Experts join forces to boost workforce

A duo with 50 years of combined experience of working within recruitment and the employment industry has joined forces to launch a new organisation.

Training and recruitment expert James Gage and recruitment and employability specialist Esther Greenwood started Career Catapult with the aim of supporting people who are entering the workforce, have been made redundant, are looking to develop themselves or change their careers.

The firm has also teamed up with well-being experts so it can share advice to support people with their mental health and runs courses for businesses which, in these difficult times, want to provide employees at risk of redundancy with additional skills that will help them back into work quickly.

Career Catapult has already launched a new website which showcases nearly 30 courses it has developed for its members so far.

James said: “During the first phase of our business we’re focussing on employment skills and mental health challenges because we want to support the high numbers of people currently at risk of redundancy as a result of the pandemic. As things improve, we’ll focus more on our upskilling programmes.”

Esther added: “We offer traditional courses in CV writing and preparing people for interviews, but we wanted to do a lot more to support people going through these difficult times. That’s why we’ve also developed a range of courses covering a wide variety of topics, including ones on financial help, what to do when your relationships come under pressure and men’s mental health.”

Each training course features short videos and downloadable resources.

The firm’s website also includes insightful podcasts with job seekers, ranging from graduates to experienced managers, on their experiences of looking for new roles.

Esther Greenwood and James Gage

Visit: www.careercatapult.co.uk

Before... during...

...and after the curtain fitting INNOVATIVE STANAIR SOLUTION

An industrial door specialist has helped a fellow Chamber member to come up with an innovative solution at its new warehouse.

For many years Stanair Industrial Door Services Ltd has worked with the Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCol) which is the trading arm of the Salvation Army and has raised £76m for the charity in the past 10 years through its 220 charity shops, donation centres and clothing banks.

When SATCol commenced operations at its new purpose-built sorting and processing warehouse in January, it turned to Stanair to help it with its lorry tipper – the first of its kind in the UK.

SATCol business relocation project manager Jay Fleming explained: “The building design includes a large entrance to receive lorry trailers, and we needed something to stop the weather and pests from entering the warehouse.”

The Stanair team suggested fitting large PVC strip curtains into the nine-metre opening – the largest set the business has ever fitted.

“Stanair came up with the perfect solution to our problem,” Jay said. “The success of the warehouse relies on attention to detail and specialist expertise, and Stanair’s engineers were able to plan, design and implement bespoke curtains to protect our machinery. We’ve worked with them for many years and they always deliver an excellent service.”

Stanair managing director David Wood added: “The Salvation Army do an amazing job and we’re always proud to support their work.

“Their clothing banks, charity shops and donation centres offer people the opportunity to donate their unwanted goods, including clothing, accessories, and more in a convenient way. We’re delighted that we’ve helped them to ensure donations enter their new warehouse in an efficient, safe and secure way.”

David Barrow

MILESTONE FOR HADDONSTONE

Haddonstone, the Northamptonshire-based, world-renowned cast stone manufacturer, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The company is synonymous with producing the highestquality cast stone garden, landscaping and architectural products for clients in the UK and internationally.

Established by Robert ‘Bob’ Barrow in 1971, a modest range of seven garden designs were first produced in his East Haddon garage.

The company has subsequently grown to become a market-leader around the world. It now produces an extensive collection of over a thousand standard garden and architectural designs in traditional, contemporary and classical styles.

Haddonstone’s head office is still in East Haddon, and the company also now has a base in Colorado, USA. Remaining true to its heritage, all of Haddonstone’s designs are still hand crafted to order by their team. With unrivalled expertise and the highest level of skill and craftsmanship, their team produces all their products inhouse. This includes their extensive garden and home range featuring bird baths, water features and statuary, which can be found in private residences, international hotels, palaces, stately homes, National Trust properties and RHS gardens.

Haddonstone’s awardwinning building and construction components, have been used in the construction and renovation of a broad range of prestigious buildings and projects across the world, including the Duchy of Cornwall’s Poundbury development in Dorchester, Dorset. Bob Barrow’s son, David, assumed the role of managing director in 2011 and the company continues to be proud to be family-owned.