Topicuk barnsley oct2015

ISSUE 1 NOVEMBER 2015

BARNSLEY & DISTRICT FREE BUSINESS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK

ASHLEY JACKSON TopicUK

It all began in Barnsley Has arrived!

PRESS CUTTINGS Let us put you in the news

Tel: 07711 539047 - editor@topicuk.co.uk - www.topicuk.co.uk - Ghost Publishing Ltd - Suite 6 Unity Works Westgate Wakefield WF1 1EP

SUMMARY & CONTENTS A FOCAL POINT FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS Do you have any interesting stories to share with us about Barnsley?

We would be interested in sharing them with our readers, so please do get in touch by emailing editor@topicuk.co.uk

07 10 16

TopicUK Arrives in Barnsley

CAFE OWNERS Toast success

PRIDE OF BRITAIN Barnsley winner

PICK UP YOUR COPY

FOR A FULL LIST OF WHERE YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR FREE COPY VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK OR CALL ON:

07711 539047

30 32 34 STEELY PAST To top attraction

TOP APPRENTICE Local employee

LOVE AFFAIR Barnsley Beginnings

 PHOTOGRAPHER - Cover Ashley Jackson By Mark Flynn - mfphoto@btinternet.com - tel: 07745 204331 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 strictly prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in 4 production of this magazine, the publisher/editor cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To the

EDITORS NOTES

us four free tickets to give away in our fabulous competition, but hurry, there’s not much time to get your entries in!

We are looking for businesses to regularly contribute on other areas: health; motoring; recruitment; commercial property; finance; music; education; charity and beauty. If you are a budding journalist, do let us know and of course we can assist with the final submission.

Of course to produce a magazine of this quality it does cost money therefore we do rely on the support of advertisers.

Our rates have been set affordably and we have a range of sizes and sponsorship options to suit everyone’s budget. There are also opportunities to have space on our website, starting from just £50 a month with potential to reach up to 18,000 regular visitors.

I would like to personally thank Kate from Capital B Media who has been instrumental in helping us get this issue off the ground and our thanks also go to The Oakwell Stadium for hosting our launch.

WELCOME Welcome to the first issue of TopicUK Barnsley. We hope you enjoy reading your new business magazine featuring everything that is going on in Barnsley.

We want businesses in Barnsley to take ownership of the magazine, submitting articles and contributing towards features.

Each issue we will bring you articles on specialist subjects, mostly written by experts from within the community, so if would like to contribute, please do get in touch.

We welcome this issue Raleys Solicitors who will be keeping us all on the straight and narrow and within the law. Helen Ball, chief executive of The Barnsley Civic will tell us what is happening in the artworld. The theatre have also given

Our second issue will be out on the 15th January and bi monthly thereafter.

The deadline for both editorial and advertising contributions is Monday 23rd November.

All that remains for now is for me to thank everyone who has been involved with this first issue and I look forward to meeting many of our readers over the coming months.

Gill Laidler



TopicUK EDITOR

GILL LAIDLER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROB BLACKWELL

LOCAL HEROES EDITOR

THE ARTS

HELEN BALL, BARNSLEY CIVIC

FASHION

STEPH HEIGHAM, ALHAMBRA

LEGAL MATTERS

RALEYS SOLICITORS

FOOD & RESTAURANT REVIEW

ANTHONY HEGNEY, ASPARAGUS GREEN

With thanks to contributors: Kate Betts, Sue Barrington Binns, Derek Carpenter and Mark Flynn

WANT TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE BARNSLEY AREA? TopicUK can reach thousands of readers using both our printed and digital media at costs affordable to any size of business.

Full page advert £350.00 Half page advert £225.00 Quarter page advert £175.00 Should you want to become a sponsor, there are packages available that will give you a full page advert in every issue for one year, free editorial in each edition as well as free space on our website which currently enjoys up to 18,000 monthly visitors.

To take advantage of the superb offers available, call us now on 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk

Tel: 07711 539047 - editor@topicuk.co.uk - www.topicuk.co.uk - Ghost Publishing Ltd - Suite 6 Unity Works Westgate Wakefield WF1 1EP subscribe to this magazine, submit an article or press release please contact Gill Laidler on: 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk Published by Ghost Publishing Limited. Law pages are written by Raleys Solicitors and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.

Barnsley Edition November 2015

News Update

SUCCESS FOR BARNSLEY AGENCY Barnsley PR and media training consultancy Capital B Media has had a successful year with a jump in the number of clients and turnover up by more than 40 per cent.

The company, which was set up in 2006 by former BBC journalist Kate Betts, works for clients across South Yorkshire and beyond, is based at Bullhouse Mill near Penistone.

PR Clients include Gibson Booth accountants, Future Life Wealth Management, Enterprising Barnsley, Acorn Brewery and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK. Capital B Media has worked with clients on campaigns that have seen them gain local and national coverage, including on BBC Breakfast, 5Live and Newsnight, and in the Guardian newspaper.

Director Kate said: “Our success is about our clients’ success. We need to show that PR really can make a difference to a company’s bottom line and can deliver return on investment.”

Joshua Nutt, Michelle Tyma, Kate Betts (centre), Steph Pollard.

As well as promoting positive news, the company works behind the scenes to minimise negative coverage, with Kate, who is an associate at the Cabinet Office’s Emergency Planning College, seen as something of an expert on crisis communications.

Media training clients are based across the UK and include the Care Quality Commission, The Pensions Regulator, University of Wolverhampton, Churchill China, Muse Developments, West Yorkshire Fire Authority, South Yorkshire

Fire Service and Chesterfield Council.

Kate said: “We’ve got a great team here at Capital B Media; staff who really are experts in the field. 2015 has been a great year for us. We moved to a bigger office in the spring and have taken on several new clients. Turnover is up substantially too. So we are really looking forward to 2016.”

DOUBLE EXAM TRIUMPH Two members of a Barnsley accountancy firm have qualified as chartered accountants after passing their exams.

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obert Howarth and Claire Dickinson of Gibson Booth both passed exams, meaning they can take on more responsibility within the company and handle more clients. Robert, 26 from Halifax, joined Gibson Booth four years ago, and Claire, 24 from Doncaster, joined three years ago; both as trainee accountants.

Gibson Booth, which has its offices on Victoria Road in the town centre, has 30 staff, in the region of 1,000 clients and a turnover which has been growing year on year. It offers corporate tax planning, accounts, audit,

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personal tax planning; together with specialisms including VAT, payroll, capital taxes, research and development tax planning, employee incentivisation, corporate finance and wealth management.

Managing director Robert Watson said: “It’s great that both Robert and Claire were successful. This means we now have more qualified staff members on our books and gives us the opportunity to expand and take on more clients. Both Robert and Claire are excellent workers and studied hard for their exam, so it came as no surprise to me when they both passed.”

TopicUK ARRIVES IN BARNSLEY

In early 2015 we were approached and asked if we would consider launching a Barnsley edition of TopicUK and delighted that several months on we have arrived with our first issue!

TopicUK was launched in Wakefield in April 2013 thanks to the help of a handful of businesses who had the vision to see how they could benefit long term from the magazine.

Circulation was just 1000 copies and at just 44 pages, albeit top quality, it needed to grow.

And grow it did with pagination now at 64 and circulation at 8000. In April this year, a second edition was launched, this time covering Kirklees and Calderdale and there are plans for yet another in Soho London in early 2016. Also in April this year saw us incorporate Close Up for Business, the official magazine of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, and copies are mailed to 800 members.

So how does TopicUK work? It was launched by Ghost Publishing as a social enterprise with one main aim, to help support and promote local businesses. The idea was, and still is today, to offer free PR to local businesses who have something to ‘shout about’! It might be expansion, new premises, services or products etc, basically anything that our readers would be interested in.

We wanted to produce a magazine that the whole business community could become involved in, so we recruited local business leaders to write our regular feature articles. The news and features in each edition is exclusive

to the area so you can be confident that it focusses on the area it is distributed in. In Barnsley, Stephanie Heigham from the Alhambra Shopping Centre will be looking after our fashion and retail section and Helen Ball, chief executive of The Civic will be writing the arts amongst many others. If you would like to write a regular article, please do get in touch.

The magazine is free and can be picked up from a number of outlets across Barnsley. If you would like to stock copies, please do let us know and we will add you to the distribution list.

For those of you reading this, you may or may not have joined us for the launch on 13 November at the Oakwell Stadium. For those of you who came along, thank you for your support, I hope you enjoyed the event. For those unable to make it, I do hope over the coming months you will get in touch and let us have your business news and maybe take advantage of our very affordable advertising so you can share your products and services to a wide audience.

database and be assured that no third party will contact you from this.

Finally, we would like to thank all the businesses who have contributed to this first edition, particularly PR company Capital B Media from Barnsley who have made valuable introductions and submitted lots of news stories for their clients.

Please feel free to get in touch with us by ‘phone 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk or visit our website www.topicuk.co.uk

We also have a digital version at www. topicuk.co.uk where we currently enjoy up to 18,000 regular monthly visitors.

Over the next few weeks this will be updated and dedicated pages created for each individual area. You can also register your business free on our Barnsley Edition November 2015

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News Update

On 25 June 2007, Sheffield suffered extensive damage as the River Don over topped its banks causing widespread flooding in the Don Valley area of the city.

A 13-year-old boy was swept away by the swollen River Sheaf, a 68-year-old man died after attempting to cross a flooded road in Sheffield city centre, and several cattle were washed away, found up to 3.5 miles (5.6 km) across fields in some areas of cultivated land.

The Meadowhall shopping centre was closed due to flooding with some shops remaining closed downstairs until late September and Sheffield Wednesday's ground Hillsborough was under 6 feet (1.83 m) of water.

A number of people were rescued by RAF helicopters from buildings in the Brightside area, whilst in the Millhouses Park area to the southwest of the city the River Sheaf overtopped its banks causing widespread damage.

Pictured Julie Roberts of Dale Office Interiors with managing director, Steve Bellingham and operations, Chris Bellingham of Rare Creative Group at the launch of Rare’s new office space in Sheffield.

COMPANIES CELEBRATE CONTINUED COLLABORATION SINCE FLOODS OF 2007 A Sheffield marketing agency has celebrated moving into bespoke new offices with the support of interior design experts Dale Office Interiors

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ward-winning integrated marketing agency, Rare Creative Group, opened its new offices on Attercliffe Road following a comprehensive refit of the premises by Dale.

The office move and expansion marks the continued collaboration of the two Sheffield companies since the devastating floods of 2007.

Dale Office Interiors, based in Hillsborough, came to the rescue of Rare Creative Group when its interior furnishings were largely written off as a result of massive

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flooding in the Don Valley area eight years ago.

When Rare decided to move offices recently it did not hesitate to approach Dale once again to oversee its new design and layout.

Chris Bellingham, operations director of Rare Creative Group, said: “Dale has really done us proud. They’ve taken the distinctive cerise pink from our logo and repeated it throughout the space in various finishes and fabrics.

“The colour really helps to communicate our energy

and confidence to customers, suppliers, employees and other visitors.

“Overall they’ve given us a fantastic new look which matches our creative ambitions and gives us choices about the way we use our space. It’s great to be working together again.”

The transformation of Rare’s new offices includes the creation of customised workspaces to meet different teams’ needs; making best use of natural light, architectural features and coordinated fittings. ⊲

Dale’s managing director, Warren Bricknell, said: “Designing office environments is about so much more these days than a fresh coat of paint and new furniture.

“As well as fostering teamwork and creativity, the spaces we create for our clients are practical and have been designed to change with organisational needs over time.”

Both companies have been based in Sheffield for many years - Dale was established in 1984 and Rare in 1996.

When Rare was flooded out at its original premises in Aizlewoods Mill, everything had to be written off including all the office furniture. Dale Office Interiors supplied new furniture and fitted out the flooring and walls in an attempt to get the company back on track.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE ALONE THIS CHRISTMAS?

Warren said: “The great thing is that Rare came to us to handle their recent refit, without putting the work out to tender.

When Nick Thorpe, managing partner at HoRde Consultancy lost his Mum to lung cancer aged just 60, it was a devastating time but Nick is grateful to Wakefield Hospice for the support and care they showed, offering intermediate care when it was most needed.

“Over the years we’ve stayed together and grown together and more than 80 per cent of our business is repeat business, which says a lot about our reputation for good customer service.

In December that year Nick’s Dad said he felt like cancelling Christmas now his wife of 40 years was gone and said “lets just have Shepherds Pie and have done with it!”

“We were delighted to help out with Rare’s new look.”

Dale started out selling office furniture, but is now very much a commercial office design company; handling full workspace solutions for major clients.

It has experienced 33 per cent growth in the past year with a growing client list, which includes GO Outdoors, whose Sheffield headquarters Dale recently refreshed to reflect the company’s youthful business culture.

This statement got Nick and his business partners Kate Speight and Jon Wood thinking, as they too had father’s affected by cancer, into considering how many other people feel this way about Christmas and settle for Shepherds Pie!

who share something in common and aide with healing.

Anyone interested in reserving a place, bookings are now being taken on a first come, first served basis by emailing: christmas@hordeconsultancy.co.uk If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch and all donations are welcome.

After some thought, the trio enlisted the help of Lisa R Events and Cedar Court Hotel Wakefield to launch HoRde Christmas Memories, a festive lunch for 100 special guests.

Held on Christmas Eve at Cedar Court, the lunch is for people of all ages who will be spending Christmas alone, or coping with Christmas without loved ones.

Starting at 12 noon until 3pm with a few surprise guests, the lunch is free of charge, thanks to sponsorship from local businesses and its hoped that this will be the start of new friendships between people Barnsley Edition November 2015

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News Update

CAFÉ OWNERS TOAST SUCCESS WITH NEW DRINKS LICENCE A couple of customers turned café owners are celebrating their first ten months in business with the introduction of a new drinks licence.

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aul Winterburn and Jane Dunning gave up careers in banking and further education to take over their favourite eatery, the Arthouse Café in Penistone, in January this year.

The food and drink lovers have now developed a new menu, with more freefrom options, and gained an alcohol licence for the premises. Paul and Jane plan to introduce themed evenings serving freshly-prepared food, wines, craft ciders and beers and, in 2016, they aim to expand upstairs to create a new events space and new jobs.

Their business’ expansion plans are being supported by Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), through the Enterprising Barnsley programme, which is funded by Barnsley Council.

Paul said: “We have always loved the Arthouse Café and came here often as customers. When the opportunity came up to buy the place we couldn’t resist. We are both passionate about food and drink and the idea of running a business within our own community was a dream come true.”

This is the first time Paul and Jane, who both live in the Penistone area, have run their own business. Paul, aged 60, previously worked in customer services in the banking sector and has spent the last ten years setting up call centres in India, South Africa and the Philippines.

Jane, aged 50, has a career in lecturing behind her, leading courses in cookery and nutrition at Altrincham College in Manchester, and health and well-being at Barnsley College.

Paul said: “This was a first for us both and we have worked very hard over the last ten months but loved it. One of the best things for me is the ten minute commute to our café rather than the 20 hour commute by aeroplane to the Philippines.”

Arthouse Café employs 17 people and recently appointed a new chef, Stuart Brackenridge, who previously worked at Rivington Hall in Bolton, where he catered for large weddings and developed a reputation for canapes.

His expertise is being put to good use in Paul and Jane’s latest innovation, ‘wedding breakfasts’ for the bridal party on the actual morning of the big day.

Paul said: “Stuart serves beautiful food for the bride and her guests, and having a licence means we can now offer a glass of bubbly to calm the nerves before the special occasion too.”

Paul and Jane’s new café menu will feature more fish, gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free cakes, all baked in-house, together with gourmet burgers. They aim to use as much local produce as possible and have already secured Bradfield Brewery as a supplier of real ales. The Arthouse also exhibits local artists’ works and hosts life drawing classes and ukulele lessons.

Enterprising Barnsley has helped Arthouse with online and social media marketing and business coaching.

Paul said: “They have been fantastic.

We’ve brought a lot of combined passion, ideas and experience into this venture, but they have really helped with business development and marketing in particular.

We really couldn’t have made this much progress without their help.”

Kevin Steel, Enterprising Barnsley’s business development manager at BBIC, said: “Paul and Jane are working really hard to build this established business by listening to their customers and developing their offer in response – hence the new menu, drinks licence and planned events.

“They aim keep the café’s longstanding clientele very happy and also attract new customers to the local economy too. We look forward to their ongoing expansion plans in 2016.”

BREWERS PRODUCE A PRETTY SPECIAL BREW A couple of Barnsley brewers tried ‘picking their own’ hops for the first time to produce a rare and fresh real ale for their autumn range. Owners of Acorn Brewery Dave Hughes and brewer Ian Darvill went to Stocks Farm on the Herefordshire/ Worcestershire border to pick 40 kg of green hops to bring back to Barnsley.

Thirty-six gallons of their resultant Pretty Green real ale was sold at The October Old No 7 beer festival in Barnsley town centre.

Dave said: “This was a first for us.

Using green, fresh or wet hops in a brew leads to a totally different flavour profile to what you normally get when the hops have been dried and distributed.

“But green hops don’t keep and need to be brewed within 24 hours, which means they are only ever used by brewers at harvest time and relatively rarely then.

We dashed back and brewed them next morning. The fresh green hop ale went down really well and got lots of compliments.”

The seasonal pale ale, called Pretty Green after the Jam song, was brewed at 3.5 per cent to keep it light 12

and let the depth of the fresh flavour come through.

Dave said: “It was an interesting process altogether. Using green hops adds a mystery element to brewing, as the growers can’t calculate the alpha acid levels in freshly-picked hops – so we can’t predict the bitterness levels in the final product.

It was a judgement call on our part and we were very pleased with the end result.”

Stocks Farm, a supplier to Acorn, is a 200-year-old hops and apples grower run by the Capper family for more than half a century.

Hops are the flower of the hop plant, the resin-packed cones looking like little green acorns, and their bitterness and aroma properties are used in most beers to provide the counterpoint to the sweet flavor of malt.

Acorn Brewery produces more than 30,000 pints of real ale every week including six permanent ales; Barnsley Bitter, Barnsley Gold, Yorkshire Pride, Blonde, Gorlovka and Old Moor Porter, plus a range of seasonal IPAs and kegged beers. Established in 2003, the brewery employs 11 and is based on Aldham industrial estate in Wombwell.

Acorn acquired the Old No 7 pub, where the Pretty Green was sold, in 2011 and since then the outlet has had a significant impact on the brewery’s sales with between eight and 10 percent of all the beer it produces now being sold there.

The Old No 7’s beer festival featured ten hand-pulled guest ales from across the UK added to the pub’s usual selection of Acorn real ales and other worldwide brands.

Barnsley Edition November 2015

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News Update

David White's Subaru Impreza

DAVID REALISES LIFE-LONG DREAM Barnsley businessman David White has just defended his national championship title in motorsport. David has run the family business in Worsborough Bridge for the last 19 years, taking over from his dad at White’s Bakery in 1996.

He knows his bread, cakes and confectionary, and is committed to leading his 56-strong workforce, who are now busy baking for Christmas orders to supermarkets, cafes and shops.

But, his real passion lies outside work – David is an amateur rally driver competing at national level and, this month, he is celebrating… he has won the champion’s title in his class of the Reis MSA Asphalt. Rally Championship.

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his is the second time David, aged 50, has topped the table for Group N cars. And he has defended his UK title with his son Mathew, aged 21, beside him as co-driver in their Prodrive two-litre Subaru Impreza.

He says: “We were absolutely thrilled to defend our title this year. It’s been a fantastic championship with plenty of action and we’ve gained in confidence as we’ve gone along, securing maximum championship points at many events.”

The MSA national championship is run on tarmac, or asphalt and incorporated five events this year. The father and son team won their class at rallies held in Llandovery, Wales; the Isle of Man; in County Meath, Ireland and in at the Tyneside stages rally in Northumberland.

He also came sixth overall against all competitors in the hard-fought competition and was the only Yorkshireman to finish in the top 20.

David and Mathew White “I absolutely love driving at this level and hope to step up another gear next year and enter the revived British Rally Championship in 2016, which has a massive following and more sports TV coverage. Many world class rally drivers such as Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist and Colin McRae have competed in it in the past.”

David’s success at rallying over the past two years is all the more impressive because it follows a 30 year break from the sport. David competed in his first rally at the age of 17.

He says: “Rallying has always been a family thing for us. I went to watch my first rally in Penistone when I was 12-years-old and was hooked.

As soon as I passed my driving test I joined Rotherham Motor Club and drove in my first event in 1982. “I loved it, but then family came along and I concentrated on them and the business.”

Today, his renewed dedication to his sport is backed by some valued sponsors including DAF, F&G Commercials, Mirage Electronic Cigarettes, Quidbake, Signs Xtra and KHA Business Solutions. David also gets some very hands-on support from some other Yorkshire motoring specialists.

“Rallying takes a lot out of your car it has to be said,” says David. “Between events, we take it along to Sheffield

We’re all proud and pleased with what we’ve achieved this year. I’m living a life-long dream...

Rolling Road garage near Sheffield Arena where the team can tackle anything from a quick spanner check to fitting a whole new engine or stripping the gear box.

Then at the events, Alex Taylor from Northern Body Shell Prep in Thirsk, is always on hand if we need a repair done quickly.”

year. I’m living a life-long dream.” he says.

David receives his champion’s trophy at the Motorsport Association’s awards dinner in Birmingham this month.

David White blogs about his rally driving at www.two4motorsport.blogspot.co.uk

Rallying is still a family thing and his partner, daughter and eldest son, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, all come along and get into the spirit.

“It’s an exciting day out. And it’s still very much a family thing. We’re all proud and pleased with what we’ve achieved this Barnsley Edition November 2015

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PAULA IS THE PRIDE OF BARNSLEY AND BRITAIN In 2004, mum of two, Paula Maguire, a midwife from Barnsley began fundraising for various charities, taking part in the Great North Run, Great South Run, skydiving and a mammoth 100km walk...

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Meeting HRH The Princess Royal

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n 2009, Paula turned her attention to the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) after the disease claimed the life of her uncle, Stuart Hughes, aged just 50.

Last August Paula’s fundraising received an unexpected boost when she saw the ALS (a term used in the US for Motor Neurone Disease) Ice Bucket Challenge take America by storm. The challenge had made the news in the UK after President Barack Obama was nominated, politely refusing but instead making a donation to the charity.

Paula decided to set up a JustGiving page and did the very first Ice Bucket Challenge in the UK, posting the video on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. A number of friends got involved and by the end of the first week had raised £470 of the £500 target.

By the second week, the story was picked up by a local paper and with the total raised standing at £2500, Paula told the press her target was £5000. By the time the story was printed later that week, the total was already at £30,000.

“At that point MNDA lent their support to the page I had set up and suddently social media was full of Ice Bucket videos.

Robbie Williams, Benedict Cumberbatch, Charlotte Hawkins, Tom Fletcher, Olly Murs and the cast and crew from all of the West End shows in London were all posting videos and encouraging people to get involved, were were amazed,” Paula told TopicUK, “Suddenly the figures were in the hundreds of thousands, we dared to dream that we could raise a million pounds!”

That’s exactly what happened. By late August, the total had reached just over £1m! “The donations however were still pouring in, reaching £20,000 an hour then £30,000 an hour,” said Paula. “Soon more than £100,000 was coming in every hour and 24 hours after hitting £1m we reached £2m then in just three days £3m,” it was incredible.”

Over the course of the next few weeks, donations slowed but to date, Paula’s page has reached an astonishing £4,013,606 and Paula and her husband Robert appeared on

ITV Calendar News. This was followed by a trip to London when Paula, Robert and their daughters Kelsey (19) and Megan (14) were invited by the association to the premiere of the film ‘The Theory of Everything’ which portrays the life of the charity’s patron, Professor Stephen Hawking who has lived with MND for more than 50 years. Professor Hawking and his family attended the premiere and Paula and Robert were lucky enough to speak with Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones who play Stephen and his wife Jane in the film.

Pride of Britain with Leah Washington.

In February this year, the couple were invited to a reception at the British Medical Association, hosted by another of the charity’s patron’s HRH The Princess Royal. “We were introduced to her Royal Highness who was very interested to find out how the money had been raised,” Paula told us, “and we were delighted to meet Lucy Hawking, daughter of Stephen discussing the Ice Bucket Challenge with her.”

Dr Douglas Graham, director of fundraising at MNDA said: “In total, the Ice Bucket Challenge raised £7m for us in the space of just three weeks, which will fund a whole new programme of work for the next six years.

Paula has since won an Institute of fundraising Award and was delighted when

Pride of Britain with Charlotte Hawkins Barnsley Edition November 2015

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News Update

Pride of Britain Award winner at No.10 she was nominated for a Pride of Britain Award which she won for the Calendar region. “We then attended the Pride of Britain Awards and I can honestly say I was ‘gobsmacked’ to triumph over the other 16 regional finalists to win the national award,” said Paula. “The following morning we were invited to Downing Street where we had breakfast and introduced to Samantha Cameron.”

Sally Light, Chief Executive of MNDA said: “whilst they may have been in the media for their Ice Bucket Challenge, the Maguires have been fundraising and active volunteers of the Association since 2009.

With Carol Vorderman

With Phillip Schofield.JPG

With Zoe Ball

With Simon Cowell

Paula’s long term passion and commitment to raising awareness and funds for the charity, typifies so many of our amazing supporters who have been touched by the devotion of MND.”

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OVER £20,000 ALLOCATED TO BARNSLEY BUSINESSES

Businesses are already taking advantage of the offer, with over £20,000 worth of skills funding allocated to employers within the region. One business that has benefitted through the skills service is Barnsley-based attraction, Wentworth Castle Gardens.

Do you want to find out more about how the LEP skills service could help your business?

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entworth Castle is a grade 1 listed building where visitors can enjoy a family-friendly day out with events and impressive scenery as well as a venue for weddings and formal events.

They approached the LEP skills service for support and funding to grow their business.

Claire Herring, Director of Wentworth Castle explains: "In order to achieve our planned business growth, and maintain our reputation, we needed to train and develop our staff and retain staff who are committed to the business. As a small organisation it is difficult for us to recruit fully trained staff and our preferred strategy is to support and develop internal talent.

“We approached the LEP skills service to apply for funding for a level 3 ILM Supervisory course for two members of staff. They've all come to the trust as junior members of the team and were

training plan for their staff.

recently internally promoted to supervisory posts. Thanks to the funded training, we believe that trained supervisors will get more from their teams through developing their leadership, communication, feedback and performance management skills and their understanding of the role of a supervisor. The teams that they supervise will also benefit and overall we hope to support effective team working, efficient working and ultimately grow the business” Board Chair and skills lead, Mark Ridgway OBE DL, of Group Rhodes said: “With grants of between £500 and £50,000 available to businesses with a budget to put towards training, employers have the opportunity to work with a team of expert skills advisors, discuss their long term growth plans and skills needs, and put together a robust

“Offering a comprehensive service to businesses, the team of advisors support employers to tackle paperwork, source appropriate training provision and submit an application for funding. The LEP are dedicated to ensuring local businesses primed for growth have the skills to succeed.”

Apply for funding by visiting: www. the-lep.com/ skillsservice or contact one of our experienced skills advisors: skills@the-lep. com or tel: 0113 386 1910.

Through the LEP’s skills service, small and medium sized businesses within Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and throughout the Leeds City Region with a budget to put towards training could be eligible for funding of between £500 and £50,000 between now and March 2017.

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Barnsley Edition November 2015

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Legal Matters

Each issue Raleys Solicitors 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

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING A WILL

Millions of people don’t have a will. It might be because they haven’t got round to it yet, because they think it is expensive to get one, or they don’t think they have anything of value to pass down.

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ut the rules of intestacy are still complicated and put simply, without a valid will in place, your estate may not be distributed in a way you want when you die, and those people you want to look after might be left without any inheritance. For example what about people you know and care about, but who are not directly related?

Unmarried partners? Dear friends? A kind and reliable carer?

At Raleys we know that making your will is about control and certainty; choosing who will sort things out when you are gone, and who is to receive your personal effects and property. Those left behind have the certainty of knowing what was wanted, something which can be a comfort at a very difficult time. Without a will, your money and property may pass to family members other than those you specifically wish to benefit.

And the cost of making a will is nothing like as high as many people think. A basic will can be drawn up by a qualified solicitor for as little as £120. But some people think they can save money by making their own will, buying a pack from a shop or using a will writer.

About two-thirds of wills are drawn up by solicitors, with the remaining third either written by will writers or people buying off-the-shelf products.

Will writers are not qualified and not regulated. The Law Society has campaigned to have them regulated, but as the law stands, anyone can call themselves a will writer. Do you really want to leave your last wishes to just anyone?

Two cases that hit the headlines recently show how complicated the laws surrounding wills are.

In August the world of wills and probate was left in a spin when the Court of Appeal ruled that the will of a woman, who had excluded her daughter in favour of an animal charity, was to be overruled.

The daughter was awarded a sum equivalent to 50% of the net estate.

The elderly woman had included with her will a very detailed explanation for why her daughter shouldn’t benefit, but had failed to give any reason for leaving her estate to animal charities that she had never given any support to during her lifetime. This case raised concerns that there was no point in making a will if wishes can be overruled by the courts.

Charlotte Hudson, head of the wills, trusts and probate department, at Barnsley solicitors Raleys 20

Will a legal document

that declares who will manage your estate and how you want your possessions distributed. There are a number of requirements that must be met in order for your will to be valid including having it formally witnessed and signed.

Estate

the property, money and possessions belonging to the deceased

Executor – the person

you chose to administer your estate and have responsibility for collecting all money in, paying off all debts and distributing the left over funds in accordance with your wishes. They are effectively the legal personal representative of a deceased person’s estate.

But a month later in another case the High Court helped clarify the situation slightly, with a ruling that a controversial will can be valid, even where a woman had dementia at the time of writing it.

Initially the woman had made a will dividing her estate equally between both of her sons. But she later fell out with one son and re-wrote the will, leaving it all to the other. While it was accepted at the court hearing that she had dementia at the time of writing her will, it was also accepted that she understood fully the decision she had made. This was properly documented and affirmed by medical and legal professionals.

One clear message that can be taken from these cases is the importance of using a professional to draft your will.

The contemporaneous evidence that is gathered about your state of mind, capacity and awareness of what you are doing when you make your will has, on numerous occasions, proved vital to a will either succeeding or failing if contested.

Making your own will can seem like an easy and cheap option, particularly where your instructions are very straight forward. However, leaving aside the strict requirements that must be met for a will to be valid, there are wider issues that simply may not be covered or even contemplated if your will is not properly drafted by a professional.

This could be far more expensive, time consuming and distressing in the long run for your family than paying a professional to draft your will in the first place.

Codicil

- You can’t amend your will after it’s been signed and witnessed. The only way you can change a will without making a new one is by making an official alteration called a codicil.

Inheritance Tax

this is paid to the Government if a person’s estate is worth more than £325,000 when they die, or if they are part of a married couple, then £650,000 between them.

It normally has to be paid within six months of the death otherwise interest can be added to the amount due. An inheritance tax return must be filed with or before the application for the Grant of Probate.

Barnsley Edition November 2015

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Fashion Mode

PrimarkUK

22

Romain Floral dress £50

Primark Jumpsuit £17, Bag £10, Shoes £16, Ring £2.50, Brooch £2.50, Tights £3

st r fi r u o r o F ve a h e w , e u iss n chotisoen of seasonal

a selec omen men and w r fo s n io h fas e le from Th all availab entre. hopping C S a r b m a Alh res ver 40 sto Home to o ext, Primark, N g in d lu ame c in Maxx to n K T d n a n Roma s plenty of a h e tr n e c a few, the everything d n a g in k r car pa of. der one ro n u d e e n you

Primatrk£28, shirt £10, 16 Jackeers £10, Shoes £ Trous Barnsley Edition November 2015

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The Arts

24

Building a destination for the

ARTS

I have always had a passion for the arts. From my early childhood making up plays in the living room, attending dance classes and school concerts, I was always performing. The arts remained a focal point of my life as I grew up and easily became my career path of choice when the time came to make decisions about further study and job opportunities...

BY HELEN BALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE BARNSLEY CIVIC THEATRE

I

was lucky to have an incredibly supportive Dad who is both a fantastic role model and to this day always believes in me and encourages me to follow my passion.

Sadly not everyone is so lucky. Circumstances can often dictate people’s choices. As the Chief Executive of an arts centre in the heart of South Yorkshire, I feel it is my responsibility to ensure that our organisation enables as many people as possible to enjoy and experience the arts.

The opportunity to lead and develop The Civic came to me around two and a half years ago and I jumped at the chance to be responsible for taking forward a pivotal asset in the regeneration of Barnsley.

The Civic is an amazing building. It combines both the bright, modern and new with a wonderfully rich past. It has touched many people’s lives in many different ways and now as it embarks on its next stage of development, it offers the potential for the arts to be at the centre of Barnsley’s future.

Barnsley town centre is going through a significant transformation over the next few years with new College buildings, a brand new library and the major redevelopment of its Markets and retail offer. Barnsley MBC have shared ambitious plans with the public about how the new town centre will look and the offer they are working to create.

I believe that fundamental to the success of this new town centre will be growth and diversification of Barnsley’s evening economy and the extension of choice of things to do for enjoyment, socialising and entertainment.

I intend that our venue will be right at the centre of that and I want to work with fellow local venues and businesses to ensure Barnsley thrives to the benefit of all of us.

At present our combined arts programme offers a range of exhibitions, events and shows with something for everyone, from young families’ right through to fans of stand-up comedy. We pride ourselves in the excellent quality standard of all the work we show here and we are committed to ensuring that our local community in particular get the chance to see extraordinary and outstanding art on their own doorstep.

Our ethos is one of inclusivity and partnership. We are actively seeking new partners to work with and new collaborations that can not only extend our artistic offer but also extend our reach into the borough we serve.

The venue also comprises a range of spaces that can be used for conferences, meetings, special occasions, workshops and classes. Many groups and organisations already share our building with us and we are especially proud to be the home of Barnsley Music Service and the award winning Oakstar café and bistro.

At the time of writing we are currently forming plans for the core of the building which at present remains both unfinished and unused. We aspire to be able to open up our whole building enabling both our growth as an organisation but also to extend our reach to wider audiences, both local and from further afield.

As a small not for profit organisation this potential brings with it a significant challenge, not only in raising the funds to be able to deliver the capital development but also in realising the project whilst maintaining the running of our core business. We are excited at the prospect of this challenge and we hope to take the people of Barnsley along with us on the journey.

The Civic is a busy and thriving hub of creativity.

It was created for everyone to enjoy and remains somewhere that many people are yet to discover.

Come down and see what there is to offer, you won’t be disappointed.

Hanson St, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2HZ Tel: 01226 327000 Barnsley Edition November 2015

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Wining & Dining

THE STRAFFORD ARMS COMES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Each issue of TopicUK, Anthony Hegney owner of Asparagus Green and the person responsible for the delicious food served at the National Coal Mining Museum, will be reviewing and featuring a different restaurant either for lunch or dinner for you to enjoy. Here’s what he had to say:

The historic Strafford Arms was sympathetically and extensively refurbished by Fine & Country Inns in May 2014.

Set in the picturesque Yorkshire countryside just outside Barnsley, The Strafford Arms lies at the Gateway to the estate of the Grade 1 listed Wentworth Castle, the former seat of the 1st Earl of Strafford who took up residence here during the early 18th Century.

The Strafford Arms has for many years been a popular watering hole for patrons of all ages and now brings the modern benefits of the 21st century whilst keeping the traditional charm of its historic past.

The restaurant is open 12 noon every day and open until 9pm Monday to Saturday and 7pm Sundays Take a look at the website www. thestraffordarms. co.uk Call them on 01226 287488 26

W

ith this being the first issue of TopicUK in Barnsley, I asked a good friend of mine Murray, who I have worked with for over 25 years for some advice on where to dine, The Strafford Arms near Wentworth Castle & Gardens was recommended.

As we perused over the menu we were also admiring the rustic yet tasteful décor that the bar and restaurant had recently been decorated in, the only downside was the very white bright lights that I found myself struggling with, however this did light up my menu to help me read.

He booked the table for myself and Katharine, a good friend and colleague from the National Coal Mining Museum. We went on a Monday night and I was pleasantly surprised that there was also a few more diners on the restaurant.

I chose the Jasper Scallops which were lightly pan fried and served with a square of pork belly, mushroom puree a black pudding bonbon and lightly drizzled with truffle oil, I have to say I was sceptical when I saw the pork belly however this tasted delightful with the hint of truffle oil, it really made the whole dish, it was 10 out of 10 for the starter for me and not bad value at £9.00.

We were greeted by a young lady who asked if we would like a drink at the bar or at the table, we opted for a drink at the table, a mineral water for me and glass of Pinot for Katharine, you can tell who was driving.

For her starter Katharine was tempted by the homemade crab spring roll with saffron aioli ⊲

pleasant and complemented the chicken perfectly.

Did we have room for desserts we thought, well let’s see if there is anything on the menu that would tempt us, which I am sure there would be as we both have a sweet tooth.

Finally, despite the previous dishes affording more than generous portions, Katharine sampled a dessert of warm double chocolate and raspberry brownie, chocolate soil and toffee banana ice cream. Both the presentation and taste of this dish was superb (especially the ice cream) although one of the two brownies provided would have been more than enough.

I opted for the cheese plate, a selection of fine cheeses served with pickled celery, homemade chutney, salted butter and cheese biscuits at £9.00.

and waldorf salad but decided instead on the port infused chicken liver parfait with sage butter, pistachio granola and toasted sourdough. Presented on a slate with a generous portion of sourdough bread, the parfait was smooth, tasty and plentiful. Unfortunately the sage butter and pistachio granola which, although added to the overall presentation of the dish, added little in terms of taste My only criticism would have been something to graze over while we were waiting for the starters to arrive, bread & oil or simple tasty olives would have been perfect.

For the main course I opted for the breast of Gressingham duck which was served with celeriac puree and braised red cabbage this was reasonable value at £16.00.

When the young lady took the order I was surprised that I was never asked how I would like that breast cooking as I would have opted for rare. However when it came it was cooked more medium so a little bit over cooked for me but full of flavour and all the trimmings really complimented the dish, the only other thing that needs changing is hot plates mine was cold.

At this point I opted for a glass of the Malbec to wash it down, a small one due to me driving it was a good choice and went with the duck really well. They have a great wine list with about 25 wines and a selection of champagnes and sparkling ones too, all ranging from £12.95 to £34.50 for a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-pape.

For the main course, Katharine chose the Lemon, rosemary and garlic marinated chicken breast served with two onion rings, slow roasted tomato, Portobello mushroom, rocket salad and chunky chips. The chicken breast was moist and delicious with the rosemary, garlic and lemon combining well. The chips and onion rings were cooked beautifully and the tomato and mushroom were well-seasoned and flavoursome. The amount of food on the plate was slightly overwhelming although those with more generous appetites would be well served for the price. The claim on the menu that this dish provided “an unforgettable culinary experience” seemed to promise more than a humble chicken breast could deliver and we did wonder if this may leave the chef open to challengers to this claim. The Pinot Grigio, chosen from the ample wine list, was light and

When it arrived at the table it was overwhelming to say the least, it easily would have served a table of four, if I am honest there was far too much on the plate for one person and a way that the restaurant could half the portion and reduce wastage, sadly I can’t tell you what cheeses they were as they were never explained to me which is a down side.

Overall, we had a very enjoyable evening and I feel with a little bit of fine tuning this could be a fantastic restaurant and a destination for Barnsley.

The restaurant offers an extensive menu with seven starters ranging from £5 each to £9 for the Scallops, it has 11 main courses from £10 to £18 for the sea bass with the Jasper Grill section for steaks and Chicken the fillet is £25 then you can order extra side dishes.

They also have the 5-10-5 Mondays menu on where you can choose from four starters for £5 each seven mains for £10 each then four desserts for £5 each so in essence it’s a meal for £20 which is good value.

Taking a snap shot on trip advisor it looks like it’s a winner from other people’s views too.

Barnsley Edition November 2015

27

News Update

BARNSLEY A UNIVERSITY TOWN

smaller and therefore learners enjoy a great level of contact time with tutors. Current students say this is one of the best things about UCB and why they chose to study in Barnsley rather than being just another student in a group of hundreds at a larger university.

DID YOU KNOW BARNSLEY HAS ITS OWN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS?

University Campus Barnsley (UCB) provides an excellent Higher Education experience offering full and part-time courses in a wide range of exciting subjects.

Students who choose UCB benefit from studying in a small and friendly campus with high quality teaching by expert tutors and state-of-theart facilities. Class sizes are

Degrees are available in a range of subjects including Early Years, Music and Construction and Higher National Certificates and Diplomas (HNC/Ds) in areas such as Business and Management, Engineering and Public Services Students can take advantage of the industry-standard facilities including sound recording studios and mixing desks, excellent filming and editing equipment, Mac design suite and specialist workshops whilst also having access to the new

£4m Honeywell Sports Village and gym.

Animal Management students study at a working farm in Worsbrough and there are dedicated art workshops and studios at the iconic town centre campus for the more creative.

Full-time courses are just £5,995 per year and parttime courses are £2,995 per year for those who need to fit their studies around other commitments.

Open days are an ideal way to find out more, visit the campus and chat to tutors. 2016 Open Days will be held on: Wednesday 13 April, Tuesday 28 June and Monday 22 August.

University Campus Barnsley – An individual university experience on your doorstep.

For more information, visit universitycampus.barnsley.ac.uk, call +44 (0)1226 216 165 or email info@barnsley.ac.uk.

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Information Technology

TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR DATA SAFE IN YOUR BUSINESS For any business, the safety and security of data is absolutely vital. As more and more of our work goes from paper to digital, losing these files in this day and age is unthinkable and can set you back valuable working hours. It’s imperative to back-up your data.

One way to back-up data is by storing it on cloud-based storage or a local server, but what if the server goes down or even worse your premises are flooded? Hardware stored off-site is a great way to secure your data and keep it safe.

In terms of password protection, we all have a tendency to use the same password for a lot of different sites. Try mixing it up a bit and having different variations of passwords. When creating passwords, it’s important to remember that the ones that are not so obvious are the ones that are more secure, and

changing your password every 30 to 60 days is something that everyone should do.

If you need to transfer any data using a memory stick, make sure you encrypt your data and try not to leave it on the bus! If you are using an external wireless network out of the office, check that the network is secure, and someone else can’t gain entry to your device.

If your data is compromised, you need to take immediate action. Change all your passwords, and cancel any important information that

could be held on there, such as bank cards.

Most importantly, stay smart and stay vigilant. Let your staff know the danger of ‘phishing emails’, if you’re unsure of the sender or anything looks suspicious, don’t click on any links and delete the email right away.

Also make sure that you have up-to-date antivirus software on all computers within the business and make sure that this updates automatically.

If any harmful malware tries to access your files, a good anti-virus will block the action right away.

IT Desk (UK) has been established for over 8 years and provides pro-active IT support and management to businesses throughout Yorkshire and beyond, their approach is simple, to be your IT department and to run in parallel with your business objectives and goals whilst proving cost effective solutions.

They are not the cheapest IT support provider, but they firmly believe they are by far the best value by their unique approach to IT support.

14 Doncaster Rd, Goldthorpe, Rotherham S63 9HH Tel: 01709 470073

Hire a venue with a difference

The Civic, Barnsley

Barnsley Edition November 2015

29

News Update

FROM A STEELY PAST TO A MAJOR ATTRACTION

John Silker

It was once the world’s largest steelworks, employing 10,000 people and producing 18 million tonnes of steel a year. Now it is one of the region’s biggest and most versatile corporate venues. It’s also an award-winning visitor attraction and hosts regular educational visits.

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T

he first thing that strikes you about Magna is its sheer size. It is massive. It was built during the First World War to make steel for shells that were used on the frontline.

In fact, according to some reports, the steel made at Magna was involved in the Battle of the Somme.

Nearly 100 hundred years on it is a labyrinth of meeting rooms and corridors, which open out onto breathtaking giant event spaces. There’s the Big Hall, recently refurbished and able to take up to 2,500 people or 135 tables.

It has hosted the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gatecrasher club dance events, black tie balls and international business conferences. The hall has vehicular access which is great for clients like Mercedes and Honda, who have hosted events there.

The Red Hall has a stunning red backdrop designed to impress and is perfect for a reception or presentation. Other spaces include the Fuel Restaurant, which overlooks the gargantuan steelworks, and can accommodate up to 250, and a myriad of meeting rooms, catering for a handful of people to up to over 100.

Magna’s chief executive John Silker said: “Magna is like this giant blank canvas. It is so versatile that we can accommodate almost anything. We’ve had TV programmes filmed here, wedding receptions, training sessions, product launches, and everything in between.

“It’s an amazing space. It is literally a cathedral to industry. In its manufacturing day it produced up to 25 per cent of the UK’s electricallymelted steel and was the world’s largest steel plant. Now it serves business in a different way, but one that is vital too.”

In their heyday the steelworks were so vast they stretched for a mile on both sides of the road; with the steel making process starting at the ‘Sheffield End’ and the finishing taking place at the ‘Rotherham End’. During the Second World War the plant produced almost 4 million tons of ingots, with many women, who later became known as the ‘women of steel’, working there. There were 14 open-hearth furnaces and 14

chimneys, which were replaced in the 1960s with electric arc furnaces. The steelworks closed in 1993 and were mothballed until conversion to Magna in 2001.

As well as being a corporate venue, Magna attracts around 100,000 people a year to its science visitor centre, which has 100 hands-on exhibits designed to explore the four elements of air, water, earth and fire and the making of steel.

Regular steel tours telling the story of Magna are led by former steel workers and a former arc furnace is now a giant pyrotechnic display in the visitor centre called the Big Melt. Magna also hosts regular school trips and runs workshops for children and families on science topics.

And the future of Magna is bright.

Bookings for corporate events are up and there are plans for a hotel on site.

John Silker said: “Magna is becoming part of the business infrastructure in Yorkshire, which can draw in companies from all over to bring their events here and bring a boost to the local economy.

It is still a vital part of this region, like it was in its steel-making days.”

MagnaBig Hall Ball

Templeborough steelworks WW2

For more information go to www.visitmagna.co.uk Barnsley Edition November 2015

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News Update

Andrew Isaacs

BARNSLEY’S DAY IN DONCASTER Each week, Doncaster Community Radio, Sine FM hold a regular business slot dedicated to the theme ‘Doncaster is Great.’

The Wednesday morning programme starts at 10am and is hosted by well known Doncaster lawyer Andrew Isaacs. The show brings together gusts who have all contributed to the success of the town.

In an unusual move, 18 November has been dedicated to a Barnsleyisbrill Day to feature and recognise the success of Doncaster’s neighbour.

Guests on the show will be Michelle Bailey, Managing Director of Active Response Security who were the ACS Champion of 2014 and well known businessman and supporter of Barnsley business interests, Derek Carpenter.

Derek is no stranger to the programme, having appeared previously. Speaking about the forthcoming show Derek said: “It’s a great programme and we are delighted that Andrew has dedicated the morning to us, although he has made me promise not to take with me my Celine Dion music to play this time, so I will leave the music choice to Michelle.”

Andrew is happy to interview local businesses in Barnsley should anyone want to get in touch.

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APPRENTICE WINS TOP AWARD Barnsley College Apprentice, Tom Bagley, won the Apprentice of the Year Award at the Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards on 23 October 2015.

T

om, who is employed at Ardagh Group in Monk Bretton, was nominated as a result of designing a bottle ejector system for the company after he noticed a flaw in the processing system. Following its implementation, the system has made significant savings for the company by reducing waste and increasing productivity.

Tom started at the company in 2012 on a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Engineering Maintenance and is now doing a HNC in General Engineering at Barnsley College.

Upon receiving his award Tom said: “I am delighted to have won the Apprentice of the Year award.

I would like my achievement to encourage the next generation of engineers and show them that with a bit of hard work they can realise their ambitions. I am aiming to be a fully qualified engineer and progress to a senior position within the Ardagh Group.”

Ian Sylvester, Engineering Assessor

at Barnsley College said “Tom’s work has always been to a very high standard and he has proved himself to be an exemplary learner with a thirst for knowledge. It is a magnificent achievement that Tom has won this particular award and I am so proud of his progress during his time spent at Barnsley College.

He always gives more than 100% in whatever he undertakes and in my opinion Tom would be a valuable asset to any company.”

Ian Steadman, Ardagh Group, said “The development of young people is key to the future success of our company. Ardagh are actively using the apprentice route to ensure we have the people and skills in place to accomplish this. We are proud to have the achievements and commitment of our employees recognised. Well done Tom.”

COMPETITION...COMPETITION...COMPETITION...COMPETITION...

WIN A FESTIVE NIGHT OUT A CHANCE TO WIN 4 TICKETS TO SEE THE FABULOUS CABARET BOOM BOOM CHRISTMAS SPECIAL ON SATURDAY 19 DECEMBER AT 8PM. This exciting and eccentric live variety night is back at The Civic for an extra special Christmas extravaganza.

Competition closes on Friday 4th December. The winner will be the first correct entry drawn after the closing date. The editors decision is final.

Winners can collect their tickets from the theatre box office on the night of the show or at their earliest convenience. No alternative or cash prize is offered.

Performance recommended for ages 12+ www.cabaretboomboom.co.uk Twitter: @CabaretBoomBoom



On top of the ‘Cabaret Christmas Tree’ is a shining star of Comedy Magic, the extremely mirthful and magical Christian Lee. Decorating the branches with his baubles, we have the utterly brilliant, high energy juggling of Jon Udry. And adding a bit of tacky tinsel, MarkMark Productions present their hilarious end of the pier show - ‘Last chance to see’. Christmas cracker jokes will be supplied throughout by cheeky comperes Mr Maynard, Mr Herbert and Mr Lodge.

Plus there will be a fully licensed bar and cabaret style seating for a ding dong merrily on high night out!

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, just answer the following simple question: The original Civic was built as a Public Hall by Charles Harvey in 1877. In what year did the Hall became Barnsley Civic Theatre?

Write your answer on the coupon below and post to: TopicUK Magazine, Suite 6 Unity Works, Westgate, Wakefield WF1 1EP. Alternatively you can email your answer to editor@topicuk. co.uk.

ANSWER:______________________________________ NAME:______________________________________________________ ADDRESS:___________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ TELEPHONE NUMBER:____________________________ Would you like to receive further information about events and activities from The Civic, Barnsley? (please tick) YES ___ NO___ Barnsley Edition November 2015

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Feature

34

AN ENDURING LOVE AFFAIR FOR YORKSHIRE THAT BEGAN IN BARNSLEY FOR WATERCOLOUR ARTIST ASHLEY JACKSON

A

rtist Ashley Jackson opened his first Gallery in Dodworth in the Summer of 1964. His Mother knew the landlord of the Thornley Arms who owned the band room and it was at her suggestion that he approach the landlord.

“The landlord agreed to rent me the room and when Barnsley Brewery heard I had moved in they decided to take over the agreement and look after me... and they did!” Ashley told us. “I remained in the band room for six years before moving into Church Street in the town centre. Growing up in Barnsley taught me to back up my statements, thus you can’t flannel, a spade is a spade and the people of Barnsley will tell you straight to the point. This is a great business trait as you always know where you stand.” continued over ⊲ Barnsley Edition November 2015

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T

hat was over 50 years ago and throughout this time, it has been Ashley's unwillingness to deviate from his love affair with Yorkshire that has allowed him to intimately capture her every emotion.

Ashley explained: “you cannot smell the wet weather, hear the Skylark as she circles to protect her eggs or feel the atmosphere change as rain approaches from a screen, all of these can only be felt by using our senses out in the great Cathedral of the open air.”

It is this dogmatic persistence that has seen his paintings exhibited in the most unusual settings. Ashley’s watercolour ‘Earth to Earth, life’s pathway’, was unveiled, on a Yorkshire Bank debit card in 2009, it was believed to be the first time art had been reproduced in this way. Ashley said providing art for the debit card met his ambitions to raise the profile of art and Yorkshire. He added: “People will genuinely have a piece of Yorkshire in their pocket – representing Yorkshire and art wherever they use the card, be it New York, London or Newcastle.”

In 2010, a train named ‘Ashley Jackson The Yorkshire Artist was unveiled within the carriages of Grand Central. Having exhibited all over the world, Ashley has strived throughout his life to make art accessible to all, thus the concept of art being placed within everyday life experiences. At the launch he explained:

his work is now recognised across the world,” Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Bob Cryan said.

In his 75th year Ashley has lost none of his momentum in his drive to not only encourage people to take up art, but to appreciate the beauty of the landscape around us. Framing the Landscape is such a project created by Ashley through an initial sketch of a frame on the landscape the concept was born. “I want children to see the drama of Mother Nature and how a landscape changes every second,” says Ashley. “I want them to come away saying, ‘Wow’. I didn’t know we had this land”. My passion is

A new Limited Edition, was launched on 22 October - Ashley’s birthday. It has been a number of years since Ashley released a Limited Edition and further since it was to capture the snow covered Yorkshire landscape. Chosen personally

by Ashley the Limited Edition will be released with 75 remarques to denote his 75th year and 175 Limited Editions.

Ashley would be the first to admit that his life has been shaped by the loss of his father , at the hands of the Japanese in WWII and his mother remarrying a Yorkshire man who brought them both to live in Huddersfield and Barnsley. It was perhaps this innate melancholy that drew Ashley to the atmospheric drama of the open moorland as he states, “As an artist I have been privileged to view the moors with an honest clarity, the drama of the sky with an approaching storm, the crispness of fresh fallen snow under foot or the damp chill of drizzling rain. The landscape is more than a passing view from a car window it is our heritage, culture and more personally it forms part of our thoughts and feelings” . When you stand in front of an original painting there is no doubting that all our senses are activated as we are transported to the moorland standing with our feet in the peat covered earth as the temperature drops to warn of the impending storm approaching.

Growing up in Barnsley taught me to back up my statements, thus you can’t flannel, a spade is a spade and the people of Barnsley will tell you straight to the point.

“This is a fantastic day for art as it opens a new exhibition space that hopefully will make train journeys a little more pleasant and though provoking.”

for a new generation to look at the land - and begin to look after it, education is the paramount and through art I hope to impassion young hearts and minds".

Amongst many awards and accolades, Ashley was presented by the University of Huddersfield in 2013 with a Hon Doctorate(Uni), for his commitment to the Arts “Ashley’s work captures the beauty and identity of Yorkshire in a way that few others have ever achieved and

September 2 marked the beginning of Ashley’s 75th birthday celebrations with an exclusive exhibition ‘Passing Storms and Spiritual Skies’ a personally chosen collection of paintings that capture the tempestuous long term relationship that he has had with The Yorkshire Moors.

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BARNSLEY COLLEGE LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE Barnsley College is launching a new employer engagement initiative to businesses across Yorkshire – Talent United.

The initiative will bridge the gap between education and employment and will provide employers with the opportunity to shape a generation of work ready young people.

Barnsley College currently works with over 2000 employers and Talent United will further enhance these relationships through collaborative partnerships. Employers are invited to share their experience, expertise and knowledge with the college’s young people and have a positive influence on the workforce of tomorrow.

Christopher Webb, Chief Executive and Principal of Barnsley College, said: “Talent United aims to make a

difference and create opportunities which will influence the workforce of tomorrow. We would like businesses to become involved and share expertise and knowledge with our students.”

Talent United is a very flexible initiative. People wishing to offer support can give as much or as little time as they can spare. Even if a business can only dedicate half a day per year, this input can still benefit a young person, as well as the business.

The initiative will give businesses recognition for their input in helping to shape the employees of the future. The college will

provide an array of incentives to those who support Talent United, such as discounts on training and services, increased promotion, PR and advertising opportunities and business support. It will also arrange exclusive networking opportunities so getting involved is a real two-way relationship.

To find out more about Talent United or to join the initiative contact Barnsley College on: Tel: +44 (0)1226 216 166 Email: TalentUnited@barnsley.ac.uk www.barnsley.ac.uk Twitter: @Talent_United LinkedIn: Talent United

Nurturing brilliance

Bringing together the leaders of today with the talent of tomorrow Barnsley College is looking to businesses to help shape the future workforce and ensure that young people are leaving education ready for the workplace.

The Talent United initiative will bridge the gap between education and employment and create opportunities for employers to have a positive influence on the workforce of tomorrow.

If you would like to be involved in the initiative and have your business recognised for it’s contribution to the college then contact us for further details.

Tel: +44 (0)1226 216 166 Visit: www.barnsley.ac.uk

Email: talentunited@barnsley.ac.uk Follow us on Twitter: talent_united

Recognised as Outstanding by Ofsted

Barnsley Edition November 2015

37

News Update

LOCAL SHOPPING ARCADE RECEIVES A BOOST

Retailers in the Arcade in Barnsley are banding together to promote the street with a marketing campaign – and a new name.

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he move to change the name of the shopping street known simply as the Arcade to the Victorian Arcade is being backed by Enterprising Barnsley, the business development arm of Barnsley Council.

Marketing experts are also helping the retailers with plans for events, themed days, shop front improvements and better signage.

The cobbled arcade is home to 36 independent shops, including cafes, designer boutiques, jewellers, a record shop, bakers and barbers.

It was built in Victorian times as a residential street called Guests Yard. Later it was transformed into a shopping street and a roof was added. In the early 1960s it underwent refurbishment, but since then its fortunes have come and gone.

Roger Foulstone, whose grandfather Tom set up Tom Foulstone’s menswear shop in 1929, said he was excited about the plans.

“This is the first time since I have been here that something looks like it is actually going to happen. Up until now it has been the forgotten street in Barnsley, which is a real shame as it has such character,” said Roger, who started working at the shop 42 years ago with his father Peter.

“Everybody is pulling together now to get something done and everyone feels positive

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about it. And with the backing of the council it really feels like something will happen.”

The marketing campaign, which is being supported

by Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), through Enterprising Barnsley, will see local experts work with the traders for the next five months to improve the appearance and awareness of the arcade.

The work has been initiated as part of The Town Centre Plan, to understand the sort of business support the small independent businesses need to improve their trading prospects.

operative with a budget to pay for their own marketing.

sector helping the private sector.”

Kevin Steel, Enterprising Barnsley’s business development manager at BBIC, said: “It really is a special place and could be the jewel in the crown of the town centre. And the new name will celebrate the heritage of the arcade. “What we are doing is simply going in there to kickstart the improvements. We are asking the retailers what they want and then helping them to get started. It is a great example of the public

Sara Hunter runs Kingston Jewellers, a family jewellers which specialises in diamonds and wedding rings, and has been in the arcade for 34 years.

Four years ago she opened a second shop opposite in the arcade, selling designer jewellery and watches.

She said: “This arcade is as attractive as any other in towns and cities across the country and it’s about time we put it on the map.”

Plans include a series of events starting with a vintage fair in December, new leaflets, signage and the re-brand.

The retailers will also receive coaching in social media and event planning.

After that the plan is that the traders will set up a co-

Roger Foulstone of Tom Foulstone's in the Arcade

INVESTING IN PEOPLE MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE Whether it’s recruiting new staff or training existing employees, Barnsley College can support your business to improve productivity and growth.

Barnsley College is the number one general FE Tertiary college in South Yorkshire and is amongst the UK’s top five most successful apprenticeship providers. With success rates significantly higher than the national average, you can be assured your new apprentices and existing employees will receive outstanding training, support and service from dedicated members of staff at the college.

The college offers a range of training solutions and qualifications from entry level through to degree level. Our programmes which include mandatory training, short courses, apprenticeships

and higher level qualifications, are designed to provide your employees with the exact skills your business needs.

One of the most cost effective options is apprenticeship training, which combines on-the-job experience with off-the-job training. Staff receive industry qualifications and valuable work experience. Our flexible delivery models allow for recruitment throughout the year to support the needs and demands of your business.

The college offers over 70 different apprenticeship programmes, at a range of levels from intermediate to higher, in all industry sectors from Management

to Catering and Hospitality. However, where a programme might not be exactly right for your business the Work Based Learning Team can work with you to develop a bespoke programme which works for you whilst advising on how to access funding and grants to support further training, development or recruitment.

If you would like more information on apprenticeships or other business development and training call +44 (0)1226 216 166 email employer@ barnsley.ac.uk or visit www.barnsley. ac.uk/employers T

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Supporting you to recruit the talent of the future, develop your existing employees and grow your business

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Contact us to find out how Barnsley College can benefit your business.

Email: employer@barnsley.ac.uk Telephone: +44 (0)1226 216 166 Web: www.barnsley.ac.uk Twitter: @BCApprentices Facebook: Barnsley College - Apprenticeships

WBLA211015 - TopicUK- All Services.indd 1

21/10/2015 13:07:17

Barnsley Edition November 2015

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Advertorial

TOP SECURITY COMPANY IS LOOKING AFTER BARNSLEY Active Response Security Services are ranked as one of the top security suppliers in the UK and are one of just a handful of security companies that are female owned and managed.

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n recent years, the company has been recognised for their commitment to improving standards within the security industry and as such, for the last four years, they have been named as finalists at The Security Excellence Awards. It was at these awards the company was named ACS Champion of the Year in 2014.

Chief Executive, Bill Butler presented the award to Active Response’s Managing Director Michelle Bailey and he commented: “Active Response Security Services are worthy winners of the award.

The company showed that they are committed to promoting good practice and working with other organisations to help maintain a safer environment for the public.

PRODUCT CERTIFICATION

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The judges were impressed with their collaborative working, including their local Academy programme and relentless efforts to promote careers for women insecurity - particularly within management roles.” Active Response have been named finalists again at this year’s

award ceremony in Training Initiative of the Year and ACS Champion of the Year.

“It is always an honour to be named finalists, but this year is extra special due to being nominated in the same category that we won last year, showing a continuous commitment to the security industry,” said Michelle.

community for the removal of barriers that are placed in front of prospective new candidates who are looking to retrain and join the security industry.

Active Response work with third party agencies to help individuals receive funding for their license fees, which normally equate to a minimum of £220.00.

To further demonstrate their commitment to quality procedures, they are also NSI Guarding Gold, ISO 9001 and Chas accredited. Due to the emphasis placed on providing a high quality service, currently sit within the top 5% of all approved companies throughout the UK.

This training and support offered by Active Response, affords them the ability to offer positions to long term unemployed individuals.

Barnsley Premier Leisure, one of their prestigious clients is one success story; offering long term unemployed individuals the opportunity to retrain.

The company is also widely respected within the local

Recent expansion has seen

WHY CHOOSE ACTIVE RESPONSE?  ACS SIA Approved Contractor  NSI Guarding Gold Approved Contractor - manned guarding  NSI Guarding Gold Approved Contractor - door supervision  NSI Guarding Gold Approved Contractor - key holding and mobile patrol services  Security Excellence Awards Finalist 2012 - customer care inititative of the year  Security Excellence Awards Finalist 2013 - ACS champion of the year  Security Excellence Awards Finalist 2013 - events team of the year  Finalist - Women in Security Awards 2013 Active Response successful in a number of tender bids one being a three year security contract with BMBC. Managing Director Michelle Bailey says “We feel a sense of pride with all the new contracts we win, but none more so than in your own local town, the team worked extremely hard presenting this particular tender and to see their hard work pay off has been fantastic, we have worked with BMBC for a number of years, however we are extremely excited to have been nominated as their sole security provider of all manned guarding, mobile patrols, event security and key holding/ incident response.”

Enquiries@activeresponse security.co.uk Tel: 01226 288886

 Women in Business Awards Finalist 2013  Security Excellence Awards Winner 2014– ACS Champion of the Year  Security Excellence Awards Finalist 2014 – Training Initiative of the Year  Security Excellence Awards Finalist 2014 – Events Team of the Year  Security Excellence Awards Finalist 2015 – ACS Champion of the Year  Security Excellence Awards Finalist 2015 – Training Initiative of the Year Barnsley Edition November 2015

41

News Update

A BETTER BARNSLEY TOWN CENTRE The 57 million regeneration scheme of Barnsley Town Centre will see the transformation of the retail, commercial and social heart of this bustling market town, with new and iconic buildings, public space and the spectacular refurbished market at the core of the development.

By Susan Barrington-Binns

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ew retail, and leisure facilities designed to wrap around the public square will create a new shopping and leisure experience for customers to the town, along with the development of a new grand shopping boulevard anchoring the retail units to the new cinema complex.

The new market hall has prime position on the pedestrian shopping precincts and been designed to create a seamless flow between outdoor and indoor shopping.

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At the head of the public square will be our landmark library building, a beacon to the future development of Barnsley with a transparent glazed skin that emits light to illuminate the new public town square.

Cllr Roy Miller, Cabinet Spokesperson for Place is a key supporter of the plans and keen to see local people involved in all aspects of the development: “The central library is just one part of the overall town centre development scheme, and its high quality design

giving local young people new skills in construction.”

The scheme will attract significant private sector investment, bringing in new employers and creating additional growth and employment. Combined with additional public sector improvements and the development of a brand new college building in Barnsley, the total town centre investment comes to £57 million.

sets the standard for the new town centre. The town centre plans, set to boost regeneration and investment in the town, have been developed by working with our customers and partners.

and potential. It will be compact enough to be welcoming and accessible, but large enough to have a high quality market, shops, leisure and cultural facilities.

We’re creating a vibrant, walkable, family friendly town centre full of opportunity

All contractors for the project will be local wherever possible, with a focus on

Whilst the demolition works at central offices are scheduled to take place from the 16 November 2015, with further demolition work continuing through 2016. The project will be complete by 2018. Visitors to Barnsley have already seen many changes with the relocation of the outdoor market to the main shopping precinct, the demolition of the old Zero Ice building and removal of Kendray Street bridge.

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Weddings | Conferences & Meetings | Birthdays | Christmas Parties & much more…

Barnsley Edition November 2015

43

News Update

A WINNING PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES Fantastic Media are delighted to announce their renewed sponsorship deal with Barnsley Football Club, as Man of the Match Sponsors and Official Club Partners, in a two year deal that solidifies the mutual partnership between the South Yorkshire club and the full service marketing experts.

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antastic Media were appointed as marketing agency to the club in 2014 and provide a range of communications services, from web, email to strategy and design, all of which, have bolstered the commercial remit and significantly raised the profile of the conferencing and events offering.

Ultimately growing sponsorship across the board as well as increasing match day and non-match day hospitality numbers.

The award winning marketing agency, who recognise partnerships with local football clubs as a pivotal part of its own brand awareness and strategy, will also have a strong presence at Oakwell with tunnel branding, match ball presentation stand branding, alongside man of the match sponsorship.

Sally Willis, Head of Client Services at Fantastic Media commented, “We are delighted to be working alongside the club for another season and to continue a solid relationship with Ben Mansford, Linton Brown and the commercial team. As huge supporters of the club, we want to wish Lee and the team all

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the best for the season ahead.”

Linton Brown, Commercial Sales Manager at Barnsley Football Club commented on the announcement, “We are thrilled and delighted FANTASTIC Media have agreed to continue and enhance our excellent partnership for the next two seasons. We have worked closely with FANTASTIC Media over the last 18 months formulating our long term commercial strategy and improving our communication channels across all platforms of the business, the results of our hard work commercially are certainly there for all to see.

"This new partnership provides significant brand awareness and exposure levels for the FANTASTIC Media brand here at Oakwell, which will be viewed not only by the local community but also to a wider regional and national audience.

"I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of everyone associated with Barnsley Football Club, to personally thank Sally Willis and the whole team at FANTASTIC Media for their continued and invaluable support.”

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UNIVERSAL COMPONENTS UK MOVES TO BARNSLEY The multi-national company, Universal Components UK is expanding its £30m business by moving to Barnsley.

The company, supported

by Enterprising Barnsley, will move its 165,000sq ft premises in 2016 to premises adjacent to junction 36 of the M1 motorway from neighbouring Sheffield. This new logistics facility will encompass the company’s head office, distribution warehouse and call centre.

60 SECONDS WITH... is a short interview with a local business person who tell us a little about themselves and their job. If you would like to participate and promote your business, drop us a line at editor@topicuk.co.uk.

Richard Kaye, branch manager at Provide Education, a specialist education recruitment agency, based in Barugh Green is our first interviewee

What was your first job?

Cashier at Yorkshire Bank PLC.

What do you enjoy about your job?

There is no greater feeling than successfully placing a job candidate into a school or children’s centre and receiving excellent feedback from both parties. I love being able to provide support to our candidates to help them achieve their professional goals and I love the variety that my role gives me. No two days are the same. Also having worked for Provide Education for almost eight years, I have built up some fantastic relationships with our schools and the job candidates.

How do you spend your time off?

With my wife and three children. I have a son William who is four; a daughter Madeleine who is three and another Beatrice who is one, so there is no such thing as

‘time off’ in the Kaye household!

If you won the lottery, how would you spend it?

Given my growing family I’d have to say I’d build an extension to my house!

What is your most valued possession?

I wouldn’t call it a possession as such but I would have to say my family is the thing in life that I treasure and value the most.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Barnsley?

The 8oz Burger Company in Barnsley… We all went there after work recently and I took the Man v Food challenge. The food was amazing and I also successfully completed the chilli heat challenge and made it on to the “Wall of Fame”.

Which famous person, past or present, would you like to take out to lunch?

John Lennon.

What improvements would you like to see in Barnsley?

As well as retaining its existing workforce, the company has plans to create 80 new jobs. Speaking about the move, Universal Components chief executive David Kernahan said: “The company has grown significantly over the last 10 years and this new distribution centre will allow us to continually grow and invest in new staff training.”

Roger Marsh, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, who has supported the move with a £145,000 grant said: “We are delighted to support this investment that will create new job opportunities in the area. It is a fantastic example of working closely with our LEP colleagues in the Sheffield region and shows how collaboration can move us towards the creation of an economic powerhouse in the north.”

I’ve asked around the office and we all agree – we want a Nandos!

Barnsley Edition November 2015

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Charity

Barnsley Hospital Charity (BHC) reg. no. 1058037 is based at Barnsley Hospital, and operates to directly support the care and needs of Barnsley Hospital patients, and their families. Barnsley Hospital provides a full range of district hospital services to the local community and surrounding area.

These include emergency department services, outpatient clinics, inpatient services, and maternity and children’s services.

They also provide a number of specialised services, including cancer and surgical services, in conjunction with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. All healthcare services are funded from central government taxes and Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust strives to provide the highest level of care to patients from the government funding it receives.

However, there are always ways in which charitable donations can provide those little extras which can help reduce the everyday stresses and anxieties which may be associated with treatments and illnesses.

Your charitable donations complement the resources at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust meaning they can achieve things more quickly than may otherwise be possible, thanks to your generosity and support.

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TINY HEARTS BENEFIT FROM BIG HEARTS Steve Wragg

The Barnsley Hospital Tiny Hearts appeal was launched with aims to raise £1million over two years to help support the development of a new Special Care Baby Unit. It will enable the care team to adapt to each individual baby and their complex needs more fluidly.

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remature babies are underdeveloped and have to be given extra help for their tiny bodies to cope with the outside world and they can spend up to 13-14 weeks on the unit. The care is focused around allowing babies to fully develop and enable parents to have proper bonding time with their babies.

State-of-the-art equipment will be provided to enable the Special Care Baby Unit team to continue their fantastic care and enhance their capabilities. The unit will sit on the same level as the Barnsley Birthing Centre, which means that babies will not have to be exposed to different environments and differing temperature changes.

All funds raised for the Tiny Hearts Appeal will be used to purchase essential equipment such as intensive care units for babies that need that extra help with breathing, keeping warm or feeding, double beds and homely furniture for families who need to stay at the hospital and the best infant resuscitator equipment available.

In an effort to boost funds an unusual item received for auction has been a signed and framed Ronaldo Real Madrid Football Shirt.

The former Manchester United star and Portuguese National Team player is the all time highest scorer in the history of Real Madrid.

The shirt was donated by Barnsley’s well known businessman Derek Carpenter.

The shirt was placed on ebay on November 1st and it is expected to attract interest from around the world. Former Barnsley FC

Goalkeeper Luke Steele has already made an enquiry on Twitter.

Bids are encouraged throughout November.

Hospital Chairman Steve Wragg told TopicUK “This is absolutely fantastic news and we are really grateful to Derek for thinking about the Tiny Hearts Appeal. We look forward to seeing how well the auction goes and hope that it generates lots of interest”.

Coincidentally November includes the annual celebration of World Premature Day. Derek added; “Barnsley is renowned for its community spirit and I am delighted to be part of that. More than one in 10 babies are premature which means they are not fully grown and are highly vulnerable to infections and birth complications. Tiny Hearts will reduce this risk”.

The charity have put together fundraising packs which encourage the general public as well as schools and workplaces to get involved with the appeal and state various different ways to be a part of the Tiny Hearts Appeal.

For more information about the appeal and any of the fundraising activities, please contact either katiecartwright@nhs.net or tanyaoates@nhs.net or call 01226 431915.

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