Pioneering mentorship scheme connects young volunteers with opportunity
A trailblazing new mentoring programme, which brings together local young volunteers and leading role models in the tech and digital sectors, has recently reached its grand finale. Delivered by social value specialist Ahead Partnership, the first-of-its-kind programme has aimed to give back to young volunteers aged 16-19 at Harehills-based youth empowerment charity CATCH Leeds by…
£1.18 million glaucoma study will take a fresh look at retina scanning technology
A £1.18m University of Bradford project funded by the Medical Research Council could help improve diagnosis of glaucoma while reducing misdiagnosis rates. Glaucoma is the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness, affecting 3% of those aged over 40 in the UK. It is also becoming more common as the population ages, with 112 million people…
Sugarize brings custom pick & mix magic to the Merrion Centre
Sweet shop experience opens for shoppers The Merrion Centre in Leeds has welcomed an innovative sweet shop experience for shoppers with the opening of Sugarize, the ultimate destination for sweets, snacks, drinks and pick & mix. Following the success of its trial store in Queens Arcade, Sugarize has expanded with a flagship 400 sq. ft…
Woodhouse Grove sixth form taster day
DEADLINE TO REGISTER 31ST JANUARY 2025 – GET YOUR SPOT NOW! Our forward-thinking Sixth Form offers you a choice of pathways to help you excel on your terms. Tailor your learning based on your personal strengths and passions. Our programme’s flexibility and our care and commitment to the individual will free you to unlock your…
15 years of putting ‘washroom services’ at the heart of our business
Thirsk based TWC Facilities Ltd, a leading provider of washroom solutions, is proudly celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Since its humble beginnings, the company has grown into the region’s top choice for washroom services in the North of England, offering a range of services including washroom management, waste services, floor mat solutions, and consumables….
Businesses invited to help tackle domestic abuse
York’s businesses are being encouraged to join an upcoming session helping employers contribute to the fight against domestic abuse. The Domestic Abuse: Awareness for Businesses session will take place at the Priory Street Centre on Tuesday 4 February from 9:30-11:30 am. The event is free to attend, with tickets available at the link below: https://app.tickettailor.com/events/cityofyorkcouncil1/1486642…
York St John University announces the UK’s first MSc in Operating Department Practice to expand routes into specialist healthcare workforce
This pioneering pre-registration programme, developed according to the College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP) curriculum, will bring a different dimension to the profession. Designed to nurture a passion for patient-centred care, the MSc prepares students for the fast-moving environments of operating theatres and the broader healthcare settings. Operating Department Practitioners (ODP) are highly skilled Allied…
City of York Council publishes proposed 2025-26 Budget
City of York Council has published its draft budget proposals for the 2025/26 financial year. These proposals outline significant investments in essential services and targeted support for residents, while continuing to deliver necessary savings and the long-term financial sustainability of council services. The budget reflects the council’s commitment to protecting the services residents rely on,…
Lane closure on Queen Street as part of work to improve paths
Residents and commuters are being forewarned of a lane closure that is planned at the Queen Street/Blossom Street Junction as the York Station Gateway project continues. After the removal of much of what was Queen Street Bridge in November, contractors John Sisk & Son will be carrying out works to improve the footpaths and kerbs…
2025 Garden Waste Subscription Scheme open
From today [Monday 13 January], households eligible to subscribe to the 2025 Garden Waste Subscription Scheme can sign up ahead of the new season in March. The easiest way to sign up for the scheme is to complete an online form at www.york.gov.uk/GardenWaste Support is available for anyone who is not able to apply this…
Helping York businesses be Ambitious about Employment
Members of York’s business community are being encouraged to take part in a new movement to increase opportunities for York residents to get into the world of work. In partnership with City of York Council, 4front Partners will deliver the Ambitious About Employment project, which will help businesses tap into the pool of hidden talent…
Yorkshire housing provider loaned £20m through the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme
54North Homes has received a £20m loan under the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme (AHGS) to support its delivery of new affordable homes across Yorkshire. Managed by ESR Group’s specialist investment manager Venn Partners on behalf of the UK Government, half of the loan will help 54North Homes deliver about 100 new homes, with the majority…
Free cinema event in York for people trying to stay warm this winter
York St John University teams up with York Community Energy to offer Warm Spaces film screening York St John University is pleased to invite the local community to a Warm Spaces screening of family film favourite Paddington in Peru. The event is being run by the Cinema and Social Justice project at York St John…
Castle Howard reports Christmas event as the most successful to date
Castle Howard reports Christmas event as the most successful to date, with 30% of visitors travelling from outside of Yorkshire, and thousands of free or subsidised tickets issued to Essential Carers and other groups Castle Howard has announced record breaking visitor numbers for their 2024 Christmas event, reaching 100,000 visitors on the closing day, Sunday…
Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair 2025
Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair returns to first direct arena Leeds on Wednesday 12th February 2025. Free tickets are available to book anytime between 1pm-7pm. You’ll have the chance to talk to major employers from a wide range of sectors, including accounting, business and administration, catering and hospitality, construction, creative design, care services, digital, education, engineering,…
Interior design trends for 2025 revealed for North Yorkshire home buyers
Leading housebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes has collaborated with design experts, Blocc Interiors, to share some upcoming trends for homeowners in North Yorkshire to consider. Karl Openshaw, Creative Director at Blocc Interiors, said: “When looking ahead to 2025, I’ve highlighted trends that stood out at the Maison and Objet show in Paris, which provide…
Yorkshire Building Society hires new Director of People and Culture
Yorkshire Building Society has appointed a new Director of People and Culture. Kirsty Webb will join the mutual on 3 February, bringing 25 years’ experience in people and HR leadership roles. She was most recently HR Director Group Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Interim Head of Talent for the Retail Division at Barclays Bank, where…
New Head of Trade Credit at TL Dallas
A highly experienced industry professional has joined the trade credit division of independent insurance and risk management firm, TL Dallas Group. Peter Hodgson is joining the Bradford headquartered family and employee-owned firm as Director of Trade Credit. Peter will work alongside Simon Hyde, who has been with TL Dallas for over 25 years, and has…
HSBC leader to share tech insights with York businesses
York businesses are being invited to hear from HSBC’s Head of Technology Sector and Growth Lending at a new Tech Forum. The event, taking place at the council’s West Offices on Thursday 13 February, will see Roland Emmans explore how businesses can embrace rapid technological change. Roland will share insights from a career in business…
Merrion Centre plans biggest Chinese New Year celebrations for 2025
The Merrion Centre in Leeds is set for the biggest Chinese New Year celebration yet, earmarked to take place across two weekends in 2025. Following the overwhelming success of last year’s event, visitors are invited to enjoy a vibrant programme of free cultural activities, performances and workshops, celebrating the Year of the Snake. In partnership…
Repair works to start on Bishopthorpe Bridge
The council will be carrying out essential repairs on Bishopthorpe Bridge with work starting next week. In recent months, following an inspection, the bridge has been subject to a weight limit. On Monday 13 January the strengthening work will start and is expected to last for 12 weeks. A corrugated steel arch will be installed…
Residents urged to take care and avoid riverside paths
York residents and visitors are being advised to take extra care given the overnight weather, and to avoid riverside paths. The snow and ice will mean journeys take longer. The combination of recent floodwaters still receding and a layer of silt and mud left behind has made riverside paths especially dangerous, preventing the usual cleaning…
Expect Distribution back the Bulls in 2025
Bradford Bulls are excited to announce the renewal of their partnership with Expect Distribution, who will continue as the club’s season-long match ball sponsor for the 2025 season. Having initially joined the Bulls in 2024, Expect Distribution has become an integral part of the matchday experience, with their iconic truck, Ernie, delivering the match ball…
Schofield Sweeney advises Vickers Laboratories on sale to Calibre Scientific
Vickers Laboratories, who has served the chemical industry for over 50 years have sold their entire issued share capital to Calibre Scientific, an acquirer headquartered in Los Angeles. Calibre Scientific is a global provider of life science reagents, tools, instruments, and other consumables to lab research, diagnostics, industrial, and biopharmaceutical communities. Extending to over 175…
Regal Food Products Group Plc are delighted to announce its partnership extension with Bradford City AFC
The partnership extension will see the Regal Group continue as Bradford City’s official shorts sponsor as an official club partner until at least the summer of 2025. Davide Longo, City’s chief commercial officer, said: “We are delighted to see Regal extending their backing of the club by a further year, to remain on the back…
Regal Foods CEO Younis Chaudhry awarded MBE in New Year Honours List
CEO of Regal Food Products Group Plc, Younis Chaudhry has been recognised in the New Year Honours List with an MBE for his services to business and to the community of Bradford. For over twenty years Younis Chaudhry has excelled in British business and international trade, all whilst giving back at every opportunity to the…
2025 must herald new dawn for new homes – housing association CEO
The chief executive of Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association (MHA) has said 2025 must be the year for the government to “inject real momentum” into its housebuilding plans if Ministers are to meet their pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament. In a New Year message, Lee Bloomfield reflected on…
Gillygate trial gets underway this week
A trial that seeks to improve air quality on Gillygate will start this week. From 2 January 2025 the council will trial changes to the traffic light sequencing to significantly reduce stationary traffic on the street which has the worst air quality in York. Queueing motor vehicle traffic emits gases such as nitrogen oxides and…
Yorkshire garden centre group donates to Bradford Central food bank
The teams at a Bradford headquartered garden centre group have donated to foodbanks in areas around their centres. Yorkshire Garden Centres donated over 400 items to food banks serving the communities around their sites at Tong, Tingley, Otley, Bingley, York and Scarborough. Employees at all sites have donated non-perishable food items to be distributed to…
Holiday season celebrations take place at Amazon in Leeds
The team from Amazon in Leeds has been gearing up for the Christmas shopping season with a calendar full of festive celebrations. A Christmas market, competitions and a rock choir are just some of the activities taking place at the Leeds fulfilment centre to celebrate the work that the Amazon team is doing to deliver…
£50,000 awarded to charities by local manufacturer
A North Yorkshire manufacturer has continued its tradition of supporting charities and good causes with another year of generous community donations. Chemical specialist, Airedale Group, has donated £50,000 to a variety of worthwhile causes in 2024 and received recognition for its community work in the form an industry award. Amongst the recipients of this year’s…
Yorkshire garden centre group adds a seventh site to the family
Bradford-based Yorkshire Garden Centres Group has announced it will operate a further site in West Yorkshire. The former Dobbies Garden Centre Pennine in Huddersfield will join the YGC Partners business, which also acquired the Deans Garden Centres in York and Scarborough earlier this year. Mark Farnsworth, MD of Yorkshire Garden Centres said: “We are delighted…
Leeds garden centre donates ice rink session for Inclusive Skating Awards
The team at a South Leeds garden centre ice rink hosted a group of skaters for a unique awards ceremony that coincided with World Ice Skating Day on 15th December. Adrian Jack, Professional Ice Skating Coach at Bradford Ice Arena, sought an outdoor ice rink to host an awards ceremony for some of his skaters…
Young people’s bus fare reductions extended as ticket sales reach half a million
Free and reduced price bus tickets for York’s young people will continue until 30 March 2025, after an extension to the subsidy was agreed as part of the city’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). Unaccompanied under 19s currently pay just £1 for a single fare and accompanied under 16 year olds travel for free, in a…
Groundbreaking ceremony marks start of construction on £17m Future Technologies Centre
A symbolic groundbreaking ceremony marked a major step forward in the construction of Bradford College’s purpose-built £17m Future Technologies Centre. Members of the Bradford College management team were joined by representatives from Morgan Sindall Construction and the Department for Education to celebrate construction commencing on site. The project received £15 million from the Department for…
MHA’s Christmas MELA brings community spirit to life in Keighley
More than 200 local residents came together in Victoria Hall in Keighley to enjoy a celebration of culture, unity and festive joy at Christmas MELA 2024 hosted by Manningham Housing Association (MHA). There was something for everyone including a visit from Santa Claus, a festive photo booth, DJ, henna art and facepainting, calligraphy, a charity…
Yorkshire garden centre group donates Christmas trees to Wilsden WI
The teams at a Bradford headquartered garden centre group have donated Christmas trees to community causes in areas around their centres. Yorkshire Garden Centres donated 10 real and artificial trees to causes serving the communities around their sites at Tong, Tingley, Otley, Bingley, York and Scarborough. One of the beneficiaries was Wilsden WI following a…
Netcompany announces further digital careers inclusion investment with Ahead Partnership expansion
Netcompany UK, part of the fastest-growing IT services company in Northern Europe, has committed to a further three-years of collaboration with Ahead Partnership to support young people through digital skills inclusion and gender inclusivity initiatives. The two have worked together since 2021, with Netcompany having been an anchor sponsor of Ahead Partnership’s well-established Growing Talent Digital…
Bulls awarded Armed Forces Gold Covenant
Bradford Bulls are proud to announce that the club has been awarded the prestigious Armed Forces Gold Covenant, recognising their outstanding commitment to supporting the armed forces community. This award, the highest recognition under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, highlights the club’s dedication to fostering relationships with the armed forces, providing opportunities for veterans and…
Shopping centres’ pioneering new partnership with The White Company makes perfect scents this Christmas
Trinity Leeds and White Rose Shopping Centre have joined forces with The White Company in the run-up to Christmas in a pioneering new partnership that’s not to be sniffed at. The two shopping centres will diffuse the luxury brand’s signature ‘Winter’ fragrance – with warming notes of cinnamon, clove and orange – and the ‘Seychelles’…
York-based investigation helps jail criminals behind £1m home improvement scam
Four men who exploited the Government’s ‘Green Deal’ initiative and cheated their way to more than £1 million were sentenced on Friday at Leeds Crown Court (13 December 2024). The group offered home improvement services – particularly supplying and fitting windows and doors – and targeted victims across Yorkshire and Derbyshire between April 2017 and…
MHA welcomes Government representatives to Keighley and Bradford
Manningham Housing Association (MHA) has hosted senior strategy and policy staff from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on a two day factfinding trip. The visit was part of MHCLG’s Social Housing Immersion Programme which provides a bridge for policy and strategy staff to engage with housing associations and tenants across the…
Top Notch backing for the Bulls in 2025.
Bradford Bulls are excited to announce a new partnership with Top Notch North West Ltd, who will join the club as one of our main sponsors for the 2025 season. As part of this significant collaboration, Top Notch’s branding will feature prominently on the front of the Bulls’ away replica and playing shirt next year….
Does your polling district and station work for you?
City of York Council is starting a review of its polling district boundaries and the places where people can vote, and is asking residents to comment on the new proposals as well as on existing arrangements. Like all towns and cities, York is divided into polling districts in which local residents can vote at polling…
Yorkshire garden centre group donates Christmas trees to West Yorkshire causes
The teams at a Bradford headquartered garden centre group have donated Christmas trees to community causes in areas around their centres. Yorkshire Garden Centres donated 10 real and artificial trees to causes serving the communities around their sites at Tong, Tingley, Otley, Batley, York and Scarborough. One of the beneficiaries was the Women’s and Newborn…
Town Centre Securities PLC announces first phase of town centre house refurbishment
Modern Design, Prime Location, Fresh Vision: Town Centre House Unveiled Leading property development and investment company Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS) announces the completion of the first phase of its refurbishment of Town Centre House, located in the heart of Leeds’ Arena Quarter. TCS has undertaken a full refurbishment of the ground and first floors,…
Planting to brighten up Front Street
As work to improve Front Street continues to progress, green-fingered volunteers have been planting flowers and trees to brighten up the area. The Greater Acomb Community Forum has branched out, lending their hands and expertise to sow the seeds for a brighter future. The council has worked with the community forum to select the trees,…
New Director of Operations appointed at Manningham Housing Association
Saqib Saleem is joining Manningham Housing Association (MHA) as Director of Operations. Amongst a broad range of responsibilities, he will lead on the delivery of customer facing services and drive MHA’s asset management strategy, including overseeing its property portfolio. Mr Saleem is currently Director of Strategy and Regulation at Altair where he leads a team…