI - Caroline Henderson, Kirklees

Award success for Voodoo SMS

Award win for Specialist Glass Products

Congratulations to Voodoo difficult to break. Large competitors SMS who have had their hard almost monopolise our sector work recognised by winning which has made it a tough journey the Eaton Smith Business of - however we are extremely proud the Month Award, making it of where we are today and what the fourth business to be in we have achieved.” contention for the Business of the Year Award 2020.

Andrew Pedley, Partner at Eaton

Huddersfield based business, Specialist Glass Products (SGP), has received the Eaton Smith Business of the Month Award.

Bowyer, Voodoo SMS - Andrew Pedley , Eaton Smith - Kyle Hudson, Voodoo SMS - Gareth Davies, Voodoo SMS - Bevan Hughes, Voodoo SMS - Chris Mellor, Voodoo SMS - Charlotte Heaton, Voodoo SMS

Voodoo SMS was established in 2013 and is a mobile messaging platform which enables their clients to bulk text message their customers and/or their staff. Although the company operates in a very competitive marketplace, they boast some very high-profile clients including NHS, Amazon, Ministry of Defence and Age UK amongst their thousands of customers.

Smith and member of the judging panel commented; “Voodoo SMS impressed the judges with their commitment to offering their clients a very high standard of service, they’re a relatively small company but they’re more than holding their own against some very large competitors. Their client base in significant and the judging panel felt that this is a business with a very exciting future.”

Gareth Davies, Managing Director of Voodoo SMS said; “We’re so pleased to have our business recognised by this award. We entered a very competitive market which is very

Voodoo SMS’s head office is at Turnbridge Mills in Huddersfield.

They are proud to promote their Huddersfield presence and work hard to raise the profile of the area.

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Council - Annie Bradley, DIT - Andrew Pedley,Eaton Smith - Andrew Taylor, SGP - Jonathan Taylor, SGP

and member of the judging panel said; “SGP makes a significant contribution to the region, employing 80 people from the local area including apprentices and by leading innovation in their sector, the company boosts the profile of Huddersfield as a place to do business. This business is an asset to our region.”

SGP was established in 2003 by brothers Andrew and Jonathan Taylor who saw a gap in the market for particular types of glass products that other suppliers in the UK could not provide. Their clients Andrew Taylor, joint Managing include others in the glass industry, Director commented on the award; architects, construction and steel “We’re really pleased that our hard companies. Its innovative range work and commitment to innovation of products includes LED smart has been recognised by the judges. glass, bespoke laminates for use We have gone through an investment in signage such as Crossrail, and programme over the last few years high-performance coated glass used which has resulted in state-of-the-art to reduce energy consumption in machinery and highly skilled staff. buildings. These are used to keep We are very excited about driving buildings warm in winter, and cool the future growth of SGP.” in summer by reducing solar gain and heat loss.

SGP will now go forward to the Business of the Year Award on 3rd Phil Clarke, Partner at Eaton Smith July 2020.

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Adventoris wins business award A leading B2B mobile technology company based in the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre in Huddersfield has been awarded the Eaton Smith Business of the Month award.

Adventoris L-R: Steven Leigh, MYCCI - Jayne Hustwick, Deborah Baynham – Adventoris

Annie Bradley – DIT Carol Sibbald – Huddersfield UniversityDeborah Melluish – Eaton Smith James Clarkson, James De Jong, Michael Bottomley and Richard Monnery – Adventoris

Adventoris’s flagship product, SwiftCloud, allows businesses to have a B2B mobile app that allows their customers to see products, communicate with the company and make orders 24/7. In addition to the ordering App, Adventoris have developed a Sales Rep App and a Web Ordering Portal which combine to create a B2B e-commerce solution.

Alison Palmer, Partner at Eaton Smith and members of the judging panel said’; “The judges were impressed with the innovative products produced by Adventoris in a very competitive market place as well as their client base which includes a number of large, multinational companies. We felt that this business has a very exciting future.”

Other members of the judging panel were Martin Hathaway from MYCCI,

Annie Bradley from DIT and two guest judges, Lucy Hodgson from Eastwood & Partners and Carol Sibbald from Huddersfield University.

James Clarkson, Managing Director of Adventoris commented; “2019 has been an incredible year of growth for us and we’re delighted to end the year by winning this business award. We have a fantastic team here who are working hard to build a world class software business based in West Yorkshire.”

The Business of the Month Award celebrates the hard work and brilliance of businesses in Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield. Along with the other monthly winners Adventoris will now go through to the judging panel for Business of the Year and the winners will be announced in July 2020.

ADVERTORIAL

Make a change in 2020 with Adult Courses from Kirklees College As we begin a new year it’s the perfect time to think about achieving your goals, or learning a new skill.

With the launch of the new Adult Course Guide, the college is delivering you a wealth of professional qualifications, leisure courses, and community-based classes including English, maths, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

Many of the courses are free of charge and are offered in a variety of subjects including animal care, business, h o s p i t a l i t y, a n d m o t o r

vehicle to name a few, which ensures there is something for everyone.

There are lots of options for funding your studies from payment plans, 19+ learner loans and options for those on benefits. Study in our state-of-the-art buildings with tutors who have industry experience and knowledge who can deliver the best teaching experience to help you unlock your potential.

that interests you, and with many of the courses fee-free, it allows you to explore an area and see if it is the right fit for you. With so much choice, the only problem you might have is deciding which course to choose,” said Emma Holmes, Kirklees College Marketing Manager.

So #MakeItHappen with Kirklees College this January.

“Our Adult Course Guide has been produced to enable everybody access to learning.

We’ve split the guide into easy to digest sections so that you can quickly find the course TopicUK January 2020

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L E G A L M AT T E R S

When should I review my Will?

The effect of marriage and divorce on a Will

It is usual when an individual is unhappy with the contents of a Will, that a new Will is made that revokes the older one. There are however, some circumstances that will automatically either revoke or invalidate some dispositions in a Will.

Marriage/entering into a Civil Partnership On Marriage or Civil Partnership, an individual’s existing Will is automatically revoked. This means that a Will becomes invalid and the estate will be distributed in accordance with the ‘Rules of Intestacy’ (a Statutory checklist which determines where property goes if an individual passes away without a Will). Your e ntire estate may not necessarily go to your spouse/civil partner under the intestacy rules so a Will is vital to ensure that your wishes are documented prior to and during marriage.

It is possible however to avoid the revocation by making a Will ‘in contemplation of marriage’ which means that a clause can be placed in your Will that stipulates that an impending marriage does not revoke the Will. This means that you do not

36

have to wait until after marriage to make a Will so that provisions are in place.

There are however specific rules to ensure that a Will is not revoked by marriage.

A Will cannot be made in contemplation of any marriage (there must be an intention to marry a specific person) and it is therefore important to seek advice to ensure that a Will made in expectation of marriage is enforceable.

If a Will is not made prior to marriage, a cohabitee is not entitled to any provision from your estate under the Intestacy Rules. Regardless, under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, a cohabitee can make a claim for financial provision. This is however time consuming, costly and stressful for your family so it is vital to make an effective Will prior to marriage.

Divorce/dissolution of a Civil Partnership Upon an individual’s divorce (on the grant of the ‘decree absolute’) or on the dissolution of a Civil Partnership (the ‘Final Dissolution Order’) a Will that is already in existence continues to be effective, save that the former spouse or civil partner is treated as though he/she has predeceased (unless contrary intention is expressed). Therefore, any gift to a former spouse/civil partner will fail. The gift will then fall into the ‘residuary estate’ for the alternative beneficiaries in the Will. If there are no alternative beneficiaries named in the Will, the property will be

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distributed in accordance with the Intestacy Rules, which may lead to your property passing to an undesired beneficiary.

It is important to highlight that although the former spouse/ civil partner will not receive any benefit from the Will following divorce, they can still claim for financial provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. It is the refore pivotal, especially prior to the finalisation of the divorce, for an individual to remake their Will excluding the soon-to-be former partner to ensure that the estate passes appropriately should something happen whilst waiting for the Decree Absolute or Final Dissolution Order. We

L EN G EAW L SM U AP TD TE AR TS E

We frequently advise unmarried couples who mistakenly believe that because they have lived with their partner for a number of years they are a common law husband or wife and therefore have the same rights as married couples on the breakdown of the relationship.

In reality this is a myth; there is no such thing as a common law husband or wife.

More and more people are cohabiting as opposed to marrying and yet unmarried couples have no legal or financial responsibility towards the other on the breakdown of the relationship.

This can produce some very unfair results irrespective of whether the parties have children. If financial contributions have been made towards the property, a claim may be brought.

However, as with all things this is not straight forward.

Contributed will draft a statement to accompany the Will giving reasons why no provision has been made for that former spouse. This will assist to safeguard the testator should that former spouse attempt to make a claim.

Regardless of any impending marriage or divorce, we recommend that a Will is reviewed every 5 years to ensure that the contents still accord with the individual’s wishes. A change in circumstances can often leave new family members without provision or the estate open to tax issues should the individual acquire new assets.

Any dispute about the ownership of property is governed by the Trust of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996. Anyone who considers they have a beneficial interest in the equity of a property, regardless of legal ownership, can ask the Court to declare the extent of their interest in that property. However, extreme care is needed in deciding whether to bring or defend a claim to ensure there is a good legal basis for doing so because there will be cost consequences for the losing party.

“I am a common law spouse aren’t I ?”

It therefore is not sufficient to simply assert a financial contribution, which may be relatively easy to prove, there must also be an intention to share.

The Court will ask the following questions in considering that issue:Is there a written record of the parties’ intentions? If so, this is usually conclusive.

If not, was there an intention to share?

This could be evidenced by verbal discussions or imputed from conduct.

If so, was any detriment suffered by the party asserting there was an agreement to share? Detriment does not have to be directly related to the purchase of the property but it must go beyond what would ordinarily be expected of a cohabiting couple.

ownership follows the legal ownership and unless there is anything to the contrary in writing the presumption is that the equity is intended to be shared equally.

The starting point is to look at what is set out in the transfer document. If that document sets out the shares in which the parties own the property then that will be conclusive save for very limited circumstances such as fraud or mistake.

If the transfer is silent as to each party’s respective shares, the presumption is that the property is owned equally and it is for the party asserting that the property is held differently to prove their case.

Equally

It isn’t sufficient to simply evidence that one legal owner has contributed more to the purchase price and/or renovation of the property than the other legal owner; the party asserting they are entitled to a greater than 50% interest also has to show that there was also an intention they would be entitled to more than 50% of the equity.

In respect of disputes where the legal title to a property is held in joint names the starting point is that the beneficial

This can be a very complicated area of law and therefore it is extremely important to take timely and expert legal advice.

If the Court is satisfied of the above then it will go on to quantify the parties’ respective interests but that is the subject of another blog.

If a property is owned in the sole name of one party the person bringing the claim must establish that there was an intention to share the property and they have contributed financially to the property and/or acted to their detriment in reliance on that agreement to share.

TopicUK January 2020

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A HELPING HAND FOR YOU & YOUR FAMILY advice. Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team will go the extra mile to achieve the best possible result for you and give you the peace of mind that you are in expert hands.

Our services cover all areas of: • • •

Divorce Civil partnership dissolution Financial settlements

• • •

Cohabitation disputes Mediation Collaborative law

• • •

Children law disputes Financial provision for children Grandparents rights

•

Cohabitation agreements

•

Pre and Post-Nuptial agreements

•

Adoption

Dispute Resolution

Employee Services

Family Law

Home & Property

Medical Negligence

Personal Injury

For more information or for some advice, contact our team on: E: family@chadwicklawrence.co.uk | T: 0800 015 0340 | W: chadwicklawrence.co.uk

Residential Housing Disputes

Wills & Probate

for all your legal needs, call your local solicitors

Ramsdens

with 14 offices across Yorkshire, we’re never too far away

01484 821 500 www.ramsdens.co.uk

L E G A L M AT T E R S

The importance of writing a Will If your loved one died, would you know their wishes for their departure from this world?

Jodie Wielgus

In very recent times, my father suddenly passed away and it was all very unexpected.

I’m a Probate solicitor so you would think that I’d know exactly what his wishes were. I deal with drafting wills for people daily to include their funeral plans, I plan funerals for numerous people who don’t have loved ones and you would think that this would all be standard protocol for someone like me.

Well, truth be known, I didn’t know my dads wishes. I didn’t know at all. Not one thing.

We d i d n ’ t h av e t h a t “ c h a t ” .

I feel so vulnerable and so helpless and like I’m now playing a guessing game.

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Ramsdens Solicitors The purpose of this blog is to stress that in life we have choicesand in death we have choices too.

Talking about death should not be a taboo subject, it should be part of future planning just like putting life insurance in place and dealing with other menial life tasks.

Putting in place a Will can include your funeral wishes, or even writing a side letter with your wishes so that your loved ones know which direction to take on your death and so they are not left in the turmoil that myself and my family are now in. Have that conversation, let people know how you wish to leave this world, why wouldn’t you?

For me, knowing what my dad would have wished for would make my life a lot easier right now.

Photo by Kat Jayne from Pexels

Personal Guarantees A personal guarantee is a legally enforceable promise by a person to repay the debts of another person. A person could be a company, LLP or an individual.

Usually banks and other lenders lending money to a company will insist that the debt is personally guaranteed.

The risk to the person giving the personal guarantee, (who is called ‘the guarantor’) is that, if the borrower fails to repay the debt, the lender will be

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entitled to seek repayment from the guarantor.

However, most guarantees often include terms which the guarantor

L EN G EAW L SM U AP TD TE AR TS E

Domestic Abuse hurts them too…

Some of the biggest victims of domestic abuse are the smallest.

West Yorkshire Police (WYP) are championing a campaign highlighting the effects that domestic abuse can have on children, and are subsequently urging parents to seek help to end this neverending cycle.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about the fact that children may become indirect victims of domestic abuse. According to Superintendent Jon Morgan, Head of WYP’s Safeguarding Central Governance Unit, children who witness domestic abuse are more likely to become drug users, get

may not expect, which is a reason why banks insist that a solicitor advises the guarantor on the personal guarantee document.

Typically, the lender will not be required to pursue the borrower before enforcing the guarantee.

If the borrower defaults in its payments, and the lender considers that pursuing the borrower may not lead to recovery, the lender may simply decide to pursue the guarantor.

Also, most guarantees are “all monies” guarantees. This means that they guarantee the repayment of all monies owed by the borrower to the lender.

For instance, the guarantee may be given in relation to one loan, but if the borrower subsequently takes out another loan with the same lender, that amount will be guaranteed under the original guarantee.

Due to the onerous nature of guarantees, the courts have taken the position that, in most circumstances, the guarantor must have received independent legal advice, so that they are clear as to what they are agreeing to and are not signing the guarantee under duress.

Lenders will require that a guarantor is given legal advice on the terms of the

involved in violent relationships, suffer in their education and health and commit criminal offences during their youth.

Research suggests that children witness around three quarters of all domestic abuse incidents, therefore WYP are urging parents to consider the true impact an incident may have on a child when filing a report against a perpetrator of domestic abuse.

Contributed WYP are keen to see a noticeable reduction in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) following the

guarantee by a solicitor who does not also act for the borrower. Although this may appear to be a formality, it has important consequences if the advice is given incorrectly.

For the guarantor, they may be signing a document which contains terms more onerous than they were anticipating. For the lender, incorrect advice may (but not always) mean that the guarantee is ineffective.

introduction of this new campaign, through raising awareness and highlighting the impact that domestic abuse incidents can have on children.

ACE’s can be stressful events and can arise from either witnessing, or being subject to, domestic abuse, whether it be in a physical, sexual or emotional form.

If an individual wishes to report an incident of abuse, but would prefer not to approach the Police directly, there are many other organisations and charities providing guidance and support. These include Broken Rainbow, Victims Support, Women’s Aid, NSPCC and the 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline; although in immediate danger it is highly recommended that you always call 999.

If you require any advice or assistance in relation to domestic abuse incidents, please get in touch with our dedicated Family team here at Ramsdens. The team can provide the reassurance and help you may need, and can connect you with a number of different support agencies in the local area.

It is important for all parties therefore that this advice is given properly, and the solicitor giving it is suitably familiar with guarantees and has properly reviewed the document in question.

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E N E W S U P D AT E

••

Business Structures & Reorganisations

• •

Accident Claims

••

Commercial Debt Collection

• •

Child Care

••

Commercial Disputes

••

Commercial Property

• •

Collaborative Law

••

Contracts

• •

Dispute Resolution

••

Employment

• •

Employment Problems

••

Intellectual Property

• •

Matrimonial & Family

••

International Trade Trade & & Transactions Transactions International

• •

Medical Negligence Negligence Claims Claims Medical

•• ••

Internet Trading Trading Internet Mediation of of Business Business Disputes Disputes Mediation

• •

Planning for for Retirement Retirement Planning

• •

Residential Property Property Residential

•• ••

Mergers, Acquisitions Acquisitions and and Disposals Disposals Mergers, Planning & & Licensing Licensing Planning

• •

Road Traffic Traffic Cases Cases Road

• •

The Law Law & & The The Elderley Elderley The

••

Starting In In Business Business Starting

• •

Wills, Wills, Trusts Trusts & & Probate Probate

L E G A L M AT T E R S

Employers should bear in mind the below detailed changes which are anticipated to come into force in 2020 and the ways to prepare for them.

entered into, or payments made on or after 6 April 2020, medium and large private sector businesses will become responsible for assessing the employment status of the off-payroll workers they engage.

Responsibility for accounting for tax and national insurance will shift to the party who pays for the individual’s services.

Changes to the reference period for determining an average week’s pay for holiday pay purposes From 6 April 2020, to even out the variation in pay for workers, particularly in atypical roles, to calculate an average week’s pay for holiday pay purposes employers will be required to look back at the previous 52 weeks when a worker has worked and received pay, discarding any weeks not worked or where no pay was received (as opposed to 12 weeks currently used).

Employers are advised to keep records of employee pay for the 52 weeks prior to 6 April 2020 and continue to do so thereafter.

Changes to the statement of written particulars Fr o m 6 A p r i l 2 0 2 0 a l l n e w employees and workers will have the right to receive a statement of written particulars from their first day of employment (Part 2 of the Employment Rights (Employment Particulars and Paid Annual Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2018).

As part of the extended right in addition to the current information t h a t m u s t b e p ro v i d e d , t h e statement of written particulars should also include: •

conditions of a probationary period, including its duration;

•

normal working hours, the days of the week the worker is required to work, and whether

Upcoming employment law

changes businesses should start preparing for in 2020

Irina Polyakova, Employment Solicitor at Eaton Smith LLP, highlights the changes that employers should look out for in 2020. or not such hours or days may be variable, and if they may be how they vary or how that variation is to be determined; •

details of other types of paid leave;

•

details of any training entitlement provided by the employer, any part of that training entitlement which the employer requires the worker to complete, and any other training which the employer requires the worker to complete and which the employer will not bear the cost of.

Given the new obligation, employers are advised to start preparation of the statement of written particulars which must include every element of the new requirement during the recruitment stage and review their current statements and contracts of employment.

IR35 tax rules will be extended to the private sector From 6 April 2020, changes to IR35 rules will be implemented for medium and large businesses in the private sector. Small businesses will not be caught by the changes. Under the new regime, for all contracts

It is paramount that businesses caught by the changes carry out an assessment of their workforce to identify whether the new rules will apply to their workers, review their contracts, status and pay arrangements.

Amendments to agency workers rules From 6 April 2020, once agency workers have completed 12 weeks’ continuous service working in the same role, they will be entitled to equal pay to workers who are engaged directly by the employer.

New parental bereavement leave A potential major shake-up of most parental rights is anticipated in 2020.

For example, the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 is expected to come into force in April 2020 providing bereaved parents with the right to two weeks leave following the loss of a child under the age of 18, or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Employers will be advised to consider a written bereavement leave policy to provide certainty and structure at a difficult time; be considerate of the requests for time off for religious observances on death and mindful of the possible long-term effects of bereavement, such as changes in performance, behaviour or sickness absence.

TopicUK January 2020

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LNEEGWASL UMPADTATTEER S

Jordans Solicitors Celebrate 70 Years and Company, and they soon took over the offices of Mirfield Butcher turned Solicitor Albert Edward Thompson. Even though Mr Crosland died in the 1960’s the firm was still called Crosland’s Jordan and Company until the 1980’s when it became known as Jordans Solicitors.

The firm remained a family business and Neil’s son, Robert Jordan, joined in 1982 after practising the family trade in one of London’s largest law firms.

Jordans invited many contacts, clients, staff and former staff to help them celebrate the 70’s themed party, with some guests and staff members turning up in 70’s fancy dress.

In November, Yorkshire based law firm Jordans Solicitors celebrated 70 years of practicing law with a party at one of Yorkshire’s top attractions, The Hepworth Wakefield.

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The firm is named after Neil Jordan, who was born in Leeds and went on to become Dewsbury’s bestknown Solicitor and president of the Dewsbury and District Law Society. Following his service in the Second World War, where he became one of the Army’s first bomb disposal experts, he helped to mind the coasts of Suffolk and Norway against invasion.

Originally founded under the name of Milford Crosland and Company, Neil Jordan joined the firm after he qualified as a solicitor in 1949.

The firm became Crosland’s Jordan

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Jordans has always been a highly ambitious firm and home to many excellent lawyers, many of whom went on to join the judiciary: Robert Jordan was invited to join the judiciary in 1999 and just a few years later his successor, Fred Rutherford also became a member of the judiciary. Robin Bedford became a judge in 2007.

Reputation Since 1996 Jordans have had an office in Wakefield, with the current Wakefield office based in the Unity Hall opposite the Theatre Royal. The 1990’s also saw Jordans open an office in Castleford. In 2011 anothe r opened in Horsforth providing full legal solicitor services in the North Leeds area. 2018 saw the firm open in the historic Market town of Selby and was the first office located outside of West Yorkshire.

In March 2019, Jordans move from their Dewsbury office in Neil Jordan House on Wellington Road, to just 400 yards down the road to 7A Wellington Road East, located next door to another firm

L EN G EAW L SM U AP TD TE AR TS E of Dewsbury professionals, Walter Dawson & Sons Accountants.

It has been a busy year for Jordans, with the recent incorporation to Jordans solicitors ( Yorkshire) limited. Managing Director Christine Sands said: “I have been with the company for nearly 20 years and in 2018 it was my honour to accept the role of Managing Partner. I did so aware that I would be a custodian of the long legacy and reputation of Jordans Solicitors.”

“When I joined in 2000, I was struck by the firm’s exceptionally strong ties within the West Yorkshire business and wider community it served. From the local people who worked for the firm, to its local businesses clients; its involvement in the Yorkshire community on many levels was and remains the bedrock of Jordans we are very proud to say.”

“Recent office moves have seen us renew our commitment to our traditional heartland in Dewsbury whilst expanding our teams in the iconic Unity Hall building, so it seems fitting, especially with the firms association with the Hepworth since it opened in 2011 that we would have our 70th anniversary celebration there.

Awarded Jordans Solicitors are a Corporate Supporter of The Hepworth Wakefield and sponsor the Explore & Draw stations located around the gallery.

These stations are full of objects to help families discover something new about the exhibitions on show.

Jordans has gone from strength to strength, it was the first legal practice in the Kirklees area to be awarded the Law Society’s prestigious Lexcel Quality Mark.

This practice management standard

is only awarded to solicitors who meet the highest management and customer care standards.

Fundraising As part of the 70th celebrations, 17 members of staff took the challenge to walk the Wakefield Way. This was formulated by the Ramblers Association and is 70 miles around the outskirts of Wakefield.

The groups of 4-5 members of staff tackled parts of the route, the shortest of which was 13.55 miles and the longest 21.26 miles.

Along the way, they had “When I joined in 2000, I to cross flowing water, was struck by the firm’s came face to face with farm animals and had to exceptionally strong ties fight through brambles within the West Yorkshire on the lesser used b u s i n e s s a n d w i d e r pathways highlighted

by The Ramblers community it served...

Association. In fact, one of our groups got so lost that they did far in excess of the 19.55 miles they intended

to do and instead finished after having completed approximately 21 miles.

This event was the brainchild of Robert Bates of the Employment Department and it was decided by that the 70-mile walk would best commemorate the firm’s 70th birthday.

Staff raised money for Community Awareness Program Care Wakefield, who aim to help relieve the suffering caused by want and poverty in the Wakefield area and beyond. This is Jordans Wakefield office’s charity of choice this year, and the total sum raised was almost £1,000.

Unity Hall, Smyth St, Wakefield WF1 1EP 7a Wellington Road East, Dewsbury, WF13 1HF Tel: 01924 387110 - 01924 457171 enquiries@jordanssolicitors.co.uk www.jordanssolicitors.co.uk Also in Horsforth and Selby TopicUK January 2020

45

Keep up to date with the latest business news for the district www.wakefieldfirst.com

Wakefield First is the business facing side of Wakefield Council, It’s been a busy period for business so far in Wakefield with lots of events news that we are extremely proud of. Here are a few highlights that we are celebrating…

SEWTEC REVEALS RELOCATION PLANS! Industrial automation specialist Sewtec has revealed plans to relocate to a new 75,000 sq ft facility in Wakefield.

The company has signed a 15-year agreement to lease an existing building in Silkwood Park near junction 40 of the M1, doubling the size of its current premises in Dewsbury.

Sewtec will now develop a state-of-the-art design and manufacturing facility in a multimillion-pound investment. It is expected to be operational by March 2020 brining its 130 existing employees whilst creating 70 new jobs in the next three years.

CADDICK GROUP DELIVERS ON UPCOMING £50M WAKEFIELD DISTRIBUTION CENTRE FOR GLOBAL CLIENT Caddick Group is to build a £50m GDV distribution centre near Wakefield for global real estate investment manager AEW. AEW will buy the site from Caddick Group and fund the development for its recently launched €290m develop-to-core UK logistics venture with Allianz.

Caddick Construction has been appointed as the main contractor and

will deliver the 512,000 sq ft facility, now named Wakefield 515.

Myles Hartley, MD at Caddick Developments said “Wakefield 515, which follows on from our successful Crosspoint 33 development will be a landmark scheme in terms of size and scale and we are keen to start on-site, creating hundreds of jobs locally both during and after construction.”

F o r m o re i n f o o n a l l t h i n g s b u s i n e s s i n W a k e f i e l d v i s i t : w w w. w a ke f i e l d f i r s t . c o m

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Has certainty returned?

by Mark Hanson BSc FRICS Hanson Chartered Surveyors.

(A Walker SingletonGroup Company)

The Tory victory at the polls saw an immediate rise in Stirling against the Euro and the US Dollar despite the markets generally viewing the Conservative plan for Brexit unfavourably since it will reputedly weaken the British economy.

This is because, on balance, a stable Tory Government is seen as providing more certainty over the Brexit process.

Certainty has value, but the declaration that our new Government intends to make any further extension beyond the end of 2020 for any new trade deal for Europe illegal raises the spectre of the possibility of a “no deal”, and on this announcement the Pound fell back again this morning.

TO LET

Unit B, Trident Business Park

Leeds Road, Huddersfield, HD2 1UA

1 Modern industrial/warehouse unit 1 11,670 sq ft (1,084.17m2) 1 Excellent access to Junction 25 of the M62 Motorway 1 EPC Rating: B (48)

Of course, the counter to that is that by taking action in this way, the EU can see that with an 80 majority and legislation making an extension illegal, if a deal is to be hatched then it must be in the incubator very quickly and they too will need to engage.

The point here is that we are again thrust into a period of uncertainty, but this was always going to be thus. By ensuring that the future relationship is set by the end of 2020

TO LET

Independence House

Holly Bank Road, Lindley, Huddersfield, HD3 3HN

1 Good specification offices 1 Ease of access to the M62 Motorway 1 Suites available from 289 – 2,473 sq ft (26.57 – 229.75m2) 1 Generous allocated onsite parking 1 EPC Rating: C (68)

C O M M E R C I A L P R O P E R T Y U P D AT E means that some uncertainty, in the Part of the rent improvement short term, will have been lifted. and yield compression is due to developer reluctance to build In the meantime, and counter speculatively thereby restricting intuitively, the market for good quality supply. Land generally is in industrial space has continued to be short supply in the areas where resilient with quality and location demand seems to be greatest. producing a premium.

But speculatively constructed buildings are potentially We have recently concluded the considerably more expensive acquisition of 30,000 sq ft of vacant in view of Stamp Duty Land Tax freehold modern accommodation in applying to the price, plus VAT Dewsbury and let it within weeks at (yes tax on tax) whereas SDLT can £5.85 per sq ft. All of the Colne Bridge be saved on a design and build Business Park which was developed by package where the developer sells Frank Marshall Estates, who we sold the land on which SDLT is paid the site to, is now fully let at around and constructs the building on the asking rent of £8 per sq ft. which no SDLT is paid.

As building costs also push up prices and values, freehold industrial prices are now routinely being quoted at £100 per sq ft and more for new space regardless of size; the highest quality industrial buildings are, therefore, reflecting a sub 7% yield in some cases.

TO LET

Unit B, Willow Lane

Huddersfield, HD1 6EB 1 1 1 1

Storage/workshop premises Within dedicated secure yard 7,582 sq ft (704.38m2) EPC Rating: C (69)

It now remains to be seen how the market reacts to the new political circumstances, but with clarity of purpose and an 80 majority, the market will want to see this used to create stability and certainty as soon as possible.

FOR SALE

Acre House

64 Acre Street, Lindley, Huddersfield, HD3 3HE

1 Rare prominent detached office property 1 10,639 sq ft (988.8m2) on a site of 1.06 Acres (0.43 Hectares) 1 Submitted planning application for residential development 1 Highly sought after established residential location 1 EPC Rating: D (94)

walkersingleton.co.uk 01484 477600 hanson-cs.co.uk 01484 432043 TopicUK January 2020

47

W O R K P L A C E I N N O VAT I O N

How integration and ‘middleware’ can lead to large gains for your business By: Tim Guest MD Contedia Business Technology

In last issue’s first piece on Workplace Innovations we introduced ‘custom apps’, and their potential to help your organisation make significant efficiencies in otherwise labour-intensive business processes. This time around let’s look at something which often goes hand-in-hand, but doesn’t rely on your business needing or adopting custom applications – or at least not the type that you and your colleagues might knowingly use.

Middle-what?

In the mid-90s the term ‘middleware’ seemed to pop up everywhere; at least everywhere in respect of enterprise IT. It has, however, been around much longer and was a general term used to describe the principle of providing a solution to link newer applications to older legacy software. In essence, though, middleware is simply some software that acts as a ‘bridge’ between two or more systems, i.e. applications, databases and so on.

Whilst you might not have thought about it before, it’s perfectly feasible to explore any benefits you might gain by having two of your most

48

Integration It’s very common to find now that most software offers an ‘Application Programming Interface’ (API), which is a protocol made available by the software developers to allow a very controlled and consistent means of integrating with their system and provides a documented method of exchanging information and routines.

business critical systems ‘talk’ to each other automatically, either continuously or by virtue of specific information in one changing and being a trigger to the two systems exchanging information and perhaps automating an otherwise manual task, albeit in a fraction of the time and without the potential for human error. Imagine, as a simple example, a certain type of activity in your CRM system triggers some information being passed and a new record created in your accounts software.

Whilst the existence of an API in the systems you would wish to make talk to each other isn’t absolutely necessary – it’s often possible to write middleware that interfaces with the applications’ databases directly - it’s one of the best and safest ways to achieve a consistent behaviour that allows middleware or direct communication between two pieces of software work well together.

The scenarios might be much more complex and involve a great deal of data, but you get the idea.

However, there’s a growing trend now in using an ‘integration platform as a service’ (iPaaS). In response to

Cloud services to make integration even easier

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the increased interest and demand to make different systems talk to each other and the relative expertise needed in effectively capitalising on APIs, a number of companies, such as Zapier, SnapLogic, MuleSoft and Claris Connect, have emerged which provide a cloud-based middleware product that do the hard work of creating the connectors, business rules, maps and transformations, using the software providers’ APIs, to allow you to simplify joining any number of supported systems together much more easily than if going about it yourself. “Not another software subscription!” I hear you say, but consider the overnight benefits and savings offered by the opportunity to integrate some of the systems you already use or might be looking to invest in as part of meeting your ongoing operational or marketing goals.

Where adoption of middleware and/or iPaaS solutions are working really well for SMEs and larger businesses alike is in their combined use with custom apps. Consider how you might realise considerable benefits by developing a custom application that is designed around your business to solve some unique o pe ra t i o n a l cha l le nges, bu t where much of the data it will need already exists in your other business systems. Combine the use of custom applications integrated with software and databases used elsewhere in the organisation, either with a small custom-developed middleware specific to your needs, or via one of the cloud-based service providers providing the glue, and the level of efficiency and automation you can achieve shouldn’t to be ignored.

Grow your business in 2020:

Choose EPOS from Yorkshire Payments

The New Year is the perfect time to put those all-important plans in place to help your business grow.

EPOS GO!

But do you really have all the information you need to help you make the best decisions possible?

EPOS from Yorkshire Payments helps you make well informed, commercial decisions for your business, by providing easy to access insight into what’s working and what’s not – all via your till.

EPOS shows you what’s selling well, what times of day certain products are most popular, and helps take the pain out of stocktakes. EPOS also helps you: • Gain clear insight into your trading activity • Update your stock levels

•

in real-time and see what’s selling, instantly Understand staff productivity and monitor shift patterns.

And with all this information easily accessed via your till screen, you have everything you need at your fingertips. Spreadsheets, be gone!

Want to see how EPOS works in a real-life environment?

Call Teresa on 01422 323785 or email teresa.why te@ yorkshirepayments.com today to book your free EPOS demonstration in our showroom bar.

Need EPOS on the move? Epos Go! from Yorkshire Payments gives you all the insights you need, but on the move. Simply remove the tablet from its till point cradle to move freely around while serving customers, processing orders and watching all the information you need appear in your hands!

*We’re trusted by some of Yorkshire’s biggest names, including Cannon Hall Farm, Huddersfield Town Football Club, Harrogate Spring water, Bradford City Football Club*

T H E Y O R KNSEHWI RS EU CP O DA AS T TE

Coming up roses... the new business strategy of famous club revealed

Brilliant new development projects have been unveiled by one of Yorkshire’s most historic sporting attractions as part of a spectacular season for 2020.

Scarborough Cricket Club is also aiming to attract a new wave of sponsors and supporters in a fresh and ambitious programme of investment to maintain the heritage.

In June, the Roses County Championship game should see a packed and buzzing North Marine Road - followed by two months of county fixtures culminating in the historic Cricket Festival and the festival dinner for which the club is hoping to increase attendance and support this year.

The club’s renaissance plan will also see: •

•

•

The development of the West Stand to include new bar, catering facilities, and additional changing rooms to complement those already at the ground.

A major upgrade of North Stand toilet facilities - work has already started Upgrades on toilet facilities in both the Popular bank and the Trafalgar Square end.

•

Plus ... a concerted effort to encourage more women and girls’ cricket in Scarborough and the area, to include training new female coaches and creating teams to compete in matches.

Rob Richtering, chief executive officer, said: “We have a major opportunity to grow cricket in the area in 2020. The county cricket matches give us a superb opportunity to increase the number of visitors to the groundF TopicUK January 2020

51

THE YORKSHIRE COAST

and to the local economy. It will provide a perfect stage for our brand to reach new businesses.”

The club wants to build-up membership numbers, where from as little as £80 per year a concessionary membership will allow entry to the ground and the

Scarborough Cricket Club

52

Pavilion for all matches staged at the ground.

“I hope we will see many more people realising what exceptional value that is,” he said.

Rob is devising a new strategy for the club, looking at the infrastructure,

its public engagement and more corporate partnerships - from the Leeds and West Yorkshire region in particular, where there is massive and much appreciated support.He said: “North Marine Road is a worldwide brand, known by cricketers and non-cricketers alike. The atmosphere at the iconic ground is arguably second to none on the county circuit with its unique backdrop of seaside hotels and open moorland.

In paying tribute to all the sponsors and supporters, Rob added: “We continue to attract the highest spectator numbers in county cricket anywhere and have done so for many years, topping the 5,000 mark on most days.

“But it’s time for us to call for new members, more advertisers around the ground and more uptake of our hospitality suites and lounges so that we can re-invest in this wonderful sporting arena. We would like to Hospitality hear from all Yorkshire businesses and organisations in time for “Amongst county cricket grounds, the new season.”

North Marine Road remains one of very few which still allows Yorkshire’s Specsavers County spectators to walk across the Championship match against outfield during intervals, and Warwickshire at North Marine with the impromptu games of Road starting on Sunday August 23 cricket taking place in all corners forms part of the 134th Scarborough being legendary.”

Cricket Festival, where for many

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THE YORKSHIRE COAST years the club has been grateful to the sponsorship of W Boyes & Co.

help us carry out our programme of renovation,” Rob said.

With three Saturday senior sides and multiple junior teams the club continue to increase the number of junior players and coaches that it has including an ongoing project to increase participation, especially for women and girls.

“And to have a ‘Roses’ match back at Scarborough after such a long absence is a fantastic opportunity for both the club and for local and regional businesses in terms of the number of visitors that will attend the mouth-watering county championship encounter.”

Looking forward to a great new season of sport, Rob said the is delighted to have the great former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, current MCC President, speaking at a dinner to raise funds for further ground development on Saturday 18 July.

•

• Fantastic Tickets for the four-course meal will be £50 per head with a discount for Scarborough club members. Please contact the club on 01723 365625 to book your place.

“He’s one of the most respected cricketers in the world and we hope all cricket fans and supporters of the club will attend in great numbers to

•

Club’s thanks to sponsors and invitation for more businesses Rob Richtering, Scarborough Cricket Club chief officer, has paid tribute to the supporters and sponsors - and called for all businesses and organisations throughout Yorkshire to join in.

In January Kenelm Storey succeeds Phillip Hodson as president at Scarborough Cricket Club after serving the traditional two years.

“We will be providing corporate and individual hospitality within the Pavilion and the Presidents’ Marquee at all the games. The Tea Room continues to be very popular, The list of former presidents especially the homemade scones is a who’s who, such as The produced by our own staff - it’s Duke of Edinburgh, Duchess that kind of tradition that makes of Kent, Duke of Norfolk, the club so special and we hope Earl of Harewood, and Sir for a good season that allows us to enhance all aspects of the ground Leonard Hutton. and the experience.”

Last year Scarborough College, founded in 1896, created a Cricket Centre of Excellence, in association with Pro Coach Yorkshire Cricket Academy and Yorkshire CCC.

Advertising space is available on the stands, scoreboards, scorecards and in the Pavilion or marquee. The range of hospitality for businesses to engage with their customers is also extensive.

The club’s supporters include: W. Boyes & Co Welcome to Yorkshire Booker Wholesale Wensleydale Creamery Scarborough Borough Council Asylum Harbour Brewery St Cecilia’s Care Home McCain Foods (GB) Ltd FG Normandale Walkers Fish Restaurant Ernest Leng & Co Andrew Jackson & Co North East Security Shutters Trans Pennine Express Nippy Taxis Opera House Casino

Marshall Wooldridge Hurrell & Mclean Seeds Russell Groundcare Skipton Building Society Sunset Wines Home Builder Scarborough M Wasley Chapman & Co GM Stephenson City Electrical Factors Scarborough College AMS Stephen Joseph Theatre Ben Salt Joinery West Building Supplies Tubbs & Co NIC Group Peace of Mind Financial Solutions A&G Catering Rix Petroleum Focus Hygiene R Nightingale Owzat Scarborough BDS Yorkshire Ltd Heineken Moneyweb Louise Florist Scarborough UTC Wold Top Brewery St Michaels Guest House Adverset PA Pest Control Lawrence Neil Wealth Management Industrial Cleaning Machinery The Hideout Haydonning Ltd Squire Furnishings Dolphin Guest House North Bay Fisheries Crown Spa Hotel The Sands TopicUK January 2020

53

NH T EW E SY OURPKDSAHTI RE E C O A S T

Exclusive:

The gathering that has put Whitby nicely in the black

The landlord of the original ‘home’ of the Goths gathering in Whitby says it has brought millions of pounds to the town’s economy.

All images many thanks to

a boom for hotels, bars and restaurants that has seen Whitby town centre became a glowing example of independent retail with a number of local business families as well as incomers reaping the rewards of tourism investment.

Peter Bartle

“The Goth events have brought The beginnings of the Goth millions of pounds to the town,” weekends in the mid-1990s, said Len McKnight, the veteran coupled with the spectacular landlord of the traditional-style first visit of the Captain Cook Elsinore pub in Flowergate, Endeavour replica ship, led to where it all started.

54

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He will be ready as he has been for the new influx that will take place next April (24th-26th).

Originally they came once a year but it’s now back to black spring and autumn.

Freedom In 1994, it began as a music event with the opportunity to dress gothic-style, against the backdrop of the Dracula novel by Bram Stoker who

T H E Y O R KNSEHWI RS EU CP O DA AS T TE

“The Goth events have brought millions of pounds to the town...” visited Whitby and featured its landmarks.

The founder of the original Whitby Goth Weekend was Jo Hampshire who was supported by the Elsinore, Whitby Spa Pavilion and also by the Whitby Gazette which came under pressure from certain quarters not to oxygenate their visits, even though they were, and are, regarded as benign visitors who brought a niche but popular extra dimension.

Freedom Mr McKnight said: “Jo started the event in my pub. She came in and asked me if we had a music licence and could they have a band on, and they have been coming ever since.

“They are very friendly, never a problem and I think Jo should be given freedom of the borough for what she has done for Whitby.

When they started coming twice a year, it went berserk for the town’s economy. It might even have brought tens of millions of pounds to the town over the years.”

The Little Angel pub across the road is also a big supporter of the event and other venues such as the Metropole have also staged events which have expanded over the years as more Goths in amazing costumes descend.

The photographs here were taken by Peter Bartle who works under the name of Bartography and has b e e n a t te n d i n g t h e Whitby Goth Weekend for five years, including the gathering last October for TopicUK. Pe t e r, 5 4 , o r i g i n a l l y from Keighley, moved to Scarborough in 1990 and has continued his hobby and passion

f o r p h o t o g r a p h y. “ I don’t specialise in any one subject, I cover architecture, landscape, w i l d l i f e , p o r t ra i t s . . . everything, and I’m hoping to have my own studio or gallery in 2020,” he said.

H i s Fa c e b o o k s i t e receives comments from all over the world.

The images here can be obtained from Peter on pj66bartle@gmail.com

TopicUK January 2020

55

THE YORKSHIRE COAST

The Druids of Brigantia to help conjure an economic boost present-day British archaeologist who finds an iron age village that reveals the story of a Druid called Minitre Airell in the time Christ and religious upheaval. The film describes the secret mysteries of pre-Roman Briton, the Druids and the coming of a new world, covering an epoch that has not been given much previous focus.

It stars Emma Samms, Robert Powell, James Phelps and James Robinson.

Mr Bond, who is very concerned to make the film as historically-accurate as possible by using cited sources, UK-based researchers and ancient sites, is an independent film-maker who is president of the Biograph Company, based at Sherman Oaks in California.

Whitby M r Bond has directed se ve ral productions about Native American history.

Robert Powell

The coast of Yorkshire is in line for a big screen boost thanks to a pioneering major new movie.

Emma Samms

California-based Thomas R Bond II, creator and producer-director of Brigantia has confirmed to TopicUK that Whitby has now been added to other parts of the country in being used for the filming.

The 140-minute drama is in preproduction and relates the story of a

56

He said: “I have had a very positive response from Whitby.

“We are now officially using Whitby as a location for Brigantia and we also have Herd Farm near Leeds as an iron age village for our main location and we are working right now to film at Whitby, as well as north of Hull.”

Three replica longhouses at the Herd Farm outdoor activity centre are being used to tell the story of the ancient Brigantes.

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Mr Bond, who has also written the screenplay, said Brigantia covers a period relatively unknown and not given much movie attention - the origins of Britain as well-organised civilization prior to the march of Roman boots.

It begins in 1960 when pupils go to northern England on a field trip. They find a cave where ancient Britons lived more than 2,000 years ago and one of the boys returns years later as an archaeologist studying the mystery and magic of the Celts and Druids. The main part of the film covers 20BC to 43AD. The Brigantes were the most prominent tribe in northern England and formed an advanced society.

“Every effort has been made to use factual information along with realistic legend stories,” said Mr Bond.

A companion book might also be available, written by research producer Frank Marks and Mr Bond’s wife Lisa who has studied the ancient Britons, and is also casting associate.

Janet Deacon, Scarborough council tourism manager, said: “We have had several discussions with Thomas Bond with a view to filming a significant part of the Brigantia Film in Whitby. We are excited to help in some way to bring to light this little-known period of ancient Whitby and Britain. Thomas is very keen to ensure accuracy and we have helped him with contacts and potential filming locations around Whitby.

“We have entered into an agreement

THE YORKSHIRE COAST

Frank Marks in Brigantia

wider Yorkshire coast economy with the benefits from the initial expenditure by the crews and cast involved on location - and, in the longer term, the expenditure by those who visit the Yorkshire coast or choose to invest in the area as a result of seeing it online, on television and on the big screen.

James Robinson

to support the production by facilitating and helping with regard to road closures, parking, locations, permissions, accommodation search etc.

Ancient “Filming is an important contributor to Whitby and the

the film include Thornborough He nges in North Yorkshire, Creswell Crags in Nottinghamshire, the Scottish Crannog Centre, a museum on Loch Tay, Gilmerton Cove catacombs in Edinburgh and Achill Island in Ireland.

“This is exposure that money couldn’t otherwise buy so the marketing team works hard to ensure that as many of the inquiries we receive as possible are converted to filming shoots.”

Druids were teachers, philosophers, judges, studied ancient verse, astronomy and the lore of the gods, believing that the soul passed at death from one person into another in what has been described as “magico-religious” practices.

Other locations due to feature in

Thomas R. Bond II, Frank Marks, and Lisamarie Bond in Brigantia TopicUK January 2020

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THE YORKSHIRE COAST

Two parts of the cultural spectrum

Culture is now widely acknowledged as one of the prime movers for any area’s economy Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre, revolving around the status of Sir Alan Ayckbourn, is central to the town’s offering and lures national and international attention and there are many individuals such as Graham Rhodes who also provide extra dimensions.

The theatre’s 2020 programme, which will again bring a business boost for the town, includes The Gift, about imperialism, inter-racial themes …and tea, the quintessential B r i t i s h t r e a s u r e t h a t i s n ’ t.

(March 10-11) In February, there is also First Time, a true story about positivity in a negative world (Feb 4), a real murder mystery - The Ballad of Maria Marten (Feb 11-15), and then Feminist Boner (Feb 13), Game Over (Feb 21-22) and Revelations about doing the right thing (Feb 26).

The theatre has a great range of membership and support schemes

for individuals and businesses, and extra offers for young people.

Author and playwright Graham Rhodes, 70, has performed his unique brand of spoken word for over 52 years.

Shunning the normal world of poetry he has performed his work to biker gangs, to the staff of Selfridges, at London’s famous Talk of the Town, in folk clubs, rock venues, bars, cafes, arts centers, political rallies, and festivals.

He has his own enterprises but is firmly a cultural dynamo in many varied pursuits over the years.

He has supported famous poets, rock bands, folk singers, indie bands, and singer-songwriters.

In his book “Poetry!” he describes not only the many solo gigs he has performed and the many artists he has met and performed with (The Police and Suzi Quatro), but also tells the story of Krax, the Harrogate-based poetry band he formed in the 1970s with Leeds poet Dave Prucker, and the rise and fall of Arkwright’s Ferret, the London based electric folk-rock & poetry band that in 1981 was voted London’s number one folk act, his time spent in York performing at both Fibbers and The Roman Baths He lives in Scarborough but his act is in demand in Leeds and the West Riding.

Giving many illustrations of his own, and other people’s poetry, the book also gives an insight into how and

You’re on a winner with TopicUK ...

Two business that have been spotlighted in previous e d i t i o n s o f To p i c U K have won awards and a third is flying high as a young entrepreneur.

Roots of Yggdrasil, a health and well-being business that operates on the coast for community activities and in Leeds for corporate employee health audits, has won the New Business category at The Scarborough News Excellence in Business Awards,

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why he writes his poetry and what motivates his writing.

Graham also describes the other aspects of his professional writing career, as a script writer, as a writer in the computer games industry and as a novelist in the creation of his comedy history of York and of his nine book, fantasy history series featuring “Agnes the Scarborough Witch”.

He is a playwright whose numerous works are regularly performed

by Scarborough’s Valley Theatre Company in small venues and pubs throughout Yorkshire.

His first musical play “Revolution - the story of the Industrial Revolution in 4 Acts” was performed as part of the Leeds Bicentennial festival in 1995.

Graham is well-known for running a gallery from the West Pier, selling his photography and books.

where St Cecilia’s Care Group was Large Business of the year.

Roots was spotlighted in the July issue and and St Cecilia’s was featured in September.

A third e nte rprise, Sabah’s Balloons was mentioned in a previous edition for her decor at the Star Women in Business Awards in April at Scarborough Spa, the biggest gathering of female business achievers ever held on the coast.

balloon - the latest unusual request from a customer.

Sabah Tariq, 21, has just supplied a 4ft long stegosaurus-shaped helium

Sabah, who is studying business management and leadership at the

Sabah’s Balloons supplies personalised balloons and provides discounts to charitable organisations.

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Scarborough campus of Coventry University, thought of the idea after seeing an inscribed personalised balloon at a party.

“I was studying enterprise at my university course at the time and decided to use the idea as my assignment. The more I researched it, the more I got into the idea.”

N E W S U P D AT E

CityFibre and OCU team up to bring new talent into Leeds CityFibre, the UK’s leading alternative provider of wholesale full fibre infrastructure, and construction firm OCU have worked in partnership with Leeds-based skills centre “Forging Futures Campus,” to nurture new talent to help develop Leeds’ first full fibre network. Following a 12-week apprenticeship scheme, delivered by I Consult Ltd. and designed by Kirkstall Forge and Leeds College of Building, OCU has hired three young graduates to immediately begin working for its teams in the city.

The graduates, who impressed OCU with their dedication and commitment over the course of the programme, will support in the delivery of a full fibre network in Leeds, which represents a £120m investment by CityFibre.

The Forging Futures Campus, an initiative launched by CEG, in conjunction with Leeds College of Building and Leeds City Council, offers invaluable experience and opportunities for young people in the area to explore a career in engineering.

Vodafone will be using CityFibre’s

network to bring Vodafone Gigafast Full Fibre Broadband services to the residents of Leeds. By using faster and more reliable fibre-optic cables, installed by CityFibre, at every stage of a connection instead of traditional telephone lines, Vodafone Gigafast Full Fibre Broadband gives users download speeds 20 times faster and upload speeds 150 times faster than the average fixed broadband service in the UK.

Initiatives Kim Johnston, CityFibre’s City Manager for Leeds, said: “We are

absolutely committed to Leeds for the long-term and want to leave behind a positive lasting legacy. In addition to our full fibre network, we want to support the community in which we are working. That is why we are working with local partners to give young people in the area the opportunity to develop their careers.

“Getting more skilled engineers into the workforce and helping them to secure work right away is a win-win for everyone, and initiatives like the Forging Futures Campus are a real credit to Leeds. Because we are building a network futureproofed for future generations, it is especially pleasing to have members of the next generation playing such a pivotal supporting role.”

Angela Myers, SHEQT Advisor, OCU, said: “It has been a real pleasure to see our apprentices develop and grow over the course of the program. They’ve built their confidence, communication

skills and competency and have demonstrated a real commitment to the role that will no doubt lead to a long and bright future at OCU.

Partnerships “On-the-job experience like this is invaluable for budding engineers and it has been a pleasure to collaborate with Kirkstall Forge, Forging Futures and CityFibre to help young people in Leeds to get this opportunity.”

Ewan Metcalf, Managing Director of I Consult Ltd, said: “We’re delighted that OCU has employed three of the graduates from the programme, allowing them to build on the skills developed through the Forging Futures Campus. Commercial partnerships are vital to the ongoing success of the course and OCU has been so supportive throughout.”

Currently, fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) is available to around 10 per cent of premises across the UK. It is revered as the best in connectivity for its speed, near unlimited bandwidth and reliability.

By using fibre optic cables for every stage of the connection from the customer’s home or business to the Internet, users will be offered a significantly superior and more reliable broadband service, capable of Gigabit speeds (1,000 Mbps).

To find out more about CityFibre’s Gigabit City vision for Leeds visit: www.cityfibre.com/gigabit-cities.

Those interested in Vodafone’s Gigafast Full Fibre Broadband services can register their interest online at: www.vodafone. co.uk/Gigafast

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B u s i n e s s W o m a n Welcome to TopicUK Businesswoman this section will bring to you stories of inspirational women business leaders, tips on how to stay ahead of the game, how to look good with little effort and how to juggle everything in today’s busy world. If you would like to feature or have an idea for an article, do get in touch PR@topicuk.co.uk

TOPIC BUSINESSWOMAN that lunch, it’s integral to us as human beings and to us a functioning society.

If we’re under too much pressure and strain we can’t operate to our full capacity which leads to sickness in the workplace resulting in a falling economy. Our wellbeing is VERY important.

That brings me to sharing some of my favourite wellbeing products with you to get your new year off to a great start!

Time for a fresh start in 2020

By Natalie Anderson - Actress, Presenter and founder of The Capsule

Hi Eve ryone, I hope you’re all well!! And so it begins, we’ve entered a new decade!

For me personally, I’m happy to see the back of the last one as I feel everyone has suffered massively with some form of anxiety or mental health issue caused by the introduction of social media, the Brexit vote and the chaos surrounding our economy! It’s

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time for us all to reassess things and look towards the future. I noticed there was definitely a nod towards a paired down, more simple existence at the back end of last year and that we were all looking at our wellbeing with much more focus and weight. I’m really happy about this. I’m happy to see people actually discussing wellbeing in serious conversations.

It’s not just a frivolous past time for Notting Hill lovvies and ladies

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First up is NEOM’s Real Luxury Magnesium Body But ter (£35). Noted as one of NEOM’s top 5 hero products this beautiful body cream helps you relax and unwind with its blended fragrance of lavender, jasmine & Brazilian rosewood but with added magnesium it can also assist a variety of health concerns. Magnesium is said to relieve symptoms of anxiety and premenstrual tension alongside aid bone and heart health and yet is one of the vitamins most of us are deficient in. I recently had NEOM’s founder Nicola Elliot as a guest on my podcast The Capsule In Conversation (www.thecapsule.co.uk/ inconversation) and she told me that as magnesium was a

TOPIC BUSINESSWOMAN Fi n a l l y, T h e C a p s u l e Fashion & Body Event is taking place next month on February 8th at Aspire Leeds.

It’s time for us all to reassess things and look towards the future...

We have an amazing line up of guest stylists doing 20-minute styling demos including celebrity stylist Martine Alexander, the go to guru for celebrities such as Catherine Tyldesley and Kym Marsh. Plus, guest s p e a ke r s i n c l u d i n g J D Williams model Rachel Peru and other secret celebrity guests (announcements will follow shortly). There will also be a fabulous selection of independent brands for you to shop and an exciting and empowering finale to the whole event.

transdermal vitamin, adding it to a cream would hopefully be one of the easiest ways for women to get their daily dose. I for one am a huge fan!

Next is the Asana Rebel Yoga App. This easy to use, versatile app is brilliant for ensuring you can get yoga tutorials at any time of the day. I first came across this when I was travelling around on tour with Fat Friends. I needed something to help me switch off at night…id read about how beneficial nighttime yoga was but thought I’d have to go through a lengthy class or tutorial to get results, however, the videos on Asana rebel range from 5 mins to an hour in length and so you can choose what best suits you.

It also enables you to build up your skill set at your own

For more details about how you get still get involved with this fun and insightful evening celebrating body diversity & building body confidence please visit www. thecapsule.co.uk/events. pace and you can set prompts to remind you to do it if you want to put yourself on a course of workouts. I love it as it means I can de stress in my own time. Available to download via Apple app store or Google play.

Lastly I’m advocating the benefits of beetroot juice. For a few years now I’ve turned to juicing to aid my brain functionality and have found for me it really works. I know that it in sport it’s given to athletes to help them perform better. According to a 2017 systematic review, nitrates can boost a person’s athletic

Tickets are on sale now (£35 includes VIP goody bag.)…. make sure you don’t miss out as spaces are limited.

Well that’s all from me this month I look forward to speaking to you all again very soon.

efficiency by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the muscles and beetroots can also aid fatigue brought on by anaemia.

I personally love James White Beet It Organic Beetroot Juice £2.95

Catch Natalie’s Podcast The Capsule In Conversation a t w w w.t h e c a p s u l e . co.uk/inconversation or subscribe at apple podcasts and Youtube.

TopicUK January 2020

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TOPIC BUSINESSWOMAN

Businesswomen recognised at final of FL National Awards & Summit 2019 Hosted by acclaimed broadcaster, entrepreneur and author Arti Halai, the awards took place at The Royal Armouries, in Leeds, where outstanding, female business leaders from across the UK competed in nine categories.

Each finalist triumphed in their regional heat to make it to the finals and were put through their paces at a live session with a panel of professionally respected judges.

Alex Depledge, CEO of Resi, was crowned with the top award of FL Businesswoman of the Year 2019, after leaving the judges “stunned” with her “drive, passion and innovation”.

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“That said, this has been another fantastic year for women and that should be celebrated, and through our National Awards we are once again delighted to showcase the very best women in business here in the UK.

Inspired

“The calibre of entries has been increasing year on year, and our regional shortlists are the everyday heroines, trailblazers and role models who have succeeded despite enormous challenges. They deserve Rachel Engwell, head of the FL recognition.” judging panel and Head of Tax Yorkshire and the North East at “Each year we are inspired by the Grant Thornton, said: “It’s great number of high-calibre entries, that programmes like FL National and this year has highlighted A w a r d s & the exce ptionally tale nted S u m m i t a r e businesswomen we have in the taking the time UK. These entrants are the future to recognise entrepreneurs of our country the fantastic and play a critical role in our achievements economy.” of women i n b u s i n e s s The FL National Awards & a c r o s s t h e Summit, with TopicUK as media UK. Through partner is now in its 10th year and this initiative, has become one of the highest more and more profiles and respected accolades women will be for women, recognising their empowered to enormous contribution to the become leaders economy and acknowledges and innovators start-ups to multi-million-pound in their fields.” companies.

Forward Ladies CEO Griselda Togobo said: “It is 100 years since women first got the right to vote in the UK, but gender equality remains elusive. Whilst we have clearly made progress over the years, our mission to achieve equality and bring diversity to leadership roles is not yet complete.

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This year’s high-profile speakers included Richard John Carter, Managing Director of BASF UK & Ireland; Jon Geldart, Director General of The Institute of Directors; and 2018 Businesswoman of the Year, Lara Oyesanya UK Counsel and Director, Legal at Klarna Bank.

Panel discussion was focused on how businesses can help inspire future generations.

TOPIC BUSINESSWOMAN the prestigious headquarters of the Institute of Directors (IoD).

In conversation with

Natalie Sykes

Yorkshire and North East director for The Institute of Directors

There are numerous successful women within the Yorkshire region and one of those is regional director of the Institute of Directors for Yorkshire and North East, Natalie Sykes. TopicUK editor Gill Laidler caught up with Natalie recently to find out more about her successful career.

She was the youngest chairman ever appointed to regeneration charity the Groundwork Federation, where she served for eight years. She is director and shareholder of an exclusive, historic estate in Harrogate, where she holds property and served on the management team for several years.

Natalie has recently designed and built homes in the Yorkshire Dales, forming part of her own property collection.

Prestigious Presently, Natalie is the only Regional Director at the IoD with responsibility for two regions, Yorkshire and the North East. She was integral to the rollout of IoD Advance in the North, a powerful and innovative new membership platform.

Leeds-born with a passion for enterprise from the age of eight and her first business at the age of 17, Natalie has a wealth of experience across an array of industry sectors i n c l u d i n g Ro y a l C h a r te r e d Institutes and membership bodies, museums and historic venues, hospitality, health and wellbeing, finance and wealth management, capital equipment, automotive, re g e n e ra t i o n , c o n s t r u c t i o n and real estate.

She has been integral to the success of strategic teams delivering profits

whilst achieving industry awards with national and international luxury hospitality groups at senior management and board director level. Natalie is also actively involved in the charitable sector.

International As a qualified interior architect, she has spent more than two decades working across the UK, Europe and Africa on a diverse range of projects for private owners and investors.

These include the development of vineyards, leading spa and golf

Embracing lifelong learning for all, she achieved the prestigious Chartered Director status with the IoD, where she also holds a fellowship. She has been chairman for the IoD’s Young Directors’ Forum for Yorkshire; a judge for the IoD’s regional Director of the Year Awards and sat on the IoD’s National Membership Committee, where she was instrumental in developing what are now IoD 99 and IoD Student and resorts, luxury villas, high quality deploying Direct Debit. bakeries and cafes, renowned cookery schools, Michelin-starred As part of her ongoing commitment restaurants and the turnaround of to the UK’s skills agenda, Natalie exclusive, historic hotels, estates served as the Vice-Chairman for the and iconic venues such as BAFTA. National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) Ambassadors for Yorkshire Natalie served as a trustee and and the Humber and judged its awards. board director at the Grade II Thackray Medical Museum, One of Grant Thornton’s ‘Faces of Leeds, where she was directly the Vibrant Economy’ - just one of involved in the redesign of the a hundred ‘faces’ across the country events centre, the retail shop and - Natalie was in 2018 appointed to the a retender process for the café. Royal Mail Letters Advisory Board She also named and styled Café and the Royal Armouries Trading Duke at 116 Pall Mall, London, and Enterprise Board.

TopicUK January 2020

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TOPIC BUSINESSWOMAN

Listen to them all - then think and grow poor

Nicky’s career started when she was just 16 when she started work in a shoe shop.

By the age of 30 she was a £2,000,000 market trader.

Over coming editions, Nicky is going to share with our readers how you can be successful in your business, attracting those all important customers.

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WELL how very opportune (for me) – after what has been a shall we say ‘a little sabbatical’, on returning to the real world I get asked to do a regular column for this ascending relatable and thought-provoking magazine.

BLIMEY. ‘All things at the right time and very few coincidences in life’ were the words that smacked me right on the head when I opened the request email from TopicUK editor Gill. Seriously thanks for asking me to do this and for giving me the chance. It means a lot.Not quite sure what I’m going to be saying but we’ll soon find out.

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TopicUK are delighted to welcome our new columnist, the UK’s leading sales and communications expert Nicky Pattinson.

I’m not a multi-millionaire (yet) – but I’ve never missed a mortgage payment. I’ve brought up my boy on my own and by the grace of God he never once had to wear second hand shoes. We were always able to afford him a vest and only a couple of times did friends need to drop a bag of food on the step for us. We laughed a lot and lived a life worth having after being taken to virtually nothing. Listen. It was not easy. (I’m not lying about the bags of food left on the step. I’m not ashamed either.)

From all this the business has helped a lot of people change their fortunes

TOPIC BUSINESSWOMAN overnight and that will always be a highlight of my entire life.

Seriously. It will.

Deserved Ok – nothing unusual in any of the above in these times – I hear similar stories every day. It’s how you DO IT. That’s the thing.

Now … back to the sabbatical.

I needed to look at things from the outside in with no filter. No pressure and no adrenaline rolling through my head. There’d been a kicking from a couple of things and I was tired. I’ll never retire as long as I can actually crawl on a stage and speak – so the whole structure and intent of my work needed to be…erm …reconsidered.

My head and what came out of it needed to be reconsidered.

I also deserved a rest! – the energy I’d extolled when running full pelt for 12 years stopped me being

overcome big difficulties. Even a young Masai warrior in Kenya who could recite every one of Obamas speeches and tell me why his words moved people’s consciousness like they did. That’s the right kind of sabbatical for me, listening to those with something wise to say.

I would not be wasting time sitting on a beach stripping the colour out of this red hair while looking at the watch to see if it’s time to run for my nail appointment. That’s for sure.

When I came back to my little red and black branded world, I was hit by the fallout from what surely must be the biggest emotional storm since WW2 in this country.

You know where this one going. We can’t ignore being battered every day by the anger, terror, drama, deceit and who knows…maybe opportunity of what’s happening.

The complexities of our own little bit of political history calls for a very strategic plan of personal rebuff… or

It wasn’t always easy but I got there in grand style and dismissed many of the nation’s expectations as ‘’not applicable to me because this was always my destiny and I’m doing it anyway.’’ objective. A few circumstances made it possible for me to just GO and off I went. Some holidays.

Some planning the future as in California …my return to the business that saved me.

we’ll be finished as quick as a little goldfish being hit by a big nuclear missile. I’m talking about what we’re thinking. Obviously. What we’re subconsciously accepting that may not be true.

Everywhere I went I met the right people somehow. They just seemed to be there. Sat at the same table. Outside the coffee shop. A friend’s guest for dinner.

You know – the folks who make you feel you can do anything by their generous presence. Some had brilliant minds and some had

Energetically It seems keeping aligned to where we want to go is feat of unsurpassed mental agility for all of us as politicians, business leaders and the even spokesmen from the Bank of England enthusiastically whip us up into a kind of frantic storm.

All seeping in and taking us out.

Disconnecting us from why we began all this in the first place.

You know, the kind of frantic storm that causes us to contract emotionally and energetically and start scanning the chemist’s shelf for sleeping pills.

I’m sure even Tony Robbins must be re reading his own books right now.

Re a d i t e v e r y d ay. Wr i te it down again.

It’s not a time for the weak or easily swayed is it. Its time to sort out the lost from the found. The wheat from the chaff, the girls from the women and the boys from the men - but have sales and running business ever been any different? Most likely no, just another manifestation of the same.

Destiny

Genuinely - 2020 may be the year mental clarity is elevated to the curriculum of university business courses. If I was the queen of the world it would have been there for years.

I heard a lot about how powerful ‘intention’ is this last few months away. Well my intention is that in 2 years I’ll look back and say to myself.

Brilliant. I got back on the horse.

Expanded. Did the numbers. Stuck There’s no topping the feeling of to the plan. Helped more people. creating something from nothing… Came out on top of the game. ie – a business. From the writing of something on the back of a It wasn’t always easy but I got there beer mat at 3.00 a.m. to getting in grand style and dismissed many to actually live what you wrote. of the nation’s expectations as Sell what you saw yourself selling. ‘’not applicable to me because this Be who you saw yourself being. was always my destiny and I’m Maybe even bank what you saw doing it anyway.’’ yourself banking.

We’re all in this together, we Yep - that’s magic indeed. You really are. I mean us. Not Boris or know what I’m talking about Jeremy or even Nigel here. Same with any creative job… like sales. We can’t ever lose that US The people who actually LIVE feeling or we’re done. in the circumstances they make so.

So the conclusion to all this is that we either run with a tent and some Jesus sandals to meditate on Holme Moss for the foreseeable. Or we kick the s**t out of every day till we get what we want again. I don’t know about you – but I’m not crazy for sandals. And it’s cold up Holme Moss.

Anybody else up for the most exciting white-knuckle ride ever?

So let’s start the new year with unusual resolve. Go back to the beer mat writings, re-align with what it says. Only see that.

Next edition, Nicky will talk to readers about common sense versus HR litigation. Why the best plans fall down when we don’t have ‘those conversations’.

Glad to be back with everybody in this unprecedented position of forecasted occasional turbulence.

I really am. Strap in and let’s go. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t miss this one for the frikkin’ world.

TopicUK January 2020

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T R AV E L U P D AT E

How do you want 2020 to look ?

With a new year on the horizon, there are echoes of people saying ‘new year, new me.’

Whether you’re one of these people or not, it’s the perfect time to think about how you want 2020 to look and one thing that should be high on your priority list is self care. a challenging hike or relaxing walk, enjoying the fresh air and breathtaking view from Pfander Cable car or visiting the stunning Mainau island where you can take a stroll through their 45 hectares of beautiful gardens.

By Laura Bartlett MD House of Coco With that said, I have put together my top 3 self care destinations that are a little less obvious…

Switzerland Lake Constance in particular which is located in the heart of Europe surrounded by Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Principality of Liechtenstein. The biggest USP of Lake Constance, of course, is that travellers can experience the four countries around the lake in one trip, making it the ideal destination to tick four countries off your travel list – moving between each of the four countries is seamless, with no heavy borders.

Self care and Switzerland go hand in hand and the best activities to really feel zen would have to be cycling along the lake shore, taking

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Dubai When you think about Dubai you think hustle and bustle, glam and late night parties but if you do it right then you can really switch off. I recently stayed at the iconic Palazzo Versace Hotel and the name speaks for itself.

Think exquisite service, relaxing poolside cocktails, guaranteed sun and the perfect place to get lost in the pages of your book without having to worry about being disturbed.

Dubai is a great place to recharge your batteries and once that’s done you can throw a bit of adventure in to the mix by hiring a Hero OdySea boat and taking to the waters which is a truly exhilarating experience who said self care had to be boring?!

Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the border of California and

This is the ultimate self care destination, just seeing the lake for the first time is enough to make you feel alive. I remember when I drove to the lake for the first time and I almost cried because it was truly breathtaking. You can drive around the whole of Lake Tahoe in just a couple of hours but the true magic is on the beach during sunset.

Nevada. It’s known for its beaches and ski resorts. On the southwest shore, Emerald Bay State Park contains the 1929 Nordic-style mansion Vikingsholm. Along the lake’s northeast side, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park includes Sand Harbor Beach and Spooner Lake, a gateway to the long-distance Tahoe Rim Trail.

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The prefect place to practice mediation followed by making s’mores, does it get any better than that?

What does self care mean to you? Tweet me at @ laurabartlett0 and tell me all about your favourite self care rituals.

S PN EE CW I ASL UR PE D PA OTRET

A young entrepreneur who left school with no formal qualifications before finding herself rubbing shoulders with some of Britain’s best known entrepreneurs is hoping to make business bloom at a long standing Sheffield’s florist after purchasing the business which transformed her future.

Life could have been very different for April Bell, who experienced considerable difficulties at school.

She left aged just 14 to be home-taught and unsure what do with her life, she approached floristry business Monica F. Hewitt to gain work experience and never looked back, building a successful career as a florist in her own right before deciding to purchase the business after securing help from alternative lending provider Finance For Enterprise.

Launched in 1971 by Monica Hewitt, the business has been responsible for supporting weddings, funerals, anniversaries and birthdays for nearly 50 years. April was trained by Annie Valentine, who worked alongside founder Monica in building and developing the business and has continued to support April as her role in the company grew from apprentice to business owner.

During her ten years working with Annie, April has successfully mastered the intricacies of floristry, successfully achieving her level two and level three qualifications. Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed, going on to secure to a national Apprenticeship award presented to her by star of Dragon’s Den Theo Paphitis and more recently April was invited to Downing Street where she rubbed shoulders with some of Britain’s entrepreneurs.

April has continued her education, achieving qualifications in English and

Business blooms after securing finance Maths and when she learned that her longstanding mentor was planning to leave the business, she began exploring the possibility of taking it over, and turned to Finance for Enterprise for help.

Working with Investment Advisor Pam Goodison, April developed a business plan, enabling her to secure a Start Up Loan of £10,000 to purchase the company. As part of the deal, April has retained all eight members of staff and is even hoping to repay the opportunity the business provided her by creating recruiting her own apprentices.

If you would have told me when I was 14 that within ten years I would be the owner of a successful Sheffield business I would never have believed it!

April said: “Having worked in the business for such a long

time, I felt confident about what was involved in running it, but securing the finance to complete the purchase was a major problem. I received a lot of good advice and support along the way and after hearing about Finance For Enterprise I decided to contact them to see if they could help me. I met Pam and after discussing our plans, she was able to provide the vital loan needed to complete the purchase of the company.

“Since taking over the business I’ve started exploring new lines and the business has been performing really well. If you would have told me when I was 14 that within ten years I would be the owner of a successful Sheffield business I would never have believed it! I’ve learned so much over the past decade and it has made me realise that anything can be possible.

“I’m happy to say that the

funds provided by Finance for Enterprise have gone a long way, and we have now been able to take on an apprentice, which has been a very big step for me because it feels like I’ve come full circle.”

Pam Goodison, Investment M anage r at Finance for Enterprise said: “April is a truly inspirational individual who has gone full circle, from being given an opportunity to build a career in floristry. She had spent time sorting out the legal process of purchasing the company and all that stood in her way was securing the finance needed to complete the deal.

Richard Bearman, Managing Director at Start Up Loans, said: “Start Up Loans is here to help people like April gain access to the funding and support they need to start a business. What she has achieved with Monica Hewitt is commendable and I’m proud Start Up Loans has played a part in helping her and so many others across the country to realise their ambition of business ownership.”

TopicUK January 2020

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N E W S U P D AT E

Jon Geldart new director general of IoD here, fulfilling its mission to support, develop and represent directors for another hundred years.”

Testament Jon said: “With current turmoil in both the political and business environments, I strongly believe that it is even more important to equip directors of all organisations with the tools to be resilient and agile in their response to a fast-changing world. The Institute of Directors has a crucial role to play in this and I’m honoured to have been chosen to lead it at this time.

Increasing value for today’s directors, whilst making the IoD relevant to the directors of the future, is the task at hand.

The Institute of Directors is delighted to announce the appointment of Jon Geldart as director general.

Jon has spent 30 years working in the professional services sector, most recently at Grant Thornton International Ltd, where he served on the global board prior to becoming responsible for the organisation’s interests in China.

Earlier this year he appeared in front of the House of Commons International Trade Committee to give evidence on the Government’s efforts to increase trade with the country.

Jon lives in Yorkshire and combines his international experience with a long-standing connection with the IoD’s Yorkshire and North East region of which he was Chair until his appointment as Director General. He was also Chair of the North Yorkshire branch.

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As Director General he will be working closely with the Board and focused on delivering the Institute’s strategy of ‘closer to members’. Central to this is the empowerment of its UK branches to improve member experience and engagement as well as making the IoD relevant to the next generation of Directors.

Crucial Charlotte Valeur, Chair of the IoD, welcomed Jon to the Institute: “Jon impressed the board with his vision for the future of the IoD, and we believe he is the ideal person to refresh our offering to members. At this pivotal moment when the UK is trying to establish a new role on the global stage, Jon brings an international perspective combined with a deep understanding of the needs of directors. We are confident he will bring everyone together behind the goal of ensuring the IoD will be

“I believe skilled, knowledgeable directors improve their organisations, Jon Geldart – Biography the communities in which they operate, Prior to his role in China, and consequently the whole economy.

Jon was Grant Thornton The UK needs more directors who International Ltd’s global understand and responsibly discharge board member responsible for the brand. He is the both their legal and societal duties. author of three books on These directors need a strong IoD China and in addition to to provide them with guidance, being a Fellow of the IoD he representation, and a community of is also a Fellow of the Royal like-minded peers. Better directors make for stronger businesses, which Geographical Society. makes for a better society.”

He studied Geography and Archaeology at St. Andrews University specialising in underwater archaeology.

Outside of work, his interests include hill walking and fell running. He was the navigator in a rally team for 20 years and following two years of training in extreme environments walked to the North Pole in 2016. He has completed other expeditions in Norway, the Canadian Arctic and the Everest region.

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Natalie Sykes, regional director, IoD Yorkshire and North East, said: “Through his inspirational leadership, Jon has quickly progressed through the IoD ranks, from committee member to North Yorkshire branch chair and, most recently, chair of our new super-region covering Yorkshire and the North East.

His appointment is testament to the strength of our region.

“We will be shortly commencing the recruitment process for a new North Yorkshire branch chair. Jon will be a very hard act to follow.”

N E W S U P D AT E

#ThriveWomen: Roots and Shoots

Fo l l o w i n g o n f r o m t h e #ThriveWomen Christmas event, when guests heard from speaker and young entrepreneur Rose Dyson, who started her business Pura Cosmetics aged just 15, TopicUK have teamed up with

#ThriveWomen throughout 2020 and we hope you will join us for our next event on 20th March, from 2pm to 5pm (venue to be announced, check out Eventbrite and our website for details (www. topicuk.co.uk)

Our guest speakers are Harry Purewall and Nikki Alderson who will be speaking all about being confident in your style an what you wear as well as how to excel in your career. There will be canapes, Prosecco and goody bags for everyone.

There will be a business card draw for Smart Works, a UK charity that provides high quality interview clothes and interview training to women in need. They harness the power of clothes and confidence to allow a woman to be her best at a crucial moment in her life, giving her the confidence, the self-belief and the practical tools required to succeed at interviews and transform her life. Sixty four percent of clients go on and succeed in getting the job they applied for. So do make sure you bring along some cash to enter, where we will have some

amazing prizes on offer as well as raising money for this great cause.

To reserve your place visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ thrivewomen-roots-and-shootstickets-85781419535

2020 Vision At Social Progress, we’re looking at this year’s expectations for the ever developing and progressing landscape of social media.

Here’s our top 5 trends to look out for in 2020 as Social Media continues to grow.

The continued growth of social media.

Facebook is used by 76% of adults in the UK alone! As platforms continue to develop and adjust to (try to) suit all demographics, and advertising being a key factor in generating leads and revenue, it shows no signs of slowing down.

Ephemeral content will keep gaining traction.

As attention-spans get shorter, the use of stories on Facebook, Instagram

and Snapchat will continue to dominate, with stories being short and disappearing after 24 hours; if you don’t use stories, you really need to get on board! It’s not as difficult as you might think…

The removal of likes!

Currently “likes” are seen as a vanity metric and widely thought of as being a major cause for problems resulting in users comparing themselves to others.

Instagram has trialled the removal of “likes” on posts and reported a positive reaction. Will it roll into other platforms?

Video content… According to studies, by 2022, more than 80% of ALL online content will be video format.

Do you use video yet for your business? If you don’t, it’s time

to start thinking seriously about it.

AR – Augmented Reality!

New to the scene and growing fast, it will definitely be used more and more in 2020; think Instagram story filters – they can change what you see on your screen instantly. Retail stores could really maximise this!

Social Progress is here to help you leverage these trends so get in touch with us to find out how we can help you develop your 2020 vision. Call us on 01484 506336 or email info@socialprogress.co.uk and quote “Topic UK”.

TopicUK January 2020

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ADVERTORIAL

It is a well-known fact within the legal profession that 2012 was a critical year in terms of austerity cuts and changes to the provisions of legal aid.

legal community in and around Leeds who provide their time and services free of charge in order to assist those who are vulnerable and most in need, whilst at the same time providing a valuable learning experience for its students.

This was as a result of the passing of the Legal Aid, Sentencing, Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) which had a profound effect on access to justice to those who could not afford to pay for it. It was no coincidence that those people affected were also the most vulnerable to abuse, unfairness and manipulation from people and organisations more powerful to them.

The clinics provide legal advice, support and guidance in areas of housing, employment and family queries. In addition, and in conjunction with an organisation called the Yorkshire Tribunal Advocacy Project, ULaw sends fully trained students to attend with unrepresented appellants at benefit tribunal appeals where decisions to stop benefit payments are challenged. These cases are currently operating on an 80% success rate.

Since LASPO, there has been a corresponding increase in the numbers of people representing themselves in court. The inequity of this is apparent on so many levels. Not only is it clearly unfair for untrained litigants in person to attempt to fight their cases against well-funded, professional lawyers; it also clogs up the courts and increases costs and inefficiency in the long term.

This is whe re the P ro Bono Department of the University of Law, Leeds has risen to the challenge and tried to fill the gaping chasm which has been left as a consequence of these cuts and measures. “Pro bono” is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. Unlike traditional volunteering, it uses

Guidance

Sabeeha Khan

Access to Justice for Leeds meet ULaw’s Pro Bono Legal Advice team It is a well-known fact within the legal profession that 2012 was a critical year in terms of austerity cuts and changes to the provisions of legal aid. the specific skills of professionals to provide services to those who are unable to afford them.

Valuable The Pro Bono Department of the University of Law runs a very successful department in the centre of Leeds.

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Headed up by Sabeeha Khan and Fay Sayers, who are both practising legal aid lawyers, the department runs and operates free legal advice clinics for those members of the public who are not eligible for legal aid and are otherwise unable to pay for private legal services.

The clinic relies upon the help of volunteer lawyers from the

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One of its established legal advice clinics runs from the campus, usually on a Wednesday evening where clients are seen on an appointment only basis. Clients are invited to the Ulaw campus and will be seen by a solicitor who is a specialist in that area of law in addition to a ULaw student who will take notes and where appropriate provide input. The student will then draft a letter of advice which will be checked by the solicitor before it is sent to the client.

In a significant number of cases ULaw students have attended with clients at employment tribunals and benefit appeal tribunals in the capacity of a “McKenzie Friend” in order to provide clients with moral support, guidance and assistance at the hearings. The clinic’s clients consistently feedback that having students with them at their hearings gives them vital support,

ADVERTORIAL and enables them to have the courage to speak up knowing that the attending students are familiar with the issues in hand and will step in if asked by the Judge to clarify a legal issue. “Whilst our students are not legally qualified, they are the lawyers of tomorrow and so can, and do, provide invaluable support to people who are vulnerable, stressed and fighting a battle on their own”.

In addition, ULaw also runs external clinics where its volunteer lawyers attend, again with its students to provide advice on a drop-in basis to members of the public who are otherwise unable to travel to the town centre and are more comfortable in their own localities. It was with

this in mind that in May 2019 ULaw, in collaboration with a community café called Toast Love Coffee, based in the heart of the community in Harehills, came up with its ULaw/TLC Legal Advice Clinic. Running on a monthly basis and allowing clients to drop in to

the café for private consultations on a range of legal issues.

Genuinely ULaw would not be able to run these clinics without the help of its volunteer lawyers who

ULaw hopes to continue to grow its clinic but can only do so with the support and help of volunteers. If you are a solicitor or a barrister and can offer a couple of hours a month please contact us at probonoleeds@law.ac.uk.

Alternatively, if you are a member of the public and need legal advice on the areas stated above then please email us at lac-leeds@law.ac.uk or call us on 01483 216155- you can leave a message and someone from the team will respond as soon as we can.

ULaw takes immense pride in what is can offer to the people of Leeds and we can only hope to grow bigger and stronger in the months and years to come.

But don’t just take my word for it. At the IoD’s UK Director of the Year finals in October, bosses from our region received the top prize in three categories. and Board Practice – one of the highest accolades presented by the Institute.

Linda was recognised for turning around the £1.4bn revenue Trust, taking it out of special measures, improving core services and gaining an ‘Outstanding’ rating for use of resources. IoD Director General Jon Geldart said that Pollard represented ‘a prime example of the importance of good governance in the public and private sectors alike’.

Linda Pollard, chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, was awarded the Neville Bain Memorial Award for Director

Since the inception of the clinic in 2015 approximately 400 clients have been seen for face to face m e e t i n g s , w i t h m a n y m o re signposted or otherwise advised.

“These are people who simply had nowhere else to go and so we genuinely believe that our clinic has, and is, continuing to make a marked difference on the provision of pro bono legal advice and assistance in Leeds.”

Written by Sabeeha Khan, Pro Bono Manager and Supervising Solicitor, ULaw Leeds

Could you be an IoD Director of the Year? Directors inYorkshire and the North East are the best in the UK.

By Natalie Sykes

provide a priceless service to its clients. These include law firms such as Blacks, DLA, Eversheds Sutherland, Schofield Sweeney and many other independent solicitors and barristers as well.

The chair of Yorkshire Tea owners Bettys & Taylors, Lesley Wild, won the IoD’s Family Business Award, capping off the firm’s 100th anniversary year in which it brewed a record level of sales.

And we also have the country’s top young entrepreneur, with Oliver North, managing director of Goolebased O&H Vehicle Technology, named Young Director of the Year.

It was quite a haul but no more than this region deserves!

We may be in the opening weeks of 2020 but already thoughts are turning to ensuring that Yorkshire and the North East’s top business leaders are once again recognised as the best in the UK. Nominations are now open for our regional awards, which take place at the Principal York hotel on 2 July.

The regional winners go forward to represent Yorkshire and the North East at the UK finals later this year.

To be a Director of the Year, our regional judging panel, led by Simon Walton of Berwick Partners/Odgers

Berndtson, look for evidence of dedication, ingenuity and leadership.

Choosing the winners is never an easy job and you can make their work even harder by nominating yourself or someone you know at https://www.iodawards.com/yorksnortheast by 30 March.

James Cain of Harrogate Water Brands was among the winners at our regional finals in 2019, picking up two trophies in the SME and CSR categories. So I’m delighted that James has been appointed as the IoD’s branch chair for North Yorkshire, ably supported by new vice-chair Caroline Pullich of Barclays – a superb team to lead the region forward, starting with this month’s North Yorkshire Annual Dinner at Rudding Park on 23 January. This is an exceptional region and I’m so excited about the year ahead. Together we can prove that business is a force for good.

Natalie Sykes, Regional Director, Institute of Directors TopicUK January 2020

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R E C R U I T M E N T U P D AT E

How to increase productivity in the workplace If you want to achieve increased productivity in your business then you need to be ready to embrace change even if that means shaking things up in the workplace.

All employees will need to buy-in to a “smarter working mentality” to truly reap the rewards as happy employees means increased productivity, which ultimately leads to business growth.

Here are four of our top suggestions as to how you can increase productivity in the workplace: Improve work place conditions The environment that we work in has a huge impact on productivity.

It is common knowledge that the lack of sunlight can be depressing for many people, so why do we look past such an important aspect that can affect morale?

Consider the following to increase productivity: •

unfinished work which will have a negative impact on morale and productivity.

Colourful and vibrant environment Natural light Greenery such as flowers or plants Background office music (subject to relevant licences) Break out space for employees to relax

Emplo yees need to be held responsible for achieving certain business goals or managing specific tasks as consistently taking ownership of situations builds trust amongst employees, and this is a key component of all high performing teams.

Accountability Accountability means take responsibility for results and it is vital that this is embedded into your company culture. The lack of accountability can result in things like missed deadlines and

Less micromanagement No one likes to have managers constantly looking over their shoulder as this can increase stress levels and cause people to make mistakes.

Consider allowing your employees

• • • •

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to take ownership of how they manage their day. This means that employees will learn for themselves and understand which techniques works best for them leading to improved confidence and the ability to use their initiative.

day and better manage their work life balance. Here are some examples of flexible working: • • •

Flexible working Although this is dependent on the type of business, giving your employees the flexibility to manage “when” they work is just as important as “how” they work.

A recent study by Investors in People showed that offering flexible working could improve retention in the workplace, as employees are able to have more control over their working

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•

•

Working from home Job sharing – two people do one job and split the hours Compressed hours – working full-time hours but over fewer days Flexi-time – employee chooses when to start and end work (within agreed limits) Staggered hours – employee has different start, finish and break times from other worker

More than j ust a re crui tm en t ag en c y

There were Christmas expectations ...that didn’t disappoint Just as this edition of TopicUK published, the Red Riding Hood Rock & Roll Panto was getting ready for the final performance, after a successful run at the Leeds City Varieties.

Regular readers will know that we visit the theatre several times a year reviewing performances and interviewing artists, so when we were asked to see the Panto, we thought who better to go on our behalf but Elizabeth Clapham and her mum Vicky who runs BeVic PR in Leeds.

entertainment and talent the show was one big fun fest.

“Dame Millicent Merry kept the adults and children happy with her wit and charm, and the singing and music playing talents from the whole crew left me and Elizabeth in awe and the audience on their feet. Perfect family festive fun!

So what was Elizibeth and Vicky’s ve rdict? “The re we re lots of expectations and the Christmas Red Riding Hood The Rock n Roll Panto didn’t disappoint. Packed full of

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CORPORATE NEWS UPD SA O TC EI A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

AWARD WINNING DENTAL PRACTICE

with a focus on patient and community care

The wellbeing of our patients is our number one priority at Town Hall, thanks to our team of awardwinning staff and patient care coordinators. Patient care is of the utmost importance to us, and we delight in treating nervous patients who would previously have not felt able to visit the dentist for fear of treatment. We are proud to be winners of Best Patient Care in the Country at the 2017 Dentistry Awards, highlighting our commitment to all the visitors of our practice, and work alongside Leeds United Football Club, providing all the treatments for their players and staff ensuring they are fit and healthy.

© David Lindsay 2018 photosbydavid.co.uk

At Town Hall Dental, patients receive the highest quality dental treatment and patient care, within the elegant surroundings of our tastefully restored 19th century building.

We believe that the Town Hall Dental’s location, architecture and décor combined with the excellent service we provide, creates a unique dental experience unrivalled across other practices in West Yorkshire.

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We are pioneers in the North of England for cosmetic dentistry, w i t h o u r S i x - Mo n t h S m i l e s treatment being one of the most advanced on the market. Our Smile makeovers combine the best of current dental treatments to create a bespoke package that will leave you with a smile you can’t wait to show off. Our Dental implant Service provides the highest standard of care and expertise to leave you with a life changing smile, with affordable 0% finance options COMMITMENT Our treatment range also extends to facial aesthetic treatments for those wanting to look younger, improve the condition of your skin and improve your self-confidence.

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Our attitude to care led us to becoming keen advocates for corporate social responsibility, and over the years have worked with numerous great organisations locally such as Overgate Hospice and BASH (Brighouse and Surrounding Homeless) providing donations and helping to fundraise.

It was during this time that we met Louise Reed, head of Focus4Hope and our new in-house charity coordinator, who encouraged us to do more ourselves and use our skills for the benefit of the community.

Town Hall Dental now forms part of the Town Hall Group, a range of organisations all working together, using their different skills to provide care in the community.

As well as the dental practice, we operate our aesthetics clinic, a conference and events centre, and our non-profits Focus4Hope, Focus4Success and the Town Hall Foundation.

CORPORATE S O C I A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y Our work encompasses numerous specialities, all of it geared towards ensuring our clients are capable of being employed. While some organisations focus on the practical side of seeking e mplo yme nt, Focus4Success takes a holistic approach, offering numerous services depending on the needs of the individual.

Focus4Hope is a local community group which undertakes fundraising events for the local homeless, elderly and isolated in West Yorkshire, as well as outreach events to help the homeless in Leeds city centre. these groups. By providing these treatments, we dramatically increase the confidence of the clients we work with and increase their ability to find employment.

We have previously visited Calais three times, where our team of volunteer dentists and dental nurses provide emergency oral healthcare for those impacted by the refugee crisis, many fleeing dangers from their home countries including Syria, Iran and Eritrea.

The Town Hall Foundation is the charitable arm of Town Hall Dental, focused on the mission of providing oral healthcare treatments and oral health education for those who need it the most.

Our oral healthcare is predominantly focused on the homeless, exh o m e l e s s a n d i s o l a te d , a n d provides these treatments to build confidence of those impacted by homelessness and the accompanying issues to help get them back in to work. Confidence and mental wellbeing are a huge roadblock when it comes to people seeking work, and poor dental hygiene is one of the greatest issues affecting

Our Oral health education focuses on early age children in schools, as well as developmentally disabled individuals, ranging from children to adults, and is a preventative measure to encourage proper oral hygiene from an early age, preventing the need for expensive treatments as they reach adulthood, lessening the financial strain on the NHS.

Our team also collect donations for the refugee crisis and have supported the work of othe r charities sending donations to Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and more.

Members of the team have also volunteered in Northern France working with Help Refugees and Refugee Community Kitchen.

This year we have some amazing plans for our work in the community and in the practice.

We’re currently fundraising for a dental van, which will allow us to have a portable dental surgery that can better treat anyone in need on the streets, as well as pursuing charitable status for our foundation.

We are also getting ready to launch three new treatment rooms at our practice which will reduce wait times and improve the service for our patients.

SPECIALITIES Focus4Success offers various services for individuals looking for work.

These individuals may be referred to us by several different partners, including the job centre, our sister non-profit Focus4Hope or the Town Hall Foundation.

TOWN HALL FOUNDATION BRIGHOUSE

TopicUK January 2020

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NETWORKING IN THE UPPER CALDER VALLEY Forum and Todmorden’s ‘Todconnect’ networks have not only provided a place to be for SMEs to meet, but that they have lifted the towns’ profiles as places to visit, work and to do business.

A story of resilience

project was about building and or supporting the growth of business networking, particularly for SMEs.

Where ongoing flood works cause concern to significant parts of the local economy, there are also shining examples

By Stephen Curry Chair, UCVR. of business resilience within the community. Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge was just one We have just passed We have come a long way example, not only did they the 4th anniversary since those dark days for bounce back after six months of the Boxing Day businesses wrecked or closure, with impressive floods in the Calder disrupted by the deluge. On physical resilience measures Va l l e y . J a n u a r y the other hand, the economic in their building, but the owner 2016 was a month i m p a c t c o n t i n u e s t o Alison Bartram has taken on where the joy of undermine some businesses the challenge of leading the the festive season confidence. Anyone traveling Business Forum too. She say’s was literally washed along the A646 will have met “Being flooded out for so long away in hundreds with the traffic queues due FOR INFORMATION was a journey of recovery and o f a c t i v i t i e s , to the seemingly everlasting ON TODCONNECT I was supported by friends, MEETINGS: m e e t i n g s a n d flood alleviation works. family, business colleagues hello@todconnect.co.uk clean-up operations. and the community. I’m Readers will have seen our www.todconnect.co.uk passionate about business and We have just passed the 4th reports here of how, following For information on Hebden Bridge, so taking on anniversary of the Boxing a n e c o n o m i c i m p a c t Hebden Bridge the leadership of the Business Day floods in the Calder study in April 2016, Upper Business Forum Forum is part of a journey Valley. January 2016 was a Calder Valley Renaissance hello@hebdenbridge.org from flooding to recovery to month where the joy of the (UCVR) was tasked with https://hebdenbridge.org growth for the town”. festive season was literally reconnecting businesses For information on UCVR: washed away in hundreds where supply chains were info@ucvr.org.uk In the upper Calder valley, we of activities, meetings and broken and of creating new www.ucvr.org.uk have previously reported that clean-up operations. opportunities for trade. The @UCVR_ the Hebden Bridge Business

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In 2015 a small group of self-employed people had formed a business network in Todmorden but the aftermath of the flooding pro ved difficult for them to represent businesses needs in adversity.

However, the UCVR network project funded by Calderdale Council allowed others to step up to the challenge and ‘Todconnect’ was formed.

Likewise, in Hebden Bridge momentum was achieved for the business forum on the back of winning the Great British High Street award and similar funding from Calderdale. Today the business forum boasts an excellent website both connecting the businesses and community as well as showcasing the town for visitors and trading opportunities. And in Todmorden Todconnect is leading the MORe in TodMORden promotion throughout 2020 This time of the year has become one of reflection in the upper Calder valley, the 2015 Boxing Day Floods will live on the memories of our business community for years to come, but the sprit and unity through networking and being part of that community means there is a level of resilience and a ‘ready for anything mentality’. The concept of resilience became a reality in the valley and something to be very proud of.

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Half page.indd 1

Gala Dinner and Performance Friday 13 March 2020

22/11/2017 12:11

Enjoy a fabulous night of fun and fizz, all while supporting a charity at the heart of your local community.

Theatre Royal Wakefield’s annual Gala combines a three course meal with a fantastic performance, topped off with a post-show party to dance off your dinner.

Champagne package: £95

To book, please contact poppy.wille@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk or call Poppy on 01924 334 115.

Photos by Peter Wells

Wine package: £85

Gather together, work better.

But you always want better? Growing your business is a challenging and noble pursuit. This is why we say, never compromise.

The Buttercrumble experience is sweet, we don’t constraint our partners to a set of rigid procedures. Whether you want to increase sales using high-energy creative or through focused consultancy, we can gather together and work better. www.buttercrumble.com

HOTEL REVIEW

Rogerthorpe Manor:

A luxury stay in an historic building.

Often, the thought of an overnight stay in a hotel is something I do not relish. No matter how high the standard, the array of facilities or beautiful location, it is merely the fact that as a female visiting alone, I feel conspicuous, uneasy and tend to immediately “camp out” in my room and never venture to the bar, or indeed enjoy the dining options available.

By Mandy Taylor - business development executive TopicUK

The welcome at reception was a warm and cheery one, check-in speedy and all my questions answered with ease and professionalism. I was particularly keen to learn more about the accommodation on-site and learnt that this beautiful hotel has 27 bedrooms within the main building and in 2016, the suites were opened and although they on site, they are tucked away offering privacy and private parking.

LOVINGLY

However, when the opportunity to stay overnight in one of the five luxurious suites at the historic Rogerthorpe Manor came up, I did not hesitate to secure a booking.

It was a crisp winters afternoon and a delight to drive through some beautiful countryside on my journey to Badsworth, just outside of Pontefract. As I drove through the impressive main entrance and pulled into the car park I was instantly struck by how peaceful it was and how despite recent inclement weather, the grounds looked impeccable.

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With an iPad in my hand and a number of emails to reply to, I decided it would be wise to complete my workload prior to exploring the venue and headed to The blue plaque outside the “Rogers Lounge”. With free wi-fi and entrance door notified me that comfortable seating, this beautiful the venue was built in 1610 by room is filled with an array of quirky Samuel Saltonstal, the nephew of artefacts and offers privacy, to be Sir Richard Saltonstal, who in 1597 honest I was reluctant to leave and was the Lord Mayor of London. could have quite easily snoozed It was a private home until 1955, however I was conscious that time when it became an exclusive was ticking by and I did rather fancy country club. Six owners later, taking a peak at the Jacobean Pub. following some redevelopment, it was bought as a hotel by local Accessed by a simple corridor, it was farmers, the Metcalfe family. great to see a number of people in the bar area, ranging from a group As soon as I had crossed the of business people in one corner to t h r e s h o l d , I f e l t a “ v i r t u a l healthy looking walkers in the other. hug” – and a sense of calm and Much to my delight, Lee Roberts the tranquility.

Operations Manager passed by and

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swiftly asked the very affable and smartly dressed Bar Manager to pour me a drink, as he pulled up a chair. Lee is clearly very dedicated

HOTEL REVIEW want to leave this amazing suite.

Following what was a fantastic fundraising event, I was delighted to return to my suite, parking right at the side of it and never once feeling vulnerable. A notoriously poor sleeper, it was much to my delight that for the first time in months, I enjoyed a solid nights sleep in the extremely comfortable bed which had the crispest of linen on it.

UNIQUE A quick stroll around the beautifully maintained grounds with their views of the rolling landscape proved to be the perfect way to gain an appetite for breakfast. With an array of juices cereals, fresh fruits and pastries to the more robust and traditional hot food options this was a breakfast fit for a King (or Queen!) and the waitress was busily attending to her duties and clearly very efficient.

to the business and it was apparent that we both had the shared views on the necessity for outstanding customer service and attention to detail in this industry.

After bidding farewell to Lee, it was time to open the door to suite number 16, which dated back to the early 1800’s. Originally a barn on the Rogerthorpe Manor Farm estate, it later became accommodation for the farm workers. To say I was taken aback is an understatement, it has been lovingly restored and clearly the brief for the designer was “to blend classical architecture with stylish contemporary living” No expense had been spared, the interior furnishings exuded quality and the lighting system (which even I could work out how to operate)

I noted paper bags hung on the wall, and suspect that these may be for those who had little time to indulge and may need to take a picnic style breakfast with them, a very nice touch.

was a fabulous touch (who knew the option of pink lighting could be so effective!)

Instantly I felt safe and secure and in no time at all, I was in my complimentary whiter than white robe and slippers and running a bubble bath (the luxury toiletries were plentiful) on the mezzanine level bathroom which offered a walk-in shower, dressing table area and a huge free-standing tub and high end television screen.

Whilst checking out the very pleasant receptionist asked if she would see me again, and without hesitation I confirmed that she would , especially as I understand that the hotel is currently converting another barn which will be called “The Hideway” – and very unique indeed.

FANTASTIC

was attending a function in Leeds that evening. One of the plus points of the venue is that it is close to the motorway and major transport links.

As I soaked, the pitter patter of the raindrops on the skylights reminded me that I must remember to borrow the umbrella that was thoughtfully placed next to the front door, as I

Whilst getting ready, I noted an array of courtesy hot drink options, water biscuits and crisps in the lounge area and noted that there was also room service for those who really did not

See our latest offer, page 84 to stay in our superior suites for just £90 B&B this January, February & March!

Th o r p e L a n e , B a d s w o r t h , Pontefract, WF9 1AB www.rogerthorpemanor.com TopicUK January 2020

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Winter Specials at Rogerthorpe Manor

Programme 2020 •

•

•

•

Sunday 19th January – Wedding Open Day

Join us and a selection of our preferred suppliers from the Wedding industry and our Wedding team. Our venue will be dressed beautifully as it would for your special day. Doors open at 11am until 2pm, free entry and parking

Saturday 15th February – Valentines with Bublé

Why not make it a grand romantic occasion by turning your usual traditional romantic meal into an evening of entertainment, arrival drink and delicious carvery in our beautiful hotel ballrooms. £29.55 per person

Sunday 1st March – Wedding Fayre

We will be joined by a host of Wedding stalls all providing you with inspiring ideas for your big day!

Doors open at 11am until 2pm, free entry & free parking

Tuesday 17th March – Wedding Tasting Evening

Your wedding breakfast is one of the most memorable moments of your wedding day, and the first meal you will share as a married couple with your friends and family. With that in mind, we couldn’t possibly expect you to choose the menu without tasting it first.

Ask the Wedding team for further details

•

Sunday 22nd March – Mother’s Day

TUESDAY IS PIZZA LOVERS DAY 2 for £15 Enjoy two 12inch Stone baked Pizzas made in house using the freshest of ingredients to deliver you the best experience. Choose from: • • •

The Classic Pizza (v) New York Deli.

The Heatwave

•

Meat Lovers Paradise

All our Pizzas can be served with a gluten free base.

WEDNESDAY IS BURGER DAY Traditional Jacobean Burger & Buffalo Chicken, served with a toasted sour dough bun, baby gem lettuce, beef tomato, pickled gherkins, coleslaw, fries and our secret recipe beef and cheddar dripping sauce.

THURSDAY IS FISH & CHIPS DAY A British classic deep-fried haddock in a beer batter served with chips, garden peas or mushy peas and tartar sauce. £1.50pp to add Unlimited Bread

£2.50pp to upgrade to our Meat Lovers Paradise. A 7oz beef burger with pulled pork, bacon, spicy sausage & cheese

Treat Mum or the special lady in your life to a 4-course carvery lunch in our hotel ballrooms or if you are looking for something a little more intimate, we have our Mother’s Day private dining menu available in our Rose room.

Hotel Ballrooms £26.95 per adult & £12.95 per child Rose Room £31.95 per adult & £16.95 per child

ACCOMMODATION SALE - AVAILABLE JANUARY TO MARCH Book one of our stunning bedrooms directly with us in the New Year and we will include bed and breakfast. (Room types and this offer is subject to availability)

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N E W S U P D AT E

SM UK wins fit out contract

our clients, and the guys working at the coal face now have premier equipment to carry out their job.”

Leeds-based auto engineering and vehicle safety specialist SM UK has won a contract to fit out and modernise a five-strong fleet of service engineering vans for the coach sales arm of Arriva.

SM UK managing director Steve MacDonald, who started the £6m turnover auto-engineering business in 2000, said: “Modern high-tech storage systems for vans are proving really transformative for our clients across a wide range of sector, creating safe, efficient storage and much safer and more ergonomic working conditions for operators.

Leeds-based auto engineering and vehicle safety specialist SM UK has won a contract to fit out and modernise a five-strong fleet of service engineering vans for the coach sales arm of Arriva.

Based in Cleckheaton, Arriva Bus and Coach provides coaches for travel operators and other clients across the UK. Its fleet of service vans enable its field technicians to carry out essential maintenance work at Arriva customers’ own premises across the country.

The fit-out, completed on three

of the five vehicles so far at SM UK’s new £2m vehicle conversion centre in Leeds, has seen state-of-the-art storage racking systems installed on the Arriva vans, as well as high-tech work stations and new lighting systems that enable engineers to work on vehicles in lowlight conditions.

Morale Nigel Clarke, head of aftersales and operations at Arriva Bus and Coach, said the fit out of the vans had hugely improved the effectiveness of the firm’s mobile technician team. “The storage systems and technology that

SM UK have installed for us have been a game changer. The entire system is bespoke to us and it means that parts and equipment are easily accessible, do not get mixed up and are stored safely, all of which increases efficiency.”

H e a d d e d : “ We c a r r y a i r conditioning maintenance kit, which has to be stored safely, and that now has its own purpose-built secure carrier within the new system. Perhaps most important though is the boost the newly fitted-out vans have given to team morale. Our field technicians now have clean, dry and welllit conditions in which to work, and they can see that Arriva are investing in them. Ultimately, we aim to offer a premier service to

“The systems, which we fit from our large and well equipped Leeds vehicle conversion centre, are currently in high demand as firms look to update and improve the safety and efficiency of their fleets.”

SM UK employs 62 people at its Leeds headquarters and across a nationwide fleet of mobile engineers.

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GRANDLAND X SPORT

Vauxhall - deliverying quality and style

This edition, the TopicUK team test drive the Grandland X Sport courtesy of Vauxhall, who loaned us the vehicle for one week.

Here’s what TopicUK editor Gill Laidler though of it.

It was a cold crisp but dry morning when the Vauxhall Grandland X Sport was delivered to the TopicUK office, almost an hour early, which was good as we had not just a busy day planned for it, but a busy week.

Another nifty idea is the speed sign recognition. The speed limit of the road you are driving on is highlighted on the 8 inch colour touchscreen so you an always be sure that you are driving at the correct speed and not guessing if you don’t spot a road sign.

The model was the 5-door SUV Grandland X Sport in pearl white with a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 1.5 turbo diesel sport engine.

An hour later, we were off, leaving our office near Leeds heading to an appointment in Skipton, about 40 miles away which we estimated would take a little over an hour.

Entering the vehicle for the first time, we were surprised to find how roomy it was inside, with lots of leg room both to the front and the rear. For most this is advantageous, but for me, a short legged driver it can cause a few problems. The footwell is deep so I found I had to pull the seat in quite close so I could comfortably reach the pedals, which did of course place me a little too near the steering wheel.

However, it wasn’t too much of a problem as the ergonomic active front seats were comfortable and the steering wheel is adjustable to help with this.

The car has an eight inch built in touch screen that features an impressive satellite navigation syste m with 3D street le vel mapping and European coverage.

With the navigation set and phones paired via Bluetooth connectivity so we could safely use handsfree via the steering wheel controls and of course stream music from our smartphones, although there is a Digital radio/AM/FM stereo, we were set to go.

Normally I drive an automatic vehicle, but I found the 6-speed gear box to be slick and responsive and it wasn’t long before it felt like I had driven the car for a long time.

into the lane should you move out slightly. I really didn’t like this function, but it was easily turned off. Perhaps if we had kept the vehicle longer I might have got used to it, and I’m sure it is a brilliant safety feature, especially if you are driving whilst a tad over tired. The car also has a driver drowsiness system.

PLEASED On reaching our destination, which was an off road centre, the car handled very well (no we didn’t go off roading in it) but the terrain to our destination was tricky and the Grandland X handled it beautifully.

INTELLIGENT It only took a few minutes to familiarise with the dashboard and controls which were all standard and nicely laid out. The boot, although we didn’t need it for this first journey was spacious, more than enough to accommodate a family and would take a couple of large suitcases. It was illuminated on opening too, great for night loading.

M O T O R I N G U P D AT E headlights when coming towards you on an unlit road. The Vauxhall Grandland X dips the headlight beam automatically, restoring it when the oncoming vehicle has passed, which is a great idea and should be fitted on all cars as standard.

On the motorway we switched on the cruise control with intelligent speed adaption and the car cruised along effortly and smoothly. The interior is pleasant with a leather covered steering wheel and driver centre armrest.

Leaving the motorway behind and turning onto a dual carriageway all was well until the lane assist function kicked-in and I panicked!

I’ve never come across this before, its purpose is to steer you back

Parking was a cinch. The car is fitted with front and rear parking distance sensors and has good all round visibility with electrically adjustable door mirrors.

Setting off a few hours later it was dark and as we were still unfamiliar with all the controls, were pleased to find that the lights come on automatically.

I’m not a fan of driving in the dark as many drivers fail to dip their

As the week went on, we became more and more comfortable with the car, its safety features such as anti-lock braking, forward collision alert (fortunately not required) and Vauxhall has an excellent safety rating from Euro NCAP and fitted as standard is Onstar Service which will contact the emergency services for you if you are involved in an accident.

The verdict?

An all round excellent car that has all the features you would expect and more! The model we drove was the Grandland X Sport Nav 1.5 (130ps) Turbo D S/S with an on the road price of £27,735.

This includes number pleates, dealer delivery, 12 months vehicle Excise Duty and new vehicle first registration fee.

I t h a s a n Another nifty attractive idea is the exterior with 18 speed sign inch diamondcut alloy wheels. recognition ...

There were some added options to the vehicle: an all road pack, wireless charger, heated windscreen, panoramic glass roof, winter pack, dark tinted rear windows and a detachable tow bar taking the total price to £31,270.

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M O T O R I N G U P D AT E

Range Rover it really is an experience!

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M O T O R I N G U P D AT E

A few weeks ago, TopicUK were lucky enough to be invited to join the Yorkshire Land Rover Experience in the beautiful setting of Broughton Hall, two miles from the centre of Skipton.

The centre is based in Yellison Farm Barns, a former goat farm high on the moorside within the 3000 acre estate.

As well as Range Rover Autobiography’s like the one we had, there are Defenders, Evoques and Discovery Sport vehicles to choose from, but all offer the same experience and allow you to develop off road driving, obstacle handling and the understanding of vehicle controls.

Sympathetically refurbished in 2015, the facility is now a stunning state of the art driving centre, complete with conference facilities for up to 80 guests. There are 35 members of staff, 30 of whom are fully qualified experienced instructors, working either full or part-time.

We took part in the half day experience, worth £300, which includes 2 drivers plus a passenger for exclusive use of the vehicle.

Our vehicle was a Range Rover Autobiography, instructed by Damien Newhouse, who was amazing, talking us through every obstacle.

We were greeted with a welcome hot drink, followed by an overview of the Land Rover brand.

Then it was time to set off, firstly with Damien at the controls.

We were amazed at the onboard technology available in the full range of vehicles and understand why Range Rover’s at not at the cheaper end of the market, but well worth their money in our opinion. off so we could safely switch seats, Rob our magazine designer took the controls.

After a few basic instructions on the cars instrument panel, the first obstacle was the rock crawl, a piece of rough ground embedded with various size rocks. The car handled it beautifully as each wheel works independently.

Next came huge steep climbs of rough terrain which neither of us would have thought it possible to climb, but with the Range Rover it

The water was next, the car plunged into three feet of water, once again with the camera coming into play...

Damien touching a few of the car’s controls, Rob was told to just steer the car, down the very steep incline, not using either the accelerator or the brakes and allow the car to descend the hill itself. For those who have never tried this, quite a scary thing to do.

We needn’t have worried, again the car performed beautifully.

Following many climbs and mud drives it was time for the water challenge but not before Rob was instructed to ‘bank’ the vehicle almost 28 degrees. The car’s technology ensures the vehicle does not tip on its side, this was very impressive.

When you purchase a Range Rover from an authorised dealer, you will generally be offered an experience as part of the package. However, expe rie nces can be booked separately. There is the half day that we had, or you could take advantage of the full day at £500 that includes a light lunch for two people. One hour taster sessions are also available for as little as £99, which would make a great gift for someone.

There is also onsite accommodate for up to four people in the Hayloft adjacent to the barns with two double ensuite rooms. Further accommodation for group bookings can be arranged.

EXPERIENCE He drove through a number of obstacles of climbs and descents, explaining the controls of the car and how to tackle and handle each hazard.

INTELLIGENT

was effortless. The climb was so steep, when we reached the top, the only thing visible was the sky, so it was fortunate that the vehicle is fitted with a camera which tilts to show the forward vision on the dashboard screen.

Then it was our turn. Lowering the suspension on the vehicle which was initially raised before we set

Next was the descent and where complete trust in the ability of the vehicle comes into force. With

The water was next, the car plunged into three feet of water, once again with the camera coming into play.

We drove slowly through the wading pool impressed by how the car is fully sealed to keep the water out. On leaving, Rob was instructed to hit the accelerator hard to ensure all the water was blown from the exhaust pipe.

If you would like to arrange an experience for yourself call the team on: 01756 611060.

TopicUK January 2020

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BACKSTAGE-ACADEMY.CO.UK

N E W S U P D AT E White Rose Award Winners 2019

An ‘Unbelievable’ night as Yorkshire Tourism Stars Crowned!

Chris said: ‘What a reception, the crowd was amazing! It was my first ever live public performance of any of the tracks from my album and the whole evening was something special.

Chris Kamara

Footballing legend Chris Ka m a r a w o w e d t h e crowds in Leeds as the very best in Yorkshire tourism were honoured at The White Rose Awards.

The former Sheffield United, Leeds United and Bradford City player turned Sky Sports pundit performed two festive favourites from his debut album ‘Here’s to Christmas’, at the First direct Arena as the night was filled with celebrations when the cream of the crop in Yorkshire Tourism were crowned in front of a packed audience.

I’m Yorkshire born and bred -Yorkshire people are the best and to see so many happy people making Yorkshire a great place to live and visit was fantastic.’

Hosted by television presenter and actress Natalie Anderson and broadcaster Rich Williams the glitzy ceremony, which is the largest celebration of tourism in the UK, went off with a bang thanks to fantastic performances from Leeds West Indian Carnival, high energy street dance crew Scandalous from Huddersfield, and upcoming South Yorkshire pop star Charlotte Hannah.

There was a Great British BakeOff reunion as Yorkshire stars Dan Chambers, Amelia Le Bruin

and Helena Garcia came to celebrate with the winners.

This year’s event was the biggest and best yet with more awards up for grabs than ever before; 103 finalists battled it out to win in 19 categories with a number of brandnew awards including Accessible and Inclusive Tourism, Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism and an International Tourism Award added to the list, reflecting the way our industry is moving forward.

Chair of Welcome to Yorkshire, Peter Box said: ‘I couldn’t have been prouder to have been a part of tonight’s White Rose Awards to see the very best in Yorkshire tourism honoured for their huge amount of hard work and dedication to making Yorkshire one of the best places to visit in the world!

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award: The Deep, Hull Arts & Culture Award: Hull Truck Theatre B&B and Guest House of the Year: The Barn, Monk Fryston Business Events Venue of the Year: Broughton Hall Estate, Skipton Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year: Wolds Edge Holiday Lodges, Bishop Wilton Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award: William's Den, North Cave Experience of the Year: Hotham's Gin School and Distillery, Hull Inns & Restaurants with Rooms Award: Manor House Lindley, Lindley International Tourism Award: Castle Howard, York Large Hotel of the Year: The Grand, York Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton New Tourism Business Award: William's Den, North Cave Producers and Makers Award: York Emporium Pub of the Year: The Durham Ox, Crayke Self -Catering Accommodation of the Year: Broadgate Farm Cottages, Walkington Small Hotel of the Year: Grays Court Hotel & The Bow Room Restaurant, York Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: Sf Yorkshire Distillery, Hunmanby Taste of England Award: The Star Inn at Harome Tourism Event Award: Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival

Natalie Anderson & Rich Williams ©Simon Dewhurst Photography Limited

Every single winner whether they got a bronze, silver or gold should be incredibly proud!’

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N E W S U P D AT E

Recruitment specialist champions workers A Leeds recruitment specialist is calling for the city’s businesses to put their workers first, as part of his new role as an Inclusive Growth Ambassador.

A Leeds recruitment specialist is calling for the city’s businesses to put their workers first, as part of his new role as an Inclusive Growth Ambassador.

c o m m i s s i o n e d b y T h e Wo r k s showed that 52% of respondents felt undervalued, half said the pay and benefits were ‘not good’ and almost two thirds said they didn’t feel supported to develop their skills.

Craig Burton, managing director of The Works Recruitment, is one of “A s a n e w l y a p p o i n te d Pe o p l e four “People Ambassadors” selected Ambassador I will be using these

by Leeds City Council as part of statistics to hammer home to local its Inclusive Growth Ambassador employers the critical need to programme, to focus on creating improve their workplace culture better jobs, tackling low pay and to combat the feelings expressed boosting productivity in the city. through our own research. If productivity can be improved through As founder of The Works, one of better people skills and by cultivating the oldest and most established rather than alienating talent then recruiters in the UK, Craig recently we can start to make a difference commissioned a survey asking to lives and businesses.” temporary workers about their employment experiences. He is using In his 12-month role as Inclusive its results to fuel his new ambassador G r o w t h A m b a s s a d o r w i t h role and reach out to employers who responsibility for ‘people’ Craig he says, should be doing more. will be creating blogs on workplace culture, productivity and tackling “I’ve always been a champion for low pay to maximise the reach of workers’ rights – especially temporary his expertise, alongside influencing workers as they are often disregarded and driving the aims and objectives as not a ‘proper’ member of staff,” of the city-wide Leeds Inclusive Craig explains. “The recent survey Growth Strategy.

Is your photographer an asset or a liability?

Whether you’re an SME or a large corporate business, the quality of your images will reflect your organisation as much as your products and services.

What do your images say? Your website is your digital window display. Your headshot is your digital handshake.

Every business owner, no matter its size, has the right to creative bespoke images. Pictures emphasise your company’s values and ethos allowing you to connect professionally as well as personally with your clients. We recently completed a commercial shoot for a medium sized business which comprised headshots and group shots.

Having previously hired two general photographers for the

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job, they were disappointed with both sets of results. These services seemed inexpensive, but the end result was wasted time and a cost of £375 for nothing.

This is not a unique occurrence, so ho w do es a bu siness determine if a photographer is right for them?

One question you always need to ask: Are You Insured?

If a photographer isn’t insured, you have no more questions to ask. Thank them for their time and say goodbye.

N E W S U P D AT E It’s easy to find a cheap photographer but if they don’t have the necessary insurance then the cost could be more than you bargained for. Accidents can happen especially when working w i t h l i g h t s , w i re s , t r i p o d s , backdrops etc. If an employee is injured who is liable? You may find yourself sucked into a court case either as a defendant or a plaintive.

Seek out a photographer who holds both Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance.

Public Liability demonstrates a photographer appreciates the value of your employees and your property. Professional Indemnity safeguards you from any actual or potential financial losses.

Tax partner to lead Private Client Services Vanessa Lee has been appointed as Tax Partner to the lead the Private Client Services practice of the accountancy and advisory firm BDO, across the North of England.

Moreover, these insurances demonstrate the photographer’s integrity, professional attitude and obligation to safeguard you.

After graduating, Vanessa trained at PwC and from there she went on to spend almost 13 years at KPMG prior to leading EY’s regional private client team. Vanessa has spent her career advising entrepreneurs, high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices and Trustees on complex tax planning and was previously named in the UK Top 35 under 35 in her sector.

Lincoln & Perrin Roth Read Photography www.rothreadphotography.com

Terry Jones, Partner and head of BDO in Yorkshire, said “Vanessa’s appointment comes during a

landmark year for BDO. A crucial part of our strategy is attracting top talent like Vanessa. As a firm, our focus is on providing quality advice to help support our clients’ business goals. Vanessa’s experience and skillset will help strengthen our services across the region.”

TopicUK send family to the pantomime This years Pantomime at The Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield is Sleeping Beauty and TopicUK sent along Partner Chris Worsley and his family from Easy Fireplaces to tell our readers what they thought of the performance. Here’s what he told us:

“Thank you TopicUK f o r t he w o n de rf ul f a m i l y t r i p to t h e amazing Lawrence Batley Theatre. We received a warm welcome, the atmosphere was family friendly and the cast were superb. Both our boys had a very entertaining evening.”

Highly recommend.

Vanessa added “BDO has an impressive reputation for its work with e ntre pre ne urial businesses and I believe it’s the perfect fit for my experience. I am looking forward to being part of a firm which really understands and values the contribution that building strong, sustainable relationships with private clients can bring.”

Vanessa who lives near Hebden Bridge originates from Hull and continues her connection to the East Riding of Yorkshire via supporting both Hull City AFC and The University of Hull as Chair of its Finance and Investment Committee and as a Lay Member of University Council. She also sits on the Development Committee for The Prince’s Trust across Yorkshire and Humber and will Chair its Clay Shoot on 1 June 2020. In addition, she is an Advisory Board Member of Tax Aid, supporting vulnerable individuals who have lost their way with their tax affairs.

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N E W S U P D AT E

people from all walks of life, working together to improve the quality of life for everyone in this special place we call home. I think we have achieved this.”

CFFC Chair, Dr Roger Moore OBE commented, “It was a great pleasure and privilege for me to be able to welcome over 350 guests to the Awards. The many active charities and community groups in Calderdale are something we should treasure, and it is very special to have an evening to celebrate their achievements.”

Calderdale celebrates community spirit with Awards The Community Foundation for Calderdale and its headline sponsors Covea Insurance, Riley & Co and BCA Leisure hosted the impressive Community Spirit Awards at the end of last year, at The Venue, Barkisland, to celebrate the amazing work volunteers, charities and community groups do to make Calderdale a better place to live and work.

2024 Calderdale Vision, which echoed the ethos of the people and organisations being recognised.

Privilege The Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Founding Director and Life Vice President of the Community Foundation for Calderdale,(CFFC) Chris Harris DL, who was on stage with the sponsors to present the awards commented, “In 1991, the Calderdale Foundation dream was that the foundation became the beating heart of the community, connecting

The Orange Box Choir opened the awards giving an emotional and rousing performance, setting the atmosphere for the evening.

They were followed by Callum Butterworth, a choir member and quarter finalist of ITV’s The Voice’. Robin Tuddenham from Calderdale Council gave a short presentation on the Overgate Hospice

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The event finished with a rousing speech from CEO of the CFFC Steve Duncan DL and a photo experience where people used the torch feature on their phone to make a love heart producing a photo of love hearts in light around the room.

For a full list of winners check out the Community Foundation website at: www.cffc.co.uk

If you would like to support the work of the Community Foundation please contact them on 01422 349700, or email steve@cffc.co.ukco.

SPOTLIGHT ON BRADFORD & DISTRICT

SPOTLIGHT ON

BRADFORD & DISTRICT Edited by - Perry Austin-Clarke

IN THE first of these special sections putting the spotlight on Bradford, which appeared in Topic’s Nov/Dec issue), we talked about the city being on the “cusp of a resurgence.”

which has the potential to generate hundreds of millions of pounds for the local economy.

Credibility There were many positive signs in 2019 all pointing in the right direction for Bradford, including the fact it was named best city in the UK to start a business in analysis from Barclays bank – whose SME Growth Factors Index saw it top the leader board ahead of Leicester, Coventry, Edinburgh and Liverpool – and dubbed “Emerging Destination of the Year” for Europe by tourist bible The Luxury Travel Guide.

Performance Since then, the good news has kept on coming.

Bradford is the most improved place in the UK to live and work, according to a study by accounting giant PwC and think-tank Demos.

The annual D e mos-P wC Good Growth for Cities 2019 report aims

to show there is more to economic well-being than measuring just the UK’s economic activity, its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The index measures the performance of 42 of the UK’s largest cities, England’s Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and 10 Combined Authorities, against a range of 10 factors. These include jobs, health, income and skills, as well as work-life balance, house affordability, travel-to-work times, income equality, environment and business start-ups.

Much of what happened last year was about preparing Bradford and district for what could well be one of the most exciting periods in its modern history. There is huge confidence in its prospects for grasping the title of UK City of Culture 2025,

Its bid to win the competition, which we report on in this issue, was launched with a double event, taking place on the same day in both Bradford and at London’s Southbank, where leading figures from the arts and cultural industries announced their support.

As if to reinforce the credibility of its campaign, Bradford received an ideal Christmas present with the appointment of Richard Shaw, who has held prominent positions at several of the UK’s leading arts, cultural and media organisations including the British Film Institute, the National Theatre, and English National Ballet, as the bid’s full-time director.

As we enter a new year, Bradford is poised at the foot of an escalator that only goes in one direction – UP! TopicUK January 2020

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SPOTLIGHT ON BRADFORD & DISTRICT

Bradford is home to a unique training facility where thousands of Openreach engineers learn their trade…

It looks like a normal street, with four houses, two with garages, and a couple of shops. The houses are fully decorated and contain functioning electrical equipment.

There is even a barking dog that responds when the doorbell rings...

But this set-up is the heart of a unique training facility in Bradford that allows the engineers who are delivering fibre networks across the UK virtually every minute of every day the chance to experience real life issues while training for that vital role.

Set up by Openreach at its Braford Legrams Lane training centre, Open Street is a full mock-up residential street designed to give engineers as authentic a taste of real life calls as possible.

In its first year of operation, more than 5,500 engineers and trainees came through the training centre.

It was the first of its kind when it opened in March 2018, and the work it does is helping to train the thousands of engineers who are delivering the company’s Fibre First programme. More than £1 million was invested to transform it from a 1970s office, storage and workshop unit into the vast training facility it is today.

The development has since acted as a template for Openreach training centres across the UK – giving recruits and engineers safe, “real-life” scenarios to get to grips with their work on. The

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company has now developed three others around the UK.

Kim Mears

Open Street allows engineers to experience a typical working day - from cabling to jointing and repairs, working underground or overhead, climbing telephone poles and installing new services inside customers’ homes – within a training scenario.

Kim Mears, Openreach’s managing director, said: “The training centre is a huge asset to Openreach and to Bradford. Bradford was chosen due to its location along the M62 and because the city itself, and the wider region, has a very high customer and Openreach engineer base.

“All of these sites have slightly different set-ups to make the most

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of the individual training centre.

In Bradford we have four houses, two garages and two additional business premises. This variation enables our trainers to demonstrate different scenarios that engineers will encounter day to day.

“We have a barking dog bell chime, to talk about pets and potential safety issues they could come across at customers’ houses. Different types of external cladding on property fronts exist to train on drilling practices and how to best run cables while making sure they consider the customer and the property.

“We also have different floor types so that we can discuss ladder safety, and the garages provide a real-life set-up for training on working on a flat roof.

SPOTLIGHT ON BRADFORD & DISTRICT Everything has been designed with the purpose of giving engineers maximum exposure to the things they will encounter on real jobs.

challenging, but in reality it’s never been less so. With the modern tools and techniques we use, this career is now very much open to both men and women.

for, and for our workforce to reflect the hugely diverse communities we serve throughout the UK.”

“My message to anyone who’s thinking about a career as an engineer, whether that be starting out from college or switching career at a later stage, is to find out more.

It’s a fascinating job, you’re always working with brand new technology

anticipates the demand for the facility will remain, and the level of trainees using it will continue to be large.

Going forward, Openreach

to expand the training facilities even further, and we have a raft of upgrades we are working on to make the training experience the best it can possibly be.”

“The network is live, so it works exactly as it would out on a real street.”

The training is seen as playing a pivotal role in Openreach’s huge project to roll out full fibre broadband across the UK. Bradford is also a seen as a key centre for Openreach’s UK-wide ongoing recruitment, with 3,500 new recruits taken on across the country during 2018/19 and another 3,000 planned to be brought in during 2019/20.

As part of that process, Openreach is working hard to attract a more diverse workforce. Last year, more female engineers joined than in previous years. And recruitment of black, Asian and minority ethnic people has risen nationally from 11 per cent in 2017 to 17 per cent in 2018.

One female engineer, Hollie Hutton, explained why it is such a rewarding career.

“It’s still a largely male-dominated career but times are most definitely

“The network is live, so it works exactly as it would out on a real street...” changing, which can only be a good thing,” she said.

“Being an engineer for Openreach is a fantastic job and one that I really enjoy. There can be a misconception that the physical side of the role makes it too

“In Yorkshire we envisage 9,000 training days for our engineers and new starters this year, so to have about 5,000 individual trainees come through our doors is easily going to happen,” said Kim Mears.

which is exciting, and there is huge satisfaction from problem solving and resolving complex issues.”

“With ongoing new recruit training and existing engineers upskilling we expect to see the same level of use at the facility. On any given day the centre can have up to 80 engineers being trained.

Kevin Brady, Openreach’s HR Director, said: “We are keen to be known as a company that men and women from all walks of life want to work

“It’s been a great first year but we’re not resting on our laurels.

Work is already underway building two new classrooms at Bradford

I f yo u w o u l d l i k e t o j o i n the organisations and staff members who have been trained

by Shipley College, please contact Linda O’Donnell, Head of Business Development on lodonnell@shipley.ac.uk or 02174 327239.

TopicUK January 2020

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SNPEOWTSL IUGPHDTAO TN E BRADFORD & DISTRICT

City of Culture Those behind the move to make Bradford the City of Culture 2025 believe success will bring many millions of pounds of benefits to the whole economy.

And in a bold statement of intent, the bid team held a double launch event – one which took place in Bradford itself, and one deep in the heartland of the cultural elite, in London’s Southbank.

The high-profile launch in London saw a line-up of leading figures from the arts and cultural industries get behind Bradford’s bid, including keynote speaker Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of ITV, Lynette Huntley, chief of staff at Channel 4, and Madani Younis, creative director at the Southbank.

The ambition of the board running the Bradford City of Culture 2025 Bid has also been shown by the appointment of Richard Shaw as full-time director.

Success Richard has a strong track record in a strong track record in public

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engagement, broadcasting, management and marketing and has held prominent positions at several of the UK’s leading arts, cultural and media organisations including the British Film Institute, the National

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Theatre, English National Ballet, and Lion Television.

He believes success with the bid will be game-changing. “The economic and social benefits of winning

SPOTLIGHT ON BRADFORD & DISTRICT are enormous; generating new investment, bringing new jobs, resources and more visitors to the region and offering new skills and opportunities for people who live, work and study here,” he said.

be encouraged to post about their experience on social media and to tag in @Bradford2025 and use the hashtag #Bradford2025.

Programme development for the bid will start once the vision and themes are in place later in 2020. The final bid has to be submitted in 2021 and the winning city will be announced in December 2021.

Benefits “Just last week, Hull revealed that £676m worth of new public and private investment has been injected into the city between 2013 and 2019 – an incredible legacy from its UK City of Culture year. There’s no reason why Bradford can’t reap the same benefits, if not more.”

That was the message that was given to those who attended the bid’s Bradford launch at the Kala Sangam Arts Centre, with those who attended left in no doubt about what benefits they would see if the bid is successful.

They were told how Hull benefited from its 2017 City of Culture title, adding at least £22m gross value to local economy, with evidence showing more than 50 per cent of businesses felt it contributed to increased turnover.

Skill

He will also work closely with the recently formed Cultural Place Partnership which includes Bradfordbased live arts company, The Brick Box; University of Bradford; Bradford College, further representatives of the cultural sector and national funders.

On the appointment of Richard Shaw, the board’s interim chair Mary Dowson, said: “Richard brings a wealth of national experience to help Bradford on its journey and we are delighted to welcome him to Team Bradford.

“The bid for the UK City of Culture title is a huge opportunity for Bradford to shout proudly about its extraordinary cultural heritage and to celebrate the new generation of artists, musicians, writers, performers, producers, entrepreneurs and businesses that bring this great city to life today,” he said.

Kamran Rashid, steering group member said: “Richard’s appointment is an important step as Bradford takes forward its ambition to win the City of Culture title for 2025. The city has so many of the ingredients to make a great socially inclusive City of Culture. It was fantastic to see Bradford University named the UK’s University of the Year for Social Inclusion earlier this year, and we want to build on this reputation. Richard will strengthen our national links and help us build the case that Bradford deserves this bid.”

“I’m enormously excited to be coming back to live in Yorkshire and to help work on a bold, distinctive Richard’s appointment comes hot on and genuinely inclusive bid. We the heels of Bradford being named need to capture as many voices as “the most-improved city in Britain” for Average hotel occupancy rose in the we have across the district to find jobs growth, skill levels and quality city by 10.5 per cent, there was at “With the enthusiastic support of our themes and stories about Bradford, of life in The Good Growth for Cities least a £300 million projected value steering group and the backing of its people and its place in the UK, 2019 index, published by professional of tourism in 2017 and a 346 per cent strategic partners including Bradford to make a compelling case to the services giant PwC. increase in successful applications Council, the University of Bradford judges. And as Europe’s youngest from Hull organisations to Arts and a wide range of regional arts city, Bradford’s young voices will Bradford will be competing against a Council England. and community organisations, be instrumental in helping to shape number of cities and areas that already we will continue to build on our our vision.” have announced their intentions Richard will now head up the early momentum. We plan to to bid for the UK City of Culture Bradford Culture Trust bid executive recruit further local expertise and As part of that, plans are afoot for title, including Lancashire, Medway, team, working with the steering group begin a programme of community a district-wide roadshow where Southampton and Tees Valley. which includes Alex Croft, creative engagement in early 2020 to get organisations and members of the director of Bradford intercultural the whole district working together public can come along and find out The UK City of Culture status has arts hub, Kala Sangam; Anne McNeill, on the bid.” more about how to get involved. had a transformational impact on director of Impressions Gallery; previous host cities, securing millions Kamran Rashid, Director of 30 Chapel Instrumental To help back the Bradford bid and of pounds of investment and acting Street, an upcoming hub for arts, to give people more involvement, as a catalyst for creative placeenterprise and tech in the heart of Richard is planning to get as many members of the public attending making and culture-led regeneration. the city’s historic Little Germany people from the district behind the arts and cultural events across the Bradford Council has already pledged district, and artist Nabeelah Hafeez. bid as possible. district over the next few months will £400,000 of support towards the bid.

TopicUK January 2020

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SPOTLIGHT ON BRADFORD & DISTRICT

Darley Street Market

Work is finally underway on a £21m development that is intended to revitalise the top end of the city of Bradford. work, which is due to be completed in 2021.

When completed, Bradford Council hopes the new development will put the exciting and diverse food offering the city has on centre stage.

And at the same time, it believes it will transform an area of the city that has seen a substantial fall in shoppers in recent years.

The Council rece ntly completed the compulsory purchase of the former Marks & Spencer building on Darley Street which will be transformed into a brand-new food market, with the existing Kirkgate Market focussing on nonfood items.

That deal was the final catalyst for the long-awaited

Contractors have now moved onto the Darley Street site stripping out the buildings in readiness for their demolition next year, making way for the construction of the new market.

Colourful hoardings heralding the scheme are being erected around the former Marks and Spencer building as the demolition preparations begin.

Central to the development will be a new public square, giving a space for displays, festivals, open-air markets, and events to add to the vibrancy the Council is hoping to create in the area.

Councillor Alex RossShaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport said the project would transform the top end of the city, bringing in an exciting new development which also helped preserve the tradition and heritage of the market and the historic buildings nearby.

“This major transformational project will provide fantastic trading opportunities for over 60 independent retailers offering a wide range of non-food items alongside, fresh and hot foods,” he said.

“The Darley Street market will revolutionise the city centre attracting hundreds of thousands of new shoppers whilst opening up views to some of Bradford’s most beautiful heritage buildings.

“The new adjoining public square will be a vibrant and attractive platform providing flexible openair retail spaces and areas to stage promotional events and festivals.”

The proposed design for the new market shows a significant glass frontage to encourage an open feel to the market and provide better links between Darley Street and Piccadilly, with a canopy over part of Darley Street to allow for more outdoor markets and trading.

The project will also see the existing Oastler Centre closed, with the site cleared to make way for a proposed

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new “urban village” of family homes.

Footfall at the Oastler and Kirkgate Markets has plummeted in recent years, with Oastler particularly suffe ring from the closure of a neighbouring Morrisons supermarket.

The Oastler Centre attracted 2.9 million customers in 2013 which fell to 1.6 million by the end of last year. Kirkgate Market had 1.6 million customers in 2013, which fell to 1.2 million at the end of 2017.

Greig and Stephenson, the architecture firm brought on to lead the design of the project, has previously been involved in the redevelopment of markets in London, Leeds and Sheffield as well as markets across Europe and the Far East. The designers have already undertaken feasibility studies and have prepared initial designs for the redevelopment of both city centre markets The Council says of the design on its website: “The building is designed to be as transparent as possible in contrast to much of

SPOTLIGHT ON BRADFORD & DISTRICT The software houses an array of crime intelligence ranging from known and unknown subjects of interest through to vehicles which have been associated with crime and criminal activity within the area. CCB users can also be informed about historical crime incidents that have occurred in the city centre and further afield.

Bradford’s historic building stock to differentiate the public nature of the market architecture and to emphasise the links between Piccadilly and Darley Street.

“Opening the new building up to celebrate the fine buildings in Piccadilly will encourage the regeneration of Piccadilly and further strengthen links between the Broadway Shopping Centre and the markets.

“The design of the building is conceived of as a contemporary version of a Market Hall trading on three levels.

“This design that is being developed uses the slope of Darley Street and Piccadilly to allow level access at the southern and northern end of the site and to allow customer access at two levels off ‘grade’.

“The idea is to create three separate floors each with their own special identity and environment.

“The Lower Ground Floor can be accessed at the southerly point of Darley Street and will focus on dry foods within a coffered or vaulted structure which is intended to be warm and intimate.

The focused display of ‘dry’ goods and services by artificial controlled lighting will promote this area of the market into its own unique space.

“The Upper Ground Floor accessed off the northerly point of Darley Street will house the main fresh food stalls.

“The First Floor will be home to a world food court where customers will be able to eat great food located around communal seating areas whilst enjoying the market atmosphere “The market stalls will be housed under the roof canopy that will be filled with natural light, colour and people.”

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said: “This is a major step in realising this significant transformational project.

Picture shows: Left to right, Steve Baker; PCSO Fiaz Khan, from the City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team; Mirko Maric, deputy chairman of CCB and customer service manager at the Kirkgate Centre; and Dave Downes, with the new SentrySIS crime management software

Bradford businesses anti-crime system WOULD-BE criminals in Bradford city centre were gifted a Christmas present they really didn’t want.

Shop theft, anti-social behaviour and low-level crime tend to increase during the festive season but businesses now have a new state-of-the-art system to help tackle the problem.

City Centre Beat (CCB), Bradford’s business crime reduction partnership, has invested in cutting-edge technology to help members manage incidents of crime and spot offenders even before they enter a store.

crime intelligence via a dedicated smartphone app and cloud-based web portal.

The software allows security guards, loss prevention personnel and shop assistants to search a database of known offenders to prevent them from entering a store before a crime has even had chance to take place.

Dave Downes, deputy general manager at The Broadway and BID board member, said: “It provides instantaneous sharing of criminal profiles, photographs and details of who and what to look out for.

“Members can add incidents and alerts about criminal behaviour and we can pass that information straight on to the police. The system also allows us to share intelligence on travelling criminals with other crime reduction partnerships in the region.”

In the last few years, SentrySIS has proved a great success through its use by the Leeds crime partnership, Business Against Crime in Leeds (BACIL). Both CCB and BACIL, along with other neighbouring crime partnerships, will be able to share crime data and intelligence on travelling offenders between themselves securely and in line with data protection rules.

Chris Nriapia from SentrySIS said: CCB’s joint crime manager Steve “This is not only great news for Baker said: “We’re now better Bradford businesses but for the equipped than ever before to region as a whole. The ability to The group, which includes retailers in help our business members fight link up Bradford with other towns Kirkgate and The Broadway shopping low-level crime and anti-social and cities using our software now centres, Forster Square and other behaviour all year round but it’s makes Yorkshire a safer place for parts of the city, works with retail great to have this in place in the visitors, city centre shoppers and and hospitality businesses, West run-up to Christmas, which is retail staff who unfortunately have Yorkshire Metro, Police, Bradford usually one of our busiest periods. to deal with these incidents on a daily basis.”

Council, Bradford Business Improvement District (BID), the “SentrySIS is in use with crime University of Bradford and Bradford partnerships across Yorkshire, the City Centre Beat members can College to share criminal intelligence Midlands and the North-East and access SentrySIS via its smartphone and head-off crime. it is fast becoming the ‘go-to’ crime app. For more information on management platform helping joining CCB, please contact Steve It has adopted the SentrySIS crime the police, local businesses and Baker or Steve Longbottom at management computer platform national retailers stay two steps citycentrebeat.co.uk or on which gives members access to ahead of local criminals.”

01274 722 443.

TopicUK January 2020

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SPOTLIGHT ON BRADFORD & DISTRICT

“But we know there are many, dynamic, hard-working young people achieving great things in the Yorkshire business community.”

Not-for-Profit Sector; Female Achievement in Traditionally Male Work Areas; Sport; and Achievement in Overcoming Life Obstacles.

Details of how to enter the YAYAs can be found at: theyayas.org.uk or via: qed-uk.org

Sponsors of the awards include:

YAYA’s Awards High achievers from all sectors of business are being sought for a new awards scheme aimed at recognising the skills and abilities of Yorkshire’s young South Asian communities.

The Yorkshire A sian Young Achievers awards (the YAYAs) is the first scheme of its kind set up to recognise the efforts of young people aged 16-30, of South Asian heritage living and working in the county.

Its special focus is on those socially-mobile young achievers who have overcome deprivation and disadvantage, or have broken through traditional barriers to progress.

The awards aim to: • Promote social mobility among young South Asians • Identify role models to help inspire others from the relevant communities • Encourage young South Asians to seek out and take up further and higher education opportunities

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Working in association with their headline partners, York St John University, the YAYAs are being organised by the Bradford-based QED Foundation, a registered charity which exists to improve the social and economic position of disadvantaged communities in partnership with public, private and civil society organisations. It has been creating opportunities for all since 1990.

Dr Mohammed Ali OBE, chief executive of QED, said: “Yorkshire is the big beating heart of the Northern Powerhouse with more than 600,000 BME residents, the vast majority of whom are of South Asian origin.

Dynamic “Statistics show young people of South Asian origin in Yorkshire

continue to struggle to overcome disadvantages in making their way in the world, be that in education, employment or social mobility generally.

“But we know there are many young, dynamic, hard-working young people achieving great things in the Yorkshire business community.

Achievement “In all categories, we are seeking to recognise success and effort in overcoming challenges and barriers to progress, be they social, economic, personal or simply the result of traditional or historical attitudes or circumstances.

“In each area, we’re looking for beacons of success and achievement who can inspire others and be the role models that the young people who follow them can aspire to become and even overshadow.”

The award categories include Achievement in Business, Management, Finance or Law; Media, Education; Health/Mental Health & Healthcare; Public Sector;

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The RAF, the National Science & Media Museum, Barnado’s, KCB, the University of Bradford, Exa Networks, Bradford Council, Trinity College London, Squire Patton Boggs, Sovereign Health Care, Cedar Court Hotels and My Lahore.

The inaugural YAYA awards will be presented at a glittering dinner at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford in April 2020.

The keynote speech will be given

by Lord Bichard, Non-Executive Chairman of the National Audit Office. He is a former chief executive of the Benefits Agency and was Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education and Employment.

Since his retirement from the civil service in 2001, Lord Bichard has held a variety of positions including chair of the Design Council and chair of the Social Care Institute for Excellence. He received a knighthood in 1999 and became a cross-bench member of the House of Lords in 2010. He was a deputy speaker of the House for five years.

Other speakers will be announced shortly.

SPECIAL REPORT

Madison is a student at the University of Huddersfield studying journalism. TopicUK regularly works with students such as Madison, so they can gain hands on experience working with a publication and of course, by publishing their work, this helps them when approaching potential employers when looking for work.

What are young people’s opinions on climate change?

By - Madison Radford

‘It’s just part of evolution.’

Climate change has fast become one of the most controversial political issues of this decade. With the President of the United States of America dismissing the need to tackle global warming, people all around the world have come forward to challenge Trump’s opinion.

One of those being the 16year old Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg.

Although some may agree that climate change is a natural occurrence, Henry Martindale, 23, believes that the rate of which it is changing is a much more concerning matter: “Climate change is often thrown about a great deal and it is often misunderstood what the problem is.

“Even though it is a natural process, the problem now is the rate of change. That’s the difference, we should be talking about humanmade climate change.”

Projecting a voice that had once fell silent, Thunberg has become the political face of the new generation.

In a speech made at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, the teenage environmentalist voiced the frustration of the youth, as she said: “You always come to us young people for hope – how dare you!

You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.

“We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth.”

With the spotlight now being shone on millennials, Thunberg is looking for fellow young activists to stand up for what they believe in.

But do all young people have a similar opinion?

The recognition of climate change being a real issue is a common opinion amongst adolescents, but some are still undecided whether the threat of climate change is as life-altering as we are led to believe.

Olivia Johnson, 18, believes that climate change is not an urgent matter: “I don’t think climate change is as much as a problem as people make it out to be. “When you look at it historically, the earth’s climate has changed so many times.

“The earth has been heating and cooling for millions of years, and at the end of the day, the earth has still survived through it.

Henry continued: “Since the industrial revolution we have sped up the earths warming drastically.

The reason I say it is the biggest problem is because it is universal.

“The initial warming may seem like a small change of a couple of degrees. Those small changes are a catalyst for much bigger problems.”

With figures showing that 9 of the 10 warmest years on Earth have occurred since 2005, the age-old question remains – who is to blame for this global crisis?

The Worldwide Fund for Nature UK (WWF UK) claims that: Some of the blame lies with some of the biggest companies in the world who have benefitted the most on fossil fuels.

Although some agree that, to tackle climate change, we need to put pressure on corporations, Lewis Smith, 20, believes that young consumers may be the root of the problem.

“Climate change is happening, and people are willing to complain about it, but young people also aren’t willing to give up what they’ve got accustomed to.

“Most households have TVs, laptops, tablets and phones, which are all using electricity and young people won’t give that up. A lot of it is on the big companies, but they will have no incentive to change while us as consumers buy everything they put out.”

With children now being taught about the importance of reducing their own carbon footprint in schools, it can be said that young people are much more aware about the science behind global warming than their elders.

However, with extreme activist groups such as Extinction Rebellion, many people, including Emily Sweetman, 25, feel pressured to believe in a certain ideal: “I do agree that climate change is a big deal, but I think that the press and activism groups shouldn’t pressure or force people to jump on board.

“People need to want to make a change themselves, and then, slowly, the changes will become the norm and start to make a difference.

“Nothing we do will make an instant fix but slowly it can help.”

TopicUK January 2020

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SPECIAL REPORT

Calls for rail services to improve Calls for rail services to improve after commuters face six cancellations in one day and 2020 sees a 2.5% increase in fares.

By - Madison Radford

Trans Pennine Express has come under fire in recent weeks following the continuing delays and cancellations experienced by passengers between Scarborough and Liverpool via York.

In 2018, UK passengers lost an estimated four million hours due to significantly delayed trains, making it the worst year since records began. More recently, train delays have increased due to severe flooding mainly across South and West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

ILLUSTRATIONS

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“On one occasion, my wife and I were at Seamer Station and the announcement came over the tannoy – ‘The next train to arrive at Platform 2 is the 10.48 to York’.

Five minutes later the train was cancelled. This causes additional difficulties and inconvenience.

Although these train delays “The cancellations are bad enough occurred due to natural matters, but when the cancellation is very local residents’ frustrations have last minute, then it is difficult to increased after facing months of make alternative arrangements.” delays.

On one particular Saturday, six Filey hotelier, James Hodgson, services from Scarborough to who frequently boards the service Liverpool were cancelled, with through Scarborough, has started four more pulled halfway through a local campaign after facing the journey due to a shortage of approximately 11 journeys that train drivers. have been affected in the last three months: James continued: “All cancellations

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SPECIAL REPORT

and delays over the past two to three years have cost us in excess of £1,000 financially in missed connections, taxi fares, parking at York station... and much stress, anxiety and inconvenience.”

Other commuters of the service have also faced serious setbacks due to delays, as many who travel to York for healthcare reasons, have had complications with their commute:“My husband had to have surgery in January to remove a cancer from his nose,” said one Scarborough resident, and we were told it had to be done in York.

“The train was delayed, which involved a 45-minute wait at Scarborough for our connection to Hunmanby.

He was ill and shivering all the way home and if it hadn’t been for the help of the guard on the train and a member of the public, I would never have reached home safely with him.”

She continued: “I did complain and was reimbursed for the train fares but that wasn’t my point and ended up being a self-serving exercise rather than a resolution for all.”

A spokesperson for Trans Pennine Express said: “Unfortunately, we have had to cancel some services on Saturday’s, and we are really sorry for the inconvenience that this will no doubt have caused.

“This was due to unit availability along with an accelerated training programme that we are temporarily running for our drivers and conductors as we prepare to roll out our new fleets of trains over the coming weeks.”

Have you had a bad experience? Do let us know at PR@topicuk.co.uk TopicUK January 2020

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