CITY NEWS Investing in people

South west legal and financial planning firm Mogers Drewett has announced several new appointments and created a new people development role following a year of record growth. The firm, which has offices in Bath, Wells, Sherborne and Frome, has seen turnover increase by 10 per cent across its teams during the last year.

Bath Academy expands

Students at Bath Academy have always thrived in the small school environment and the academy has seen a demand in students preferring this more personal approach at secondary level. To further accommodate these students and stay true to the idea of personal attention to individual students, the college will be taking on another building in the historic city centre.

With three college buildings all located on Queen Square, students will retain the benefits of studying in smaller classes and reap the rewards of having more space to receive individual student support, as well as more room to assist SEND students. There will be more areas for individualised tutor sessions as well as ‘safe spaces’ where students can go to feel safe and secure. By providing a quiet area and a sensory corner within these safe spaces, the children will have a place to reduce their anxieties and feel ready to tackle the academic world. bathacademy.co.uk

Quiz and dinner at Mint Room

This has allowed Mogers Drewett to invest further in its people with the appointment of experienced employee development and coaching specialist Ben Morris as head of people and performance. This is a new role created to develop the diverse range of talent within the firm. Also joining Mogers Drewett as a partner is experienced residential property lawyer Robin Phillips who previously

Silver success

spent 28 years at Mowbray Woodwards and then Stone King following the merger of the two firms.

Mogers Drewett has also recruited four trainee solicitors across the firm: Scarlet Clemens, Harry Durston, Charlotte Padfield and Daniel Cockhead. Mogers Drewett is partfunding their law school studies as part of an initiative to attract and develop young talent. mogersdrewett.com

Stone King paralegal Chris McIntosh has returned from the Central American and Caribbean Games (CACG) with a silver medal for Jamaica after competing in the Rugby Sevens (men’s). Chris, who works in the firm’s commercial property team in Bath has represented the Caribbean island since 2018, travelling around the world to play for the team affectionately known as the Crocs. This CACG saw the team going one better and improving on the bronze medal they secured in 2018.

This year’s final took place in El Salvador and saw the Crocs score an early try before being beaten into second place by the favourites Colombia. The silver medal puts Jamaica in contention for what could be the team’s Olympic debut in Paris 2024.

“Representing Jamaica is a privilege, and I am so lucky to be able to compete in a sport I love while seeing new countries and gaining new experiences,” said Chris.

High standards for Sulis Hospital

Bathavon Rotary Club organised a highly successful quiz and dinner at the wonderful Mint Room Restaurant, Bath. Members and their guests enjoyed a delicious 4-course meal, interspersed with a fiendishly difficult 4-part quiz –set by quizmaster Ken Jefferies. Much fun was had by all and well over £2000 was raised for Rotary charities such as Julian House. Bathavon President Hendrik Bebber praised the generosity and professionalism of Moe Rahman and his team at the Mint Room. rotary-ribi.org stoneking.co.uk

Sulis Hospital has achieved accreditation as an elective surgical hub delivering high standards in clinical and operational practice. The scheme, run by NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time programme in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of England, assesses hubs against a framework of standards to help deliver faster access to some of the most common surgical procedures. This status also seeks to assure patients about the high standards of clinical care.

The purpose of surgical hubs is to provide additional dedicated operating theatres and beds, aiming to improve the availability of planned surgeries. These hubs are exclusively dedicated to performing scheduled surgeries and mainly focus on high volume, low complexity procedures across a range of specialties such as ophthalmology, general surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology, ear, nose, and throat, as well as urology.

Sulis Hospital was acquired by the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust in June 2021 and continues as an independent hospital treating both NHS and private patients. sulishospital.com