TopicUK Leeds Edition July 2017

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LEEDS EDITION NO5

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B U S2017I N E S S JULY & AUGUST

- WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK

CSR UPDATE

CONSTRUCTING A POSITIVE OUTCOME

OPERA NORTH

SUMMER IN THE CITY

TOASTING SUCCESS WITH YOGESH SOLANKI

LEGAL MATTERS NO LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY?

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TopicUKTV HAS ARRIVED

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PACKAGES TAILORED TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS P STARTER ANIMATION P STARTER LIVE ACTION P WANT SOMETHING SPECIAL ?

Call us to find out how a live action video can benefit your business : 07711 539047 editor@.topicuk.co.uk

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Contents & Comments

Details of this month‘s TopicUK, your Local Business Community Magazine

p06 - Support for Hospice p09 - Charlotte visits Palace p20 - New lease of life for

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Copperworks p31- Meet Martin Kemp p36 -Tackling the skills gap p48 -New Rudding Spa

Revealed - The Tetley Brewery Project

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Toasting success - with Yogesh Solanki

How its made - Harrison Beds invents the industry standards of tomorrow

For a full list of where you can pick up your free copy visit our website: www.topicuk.co.uk

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Summer in the City - Opera North Orchestra comes to Millennium Square

44 Tony Hadley - Rocks Leeds

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TopicUK

Editor’s Notes

by Gill Laidler

TopicUK is a free publication and available from a number of outlets across the city.

Welcome to the 5th edition of TopicUK Leeds and what a roller coaster it has been since we launched our first issue back in November 2016.

EDITOR

GILL LAIDLER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

This is the fifth TopicUK magazine we have launched across Yorkshire and London and by far the easiest because our city of Leeds is so forward thinking and diverse.

Since that first edition was published, we have been inundated with businesses contacting us with stories, information, invitations and much more and our distribution has already doubled and will do so again with our next edition.

We are honoured once again to be partnering the Institute of Directors, Director of the Year Awards taking place on 5 July in York, which is where you may have picked up this copy of TopicUK. As main media partner, you will also find us at Brand Yorkshire exhibition in October at Harrogate Pavillions. Every one of the 1500 registered attendees will pick up a copy of TopicUK as it will feature a floor plan of exhibitors and times of guest speakers and seminars.

We will be running extra copies for this next edition, so do get your news and promotion to us as early as possible.

I have been out and about attending many events in Leeds since our last edition, all the time, spreading the news and promoting our business partners.

First up was the relaunch of the beautiful Epernay Champagne bar where I met Yogesh Solanki who features on this editions cover.

It was then to Dock Hall for the Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards and to Rudding House for the launch of their fabulous new Spa, featured on page xx.

Leeds Rock was another highlight where

ROB BLACKWELL

LOCAL HEROES EDITOR

LEGAL MATTERS

CHADWICK LAWRENCE

BUSINESS

GARY KING TENDO LIMITED we were invited to interview the lovely Tony Hadley, former lead singer of Spandau Ballet who now tours the world as a solo artist. You can read the interview with Tony on page xx.

Finally, delighted to have been priviledged to have a peek behind the scenes a couple of days ahead of the official opening of ISSHO the new Japanese restaurant located at Victoria Gate. As a guest of Barclays, we enjoyed listening to guests views on Leeds and the Northern Powerhouse, alongside Barclays Head of Corporate and Managing Director Adam Prowse. ISSHO officially opened on 21 June and is a must visit with its beautiful contemporary decor and stunning outside roof terrace.

In addition to being able to spread the word about our partners and their businesses through print and online, we can now promote through video with TopicUKTV. There are three packages available to suit all budgets, plus opportunities to get your business featured on a regular TopicUKTV slot on our channel. Do call our team for details.

BANKING

BARCLAYS BANK

IT

DEAN SPENCER EITEX

Cover: Yogesh Solanki

by Duncan Lomax assisted by Sophie Rothwell Printed By: Charlesworth Printing WAKEFIELD

For editorial and promotional enquiries call:

07711 539047 or email: editor@topicuk.co.uk

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 i ďżź s 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 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. TopicUK is also not responsible for any advice given by contributors.

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LEEDS UPDATE

TopicUK Leeds brings you a full roundup of business news and events and what’s been happening in Leeds over the last couple of months.

Leeds firm calls on local businesses to support Prince of Wales Hospice Leeds-based car auction firm G3 Remarketing is pledging to cover the costs of employing a Prince of Wales Hospice nurse – and is challenging other businesses to match their generous offer.

The amount – £40,000 – will help the Pontefract-based charity provide support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

needed funds for the charity’s coffers. But wanting to do more, G3 Remarketing also put in a mechanism whereby the firm donates a percentage profit from each vehicle sold.

This is the latest in a series of fundraising and donation drives from G3 Remarketing, which announced last year that they had donated a sum of £30,000 to the hospice.

Commenting on this latest initiative, Matt said: “We recently met with the fundraising team at the hospice to brainstorm ideas for raising more money. They told us that what they really need is greater business support – that’s what sparked us to take action and sponsor a nurse!

Since that date, the company’s founder and director, Matt Dale, has run four marathons and an ultra-marathon in a bid to raise much-

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“What the Prince of Wales Hospice does for

our region is fantastic. Any money raised goes straight into maintaining and supporting the facility – not towards marketing budgets and executives’ wages. So, we’re calling on other organisations within our region to get involved.

And who knows, if enough firms get on board, we could end up paying for the whole team’s wages!”

Car auction firm G3 Remarketing has strengthened its management team as the company gears up for further growth.

Chris Lamb has been appointed to head up a new communications department within the organisation. He brings with him a wealth of strategic, multichannel marketing knowledge following an extensive career with Bradfordheadquartered Barrett Steel.

“We’re handling more stock than ever before and attracting

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ISSHO experience with Barclays

TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler was delighted to attend an event hosted by Barclays at the new ISSHO Restaurant in Victoria Gate, Leeds, two days ahead of its official opening.

Laura Bennett, The Prince of Wales Hospice’s fundraising manager, commented: “G3 is by far our most generous corporate supporter in the region. That means a lot, especially because of the support we have provided to relatives of G3 employees. It shows that they are confident in our care and want it to be available for other local people with a life-limiting illness.

“It would be fantastic to see other local companies follow their example!”

The Prince of Wales Hospice was founded in 1989 and helps over 300 in-patients per year, as well as an additional 1,000 people who receive support and advice in day therapy sessions and lymphoedema clinics.

Barclays welcomed their Managing Director and Head of Business Banking UK, Adam Rowse who, along with many Barclays staff and guests, hosted a great debate about business, the economy and Northern Powerhouse.

record numbers of buyers now we’re running up to four sales per week,” explains G3’s founder Matt Dale. “But we operate in a competitive landscape so don’t ever rest on our laurels. Chris’s key responsibilities are therefore to maintain and boost footfall to our auctions, project our reputation to support the work of our account management team, and raise awareness of the new motoring technologies we’ve brought to market this year.

Chris summarised: “I have the enviable position of working with a brand that already has a strong industry reputation. Yet the company has evolved significantly since it was formed in 2009, so it’s important that our communications strategy reflects the G3 of the future.”

ISSHO is a new Japanese Restaurant with exclusive dining and private roof terrace above Victoria Gate. Guests enjoyed a five course sampling menu that was fresh and contemporary including seared Scottish Salmon, wasabi & yuku dressing and spicy pork bao bun.

The restaurant officially opened on 21st June and booking is advised.

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Thousands raised for charity at gala dinner A Yorkshire-based homeless charity, Simon on the Streets, has raised more than £6,500 at its third annual charity ball. More than 140 business professionals joined together to attend the Rough Diamond Ball at The Queen’s Hotel in Leeds in May.

main sponsor and Iain Henderson from Iain Henderson Designs for his donation of the diamond, both of whom helped make the evening both successful and memorable.

The rate of homelessness in city centres is still disturbingly high and as such, fundraising initiatives such as this are key in helping us to continue tackling the problem.”

Managing director and founder at Yorkshire Payments said: “As a trustee and keen supporter of Simon on the Streets, I was very pleased to be able to enjoy a fantastic evening of fundraising alongside my team. The amount of money raised is testament to the kindness and generosity of local businesses and individuals alike, and it is incredible to see the amount of support Simon on the Streets has gained as result of the great work the charity conducts.”

Iain Henderson, of Iain Henderson Designs Ltd, commented: “We are incredibly proud to have supported Simon on the Streets at the Rough Diamond Ball this year, we firmly believe in the work the charity conducts and the valuable support they supply to those in need. We will continue to help in any way we can, to support the charity in their future fundraising efforts.”

Sponsored by Brighouse-based Yorkshire Payments, the event included live music, dancing, auctions and the opportunity to win a genuine ‘rough cut’ diamond worth hundreds of pounds, donated by Bingley-based Iain Henderson Designs, an independent, Yorkshire jeweller.

Founded in 1999, Simon on the Streets is an independent charity. They offer street-support to individuals who have complex needs and cannot access mainstream services, due to

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behavioural issues or mental illness. The charity regularly works with local businesses to fulfil corporate social responsibility objectives and give back to the community.

Commenting on the event, Simon on the Streets general manager, Gordon Laing said: “The ball was a great success. It always touches the team when we meet our supporters and we are very grateful to those who attended. I am eternally grateful to James Howard from Yorkshire Payments, the

The ball was a great success. It always touches the team when we meet our supporters and we are very grateful to those who attended...

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Charlotte visits the Palace A Leeds mum has told of her pride after her daughter visited Buckingham Palace to receive the OBE.

Award winning orthodontist A visit to the dentist fills many people with dread particularly if they need further treatment by another specialist. Dental Excellence, Harewood, has solved that problem by creating a holistic dental practice and completed their line up with award winning orthodontist, Catherine McCanny .

Dr McCanny, who founded and practices at St Michael’s Orthodontics, Wakefield, spends a day each fortnight working alongside other leading Yorkshire dental specialists.

With more than 21 years experience in orthodontics she has always placed patient care and pioneering treatment at the heart of her practice and won numerous accolades from her peers for her work.

In the last five years she has been named Best Aesthetic Dentist for her work with patients with misaligned teeth as well as working closely with other dental specialists to help them resolve complex conditions.

Dr McCanny was invited to join the team by founding partner, Mark Willings who has worked closely with her on a number of

difficult dental cases at his Horbury practice.

“Mark and I have worked closely on patients who have needed often complex orthodontic interventions,” explained Dr McCanny. “He and his two fellow partners, Jon Swarbrigg and Donald Sloss established Dental Excellence, Harewood, to be a holistic centre that was professional and friendly, inspiring patient confidence,” she said.

“I was attracted by the opportunity to collaborate with other dental professionals and the chance to add value to patients who have often given up hope of being able to smile with confidence. Since I qualified my professional raison d’etre has been to provide the best orthodontic treatment available to the widest possible patient base to improve their lives. Having access to fellow professionals under one roof allows me to do that,” she added.

Mary Page, of Kippax, said she and her husband, Brian, were both “incredibly proud” as daughter Charlotte Sweeney was presented with her honour for services to women and equalities by the Princess Royal at the investiture ceremony.

The award recognises her work as director of Charlotte Sweeney Associates, a consultancy business with a focus on inclusion, diversity and change.

Speaking about the investiture, Charlotte said: “It was an absolute honour to visit Buckingham Palace to be recognised for my work on equalities. “Being with so many people who have been recognised for their contribution to their profession and our country was both inspiring and humbling.”

Charlotte worked for leading companies such as Barclays, HBOS and Nomura International before setting up her own consultancy.

Named by The Economist as one of the world’s top 50 diversity professionals, she has launched a business forum called Creating Inclusive Cultures for companies in Leeds and is also co-author of the book Inclusive Leadership, published by The Financial Times.

Dr Mark Willings said: “We invited Catherine to join our team because of her commitment and track record of patient care and orthodontic treatment. Our clinic is comprehensive and comfortable but as clinicians our priority is the standard of treatment and patient care we can provide,” he said.

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Multi-million pound investment for Cloth Hall Court Once a major trading centre for the textile industry in Leeds, between the 18th- 19th centuries, this Grade II listed building has undergone a multi-million-pound refurbishment and is now a contemporary dedicated conference venue.

Gallery and Cotton Room.

Designed to stimulate creativity and facilitate engaging and successful meetings, conferences or events; Sheppard Robson has carefully considered lighting, acoustics and aesthetics. Modern, white-washed walls coupled with innovative textures and natural finishes lighten the internal spaces, whilst accents of vibrant colours give the feel of a contemporary environment. Large original windows offset the contemporary elements, allowing daylight to flood each room.

To give visitors and guests a high quality conferencing experience, acoustic and lighting options have been carefully considered and adapted for the various spaces within the venue. Fixtures and fittings have been chosen to enhance delegate comfort and elevate the building’s sustainable credentials, with modern design features such as acoustic panels, soft furnishings and LED lighting.

The building underwent significant renovation in the mid-1990s, demolishing all the internal floors and finishes retaining only the external façade to Quebec Street - providing Sheppard Robson the opportunity to remodel the entire internal structure. Now a dynamic and versatile space, the modern layout and creative interior makes a refreshing addition to the sector in Leeds.

The reception area has been completely opened-up, providing a well-lit open plan area which leads to the impressive Merchants Hall. This space delivers the main hospitality for visitors, whilst break-out and refreshment points located throughout the building encourage both visitor interaction and idea generation.

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et to open in July, Cloth Hall Court will be the latest addition to Well Met’s portfolio of venues and has already received around £700k worth of enquires.

Central to the 3750m² development has been the desire to restore the building to its former

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glory; Sheppard Robson has creatively weaved the rich cultural heritage of the site into the fabric of Cloth Hall Court, with attention being paid to the smallest of details. Each conference and board room space takes inspiration from the building’s cloth selling heritage, and include the Tweed Suite, Bobbin

Helping to showcase the building’s historical roots, artwork supplied from five Leeds Beckett University School of Art, Architecture and Design students will be exhibited in various spaces throughout the building.

The artwork will explore Cloth Hall Court’s role in the Yorkshire cloth industry as the commercial centre of Leeds’ booming textile trade.

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The 2017 Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Conference was held at Leeds Beckett University’s Rose Bowl in May. The three day conference was hosted

by Leeds Business School and brought around 70 NIBS members and guests together in Leeds to share experience, knowledge and good practice on the broad theme of the future of business schools and business teaching.

Leeds Beckett University’s conference team, Well Met, organised the conference which included lectures from respected keynote speakers, discussion groups, a poster presentation session, a visit to local microbrewery North Brewing Co. and traditional gala dinner. Keynotes were given

by Professor Balázs Heidrich, Rector of Budapest Business School and Professor Ralph Tench, Professor of Communication at Leeds Business School.

The conference this year provided an opportunity to reflect on what is takes to

NIBS Annual Conference hosted

by Leeds Beckett University make Business Schools Fit for the Future as a central player in regional economies.

Contributions were taken on themes surrounding strategic communications, the future of business learning and teaching along with pedagogical innovation and The current and future demands of professions and the world of work.

Clare Vidler, Conference Manager at Well

Met commented: “Leeds boasts a diverse economy with the UK’s largest centres for legal, and financial services outside London and it is therefore key that we align this with conferences specifically for the business sector. Association business is fundamental to our growing success as a conferencing destination and Well Met can offer a diverse range of spaces which really suit conferences and events on a large scale.”

Easy expansion with Leeds showroom Trade and retail bathroom supplier, Easy Bathrooms, has expanded with the launch of a second Leedsbased showroom, following £250,000 of investment.

The Birstall site opened in April and is situated close to IKEA. With over 250 bathroom and tile displays, the store is one of the largest units in Yorkshire with a 12,000 sq ft showroom.

The launch has created 12 new

jobs and forms part of the company’s ongoing expansion plans.

Neil Bell, head of retail said: “The site has great links to the M1 and M62, offering easy access for both our trade customers and the public.

“This is our 12th store, with our other outlets positioned across Yorkshire and the Midlands.

We’re continually looking for new locations where we see a shortage of quality bathroom and tile suppliers!”

state-of-the-art warehouse and distribution centre, adjoining the new showroom.

The opening of the latest store has also coincided with the acquisition of new 110,000 sq ft

Neil continued: “Since we started the business, we’ve grown rapidly and our old space was nearing

full capacity. So to support our ambitious growth strategy, we obtained this new warehouse, which is double the volume of our previous one.”

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Health and fitness champion launches workout site

A former Infantry Soldier is on mission to make personal fitness easy and attainable for all through his webbased fitness business.

James Hesling, of Leeds, is the founder and director of AllShapeUp a 3new online platform with over 100 full length workout videos that can be done from home or wherever users may be, 24 hours a day. Workouts range from beginner to advanced and cover everything from Yoga, HIIT, body sculpt, kettlebells and dumbbells. The site also contains, more than 100 recipes including vegetarian and gluten free options with nutritional guidance.

James, who founded the business in 2016, said he created AllShapeUp to help the 13 million people across the UK who want to improve their fitness through other means then a traditional gym membership.

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James said: “There are a lot of people who want to exercise but because of time constraints or their jobs or other commitments, it isn’t feasible for them to have a gym membership. They may also not like going to a gym which is why AllShapeUp is the perfect solution.

Users can do a workout at home or wherever they are comfortable.

People want variety too which is why we offer more than 100 options, and are adding to our library regularly.”

AllShapeUp is completely self funded by James through a series of part time jobs and making sacrifices in order to launch the business.

The business has recently hired

two interns. Future plans include adding content for the workout and recipe libraries, and attracting new members. There are currently more than 300 registered members.

To support his business, James joined the Entrepreneurial Spark Powered By NatWest programme based in the Headrow, Leeds.

Run alongside partners KPMG Enterprise, Dell Technologies and Pinsent Masons, Entrepreneurial Spark is the world’s largest free business accelerator for startup and scale up businesses and has provided free support, mentoring, networking and office accommodation for hundreds of businesses in hubs across the UK.

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Revealed

Plans for first phase of Tetley Brewery project Plans for the first-phase of the regeneration of the South Bank and the Tetley Brewery project, including a park, homes, offices and hotels, have been revealed.

he site’s owners part of the Interogo Group and formerly of Inter IKEA, have applied for planning permission for a mixed-use site that will transform the area into a bustling hub.

The plans centre around a new urban park that stretches from the River Aire into Holbeck. It will cover up to 5 acres in size, with The Tetley art gallery at its heart. City Park will be made of distinctive zones, pockets of character that comes together to create a multifaceted green space. Central Park, The

Tetley Triangle and North Park will be the main areas, and they will be linked with paths and tree-lined streets.

The park will be framed by a number of new build developments, many of which will tower above the city’s skyline, the biggest of which is set to become the tallest building in Leeds. The site will also include the construction of 850 one, two and three bedroom homes.

There will be 85,000 square metres of

employment space, which will include a dedicated capacity for creative industries, as well as 15,000 square metres for retail, cultural, educational, leisure, health and food and drink use.

That’s topped off with room for one or two hotels with a maximum of 400 bedrooms, and one landmark hotel has already been pencilled in for the junction of Great Wilson Street and Meadow Lane. The site as a whole is expected to create up to 6,500 new jobs, giving the local economy a major boost.

Phase One will be followed in 2018 with an application for Phase Two, which covers the remaining land to the south of Crown Point Road.

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CSR UPDATE

In this edition, TopicUK Leeds catches up with Sarah Muscas, Community Engagement Manager at infrastructure and construction giant Morgan Sindall to explore the firm’s commitment to making a difference through CSR.

Constructing a positive outcome White Rose site as so many of our regular programmes are aimed at young people in education. Morgan Sindall had never worked with the Prince’s Trust before, but I knew they had a good reputation and I wanted to work with them.

Prince Andrew's visit to University of Huddersfield

Twenty-three year old Geoff Harrison had been unemployed and living on the streets for the past year. Working with The Prince’s Trust, Morgan Sindall has been able to offer Geoff and other members of the local community work experience opportunities whilst it constructs the £13.7 million extension to White Rose shopping centre in the Beeston area of Leeds.

So, how did Morgan Sindall become involved with the Prince’s Trust and why is CSR important to the company?

Sarah explains: “Each of the construction sites we operate has a community outreach element. Sometimes this is a contractual obligation, but not always. In terms of The Prince’s Trust, I was wanting to run a movement-into-work scheme for NEETs (not in education, employment or training) at our

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“It’s important we get involved with the communities where we are building, and one of our core values is to be a responsible business. This takes many forms but includes our community outreach work, where we help local people find work on our sites whilst promoting construction careers in schools and offering our expertise to support community projects. We take the view that having a solid CSR approach will bring greater benefits to our customers and us as a business, and I think the work we’ve done with Geoff is a case in point.”

Geoff was given the opportunity to undertake a position with Morgan Sindall’s subcontractor, the Will Nixon Construction Group, and spent 10 weeks working on the 65,000 sq ft leisure-extension to the popular shopping centre.

During the paid work placement he gained not only practical construction experience, but also the confidence and presentation skills to help him secure and maintain future employment with the company. So, why him?

Sarah continues: “We were already partnering with social enterprise Construction Housing Yorkshire (CHY) at the White Rose site when we made the decision to go forward with the Prince’s Trust Get Into Construction programme. Geoff was put forward by his social worker and came to us for a taster day, where we held selection interviews to choose

14 young people for the programme. He stood out as incredibly forthright and focused even then, among 78 other people.

Commenting on his role, Geoff said: “I am very grateful for being given this chance and can now look forward to the future for the first time in years. Prior to being given this role I was at times homeless and walking the streets. As a result of this opportunity, I have now got my own place, some money behind me and can start to enjoy life again.”

The Get Into Construction programme is an introduction to the industry comprising of two parts; two weeks of preparation and two weeks of work placements on site. “Most of the young people on the programme had

LeedsEdition White Rose Extension

as a ground worker - and is the most respected man on site.”

Sarah hopes that the success of this programme will mark the start of a longstanding relationship between The Prince’s Trust and Morgan Sindall, and the company is already working on plans for another Get Into Construction programme early next year, this time in York.

In addition to projects such as this, Morgan Sindall also chooses a charity from the region annually, with this year’s being Candlelighters in Leeds. Project teams can also choose to support charities important to their clients and the communities where they work. “It is part of my job to identify these”, adds Sarah. “There are many, many good causes out there and we try to spread our fundraising efforts around as much as we can.”

So, how has working with The Prince’s Trust helped Morgan Sindall to achieve its CSR objectives? Sarah believes that a shared desire to help other people is to thank.

next to no employment experience, so we started with the basics – behaviours, time keeping, problem solving – plus visits to sites and lots of health and safety training because construction is a high-risk environment”, says Sarah.

She continued: “CSCS cards are mandatory at Morgan Sindall for work placements and this proved to be a major sticking point – most of the group failed the first test we put them on and became dejected as a result. Geoff was homeless at this point and desperate for money and we worried about him pulling off the programme. He had always said he only wanted to be a ground worker, so to motivate him I introduced

him to Will Nixon, our groundworks supplier at the White Rose.”

This introduction marked a turning point for Geoff, as Nixon’s went on to offer him a paid work trial.

Sarah adds: “That sealed it for Geoff, it was the best chance he was going to get and he knew it. But it all hinged on him passing the CSCS test. He is dyslexic and struggled very much but, almost by force of will, he passed the second test. His work trial started the following Monday and nine months on he is still working for Nixon’s

“We’re fortunate in that we have shared objectives of delivering meaningful work experience which makes a real difference to people’s lives. It’s true that as a company we have criteria to meet, but the real benefit to us is watching people really take advantage of the opportunities we provide and gaining the confidence to face up to some of the challenges life has thrown at them and achieve a break through.

“We are already planning the next programme and The Prince’s Trust is looking to get a national agreement in place to run programmes with Morgan Sindall across the UK. The Leeds programme was a learning curve for all of us, but knowing what a massive impact we can have makes it all worthwhile.”

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Walsh Taylor’s female led team go from strength to strength Yorkshire and North East based insolvency practice Walsh Taylor is delighted to announce that Case Manager Emma Gray has passed the Joint Insolvency Exam Board (JIEB) examinations - enabling her to apply to become a licensed insolvency practitioner.

Walsh Taylor are strongly committed to supporting their staff throughout the insolvency qualification process which takes around two years. Emma is the third member of the team who has become qualified after being supported by Walsh Taylor throughout

the JIEB examination process. ‘’Anyone who has studied for professional exams knows how important having a supportive employer is’’ said Emma, ‘’ the whole team could not have been more supportive in the sharing of their knowledge and in giving me time to study.”

Emma is part of the management team of this female led business. All of the three directors are female along with all the qualified insolvency practitioners in the firm.

It is perhaps the strong female team that has influenced Walsh Taylor’s success.

“Staff are the backbone of any business” commented Mary Taylor Director of Walsh Taylor, “not only do we encourage

and support staff to obtain profession qualifications but we also believe strongly in the apprentice program”. In the last year Walsh Taylor has appointed into permanent roles three members of staff who joined them in the previous year as apprentices.

International visitor for charter dinner There was an international flavour to the charter dinner celebrations of the Rotary Club of Leeds White Rose when they welcomed home roving Yorkshireman, Stephen King.

Stephen left the UK 15 years ago to move to Japan where he started a successful translation service majoring in Asian languages.

Having joined his own local Rotary Club in Asahikawa - West, on Japan’s Northern Island, he took the opportunity of a family visit to compare the youthful White Rose club with other, more established Rotary clubs.

“Rotary clubs in Japan are more business networking whereas I find in the UK they are more fellowship and support, whilst

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working for common good cause,” he said during pre dinner drinks.

White Rose club, which holds charter dinners every five years was celebrating 15 years of early starts – the club meets every Wednesday morning at 7.00AM rather than the more traditional post work dinner and was raising money for AIM Education amongst others.

Continuing its theme of being less than traditional, diners were

entertained with art, dance and music with best selling crime author, AA Dhand talking about his quest for publication.

and helps young people who would otherwise be excluded from school get back into formal education.

AIM Education, this year’s charity, was started by former Army officer, Carl Harrison in Armley. He has since opened a second branch in East Leeds

“It has been an education for me dealing with young people, but this year we have helped 100 per cent of all our teenagers achieve GCSE pass grades,” he said.

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TopicUK partners with Yorkshire Asian Business Association As part of its continued growth across the north of England, TopicUK has teamed up with the Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA).

TopicUK group editor, Gill Laidler, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with YABA to promote the work it does across Yorkshire and beyond.

The partnership will see TopicUK supporting and promoting YABA’s work, which concentrates on providing a voice for Asian business on a regional, national and international level.

“The Asian business community makes a significant contribution to the UK plc, with a share of over 11% of the UK’s new business start-ups.” She continued: “We launched TopicUK with the aim of offering a platform for businesses to collaborate, create social capital and strengthen our local economy.

Working under the framework of the Federation of Asian Businesses, YABA is an independent organisation that works with its members to create a better environment in which they can trade and prosper.

YABA was established with much of the same aim in mind, with a passion for business and delivering value to its members across the region to help them grow. The partnership is a

great fit for both organisations.”

YABA is currently receiving entries for the third anuual YABA Gala Awards Dinner, which takes place at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford on Thursday 28 September.

Designed to celebrate the success and diversity of Asian businesses across the Yorkshire region, award categories include: • • • • • •

Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Food & Drink Business of the Year International Business of the Year Retail Business of the Year SME Business of the Year Microsoft Special Award for a Valuable Contribution to Yorkshire

Entries for this year’s awards can be submitted by visiting yabaawards.com, where tickets for the grand dinner and award ceremony can also be purchased.

Applications are open for accelerator hub Entrepreneurial Spark Powered By NatWest is currently accepting applications for its next intake of businesses to join the successful accelerator programme in Leeds in August.

The programme, which was launched in August 2015, has supported more than 320 businesses in Leeds to realise their growth ambitions. More than 3,000 jobs have been created across the UK by its entrepreneurs and 85% of businesses are still trading compared to 40% nationally according to the 2017 Entrepreneurial Spark Impact Report.

entrepreneurial idea off the ground. · Enable – Up to a 6 month programme based on establishing a solid foundation for a scalable, profitable and repeatable business model.

The programme is made up of four-stages which are tailored for a range of businesses from early stage start-ups to more established SMEs. These are:

· Growth –Up to a 6 month programme aimed at identifying and bridging the gaps in a business model giving the entrepreneurs the confidence to go out there and truly accelerate the business and reach aspirational goals. · Scale – Up to a 6 month programme focused on identifying the elements that present the biggest scale up opportunity, facilitating access to funding, guidance to building infrastructure and analysing success.

· Sprint – A three month programme designed to give more entrepreneurs the opportunity to access support to get their

Underpinning all of these offerings is the wrap round support which is focused on the entrepreneurial leader to ensure they remain

focused, accountable and on track to achieve their aspirations.

Maiden Voyage was part of the first intake in August 2015. The business was founded in 2008 and aims to make business travel both safe and social for women. Carolyn Pearson, CEO of the business, has seen significant development in her business since joining.

Turnover has increased 300% and the business has also won £13K in prize money.

Its online community has risen from 8,000 to 11,000, and they’ve developed and brought to market a fantastic new e-learning solution Melissa Hulme, Entrepreneur Development Manager at NatWest, said: “Our Leeds hub has supported hundreds of businesses in their development over the last two years. The free accelerator is enabling entrepreneurs to create jobs across the UK, secure investment and support the Leeds and Yorkshire economies.”

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Promotion supports living sector growth at Architects The Leeds office of Watson Batty Architects has promoted Tom Sykes to Associate. The announcement supports particular growth for the practice in the Living sector as it continues to secure large scale projects in the region.

Tom has been with Watson Batty for more than eleven years after first joining as an apprentice whilst studying for his BSc (Hons) in Architectural Technology at Leeds Metropolitan University.

As well as additional responsibility to ensure integration of Quality

Assurance systems within the practice, Tom will continue to head up work for Starfish Group for which Watson Batty is their key design partner.

Peter White, Managing Director said, “We are delighted to announce a very well deserved promotion for Tom, who is an immensely valued member of the team and critical to our Living sector proposition. This follows a series of new appointments and promotions in the last year as part of succession planning at Watson Batty as we move on from celebrating our 40th year in practice”

Are you building the right business?

Over recent months, I have had discussions with numerous business owners who sell their time for money.

Consultants, trainers, coaches, business mentors, NEDs and more.

A common theme is that they don’t feel that they are getting the rates they want for the experience and qualifications that they have.

By Gary King Managing Director Give Gary a call on 0113 897 0900 to discuss how he could help with your strategy.

For many, we get into business without months of planning. Either we have a corporate career change forced upon us or we see an opportunity and just go for it. This often means that there isn’t enough planning done in the formative stages from which to build the right business. This leads to frustration, a lack of income, working all hours and starting to question if you have done the right thing.

The key area that requires focus if you are not getting the rates is positioning. Think about the following:

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1. Proposition - what makes you unique and why prospects should buy from you. Make is short and memorable 2. Target market - be clear on who you want (and don’t want) to work with and where they hang out 3. Problems solved - nobody cares what you do, only what problem you solve. Focus on what the prospect wants rather than needs 4. Brand/ reputation - what people are saying about you behind your back Once you have got the above nailed and you have tested it, you need a dose of confidence to implement it. If you get this right, you should be able to double or even treble your prices. Hopefully that sounds attractive to you?  TO QUICKLY DIAGNOSE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES IN YOUR BUSINESS AND SEE INSTANTLY WHERE TO FOCUS FIRST, TAKE TENDO’S FIVE-MINUTE BUSINESS SUCCESS TEST HERE HTTP:// BUSINESSGROWTHINDICATOR.COM/

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College ‘floored’ by generous donation Kirklees College has been ‘floored’ by the generosity of a Leeds company who donated a selection of laminate panels to its construction department.

UK Trade Furnishings Ltd, which incorporates the Luxury Flooring and Furnishings and Tile Monkey brands, contacted the college to ask if it would be interested in a donation of surplus flooring.

The company’s digital marketing manager Alex Humphries said: “We occasionally get items returned to us because they are no longer wanted by the customer, or there may have been some minor damage to packaging caused in the warehouse or in transit.

“This stock would normally be written off and put in a skip, but it seemed a shame

to waste it. We were happy to donate and deliver it to the college free of charge so that it can be put to good use.”

Paul Toher, Curriculum Team Leader at the college’s Brunel Construction Centre, in Huddersfield said: “Our joinery department was really happy to receive this donation because it’s a chance to provide materials that we wouldn’t usually be able to.

“We can use it within our lessons to give less experienced students the chance to understand and appreciate different types of flooring, which will be great for them.”

Leeds Winner Revealed As Boss of the Year Leeds businesswoman, Natasha Manota, has been revealed as category winner of the Boss of the Year in Pitman Training’s SuperAchievers awards, for her founding business Karma Nirvana, a company dedicated to training officers dealing with the abuse sector of forced marriage and honour abuse.

Natasha, a qualified Barrister, is now Head of Learning & Development at Karma Nirvana where she has input changes across various forces which have led to changes in the law both civil and criminal.

Lucy Brazier, founder of Executive Secretary Magazine and judge on the SuperAchievers panel said: “What an exceptional candidate! It is rare to balance driving the kind of change that Natasha has achieved with being a well-liked and respected boss.”

Natasha will receive a prestigious SuperAchievers Award; a cash prize of £500 to help her on the way to achieving her goals and a free distance learning training course from Pitman Training Group.

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ARTS UPDATE

The Orchestra Of Opera North Comes To Millennium Square This Summer

Image: Symphonic Sounds of back to basics - Danny Payne

Summer In the City

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This summer the Orchestra of Opera North ventures out of the theatre and into the sunshine in the heart of Leeds for Opera North in the City, an open-air long weekend of club classics, legendary arias, songs from the shows, and a screening of Back to the Future with live symphonic score.

In partnership with Leeds City Council, Opera North in the City opens the annual Summer Series in Millennium Square on Friday 28 July with The Symphonic Sounds of Back to Basics, a collaboration with the award-winning Leeds club that will see huge dancefloor anthems reworked and performed live by the city’s acclaimed orchestra. The first collaboration between these two very different Leeds institutions, it will be a celebration of the full range of the city’s musical life, as well as 25 years of founder Dave Beer’s trailblazing Back to Basics brand. Guests include Chicago house legend Robert Owens and acid house pioneer Adamski, with some very big names due to be announced imminently.

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From electro house to the opera house, the orchestra shows its unparalleled range with an evening of the finest operatic arias and songs from the musicals on Saturday 29 July. Joining them for A Night at the Opera are Opera North luminaries Quirijn de Lang (Kiss, Me Kate, The Marriage of Figaro) and Jeni Bern (Kiss, Me Kate, La Bohème), performing arias from Puccini’s heartbreaking Madama Butterfly and Mozart’s towering Don Giovanni, among other greats. The Golden Age of musicals is represented by sparkling selections from Carousel, Kiss Me, Kate and more.

Opera North in the City closes with a 1.21-gigawatt bang on Sunday 30 July when Back to the Future comes back to the big screen, with Opera North’s full symphony orchestra performing Alan Silvestri’s stunning musical score live. The 1985 box office smash follows time-travelling teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) back to 1955, where he struggles to change the destiny of his parents (Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover), rescue an eccentric friend (Christopher Lloyd), and solve an alternative-plutonium crisis. Fans old and new can experience this much-loved coming-of-age story as never before, with around twenty minutes of brand

new music added to the score by awardwinning composer Silvestri.

“Love of music in all its forms is at the core of Opera North, and we’re delighted to begin this new collaboration with Leeds City Council and Back to Basics”, said the company’s Director of Orchestra and Chorus, Phil Boughton. “All three concerts bring Leeds’ resident orchestra into the heart of the city, fusing classical virtuosity with dance anthems, showcasing the best of opera and musical theatre, and firing up the score for Back to the Future – we can’t wait!”

With a selection of street food and drinks complementing world-class music for all tastes, Opera North in the City promises to bring a festival atmosphere to Leeds’ most spectacular events space this summer.

Tickets for all three events are on sale now via operanorth.co.uk

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A new lease of life for iconic Copperworks Commercial lettings specialist and landlord Towngate PLC has begun a refurbishment of a historical industrial property in Stourton, formerly occupied by the Yorkshire Copper Works.

H

ome to the world-renowned metals manufacturer until 1980, the site was finally closed in 2016. But Towngate is now carrying out extensive renovation works to breathe new life into the 300,000sqft space on Haigh Park Road.

work expected to be finished by the end of summer. Further renovations will include a full re-clad of the external elevations, and a general overhaul of the internal space to create an open-plan working environment with a clear working height of over 9 metres.

The demolition of an entire bay is now complete, which has paved the way for increased loading capacity to the building and yard area. In addition to the existing barrier entry, gatehouse and multiple cranes in the expansive external space, ground-level loading doors will soon be installed to the rear of the property.

All buildings are also being reroofed, with

Once the refurbishment has been completed, the expansive site will be available to let as a whole to one single occupier or in part to multiple tenants, subject to market requirements. The self-contained space will include industrial warehouse accommodation, high-quality ancillary office buildings and a modern canteen, along with 8.65 acres of expansion land and a 250-space car park.

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As momentum builds, a rebranding project is also taking place behind the scenes to revitalise the site’s image and celebrate its illustrious industrial history.

Commenting on what will be relaunched as “The Copperworks”, Towngate’s property manager Tom Lamb said: “We are delighted to be able to bring this significant property to the market. We’re planning a launch of the site in the autumn when all interested parties will be given the chance to visit and tour what we believe will be a unique industrial letting opportunity.”

Editor becomes a dragon TopicUK Group Editor was delighted recently to be asked to be a ‘dragon’ at an event organised by The University of Huddersfield, journalism department.

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Leeds businessman, Simon Spinks, managing director of bed manufacturer, Harrison Spinks, has been elected president of the National Bed Federation (NBF).

New president for National Bed Federation

Simon, who previously held the role of president in 2011-12, succeeds former president, Ebrahim Patel of Vogue Beds who has held the position for the last two years.

The NBF is the recognised trade association representing UK manufacturers of beds and their suppliers. Based in Skipton, North Yorkshire, the organisation was founded in 1912 and today, its members account for approximately 75% of the total UK bed market turnover.

Commenting on his new appointment, Simon said: “I’m honoured to have been elected president for a second time and look forward to steering our association through what will be an uncertain economic climate in the short term. There are many challenges ahead for the UK bed industry but by working together we can face these challenges with optimism.”

Simon’s appointment was made at the NBF annual Spring Forum (27 April), attended by more than 100 delegates. The theme for the day was ‘Tomorrow’s World’.

“Unlike the television version, fellow judge Chris Shaw and I were not asked to put up any cash, but we were asked to offer feed back on four presentations by second year journalist student projects, where they were asked to create a business plan and project to set up a magazine,” said TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler.

“We were presented with four very different ideas from cookery to music and entertainment magazines.

“Working together in groups of four to six, students set themselves an area of responsibility such as designer, salesperson, accounts manager, researcher etc.

Each then worked on the project, first researching the need for a magazine in the chosen area in the first place, how they would raise the funds, what the content would be, distribution, sales and printing.

“Having done all this ourselves four years ago when we launched TopicUK, it was interesting for me personally to see what work they had put into it. I don’t think people realise the hard work that goes into setting something like this up, and I managed to pick up a few tips and ideas myself from the students!” Gill continued.

presenting to business people and hopefully the feedback that they received from Chris and I was valuable. I was able to explain the pitfalls and the mistakes we made, how we rectified them and explained how you have to stay passionate about the project as we are if it is to work.”

“I think this is an excellent initiative by The University of Huddersfield to engage with outside business. The students were nervous

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LEGAL MATTERS

Each issue Chadwick Lawrence Yorkshire’s Legal People, share with our readers information to keep us all

within the law. If you have a legal question, or need to know about a particular subject, email editor@topicuk.co.uk

No Lasting Power of Attorney?

What happens next?

Many people think that if something were to happen in the future and they were to lose mental capacity then their loved ones would automatically take over decisions about finances, property and health and wellbeing.

Unfortunately this is not the case and can mean an application must be made to the Court of Protection.

What happens if I lose capacity with no Power of Attorney in place?

It is always a good idea for you to plan ahead and make your Powers of Attorney while you are able. IF you lose metal capacity a Power of Attorney cannot me made. No one can make a Power of Attorney for you, no one can appoint themselves as your attorney and no one can make a decision for you without assistance from the Court of Protection.

Just like when you make a Will to ensure your wishes are carried out on your death, making a Lasting Power of Attorney means your wishes can be followed whilst you are living but don’t have mental capacity. If a Lasting Power of Attorney isn’t made access to your finances and health and welfare

£40000 Autoenrolment Penalty

On 8 May 2017 a regulatory intervention report was issued by the Pensions Regulator under section 89 of the Pensions Act 2004 in respect of action taken against a shoe retailer, Johnson Shoes Company. The regulator has published details of the penalty of over £40,000 which was imposed on the retailer for breaches of the employer auto-enrolment duties

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will need to be determined y the Court of Protection and a Deputy will be appointed.

For advice on Lasting Powers of Attorney contact our team on 0800 015 0340 to arrange an initial at any of our offices in Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield, Horbury, Leeds, Pudsey or Morley.

What is a Deputy?

According to ‘AGE UK’ a Deputy is ‘a similar role to that of attorney. They must follow the same principles as an attorney to make sure decisions are made in your best interests’. Anyone over the age of 18 can apply to the court to become your Deputy.

An application to the Court for Deputyship can be an expensive and

O

n 8 May 2017 a regulatory intervention report was issued by the Pensions Regulator under section 89 of the Pensions Act 2004 in respect of action taken against a shoe retailer, Johnson Shoes Company. The regulator has published details of the penalty of over £40,000 which was imposed on the retailer for breaches of the employer auto-enrolment duties Johnsons Shoes Company’s staging date was 1 May 2014 and the Company failed to provide the Regulator with a declaration of compliance by the deadline. First of all the Regulator issued a compliance notice and when the retailer still didn’t comply, it was issued with fixed

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long process and the power of a Deputy are limited. Moreover if an application has to be made to the Court then:• You cannot choose who will deal with your affairs or who will be your Deputy • You cannot specify the power you want to grant to the Deputy • You cannot specify any restrictions on the Deputy; the court may • The application for the Deputy may be refused • No joint assets can be sold without the appointment of a Deputy i.e. your home • Your loved ones may have to pay to maintain the Deputyship etc Powers of Attorney can only be made by the person giving the power (the Donor) and if capacity is already lost this consent is not valid. Whilst we advise that Lasting Powers of Attorney are made as soon as possible the decision is ultimately yours.

IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES RAISED BY THIS BLOG OR FOR ADVICE ON LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY OR COURT OF PROTECTION PLEASE CONTACT OUR TEAM ON 0800 015 0340 TO ARRANGE AN INITIAL FREE HALF HOUR APPOINTMENT AT ANY OF OUR OFFICES IN HUDDERSFIELD, HALIFAX, WAKEFIELD, HORBURY, LEEDS, PUDSEY OR MORLEY

and escalating penalty notices. Johnsons did eventually provide the declaration of compliance and paid the £400 fixed penalty in December 2015, however it refused to pay the escalating penalty. The penalty increased by £2,500 per day and reached £40,000 by the time it stopped accruing.

The Regulator thereafter issued County Court proceedings for the unpaid penalty. The Regulator’s authority in terms of issuing the penalty notice was challenged by Johnsons; however the Regulator applied to the Court for the defence to be struck out on the basis that it had no reasonable grounds of success.

Another argument of the Regulator was that Johnson’s defence represented an abuse of process because the company should have challenged the escalating penalty notice by applying to the Regulator for a review in the first instance and thereafter the First-tier Tribunal.

Before the Regulator’s application to strike out the defence was heard, Johnsons agreed to pay the outstanding penalty and meet the Regulator’s Court fee (which was £2,000).

The Regulator has confirmed that this case is a remainder to employers of the

consequences of failing to cooperate fully with its enquiries and investigations. This case clearly demonstrates that the Regulator will use all its powers to ensure compliance with the statutory auto-enrolment duties imposed on employers and it is therefore of utmost importance that employers comply with their obligations.

IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES RAISED BY THIS BLOG OR FOR ADVICE ON AUTO ENROLMENT PLEASE CONTACT OUR TEAM ON 0113 225 8811 AND ASK TO SPEAK TO A MEMBER OF OUR EMPLOYMENT LAW TEAM.

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WE ARE YORKSHIRE’S LEGAL PEOPLE

Working with businesses

Corporate & Contracts

Corporate Recovery & Insolvency

Employer Services

Intellectual Property

Litigation in Business

Property

Regulatory Services

Sports Law

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Working with individuals

Dispute Resolution

Medical Negligence

Employee Services

Personal Injury

Family Law

Residential Property Disputes

0113 225 8811

Home & Property

Wills & Probate

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Back to business and Brexit

By Natalie Sykes, Regional Director, Institute of Directors The General Election has been and gone and minds are now focussed on the negotiations required to secure a good deal for Britain as we exit the European Union.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) is at the forefront of providing platforms for business leaders to debate the issues at stake, post the Election and pre Brexit.

Across the Northern Powerhouse region, we are staging a series of events to ensure the voice of business is heard and taken into account as the Government progresses the Brexit negotiations and importantly, a final trade agreement.

5 Simple Tips For Successful Video Marketing

By Danny Lacey CEO & Founder Stada Video

Did you know that nearly 74% of consumer internet traffic consists of online videos?

Video is taking over the internet and businesses are taking note. The number of companies using video content to connect with consumers and promote their services is increasing, but many fail to realise that producing and uploading a video is only the beginning.

Implementing a few simple strategies will

At the same time, we are driving forward the Northern Powerhouse agenda to grow the voice of business, the economy and connectivity in the North, partnering with key organisations such as Transport for the North.

The next few months therefore are going to be busy for business but there is time to take stock at our prestigious Director of the Year Awards being held on Wednesday 5 July at the Principal York Hotel.

leaders we have across Yorkshire and the North East.

Their achievements cannot be overestimated and our awards highlight their hard work and dedication to growing successful companies – and the Northern Powerhouse economy.

Congratulations to all our winners who will go forward to the national IoD Director of the Year finals later this year.

• The IoD’s 99 Club is the perfect membership package for young business leaders It enables founders and entrepreneurs to take their start up to the next level, networking with 1,400 like-minded individuals.

FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.IOD.COM/MEMBERSHIP

These annual awards are a timely reminder – and a celebration – of the breadth of inspirational entrepreneurs and business ensure your video finds an audience and provides real value to your business.

Be active on social media Sharing your video on your social media is by far the best way to maximise your reach.

Video is shared on social media 1200% more than any other type of content. Uploading your video directly to each platform — rather than posting a link — will earn you the most engagement.

Keep it short Internet users crave content that is short and to the point. Reports show that 45% of viewers stop watching a video after one minute. If your video is on the longer side, edit it into bite-sized chunks and cut any lengthy introductions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE IOD IN YORKSHIRE AND THE NORTH EAST, EMAIL IOD. YORKSHIRE@IOD.COM

What’s the one thing you want viewers to do after watching your video? Visit your website?

Download a brochure? Sign up for an e-newsletter? Including a call-to-action and a clickable link with your video on social media will nudge viewers in the right direction.

Pay money, get more views Social media advertising is a great way to dramatically increase your views. Facebook ads, in particular, perform incredibly well for businesses because they allow you to really fine tune your campaign and target a specific audience. stadavideo.co.uk Tel: 0113 403 2037 dannylacey@stadavideo.co.uk

Add captions Believe it or not, 85% of Facebook videos are viewed without sound. Adding subtitles to your video will help out users who decide to hit mute. Thankfully, Facebook’s Caption Generator makes this a quick and easy task!

Include a call-to-action

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TOASTING SUCCESS as Champagne Bar relaunches

Yogesh Solanki was born and grew up in Leeds. It was thought early on that he would enter the family business run by his father, a property developer, but Yogesh’s path took him on a different course when he went to London to study dentistry under the Royal London Hospital.

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Y

ogesh Solanki was born and grew up in Leeds. It was thought early on that he would enter the family business run by his father, a property developer, but Yogesh’s path took him on a different course when he went to London to study dentistry at the Royal London Hospital.

“I suppose I was looking for something of my own, rather than do the expected, which was to work for my father,” Yogesh told TopicUK. “I worked in many different practices to build up my experience ready to launch my own company.

I went off to the bank, explained my ambitious plans and to my surprise, they offered to lend me the money.”

Yogesh bought a flat in the Docklands and then the stock market crashed. “It was a worrying time but I knew I needed to work hard to pay back the loan and grow my own business.”

company I set up now owns a portfolio of properties.”

Then came Yogesh’s first taste of the hospitality business. LS6 the well known cafe bar at Hyde Park corner came up for sale and seeing its potential, Yogesh snapped it up.

“It had been open 20 years and although it was well used by students, it was tired and needed work, in fact it only had a one star listing on the Food Standards Agency website,” he continued.

“It was a huge project and quite challenging, but the results have been amazing. By day, we serve breakfast and brunch, mostly to the student population and by night we turn into a bar.

However, the 120 cover cafe is so much more, it is a real community space where people gather for yoga classes, “I am immensly quiz nights, cheese and wine proud of what tasting and even a movie theatre, we have achieved as well as being an event space with LS6, we have and boasts the longest running jazz night in Leeds! a great team of

people working

With true entrepreneural spirit there..." however, Yogesh need not have worried. He slowlybegan to build his empire and today has five cosmetic dentistry practices across london.

“I am immensly proud of what we have achieved with LS6, we have a great team of people working there and the whole place buzzes from the minute you walk through the door.”

At that time, Yogesh was travelling between his London home and his home in Leeds and started looking at properties around the city. “As much as I had rebelled against working in my father’s industry I found myself drawn to property because I recognised it as such a good investment.”and started to purchase houses around Hyde Park and the University, renovating and renting to students, but much more upmarket properties than you would expect for traditional student accomodation.

Now for many of us, running a chain of dental practices and a property company, travelling constantly between Leeds and London, and running LS6 it would be enough, but not for Yogesh!

We did some research and found that not all students wanted to live a typical student way, some of them, particularly the more mature students, wanted something more sophisticated and were willing to pay,” he continued, “we found a bit of a niche in the market. The property

When Épernay, the beautiful champagne bar set just off Millennium Square in The Electric Press, came up for sale Yogesh snapped it up.

This is where TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler met up with Yogesh, over a light lunch. “I’ve only been in The Electric Press a couple of times before, and each time it was Saturday night and extremely busy, so almost impossible to see just how beautiful the building is,” said Gill.

“The bars and restaurants that are located in there

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all group around a central courtyard, with Épernay taking up one quarter with its elegant seating and umbrellas, you could be fooled into thinking you are drinking champagne in France.”

“I’d met Yogesh the previous week whilst attending his launch evening as a guest of Robert McClements, Chief Executive of CDi Yorkshire and had been looking forward to returning.

“The bar is very elegant and stocks just about every brand of champagne you can imagine, many of them award winning, but suprisingly

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at prices to suit all pockets.

“When I arrived, I was immediately offered a glass of champagne and Yogesh had arranged for one of their brunches to be brought out, a selection of delicious pastries, cheese and cold meat platters with a selection of breads and oils.

So what made Yogesh buy the bar? “I could see real potential for it. The bar had been neglected which was a shame and I could see with some investment how it could become a really unique bar, which it is fast becoming, although there is still some refurbishment work to do. We have a great team of staff, led

by Jonathan our General Manager, who is very experienced in the hospitality industry."

So with a chain of expanding dental practices, a property company, LS6 and a Champange bar, there is no time for anything else?

Wrong! Yogesh has another project on the go, something he wasn’t able to tell me at our meeting, except it will possibily be a business centre in Leeds.

YOGESH IS NEVER ONE TO SIT STILL AND IS WORKING ON SEVERAL EXCITING NEW PROJECTS. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE DETAILS. ÉPERNAY IS OPEN MONDAY TO THURSDAY 12PM TO 1AM, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 12PM TO 2AM AND SUNDAY 12PM TO 12AM.

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New staff for Tech firm A Leeds-based technology company KwizzBit has made two new appointments to its growing team.

The appointments come after a series of account wins including one of the UK’s largest operators of bars and restaurants, Mitchells and Butler, and British pub company, Stonegate pubs.

Angelika has a background in gamification and corporate team building and has been key in providing significant links for KwizzBit in entering the German technology market.

Chris Hart, who joins as sales and marketing manager, will be responsible for a number of key accounts, driving company growth and maintaining existing client relationships. Prior to undertaking his role at KwizzBit, Chris held a number of senior roles in the promotions and events management industry.

Managing director, Mark Walsh founded KwizzBit in partnership with pub quiz guru Steve Saul and technology expert John Sheard in 2016. The three successful entrepreneurs, with more than 60 combined years’ experience in the pub industry, aim to revive the Great British pub industry and eventually take a variety of other sectors by storm.

Angelika Wehnert also recently joined the business as an administrative assistant, whilst studying for a Bachelor’s degree in International Information Management at the University of Hildesheim, Germany.

Commenting on the new recruits, Managing director Mark Walsh commented: “The past year has been phenomenal for KwizzBit and we’re delighted to welcome new talent to the team.”

Meet Martin Kemp in Leeds Would you like the opportunity to meet Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp? TopicUK have teamed up with Aspire in Leeds to offer a lucky reader two tickets for ‘Just the Drink’ where you and your guest will enjoy a Prosseco Reception on the standing balcony area with private cash bar.

Martin joined Spandal Ballet in 1978 enjoying massive success for ten years with classic hits such as ‘True’ ‘Through the Barracades’ and ‘Gold’ touring the world, setting a trend as new wave romantics. Martin is also an actor and starred in the film, The Krays alongside his brother Gary. He also enjoyed many years

in EastEnders.

A close friend of the late George Michael, Martin married Wham backing vocalist Shirley Holliman.

Martin will be at Aspire on Friday 4 August from 7pm. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the two tickets is follow us on Twitter @topic_uk then send us your name, address and contact details to editor@topicuk.co.uk Aspire is an Award winning premier events venue offering exclusive meeting rooms and venue hire, you can visit their website at: http://www. aspire-leeds.co.uk

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HOW IT'S MADE

In this issue, TopicUK Leeds catches up with luxury mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks to find out ‘How It’s Made’.

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There aren’t many manufacturing businesses in Yorkshire that can say they rear their own flock of sheep. Leeds based luxury bed manufacturer Harrison Spinks, however, most definitely can.

The fifth generation family business, which started life in 1840, owns a 300 acre farm in North Yorkshire that a large flock of Texel, Suffolk, Zwartbles and Wensleydale sheep call home.

“Our mattresses don’t start life in a factory, but on our farm”, explains Esme Westmoreland, marketing manager at the company. “We rear the sheep in exchange for their quality pure-grade wool that then goes in to our mattresses. We have also recently acquired Angora goats for their luxurious mohair.”

Today, Harrison Spinks employs a team of over 500 people and the company’s luxury mattresses can be bought in some of the UK’s most wellknown home outlets, including interiors giant, John Lewis. The brand is also the only bed manufacturer in the UK to manufacture all its fillings on site. “No other manufacturer does that”, Esme explains proudly.

She continues: “Despite the size of the company now, we’re still very proud of our Yorkshire heritage. We work with local farmers to who supply extra wool, and source our additional 250 acres worth of hemp (the company grows its first 150 acres worth on its own farm) from other local farms in order to fulfil production demands.

“We’re also working towards sourcing all the timber we use in our frames locally, and to help make this a reality, we recently acquired a 56

acre wood that is only 25 miles away from the factory.”

In addition to rearing sheep for their wool, Harrison Spinks also grows hemp (hemp is the fastest growing wood fibre, which can grow up to 12ft tall)and flax fibres, both of which are strong and excellent at regulating body temperature when used as a natural mattress filling.

She explains: “When the wool from the sheep has been scoured and washed, and the hemp and flax has been harvested, the materials travel less than 20 miles to our factory in Leeds.

“We then use a specially adapted carding machine to process the hemp, which breaks down the woody section and separates out the fibres which are the bits we’re after. We use hemp in place of polyester as it is a very durable, natural material.”

The hemp, wool and flax is then lined up in bales ready for the carding machine which, Esme says, “is like something from a Willy Wonka film”.

The company then adds its ‘secret recipe’ before mixing the bales in hopper (similar to a very large washing machine!), blowing it through pipes and then using the machine to pull the developing mattress filling apart and comb it so it begins to form layers. The filling is then compressed and carefully needled together.

Innovation is at the heart of Harrison Spinks,

July/August 2017

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LeedsEdition and the company’s continuous investment in technology which has allowed it to become the most vertically integrated bed manufacturer in the world. Not only does it manufacture patented pocket springs, but it also has a dedicated team of engineers who design and build the machinery on-site in Leeds that produces its award-winning springs.

Esme explains: “In late 2014, we began drawing our own wire from steel rod, which allowed us to produce thinner wire than is commercially available within the market and consequently we have been able to produce smaller springs.

“Our wire goes on to a wire drawing machine that cleans and stretches it, enabling us to control the quality. The same wire is then used to make the springs for our mattresses.

“We have a development team of 18 people on site who are constantly innovating and coming up with new ways to use our machines, and our continuous investment in technology was recognised by the Queen in 2013, when we were awarded two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, one for Innovation and the other for Sustainable Development.”

“Then, following the tufting press, we complete the tape edging process where the top mattress cover is sewn on to the mattress border, before packing the finished mattress up and getting it ready for delivery.”

So, with such demand for its luxurious mattresses from all across the world, what does the future look like for the busy bed makers?

Once the filling and springs are sorted, the next stage is the mattress line where all of Harrison Spinks’ made to order mattresses really start to take shape.

“Since we purchased the farm in 2009, the company has tripled in size”, says Esme.

“We then add the core high pocket spring unit, and this is where the rectangles you recognise in a mattress are formed. It is then framed and clipped so it keeps its size, and our team of highly skilled stitchers attach the edge of the mattress to the mattress border, which is also made in our sewing room.

“Next, we move on to the building stage, where our craftsmen work in teams of two and add layers of two, three or four thousand smaller springs to push the natural filings to the top of the mattress and stop them compressing. We then layer natural filling pads on top and finally the mattress fabric.

The final of mattress making involves a specialist tufting press which. Esme explains:

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“We’re now working towards expanding our premises further, and at the end of 2015 we bought what was formerly a Leeds Technical College building and have big plans to develop it into offices so we can bring all our teams together under one roof.

“The tufting press compresses the mattress on top and two of our craftsmen use huge needles to tuft by hand to keep all the natural fillings in place so they don’t move when the mattress is used.

“We’re also working towards manufacturing our first, 100% chemical free mattress and have some spring-related developments in the pipeline which, for now, are a closely guarded secret!”

One thing’s for sure; when it comes to making mattresses at Harrison Spinks, there’s certainly no lying around.

LeedsEdition

Thousands of charities and voluntary groups across the city work tirelessly to address inequalities and help their communities. Leeds Community Foundation invests in these groups to support Leeds, now and in the future.

With your support, The Leeds Fund will help to build a city of opportunity for all.

The Leeds Fund

www.theleedsfund.org.uk

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SPECIAL FEATURE

The impact of creating more diverse and inclusive work environments on a company’s performance has been a hotly debated topic for over

two decades. Research by Deloitte identified an 80 percent improvement in business performance when levels of diversity and inclusion were high.

Charlotte Sweeney

Pioneering Change in Leeds or Tackling the Skills Gap

Changing workforce demographics, globalization, government policy and increasing employee expectations all play a part, but many companies struggle to make any meaningful progress.

was led from London and made a huge assumption that what worked in London would work everywhere else. The CIC forums are designed to focus on key issues, city by city, ensuring that regional insights and knowledge are the main part of the solution’.

To respond to these challenges at a regional level, Charlotte Sweeney OBE launched the business forum ‘Creating Inclusive Cultures (CIC)’ in late 2015 for businesses who want to create thriving workplaces for all, work together and learn from each other. The first forum was launched in Leeds and has expanded to Manchester and Birmingham… with plans for a further three cities across the UK before the end of 2017. It has already been heralded as “the first serious programme that gets companies to work together on D&I issues in the UK regions” and is an official partner of the Governments Northern Powerhouse Programme.

‘The main focus of the forum is to support and equip companies to create workplaces that work for all’ says Charlotte who was recognised by The Economist as one of the Top 50 Diversity professionals in the world as well as by Harvard. ‘The specific areas of focus are then decided by the senior leaders of the companies involved - our agenda is created by them. This is unique compared to other forums in the way we decide our delivery plan for the coming year.’

As a result CIC Leeds has focused on two main areas – creating the CIC App and piloting the ‘Junior Board’ programme.

‘This is a really cost effective and impactful way for companies to communicate to their employees differently – by having all of this information at their fingertips on their smart devices’

Charlotte stated ‘I created CIC as, after working in multi-national organisations for 25 years, I was frustrated that all the work on diversity and inclusion in this country

As with any culture change in a company one of the big challenges is communicating and raising the awareness of all employees.

The CIC app has been designed with

The other area of focus ‘Junior Board’, now completed the pilot of the first programme has received rave reviews from the students and companies involved. CIC partnered

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Since its launch CIC has gained an enviable client list with companies such as EY, Yorkshire Building Society, BDO, Northern and Mercer joining the forum. video’s, podcasts, research papers, quizzes and infographics for people at all levels of a company to understand D&I as well as how they can play a part in creating a more inclusive workplace. The app also has the ability to include tailored content specifically for each company as well as a general version available for anyone to download on both Apple and Android devices.

LeedsEdition successful launch of the pilot in Leeds, my plan is to roll out across the UK’s regions. With the release of the recent Baroness Ruby McGregor Smith report, it is clear the huge economic case for change for a truly Diverse and Inclusive workplace. My mission is for the Junior Board to create further opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds to get into business.”

Stephanie Burras CBE, Chief Executive of Ahead Partnership, said: “We’re thrilled to be working on this pilot with Charlotte to give more young people the opportunity to make their voice heard at the top level. Our future workforce are a precious resource that businesses know they can learn well from – and this project is sure to develop the candidates’ confidence and other key employability skills for the future.”

The final event of Junior Board really gave the senior leaders food for thought. The teenagers were really open and honest about their views of employers as well as what their dream employer looks like. There is certainly room for progress if we want to attract and retain the talents of the next generation getting ready to join the workforce.

with Ahead Partnership to deliver this programme.

The Junior Board is a Leadership Programme designed to give young people from diverse backgrounds direct experience with board level leaders within high profile organisations including DWF, Pinsent Mason and Direct Line. The programme saw 15 teenagers attend three separate events, the final session saw the teenagers meet and interact with senior leaders from over ten companies from across Leeds directly. The fifteen teenagers aged 14-15 were selected from several Leeds Secondary Schools and took part in three specially designed sessions that gave them access to a large employment pool in the Leeds City Region. The programme had two main purposes:

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Future diverse talent – share their perspectives with senior leaders as well as increase their awareness and confidence. It will also enable the students to gain core employability skills around leadership, resilience, teambuilding and communication, as well as prepare them for employment Employers – be introduced to future, diverse talent and gain insights from the talent, so they can consider how their culture, practices and processes need to change to attract and retain talent.

What are the next steps for CIC Leeds? We will be working with the companies involved in the pilot of junior board to develop it further … the pilot was great and we can make it even more impactful. We are also working closely with the companies to act on the feedback and views we received from the teenagers.

Of course, the value of the forum is bringing companies from all sectors together to work on an issue that is important for all of us – creating workplaces that work for all.

“Companies get involved with Creating Inclusive Cultures because they want to tackle issues in our region with like minded companies and they benefit from the expertise and experience of myself and the rest of the team”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER INFORMATION

Charlotte Sweeney OBE said “I dedicated much of my life to championing universal social mobility and the benefits of a diverse workforce in business, so I’m delighted to pilot the Junior Board as part of the CIC programme. After the

ABOUT THE BUSINESS FORUM PLEASE CONTACT FIONA TRILLER, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR AT FIONA@ CREATINGINCLUSIVECULTURES.COM WEBSITE: WWW.CREATINGINCLUSIVECULTURES.COM

July/August 2017

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Creating Inclusive Cultures (CIC) is a collaboration of established businesses in our major cities who understand the benefits of investing in diversity and inclusion.

In our changing and competitive world CIC enables them to share insight and experience that will help everyone attract and retain the talent for the future success of their firms and their cities.

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LeedsEdition

Five Handy Windows 10 Tricks for Faster Working

By Dean Spencer MD eitex Limited

It gets frustrating when you’re busy at the computer and have to keep stopping to search through menus for actions you need to perform on a file or folder.

Access ‘settings’: Win Key + I

Windows 10 has a few nifty tricks that can really streamline common computer tasks.

This is a neat Windows 10 trick. Simply click and hold the title bar of the window you want open, then give it a quick shake with the mouse. All the other windows will minimise!

Here’s five of the best for everyday actions: 1/ Scroll Through Inactive Windows Sometimes it’s handy to scroll up or down on a window that’s behind the one you’re working on. To scroll up or down on an inactive window, just hover your mouse over that window and, without clicking, scroll with the mouse wheel!

2/ Access Settings and Action Centre with the Keyboard. Here’s a few shortcuts you’ll love: Lock Computer: Win Key + L Switch between open programs: ALT+TAB

Access the Action Centre: Win Key + A Access the hidden Start menu: Win Key + X 3/ Quickly Minimise All Windows except the Active One

4/ Snap Windows Side by Side or into Quadrants Working equally on two windows at once? To snap the active window to the right of the screen: Windows Key + Right Arrow.

Click the opposite arrow to snap to the left.

5/ Quickly Examine an Object’s Properties There are times when you want to check on the properties of a file.

In Windows 10 simply open File Explorer, then hold the ALT Key and double click the file name Hopefully this short list of a few of them helps you get through your daily computer tasks that bit quicker!

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FEATURE

Since we launched in Leeds last year, TopicUK has had some amazing covers and the man responsible for most of them is Duncan Lomax. To see Duncan’s work, or to discuss your own images, visit www.ravageproductions.co.uk

Taking a step not a leap

Duncan, owner of Ravage Productions, had a successful career in print and marketing before making the leap into his own commercial photography business, Ravage Productions.

“It was more of a step than a leap” Duncan says. “Having always had an interest in photography and after commissioning it for clients, it seemed an obvious move to

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provide a photography service aimed at helping businesses.”

Five years on, Duncan has worked for many prestigious clients, photographed royalty and rock stars and captured some amazing moments.

“I was previously in a client-facing role, and it’s that part of the business that I love” he explains. “You can learn the technical side of photography” (Duncan gained a degree in Commercial Photography from Leeds

Becket University), “but 90% of the job is understanding what a client wants and how to achieve it.”

I love hearing the history behind a business and then playing a part in trying to tell that story through the images. Every business, whatever their size relies on photography on their websites and marketing material, so getting it right is really important.

LeedsEdition

YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

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July/August 2017

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LeedsEdition

Archbishop of York Opens The Chocolate Works Care Village The Springfield Healthcare welcomed the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu recently, to The Chocolate Works Care Village in York to perform the official opening ceremony of the newly restored, iconic building which once housed the headquarters of Terry’s of York.

site rather than traditionally lower profile sites and will become the new home for over 100 local citizens in the 82 care suites and eight luxury care apartments.

The Care Village will be providing around 120 new jobs, with a range of skills required and with the aim of providing training on site wherever possible. In addition Springfield plan to create specific apprenticeships for the young people of York across the range of services that a Care Village of this scale needs to provide.

Alongside Mrs Sentamu the Archbishop met residents and their families, members of the Springfield care team headed up by General Manager Sarah Paskett as well as people involved in bringing the project to life. A plaque inscribed with the words “May those who reside here do so with dignity and grace” was unveiled by the Archbishop after a blessing of the building.

Children from Year five at Knavesmire Primary School showed the Archbishop the “mosaic” pictures that they have created for a large mural in the central atrium area before visiting our very own sweet shop!

The Archbishop said “The health of any society is measured by how we care for our most vulnerable people. What I have seen here demonstrates that our society has the potential for the wellbeing and flourishing of all older people. This care home is a beacon of hope for all those who are getting older and a re-assurance for their families.”

The £10m restoration of the site was the brainchild of Springfield Group CEO Graeme Lee whose vision of a Care Village for the citizens of York and the surrounding area has become an awe inspiring reality. Setting new standards for elderly care in the heart of the community the vast central double height glazed atrium has been preserved and transformed into a unique ‘marketplace’ setting for the residents and visitors, complete with café, restaurant, spa, hairdresser, gym and even its own pub The Duke of York! A large roof terrace allows residents to enjoy uninterrupted views across York towards the

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Minster, adjoining race course and across the rest of the chocolate works site.

Graeme Lee, Group CEO said “It was simply marvellous, to be able to welcome The Archbishop of York to share our vision for the future of elderly care in our communities was inspiring and humbling. We are so grateful to him and to Mrs Sentamu and hope that they will visit us many more times in the future” The prominent position of The Chocolate Works Care Village places the predominantly elderly residents at the forefront of the whole

The Chocolate Works Care Village is part of a multi-million pound expansion programme

by Springfield Healthcare Group, one of Yorkshire’s oldest care providers, which is set to establish four further care villages providing wide ranging, compassionate care in the heart of communities. Springfield Healthcare is supported by the Business Growth Fund who are set to invest over £20m over the next 3 years. Springfield represented the first project in Yorkshire to attract finance from the Business Growth fund (BGF) and were also the BGF’s first healthcare project in the country.

LeedsEdition

Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Biscuit provides a complete IT service and flexible office IT solutions for businesses and organisations throughout the UK.

Our IT Solutions services support your team in thinking about the bigger picture when it comes to your IT systems.

hello@biscuit.uk.com 01924 241281 July/August 2017

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80’s legend Tony Hadley joins retro festival Rock Leeds

Let’s Rock Leeds returned to the city on 17 June with an amazing line up of 80’s bands and musicians, including Hazel O’Connor, Nik Kershaw, The Human League, Nick Heywood and Spandau Ballet’s frontman, Tony Hadley, to name just a few.

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A

head of this popular festival which always draws huge crowds, TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler, caught up with Tony Hadley to find out a little more about him.

time,” Tony told us. “People change and whilst touring and performing had been brilliant over the years, it changed, it wasn’t fun anymore. The time, albeit sad, was right to close the chapter.”

Tony was born in Islington London. He attended Dame Alice Owen’s Grammar School and believed his future would be in medicine.

Tony naturally continued as a solo artist, and has spent the last twenty years performing all over the world, whilst continuing to write and has recorded four solo albums.

“I always loved singing from being a small boy, joining choirs at school, but never had the confidence to sing in public like my young daughters do now. Whenever we have friends round for dinner, they are always standing there singing and performing,” he laughed.

That all changed however, when Tony plucked up the courage to enter a signing competition whilst on holiday at Pontins at the age of 13 and won. He realised then, that his vocation was as a singer. The rest as they say is history!

Aside from his own band, Tony has a passion for ‘swing’, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Jack Jones amongst a few of his personal favourites. In 2006 Tony released his longawaited swing album ‘Passing Strangers’ that features some of his favourite songs. The album coincided with his first ‘swing’ tour aptly named, Swinging True! When pressed on his favourite band from the 1980s, it was an easy choice for him, fellow 80’s band and long time friends, Duran Duran.

Over the years, Tony performed in many bands, mostly as singer, as by his own admission, he is a frustrated drummer and plays guitar and piano badly! But it was in 1978 that he joined school friends and formed Spandau Ballet, pioneers of the 80s romantic movement.

The band had numerous chart topping singles and albums all over the world, the most memorable being ‘Gold’ and ‘Through the Barricades’ and of course the international number one ‘True’. As lead singer Tony has earned the accolade of being one of pop music’s greatest vocalists and many will remember the bands outstanding contribution to the Band Aid UK charity single, ‘Do they know it’s Christmas’ in 1985.

“Both Band Aid and Live Aid were unrepeatable in my view. It was the first of a kind and we showed the world how to raise money, Bob and Midge did a fantastic job organising it and millions of pounds were raised to help save lives all over the world, it was an incredible time and I was proud to be involved.”

“When the band finished in 1990, it was

Tony’s talents reach beyond the stage and in recent years he has become a successful radio DJ first with Virgin and now with Absolute Radio. “I’ve been with Absolute for around six years and I love it,” he told us. “I get to play all my favourite songs from the 80’s including a few of Spandau Ballet,” he laughed.

In 2004 Tony’s autobiography was published ‘To Cut a Long Story Short’ that charted his youth, early years, the heady heights of fame.

The book proved very popular entering the Sunday Times Top Ten Best Sellers chart.

“It’s important for people to know who you are when you live a public life,” dad of five Tony told us. “I think it helps engage with the audience when performing.”

In 2015 Tony entered the Jungle, taking part in ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here!’ He joined fellow camp mates Yvette Fielding, Duncan Bannatyne and Chris Eubank to name a few, but it was his famous disagreements with Lady Colin Campbell that caused a stir! “True, I did have a couple of run in’s with her, but you can’t get on with everyone can you. It was a fantastic experience and would, given the chance do it all again. The jungle is a beautiful place

that I am no stranger to as I have spent time trekking through the Costa Rican Jungle.

There’s not much that I am afraid of, so a came through it relatively unscathed, and of course another reason I wanted to do it, I am a big fan of Ant and Dec, both of whom are super talented.”

Tony is a great supporter of many charities, but one close to his heart is Huntington Disease because a family member was diagnosed. He does however support a number of children’s charities too.

More recently Tony had the great honour of being invited to Buckingham Palace to meet The Queen. He told us: “It was an incredible honour in my role as Vice President for Shooting Star Chase to be invited to The Palace. I was privileged to be presented to her majesty and celebrate the wonderful work of our Royal Patron, HRH The Countess of Wessex.”

Tony is a keen keep fit fan, running and exercising one of his passions, “or to enable me to keep up with the kids” he laughs. He loves his annual skiing holiday and likes water skiing and scuba diving during the summer.

“One of my biggest passions is football and I admit to being a regular at all the Arsenal matches, and I play for them in the exprofessional and Celebrity XI team whenever I can, my speciality is the own goal!”

At this stage I was keen to find out a little more about Tony’s personal life, I learned he loves food but his favourite is Italian, which he enjoys with his own brewed beer. When asked what his favourite car is, the answer instant - the Jaguar. “I love Jaguar’s, always have, particularly the XKR convertable but I love them all, particularly the old classics.”

When it comes to holdays, again Tony doesn’t hesitate. “There are two favourite destinations for me, one is Mauritius where I met my wife and the second is Majorca, particularly the little villages in the North West of the Island amongst the mountains.” This prompted quite a long conversation as Tony’s favourite village is actually the same as mine!

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BANKING & ECONOMY

In a UK banking first, Barclays has announced that it has launched a new card reader and an improved high-visibility debit card to help older and disabled customers.

Barclays super sizes card readers for older and disabled customers

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ith over 5m people experiencing some form of sight loss or dexterity issues*, these developments will help customers access services more easily and further protect them from fraud.

A card reader, or ‘PINsentry’, is a small handheld device that provides an extra level of protection for customers logging into online banking from home or verifying themselves within a bank branch. Following feedback that some customers, particularly older ones, found the card reader difficult to see and use because of its size, Barclays has developed a fully accessible talking card reader with bigger buttons and screen to meet a broader range of access needs. This was tested in conjunction with customers and AbilityNet to ensure it was easy to use.

Barclays has also made an enhancement to its existing popular range of high-visibility debit cards. In addition to the high contrast and brightly coloured designs and tactile notch for easy orientation, the three-digit security number on the reverse of the card has been made bigger after customers told Barclays they were struggling to see it.

Ashok Vaswani, Chief Executive of Barclays UK, said: “We are always looking for new ways to support our customers and make their finances even more secure.

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“Often it’s when you think about how to meet specific needs that you find solutions that help the widest range of people and customers, which is why we thread this thinking through every business decision we make. This new development is yet another example of how we are responding to the needs of our customers.”

Nigel Lewis, Chief Executive of AbilityNet said: “As a leading advocate of accessible digital design, we know that putting the user at the centre of the design process delivers better products and services to every customer, not just people with disabilities.

Barclays commitment to accessibility, shown most recently by the launch of the large card reader and improved high-visibility debit card, will have a positive impact on the lives of the millions of people who use their services every day.”

These new developments follow on from a range of UK high-street banking firsts by Barclays to help older customers and those with disabilities better access its services: P High-Vis Personalised Debit Cards – In January 2013, Barclays launched brightly coloured debit cards with contrastingcoloured arrows, so that they stand out in wallets and a tactile notch so that customers can tell which way to insert them. These cards are free to order via branch, telephone, online and mobile banking channels.

P SignVideo - In 2015 Barclays became the first bank to offer instant access to British Sign Language interpreters in-branch, via a SignVideo app on branch iPads. It is also available via Barclays.co.uk, and the

Barclaycard website, giving people access to telephony agents from the comfort of their own home.

P Voice security – In 2016 Barclays launched voice security technology for all customers, meaning they no longer need to use a password to access telephone banking services. Barclays also added finger-print security verification within their mobile banking app. Both of these technologies make it easier for customers to access their account, especially those who struggle to remember passwords.

Debit card hub – In early 2017 Barclays gave customers new levels of control over when, where and how their debit card works, offering customers the choice to instantly turn ‘on’ and ‘off’ whether their card can be used to make remote purchases and even set their own ATM withdrawal limits. This helps all customers to protect themselves from fraud by helping them stay in control of their money.

LeedsEdition

Events company releases swimwear and clothing line Candypants, the beat behind the world’s wildest parties, launches capsule lifestyle collection Leeds-born party brand, Candypants, famous for its pool parties at the W Hotel Dubai, award-winning brunches at the Habtoor Grand and boat parties in Marbella and The Med, has launched a capsule lifestyle collection for 2017.

Having firmly established itself within some of the world’s most desirable locations, Candypants has expanded into the fashion world and partnered with swimwear and lingerie specialists Delta Connex, to produce a unique range of swim, beach and body jewellery, designed for and inspired by the Candypants Events global audience including their Candypants girls.

Launching this July, the Candypants lifestyle collection will include 11 swimwear pieces, 11 beach pieces and seven pieces of body jewellery. The brand’s move into fashion comes as the event company becomes increasingly prevalent on the global event stage, having started life as a weekly club event in Leeds.

Young British entrepreneur Ray Chan, is the mastermind behind Candypants Events having

started the business 9 years ago whilst at university in Leeds.

Since then, he has grown the brand to its current global status, with big plans on the horizon for 2018 as Candypants approaches its 10th Anniversary.

Ray said: “Candypants has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a once-a-week club event in Leeds, we’ve grown into a global brand with a fantastic community of loyal party goers including our Candypants girls.

To have the chance to give our fans a brand-new range of party fashion is very exciting.”

Jennie Kecic, head of creative at Delta Connex, joined the company in January after eight years working as a buyer for brands including Boohoo, Bank and Republic, said: “It’s great to be working with such a successful global brand and thriving community, Candypants girls are always right on trend and to create a range for them has been very exciting.

The price range will include Swimwear - £30 - £48 per bikini/ swimsuit, £20- £35 for beachwear and £10-25 for jewellery. The candypants collection will officially launch on Monday 3rd July, available from Candypants.com / Instagram.com/candypantsstore.

“It’s a perfect partnership for Delta Connex and Candypants, both of which are taking their brand to the next level with this new fashion range.”

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Rudding Park launch new Rooftop Spa and Gardens Rudding Park Spa has celebrated its highly-anticipated opening with a launch event hosted by hotel owners Simon and Judi Mackaness, Managing Director Peter Banks and Spa Director Matthew Mackaness.

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he event provided an opportunity for Rudding Park to showcase their spectacular new destination Spa, to 400 loyal partners, guests and press who have shown their long-standing support from the beginning through to completion and now beyond. As the sun set on the Roof Top Spa

Garden, Simon Mackaness announced the Spa to be officially open with a celebratory toast.

Guests were given an enticing taste of the new wellness journey now on offer from the UK’s first Roof Top Spa and Garden complete with Hydrotherapy Infinity Pool and Panoramic

Sauna to the Spa’s unique Mind and Sense Zones.

Enjoying an easy flow from indoors to out, guests were able to experience the underlying ethos of the Spa, which is bringing the best of the outside in. Sauna infusions created with herbs from the kitchen garden, natural waters drawn from the grounds of Rudding Park and treatments inspired by nature reflect this concept throughout.

Guests enjoyed drinks and canapes by Horto’s highly acclaimed Chef Murray Wilson, who has introduced an exciting new dining experience at the Spa. Drawing inspiration from the kitchen garden, Horto now offers a selection of seasonal dishes and delicious puddings for lunch with a tasting or a la carte menu by night, already proving popular with guests and locals alike.

As well as the 50-strong new Spa team, guests were able to mingle with the Spa’s makers and creators, which ranged from architects Enjoy Design to construction company Henry J Boot and interior designer Claire Horsley, with Rudding Park engaging local suppliers wherever possible throughout the development. Also in attendance were Rudding Park Spa treatment partners Elemental Herbology, ila, Carita, Jennifer Young, Mii Cosmetics and Jessica Nails UK, as well as Roof Top Spa Garden Landscape Gardener Matthew Wilson.

Leeds business world dresses for success Fashion-forward business leaders from across Leeds attended an event on dressing with confidence in the corporate world.

Dress for Success saw more than 70 women and men receive top styling tips aimed at helping them succeed in the workplace. The panel of experts included Jyoti Matoo, Editor in Chief of Voir Fashion Magazine, Ross Barr, menswear designer, and Karen Herars-

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Kelly, founder and empowerment expert of A Tribe called Woman.

The event was held at the Entrepreneurial Spark Powered by NatWest hub in Leeds at the end of May.

Ending work and starting parental leave

LeedsEdition

Summer holidays 2017: you’ve booked the time off, found a great destination and are looking forward to the break. For now, the holiday remains on the distant horizon and you can focus on work and the task in hand.

Of course, time flies and suddenly finishing work for two weeks holiday is upon you. How many of us then find ourselves immersed in a complete vortex at this point? We’re under pressure to get everything closed down, handed over and signed off in order to get a clean getaway.

Step into the shoes of an employee announcing her pregnancy. Just like the summer holiday scenario, the start of a maternity leave arrives and along with it a vortex magnified ten fold because this close down is for twelve months (not just two weeks) away from work.

It’s a pressurised time.

The prospect of an experienced member of the team taking extended leave can be daunting for both employer and employee - with shared concerns around workload, maintaining client relationships and sorting out just who will fill the void while they’re away. In addition to the important legal obligations relating to pregnant employees, at a personal level, extra care for employees by their line manager The evening included a session on what are the best looks when you pitch, or are in front of a boardroom, the psychology behind what you wear and how to wear it, and an inner confidence workshop. Anita Massarella, an haute couture designer who has dressed the likes of Margaret Thatcher, provided the key-note speech on the night.

Jyoti said: “It was a brilliant evening and we had a fantastic turnout. We had a personal shopper from Topshop on hand who helped with queries. The night wasn’t just about clothes and looking good at work but a celebration of women and men in the workplace and how we can empower

during this time really matters. Perhaps a key member of your team has just announced her pregnancy. How will you measure up in terms of your support? Good practice approaches for line managers include; 1. Having regular 1-1s prior to the start of maternity leave and mutually agreeing the plan for handover.

2. Discussing cover – checking the extent to which they want to be involved in recruiting their replacement.

3. Noticing working patterns. What hours are they working? Are they stressed? What support can be offered? (and following through on this.)

4. Having conversations which demonstrate empathy and take a genuine interest in the individual.

5. Keeping an open mind – asking rather than assuming what someone needs or is thinking.

Listening well.

6. Making time to enquire about health and wellbeing, hopes and expectations for the future. people whatever their profession.

“It’s taken a lot of work to get here, and Ross, Karen and I want to thank Anita for speaking on the night. She provided some amazing insight in the dressing like a powerful woman.

We also want to thank Topshop and Estee Lauder for their generous makeover gift, and the team at Entrepreneurial Spark Powered By NatWest who believed in the event and what we wanted to accomplish.”

Run alongside partners KPMG Enterprise, Dell Technologies and Pinsent Masons, Entrepreneurial Spark Powered by NatWest is the world’s largest free business accelerator

7. Managing expectations of others – team members, senior stakeholders, customers.

8. Sharing and agreeing ideas for keeping in touch, visits to work, meetings (making diary notes to get in contact).

9. Nominating a team member as a buddy for updates, information and special events they may be interested in.

10. Celebrating success, completing a performance review and giving recognition for their contributions and achievements to date Positive support and interest in the individual makes a substantive difference to their sense of continued value and worth to the business, not to mention their health and wellbeing. It’s an investment in returning talent - they offer essential skills and experience and you want them motivated for a positive return when the time comes.

Nicki Seignot is the lead consultant and founder of The Parent Mentor and co-author of Mentoring New Parents at Work. For more information visit www.theparentmentor.co.uk for start-up and scale up businesses and has provided free support, mentoring, networking and office accommodation for hundreds of businesses in hubs across the UK. Applications are open for the next intake of entrepreneurs to join the hub at the Headrow, Leeds in August.

Melissa Hulme, Entrepreneur Development Manager at NatWest which is sponsoring this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said: “Dress for Success was a fantastic event which brought together a range of professionals, business leaders and entrepreneurs together to celebrate fashion and champion personal confidence.

July/August 2017

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