Member news

Inspire Education Group appoints Rachel Nicholls as Chief Executive

Inspire Education Group (IEG), the further education organisation consisting of Peterborough College, Stamford College and University Centre Peterborough, announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive. Rachel Nicholls will be taking over the position on 1 July 2022 from Janet Meenaghan, who joined Stamford College as Principal in 2015 and became Chief Executive of IEG when it was formed in August 2020. Rachel joined Peterborough College as Acting Principal in November 2018, having previously been Deputy Principal of Stamford College. She currently holds the role of Deputy CEO of IEG. Ian Jackson, Chair of Governors at IEG, said: “Rachel is a natural successor to this role and we have no doubt that she will continue the exemplary progress that Janet has achieved as Chief Executive. “Not only does Rachel know both Peterborough and Stamford Colleges extremely well from her previous positions, but she has also delivered exceptional improvement at Peterborough over the past four years. In a recent visit, Ofsted praised IEG for its high educational standards and putting students and apprentices at the centre of everything it does. “We extend our sincere thanks to Janet for her dedication and support, and wish her well in her new appointment as CEO and Principal of Nottingham College.” Janet Meenaghan said: “While I am looking forward to taking on new challenges as CEO at Nottingham College, I am sad to say goodbye to my colleagues and the students in Stamford and Peterborough. It has been enormously rewarding to be a part of the improvement journey for IEG and I know that Rachel is the ideal leader to take the Group forward.” Rachel Nicholls said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as CEO of Inspire Education Group and excited about our next phase of development as we build on the fantastic work across the group. I believe that Further Education has the power to transform lives and help people get good jobs. I will be working tirelessly to ensure we meet the needs of employers and the communities we serve.”

As the regional jobs market continues its robust recovery from the pandemic, a leading recruitment agency has strengthened its team to help meet client and candidate demand. Peterborough-based Anne Corder Recruitment has welcomed Ashley Phillips, an experienced retail and operations HR manager/partner, to the team. Ashley has taken on the role of HR & general recruitment specialist, after registering as a candidate turned into a job offer with the agency itself! Ashley added: “My partner was placed in a role with Anne Corder Recruitment a few years ago, told me how amazing they were and suggested I get in touch. “After a long chat with Managing Director Nel Woolcott, she told me that I was just what the businesses was looking for as part of their expansion plans and offered me a role. “I feel that I bring a degree of understanding and empathy when it comes to the HR sector. Having held or managed the roles that I am tasked with recruiting for, gives me an insight into the requirements which helps both the business and the candidates. “Along with my experience of running my own business I understand recruitment across multiple sectors and the challenges we all face in finding the right candidate for the business and the right business for the candidate.” Ashely added: “It has been fantastic to speak with the HR managers out there to see how adaptive and exceptional they have all been through the pandemic. My aim in my new role is to make recruitment as smooth and easy as possible for both the candidate and the employer.” Ashely spent many years working in all aspects of retail management for large supermarkets all over the country, and in 2016 decided to focus on a HR career path. He said: “I gained my CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personal Development) qualification and was able to transition from operational management to HR management.” Nel commented: “Ashley brings a new dimension to the business and is a perfect fit with our team. His knowledge and firsthand experience of HR roles is invaluable, particularly at what is now a very busy time in the regional jobs market. We are delighted to have him on board.”

New ‘recruit’ Ashley appointed to help meet regional job market demand

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George Hay Chartered Accountants appoint three Associate Partners

Barry Jefferd, Senior Partner at George Hay, said about the announcements: “I am delighted to announce the appointments of Caroline Hicks, Emma Wilsher and Samantha Green, three long-standing and valued members of the team, in recognition of their respective achievements and the contributions they have made to the development of the firm. “Having been working with businesses and individuals across Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire for over 80 years now, we are readying ourselves to approach the next 80 with enthusiasm, ingenuity and purpose.” All three internal promotions come amid a period of organic change and growth within the business and are a step towards realising long-term plans for succession. Samantha, Emma and Caroline will step into their new roles, following a period of two years during which they have been looking after and developing their own portfolios.

Guardtech Group lead £17,000 fundraising drive to support MS sufferer

Haverhill cleanroom construction company donate £4,000 to support close friend of family business. Suffolk-based cleanroom construction company the Guardtech Group have led a campaign which helped to raise £17,000 for a family friend suffering with multiple sclerosis (MS). Guardtech Commercial Director Mark Wheeler and Marketing Manager Joe Shackley joined forces with a group of their ex-school friends to raise the money for Joe Martin, a multiple sclerosis sufferer from Woolpit, who had been struggling to eat a wide range of foods for some time. Having already seen his quality of life deteriorate significantly due to MS, Mr Martin had dropped to just seven stone in weight by the time the group of friends decided to act. Mr Wheeler and Mr Shackley had initially set up a GoFundMe campaign in the hope of raising some money to help Mr Martin receive medical therapy known as FMT that he couldn’t get via the NHS, with Haverhill company Guardtech pledging £4,000 towards the campaign. “As a family business, we try to do our bit to help out as many good causes as we can,” said Mr Wheeler, “and the Guardtech Directors kindly agreed to donate up to £4,000, with the hope that we’d get around the same amount in outside donations.” But what happened next was astonishing. After sharing the GoFundMe page to their Facebook pages and beyond, friends, family and ex-colleagues of Mr Martin rallied around the cause, helping the fundraising total soar towards the £10,000 mark in just 24 hours. The total eventually reached £13,276 (£17,276 with Guardtech’s donation) before it was finally closed officially at the start of May.

DOMINO PRINTING APPOINTS UK HEAD OF MARKETING

Domino Printing is promoting Chris Thorpe to the role, following 11 years at the company working in a range of different positions. Chris joined the business as UK Marketing Executive before progressing to UK Marketing Manager and most recently National Marketing & Business Development Manager. In his new role, he will head up UK Marketing, which will also include UK Sales Operations, along with a newly-formed UK Customer Success team, focusing on ‘proactive’ customer engagement to ensure customers achieve their desired outcomes. Chris said: “Putting the customer at the heart of our marketing strategy is key and my experience in new business sales acquisition has given me a direct insight into the challenges customers face on a daily basis. Domino’s understanding and capability to deliver solutions has made it the successful organisation it is today. “I am delighted to be taking up this new position and to be working with my colleagues in sales operations and establishing our new customer success team. It’s an exciting time within Domino as we emerge from the pandemic and focus on a long-term sustainable future for all.”

Roythornes ‘Family’ grows

Specialist family solicitor Caroline Elliott has joined Roythornes Solicitors as a partner in its Alconbury office, boosting the top 150 law firm’s strong private client team. One of four appointments in the firm, each bolstering a different department, Caroline is joined by associate in agricultural property Darren Gill, associate in property litigation Tara Goodwin, and corporate and commercial solicitor Wendy Davidson. Having started her career as a journalist before moving into law, Caroline brings more than 25 years’ experience to the company’s family law offering. Her expertise includes financial divorce settlements for high net worth individuals, as well as pre- and post-nuptial agreements, agreements for unmarried co-habiting couples, and custody battles. Caroline said: “I was drawn to Roythornes as an agile and growing practice, with opportunities for me to help develop the business and drive its direction as well as work with a range of interesting clients. Everyone in the firm is passionate about their work and I’m looking forward to collaborating with them in my new role. “It’s an exciting time for the family law space with the recent introduction of no-fault divorce, which is something I’ve been advocating for as part of my work with family law network Resolution. I’ll be supporting clients to navigate this legislative change and find solutions to resolve their family issues. “One of the biggest challenges facing the sector at the moment is cohabiting rights, with many unmarried couples being unaware of their lack of legal protection. As the picture of a typical family changes, we’re seeing more and more couples remain unmarried, which can lead to some unpleasant surprises, should the couple part ways in the future. In my new role I’ll be doing my best to support clients through these challenges and provide the expert legal advice that Roythornes prides itself on.” Roythornes has also appointed another successful solicitor with a non-traditional career history. Associate Darren Gill began his working life with six years’ service in the army as a Royal Military police officer before retraining as a solicitor. Darren said: “Roythornes’ renowned reputation and long-standing client base really drew me to the firm, especially as I qualified into agricultural and rural property law. “I’m looking forward to representing the firm, building on its long-standing client relationships, and further nurturing its impressive reputation. As the Environment Land Management Scheme is phased in, clients will need support and advice during this transition, which I’ll be well placed to offer with the backing of Roythornes’ experienced team.” The four new hires, across a variety of levels, offices, and departments, will support Roythornes’ ambitious growth as it moves into summer. Vember Mortlock, Managing Director at Roythornes, said: “It’s great to see a number of new faces joining us month on month across all our offices, which is demonstrative of an exciting period of growth for us. We’re delighted to have appointed another talented partner, heading up the family team in our Alconbury office, as well as other new hires across a range of our departments. We look forward to the end of our business year in June when we can reflect on this success.”

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Hegarty Solicitors expands range of service with appointment of tax specialist

Peterborough, Stamford and Oakham law firm Hegarty Solicitors have announced the appointment of a tax specialist to further broaden the range of services they offer to clients. Tom Moore, a Chartered Tax Advisor, who specialises in private client tax, joins the firm and brings with him a wealth of tax planning experience for both private and corporate clients. Tom is a member of the Association of Taxation Technicians and the Chartered Institute of Taxation, and prior to joining Hegarty Solicitors has provided accountancy and tax advice at local and national accountancy firms for the past 15 years. Greg Baker, Partner and Head of Wills, Trusts & Probate services at Hegarty Solicitors, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Tom to the team. Tom’s appointment is a valuable addition to the firm and will enhance the range of services we are able to offer clients, with a bespoke tax offering to compliment the services our Trusts & Probate team already provide. “Tom will offer advice to clients regarding Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax, completion of Estate, Trust & Personal Tax Returns and registration of Trusts & Estates on HMRC’s Trusts Register. This means that when our clients require tax planning advice, we can offer this advice in-house, making the process easier and more straightforward for clients and ensuring they receive the highest standards of service that we pride ourselves on at Hegarty Solicitors. “Tom will also provide tax advice to clients on a range of other matters, such as Capital Gains Tax advice and reporting on sales of residential and commercial properties, advice for those who have a portfolio of let residential properties when considering creating a company, Stamp Duty Land Tax advice for residential and commercial property clients and advice for corporate clients regarding tax implications in commercial transactions.” Tom said: “I am delighted to join Hegarty Solicitors to expand the range of services on offer to clients. Tax is an important consideration for both individuals and businesses, and I look forward to assisting and advising clients on organising their affairs the most tax-efficient way.”

KingsGate Conference Centre achieves iconic industry quality assurance

KingsGate Conference Centre has secured the much sought-after AIM accreditation from the Meetings Industry Association (mia). The KingsGate Conference Centre in Parnwell has achieved entry status from the UK’s nationally recognised standard for service providers in the meetings, conferences and events industry, after a panel of independent industry assessors scrutinised the venue against a robust checklist of criteria. The process includes legal compliance, accessibility and quality checks of its facilities as well as its customer service proposition and experience, ethical codes of conduct and best practice standards. Nige De Soyza, Business Development Manager at KingsGate Conference Centre, said: “It’s a fantastic testament to the highly experienced and dedicated team at KingsGate that we have secured national AIM accreditation as it provides buyers a benchmark of the highest standard. We appreciate that it can sometimes be overwhelming as there are so many things to consider when planning an event from location to catering, photography, speakers, delegates and marketing; however, with our AIM accreditation, buyers can immediately feel confident they are working with dedicated and experienced professionals.” Jane Longhurst, Chief Executive at the mia, said: “We’re delighted that KingsGate Conference Centre is the latest venue to secure entry AIM accreditation. The iconic status acts as a guarantee to buyers that they’re choosing a service provider that cares about best practice and actively strives to meet and exceed your expectations. With so many dedicated conference centres and hotels, sporting and academic venues to choose from nationwide, it offers a smart method to quality control your selections that could ultimately save you time, anxiety and reputational risk later down the line.”

Promotions and appointments at MHA MacIntyre Hudson

Alastair Cassels Francis Hudson Nathan Sutcliffe

The new appointments at the Top 12 Accountancy firm supports its impressive and consistent growth throughout the pandemic. Promotions include Francis Hudson and Nathan Sutcliffe, with Alastair Cassels being a new hire. Francis has become the area’s new Tax Partner, whilst Nathan Sutcliffe becomes Tax Partner based in Northampton. Alastair Cassels has been appointed Automotive Advisory Partner based at the firm’s Milton Keynes office to support the Motor Team. Francis joined MHA as a Tax Director in June 2018 bringing with him over 20 years of knowledge and experience of advising clients on a wide range of UK tax matters. Francis commented: “Peterborough is a vibrant cathedral city, with a rich history and exciting plans for new growth and innovation, much like MHA MacIntyre Hudson who are long established here. Having joined the Peterborough office in 2018, I am excited to step up to lead our tax team and look forward to further connecting with the local business community and growing our tax services for the benefit of all those in the region we serve.” Nathan further strengthens the team in Northampton and looks forward to expanding the tax discipline across the Firm’s entrepreneurial families and transaction advisory services. “I’m delighted to be joining the partnership at MHA as a Tax Partner which I originally joined as a trainee. During this time there has been significant growth across the Firm and they have supported by journey and provided the career path I was seeking. We work with many fantastic entrepreneurs and high net-worth clients for whom we are continuously developing our offering for. As a specialist area, I’ll also be working alongside our corporate finance partners to grow our Transaction Advisory business and team.” Alastair Cassels joins MHA from Volkswagen to further expand the expertise within the Automotive team. Although based at MHA MacIntyre Hudson’s Milton Keynes office, Alastair will add vital sector knowledge to advise the team Nationally on their compliance matters. Steve Freeman, Partner and Head of the Automotive team for the firm, commented: “The market opportunity is huge with the fundamental changes the Automotive and Automotive Retail sector is facing across digital transformation, Electric Vehicles, OEM Agency arrangements and network rationalisation, technology, new market entrants/disruptors, autonomous vehicles and connected cars and I am delighted that Alastair will be joining to support our existing sector to capture this.”

Showhome, sales and marketing suite at Spiregrass Square

Housebuilder This Land is delighted to announce the opening of a new sales and marketing suite and a brand new four-bedroom showhome at Spiregrass Square, a new high-quality, energy-efficient housing scheme in the village of Over, Cambridgeshire. The sales and marketing suite will offer prospective purchasers the opportunity to get a real insight into this much anticipated new development close to the River Great Ouse. Only 11 miles northwest of Cambridge City centre, Spiregrass Square offers the ideal village location and will feature 53 two, three and fourbedroom homes, 21 of which are affordable homes to help meet the needs of the local district. “We are delighted to have launched our new sales and marketing suite, and to be able to offer prospective buyers a stunning new fourbedroom house to explore,” said David Lewis, Acting Chief Executive at This Land™. “This stylish new showhome is the ideal family house and will enable buyers to see the desirable lifestyle that is on offer at a development which has sustainability at its core. We are looking forward to welcoming potential buyers at our marketing suite and showing them around the showhome we are proud of.” The development offers a wide range of homes and as part of the sustainability strategy, all properties will feature improved fabric insulation and air source heat pumps (ASHP), one of the key enabling technologies that will provide them with the energy efficiency they need to succeed.