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Moore the merrier for winning top prize in health
and safety campaign draw!
May 18th 2010
A manufacturer’s health and safety campaign produced winners
all round – a reduction in accidents to
workers, employees who won prizes and a local hospice which
gained a cheque donation.
All benefited from the second ‘near miss and hazard alert’
scheme run by pre-cast concrete drainage
products manufacturer Stanton Bonna, based at
Stanton-by-Dale, near Ilkeston.
Under the scheme, the 140 employees are encouraged to write
on cards details of any near misses –
incidents that had the potential to result in injury
although had not done so – or hazard alerts –
unsafe equipment, substances, or procedures – so that
management can take appropriate action.
In the last year workers at the premises in Littlewell Lane
have filled in 398 alert cards. Over the
same period the number of accidents involving employees
having time off work dropped from six to on
The company matched the efforts by giving £1 to charity for
each card submitted and a cheque for £398
was presented to Treetops Hospice at Risley.
Stanton Bonna employees who fill in a card are entered for a
monthly draw to win £25 of shopping
vouchers, but in celebrating the success of the health and
safety scheme management gave away several
prizes in an annual prize draw.
Thierry Coudurier, new chief operating officer of
Brussels-based parent company Consolis, visiting
Stanton Bonna for the first time, said the alert scheme
initiative was important “because safety is our
number one priority in our business” and because of the
donation to help a local charity.
He made the draw from all the cards entered during the
previous year, and presented the prizes to
winners. Top prize of a weekend away for two went to
boiler/storekeeper Paul Moore, of Kenilworth Drive,
Kirk Hallam, who said he was surprised but happy to have
won.
Peter Chaffe of Underwood picked up two prizes – an LCD
television with dvd, and £40 shopping voucher,
and Frank Healey of Ilkeston won a satellite navigation
system.
# Stanton Bonna has also just received a gold award for
health and safety initiatives from the British
Precast Concrete Federation, with an additional red seal for
accident reduction.
News Release
Chauffeur firm moves into top gear to ensure a bon voyage
back to the UK
April 26, 2010
Chauffeur specialists Pinnacle Chauffeur Transport went more
than the extra mile to beat the travel chaos in Europe
caused by grounded air flights and return business
representatives safely home.
The Sandiacre-based headquarters of the national franchise
pulled out all the stops after a call from international
office equipment firm Hewlett Packard which was trying to
organise transport back to the UK for 17 people, including
clients.
They had been out in Israel and had managed to book a flight
back to France but could go no further by plane as flights
were cancelled because of the danger caused by volcanic ash
from Iceland.
Hewlett Packard tried to organise a coach to bring them back
across the Channel but could not do so. Late on Tuesday
night Hewlett Packard contacted Pinnacle who arranged
tickets for the Eurotunnel crossing.
By 8am on Wednesday morning Pinnacle had three cars and
chauffeurs at Folkestone ready to board the train through
the Channel Tunnel.
They drove to Paris and made their way to Charles de Gaulle
airport ready to meet and greet the business representatives
as they landed at lunchtime.
They then made the return journey with cars going to
Heathrow and Luton airports and extra vehicles also going to
Manchester airport so the representatives could then make
their final journeys home.
Pinnacle managing director Trevor Langley said: “With so
many horror stories of people being stranded we were
delighted to step in at short notice and return these
business representatives home quickly.”
For more information call Trevor Langley on 0115 854 0961
PRESS RELEASE
NOVEMBER 2009
RESULTS ANNOUNCED: BBC RADIO 4 FOOD &
FARMING AWARDS
Top celebrity chefs, including Raymond
Blanc, tasted Bluebells Bourbon Vanilla and Devilishly Chocolate
flavoured Real Dairy Ice Cream at the BBC Radio 4 Food &
Farming Awards. This was held at the BBC Broadcasting House, London.
HRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were present at
the event and discussed farming, ice cream making and future
business potential with the Brown family. It was the 10th
anniversary of the awards which were established to celebrate the
best of British food and the people who produce it. Well known food
and farming celebrities including Raymond Blanc, Mark Hix, Alex
James, Angela Hartnett, Jimmy Doherty and Hugh
Fearnley-Whittingstall were present on the day.
Bluebells travelled from
Brunswood Farm in Spondon, Derbyshire to attend the awards. The
Brown’s launched their Real Dairy Ice Cream, Café, Farm Shop,
Children’s Play Area and Animal Patch in December 2008. The Brown
family business, Bluebells, reached the final stage of the
competition, as one of three finalists for the Farmer of the Year
category. This category has been created to recognise farm
businesses rising to challenges in the 21st Century.
Bluebells have achieved this by creating Real Dairy Ice Cream to
add value to the milk produced by their dairy herd.
They have shown their commitment to the future of the industry by
involving the third generation of the Brown family in this new
enterprise.
On the day Bluebells were
Runners-Up, alongside George Steriopulus for his Manx Loaghtan Sheep
in the Isle of Man. The overall winner of the award was Andrew
Dennis with his Woodlands Organic Farm business in Lincolnshire.
Andrew won the award for his commitment to providing fresh local
produce to consumers with his organic box scheme. The awards were
presented by Alex James, former band member of Blur.
To have been awarded Runner-Up ,
after only twelve months in business, is a fantastic achievement for
the Derbyshire based family business.
Oliver Brown, Business Owner, commented:
"We had a fantastic day in London and we are delighted to have
been recognised for this prestigious award. It was excellent to meet
so many inspiring food and farming personalities, we have come away
from this event with a positive approach for 2010."
Editors Notes
The winner of the Farmer of the
Year Award was announced on a special episode of Farming Today on
BBC Radio 4, to listen again please use the following link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nxclp
To view the full BBC Press Release please
use the following link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/11_november/25/food.shtml
‘Outstanding’
honours for Hodgkinson
Hodgkinson
Builders (Midlands) Ltd have added more trophies to their
business honours display cabinet.
The Pride
Park-based company made the finals in three sections of the
first-ever business competition organised by a regional
newspaper group and won a ‘Highly Commended’ in the
Community Contribution of the Year category.
 Managing
director Ian Hodgson was also a finalist in the Entrepreneur
of the Year section and the Business Personality of the Year
category.
Judges praised
Hodgkinson’s “outstanding contribution” to the community and
described Ian as “an outstanding business leader”
The awards were
presented at a prestigious black-tie evening at Hassop Hall
in the Derbyshire Peak.
Engineering company’s latest big order tops its 30th
anniversary celebrations
December 15, 2009
AN Ilkeston engineering firm which has been celebrating its
30th anniversary is ending the year on a high
note by winning the second biggest contract in its history.
Rayden Engineering has just won a seven figure order, its
biggest this year, from Scotia Gas Networks for work at
Farningham in Kent to build a gas handling facility that
will serve the south and south east of England.
This will include everything from excavating, installing the
pipework, re-instating the land, to fitting security fencing
and gates.
Work will start on January 4 and last a year. It will
include setting up a small field campus with temporary
buildings for administration, storage and workers’ welfare.
The contract is eclipsed only by another from Scotia Gas
Networks for a similar plant at Hardwick in Buckinghamshire
which finished in August last year after three years.
“Although we were satisfied with the value of our order book
for 2010 winning the Farningham contract is the icing on the
cake for us in this, our 30th anniversary year,”
said Rayden’s managing director Richard Hayden, a former
welder who set up the firm.
It was started to provide a specialist high-pressure pipe
welding and fabrication service which has diversified over
the years into a multi-disciplined company.
This includes installing pipework from initial greenfield
stage to final re-instatement, repairing, maintenance and
modifications to live gas installations.
The company has only just finished a critical contract in
Algeria, diverting a 40 inch diameter pipeline. Over the
years it has undertaken projects in Ireland, Portugal,
Turkey, Russia, Georgia and Gabon.
Current work includes a project at Romsey, Hampshire,
similar to that at Farningham, gas pipeline work in Cumbria
for United Utilities, work on aviation fuel pipelines and
storage facilities for military and civil air bases across
the UK, and providing a pipeline maintenance service to
National Grid Pipeline Maintenance Centres throughout the
British Isles, something it has done for 22 years.
The company is also doing large bore fabrication projects
for Elster-Instromet, including pressure testing,
inspection, and painting, at its premises in Wentworth
Street, Ilkeston, its home of 12 years.
The majority of its 100-strong workforce of highly-skilled
fitters, fabricators, technicians, welders, machine
operators, carpenters, steel fixers, and concrete finishers
are engaged in mechanical and civil engineering work
countrywide.
Many have worked for the company for a large number of years
and helped it achieve UKAS accreditation to ISO 9001 14001
and 18001 for quality, environmental and health and safety
management.
“It’s being tough-going at times, but I have enjoyed every
minute,” said Richard. “Our main focus is to look
after our customers and our employees – and this has paid
dividends.”
Despite the recession, the company has continued to flourish
and invest year by year in new vehicles, plant and
equipment.
Small company takes on bigger role
by sponsoring Borough Enterprise Agency
November 17, 2009
ILKESTON company Derwent Analytics has become a sponsor of
enterprise agency Erewash Partnership which works to
regenerate the borough.
The company, based at Falcon Court on the town’s Manners
Industrial Estate, makes bespoke solutions which are used in
analysing for impurities in liquid processes, checking clean
water streams at manufacturing plants and monitoring
pollution to ensure product consistency and quality.
Earlier this year it announced that it had done a deal with
Coca Cola in the UK who are using Derwent Analytics’
know-how to test that the product they sell is the real
thing.
The company, which employs nine people, was set up in 2001
by chemist Ian Hopkinson and his wife Bev.
It has been a member of the Partnership since that time and
has now upgraded to become a sponsor.
Ian said: “I am committed to the local economy growing and
value the help that we had from Erewash Partnership when we
started.
“We want to ensure that such help for potential new
businesses is still there for the foreseeable future.”
Partnership chief executive Ian Viles welcomed the company’s
move. “I’m particularly delighted that a home-grown business
has become our latest sponsor,” he said.
It’s not very often that Ian needs us these days because
he’s capable of running his business successfully, but he
clearly valued the initial support that the Partnership gave
him.
Ian joined the board earlier this year as a director and has
now further strengthened his company’s links with us and
obviously wants to give something back to help others.”
Family firm’s analytical work provides solutions so that
drinkers of leading brand do have the real thing
August 25, 2009
EVERY time people in the UK swallow a drink made by the world’s
largest beverage company they may be surprised to know that a
small Ilkeston firm has played a part.
And soon people across the globe may have the same re-assurance
that Derwent Analytics has helped make sure that they are
drinking the real thing.
For the company based at Manners industrial estate, which has
only nine people working for it, has bottled up a deal with Coca
Cola to add to its list of corporate giant customers.
Derwent Analytics is mostly involved in analysing for impurities
in liquid processes, checking clean water streams at
manufacturing plants and monitoring pollution to ensure product
consistency and quality.
It does this by making bespoke solutions, mainly from mined
minerals, which cause a chemical reaction.
The solutions are used to condition kidney dialysis machines and
check oil refinery performance, food and brewing, water and
power utilities, and chemical plants around the world.
The company also helps airports nationwide to analyse effluent
run-off from the apron and make sure that there are no
contaminants such as anti-freeze or fuel going into local water
courses.
But its biggest deal is a long way from its first project in
2001 when it provided solutions for analysing equipment to
monitor pollution from a Glasgow plant that makes sausage skins
for manufacturers worldwide
Derwent Analytics has supplied Coca Cola through a third party,
but director Ian Hopkinson, a chemist, persisted with calls to
offer a service directly.
Eventually, he was asked to go to Coca Cola’s plant at
Wakefield, its biggest in Europe, to discuss a particular issue.
“I realised that we could improve the quality of the solutions
that they were using for the testing of the final product,” said
Ian.
“We made a trial sample which was so successful in resolving the
problem they had got that they are now using the products at
their four plants nationwide, of which we are very proud.
“There’s talk about our product being used by the company in
their plants worldwide.
“So from next year it’s likely that every time somebody has a
fizzy drink made by Coca Cola it will be made with know-how from
Derwent Analytics.
“It’s an exciting prospect,” said Ian. Apart from the kudos it
could be a massive boost to the annual £500,000 turnover.
“Nationwide, this is likely to bring in up to £60,000 a year.
But if it goes worldwide and we are sole suppliers this could be
worth £3.5m a year.”
Derwent Analytics has also had a breakthrough with another major
company, BP Chemicals, who were having a problem making their
own calibration standards
Derwent Analytics came up with a solution which is now under
evaluation. This could be worth more than £40,000 annually if
used by a number of plants.
The company delivers its liquids to 170 sites across the UK by
its own transport or courier.
When he started from home Ian was juggling his new company with
a full-time job, averaging 91.5 hours a week. Bev worked
full-time for the company and part-time elsewhere.
They moved to Quarry Hill Industrial Park but rapidly outgrew
the premises, transferring to the present site.
Bev is production planner, finance director, processes orders,
generates delivery notes, prepares containers for filling,
invoices customers and chases payment as well.
Ian is quick to acknowledge her contribution. “It could not be
done without Bev,” he said. “I would need to employ up to three
people to do what she does.” To add to the family feel Bev’s mum
Maureen also works there.
For further information contact Ian Hopkinson of Derwent
Analytics on 0115 944 0450
News Release
New site to train construction workers for when industry
recovers from slump
August
11, 2009
A skills
development company is setting up its own venue to train
workers for the construction industry and so provide labour
when the economy improves.
Upskill,
of Wharncliffe Road, Ilkeston, is investing £100,000 in the
initiative which it hopes will supply a useful pool of
trained workers locally for when the dormant construction
industry rises from the recession.
Twin
brothers Frank and Mick Dunne, who are directors of Upskill,
know only too well the uphill challenges facing jobless
workers.
They
were both made redundant from the construction industry in
the last recession when they each had young families. But
they re-built their careers and 18 months ago set up their
own business helping unemployed people gain qualifications
to get them into work.
They are
proud that in that time they have had a 97 per cent pass
rate, with more than 600 learners nationwide achieving
qualifications.
Now they
have leased a site of almost one acre on the Ladylea
industrial estate at Horsley Woodhouse to provide a
simulated construction site to train people for what they
believe is a major gap in the skills market.
Initially, two portable buildings will double as classrooms
and the company is investing in plant, vehicles and tools as
well as taking on a couple of extra trainers – making a
total investment of £100,000.
As well
as theory, learners will get hands-on experience of the
basics in infrastructure – new roads and streetworks,
groundworks, and construction plant operations – giving them
a head start when applying for jobs. .
“Learners will be able to get a taste of the construction
industry within a safe environment,” said Frank.
“Colleges which used to do a lot of this training have cut
back for various reasons. We are reacting positively and
speedily to the needs that we hear of from colleagues in the
construction sector.
“We want
to bring our expertise and our track record of delivery to
this area because we think we can make a difference.
“We are
prepared to invest in the hope that we will provide the
qualified workers that the construction industry will need
as the economy recovers.”
The
courses will be aimed at re-training unemployed people and
those who were previously in the construction industry but
left because of the downturn and now need a refresher if
they want to rejoin.
And in
breaking what is traditionally a male-dominated scene, there
will also be women-only courses run by women.
The
courses are set to start next month, leading to City and
Guilds and other recognised industry qualifications.
Upskill
hopes to put through 200 trainees in the first year of the
new facility and is hoping to tap into public funds to
offset costs.
Anybody
interested in taking part should contact their local
Jobcentre.
For
further information contact Frank or Mick Dunne at Upskill
on 0115 932 7376
Member Success
Award-winning
businessman Ian Hodgkinson stars in a new promotional film
about the construction industry fronted by first-ever Big
Brother winner Craig Phillips, now a popular television
presenter.
The managing
director of Pride Park-based Hodgkinson Bricklaying
Contractors features in a marketing DVD with Craig in which
they explore the role of bricks in a range of development
projects with which Ian’s company has been involved.
Hodgkinson’s are
now the largest brickwork and masonry contractors in the
Midlands and, says Craig at one point in the film, ‘have
probably laid enough bricks to build another Great Wall of
China’.
The
Avent-production company DVD will be released to key
contractors in the industry, training agencies and
business-development groups within the next few weeks. The
film will also be featured on ‘You Tube’ and Hodgkinson’s
own website ( www.bricklayers.com).
It’s not the
first time Ian and Craig have worked together on film or
marketing projects.
They originally
met ten years ago, shortly after Craig won the first Big
Brother series. Ian was invited to join Craig in the Sky
television programme ‘Conversion’ when they completely
refurbished a Victorian house in Liverpool.
Ian subsequently
helped Craig with the launch of his construction industry
training centre in Liverpool which was formally opened by
Cherie Blair.
They came
together again late last year for ITV’s ‘Sixty Minute
Makeover’ programme when the pair worked with Bev Callard,
Coronation Street’s Liz McDonald, to modernise a playground
for special needs children in Manchester by giving it a
Corrie theme.
Around the same
time, Ian also found himself starring in a BBC ‘Homes under
the Hammer’ programme. A camera crew followed him as he
bought a dilapidated property at auction in Derby and
totally transformed it into a modern home within just a few
weeks.
Ian, this year’s
Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce ‘Entrepreneur of the Year,
said this week: "People keep asking if I’m going to give up
the construction business to concentrate on a career in
Hollywood.
"And, much as I
love this job, I might just do that . . . but only if they
offer me the role as the next James Bond."
Accountant introduces new scheme
to take the pain out of doing the books
March 24, 2009
A Derby accountancy firm has introduced a
new system to help small businesses take the headache out of
number crunching when doing the books.
Book Keeping Plus, based at Victoria Way in
Pride Park, has become the first franchisee in Derbyshire of
Crunchers, a new system of bookkeeping software.
Paul Wood, managing director of Book Keeping
Plus, has 20 years experience, seven of them heading up his
own firm which moved to Pride Park in 2006. He has 80
clients and does work including VAT returns and payrolls as
well as bookkeeping and accounts.
"Bookkeeping is usually the one thing that
firms, particularly small ones, hate to do," he said. "For
years I have been trying to simplify it for them.
"Most bookkeeping software systems rely on
the user having an amount of accountancy knowledge. But
Crunchers have come up with an amazingly simple system
which, in my experience, is the easiest to use.
"We are trying to encourage small businesses
to do more for themselves which makes our job easier.
"This new system takes the aggro out of
bookkeeping which will reduce the amount of time taken to go
through the books and therefore reduce clients’ fees. In
this tough economic climate any savings in time and money
must be welcome."
Clients can either rent the software from
Crunchers Pride Park, as the franchisee is known, or pay a
service fee for the work to be done in house using the
system.
Crunchers Pride Park is one of around 20
franchisees, the nearest ones being in Nottingham, Stockport
and Doncaster.
Book Keeping Plus will still offer its usual
range of services.
For further information call Paul Wood at
Book Keeping Plus on 01332 613720
It’s win, win, win as health and safety response by
employees draws results
April
28, 2009
A health
and safety campaign by a manufacturer produced winners all
round – a reduction in accidents to workers, employees who
won prizes, and a local hospital which also gained from a
donation. All were beneficiaries from a ‘near miss and
hazard alert’ scheme run by pre-cast concrete drainage
products manufacturer Stanton Bonna, based at
Stanton-by-Dale, near Ilkeston.
Under
the scheme, the 140 employees are encouraged to write on
cards details of any near misses – incidents that had the
potential to result in injury although had not done so – or
hazard alerts – unsafe equipment, substances, or procedures
– so that management can take appropriate action.
In a
rare occasion at the company’s premises in Littlewell Lane
production stopped and shopfloor workers and office staff
gathered to hear about the success of the scheme which
started almost a year ago.
Since
then 482 cards had been filled in and operations director
Rob Fifer told the employees that this was estimated to have
prevented 18 minor and three major accidents at the
premises.
He said
this was a direct benefit to Stanton Bonna, its parent
company Consolis, and all the individuals who work there
because it was making Stanton Bonna a safer place – there
had not been any time lost through an accident since last
October.
“This is
a day of celebration and pride for everybody,” said chief
executive Barry Cooper. “Everybody has played their part in
delivering a strong improvement on our safety record.”
The
company has matched the efforts by giving £1 for each card
submitted and Barry Cooper presented a cheque for £482 to
Mike Perry, president and chairman of the League of Friends
of Ilkeston Community Hospital
It's hats off to safety,
after the £482 cheque handover to Ilkeston Hospital League
of Friends are: (left to right) Stanton Bonna chief exec
Barry Cooper, vice-president and secretary of League of
Friends Jean Thomas, vice-president of Consolis Vincent
Guelfucci, and Ilkeston Hospital League of Friends president
Michael Perry
The
money will go towards the £28,000 cost of creating and
equipping a third minor operating theatre at the hospital,
which will enable it to treat 3,000 more patients a year who
would either have to wait longer or attend a major hospital
in Derby or Nottingham.
Stanton
Bonna employees who fill in a card are entered for a monthly
draw to win £25 of shopping vouchers, but in celebrating the
success of the health and safety scheme management gave away
a top prize of a 40 inch flat screen television.
A delighted Zbyzsek
Brzezinski receives his flat screen television from: (left
to right) Paul Moore (Health and Safety Committee),
vice-president of Consolis Vincent Guelfucci, and Stanton
Bonna chief executive Barry Cooper.
Vincent
Guelfucci, vice-president of Consolis, made the draw which
was won by production operative Zbyzsek Brzezinski.
Originally from Poland, he came to Britain looking for work
and has been with the company for six years. He lives in
Lenton, Nottingham, with his family, and until the draw did
not have a television!
Other
prizes of a digital recorder and a digital camera were won
by fellow production operatives Hugh Logan, of Long Eaton
and Simon Morrill, of Kirk Hallam.
Presenting the prizes, Vincent Guelfucci, who had travelled
for the occasion from Consolis head office in Brussels,
stressed that safety within the group was as important as
financial performance.
For
further information contact Stanton Bonna marketing manager
Murray Howitt on 07966 138386
Business honour ‘a bitter sweet
affair’ says entrepreneur Ian
Pride Park businessman Ian Hodgkinson has been voted
Entrepreneur of the Year in the 2009 Derbyshire Business
Awards.
But the managing director of Hodgkinson
Builders (Midlands) Ltd has described his success in the
prestigious competition as a ‘bitter-sweet affair’.
He told guests at Friday’s gala awards
dinner hosted by actor Brian Blessed that the honour, which
rewards business excellence, came just 24 hours after his
father’s funeral.
“He was the man who introduced me to
the building business and I am truly sorry that he did not
live long enough to share in our success tonight but I want
to dedicate this trophy to him,” said Ian.
His father, Brian, who died last week,
has been described as ‘the best plasterer of his day in
Ilkeston’.
Family, friends and staff were at Pride
Park for the Derbyshire Chamber dinner and heard Ian praised
for his entrepreneurship, innovation and business acumen.
He was also applauded as ‘a man with a
strong sense of mission who is not averse to putting his
name on the line when it comes to fighting the corner for
the British building industry and its workers as well as a
strong supporter of community charities and deserving
groups’.
After receiving the trophy, Ian
insisted that the business award had to be shared by every
Hodgkinson employee.
He declared: “This is, genuinely, a
team award. Each and every Hodgkinson employee deserves this
honour. They keep turning economic challenges into business
successes and it’s thanks to them, Hodgkinson can continue
to fight the corner for British industry and those workers
who don’t have the clout to fight for themselves. To us,
that’s important.”
New financial advice practice has many years
of sound experience
March 3, 2009
A new company offering financial advice has
been set up in Derby, but although it is a start up business
it is backed by many years of experience.
Midland Financial Solutions has been formed
by independent financial adviser Kevin Edwards joining
forces with four partners from leading chartered accountants
and business advisers Mabe Allen, who have offices in Derby,
Ilkeston and Ripley.
Kevin Edwards qualified as an adviser in
1995 and has experience of working in-house with a firm of
accountants in Nottingham and solicitors in Derby.
Over several years Mabe Allen has referred
clients to him. In discussions Kevin had with partners at
Mabe Allen the idea was floated of setting up a new company
to extend this service.
The new venture is an extra service that
Mabe Allen can offer its clients but as an ‘arms length’
company.
Kevin Slack, Managing Partner of Mabe
Allen is the Managing Director of Midland Financial
Solutions and Kevin Edwards will be the Operations
Director with the task of developing business as well as
providing financial advice.
The three other directors are John Allen,
senior partner at Mabe Allen, his son David, who is a
director at the firm’s Ripley branch and another partner
from that office, Chris Hopkinson.
Initially, Midland Financial Solutions is
operating from Mabe Allen’s head office on Osmaston Road,
Derby, and can also be contacted through their offices at St
Mary Street, Ilkeston, and Derby Road, Ripley.
The new company is offering advice to
businesses, individuals, and clients of other professional
firms such as solicitors and accountants.
The main areas of advice provided will be
investments, pensions and retirement planning, school fees
planning, inheritance tax and trust matters, and long-term
care for people living in residential and nursing homes.
It will not be covering mortgages or equity
release advice but can refer enquiries on these to
independent mortgage brokers.
"There’s not much that we can’t do or don’t
know of somebody who can," said Kevin Edwards.
Some people may think it unusual to set up a
financial advice company in the current economic climate
with daily headlines in the news over concerns about
investments, but Midland Financial Solutions is confident it
can overcome the fear factor by offering straightforward,
practical advice.
"In Midland Financial Solutions we have a
combination of my experience plus many years of expertise
and financial acumen from senior figures at Mabe Allen, a
well-established and much respected accountancy and business
advisory practice," said Kevin Edwards.
"In addition, between us all we have a wide
range of contacts in the sector that we deal with, so this
should add up to extra re-assurance for clients."
The company is operating solely on a fee
basis – one of few to do so in the East Midlands – so that
clients pay for the services they require as opposed to the
adviser being reliant on commission from product providers.
This is usually done on a time-spent basis
although fixed fees can be agreed for certain areas of
advice. A free initial consultation is offered in all cases.
Kevin Slack said: "Midland Financial
Solutions is offering a one-stop shop with a complete
financial and tax planning service to individuals,
companies, business pension schemes, charities and trusts.
"We are looking to give an
easy-to-understand, independent and transparent service."
For more information please contact Kevin
Edwards on 01332 345370/345546
Training company helps workers fight the recession – at the
double!
February
12, 2009
TWIN
brothers who were made redundant from the construction
industry in the last recession are now helping people to
find work in the current downturn.
Frank
and Mick Dunne are directors of Upskill - an Ilkeston
company which is celebrating its first year, during which
they have trained hundreds and helped people find jobs, some
of them as trainers themselves.
And
while many companies and workers are finding life tough the
twins are upbeat about Upskill which is on target for a £1m
turnover and set to expand, doubling its workforce.
Twin
brothers Mick (left) and Frank Dunne with trainers: David
Resoda, Steven Slater, Damien Dunne, Jackie Dunne and Angela
Filipe, in their UpSkill premises in Ilkeston.
The
identical twins know what it is like to be out of work,
having both lost their jobs in the construction industry
during the early 90s when they each had young families.
Frank was out of work for a couple of months, and Mick for
more than a year.
Mick
eventually got back into the construction industry and Frank
worked for Derbyshire County Council’s roads maintenance
department.
Frank
got involved in training and through various company changes
he was involved with Carillion where he helped adult
learners. Mick also joined Carillion and became a regional
manager.
The
brothers decided to pool their skills and experience to go
it alone and start their own business, which they did last
February, initially working from home.
They
received financial support and advice from enterprise agency
Erewash Partnership and last year moved into adjoining
offices at the agency’s headquarters in The Old Police
Station on Wharncliffe Road.
“We help
unemployed people gain formal qualifications, regardless of
their academic achievements,” said Mick
Or, as
Frank says: “We are giving people a second chance. We help
unemployed people learn skills which will, hopefully, get
them into work. For those in work we provide opportunities
to gain qualifications and improve their prospects.”
The
company delivers training courses in various subjects, such
as construction, warehousing and logistics, to meet
employers’ needs. This is done throughout the country, using
Upskill staff, but sometimes hiring in others.
So far
they have had 500 learners on their books, and this is set
to reach 600 later this month.
Of
these, 125 have achieved National Vocational Qualifications
at levels 2-4. Forty have been helped into work,
including eight with Upskill, who hope to take on another 10
in the next year.
“We are
delighted that some of those who have been helped into work
have been long-term unemployed, including some young men in
their early 20s who have never had a job,” said Mick. “They
are now working in roads maintenance and earning good
money.”
“We even
had a mum ring up and thank us for helping her son into work
because she thought he would never have a job. He had had
problems at school, under-achieved, and suffered low
self-esteem.
“But
with the right support from us, he has now held down a job
for a year building a hospital in Portsmouth and he is doing
really well.”
Upskill
has helped 20 people on courses at the Partnership’s
Enterprise Centre in Cotmanhay, over half of whom have found
work.
“Rather
than deliver courses in a lecturing style, we take a
hands-on approach with unemployed people,” said Frank. “We
talk their language and can empathise with them.
“We have
been through the dark days of one recession and are now
rising to the challenge of another. It’s our passion and we
feel we can make a positive contribution. We are even
training unemployed people to become trainers.”
About 40
companies, including Carillion, Costain, and Leicester City
Council highways division use Upskill to deliver training
programmes.
For further information call Frank or Mick Dunne on 0115 932
7376
School gains new status and benefits thanks to architect
drawing up ideas
January
28, 2009
An
architect’s first venture into education projects has helped
a school achieve new status, a new learning facility and
extra Government money.
Alan
McGowan Architects, of Tamworth Road, Long Eaton, helped
Brackenfield School in the town to achieve specialist
college status for cognition and learning.
The
Bracken Road college, which is under the auspices of
Derbyshire County Council, caters for 60 pupils aged 5-16
from a wide area who have autism, learning difficulties or
behavioural issues.
Alan did
a feasibility study and initial designs for an extension to
the premises to provide an extra learning area in
conjunction with its bid for specialist status.
That was
granted by the Government along with a £100,000 grant to
build the extension and extra funding of £60,000 for each of
the next three years.
Planning
permission has now been given for the 60 sq metre extension
which will provide a multi-use teaching area that can be
adapted for various uses including a meeting room.
Work is
scheduled to start later this year and be completed in time
for the new school year in September. In keeping with
Brackenfield’s eco-schools award the extension will use
sustainable cladding and be well insulated.
“I’m
delighted that we have been able to help a local school
achieve specialist status,” said Alan.
Brackenfield headteacher Phil Ormerod said: “It’s thanks to
Alan’s work on the feasibility study that we have been able
to achieve specialist status.”
He said
that Alan had also helped by securing charitable donations
from the local business community towards the £20,000 cost
of the bid.
“Alan
has given a good quality of service and been a great friend
to us, giving extra help over and above what we had
commissioned him for.”
Alan
McGowan Architects is the only chartered practice of
architects in the borough of Erewash.
After
qualifying in 1989 Alan worked with designer Sir Terence
Conran in London and at a firm in Nottingham. He was senior
lecturer in architecture at the University of Derby for 10
years before starting his own practice in 2002.
His work
involves housing, community and sports buildings – he
designed Belper Rugby Club’s clubhouse and changing rooms.
Brackenfield was his first venture into school buildings. “I
hope that this successful venture will lead to similar work
for other schools,” he added.
The
school will be celebrating its success at a special event on
February 6 for invited guests including representatives of
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.
For further information call Alan McGowan on 0115 875 8021
For further information please contact Darren on 07828
625812
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