‘Exemplar’ housing association retains national quality mark
Manningham Housing Association (MHA) has retained its Customer Service Excellence national quality mark after a 12-month review. The accreditation is awarded to organisations judged to have a “truly customer-focused culture” following a rigorous assessment process. The independent assessor held discussions with MHA staff at all levels as well as with board representatives, customer panel members,…
West Yorkshire busman Barry’s final stop on a journey full of memories
Friendly bus chief retires after 30 years with The Keighley Bus Company West Yorkshire busman Barry Nichol can look back to countless happy memories throughout his 30 years with The Keighley Bus Company – a career journey that has now reached its final stop. Barry, 65, has been an early riser for most of his…
‘We can get the job done in Bradford’, appeal young adults with a learning disability on new national day of action
Charity DFN Project SEARCH launches inaugural National Supported Internship Day highlighting the benefits of supporting young people with SEND into the workforce A new government-backed national day of action will be marked today (Monday 27 March) to help boost the number of people with a learning disability or autism spectrum condition in employment. Led by charity DFN Project SEARCH,…
Families enjoy Easter egg-stravaganza at Drax’s Skylark Centre
Hundreds of visitors are joining the fun at the Skylark Nature Reserve this week for a special Easter-themed set of events including egg decorating and a scavenger hunt. The three days of events during the Easter half-term holidays feature activities to suit children of all ages including exploring the science behind the melting points of…
Morley and Outwood MP to open South Leeds Garden Centre
Directors at a Yorkshire garden centre group have invited a local MP to open their new garden centre next month. Morley and Outwood MP Andrea Jenkyns will cut the ribbon to celebrate the official opening of Tingley Garden Centre, one of four owned by Yorkshire Garden Centres, at 12 pm on 22nd April. …
Bradford based structural engineers Empace expands with recent appointment in London and attains ISO certification.
Empace Civil and Structural engineers, based in Bradford West Yorkshire appoints new partner Richard Colley to head their London practice as the firm continues to grow since its inception in December 2016. The recent attainment of ISO certifications in ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO45001 have put the company on equal footing with some of the larger…
Region’s Head of Nursing opens state-of-the-art health simulation suite at York St John University
Professor Laura Serrant OBE, Health Education England’s Regional Head of Nursing (North East and Yorkshire), officially opens new health education facility for nursing, paramedic science, physiotherapy and occupational therapy courses. York St John University celebrated the opening of its new health simulation suite yesterday alongside an audience of NHS partners and providers, University staff…
Manningham Housing Association recognised for commitment to diversity and inclusion
Manningham Housing Association (MHA) has been shortlisted for Best Approach to Diversity and Inclusion at the Northern Housing Awards 2023. The award is for housing providers “who show a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion – both within their own organisation and the wider housing sector.” MHA is one of four finalists in…
Dancing on the Waves: Kyiv City Ballet Sets Sail with City Cruises York
York’s business community is gearing up to welcome the Kyiv City Ballet company once again, as a diverse range of businesses have joined hands to make the upcoming visit a memorable one. As part of their visit to the city, the performers were invited to board City Cruises York’s River Duchess for an early evening…
Yorkshire Garden Centres selected to sell coronation biscuits
A Yorkshire garden centre group has been chosen to stock a limited edition coronation tin of biscuits featuring artwork by celebrated artist Eleanor Tomlinson. Stocks of the celebration biscuits that Brighouse-based Lottie Shaws have made are now available at Tong, Tingley, Otley and Bingley Garden Centres. They feature a selection of biscuits, a decorative sleeve…
Project to boost female entrepreneurship in Leeds launches at Unity Business Centre
Unity Business Centre has hosted the launch of a new programme designed to empower female entrepreneurs in Leeds to achieve their business goals. The Fund Her Leeds project – a combination of virtual and in-person events – has been developed by Fund Her North in partnership with the Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA) and…
York entrepreneurs learn routes to Start-Up Success
York’s budding entrepreneurs were given a boost on Saturday 11 March as they benefited from a packed day of activities to help them pursue their goals in business. Attended by more than 60 ambitious local entrepreneurs, the StartUp Saturday event took place in the city’s historic Guildhall, and included an address from Councillor Ashley Mason,…
Yorkshire Garden Centres group reaches final of regional food and drink award
The team at a Bradford-headquartered garden centre group is celebrating after reaching the final of a regional food and drink business award. Yorkshire Garden Centres has been shortlisted in the Best Retailer category in the Azets Food and Drink Business Awards. Yorkshire Garden Centres’ MD, Mark Farnsworth, said: “We have grown our family of garden…
Food Industry Training Company Rewards Excellence
Employees of Soreen, BBF, Speedibake and Hilltop Honey were the outstanding delegates receiving this year’s Verner Wheelock Excellence Awards. The annual awards first took place in 2015 to coincide with the food industry training company’s 25th anniversary. Karen Miles, a Senior QA in the Technical Department of Soreen was awarded the Auditing Student of the…
New starters enhance customer centric approach at Oscrete
Two experienced customer service professionals have joined the Bradford-based Oscrete UK construction team. Aneesa Ahmed and Jack Cavalier-Lumley have joined the specialist construction chemical supplier as Customer Service Advisors adding to the company’s growing customer services team. Focussing on creating a dynamic, responsive and swift service, Aneesa, Jack and the wider customer service team work…
New Board members appointed at Manningham Housing Association
Manningham Housing Association (MHA) has made three Board appointments, Rupert Pometsey becomes Vice Chair with Alice Kinder and John Knox joining the Bradford-based organisation as new Board members. They replace Abdul Ravat, Vicky Szulist and Haroon Rashid who have stepped down after many years of collective service. Mr Pometsey is an architect and brings with him a wealth of experience…
Researchers gather experiences of harassment with pop-up dancefloor events
The Dancefloor Project: a unique research collaboration that aims to reduce unwanted behaviour in public spaces and make nights out safer “Every woman has a dancefloor story, a walking home alone story, a workplace story, a bus journey story” A unique collaboration between psychology researchers at York St John University and York based community projects…
Region’s Head of Nursing to open York St John University’s new health simulation suite for nursing and allied health courses
Professor Laura Serrant OBE, Health Education England’s Regional Head of Nursing (North East and Yorkshire), will officially open York St John University’s new health simulation suite on Thursday 30 March, alongside an audience of NHS partners and providers, University staff and students, and other invited guests. The specialist teaching facilities, which opened for students in…
University of Bradford sets challenge to ‘future-proof’ students
The University of Bradford is ‘future-proofing’ its students with a pioneering ‘Dragons Den’ style assessment for the next generation of medical professionals. Second-year students on the Clinical Sciences programme are being tasked with researching, developing and pitching a unique medical device, with a group of professionals from across the medical industry sitting on a panel…
Tingley garden centre celebrates its first gardening season with a spring launch weekend
A Tingley garden centre is celebrating springtime and its first gardening season with a celebration launch weekend next month On the 1st and 2nd of April, visitors to Tingley Garden Centre will be able to see the changes that owners, Yorkshire Garden Centres, have made since it opened in September and get 15% off plants, garden furniture,…
Clarion nurtures ‘leaders of tomorrow’ with tailor-made management development programme
As part of its ongoing commitment to enabling its people to develop their careers and be the best they can be, Clarion is continuing to invest time and develop bespoke training to make this happen. The firm has celebrated the first 30 lawyers and managers to complete a unique nine-month management development programme which it…
Another £5,000 donated to York’s Special Care Baby Unit by Register Office
The team at City of York Council’s Register Office has raised another £5,000 for York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity, thanks to the generosity of new parents in the city, which will benefit the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at York Hospital. Parents registering a birth are offered a folder in which to keep their new…
Leeds’ original vintage store expands portfolio with new Merrion Centre outlet
Blue Rinse, Leeds’ original vintage fashion store is set to open its second city centre outlet at the Merrion Centre in the popular Arena Quarter. Blue Rinse was established in 1997 in Leeds by brothers Mick and Jeff Barnett and went on to wholesale across Europe, work with Urban Outfitters to develop reworked/vintage ranges and…
Rollits welcomes new Compliance Officer
Leading York law firm Rollits LLP has announced the appointment of David Richardson as its new Compliance Officer. A qualified solicitor, David worked for a prominent Newcastle-based personal injury firm for almost 20 years, specialising in cases which included disputed liability, alleged fraud RTA and employer and public liability. He moved into an IT development…
City Cruises and York’s Chocolate Story bring an Easter Egg-stravaganza to York
City Cruises and York’s Chocolate Story are teaming up this Easter to bring an exciting Easter egg hunt to York. The two companies have collaborated to create an egg hunt that will see 16 eggs hidden around the city over a two-week period from April 1st to April 16th. One egg will be hidden at…
Bradford garden centre is shortlisted for a national people and culture award
The team at a Bradford garden centre is celebrating after being shortlisted for a national HR award. Tong Garden Centre has reached the final in the Retail Company of the Year Award of the British HR Awards that celebrate the organisations and individuals that are driven by delivering a world-class people experience. “This is the first…
Rising stars of manufacturing and engineering to be celebrated in Leeds awards
Manufacturing and engineering employers in Leeds are being urged to nominate outstanding younger talent from among their own organisations for an awards initiative that is now in its second year. The Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards aim to identify and recognise the achievements of the industry’s next generation of rising stars and potential business leaders. The…
Vertically Urban and Microsoft plot growth of AI Partnership
FEED THE WORLD With the world’s population set to rise to around 9.8 billion by 2050, it is thought that global food production must increase by around 70% to ensure food stays on everybody’s table. At the same time, we are already losing traditional farmland at an alarming rate mostly because of pollution and climate…
Bradford Garden Centre to host free houseplant advice session
A Bradford garden centre is hosting a free drop-in session for customers to get expert houseplant advice. Gardeners’ World Live presenter Joe Bagley will be in the houseplant department at Tong Garden Centre from 12 pm on Saturday, 25th March to give advice and answer questions about houseplants. “More people are interested in indoor gardening than…
Helmsley Group makes further public realm commitment at Coney Street Riverside
Yorkshire property specialist Helmsley Group has submitted a second planning application for its ambitious Coney Street Riverside masterplan. The plans, submitted to City of York Council (CoYC), feature numbers 3-7 Coney Street and include proposals to create a new snickelway connecting Coney Street to the riverside walkway outlined in the initial planning application. This new…
Bradford Garden Centre relaunches its butchery offering
A Bradford garden centre has relaunched its butchery offering following feedback from customers. Hearty’s Food Hall at Tong Garden Centre has introduced a new butchery department in partnership with East Yorkshire-based Yorkshire Wold butchery. Yorkshire Wold’s MD, Christopher Smith, is excited by the opportunity: “This is our first retail partnership, and we’re delighted to be…
Leeds Commercial Property Lunch launched by regional businesses
Bradley Hall, Schofield Sweeney, and Together have partnered to launch the first Leeds Commercial Property Lunch. The three regional businesses have come together to create a forum for key commercial property professionals, with the aim of introducing new opportunities, education and encourage collaboration in the sector. David Cran, managing director of Bradley Hall Yorkshire, said:…
Squire Patton Boggs Promotes Senior Leeds Lawyer to Partnership
Squire Patton Boggs is pleased to announce that senior litigation lawyer Jenny Broderick has been promoted to partner. Jenny’s practice comprises a range of commercial litigation and dispute resolution work for clients in the UK and internationally. Recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ by Legal 500 in its 2023 client guide, she has experience of representing…
Clarion builds on its growing international reputation with continued double-digit growth to £26.9m revenue
Recently named as Europe’s third fastest growing law firm1, Clarion’s rapid upward trajectory is continuing with the firm once again achieving double digit growth, seeing turnover rising by 16% from £23.2m in 2021 to £26.9m last year (ending 31st May 2022). As the firm strengthens its client base both nationally and internationally, it has also seen…
Bradford garden centre wins regional sustainability award
The team at a Bradford garden centre is celebrating after winning a regional sustainability award. Sustainability Lead, Steph Bates and Head of People and Culture, Neil Barwise-Carr from Tong Garden Centre were presented with the Sustainability Award at the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards in Yorkshire and The Humber on 24th February. Organised by the…
Transdev offers unique bus sponsorship deals to drive Yorkshire’s business success
Operator’s move to promote local firms from city to coast follows successful trials with prestige retailer John Lewis Yorkshire-based bus operator Transdev is giving local firms a chance to take their message onto the road with a unique new bus sponsorship deal – following a successful trial with one of Britain’s most prestigious retailers. Transdev…
Government Minister sees Transdev team battling heavy snow to keep buses on the move
Buses Minister Richard Holden salutes Yorkshire-based firm’s hard work in wintry weather Buses Minister Richard Holden has enjoyed an access-all-areas tour of North of England bus firm Transdev’s Harrogate base – seeing for himself how hard work behind the scenes kept the Yorkshire spa town on the move following heavy snowfall. Mr Holden, who was…
A life in BBC News revealed in new lecture series
BBC News presenter Reeta Chakrabarti to welcome journalist Ben Brown for York St John University lecture on Thursday 2 March With a career spanning over 30 years, the University’s Chancellor Reeta Chakrabarti will introduce a lecture entitled ‘From the frontline to the studio: A life in BBC News’. Reeta will be joined by fellow BBC…
Britain’s most scenic bus route saved as customer numbers soar
Coastliner route 840 across the North York Moors to Whitby to continue The Coastliner 840 route linking Leeds and York with the historic port of Whitby – named Britain’s Most Scenic Bus Route in a national poll – has been saved after the Government confirmed further funding to support buses. The funding extension means more…
Charity and social enterprises encouraged to apply for university community research grants worth £54,000
York St John University’s Institute for Social Justice (ISJ), established in 2020 to pursue positive change through research, is now accepting applications for its second year of Community Research Grants. Voluntary, charity and social enterprises (VCSE) can now apply to the innovative scheme that invites community groups to work in partnership with university academics. The…
Rollits adds to its ranks with appointment of dispute resolution specialist
A lawyer with more than 20 years of dispute resolution experience has joined leading law firm Rollits LLP as an associate based in the York office. Emma Farrell, who lives in York, draws on an extensive background of advising in all areas of commercial and general civil disputes. She will work closely with colleagues in…
Leeds Manufacturing Festival announces headline sponsors for 2023 programme
Launched last week at a packed event addressed by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracey Brabin and manufacturing employers’ organisation MAKE UK, Leeds Manufacturing Festival has announced the three organisations that are headline sponsors for its 2023 programme. Leeds City College, engineering and manufacturing recruiter E3 Recruitment and Next Gen Makers, which runs a benchmarking and accreditation…
Tang Hall SMART CIC has expanded their business this year
Tang Hall SMART CIC, a social enterprise that was established 2014 in the grounds of the former Burnholme Community College, and that has been operating from The Centre @ Burnholme since its opening, has expanded their business this year so that they are also delivering out of The Jam Factory in The Groves. The set…
Leave those car keys at home! £2-a-trip price drop boosts Yorkshire bus firm Transdev as money-saving motorists switch from cars
Operator’s unique ‘Spill The Beans’ research reveals almost six out of ten customers on its buses have access to a car … but choose the bus instead An extended Government-backed low fare deal to attract customers back to the bus is helping Yorkshire-based bus operator Transdev to attract record numbers of motorists to leave their…
Homeowners in Leeds can sell their home quicker with a new scheme
Homeowners in Leeds can sell their home quicker thanks to a new buying scheme from David Wilson Homes. Moving house is considered one of the most stressful life events that a person can go through (57%)[2], but Part Exchange aims to reduce stress by removing the sales chain. Prospective buyers can use the Part Exchange Guarantee Scheme to sell…
C-Kore’s new product, Topside Wireless Modem, improves safety on the back-deck during umbilical installations
C-Kore Systems is launching a new product, their Topside Wireless Modem at GUH’s Subsea Expo Exhibition in Aberdeen. This latest product completes their line of test tools to now offer a complete solution for Umbilical Installation Monitoring. The Topside Wireless Modem improves safety on back-deck operations by reducing the risk to offshore personnel while monitoring…
First Intuition’s 2023 Accountancy Academy back as strong as ever
“An amazing couple of days and a huge success” At First Intuition, we pride ourselves on our ability to create a warm and inviting environment in which aspiring accountants can flourish. First Intuition’s Accountancy Academy plays a pivotal role in ensuring we consistently achieve this aim. Our hugely popular First Intuition Accountancy Academies were launched…
Bradford Garden Centre’s apprentices complete their courses
Management at a Bradford Garden Centre are celebrating after its first two apprentices have passed their qualifications. 19 year old Alfie Taylor from Wyke was employed by Tong Garden Centre as a Plants Apprentice and studied at Shipley College to gain a Horticulture Operative Level 2 qualification and 27 year old Brandon Cox from Birkenshaw has completed Level…