York taxi passengers to get safer, greener rides
New requirements for York taxis and private hire vehicles are set to make them among the safest in the UK as a new policy incorporates national guidance, making them even safer, with fewer emissions and offering greater choice, especially for disabled passengers. An extensive consultation carried out this summer has helped shape a new Taxi…
Grant applications for Warm Places invited
Organisations running Warm Places in York to support local people through the coldest months are invited to apply for up to £5,000 funding from a £40,000 fund before 10 November. 28 Warm Places opened their doors to local residents last winter – ten more than the previous year – for a minimum two hours a…
NEW Swap 2 Stop with free vapes this Stoptober
Swap 2 Stop is a new nationwide campaign, being offered by the York Health Trainers, which is aimed at encouraging smokers to make the switch from smoking to vaping to improve their health. Smokers are addicted to nicotine, not tobacco. It’s the tar and toxic chemicals produced in tobacco smoke that kill, so switching from…
JHS distribute Donner musical instruments in the UK and Republic of Ireland
Renowned for affordable, reliable instruments, Chinese musical instrument manufacturer Donner, have earned a reputation in the music industry for producing quality built portable keyboards, digital pianos, electronic drum kits and fretted instruments often with advanced and innovative designs. New additions to the JHS catalogue include the popular Hush series of ultra-compact electric travel guitars. Designed…
City Campus ‘open for teaching’ communications
Leeds Trinity University City Campus opens its doors for teaching Leeds Trinity University has welcomed its first students to begin teaching at its new Leeds City Campus. Postgraduate students were first to step into the City Campus, based at 1 Trevelyan Square, on Wednesday 16 October. Foundation Year and undergraduate students will continue their programmes…
There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family, according to two thirds of Yorkshire folk
This year’s National Adoption Week highlights all kinds of adoption journeys. City of York Council and One Adoption North and Humber, the regional adoption agency for the York, North Yorkshire and the Humber, are supporting this year’s National Adoption Week (21-27 October). This year’s campaign hopes to increase understanding of modern adoption, the diversity of…
Leeds College of Building joins low carbon heat network
Leeds College of Building’s North Street Campus is set to benefit from the latest expansion of the Leeds PIPES district heating network. The network uses heat recovered from non-recyclable domestic waste to provide warmth and hot water to buildings in the city. The project is helping businesses and residents to move away from costly fossil-fuel…
Queen Street to close for 5 nights in November
City of York Council has published information to support residents and visitors as a key road near York Station closes over 5 nights in November. As an essential part of works to transform the area to the front of York Station, the new Queen Street diversion road will be closed for five consecutive weeknights. The…
Council works with regulator to further housing standards
On 1 April 2024, the Social Housing (Regulations) Act 2023 came into force. Its new regulatory standards require tenant safety and engagement, decent homes and transparency, and landlords to inform the regulator of any non-compliance. The Regulator of Social Housing also requires more frequent surveys of homes and consideration of tenants’ diverse needs and any…
College motorsports event inspires next generation of talent
A unique motorsports event for young vehicle enthusiasts celebrated the end of a specialist Bradford College engagement programme this week. Since the start of September, around 35 Motor Vehicle students have benefitted from the ‘Bradford Motorsport Engagement Programme’ (BMEP) programme, funded by Mission 44. The BMEP initiative aims to inspire and educate the next generation…
City of York Council named most productive council in country
City of York Council has topped a new list of the most productive English councils, meaning that we achieve the highest value for residents per pound of council spending. Independent consultancy, IMPOWER, analysed 149 councils across eight core areas using their index. These are the areas where councils spend the most money and include: housing…
Innovative start-up cooks up a storm with council support
City of York Council has supported a pioneering food delivery business to get established in York, with the company now looking to launch in cities across the UK. School Kitchen works in partnership with schools, taking over their kitchen facilities during the evenings and over the weekends. From their bases in schools, they run home delivery…
Report reveals UKREiiF hits £5m social value milestone
The UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) has announced that £5 million in social value has been created by its events in just three years, with the findings detailed in a report by economists at social value organisation Loop. Intended to connect people, places and businesses to accelerate and unlock sustainable, inclusive, and transformation…
Ghost-inspired York Gin relaunches in ‘Europe’s most haunted city’
A gin inspired by one of York’s most famous ghosts has reappeared in time for Halloween. York Gin Grey Lady takes its name from the Medieval ghost who reportedly haunts the city’s Theatre Royal. The friendly ghost is said to haunt the dress circle of the theatre. Mad Alice, York’s top tour guide, who knows…
Help us make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring
To help us achieve our aim of making homelessness and rough sleeping rare, brief and non-recurring, we’re asking everyone interested to comment on our new draft strategy. Our five-year Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy aims to build on the work of our highly-effective Housing Navigators and our partners. Through it, we plan to offer people…
Dan Jones of Neo G wins The International Award
Dan Jones of Neo G has won The International Award as part of The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme for 2024, in partnership with The Times. Created by trusted investment partner LDC – part of Lloyds Banking Group, The Top 50 celebrates entrepreneurs demonstrating remarkable ambition, and is now in its seventh…
The future of philanthropy: The Grammar School at Leeds announces new partnership with Leeds Community Foundation
The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) has announced a new partnership with Leeds Community Foundation, the region’s largest independent grant-maker. GSAL has supported Leeds Community Foundation’s core work as members since 2013, but this new partnership signals a new and exciting way of working together. GSAL students will engage in fundraising and volunteering to support…
Bradford BID to host charity Sing-a-Long Bingo in support of Jude’s Urban Kitchen
Bradford BID is excited to host its inaugural charity social event to raise funds for local organisation, Jude’s Urban Kitchen. The Sing-a-Long Bingo event will take place at The Underground on Thursday, 14th November, at 7pm. Jonny Noble, Chief Executive of Bradford BID said: “This event is a great opportunity for the local community, including…
New Non-Executive Director appointed at Yorkshire Building Society
Yorkshire Building Society has confirmed Janet Pope will join its Board as Non-Executive Director on 29 October. With more than 30 years’ experience in financial services, Janet currently sits on the Board of the debt charity StepChange and is Chair of the Charities Aid Foundation Bank. She recently retired from Lloyds Banking Group, where she…
Corporate team grows with new appointments
Schofield Sweeney, an award-winning legal firm has announced the expansion of its corporate team, reflecting on the Firm’s continued growth and commitment to excellence in legal services. They welcome two accomplished professionals and a recently qualified solicitor to their corporate team, reinforcing their position as a trusted adviser in all corporate aspects of law. Saby…
Vital new monitor part of ‘revolutionary MRI process’ for newborn babies
£45,000 has been donated to Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) as part of the J9 Advisory £100,000 Charity Challenge to enable the purchase of life-saving MRI monitoring equipment. The monitor is part of a revolutionary MRI process at the Leeds Children’s Hospital, unique to Europe, which is transforming the care of newborn babies with heart…
‘People-powered archaeology’ boosts residents’ wellbeing
A partnership between City of York Council and York Archaeology is helping the city’s residents uncover the hidden history of Walmgate, while improving their health and wellbeing, making social connections and gaining new skills and interests. The award-winning Archaeology on Prescription project is one of the first in the world to apply the social prescribing model to…
‘Very good’ status cements push to become UK’s most accessible airport
A renewed push to make Teesside the country’s most accessible airport has been launched following a glowing report from the UK’s aviation regulator. Teesside received the top “Very Good” rating from the Civil Aviation Authority this year in its annual accessibility report. And now airport chiefs have vowed to build on this to become the…
Renovated campus facilities officially open after major refurb
An impressive £750k refurbishment project has transformed Leeds College of Building’s North Street Campus following an eight-week renovation programme. Award-winning fit-out specialists Lodestone Projects managed the extensive summer works that rejuvenated the site and created contemporary and accessible facilities for construction students. Building work took place over four floors, incorporating the transformation of the former…
Accu announces strategic partnership with Huddersfield Town Football Club as official engineering partner for the 2024/2025 season
Accu, a leading Huddersfield-based supplier of high-precision engineering components, is delighted to announce its partnership with Huddersfield Town Football Club, as the Official Engineering Partner for the 2024/25 season. This strategic collaboration is designed to strengthen Accu’s involvement within the local area and elevate the company’s purpose on an international stage. Founded with a vision…
York Opportunities Event for young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities
Approximately 30 employers, education providers and support services from across the region will be exhibiting at the SEND Opportunities Event at Askham Bryan College on Wednesday (16 October) from 3.30-6.30pm. The event is for young people in Year 9 or above, with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities who live in York, Leeds and North Yorkshire, as…
Thousands of people across Humber and North Yorkshire invited to share their attitudes and understanding of cancer to help shape more inclusive NHS cancer services
Regional survey of over 5,660 residents to be carried out by York St John University on behalf of Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance. The Institute for Health and Care Improvement (IHCI) at York St John University and Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance are working in partnership with local Healthwatch organisations to undertake the…
West Yorkshire housebuilder shares top tips for reducing waste this recycle week
In recognition of Recycle Week (14th to 20th October), Barratt and David Wilson Homes is sharing simple but effective tips to help homeowners minimise their waste footprint and recycle smarter. Sam Wood, Sales Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes, said: “We are encouraging homeowners to share our eco-friendly vision by rethinking their recycling habits,…
Autism Plus expands social enterprise with new Knaresborough site
Empowering Young Adults with Autism and Learning Disabilities through Artisan Chocolate Production and Meaningful Activities Autism Plus has opened a new site in Knaresborough, bringing together its North Yorkshire social enterprises under one roof. This new facility represents a major step forward in providing meaningful training and employment opportunities for young adults with autism and…
River Island announces Trinity Leeds store upgrade
River Island announces the re-opening of its Trinity Leeds store on Saturday 12th October. The latest of River Island’s fleet to be part of its optimisation plan, the upgraded store will offer 14,000 square feet of design-led fashion set across three floors, promising a fully integrated shopping experience; combining physical and digital, with interactive fitting…
Travel agents celebrated at special bingo bonanza event at Teesside
Travel agents across the North East have been celebrated for their outstanding work supporting Teesside Airport at a special bingo bonanza event. More than 140 agents including retail store members, homeworkers, head office staff and business development managers packed out the celebration at the airport on Thursday evening (10 October). The event featured bingo, dance-offs,…
Over £1million extra support secured for York residents
Financial support to help residents cope with the cost of living crisis is being extended until the end of end of March 2025. The Council has been allocated £1,037,906 for the next six months and residents are urged to make sure they claim all benefits that they are eligible for. This Household Support Funding (HSF)…
York’s role in leading climate action for the region: residents invited to get involved
York is at the forefront of regional efforts to tackle the climate crisis as part of the newly launched Yorkshire and Humber Climate Action Plan 2024. Following significant engagement across the region, the comprehensive plan has gained unanimous support from all 15 local authorities. York’s leader, Councillor Claire Douglas, is a key voice in driving…
It’s Not Love digital resources launched to support professionals working with children
A new package of digital resources has been developed by York St John University and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to help support teachers and professionals working with children and young people in secondary school to explore healthy and unhealthy friendships and relationships. The resources are a mixture of…
Housing champion Carolina tops the charts
Carolina Padovezi de Oliveira, Manningham Housing Association’s high-flying Corporate Project Manager, has been named as one of Housing Today’s Top 30 Housing Champions. Originally from Brazil, Carolina joined the BME organisation – which manages more than 1,400 homes for over 6,000 residents in Bradford and Keighley – as an Administrative Assistant in 2019, before rising…
Major milestone achieved in £5m H2Boost project with opening of biohydrogen production facility
The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) and its consortium partners have successfully launched a demonstration-scale biohydrogen production and carbon capture facility at The Maltings, a food waste processing facility near Selby, North Yorkshire. This facility is part of the H2Boost project, which secured £5 million in Phase 2 funding last year through the Department for Energy…
West Yorkshire Combined Authority announced as UKREiiF official destination partner
The UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) has announced that West Yorkshire Combined Authority is the official Destination Partner for the annual event taking place between 20th-22nd May 2025, in Leeds. As the Destination Partner, West Yorkshire Combined Authority will take a prominent role at UKREiiF, with a strategically positioned pavilion at the…
Bradford College completes £6.9m mill transformation project
A multimillion-pound renovation project at Bradford College has transformed a derelict mill into a flexible digital, science, and allied health training facility for higher-level students. Garden Mills on Thornton Road opened its doors to staff and students this week after months of construction work on the 1900s five-storey building. The development results from £5.8 million…
Otley pet store to open its first concession at a Bradford Garden Centre
The latest concession to open at a Bradford garden centre is an established family pet and animal supplies business. The Blue Barn opened its first site outside its Pool in Wharfedale headquarters at Tong Garden Centre on 26th September. The 1500 sq ft concession stocks a wide range of pet supplies and animal feed covering…
EPG’s Phil Williams a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators
Having spent his entire career as an engineer with a passion for sustainable water management, dedicating time and energy contributing to industry guidance and best practice, Phil Williams, director at The Environmental Protection Group had his efforts recognised when he was awarded the honour of becoming a ‘Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators’…
Record student footfall at The Merrion Centre
Merrion experiences surge in student visitors For the second year in a row, The Merrion Centre has seen an exceptional surge in student footfall, with more than 415,000 visitors flocking through its doors during the start of the new term. This represents a growth of more than 36% year-on-year (YOY), an achievement the Centre attributes…
Veteran Cargo Chief who made Liege a freight giant offers boost to Teesside
A veteran cargo expert who turned Liege into a magnet for global freight will be at the heart of boosting Teesside Airport’s facility. Steven Verhasselt spent 20 years turning Liege Airport from a small regional airport into a cargo juggernaut, handling two-thirds of all European Air Freight. Now the 52-year-old will be helping to steer…
Machines to be removed as most of council parking goes cashless
In the coming weeks a number of parking machines will be removed as the council moves to cashless parking. In February it was agreed at a decision session that the majority of the council’s car parking would go cashless as the council looked to save money by removing the costs of maintaining machines and also…
IT exhibition at Wetherby Racecourse
On November 12th 2024 there will be an IT exhibition at Wetherby Racecourse. Hosted by local IT company Deans Computer Services Ltd, 16 vendors will be on hand to show you the latest advancements and discuss your IT requirements. DCS and their partners will be showcasing accounting and ERP software from award winning providers Pegasus…
Bradford gift card launches new design and collaboration with Bradford 2025
Bradford BID is proud to announce the launch of the new look Bradford City Centre Gift Card, marking an exciting milestone as it celebrates reaching £150,000 in gift card sales. In addition to the new design, the Bradford Gift Card will soon be available for purchase through the Bradford 2025 ticket + info point, following…
AAB moves into North West England with the acquisition of Barlow Andrews
Leading professional services firm, AAB, has strengthened its position in the north of England with the acquisition of Bolton-based Barlow Andrews and its sister entity Beech Business Services. Established for over 100 years and currently employing 70 people, Barlow Andrews and Beech Business Services collectively provide audit & accounts, tax, payroll, outsourcing and business advisory…
Night-time road closures planned as Station Gateway project progresses
As work on the Station Gateway project progresses to the next stage, the council is providing an update on upcoming works in the area in October and November. To help them plan ahead, the council is forewarning residents, businesses and commuters that – as part of work to transform the entrance to York Station – contractors…
Love Handmade Cakes reveal spooktacular foodservice treats
Leeds based bakery, Love Handmade Cakes are rolling out a selection of spooky bakery treats ahead of Halloween celebrations. Featuring classics such as gingerbread, parkin and caramel shortbread, along with spooktacular NPD including a spider themed cookies and cream gateau, the collection promises something new and exciting for customers. The collection of Halloween treats is…